TGIF, Part 18 (taiko drills)

Just wanted to drop a quick note before we dig in here. Do you check out this site often and find it useful? Then, please, help spread the word: tell your friends, leave a comment (even if it's short)!! I can make this a place that is more useful to you if I hear from you about your needs and concerns. I appreciate the emails I've received, (hopefully there will be atarigane practice in the coming months!)--I respond to those, too!

Okay, moving on... How'd last week's drill go? I mentioned that I found practicing ryou te to be very helpful when you're seeking a more even balance between the two hands. It's not a skill that comes easily, so today let's focus on another way to practice it, while combining it with a past drill for review.

Focus: Balance, Speed
Watch for:
1. Make sure that when you hit both hands together, there is only one sound. Not sure if it's one sound or two? Get someone to close their eyes and listen for you. If there are two, slow down!
2. Is one hand louder than the other? Make sure the volume, height, and speed of your sticks are even.

Remember way back in TGIF 2 when we practiced DOKO? Let's use the exact same drill to practice ryou-te. First, play with both hands:

DON
DON
DON
DON
DON
DON
DON
DON

Then continue another 8 beats, alternating RLRL (or LRLR if you're left-handed):

DO KO
DO KO
DO KO
DO KO
DO KO
DO KO
DO KO
DO KO

Loop it back around to the beginning! Note that the weak hand will have to play 2 beats in a row at the end of the line. If you're having trouble with it, don't ignore it--slow down your metronome till you've got it.

After last week, this one should be no problem for 15 minutes. Good luck!


Extension:

You can practice skills consistently and eventually master them, but simply having good skills isn't enough to give a good performance. Most of what I've shared with you so far is very difficult to teach over the internet, but teaching dynamics is nearly impossible. You can begin to explore this yourself with a bit of awareness.

Take the drill above and add a gradual crescendo the first time through. The second time, make it a decrescendo, and repeat. Take the whole 16 counts to reach your final extreme. Close your eyes and listen (or even record yourself). Is the sound so gradual that every single hit is a little bit louder (or quieter) than the one before? Does the change in volume sound even? To get this right takes patience and persistence, but once you get it, it can enhance any song and take your audience along with you.