Dr. Beat Metronome

I recently purchased a Dr. Beat Metronome (by Boss) on Amazon for about $28, including tax and shipping. Here's an intro:

Taiko Drill Part 43, TAIKO SET PATTERN 3

Hi there, and thanks for visiting.

We've been working on a set of patterns for taiko set the last few weeks. Be sure to start from the beginning if you're just joining us. Here's the final part today and then we'll put it all together.

Focus: Balance, Form
Watch For:
1. Double check to make sure that the volume of your "do ko do ko" is even from hand to hand. Checking your height and form is a good place to start if you have an imbalance.

Let's get started!

This week's pattern has two parts. First, take the pattern:

don tsu ku do ko do ko don tsu ku do ko do ko
don tsu ku don tsu ku don tsu ku do ko do ko

Red means right and black means Left. Bold is emphasized.

Remember, you can use any two drums to practice this pattern, or even play it on a single drum!

Play all of the "dons" on the right drum, which is higher pitched. On the left drum, the lower pitch, we'll play "tsu ku" and "tsu ku do ko". Any "do ko" that is not preceded by a "tsu ku" is played on the right drum.

Confused? Let's take a look at the video demo. You'll see Pattern 1, Pattern 2, and then Pattern 3 right in a row. At the end, I play the pattern on the right drum one time before repeating.

In the video, I pause to note the increase in tempo each time, but you can loop this drill for practice without stopping.

Extension:
Review the dynamics from last week and add a small crescendo to Part 3:

Pattern 1 has the normal don tsu ku dynamics, "do ko do ko" is even in volume, not particularly emphasized.
Pattern 2 has the normal don tsu ku dynamics,"do ko do ko" is even in volume, and emphasized.
Pattern 3 has the normal don tsu ku dynamics,"do ko do ko" is played with a crescendo.

Taiko Drill Part 42, TAIKO SET PATTERN 2

Thanks for coming back! I'm posting today's drill from Canada.

Let's move forward with Pattern 2 for taiko set.

Focus: Form, Dexterity
Watch For:
1. Pay attention to dynamics--this is what can make a simple pattern into an interesting rhythm.
2. Probably, I don't need to say it again, but just in case:) Move from your core, not your arms!

Okay, here's a review of last week's basic rhythm:

don tsu ku do ko do ko don tsu ku do ko do ko
don tsu ku don tsu ku don tsu ku do ko do ko

Red means Right, Black means Left, bold is emphasized.

Last week, we played just the "don" on the right, high-pitched drum. This week, we'll do the same thing, but also play all of the "do ko do ko" on the right drum as well. So, essentially, only "tsu ku" should be played on the left drum.

Here's a tip in terms of making your movements fluid. At the beginning of Line 2, we play "don tsu ku" 3 times. For each "don tsu ku" only the Right hand needs to switch drums. Let your left bachi hang out at the left drum, just to the left of center of the skin. The left bachi is always moving, up and slightly faster down, just like when you play "don tsu ku" on a single drum.

If your right drum is a shime and your left drum an oke daiko, keep in mind that "tsu ku" may sound quieter on the oke daiko than the shime. You may need to play louder than you think on the left drum in order to keep a good balance. Feel free to experiment with this.

If you loop this pattern with last week's Pattern 1, here's what should happen:

Pattern 1 has the normal don tsu ku dynamics, "do ko do ko" is even in volume, not particularly emphasized.

Pattern 2 has the normal don tsu ku dynamics, "do ko do ko" is even in volume, and emphasized.

Loop these patterns daily 15-20 minutes and don't be afraid of your metronome! Back with a video demo and the last line for this drill next week.

Extension:

Try out some improvised accents when playing "do ko do ko" for Pattern 1. This is something that should be on the spot without planning, but here are some examples ("tsu" or "ku" means non-emphasized):

• tsu ko tsu ko
• do don tsu ku
• tsu ko don tsu
• tsu ku tsu ko

Loop this with Pattern 2 as described above.

Taiko Drill Part 41, TAIKO SET PATTERN 1

Well, it's been a crazy week of transition, and I'm writing to you today from my temporary location of Cleveland, Ohio!


K, let's get back to taiko set.


Focus: Form, Dexterity

Watch For:

1. Keep elbows out and arms lifted, even when you move between drums.

2. Remember to begin movement from your core before it's time to initiate a strike on the other drum. This is important for good timing when playing faster.

Okay, let's start with today's basic rhythm:

1

&

2

&

3

&

4

&

5

&

6

&

7

&

8

&

don

tsu

ku

do

ko

do

ko

don

tsu

ku

do

ko

do

ko

don

tsu

ku

don

tsu

ku

don

tsu

ku

do

ko

do

ko

PLEASE SEE COMMENTS FOR CORRECT PATTERN. I'll fix the issue as soon as I can, thanks.


Try this rhythm on a single drum to start. Make sure your hits are consistently in the same spot, at or near the center. This will reduce the chance of "clicking" the rim when we add another drum. When you're ready, let's play it on taiko set.

Set up 2 drums, like last week, higher pitch on the right. Check your stance, as we did 2 weeks ago.

For the first pattern in this series, play every "don" on your high-pitched, or right drum. All other beats are played on your low-pitched, or left drum.

Remember that "don tsu ku" has a rather cyclical feeling. "don" should be the loudest, "tsu" the quietest, and "ku" right in the middle. Be sure that "tsu" doesn't get lost in the shuffle--we still want to hear it! You can review "don tsu ku" here.

Gambarimasu! Grab your metronome and get started. We'll continue with a variation on this pattern next week.

NOTE: Next week's drill may be a little bit late (Saturday or Sunday) because I won't have access to a computer, but it's all written and ready to go!

Extension:

Make it fun with dynamics!

Keep the don tsu ku dynamics the same, as described above. But, let's change up the "do ko do ko". First time through, play do ko do ko as a crescendo, going from quiet to loud. Second time, do the opposite, with a decrescendo. Alternate, and loop it!

Talking Taiko

A while back I came across a blog that I can't stop going back to. Talking Taiko brings the thoughts of New York University Department of Music graduate student, and current taiko player with Soh Daiko, Wynn Yamami.

He doesn't talk about the specifics of his taiko practice, rather, his thoughtful entries are more on the philosophical and analytical side, pushing you to consider specific topics and apply them to taiko. For example, the most recent post focuses on toes, how they relate to taiko, balance, and our bodies.

As a dancer with a degree in cultural anthropology, I am very intrigued by movement theory and this blog presents plenty to think about. Wynn poses interesting questions, supports his ideas with references (that I then promptly decide to read), and chooses topics that directly relate to Japanese and Japanese American culture and performance.

If you're looking to further consider taiko as a performance art and a discipline, its role within our culture and its culture of origin, and gain a bit of a window into the world of Soh Daiko, I recommend Talking Taiko. Let me know what you think.

Here's Wynn Yamami's bio from the NYU website:

Wynn Yamami (piano, accordion, percussion, taiko) has performed with a wide variety of musicians including Arturo O’Farrill and the Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Badal Roy, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jason Kao Hwang, Daniel Levin, Rob Brown, and Korn at such venues as Galapagos, Issue Project Room, Birdland, Merkin Concert Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and MTV Unplugged. He leads two groups (theJapanese street music band HAPPYFUNSMILE and the experimental trio KIOKU) and performs with SOH DAIKO and the TACHIBANA DANCE GROUP. He has taught at New YorkUniversity, Queensborough Community College, RutgersUniversity, and Westminster Choir College, and has researched various topics in American music, philosophy, popular culture, and Asian American music.

Taiko Drill Part 40, DOKO on TAIKO SET

Leaving Japan in 2 days! Originally I thought I'd be skipping this week's drill, maybe directing you to Kris Bergstrom's 30 Days to Better Shime lessons as a substitute... But, it got to be Friday and I realized that writing these entries is sort of what makes Friday, well, Friday for me! Glad you're here.


So you don't miss out on Kris though--30 Days to Better Shime is now available in print form! Click here for info. (Apparently, it's been in print form since sometime last year, so I guess I'm a little behind...)

Last week we talked about core and how it's important to be aware of it, and utilize it correctly, when playing taiko. Let's move on from there.

Focus: Form, Timing
Watch For:
1. Try to hit the center of each drum.
2. Initiate movement from your core. The hips and knees will follow.
3. Flexible hips and knees are important. Be sure to stretch and be aware of how your body feels. If you notice anything strange, be sure to stop and check it out.

Today we're going to just play a simple doko doko, switching back and forth between the two drums. Certainly there are different styles and methods for this, so keep that in mind.

Okay, start by putting your high-pitched drum on the right and lower-pitched on the left. The pitch is generally your preference, but if you're using the videos below, it would be helpful to do the same as I did. Check your spacing and stance so that each arm is lifted, elbows out, bachi tips are near the center of each respective drum. Tailbone is slightly tucked and we're ready to go.

With only two drums it should be possible to keep your feet still and stable. Start by turning your hips slightly toward the left drum and play "doko" (RL). As the left hand is coming down to strike "ko", that is when movement to the right drum begins from your core. Your arms will naturally follow and be in place once your hips are facing the right drum. Then, play "doko" (RL) on the right drum.

When moving from the left drum to the right drum, it's possible for them to move separately, with a bit of space created between them. To move from the right drum to the left, the two must move as a unit in order to avoid collision. Essentially, the right arm moves in an arch, up and over. The left arm moves in an upward, diagonal line.

You'll notice in the video below that my description of how to move your arms is best understood by viewing the slower version, while the core initiation is easier to understand as I get faster.

Here's the front:



And the back:



Loop this pattern with your metronome. I didn't touch on bachi height or dynamics, so let's go there next week. Gambarimasu!

Extension:

Let's change the pattern up a little bit so that you get used to moving at any old time, not just back and forth. Try this:

do ko (Left drum) do ko (Right drum) X3
do ko do ko (Right drum, cresc.)
do ko (Left drum) do ko (Right drum) X3
do ko do ko (Left drum, cresc.)

Kris' 30 Days to Better Shime, in print!

Kris Bergstrom's (On Ensemble) free online program, 30 Days to Better Shime, is available in print form. You can download the PDF here. All audio tracks are available for free download as well.

Or for $30 you get:

• 30 daily exercises for shime daiko
• a bubble calendar (pop a bubble after each day completed!)
• CD with audio tracks, including metronome tracks for practice
• Twice weekly email check-ins from Kris himself for 30 days of your choice

This program has great explanations and support. Kris doesn't just tell you how to do things, he asks you to create and challenge yourself as well. For example, he'll introduce a Rhythm Maker (p. 49) as a way to create a series of rhythms randomly. He also offers regular assessment tools throughout the program--you'll really notice your improvements!

Kris Bergstrom is a great taiko player, but also a very helpful person who wants to share and answer questions. If you download the program, please consider making a donation for all he did to put this together.

Note: This is not a beginning-level program. You should have at least some taiko experience.

Check out the OnEnsemble blog pages. They're a fun read and often updated:

Kris Shoji Maz Kelvin

30 Days to Better Shime will be available for purchase at NATC.