Filed under: Drums,
On Buddy Helm’s Blog, I found an interesting article discussing the way North American players had transformed the African style into a more relaxed one. Click here to read it Where African masters teach a more powerful approach and with distinct Djembe three sound separation, later adopted by American users as a simpler 2 sounds.
Altough both people have a point, I feel like the entire discussion revolves around the player’s goal.
When I started playing drums, back when I was 15, I was told the ‘proper’ way to hold the sticks, and the ‘proper’ way to sit in front of my set, and eventhough I found it arbitrary at first, having a good technique, allowed me to progress and try to find a voice on my playing. Some players focus on speed, others on power, some others prefer to do a little less than most, and play with the silence as well as with sounds, I found those to be the best. Nevertheless, I think that each player has a quest on his hands everytime he/she plays.
Salu2
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Thanks for your comments about American Djembe playing. Traditional African is wonderful!- All due respect to it. I was trained like you.
Comment by Buddy Helm 02.02.08 @ 3:30 pmThe US djembe style is unique-more song oriented-rock n roll, blues jazz.
Keep the groove,
Let’s play together! I’ll be in Fla. xx Buddy Helm