Djembe Master Class Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: I don’t have an instrument, can I still participate?

A: YES!  We will have drums available here - and they are all hand made by Paco’s family in Senegal and are just incredible drums. There is a rental fee of $10 for the instrument but trust me it is worth it. The rental fee for current high school students is included in their ticket.

Q2: I am a beginner, would this class be for me?

A: The studio’s educational philosophy is that our doors are open to ANYONE who wants to learn.

Q3: Is there a discount code for high school students who want to attend?

Yes- for current high school students, use the discount code STUDENT when you purchase your seat.  The link to reserve your seat at this event is here. As of now we have 6 seats left. 

New Faculty Spotlight: Introducing Pape "Paco" Samb

Pape Demba "Paco" Samb comes from a family that have been griots in his native Senegal for hundreds of years. As a griot, Paco is one of the keepers of the ancestral history, stories, and music of his Wolof peoples. As a master hand drummer, Paco not only plays the instruments but he and his brothers build several types of drums as well. He performs both contemporary and traditional Senegalese music, as well as reggae, rap, funk, jazz, pop and a variety of other styles. Paco heads his own drum ensemble called Super Ngewel and released his first album in 2014.

The Benefits of Daily Practice

One concept that is consistent across all the members of the studio, regardless of experience level is this concept: daily practicing yields significant improvement over time. The longer the period of time, the larger the increase in improvement. This is an observation from decades of my own musical journey as well as the instruction of others.

Different students of course have different goals. Perhaps the student is just getting started, or perhaps they are playing at a proficient level and are preparing for an audition for a high school or university level ensemble. Both of the situation require different levels of input. But the concept remains the same.

For the beginner student, perhaps five to ten minutes a day is advisable in order for the student to feel comfortable with the drumsticks in his or her hands to gain basic functionality in terms of approaching the instrument.

For the advanced student, preparing for a university school of music audition, perhaps a practice plan that occupies three or four hours a day is advisable. Again, each situation is unique and that is one of the benefits of studying percussion here at groove - custom tailored advice on practice habits.

Suggested reading on this point is here from the Association of Psychological Science: Deliberate Practice and Performance in Music, Games, Sports, Education, and Professions: A Meta-Analysis

On Creativity and the Brain

If you haven’t seen it, there is a terrific article and podcast from KQED about creativity, music and brain function. While the article talks about melodic instruments like piano, the general concepts are applicable to drums and percussion as well.

In short, creativity is a skill that can be cultivated. This is why in part the students at groove get a more student driven experience than you might find in other studios. This is also why for the more advanced students here, free form improvisation is emphasized.

You can read the article here.

Calling All Friends of Groove: Our Year End Fundraising Campaign

This last year, the studio provided free after school programming to middle school students in collaboration with After the Bell and also produced a live performance event at no cost to the students. In order to expand the studio’s low-cost or no-cost programming for middle and high school students in 2022, please consider making a tax deductible donation to the studio.

Are you a Friend of Groove? Consider making a tax-deductible donation though our Fractured Atlas site, and check out the thank you gifts!

$50 - an acknowledgement on social media and a listing on our website on the Friends of Groove page;

$100 - everything above plus a new hand drawn logo tee;

$250 - everything above plus a groovePAD;

$1000 - everything above plus a 90 minute private house concert by Bryan’s jazz trio at a mutually agreed time.

Improvisational Exercise, long form

Routine in our practice is a valuable thing. There is value in staying organized and focused in our quest to improve. However, too much routine can be detrimental to your growth as a drumset artist. This is an example of a long form improvisational exercise that I use with my students - I'll hold down a pattern (this one happens to be in 12/8), and the student's job is to not think - just create. It takes some time to free oneself from your own headspace. I recommend trying this for at least 15 - 20 minutes. Once you can spend a hour continuously in this headspace, some interesting things can result.

In this video, David Robinson comes up with some interesting ideas over the 12/8. Spend some time with this video and you will see what I mean.

If you are interested in studying with me, please click here.