All Things Taiko

I'm Coming!

2012-01-29T14:14:00.003+09:00

The Taiko Road Trip

Beginning July 2012

Detroit
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
New York
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Washington, DC
Atlanta
New Orleans
Dallas
Albuquerque

My schedule is still flexible except for a couple of stops. I'd love to meet you if you're somewhere in between! Send me a message:)

Bali Retreat for Taiko Players

2011-12-03T23:19:00.005+09:00

Interested in joining me to learn kecak in Bali next spring?? See this post for more information and details below! Email me at allthingstaiko (at) gmail (dot) com if you're thinking about joining and I'll add you to the mailing list!

--Carrie

Short Course

Dates: May 7-11

$990 USD + flight (arranged by you)

Includes:

24 hours kecak instruction
1 day or 2 afternoons of site-seeing
Airport pick-up/drop-off (arr. May 6, dep. May 12)
6 nights lodging (based on double occupancy)
meals (not including meal out)

Long Course

Dates: May 7-16

$1840 USD + flight (arranged by you)

Includes:

40 hours kecak instruction + 8 hours elective instruction (TBD Some possibilities include: dance, rindik, gamelan, kendang, suling)
1 full day and 1 afternoon site-seeing
Airport pick-up/drop-off (arr. May 6, dep. May 17)
11 nights lodging (based on double occupancy)
meals (not including 1 lunch out and 1 dinner out)

Next Steps:

If you're interested in joining the retreat, please send us a Letter of Interest telling us who you are, why you're interested in kecack and how you feel this experience will inform you as a taiko player. This is due by January 15, 2012 via email to: allthingstaiko (at) gmail (dot) com.

There is a limit of 32 participants. Based on how many letters we receive, we can finalize the fees by January 31 and will require your verbal commitment by February 15. Here's the timeline:

January 15: Letter of Interest due

January 31: Final fee schedule set

February 15: Verbal commitment due

March 1: Full payment due

Bali Kecak Retreat (for taiko players!)

2011-11-10T14:15:00.005+09:00

Anyone interested in learning rhythms in a new way to help inform your taiko skills? I'm working with Yeeman Mui to organize a retreat to Bali in May 2012 at the Bona Alit Art Space specifically for taiko players. While we hope to incorporate taiko more directly in the future, the 2012 retreat will focus on the art of kecak and developing the ability to layer multiple-part rhythms.

I Gusti Rai popularized kecak as an art form with the 1992 film, Baraka. His son, Bona Alit, runs the Bona Alit Art Space (www.bona-alit.com) and welcomes anyone who wants to learn the music of Bali into his home. We'll spend 7-10 days at the resort in Bona amongst the rice paddies, eat and take lessons together in kecak with plenty of time for enjoying the vibrant local culture.

Are you interested in joining us? Send me a message if you'd like more information!

If you've never seen kecak before, check out this video of Bona Alit's crew!

Some photos of the art space:

Bali Retreat

‎"Anyone interested in learning rhythms in a new way to help inform your taiko skills? I'm working with Yeeman Mui to organize a retreat to Bali in May 2012 at the Bona Alit Art Space specifically for taiko players. While we hope to incorporate taiko more directly in the future, the 2012 retreat will focus on the art o...See More

By: Carrie Carter

Photos: 4

It's Intermission--Life Takes Over

2011-10-22T10:16:00.006+09:00

Hi there!

So, I promised 12 weeks and there will be 12 weeks! But, for right now I need to take a bit of a break from the Taiko Challenge drills in order to focus on some real-life taiko fun. :)

Taiko Performance

My group here in Hong Kong, ODaiko, is performing this coming week as part of the Hong Kong World Cultures Festival. The HK Cultural Centre is pairing up world-renowned artists with local artists to present a number of shows that focus on Asian performing arts--including Eitetsu Hayashi!

ODaiko will be playing this Thursday, at 6:15pm in the lobby of the Cultural Centre. It's a free performance, so come if you're here!

US Taiko Road Trip

Also, I'm currently planning a trip for next summer to get to know some taiko groups in the US better! Most likely starting in Boston, I'll be visiting Philadelphia and Atlanta, and hope to visit enough groups to make my way across the United States with a lot of sight-seeing in between. Have ideas for me? Let me know! I'll be blogging about the experience here next August.

So, with the performance coming up and lots of friends visiting Hong Kong, planning the taiko road trip, and trying to write a thesis, I need to take a short intermission from this series of drills. Keep bugging me if I take too long to come back!!

I hope you're all well!

--Carrie

Taiko Challenge, Part 6

2011-10-15T00:55:00.002+09:00

Hi!

Here's the review run-down if you're just joining:

So, the rhythm this week is simple--exactly the same as last week. Only difference is when you play 2, play double rolls, and when you play in triples play triple rolls.

See the video where I give it a shot here.

No Extension this week! 15 minutes every day... go! Gambarimasu!

Taiko Challenge, Part 5

2011-10-08T10:57:00.005+09:00

Week 5 already! For those just joining, check these out first:

Here we go! This week, start with the ju-roku roll (16 rolls) and the follow with triplets for the same length.

Line 1

doko X16 (RL)

Line 2

dokodo kodoko X8 (RLR LRL--triplets)

15-minutes a day!

Video!

Extension:

Try layering this pattern with a friend and love those polyrhythms! Don't have a taiko buddy to practice with at home? Post a comment, email or facebook me with the tempo you're working with--I'd be more than happy to record a 15-minute video of this pattern so you can still do the extension! Really, I would :)

I will post a link here within 24 hours with a video for the extension--gotta find my own buddy first. Promise!

Taiko Challenge, Part 4

2011-09-30T17:45:00.001+09:00

Well, I've survived the typhoon, but the weather's still kinda grim here in Hong Kong. Playing taiko somehow seems to always brighten things up :)

If you're just tuning in to this series, make sure to start at the beginning:

The pattern this week is, again, the same as last week, but with different sticking:

Line 1

doko X16 (RRRLLLRRRLLLRRRLLLRRRLLLRRRLL)

Line 2

su ko doko X8 (su LRL)

Alternate the 2 lines, 15 minutes per day! Take things super slow if triple rolls are difficult for you. Going too fast too soon means you won't reap the full benefits of this drill--it's most important to just keep things steady with your metronome. If you're having trouble or need advice, put your questions in the comments--it's only gonna get more complicated from here!

A video example of this week's pattern in 3 speeds.

Extension:

The easy way to do the roll for this week is to count RRRLLL 5 times and then do a double stroke on the right hand before beginning Line 2. But, the pattern is in 8, so try to count it that way. Shortly, I'll post a video example of that here.

Gambarimasu! See you in 7 days :)

Taiko Challenge, Part 3

2011-09-23T20:38:00.002+09:00

Hey there! If you're not sure what's going on, go back and check the first post here.

The pattern for this week is exactly the same as last week, but with different sticking:

doko doko X8 (RRLL)

su ko doko X8 (su LRL)

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q47KiTsexGo

No extension this week--but if you've got your own, post it in the comments and let others have a try! (sorry--gotta be efficient this week)

See ya in 7 days!

Ju-Roku Taiko Challenge, Week 2

2011-09-16T16:58:00.004+09:00

Hey there!

In case you missed it, I'm posting a variation on last week's basic ju-roku drill every Friday for 3 months. Join me in practicing, at a comfortable tempo with your metronome, 15 minutes a day, 7 days a week. I've found my time is limited for additional taiko practice, so I'm trying to make my practice precise and efficient.

Unfortunately, limited time means short blog posts, too. So, let's jump right in and get started on week 2!

Line 1

do ko X16 (this is the ju-roku, or 16 beat, base)

Line 2

su ko do ko X8

Alternate the 2 lines!

Extension:

If you're starting with the right hand (I'm switching to left-hand lead after 5 minutes), try to notice that the left hand keeps a steady beat the whole time--it's rhythm never changes. Rather than thinking of these lines as 2 separate rhythms, continue to hear "doko" in your head continuously, dropping out just the first beat for Line 2.

The video example!

16 a.k.a. "ju-roku" TC Part I

2011-09-09T21:08:00.003+09:00

Hi!

Welcome to the first Taiko Challenge drill week. This week will be a basic drill and every 7 days for 3 months, I'll alter the drill to create a new challenge, getting more complicated as we go. Let's get started:

Line 1

doko X16

Line 2

don tsuku x8

Loop those 2 at a steady pace with your metronome for 15 minutes without stopping. Try saying the line you're not playing in order to keep the tempo from changing.

Extension:

Grab a practice partner and layer them on top of one another by alternating parts.

See you in 7 days!

A video example in 3 speeds.

A Taiko Challenge

2011-09-02T17:59:00.003+09:00

Hi there!

After a brief conversation with Kris Bergstrom a couple weeks ago, I realized that I need to challenge myself more. I need to challenge myself to be more creative, more motivated, more focused. And, even when time is scarce, these things are possible.

So, I will make a small goal for myself here:

Every morning at the start of my day, 7 days a week for 3 months, I will practice a drill for 15 minutes. Every week will the be same drill--a roll--with slight variation, so each week is really never exactly the same. I will experiment with tempo, layering, counting... Who knows what I'll come up with to create 12 variations of the same drill?

Do you want in? I'll be here every Friday from September 9 to tell you about the next week's variation. Feel free to pipe up along the way if you have suggestions of your own!

See you on the 9th!

--Carrie

Oh Taiko

2011-02-05T23:41:00.008+09:00

Well, this is a long overdue update and I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. It makes me a little sad that it's been so long since I've posted here, but my hope is that in due time I will be posting quite regularly again. Thanks for your patience--I haven't forgotten about ATT.

I've been consumed with graduate study in the Music Department at the University of Hong Kong and, while this takes up the majority of my time, I have been lucky enough to find some lovely folks to play taiko with as well.

O-Daiko sprouted around 2003 from the passion of a group of women who fell in love with the art form. The name may seem generic, but it actually merits some explanation. The Cantonese name, 大点鼓, translates as "big dot drum." The characters for "taiko" are 太鼓, so the original thought was to separate the "dot" from 太 to make 大(big)点(dot)鼓(drum). In Japanese, 大 can be pronounced "Oh". From there, the O came to represent the dot of the original name. Hm... somehow this is more difficult to explain than anticipated...

Anyway, things are coming together for the group this year, with its first full-length concert on March 19, 2011. The concert will premier one of my new pieces, Kyoka (鏡花), inspired by the original Cantonese poem of the same name by O-Daiko member, Chu Sau Man.

You can see us in action in the video from the University of Hong Kong's Centennial Celebration Kick-Off Parade. We play right at the beginning for about 30 seconds. Click here to watch the Parade!

Have some time? Let me know in the comments how your group chose its name!

Korean Taiko

2010-09-30T09:33:00.004+09:00

A couple months back I was at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. On my last day there, my friend and I were wandering around trying to find a pavilion line that was short enough for the time we had left. It was then that we stumbled upon the Korean Pavilion.

The Pavilion for Korea was quite large and the line was winding around the building, but it wasn't the 6-hour wait that Japan's was, so we jumped in. After waiting 20 minutes in line, they let us in to what (surprise to us!) was NOT the Korean pavilion, but a Korean drum performance! Very impressive--check it out below.

After the videos, leave a comment: Can we call this taiko? Why or why not?

Visit my Youtube page to see the 2 dance pieces before the drumming started.

Happy Feet, Part 2

2010-08-01T10:17:00.003+09:00

If you missed out on Happy Feet, Part 1 I recommend you backtrack and check it out first. Once you've completed those stretches, we can go a bit deeper into the foot muscles. If anything here seems to hurt, please stop. Go back to doing Part 1 every day for 3-5 days and then come back to try this one again.

Ever needed to squat down during a taiko song and found that your feet couldn't handle it? Or that you could only last a few seconds before they started aching? Try this stretch out:

1. Sit on your knees, with toes curled under so that there is space between your ankles and the floor.
2. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, as far forward as you can go without lifting your butt off your knees.
3. Lift the knees slightly off the ground, supporting your body with a tight core and, keeping them at a level height, take them from side-to-side.

4. To deepen the above stretch, sit up and shift your weight gently from the hips, side to side. Again, remember to hold the core tight in order to keep movements stable and balanced, which reduces the chance of unplanned movement or injury.

Thanks for visiting and let me know what you think in the comments! Anyone interested in hand stretches? Let me know!

Happy Feet, Part 1

2010-06-25T15:39:00.012+09:00

I love my feet. They keep me stable, provide shock absorption, allow me to drum and dance and do most things that I love. There was a time when I took my feet for granted, yes, but I've learned how to please my feet. In the end, we both get to be happy.

Meet my feet's best friend:

Try this--it's the best massage ever. Get an old tennis ball--not one that's falling apart, but one that's moved beyond its stiff newness.

1. Take off your socks and shoes and set the ball on carpeted floor. If you're not the best at balancing on one foot, make sure to have a chair or table nearby to grab onto when needed.

2. Place your foot over the ball, so the ball fits in your foot's arch and press down, putting all your weight into that foot.

3. Press and release for as long as it feels good.

4. Next, you can roll the ball forward, backward, side-to-side. Release verbal sounds of pleasure when necessary... I'm sure I don't need to mention it, but be sure to switch feet.

Everything in the previous section can be done in any order, but this next step will lead into another foot stretch:

1. Set the tennis ball on the floor in front of you.

2. Spread your toes as wide as you can, and place them lightly on the ball. Try to pick the ball up with your toes. If you can't actually pick the ball up, keep repeating the motion. This will warm up the foot muscles for the next stretch.

Fingers and Toes Work Together:

1. Sit down with feet flat on the floor, knees pointing toward the ceiling. If you can't sit upright without support, do this with your back against a couch or wall.

2. Place your 4 fingers in the spaces between your toes on each foot.

3. If the muscles feel tight, this may be enough for you. Try to work up to the point where you can gently rotate your wrists in small, and then larger circles, loosening up the muscles.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Tam Kung Festival

2010-06-17T16:04:00.000+09:00

Every year on the 8th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar in Shau Kei Wan of the Eastern District in Hong Kong, there is a celebration of Tam Kung. Local residents, particularly fisherman, worship this god of the sea at the Tam Kung Temple, also located here.

This year, on May 21, I attended the festival celebrating Tam Kung. A parade of most (maybe all?) of the lion dance groups in Hong Kong wrapped around the neighborhood for 3 hours. The weather was hot, thick, and sticky, the streets packed with people all trying to get a glimpse of the lions.

After an hour or so, I needed a break from the mayhem and my friend and I slipped into a small dim sum restaurant. Taking away the visual aspect, I noticed that each group had their own distinct drum rhythm during the parade, and soon I could guess which group was about to pass the restaurant. I snapped a few shots and caught a little footage, check it out:

Waiting for the show to start.

Children posing with the lion heads.

----------------------------------------------------------

It was tough to get the lion dancing on video with so many people around, but this is the best I could do:

Watch this one for a taste of the drumming:

Taikoforum.com June 14th!

2010-06-09T22:28:00.005+09:00

Below is the email I just sent out. Note that we're starting out with groups in North America and plan to expand naturally according to the needs of the users--so anyone's welcome to join the community. Welcome!

Dear Taiko Family,

Please share this email with members of your taiko group.

Join us for the launch of Taikoforum.com on the morning of June 14th with moderator Kris Bergstrom!

You'll find 3 sections within the site: Forum, Wiki, and Group Map. The Forum is for discussion and also where you'll find the Featured Topic guided by the current moderator. The Wiki has informational pages on taiko. And, the Group Map shows where taiko groups are in North America.

As you explore please keep this in mind: Taikoforum.com is created to allow for maximum user participation! This means that we've gotten things started, but it's up to you to help make Taikoforum.com accurate and complete. So, once you register, we encourage you to:

1. Check out the Forum! Add your own comment or question; help keep the space active.

2. Check the Map to see if your group is represented and that all information is current. If not, follow the instructions at the bottom of the map for corrections.

3. Search the Wiki pages to see if one exists for your taiko group. If not, consider making one! Let your group members know so they can help create it.

4. Find the video page within the Wiki and edit it to include a link to a video of your group, if one does not already exist.

Please create a new Wiki page on any topic of your choice that you feel is important to the community, however we encourage you to first search the current pages to see if it already exists and also consider whether or not your topic could simply be added to another page.

Featured Topic, June 14th

Moderator: Kris Bergstrom

Kris began his taiko career as a member, composer, and leader of the university group, Stanford Taiko. He then spent 3 years in Japan where he studied and performed traditional dance within the Wakayagi school, kumidaiko with Nihon Taiko Dojo, and nagauta shamisen with Kineya Katsuyukie, one of the world’s most respected shamisen players. An artist of many talents, Kris maintains an active teaching schedule of taiko technique, turntable scratching, and shamisen, and currently serves as mentor to a small group of dedicated apprentices. In 2008 Kris received his natori (professional stage name) for nagauta shamisen from the Kineya School where he is known as Kineya Katsukoujyu. He is one of only a handful of musicians in the United States who have achieved this status.

Kris' Topic

Masturi Aces is a project to create a deck of 52 playing cards each with its own bon taiko (matsuri) move/rhythm. I will eventually be looking for move submissions from the community, but there are still lots of questions and tasks before that. Once complete, a series of games would involve players choosing cards and using their movements. The goal in the project is to move toward better form and innovation in bon taiko. I have a number of general questions for the taiko world about the project, and maybe a few specific ones too...

Please join Kris for discussion beginning June 14 and help us launch Taikoforum.com!

Thank you!

The Taikoforum Team

Carrie Carter (carrie@taikoforum.com)
Ben Pachter (ben@taikoforum.com)
Matt Tom-Wolverton (matt@taikoforum.com)
Adam Weiner (adam@taikoforum.com)

Lis Testa (lis@taikoforum.com)

I Want to Study Taiko in Japan!

2010-05-30T17:17:00.005+09:00

A reader recently emailed me for suggestions on how she can study taiko in Japan for a short period of time. Thought I'd share the info with the rest of you and see if you know of anything else lingering out there! Email me if there's something to add!

KasaMix

When: September 5-16, 2010

Where: Sado Island, Kanazawa, Tokyo

Deadline for application (extended!): May 31 (it is possible to submit an application late if you notify Toni if your intent to apply by June 5)

Contact: Toni Yagami (taikotoni@yahoo.com)

Website: http://www.kodo.or.jp/kasa/frame.html

Inadani Taiko Drumming Course with Art Lee

When: June 14-19 or June 21-26, 2010

Where: Nagano Prefecture

Deadline for application: May 21

Website: http://www.wadaikoworld.net/japantaikocourse.html

Taiko Fukui

When: April 5-9 or April 10-16, 2010 (past!)

Where: Fukui

Deadline for application: N/A

Website: http://www.worldspirit.org.uk/taiko_tour.html

Oedo Sukeroku Taiko Workshop

When: August 20-24, 2010

Where: Nagano Prefecture

Deadline for application: July 31

Website: http://www.oedosukerokutaiko.com/htm/top_english.html

KODO Juku

When: October 7-11, 2010

Where: Sado Island

Deadline for application: June 30

Website: http://kodo.or.jp/ws/juku_eiichi_en.html

Higher Achievement Program

2010-05-25T17:26:00.006+09:00

I love sharing taiko. In particular, I love sharing taiko with kids who most likely otherwise would have little or no connection to Japanese culture. All it takes is one experience to get a child interested in thinking about other parts of the world, which can bring about an open mind and an awareness of the endless possibilities for their future.

I had the privilege the last few months of working with the dedicated scholars at the Higher Achievement Program, a non-profit located in Washington DC dedicated to developing "academic skills, behaviors, and attitudes in academically motivated and under-served middle school children." On November 4, 2009 First Lady Michelle Obama presented Higher Achievement with the Coming Up Taller Award, the nation’s highest honor for out-of-school time organizations providing humanities and arts programming to children with great potential but limited outlets for creative expression.

While most of the program is academic-focused, I was one of two elective teachers at Ward 6 brought in to work with the scholars 3 times a week. While it was just a short time we had together, it was so amazing to watch their thirst for information on taiko, Japan, and Japanese just grow and grow. My students took our time together seriously (as you can see on their faces in the video :) ), and strove to do well. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity with them and so very proud of their performance.

The show started with a skit (written by Victoria Der), but you can't really hear that part clearly. I suggest you begin the video at about 1:54 and Matsuri will start soon after.

Tam Kung Festival

2010-05-25T17:16:00.005+09:00

Waiting for the show to start.

Children posing with the lion heads.

----------------------------------------------------------

It was tough to get the lion dancing on video with so many people around, but this is the best I could do:

Watch this one for a taste of the drumming:

Taikoforum.com is Coming Soon!

2010-05-07T12:23:00.002+09:00

Check out all the info below! I'll keep you updated through ATT, but if you want to receive emails directly, please send me a note!

Dear Taiko Family:

At NATC 2009 there was an overwhelming demand for a way to keep in touch and stay connected during the time in between Conferences. We heard you and decided to do something about it. Since October 2009, a small group of us has been working to create and shape Taikoforum.com! Please help spread the word by sharing this email with all of the members of your taiko group.

Taikoforum.com is a hub for all things related to taiko. A storehouse for information and a center for discussion, it is a gathering place for players across the globe.

We’re in the final stages of organizing a sustainable online space for taiko players that will include a community forum area where you can ask all your questions and engage in meaningful discussion, history and information pages that can be expanded and updated by you and other members of the forum, an interactive map showing the location of taiko groups and their contact information (plus a way to update your current information), and much more!

Once we launch, there will be opportunity to give feedback and make suggestions so you can help make Taikoforum.com the best possible space for its users. In the meantime, consider getting involved by volunteering your time as a discussion moderator, someone who brings a topic of his/her choice to the forum and guides the conversation. If you are interested in being a moderator, we need volunteers of all kinds and experience levels! You can choose to moderate for a week or a month, whatever works best for you and your schedule. Please email carrie@taikoforum.com if you're interested or know someone who is.

In a week or two, you'll receive another email with our exact launch date and an announcement of Taikoforum.com's first moderator!

Questions? Please feel free to email any of us. We appreciate your patience as we respond--we're pretty busy working to bring Taikoforum.com to you as quickly as possible.

Thank you and we'll see you soon online!

The Taikoforum Team

Carrie Carter
Ben Pachter

Matt Tom-Wolverton
Adam Weiner
Lis Testa

Nakanaka in New York This Weekend!

2010-04-26T09:30:00.004+09:00

Let's Talk Cases!

2010-04-06T02:01:00.010+09:00

There are only a handful of choices out there for taiko cases in the US. Where do your cases come from? I've collected mine gradually over the last few years and while each of them is from a different company/person, I'm very pleased with all of them.

Katsugi Okedo

I purchased this hard case when living in Japan. It was custom-made to fit my specific drum. For shipping my drum, I love love love this case! There has (so far) not been any noticeable damage to my drum and it's great to not worry about whether or not it will be okay if I check it as luggage. I do set a light blanket on the top end to prevent any shifting at all before shipping. It has a hard handle for hand carrying, and a long strap to use for over-the-shoulder.

Chu Daiko

Another custom-made drum case, I ordered this one from a drum company in Wisconsin. We discussed a few options via email for how to deal with the tapering of the drums, and I decided on a fitted bottom and a drawstring top with a padded flap. My cases fit snugly and are great for their purpose: day-to-day storage.

Shime Daiko

My soft shime daiko case was made by a friend of a friend. I like that there is a long strap and a shorter one, which gives 2 carrying options. I also appreciate the small business card slot, making identification easy, especially for travel. The foam lining is thick enough to prevent damage as I carry this drum on the subway system, but I always take it as a carry-on if traveling by plane.

A Quick Fix for a Shime Daiko Case

Need an easy way to carry your shime daiko without spending big bucks? Check out the video below, by Former Kodo Apprentice (2007-2009) and current Taikoza member Joe Small, on how it's done at the Apprentice Center:

National Marathon 2010

2010-03-23T22:54:00.007+09:00

My recent frustrations with trying to find a practice space in DC have often led to suggestions by friends that I just go play outside somewhere, maybe at Dupont Circle. I've never really had the guts to do it myself, but there is strength in numbers--besides, taiko is more fun with friends.

So, last Saturday, March 20, 2010, Joe Small, Elizabeth McDonald, and I met at my apartment at 5:30AM. After some water and nourishment, we strapped on katsugi okedo, filled a backpack with chappa and chan chiki, and headed out to lay claim to a street corner.

It was the morning of the Sun Trust National Marathon, and what good place to make noise! The crowd was not large, so we had no trouble finding a spot. As far as what to play... well, the 3 of us had never played together before, and we definitely had our struggles. But, the experimentation & great weather made for a fun 2.5 hours together.

Some of you know that I love to layer rhythmic patterns and, most recently, I've been thinking a lot about taking one polyrhythm and breaking it apart or combining it with a different polyrhythm. So, I played 3 against 4 while Joe played 2 against 3 on top if it, double time. I think it turned out pretty cool, but let me know your thoughts in the comments!

You can hear a breakdown of each polyrhythm we used on the Polyrhythm entry on Wikipedia.

And, here's an ATT drill on polyrhythms, including a fun Extension for groups!

Part 61, 2 Against 3

KODO's New Online Store in English

2010-03-01T11:35:00.003+09:00

Launch for KODO's English online store came on March 1, 2010. While the merchandise is still very limited, they'll be adding new things gradually.

Right now you can buy CDs, the 2009 Kodo Yearbook, and even those prized Kodo chappa (which I hear are so much easier to play than any other). I'm on my way to check out the chappa now, but check out the site for yourself!

KODO Online Store in English!

Philadelphia Visit

2010-02-17T23:04:00.004+09:00

Last weekend I went to Philadelphia for a few taiko activities. First on the list was visiting Kyo Daiko's practice.

Kris led us in a focused practice of Koki Suzuki's Excel, which you can check out on the Rolling Thunder website. As promised, here are the photos we took afterwards!

taiko players are very serious.

but we know how to have fun!

Thank you, Kyo Daiko!

Some Changes

2010-02-03T03:48:00.002+09:00

Well, it seems time to re-evaluate.

I've struggled during the last 5 months to secure practice space in Washington, DC and recently succeeded... only to lose the space due to noise complaints by a neighbor. Not only is this a disappointment to me as a taiko player, but also to me as a blogger. It's been tough to post drills with videos played on my bed. So, I've been thinking it might be time to consider how to best use this online space.

At least for now the Friday drills will be no longer. I plan to write about taiko-related things still, don't get me wrong. But, I think it's time to organize what already exists on ATT in a more user-friendly way (especially for those just coming upon the site, 1.5 years after its birth). So, I'll take a break for a while, as I restructure my thoughts and resources; and be back within a few weeks with a fresh plan.

If you'd like to be notified when I'm posting again, please subscribe through Blogger or Twitter in the sidebar. Feel free to look through the existing posts and drills, organized by date and topic, as well.

I hope you are all healthy in mind, body, and spirit! Ganbatte.

--Carrie

Taiko Class in New York City!

2010-01-26T02:21:00.004+09:00

Are you in New York? Don't miss out on this taiko workshop opportunity January 29, 2010!

Get all the details on the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center Facebook page!

Taiko Drill 63, Striking Chu Daiko

2010-01-23T10:40:00.005+09:00

Welcome back! Let's apply the drill from last week and actually strike the drum.

My chu daiko are from http://www.katotaiko.com/

Focus: Form, Timing
Watch For:
1. When you raise your arm to strike, lift it at a steady pace, using all of the time you have to get to the top.
2. Remember to initiate movement from the elbow.

Today's drill's explanation is quite simple, but can bring tremendous improvements to basic form if done consistently and mindfully. I personally find it most useful to do this for a long period of time, past the point of exhaustion, in order to train my body to still look nice when inside it feels like I can't lift my arm even one more time. Great for endurance!

Lift your arm for 4 counts (1, 2, 3, 4) and strike the drum on the following 1. Repeat this, always striking on beat 1, alternating hands. Be sure to follow a straight path up and down, paying particular attention to the arm and bachi at your highest point. Do your arms look different? Figure out what's different and adjust to make them identical.

Then, just repeat! 15-20 minutes should do it.

Here's an example:

Extra:

I thought it'd be helpful to show you which stance I use, but couldn't figure out how to record it quite well.... Here's my attempt.

Taiko Drill 62, Chu Daiko Form

2010-01-17T08:17:00.004+09:00

There are many versions of chu daiko form; here I'd like to share mine with you. It's an option that you can feel free to use, modify, or leave be as you like.

Focus: Form
Watch For:
1. Tighten your core and slightly tuck your tailbone as demonstrated here to reduce any back pain you may have when playing.
2. Keeping elbows rolled out to the sides will help to prevent hyperextension.

When I say "form", I'm talking about how you set up your feet, their relation to your core and relation to your drum, how you raise your sticks, how you hold and strike your sticks, and the relationship of your body's center with the drum and the audience.

Okay, that's a bit much to consider at once, but... have you? Today let's focus on how we might raise and strike our sticks. This drill is a great tool for building muscle control and focus. Use it to break down the whole movement to decide what form works best for you and your group.

Let's get started!

Set up your stance as you normally play, arms in ready position. Check each arm to make sure the elbow is out to the sides, slightly rounded and slide your shoulder blades down the back (demonstrated in the video). This is the position you want to always return to immediately after striking the drum.

From the right hand, slowly rise the arm up, adjusting the wrist so your bachi is a straight extension of your arm. Once you've reached the top, check to make sure your stick is pointing how you want it to. Carefully, moving first from the elbow, trace your striking form in slow motion. I prefer for my bachi to strike in a straight path, which I try to emulate as I practice this drill.

Repeating this for 20 minutes a day, especially if you can't drum often, will do great things for your arm muscles! Just remember to keep the pace slow and you'll notice changes in your form in a week or two!

Guess What??

2010-01-11T23:07:00.006+09:00

Want to check these out in person?

Join me in a Beginning Taiko Class in Washington DC!

Wednesdays 6:45-8:45pm
8 Weeks, 2/10-4/1
To register, contact 202-547-6839 or visit http://www.chaw.org/

Kato Taiko!!

Taiko Drill 61, 2 Against 3

2010-01-08T23:11:00.005+09:00

We've been building up to this drill in the previous two drills, 59 and 60. So, if you've been practicing your triplets and doubles, let's get started.

Focus: Timing, Counting
Watch For:
1. If you've practiced the two drills before this one, try to change your listening focus while you play. Sometimes listen to the 2, then listen to the 3, then hear it as a whole pattern.
2. Be aware of your timing no matter what you're listening to!

The video explains it all this week:

First I'll play 2 hits 8 times with my left hand. Then, I'll play 3 hits 8 times, but within the same timeframe as the twos. I'll repeat one more time and then play both parts together!

Extension
This drill is very versatile! You can play with multiple drums, start the 2 on the upbeat while the 3 starts on the downbeat. Here's one way to practice timing with a group:

Instead of playing each part with one stick, divide your taiko group into 2 parts. One group will play 2 and one group will play 3. It'll take a lot of patience and a lot of listening, but it's a great tool for listening to one another and helps bring attention to the group's timing as a whole.

See you next week! We're moving on to Chu Daiko!

Great Lakes Taiko Center

2009-12-24T04:04:00.003+09:00

Had a nice time, as always, practicing with Raion Taiko in Michigan yesterday. For years I've been in the habit of checking online to see if there were any developments in the Michigan (my home state) taiko scene. I fell upon the Raion Taiko (Great Lakes Taiko Center) blog while I was living in Wakayama-ken, Japan. Brian and Mayumi have brought back their experience training with Asano Taiko in Kanazawa to the Detroit area and my habit has now become that of stopping by for a visit now and then.

Back in November I was able to join one of their practices, and again yesterday. Check out their website to learn about the exciting things they have going on!

NATC video

2009-12-22T09:06:00.003+09:00

Well, I seem to have underestimated my schedule for the last couple of weeks. So sorry I failed to post a drill last Friday!

To make it up, here's the recap video from this year's NATC, just posted to YouTube last week! Are you in it??

I'll be back with you January 8, 2010! Happy Holidays

Taiko Drill Part 60, 2 Against 3 Pre-Lesson

2009-12-12T23:54:00.004+09:00

Hi! I had dreams of new taiko arriving in the mail last night:) The holidays are coming a bit early for me--my 2 new nagado are going to arrive next week! I ordered from friend, Yuta Kato's, father who makes taiko in California. My drums are going straight to Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), their temporary home for the rest of my time in Washington DC. Visit the CHAW website for information on my spring classes where you'll get to hit my new drums!

Okay, focusing up. (Did I mention I'm excited?!)

Focus: Timing, Counting
Watch For:
1. If you feel like you're consistently starting the phrase on the downbeat, then start to listen to the space in between your hits. Is the space equal? Try to understand your tendencies (left hand too late or too early?) and make adjustments.
2. Your metronome is your best friend.

Last week's drill focused on 2s and 3s, either alternating or using one bachi at a time. Today's drill gives you an idea for how to practice the same pattern while incorporating roll practice, alternating your start hand.

Line 1: RLRLRLRL (doubles) RLRLRLRLRLRL (triples) (2X)

Line 2: RLRLRL (doubles) RLRLRLRLR (triples)
LRLRLR (doubles) LRLRLRLRL (triples) (2X)

Line 3: RL (double) RLR (triple) LR (double) LRL (triple) (4X)

Here's the vid. Have fun!

Extension:
Let's try this together. Try playing the whole pattern backwards (Line 3 4X, Line 2 2X, Line 1 2X). Got that? Okay, now re-play the video above and try to play this backwards pattern on top of the original! Enjoy!

Gambarimasu yo!

Taiko Drill Part 59, Single Double Triple

2009-12-05T07:58:00.003+09:00

Hey there! After a frustrating time this afternoon negotiating with various electronics and technologies, I'm gonna skip the chitchat and jump right into today's drill.

After the last drill, I realized it'd been a while since I've practiced multiple strokes on one hand--something I used to do nearly daily last year. So, while I probably should have done the practicing and THEN recorded myself.... I'm just giving you me as I am in today's video.

Focus: Timing, Control
Watch For:
1. Keep track of the downbeat (it's on your metronome:). That way, if your timing gets off a bit, like mine, you can find your way again.
2. When playing Line 1, try to hear Line 2 in your head in preparation. Then, hear Line 3 while you play Line 2, etc.

Line 1: Play on the down beat for 8 beats
Line 2: Play Line 1 double time
Line 3: Play as triples
Line 4: Play as quads

You may get easily frustrated with this drill if it's not something you've done much of. It's perfectly fine to practice by looping just the first 2 lines until you're ready to add the next one, and feel free to fool around with what setting you use on your metronome.

Let's explore briefly the reason to aim for multiple strokes. Obviously, its not practical for a song or performance. But, the gratification I get from practicing this drill (say about 15 minutes every day for a week) includes:

stronger hand/forearm muscles
improved stick control
a higher sense of timing awareness
a better understanding of timing
increased speed

So, try it out! I've given 2 versions in the video, one for beginner level players who are looking for a way to practice timing, and then the multiple stroke version. For each version I play Line 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Please forgive my bad timing... Gambarimasu!

Taiko Classes in Washington, DC

2009-11-30T09:35:00.006+09:00

Are you in the Washington, DC area and interested in learning how to play taiko? Starting February 2010, you can do just that!

I will be teaching a beginner's class at the Capitol Hill Arts Worskhop:

Beginning Taiko (course #: S1AW5) :
The Art of Ancient Japanese Drumming
Wednesdays 6:45-8:45 pm
8 weeks, 2/10-4/1

2 blocks from Eastern Market Metro stop!

Registration begins November 30! Call 202-547-6839 for more information and to register. You can access the full course catalogue for the Adult Spring Classes here.

I hope to see you there!

My Drum Pad

2009-11-30T04:07:00.001+09:00

So, a while back I promised a video of my new drum pad. Long awaited, but hopefully useful, here it is:

Heritage Works Taiko Workshops

2009-11-28T10:22:00.003+09:00

Last week I had the opportunity to work with an amazing non-profit in Detroit, Michigan. Located in the state with the highest unemployment rate (15%) in the United States, Heritage Works provides opportunities for youth to learn about other cultures through performing arts. I was invited to provide a series of workshops for the group through an artist residency.

I just wanted to share a few photos and videos from the time I had with them. The kids were so focused, we learned a whole version of Matsuri Taiko, plus choreography! Nice work, Heritage Works kids!

Heritage Works shows me their stuff:

Practicing taiko:

Putting it all together:

A few photos:

Find more photos like this on Heritage Works

O Yasumi

2009-11-21T01:27:00.002+09:00

Hi there from Michigan!

There's no drill this week because I'm busy with other exciting taiko-related things, which I promise to write about soon! But, I just wanted to give you a simple, relaxing, activity for your ATT day off.

One of my favorite things to do on a crisp, Fall day is take a walk and enjoy the foliage. While my mind wanders with the breeze of the trees, my feet find a steady rhythm. This is a great opportunity to practice taiko.

So, go outside today, invigorate your senses with the fresh air and skat your favorite taiko song to the base beat of your step.

I'll be back with stories from this week and a new drill, next week. Have an enjoyable weekend!

Taiko Drill 58, Bachi as a Metronome Extension

2009-11-14T02:35:00.004+09:00

It's pouring! Wish the sunshine would come out--that always sparks my creativity.

I've been working with last week's drill and added a section to it. If you're practicing with a metronome, try using different different rhythms to play along with as an added challenge. I noticed that if I was playing on eighth notes every day and switched to quarter notes, my tempo wasn't quite as steady as I had thought.

Focus: Timing, Rhythm
Watch For:
1. Anticipate the double stroke to switch the leading hand. If you're getting off-tempo here, slow down the speed, or practice just one hand for now.

I have found that, for me, the best way to improve my inner metronome is to play a repetitive pattern over and over again with an actual metronome. While last week's drill is great for this, I thought I'd add one more line (and if you know me, you've probably guessed what it is already!).

Here we go:

Line 1: don X8 (with one hand. this is the downbeat)
Line 2: do ko X8 (alternating hands)
Line 3: repeat Line 1
Line 4: don tsu ku X4 (RRL or LLR, depending on your starting hand)

You decide which hand to start with and when to switch. I try to reach 60% left hand lead and 40% right hand lead. If you're not used to starting with your left hand at all, then aim for twice as much practice for that side than the right.

Here's the video:

Next week I will be in Michigan working with an amazing non-profit youth performing group called Heritage Works. So, no drill next Friday, but I'll try to get some more NATC '09 stuff I've yet to post in between now and then.

Extension:

It was easy enough to add another line to this drill. In fact, you can add any 8-ct. line to change things up. Experiment to create your own version. The goal is something that is simple enough for you that you can consistently play on tempo. You should feel comfortable enough playing the line so that your mind and ears are free to really notice the moments when you stray ahead of or behind the metronome.

Taiko Drill Part 57, Bachi as a Metronome

2009-11-07T05:46:00.004+09:00

Welcome back! Let's keep going with the timing theme...

Focus: Timing, Rhythm
Watch For:
1. Is the bachi (or arm) that's keeping the downbeat moving around, or steadily in one place?
2. Pay attention to volume--both hands should sound equal!

Here's the pattern:

don (X8 with one hand)
doko (X8 alternating hands)

You can choose to switch the base hand each time, or just practice with one. In the video, you'll see me alternate by finishing the pattern with a double stroke.

Taiko Drill Part 56, Keeping a Steady Beat III

2009-10-30T23:05:00.004+09:00

Friday has found us yet again. I hope your Friday finds you well!

Focus: Rhythm, Dexterity
Watch For:
1. Try to relax throughout the whole drill. If you feel your body tense up as you get closer to the end, but you're still keeping up with your metronome, stick with that tempo for a while until you're able to relax. (There's a fitting example of this at the end of the video.)

Woo hoo! We made it to the last part of the drill! If you're just tuning in, be sure to check out the first and second parts of this drill first.

Here, have a look at the last section:

Line 12: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
Line 13: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
Line 14: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4

Remember that every number is played by your base hand. Bold parts should be played by the other hand.

You can follow the final "4" with Line 1 to loop through from the beginning.

Here's the video:

Extension:
You can change the dynamics of this drill easily. I know that Odaiko New England sometimes practices it with all hits at the same volume, but on a taiko set. Try playing all the downbeats on the right drum and the upbeats on the left drum.

Taiko Drill Part 55, Keeping a Steady Beat II

2009-10-23T05:05:00.003+09:00

It's nearly Friday again--I'm busy tomorrow, so today's drill comes to you one day early!

Let's continue with the pattern we started last week.

Focus: Rhythm, Dexterity
Watch For:
1. Check out your base hand in a mirror or with a video recording. Does it change over time or in specific places, or is it consistent?
2. When the number of hits increases, your speed may run away, too. Keep the tempo steady with a metronome!

Okay, so we learned the first 5 lines of the pattern last week. Remember that your base hand keeps the down beat by playing for each number you see. Anything that's bold is where your other hand should strike.

Line 6: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &

Line 7-9: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &

Line 10: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &

Line 11: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &

I know, it looks confusing. Here are some tips: Lines 6-9 are exactly the same except the first time the "1" is not played. Line 11 is the same as lines 7-9!

In the video below, I'll play 8 beats to start, followed by lines 6-11. Then I'll play the whole pattern once from Line 1. We'll finish the pattern next week!

Extension:
Switch the roles your hands are playing with this drill. Which side feels more comfortable? What can you do to make them feel equal? I practice twice as much where I'm most uncomfortable, but if you do this, make sure to note your progress and balance out your practice schedule accordingly over time.

(Keep in mind that I'm just talking about balancing technique, not strength.)

4 Days of Taiko with SHIDARA?? Who could want more!

2009-10-19T22:52:00.007+09:00

Have you heard about the Shidara Master Class Tour? I wrote about their first residency in Japan earlier here and here.

SHIDARA, the professional group located in Aichi-ken, is bringing this program on tour to North America. Their workshops aren't ordinary either! I've heard you'll even learn how to make your own fue from bamboo.

Don't take my word for it, be sure to contact the person in charge of the Shidara residency coming near you for all the details.

All classes take place during March and April 2010:

SEATTLE
MARCH 26-29, 2010
$450 + lodging for 8 workshops
contact: Marinda Chen
email: marinda.chen (at) gmail (dot) com
The Seattle classes have been CANCELLED.

BOSTON
March 19-21, 2010
contact: Odaiko New England
email: shidara-weekend@onetaiko.org

MONTREAL
contact: Sandra Kadowaki
(Please email me directly for the contact information. I do not have permission to post online. You can access my email by clicking on my photo to the right.)

MOAB, UTAH
contact: Meladye Shively
(Please email me directly for the contact information. I do not have permission to post online. You can access my email by clicking on my photo to the right.)

Taiko Drill Part 54, Keeping a Steady Beat

2009-10-17T07:21:00.002+09:00

Whoa! How'd I miss it? All Things Taiko started over 1 year ago! I think I may have missed one week in there, though maybe none at all?! Happy Birthday ATT!

Writing here every Friday has become a real steady rhythm for me and that's exactly what I'd like to talk about today. I'll teach you the first line to a drill that's great for both timing and dexterity. Check it out:

Focus: Rhythm, Dexterity
Watch For:
1. Don't listen to the pattern and then copy it. DO hear the base line, get it going, keep the same form and play over it.
2. Your form might change as you practice this at different speeds. This is normal to an extent, because you have less time for movement, but your overall basic form should stay the same (see the video!).

Start off by playing the base with your right hand. Play a steady beat, one hit for each number.

Line One: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 & (that's 8 tsus on the downbeat)

Now, we're going to fill in the left hand on some of the upbeats. Play the left hand on all the bold &s.

Line Two: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
Line Three: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
Line Four: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &
Line Five: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 &

From there, jump back to Line One and loop it.

I highly suggest you use a metronome. If you choose not to, you'll be missing out on the opportunity to improve timing!

For me, today, I wanted to check out any major changes in my form as I got faster. Even though I can play this pattern faster than I did in the drill, I stopped at ~120bmp to see if my form was consistent. You'll see very clearly that by the end, my left elbow tucked in to my side. Best to keep practicing slowly until I correct it! Hm... next week I'll have to switch hands and see what that looks like. Gambarimasu!

Extension: Try video taping yourself playing this pattern at 3-5 different speeds from slow to fast. The final speed does not need to be challenging for you. Check to see if your base hand looks mostly the same from beginning to the end of the pattern.

Does the right hand get higher or lower as you anticipate a hit with the left hand? Does the space between your arms and your body or your sticks and the drum change as you play at higher speeds? Did you notice these differences while you were playing because it feels different?

Practice, keeping in mind your discoveries, and at the end of the week, try taping again and note any differences.

Taiko Meets Pop

2009-10-13T01:08:00.007+09:00

If you're in New York, you have the chance to catch a real treat. Kaoru Watanabe, Shoji Kameda, and Testuro Naito will collaborate with the Mongolian singer, Nominjin, in a performance this Thursday at Drom.

Drom, 85 Avenue A (between 5th and 6th),
Thursday, October 15
7pm-9pm
$10 in advance, $15 at the door
please call for information/tickets: 212-777-1157

In addition, Kaoru, Shoji, and Tetsuro are on tour with Khoomei Taiko Ensemble, a cross cultural group that includes Mongolian throat singing and horse head fiddle, koto, fue, and taiko. Check out the tour schedule at the bottom of this page to catch the show!

Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble 2009 Tour:

Thurs, Oct 8th – Japan Information & Cultural Center, Washington, DC
Fri, Oct 9th – John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC
Fri, Oct 16th – Symphony Space, New York, NY
Sat, Oct 17th – Charles B. Wang Center Theatre, Stony Brook, NY
Sun, Oct 18th – Taiko Workshop with Tetsuro Naito, Japan Society, NY
Tues, Oct 20th – Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Thurs, Oct 22nd – Japanese Music performance/converstaion, Wing Luke Asian Museum, Seattle, WA
Fri, Oct 23rd – Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee, Wenatchee, WA
Sun, Oct 25th – Town Hall Seattle, Seattle, WA

Taiko Drill Part 53, Trying Improvisation

2009-10-10T03:39:00.002+09:00

Hi there! I'm excited to be leaving shortly to catch the Khoomei Taiko Ensemble performance this evening! Check out the website to see if it's coming near you. Those of you lucky enough to be in Seattle will even have the opportunity to take workshops from these talented performers. (email me if you need info!)

If the show's not coming to your area, you can watch today's performance live at 6PM Eastern through the Kennedy Center's website.

Let's get back into improvisation!

Focus: Counting, Improvisation
Watch For:
1. Even when you are comfortable enough to not have to count, do it anyway--it's good practice!

Okay, so last week we learned 4 basic patterns and practiced by looping them together. Today let's use those same patterns in a more relaxed way to begin experimenting with improvisation.

We're going to layer on top of the paradiddle pattern taught here, but you can really use anything. The reason I chose the paradiddle pattern is because after the first line it gets tough to determine where the beginning of the line is and if you don't count, you won't know when to stop. Counting while improvising is a great skill to have.

If you've never improvised you can start in this simple way:

1. Play 4 of the basic patterns.
2. Repeat.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 a total of 5 times.

If you would like to focus more on counting:

1. Play 5 sets of 8, totalling 40 beats.

In this video, you'll see the first option, followed by the second option. Of course, yours will sound completely different!

Want to see Tanaka Sensei do a little improv? Stick it out through the video in my last post and you'll see it at the end!

Want an MP3 of the paradiddle pattern? Click on my profile to access my email address and I'll email it to you in a jiffy! Gambarimasu!

Extension:

You may have noticed that when I improvised the second time, there were some patterns included that we didn't use last week. Try letting new patterns come out--that's what improvising's all about!

Master Class with Tanaka Sensei

2009-10-09T01:41:00.002+09:00

Back in August, I had the opportunity to take Tanaka Sensei's Master Class. This was my first time to really have the chance to talk with him, and despite everyone's warnings of his strict demeanor, he was quite relaxed and humorous.

The class began with a 20-minute standing meditation outside in the garden, facing the sun to clear our minds and prepare our bodies for the practice of taiko. After sharing a few useful drills with us, he called 4 of his students up to demonstrate a group drill.

Without any explanation, he asked for 4 volunteers to complete the same drill on their own. A lot of people picked up on the patterns fine, but there were timing issues and we can't all do a new drill perfectly the first time, certainly. All of this proved his point: It's important to communicate with others while you're playing. Even if you've never played with someone before, look at them, listen to them, make eye contact with them, play together.

Here's a video of the drill and Tanaka Sensei's comments (and a little improv!)afterwards.

Taiko Drill Part 52, Thinking About Improvisation

2009-10-03T08:30:00.004+09:00

Back on the East Coast here and enjoying the start of Fall!

Unfortunately, I've yet to find a practice space here that is accessible, so you'll have to put up with a few more weeks of me drumming on my bed with a practice pad. Speaking of improvising...

Focus: Counting, Improvisation
Watch For:
1. One, Two, Three, & Four
2. Try to find a rhythm with these 4 lines so that you don't have to think about it. This will be helpful for next week.

Okay--the dreaded topic: Improvising on taiko. It's something that's difficult to teach, almost every group does, and most newbies (and even seasoned players) have a really tough time with. So, my goal here is not to give you a set of rules for improvisation, or any direction really on a good way to improvise. Rather, I hope to share with you a very basic starting point that you can take, morph, and further create with.

This week we'll learn the rhythm. Come back next week for ideas on how you can change them up to play a solo.

Here goes:

1	2	3	4
do	ko	do	ko
do		do	ko
do	ko		ko
do	ko	do

Simply put, we're just playing "do ko" repeatedly; the first time omit 0 hits, the second time omit the 2, the third time omit the 3, and for the fourth time omit the 4.

Since most taiko songs are written in phrases of 4 or 8, we're using this pattern which can be seen as 4 sets of 4 or 2 sets of 8.

Loop it, 15 to 20 minutes and the real fun begins next week!

The video:

Extension:

If you find you'd like to be more challenged with this drill, feel free! You can set speed goals (use your metronome), practice timing (alternate half and double time), practice left-hand lead... If you have other ideas, post 'em in the comments so the rest of us can get in on it!

Taiko Drill Part 51, Paradiddles Revisited

2009-09-26T06:30:00.005+09:00

Hi! My friends from Shippu Uchi Daiko in Japan have returned home, but we had a great time together in Seattle teaching a taiko piece called Yui to Seattle Kokon Taiko. I'm still teaching through the weekend, and then I'm back to the east coast.

One thing I've not really talked about much here is improvisation. Last week I gave you a drill to improvise emphasis with, and next week I'll talk specifically about some things to think about if you're uncomfortable improvising. But, partly due to my lack of time this week, today we'll revisit paradiddles in preparation for improvisation next week.

Focus: Grip, Form

Watch For:

1. Take a few moments to check your grip for small drums.

2. The down beat is not always the beat that's emphasized--keep track of it!

Okay, so back in drill 9 we talked about paradiddles, which is a basic straight beat that alternates sticking--RLRR LRLL. I suggested that you can use them to practice improvisation, but we didn't go into how to really do that.

If you're new to improvisation or don't quite feel comfortable with it, don't fret. It takes guts to just try it, knowing you'll mess up, but it's the only way to get better at it. Please review Drill 9 to refresh the version of paradiddles I taught. And we'll move forward step-by-step from next week to add improvisation.

For fun, here's an example of members from Shippu Uchi Daiko who were here from Japan improvising on top of paradiddles played by Seattle Kokon Taiko:

See you next week!

Taiko Drill Part 50, Improvising Accents

2009-09-19T03:03:00.002+09:00

Yay! It's the 50th taiko drill!

Last week I introduced the pattern that we'll be using for improvisation this week. It's not improvisation in the way you may think--we'll always use the same rhythm. But, have you ever thought about how accents can really change how something sounds? Let's try it out.

Focus: Improvisation, Rhythm

Watch for:

1. Don't expect to feel comfortable doing this right away. You'll see in the video that I have a few little hiccups and even completely change speeds right at the beginning, when I'm not sure where to place the next accent. Just keep trying and you'll gradually feel comfortable.

2. Improvisation can also be a form of experimentation. If you play something you like, write it down to use it later!

The best way to start this drill is to repeat the kuchi shoga a few times before beginning, at the tempo you feel most comfortable. When you begin to play the pattern, add accents randomly throughout the pattern. Try not to play many accents in a row, but also try not to let a full pattern pass you by without changing something from the time before.

I recorded myself improvising a couple of times. Check it out and then give it a try! Keep in mind that my video is just an example: yours should be completely different.

I'm in Seattle, teaching workshops with some friends from Japan. I'm not sure what my schedule will look like next Friday, but I'll do my best to be back with you then!

Taiko Drill Part 49, Improvising Accents (pre-lesson)

2009-09-12T07:28:00.002+09:00

Whoa--I don't know about where you live, but it's suddenly turned from sunny Summer to cloudy Fall around here. Hopefully a little taiko will bring some sunshine to your day!

Focus: Rhythm
Watch For:
1. Check-in on whether or not you have an even balance between the left and right hands.

Today's drill is simple in explanation because I'd like you to be comfortable with it before we add the next step. So, play the following pattern through 10 minutes every day and I'll add the challenge next Friday!

don

tsu

don

tsu

Don't worry about any emphasis for the hits, just get the pattern in your mind and body. Remember Red means Right and Black means Left.

Here's the video version on my drum pad (info video coming soon):

Next week, I'll be posting from the Pacific Northwest. Check back to see if I'm lucky enough to capture some taiko action on video there!

Taiko Drill Part 48, Sixteen Drill

2009-09-05T05:18:00.002+09:00

Welcome back!

The last few weeks we've been talking about how understanding rhythms can help to really make a song tight. I'd like to take a step back (or forward?) and take two simple rhythms we already know, layer them with a partner (or in a group) and use them to listen to each other. Really try to hear how they fit together and form an entirely new sound.

Focus: Timing, Listening
Watch For:
1. Be aware of both your part and the part played by the opposite group/person.
2. Don't get lazy about form as the tempo increases. If it's too fast for you, play it at half-time for half the time!

Let's get started with the first part: "do ko". If you're playing the first part of this drill, play "do ko" 16 times, starting on the right hand. Simple enough, no?

Next, play "don tsu ku" (right, right, left) 8 times, which equals the same length of the 16 "do kos". Then alternate back and forth.

Probably you get the picture already, right? The opposite group will start with "don tsu ku" and then switch to "do ko" and alternate from there.

Start at a reasonable pace for all players, check the clock, and gradually increase the speed for 10 minutes. This part takes practice.

Don't designate a leader for this--the point is to stay together as a group. If you're not listening to the other people in the group, it's tough to keep the rhythms together. Also, if one person speeds up too fast, and everyone follows, well... it'll be a bit tough at the end.

So, try it yourself, experiment, and take it to your group for practice! You can even try facing away from each other for an additional challenge.

Extension:

Both of the above rhythms can be switched to a left-hand start at any time. Try this for "do ko":

do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko
do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko do ko don . .don

From there, start the following line from the left hand!

Taiko Drill Part 47, Understanding Rhythms

2009-08-29T00:03:00.007+09:00

I'm still without a taiko group at the moment, so when I found a cheap plane ticket, I thought I'd jump over to Boston to practice with Odaiko New England. Anything for a chance to hit drums! Actually, I got to know 3 of the members of ONE during STI this year, Joy, Beth and Tanya. The leader of ONE, Mark H. Rooney actually lived and studied taiko in Wakayama with some of the same people I did. It was great to meet the rest of the group, too! So, besides good taiko in Boston, I also have good friends.

Practice last night was very fun. Mark actually set aside a small amount of practice for those of us who attended STI to re-visit some of what we learned and give a small demonstration. I think I could use some more practice pulling the song apart and applying the 1234 Drill (explained in the Extension to last week's drill). The great thing about timing drills is that they shouldn't ever get old--we can always get better at timing.

Shoji Kameda talked about understanding rhythms at STI and I'll post the video below as today's drill. Have you ever heard yourself say something like "I can only play it if I think of it in 3 even though it's played in 4"? I think moments like that are exciting because it means the chance to try to get your brain to understand a rhythm or pattern in a new way. This drill helps with just that.

Focus: Timing, Counting

Taiko Drill Part 46, Understanding Rhythms

2009-08-21T22:47:00.004+09:00

Counting while playing taiko is not a strength of mine.

During Shippu Uchi Daiko's warm-up we often do a set of speedy paraddidles and each person solos over the pattern. Then it repeats and the solo passes to the next person. I love the challenge of a solo, but I can only seem to keep it together if I let my whole mind and body get lost in the rhythms, kind of like dancing. Unfortunately, if I don't count while I'm soloing, I inevitably overlap with the next person's solo or get stuck with an odd number of dead air beats because I didn't complete the specified number of measures.

I grew up playing the flute and singing and can read sheet music. But, I also grew up dancing which is where I was taught to understand rhythm by listening and feeling, in a less precise or technical way.

How one understands rhythm is affected heavily by the way the teacher chooses to or can explain it to them. What's the best way to understand rhythm? I say, ask lots of people how they understand it! The wider perspective you have, the deeper you can truly go with it. Reading sheet music made me a better taiko player, taiko made me a better tap dancer, and dancing helped me to understand sheet music in new ways.

So, here's today's drill from Summer Taiko Institute 2009 with On Ensemble!

Focus: Timing, Counting

The drill continues on to 2, and then 3 hits for every count. If you really want it, I can probably dig up the video somewhere--email me!

Extension:
The next step with this drill is to apply it to the songs you're practicing. Take the time to go through beat, by beat, and break down the rhythms so you can really understand when the hits should occur. Then, play it at 25% the normal speed to practice counting. Try this with your whole group and notice the difference in timing!

Kris' Practice Philosophy

2009-08-18T04:21:00.001+09:00

Last week at the Summer Taiko Institute in LA, Kris shared with us some of his thoughts on practicing taiko. He was also nice enough to let me post the video here.

Be aware that he's using specific examples from the song they taught during the workshops, so for those of you who weren't there, when he talks about "zu ku", he's referring to two small sounds created by leaving the stick to vibrate at the head of the drum.

Also, when the airplane flies overhead (sorry!), he's talking about practicing with a mirror.

After you watch, if you'd like to read more about his thoughts, you can visit his essay called Thoughts on Practice.

On a side note, a group of people from all over will be doing Kris' 30 Days to Better Shime starting later this week. Contact Kris directly through the On Ensemble website to get on the email list for this free program!

Taiko Drill Part 45 TAIKO SET DO KON KO

2009-08-15T04:30:00.002+09:00

I was a little torn about what to do this week... I have one more taiko set drill I wanted to share, but there's so much to think about as a result of my time in LA! I decided to jump back to taiko set for today, but be sure to keep checking for more on my STI and NATC experiences.

Focus: Form, Timing
Watch For:
1. Movement is initiated at the core, not the arms (do I sound like a broken record?)
2. Try to anticipate the next step as you're playing this drill. Know where your stick will hit before it's time to strike.

Today's pattern is simple as can be:

do kon ko

(red is right hand)

If you want to count this in 4, the beats fall on 1, 2, 4. There is a rest on beat 3.

What we're going to do to tease your brain a little is the first 8 times you play "do kon ko", alternate the right hand between the right and left drums. The left hand plays always on the left drum. The next 8 times, the right hand stays on the right drum and the left alternates: "kon" is on the right drum, and "ko" is on the left drum. Repeat that from the beginning, totalling 32.

Play the drill again, but only 4 times each and repeat once to total 16. Finish up with just 2 times each, repeating 3 times to total 16. Start over again from the beginning.

Remember, it doesn't do anyone good to set a metronome faster than he/she can play something well. Be thoughtful about your metronome tempo and your comfort at higher speeds will increase with regular practice.

Here's the video (if you want to match up with me, put your high-pitched drum on the left this week):

Extension:
My suggestion with this drill is to take it really slow at the beginning. Notice if you are consistently hitting the same place on each drum--try to notice discprepancies by listening as well as watching. Do you like how it sounds when the two tones are completely different? Play around to see what you like best, make sure you still look good while you're doing it, and then think about increasing speed.

If you're having trouble with where to place your eyes, try looking down to the floor, between the two drums. This way you can see both drum heads out of the periphery.

Online Taiko Community

2009-08-12T03:28:00.003+09:00

I was not present at the North American Taiko Conference Leadership Forum, but I heard from those who attended that one recurring theme in the small group discussions was an online forum for taiko players.

Eventually I caught Alan Okada (Soh Daiko) when he wasn't already chatting with someone, and let him know I was interested in being involved with the exploration of creating an online taiko community. He brought up some very basic, very important questions that should be considered before jumping into anything.

The idea of an online forum has been tried in the past, but gradually trickled out. There are a few forums out there--I know the collegiate groups have one, and there is a UK taiko forum as well. But, a forum can only exist if participants are active. How do we create an atmosphere that is inviting so it can live, thrive, and be useful?

On the other hand, someone mentioned to me that perhaps the great thing about NATC is the space that exists between its recurrence. Every 2 years hundreds of taiko players get together and have an immediate connection through the drums we all love. Would having an online community diminish the effect of this connection?

Certainly there are many opinions on this topic, and many more questions to ask. So, I wanted to start by asking your opinion.

Alan wondered if my blog was active with comments... To be honest, it's not very active here at all. If you feel this is important, please prove me wrong and leave your opinion in the comments below!

1. Are you interested in participating in an online taiko forum? If so, please tell me why and what you would hope to get from it or give to it.

2. Do you feel that having an online forum could have negative effects on the taiko community? Please explain.

Taiko Ten NATC 2009

2009-08-10T07:34:00.005+09:00

It's become tradition to have 10 taiko groups from around North America perform for 10 minutes in a concert called Taiko Ten during the North American Taiko Conference (NATC). This year's concert was really fun to watch because each group's style was its own. The concert is free and open to the public.

I didn't get clips of every group, but these should give you a nice taste:

I'll be posting a few more thoughts on NATC next week. Back to the normal drill sessions next Friday!

Master Class with Tanaka Sensei

2009-08-10T07:08:00.004+09:00

A Tribute to Daihachi Oguchi

2009-08-09T14:52:00.003+09:00

Yesterday a tribute was held for Oguchi Sensei, who died last year after being hit by a car at age 84. Daihachi Oguchi is credited for taking the traditional taiko and bringing it to the modern music scene which started the spread of kumi-daiko around Japan and the world.

The following 3 videos are from the tribute. The first 2 are Tanaka Sensei, from San Francisco Taiko Dojo, sharing a few memories. In the final video, members of taiko groups from all around North America gather to perform Hiryu Sandan Gaeshi. This song was written by Daihachi Oguchi.

NATC 2009 Opening Reception

2009-08-08T00:17:00.004+09:00

The great thing about NATC is that every moment is filled with running into people you haven't seen in ages, or meeting new friends. The weekend kicked off last night with a reception and, as is an NATC tradition, ended with a bit of jamming.

This year they decided to post up signs to represent the number of years of taiko experience. For example, the first sign was 0-5 Years of experience. If that's you, then you jumped up on a drum and improvised with others within that category. The process continued in increasing incremements until reaching the final group.

Here's a little bit of the ending below. Unfortunately, I didn't capture the wonderful women of taiko, but I'll get some from someone at some point and post it.

These video clips were taken by Marinda Chen of Seattle Kokon Taiko . They're short, but if you watch them multiple times, you'll always find a new person's energy to enjoy!

Seiichi Tanaka Sensei

Kenny Endo

Russel Baba

Now I'm off to the Opening Session, lunchtime Taiko Games demo, Taiko Marketplace, a workshop with Adam Weiner, Special Tribute to Daihachi Oguchi, and the free Taiko Ten Concert tonight! More videos tomorrow!

Make it Your Own, STI Day 3

2009-08-07T00:43:00.007+09:00

Time has flown by so quickly! STI is over and we're moving, full-force, into a jam-packed NATC weekend. Hopefully I'll snag some time to keep writing!

Yesterday was the final day of the 2009 Summer Taiko Institute. I was sad to see it go... There's really something great about gathering with a group of people who've never played together before, learning with them, getting challenged by and with them, and bringing it all together with a performance. (okay, it was more like a "showing".)

The song we learned, like Omiyage, is meant to be shared with the taiko community--anyone can perform it. In Shoji's opinion Omiyage, which has been released under a free art license failed to take shape has he hoped, so yesterday morning he spoke to us about how he really wishes this new song to be used by the taiko community.

On Ensemble really embraces differences in people. There's no one way to play taiko--this was communicated loud and clear. But, in addition to that, it's also important to explore and discover what works for you. What is taiko? You must experiment and discover that for yourself. If you want to really say something when you're on the stage, you must take ownership of what you're playing.

Keeping this in mind, Shoji went on to explain that if you use this new song, he hopes you'll make it your own. Take it, pull it apart, put it back together, experiment, share it. Don't say this song is "by Shoji Kameda" because when you use it, it should be yours.

Take a look at one of our final rehearsals of the song below. Be sure to visit my YouTube page for more videos from the week! (I'll continue to post videos in the coming weeks.)

Ghost Notes, STI Day 2

2009-08-05T22:21:00.008+09:00

STI is set up in a great way this year. Each of On Ensemble's members gives instruction on specific skills and technique, and then we learn parts of a brand new composition in smaller, break-out groups. Simply put, we are taught a skill and are then given a very immediate and practical way to apply it.

Yesterday, Kelvin Underwood talked about ghost notes as an essential way to keep timing. Ghost notes make up the steady beat the audience doesn't hear while you're playing, but you should always hear it in your head. There's one thing that Kelvin said that I really liked and I'll try my best to recapture here.

We each have our own individual pulse. These pulses do not keep steady time and often fluctuate--perhaps your heart beats faster for a few beats and then slows down. When a group of people play taiko, a steady, shared pulse is created. The goal, then, is to keep that shared pulse to carry you together, through a song.

Last night, a group gathered in the lobby of the Miyako hotel to practice the song we've been learning with a metronome. Using 1 wasn't quite loud enough, so we tried to start 2, simultanously. Suzee, a fellow STI participant, mentioned the idea that if you play metronomes together they will eventually sync on their own. We didn't experiment with this last night, but I think it's a great way to tie together what Kelvin taught us yesterday:

If you put taiko players in a room, and everyone is counting the same ghost beats and feeling it become their own inner pulse: Sync Happens.

Here's a little clip from our lobby practice!

Narasu, Summer Taiko Institute (STI) Day 1

2009-08-04T23:00:00.004+09:00

I'm here in LA for the Summer Taiko Institute with On Ensemble. We had a great first day and I took lots of video clips that I'd love to share with you, but will have to upload them later--keep an eye out for them. I'll post a Twitter when I actually get them up.

Yesterday was jam-packed with lots of instruction and I really can't recapture everything here. So, my thought is that I'll take one thing that stuck out in my mind for the day and share it with you.

Kris Bergstrom talked quite a bit about "narasu" as he explained On Ensemble's stance when playing the drum. "Narasu" is the verb in Japanese for "to ring" or "to chime". He suggested that, as we consider our role in standing before a taiko, we think "narasu" instead of "tataku" which means simply "to hit" or "to strike".

Kris and On Ensemble's stance really focuses on connecting with the drum, rather than connecting with your audience. They accomplish this by creating a gentle space between your body and the drum as well as between your arms and the drum, focusing more in the drum's direction with your eyes and your upper body, and setting your feet up more vertically (right foot further back than most).

However, like everything they shared, everything is flexible depending on circumstance: What kind of mood does your song have? Do you want to show a connection with the audience instead? How about connecting with your fellow members? Considering and discussing the relationship your own group has to taiko, to each other, and your audience when playing, and then experimenting how to do this is a great way to refine your group's own style.

It's important to keep in mind that there's no one way to play taiko. I think when someone has only one or a few resources, it's certainly tough to keep this in mind.

But, if the above seems to ring true for your taiko goals, get out there and ring your drum!

Taiko Drill Part 44, DON TSU KU (taiko set)

2009-08-01T01:09:00.003+09:00

Hey there! One of these days I'm going to get all these posts organized, but it's a bit too busy right now. I'm leaving for Summer Taiko Institute in LA with On Ensemble in just 2 days and am looking forward to some new challenges to mind, body, and rhythm!

In the meantime, today's drill is quite simple. Hopefully you've gotten a sense of how to move smoothly back and forth between drums at a moderate pace. Here's another pattern to practice just that.

Focus: Form, Timing
Watch For:
1. Be sure to use a metronome to practice this drill. This helps tremendously with timing. Always work at a comfortable speed where you can keep the pace steady. Need a metronome? Check out my brief intro to my newest Dr. Beat.

2. Keep control from your core!

Today's pattern is 3 don tsuku, followed by do ko do ko. This basic pattern is looped. Aim for 15-20 minutes without stopping.

The initial "don" is played on your high-pitched drum, to your right. The following "tsu ku" and next 2 "don tsu kus" are on the lower-pitched drum, to your left. The initial "do ko" is played on the left drum, and the second is played on the right drum.

Check out the video for an example (I can't view the video at the moment, so I hope the above explanation is correct!):

I'll be playing next week by ear since I'll be in in LA all week for STI and NATC. I'm really looking forward to hitting a drum right now!

Anyone out there going to NATC??

Dr. Beat Metronome

2009-07-29T05:17:00.001+09:00

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

2009-07-24T02:34:00.005+09:00

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

2009-07-17T00:39:00.002+09:00

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

2009-07-10T08:00:00.003+09:00

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:

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

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

2009-07-07T18:27:00.003+09:00

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

2009-07-03T08:50:00.003+09:00

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!

2009-07-03T08:07:00.009+09:00

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.

Taiko Drill Part 39, POSTURE TAIKO SET

2009-06-26T14:19:00.010+09:00

Happy Friday!

So, katsugi was a bit of a fail, I guess. It seems not many people are interested in reading posts about it, perhaps because you don't have your own drum or maybe because it's less common. Either way, for those of you who were into the katsugi, check out the extension for a new rhythm to practice. If you want more, email me!

But, for now, I'm moving on. Next stop, taiko set!

Note: You don't have to use the same kinds of drums I'm using. Any upright taiko is okay if they're approximately the same height.

I am, for the time being, without a practice space. I do have some old videos stored that will work for later on in the coming weeks until I have a practice space, but for today we'll have to go back to the old-fashioned non-video teaching method.

Focus: Form
Watch For:
1. Take care if you have any knee issues. Knees are extremely important to keep flexible and basic stretches typically do not consider this. Please email me if you need stretching ideas.
2. Activate your core; this helps keep everything in line.

To begin with taiko set, let's take a look at incorrect posture:

This is WRONG.

Activate your core muscles and tuck the tail bone to bring yourself into natural alignment, protect your back and encourage stability, like this:

If your drums are the same size, your body's center will line up with the place where the drums meet (but don't touch). If one drum is significantly larger than the other, find your standing place by reaching your arms out so the bachi point to the center of each drum and your form is balanced. Adjust your feet, as needed. Arms stay lifted, as always.

To get used to hearing two different tones when playing, today's drill is to play the paradiddles taught here, on two drums. Keep your right hand at the right drum and the left hand at the left drum, nothing fancy yet, let's do this right.

Until next week--Ganbatte!

Extension:

You can hear the extension (katsugi) pattern here. Sorry... my tempo gets a bit slower as I go on--don't do that!

don tsu ku (8X) do kon ko (8X) One time
don tsu ku (4X) do kon ko (4X) Two times
don tsu ku (2X) do kon ko (2X) Four times
don tsu ku (1X) do kon ko (1X) Eight times
do ko do ko (X16)

Taikooooo Channel!

2009-06-22T07:45:00.005+09:00

Okay, so it's more like Taikooooo Cha-ne-ru!

I came across this cute little webseries called Taiko Channel. Every week they post a new 15 minute video about taiko in Japan. Most (maybe all) videos have a taiko lesson built right in.

If you're looking for serious taiko instruction, this isn't the place to go. If you want a new rhythm or song to practice, or want to learn about some taiko groups in Japan, then check it out. It's in Japanese, but I think for the "lesson" part you'll do fine without language skills:

Taiko Channel

This week's lesson is on Miyake style drumming.

Taiko Drill Part 38, LATERAL KATSUGI DON TSU KU

2009-06-19T09:43:00.004+09:00

Hi there! Thanks for coming back.

Just a quick note that I hope to continue posting as my living situation is in a bit of a limbo, but thanks for your understanding in advance if I have to skip a week or post late. I know I need to get these drills organized in a way that you can find the ones you like, but it'll have to wait a couple months--sorry!

Alright, we've got a couple weeks left of basic katsugi information, and then it's on to taiko set basics, as requested by Joy. I really like practicing taiko set, so I'm excited for that. As always, I take requests, so drop me a comment!

Focus: Balance, Form
Watch For:
1. Make sure the higher pitch of your drum is at the front when you play. When you switch to lateral form, this becomes the right side. (NOTE: in the videos, my drum is unfortunately the wrong direction)
2. If you have a mirror, it's really helpful when first starting to play katsugi. Because our weight is centered, but feet uneven, it's common to think shoulders and body are leveled when they're not. Check this.

Okay, we'll start with the pattern today. It's one you've heard before, but I hope you never get sick of: don tsu ku.

When we practiced don tsu ku for shime daiko the pattern was:

RRL or LLR

When you play don tsu ku on lateral kastugi, alternate hands like this:

RLR LRL RLR LRL

In addition, every left hand hit will alterate sides of the drum. I love how this pattern sounds on the drum because there's a tonal pattern, too. One of my favorite things to do on a Friday afternoon is play don tsu ku on lateral katsugi until I hit a sort of mental peace, and playing the pattern becomes part of my being at that moment.

Anyway, here's an example:

Listen to your tone. If you don't hear a repeated pattern, then perhaps you're not hitting the center of the drum. Take a moment, slow it down until your form and tone are consistent.

Extension:

Try playing 8 don tsu ku while walking with your drum (RRL RRL x4), then stop walking, switch your stance to lateral and play 8 don tsu ku (RLR LRL x4).

It takes some practice to get the timing right and to keep the drum from bouncing around. You'll notice that you need to initiate the change in stance while simultaneously finishing up the final don tsu ku.

Questions? Email me or comment!

FREE CONCERT (I'm leaving Japan)

2009-06-15T16:25:00.007+09:00

Okay, so to be honest, I don't expect anyone out there will be anywhere near Susami next Sunday, but just in case...

The news is out. I'm leaving Japan. It's a sad time for me, but it's also a time to think about the future and how taiko can or might be a part of that. In the midst of all of the departure preparations, it's only appropriate to have a going away taiko concert. It's free and it's next weekend!

What: Susami Taiko Concert　　　
Where: Wakayama, Susami Kominkan
When: Sunday, June 21, 1:30pm　　
Performances by: Susami Taiko, Shippu Uchi Daiko, Ryo Shimamoto, Kotaro

Cost: FREE

If you're thinking of coming, but need more information on directions please just email me!

And why did they put the foreigner in charge of making the poster...

Taiko Drill Part 37, LATERAL KATSUGI

2009-06-12T10:09:00.006+09:00

Focus: Balance, Form
Watch For:
1. Make sure the higher pitch of your drum is at the front when you play. When you switch to horizontal form, this becomes the right side. (NOTE: in the videos, my drum is unfortunately the wrong direction)
2. When playing for a while in this position, be sure to ground yourself, but relax, keeping your weight centered even though the left foot is slightly forward as mentioned last week.

When you play with the drum sideways, there is a slight alteration in the grip. The one I use is like this:

If you're new to katsugi, take a moment to practice switching between the two stances as in last week's drill and simultaneously switch between the two grips. The original grip was explained here.

Now, check out the video for an example of form when playing the basic pattern, do ko do ko:

When striking with the right hand, it hits consistently at the center of the drum.

Notice that the angle of the left wrist changes from an outward position when hitting the left, to inward when hitting the right. When the left hand hits on the right side, it should strike just forward of the tip of the right bachi. When the left hand strikes on the left side, the hand stays closer to the front of the drum than the middle and the bachi aims back toward the center of the drum. Accomplishing this will make it easier to reach high speeds.

Now, just how do you get your bachi to hit the center of the drum when you can't see it?? It's simple, really--use your ears! Through practicing regularly, you'll soon be able to hear when you get the full, solid sound from striking the middle and your body will memorize how to get you there consistently. So--gambarimasu!

Time to practice! Use your metronome, 15 minutes a day. Increase the speed just slightly each time, but never to the point that you can't play it comfortably. Until next time...

do ko do ko!

Extension
So, you feel comfortable with all that and you want to get faster? First, remember to relax. This is important. It's also important to make sure your arm is moving in an arch forward, away from your body and close to the drum, rather than up and over. This reduces the distance traveled from side to side.

Taiko Drill Part 36, CHANGING KATSUGI STANCE

2009-06-05T17:02:00.003+09:00

Before you read this post, check out the Prelude with Ryo Shimamoto here.

And, here I am bringing you a drill that I have trouble with myself--again! You may know that the two most common ways to play katsugi are on a diagonal angle and then horizontally, with the drum across both legs.

Focus: Balance, Form
Watch For:
1. Don't strike the drum or think about striking the drum. Be aware of your stick placement, your grip and where your body weight lies.
2. Even though it may seem boring to practice, it's important to be able to move between these positions without the drum swinging out of control. Repeat this drill until you have control over the drum.

Let's practice switching the drum between these two positions before we aim to strike simultaneously. Starting in the basic position taught last week, the drum stays anchored on the left thigh. From there, move the left leg forward and wide so that the drum's center is lined up with your body's center.

Because the place where the drum is anchored on your thigh just to the left of the center of the drum, you must compensate for this by placing the left foot on the floor, slightly in front of the right leg. So, while the drum is directly horizontal across your body, your left leg is front and the right leg is back. Keep that right leg planted in the ground.

Last week I talked about having most of your weight forward when playing in a slant form. You'll notice in the video here that my weight doesn't seem to be shifting out of my right leg. When you're playing both styles back and forth, this keeps the drum from moving around. If you're settling in to play in the horizontal style for a while, then let your weight center and ground yourself.

Notice that the right hand moves with the drum, keeping the stick's point at the center of the drum head. The left hand switches to the left side, aiming to keep the point at the center of that drum head. We'll explore further next week how to get that stick to the center and how the grip of the left hand should adjust.

Gambarimasu!

Taiko Drill Part 36, Prelude with Ryo Shimamoto

2009-06-05T10:42:00.008+09:00

Hi there!

I was quite a bit frustrated last week that I posted videos with terrible form. Hopefully you understand that I'm on a learning journey. Maybe I'm in a little over my head with these katsugi videos, but I'll keep trying my best!

Last week my teacher mentioned to me that he's been checking the blog out periodically. I thought it might be helpful for you to see his form and he agreed to make an appearance. So, for today's special treat, I introduce my teacher, Ryo Shimamoto to you:

So, I've a long way to go as you can see. That left hand is what I'm practicing this afternoon!

Please click here for today's drill!

A little background on Ryo Shimamoto:

嶋本龍　和太鼓講師・和太鼓奏者。和太鼓指導のほか作曲も手がけている。1976年生まれ.11歳から和太鼓を始める。疾風打太鼓のリーダーを15年経験、2008年ソロ活動開始。近藤克次氏（元鼓童、鬼太鼓座）に師事。レッスンでは、自力整体をとり入れた入念なストレッチを行い、和太鼓に向かう時は力まかせではなく、身体のバランスとしなりを活かした打ち方を指導している。

Ryo Shimamoto of Wakayama Prefecture, Japan is a Japanese drum instructor, performer, and composer. Born in 1976, he began playing taiko at the age of 11. His solo career began in 2008, after 15 years as the leader of Shippu Uchi Daiko. Shimamoto currently studies under Katsuji Kondo (formerly of Ondekoza and KODO).

From Carrie: He's an amazing resource for stretches and drills that will help to balance your form and ability. Most of what I write about here, I know because of him and I'm very thankful to him for that. If you're ever looking for a great teacher with the intuition to show you "how" and answer all your "whys", I highly recommend him!

Taiko Teaching Materials

2009-06-05T08:46:00.005+09:00

Have you been searching for new information to make you a better taiko teacher/player? Information in English is not in abundance, but here's something that's worth checking into.

Earlier this year, Jonathan Kirby artistic director of Kagemusha in the UK, published a series of 4 instructional DVDs plus an instruction manual. I've yet to get my hands on them as of yet, but here's a posting from the UK taiko forum through the Mugen Taiko Dojo website.

from IanB:

"Since we often get posts here from people looking for training or teaching materials, I thought I should share this. I have just taken delivery of the new teacher training materials released by Kagemusha a few days ago. If anyone is running a group, thinking about it or even wants to add to their knowledge or is training on their own, I can’t recommend these highly enough.

Jonathan Kirby has put together a 220 (!) page manual (Teaching Taiko: Principles and Practice) which contains years of material covering everything…drills, base rhythms, teaching tips, pieces to play, problems, philosophy, stance, movement, composition, performance , … etc etc. There’s nothing like it anywhere else – (and I’ve been looking for a long time!) - it has got to be the definitive guide for teaching and learning Taiko. There are also 4 dvd’s that go with the manual to make it a complete set if you want to get the lot……..which I did!

For the price of a workshop it looks like you get months and months of material to work on personally and to use with your own group. There are more details on the Kagemusha website."

Here's the direct link to the page with the manual and DVD information. You can purchase the manual, Teaching Taiko: Principles and Practice, and all 3 DVDs for £95.00+ shipping.

Teaching Taiko: Principles and Practice itself is £35.00 and DVDs are £20.00 + shipping.

Do you already own Jonathan Kirby's publications? Drop a note in the comments with your opinion!

Taiko Center at NATC -- Free shipping!

2009-06-03T07:57:00.005+09:00

Need new happi or other costumes for your group? Those tabi soles worn out? Did you split your favorite pair of bachi and are searching for a replacement? Need mute pads to keep your sound to a minimum? Bachi bags? Taiko bags? Fue? Chappa? Learn taiko DVDs? Taiko?

Taiko Center will be at NATC 2009. I just received an email from them saying that if you place an order by the end of June, shipping is FREE and you can pick up your goodies at the marketplace at the conference.

So, browse the Taiko Center Website to see if they have what you need.

----

FYI
Did you know Taiko Conference is on Facebook and Twitter? Get in on the updates!

Taiko Drills, Part 35 WALKING WITH KATSUGI

2009-05-29T15:38:00.008+09:00

Welcome back!

Let's move on with a bit more katsugi fun.

Focus: Form

Watch For:

1. Take the time to walk around with your drum for a while without hitting it. This will make the next step much easier.

2. Even though the rest of the body is relaxed (and having fun!), be sure to keep control of your sticks and their placement.

Let's take a closer look at the grip for the left hand we learned last week.

Start by grasping the bachi between your thumb and pointer finger:

Then, place the bachi between the middle and ring fingers:

Finally, be sure to relax the bottom three fingers. If these fingers are not relaxed, it will restrict movement.

The first step to walking with a katsugi okedo is, well, taking a step. It's important to practice walking! The drum rests on your leg and keeps the same point of contact. Obviously, the drum is going to move because your leg is moving, but it should not slide side to side or up and down on your leg.

When you practice walking, hold your bachi in their ready position. If you have a mirror, make use of it. Keep your left stick so that it's point is near the center of the drum and the right stick is just next to it. Arms stay relaxed and move a bit with the drum.

Have a look:

So, we talked last week about initiating the left hand from the wrist when preparing to make a big hit on the drum, and the right from the elbow. The same is true if you're making smaller hits. Check out the video:

And, here's today's drill:

Line 1

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

(x2)

don

tsu

don

tsu

Line 2

don

tsu

don

tsu

(x1)

don

tsu

don

tsu

Line 3

don

tsu

don

tsu

(x1)

don

tsu

don

tsu

don

tsu

Extension:

Are you ready to put it all together? Try the pattern above while walking:
(See if you can tell what's wrong in this video. Check below it for the answer.)

If you think my criticism lies in the left hand, you're on the right track. My hands are not balanced in volume AND my do ko do kos are not even--can you tell? See if you can do better than I did!

Gambarimasu!

Taiko Drills, Part 35 BEGINNER KATSUGI OKE DAIKO

2009-05-22T18:44:00.012+09:00

Hi there!

Well, I just realized I tried too many new things this week, which may have resulted in an overall failure. But, I won't fail to bring you something, so my apologies.

I got a new camera. I was very very excited because it has audio capabilities. But, I failed to configure the sound in a way so you can actually hear what I'm saying. Then, after dealing with the technical difficulties, and running out of recording time, I watched the videos and immediately heard my teacher's criticism in my head: KATAI! You're too stiff--relax!

So, bear with me this week and I'll try to figure it out by next time.

Also, this is my first time teaching katsugi okedo in any form. So, please please ask questions if something's not clear. Alright, here goes...

Focus: Form, Speed

Watch For:

1. When you strike with the right hand, initiate from the elbow. When you strike with the left, initiate from the wrist.

2. Keep your weight a bit forward; I think of it as 65-70% forward.

Okay, let's start first with how to place your feet. Your heels should be in line with one another, right foot points forward and left angles outward. Mine are about 4 inches apart from one another.

The drum is going to rest on your left thigh. You'll notice in the photo below that the center of the drum lines up with my belly button and the drum is angled up only just enough so I can barely see the head by looking directly down.

The grip for each hand is completely different. The right hand is nearly like making a fist and sticking the bachi right in the middle. For the left hand, the bachi sits between the middle and ring fingers. Your actual grip is between the pointer finger and the thumb (further illustrated in the video).

Here's an example of ready position. The left bachi rests with its tip at the center of the drum, while the right is just next to it. Each stick is angled in toward the head of the drum, not parallel to it. Note that the left elbow stays tucked in to the body somewhat, while the right arm is rounded, out to the side.

Now, let's hit the drum! Think of it this way: right hand is rounded, left hand is linear. What I mean is that the right arm swoops around away from the body before striking, and the left arm moves in line with the drum in an upward motion, coming down with a relaxed wrist.

And, finally, today's drill. This drill is meant to help you increase speed when striking the drum. If you think about it, if you bring your arm slowly toward the drum your sound will be much weaker than if you strike quickly. By following a small hit with a big hit, you're forced to bring your arm quickly off the drum and back down in order to stay on tempo. This will help your body learn how to make big sounds on your katsugi drum.

Here's the pattern:

tsu don tsu don tsu don tsu don

You'll strike twice with the right, twice with the left, twice with the right, twice with the left, and repeat!

It's difficult to get a balance between the left and right hand with katsugi, so listen carefully to your sound and aim for evenness in volume, particularly with the louder hits.

Extension:

If you've played katsugi before, then try alternating the basic pattern in this drill and really focus on keeping good form, while increasing the speed of the drill. (i.e., slightly increase your metronome pace daily)

tsu don tsu don

don tsu don tsu

tsu don tsu don
don tsu don tsu

Gambarimasu!

What's YOUR Vote? Katsugi or Taiko Set?

2009-05-20T15:56:00.004+09:00

Hey there!

Last week I asked for your vote for this Friday's focus:

Katsugi OR Taiko Set

So far, with one vote in, it's looking like katsugi.

Have a preference? Leave a comment!

Taiko Drills, Part 34 SHIME ROLLS (form)

2009-05-15T17:28:00.008+09:00

Welcome back!

Well, Golden Week is over and done with and I'm back on my regular practice schedule. I realize that I've been focusing significantly on shime daiko skills, and all the videos I've posted have been for shime. And, to be honest, I have no better reason other than I love playing shime and I find it challenging. So, as always, if you have requests, let me know. If not, then I suppose you just have to keep putting up with my shime obsession!

How's this: I'll do a taiko set drill next week OR katsugi okedo, BUT only if you tell me! Leave a comment and tell me which you're interested in. Whichever drum gets the most comments, I'll do a few drills starting next week. Don't worry, I'll start from the basics.

Today's drill is very simple and a cool trick to keep you from clicking sticks together and keeping your sound consistent when trying to play quickly. If you're new, be sure to practice the shime daiko grip here first. If you're not new, it doesn't hurt to review.

Check it out!

Focus: Form, Balance
Watch for:
1. Move your hand in a straight motion up off the drum and down again to make contact.
2. If your sound is inconsistent, either from hand to hand or from hit to hit, be sure the height your stick comes off the drum is consistent and the striking speed and grip are the same. If you've already done all that and they still sound different, this drill might be the key for you.

Okay, so there's no fancy rhythm or anything for this drill. We'll just repeat "do ko do ko" at a speed that's comfortable for you. You'll notice in the video that I play 4 "do ko"s at the edge of my drum, quietly, and 4 louder "do ko"s at the center of the drum, and repeat.

One reason for hitting close together at the center is to force your sticks to go straight up and down. If your sticks click against each other, slow it down a bit and really focus on your hands making a straight path. For me, if I think about the sticks making a straight path, my efforts become forced and I'm no longer relaxed enough to be successful. So, start with the hands and once you've got that, refine any small waverings of the sticks.

The second reason for the 2 different kinds of rolls in this drill is to help you notice if small rolls or louder rolls are more difficult for you. (then you can practice that kind more!) Be sure that all of the quiet rolls are the same volume and pay particular attention to the ones just before or just after the louder rolls.

Grab your metronome and get started!

PS: Sorry the camera's a bit lopsided. I'll spare you the details of my makeshift table...
(Do I wear those pants every Friday??)

Extension:

Change up rolls! The pattern stays the same, but you can try something like:

RRLLRRLL
RRRLLLRR
LLRRLLRR
LLLRRRLL

If someone were to listen to you play the basic drill above and this version here with their eyes closed, they should not be able to hear the difference!

Gambatte!

Remember to vote in the comments for next week's focus:

KATSUGI?? or TAIKO SET??

2009 TOKARA Wadaiko Bootcamp

2009-05-12T10:18:00.006+09:00

Are you looking for an alternative summer taiko experience to NATC? How about going to rural Japan!

From http://www.tokara.net/ArtLee/

Art Lee first began the study of taiko in 1993 from the Sacramento Taiko Dan with whom he later became a featured performer and instructor. He later joined one of the world's most famed taiko groups, Za Ondekoza, for their U.S. and Japan Tour, which culminated in a landmark concert at Carnegie Hall.

Art Lee became a solo performer after moving to Japan in 1998.
And on November 14th, 2001, Art exploded onto the world scene
when he became the first person in the world ever to be granted an
unsponsored artist visa from the Japanese government to teach, perform, and lead the life of a Professional Taiko Artist in Japan.

Art Lee's Taiko Bootcamp will be held this August:

August 10-15, English (Course B)
August 27-30, Japanese (Course C)

You can get more information on the Tokara website, but here's a short excerpt below.
Online application due June 1.

The TOKARA Wadaiko Camp is an intensive taiko training session during which participants will have the chance to be taught in the energetic performance style of TOKARA by Wadaiko Artist Art Lee. Participants to the 2009 Wadaiko Camp will spend intensive taiko study of all original drills and composition. In the evenings, paritcipants will be able to enjoy the festive atmosphere of Iida City and Achi Village during Obon festival season, as well as join TOKARA for their 2009 Hirugami no Hibiki showcase at the outside Hirugami Onsen Mountain Theater in Hirugami Onsen Resort. On the fifth day, Course B participants will have the opportunity to perform an original piece written by Art Lee at the Hirugami Onsen Mountain Theater. All drills and compositions are originally created by Wadaiko Artist Art Lee.

NATC update and Taiko Jam!

2009-05-10T17:44:00.004+09:00

In case you haven't checked the NATC website recently, registration opened on April 12. You can conveniently pay online this year, right through the website. This year's cost is $250, with discounts for youth (under 25) and JACCC members.

The list of workshops is available, though you must sign up with a log-in name and password in order to view them. Online registration is not yet available, but when it is activated you can only register for workshops if your payment has been verified. (So, if you've got your eye on a popular workshop, register now so you can be sure to get in!)

Taiko Jam 2009
Saturday, August 8, 8:00pm
Sunday, August 9, 3:00pm

includes performances by:

Kishin Daiko

Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko

On Ensemble

Portland Taiko

With only 2 shows, tickets are sure to sell out fast at $32-$35! In fact, from my estimation, as of today the Saturday show is already a little less than 1/3 sold out and the Sunday show at just about 1/4.

Tickets for Taiko Jam are not included in NATC registration.

Taiko Drills, Part 33 UP BEAT DOWN BEAT

2009-05-08T18:00:00.006+09:00

Welcome back!

I hope you're enjoying the spring season wherever you are. It's a great time to practice taiko! (Okay--anytime is, really.)

Let's get back to rolls and timing--

Focus: Timing, Balance
Watch for:
1. Keep those elbows up and out! Don't let your elbows drop--this will force you to bend your wrists in order to hit the drum and we don't want that. Check out the video from 3 weeks ago for a refresher: Part 30
2. If you've gotten lazy about the metronome, you'll need it for this drill.

Okay, this drill is basic to do, so let's take the opportunity to be picky about a few things. Make sure the sound of the right and left hand are the same. I think I've said this a few times before, but the first step to fix this is to check to make sure your form is the same. If they're not, slow down the drill to focus on this, and do everything twice as long for the "wrong" hand. Keep in mind that sometimes when it sounds like your timing is off, it could be the balance!

I've written out the rhythms below, Red is right and Black is left. Note that Lines 1 and 2 are played twice. Line 3, which is twice as long, is played just once.

Line 1

don

(twice)
Line 2
(twice)

don

Line 3

don

If you know my style, you know why there's a double right at the end--repeat again from the beginning, starting with the LEFT hand!

K, loop it! 10-15 minutes daily, gradually increasing speed but never going faster than is comfortable. Gambatte!

Here's a bit of audio help:

(These clips are to aid in understanding the rhythm and are not representative of what your actual playing should sound like.)

120 bpm

150bpm

200bpm

Extension:
I really find that drills that use one hand as a base beat are invaluable to increasing good timing and balance. Once you're comfortable with the drill above, try playing the base beat (right hand) for the same length of 6 lines of 8. The left hand will improvise when to hit on the up beat. Be sure to count so that the final two beats are "don don" with the right hand, freeing up the left to begin from the beginning.

This is a fun way to come up with new rhythms--maybe you'll even get a new song out of it!

Want to Buy a Taiko?

2009-05-04T20:42:00.007+09:00

Hi there! I mentioned in my last post that I've had quite a few taiko visitors lately. I'm sure that many of you have heard of TAIKOPROJECT's song, Omiyage. Perhaps even a few of you play it! Well, I thought I'd try to have a bit of a "cultural" exchange here in Wakayama. I invited Yuta Kato to teach Omiyage to my taiko group, Shippu Uchi Daiko, last week.

After the workshop, which went quite well, Yuta stayed with me and my husband for a couple of days. I know his father makes taiko, but wanted to get the scoop. Yuta highly recommends his dad's drums, so I decided to contact Mr. Kato directly and ask a few questions:

Q: What kinds of taiko does Kato Taiko make?

A: Kato Taiko makes naga-do (chu/o-daiko), hira-do, and oke-do. Upright, slant, and o-daiko stands are available. I also provide taiko repair/rennovation services and can engrave your drum for you.

Q: Do you sell taiko-making supplies, tacks, or kan?

A: Actually, I don't do this normally. Tacks or kan might be possible, but could take up to 2 months because I order these from Japan.

Q: How much do Kato Taiko drums cost?

A: Naga-do start at $750 (plus shipping, if required). Hira-do start at $725 (plus shipping, if required). You can find specific information about the prices and drums available on my website, www.katotaiko.com

Q: Will you be at NATC this year selling drums?

A: Yes! I'll be there.

Q: Can participants of NATC order drums and pick them up from you at the conference? If so, how far in advance is an order required?

A: Yes, this is possible. It's difficult to anticipate a deadline because this really depends on how many orders I have to fulfill. Certainly, earlier is better and probably by mid-June at the latest. Please have anyone interested contact me directly through my website.

------

I recommend you browse Mr. Kato's website for information if you're considering buying taiko. It's fun to read about how he got started in the business and you can also read about how his taiko were involved in the movie, Memoirs of a Geisha.

Enjoy!

Taiko Drills, Part 32 ATARIGANE

2009-05-01T16:05:00.004+09:00

What a busy taiko week--I've had lots of taiko-playing visitors recently! Don't forget that next week is Golden Week. There may still be room in the taiko workshops, taught by my teacher--check it out!

Okay, so let's back up to chan chiki from last week.

The request made for chan chiki drills was sent ages ago, and there are a few reasons it's taken me so long to get around to it. While it's tough to teach it over the internet, I'm also very weary of trying too hard or giving too many details, the result of which may actually be mis-teaching. So, thanks for your patience and understanding. This will be the last atarigane drill for this series. As always, post a comment if you have a question, or email me directly.

Focus: Form
Watch for:
1. When playing the basic "chiki", the hand holding the bachi should be relaxed and controlled (easy to say, huh?)
2. Keep the bell-holding hand steady and perpendicular to the floor.

Last week we practiced 'chi' and 'chan' and tried to get used to the rotation required of the hand holding the bell. In order to continue practicing that rotation, this week we'll combine 'chan' and 'chiki'. Here's the rhythm:

1	&	2	&
chan		chi	ki

Chan is the same as last week: Pull the index and middle fingers away from the bell, rotating the wrist away from your body. Hit at the center of the bell.

Chi ki is 2 identical sounds. Begin in "starting position" with both fingers pressed against the bell and the palm facing inward, perpendicular to the floor. Initiating movement from the wrist, not the arm (though the arm still moves), hit the inside rim of the bell, to the left, then right.

Remember! When going from 'chan' to 'chi ki', rotate your hand to "starting position" before it's time to hit 'chi ki'. Doing this consistently at a slow pace will help you continue to hit the same spots when you increase speed.

Extension:
Add this line, as also seen in the video:

1	&	2	&
chan	ran	chi	ki

(Note: "ran" here is the same as "chan")

And, my traditional soundless video, alternating the two patterns above:

Gambatte kudasai!

Taiko drills, Part 31 ATARIGANE

2009-04-24T15:57:00.007+09:00

Hi!

This week's drill is by request from a reader. Have one of your own? Mention it to me! While I'm no master, I like sharing if I know something about it.

Focus: Form
Watch for:
1. When playing the basic "chan" & "chi" as explained in the beginning, the hand holding the bachi (in my case, the right) should not be moving from side to side or forward and back in relation to your body. Focus on moving the bachi up and down--it's the left hand that changes to alter your hitting spot.
2. Try to make your hitting spots consistent. Different areas of the bell will sound different.

Alright, as you may have guessed, I'm going to focus on atarigane, a.k.a. chan chiki. When playing chan chiki you want to hold it in your weak hand like this:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Place thumb underneath the little tab, snugly.

Step 3:

Complete the grip by wrapping the pinky and ring fingers on the opposite side, above the tab.
You'll notice that my index and middle fingers are pressing flat against the bell.

Here's how you hold the bachi. It's very similar to holding bachi for shime daiko:

To play "chi chan", the first step is to hold the bell so your palm is inward, perpendicular to the floor and fingers pressing on the bell. Let's call this "starting position." With a relaxed, controlled wrist, hit the center of the bottom rim (chi). Next, pull those two fingers away from the bell rotating the wrist outward. Hit the center of the bell once (chan).
Check out the demo:

Notice that bringing the fingers back to rest on the bell and rotating the hand inward should not occur at the same time as you strike "chi". You need to get those fingers and the bell in place before the stick strikes. Otherwise, it's gonna sound, well... not so good.

Okay, that's it! If you're a true beginner, don't even think about using the bachi yet. Start out by moving the hand that's holding the bell back and forth between the two positions. Vocalize "chan" and "chi", making sure you're returning to what I call "starting position" above before it's time to say "chi!"

Let me know if you have questions and I'll add a little more next week!

Extension/Alternate drill:
Please continue with the roll drill from last week. I'm sure you've figured this out by now if you've been reading every week, but you can always (and should always!) flip the drill around to start with the left hand. Make sure you're challenging yourself with speed!

Taiko Drills, Part 30 ROLLS

2009-04-17T14:57:00.011+09:00

Hi, and welcome back!

Good timing certainly doesn't come overnight, so it's still been a focus of my practice recently. Of course, this skill is easily combined with others, so I'd like to move on from the Fraction Drill but keep the overall theme of 'timing' in mind.

A friend of mine recently asked me how to get better at rolls. My immediate response was, "Practice!" Since then my teacher brought out the basic line from KODO's shime daiko piece Monochrome at one of my private lessons and I've had to consider on a more in-depth level how to produce efficient, controlled rolls. Needless to say, Monochrome is far out of my reach, but certainly motivating.

Focus: Timing, Balance
Watch for:
1. Do your arms/hands feel different? They shouldn't, so if they do, take the time to consider how they feel different, determine which hand is correct (Check out the tips and videos below for possible ways to do this), and focus on bringing the other hand up to par.
2. Take it slow until you have the balance we're aiming for. If you need ideas on how to reach this goal, review any of TGIF 11-18!

In this first video you'll see today's drill. Alternate RLRL with an even beat for 8 counts using the basic shime daiko grip taught here. Then keep the same feeling of the grip, but lift from the upper arm as well for 8 counts, double time. Loop it!

It's not easy to combine the grip and form, so by isolating the grip and then adding the form and repeating, your body will gain a gradual sense of what you're teaching it to do.

Notice that my elbows are out, but not locked, and shoulders down. The bachi are at the same angle and rise off the drum at the same height to produce an even roll.

In this second video, you'll see me playing a roll at 3 tempos, slow to moderate pace. I tried to give you an idea here of how even though as you get faster and there is not time to lift the arms up and down, the feeling of the lift is still present. My elbows don't drop and my wrists don't break, keeping the sound consistent.

Gambatte, ne!

PS: One of these days I'll get a camera that captures audio...

Golden Week Taiko Workshops!

2009-04-16T13:36:00.004+09:00

Do you live in the Wakayama or Osaka area? Looking for something to do this year during Golden Week?

My teacher, Ryo Shimamoto, is holding a series of workshops in Kainan (海南) during the holiday week. I highly recommend them and I'll be taking a few of them myself!

Saturday, May 2
1:00-4:00pm
Learn Ryo Shimamoto's latest composition, Yaiba 刃

Tuesday, May 5
9:00-12:00
Odaiko

Tuesday, May 5
1:00-4:00
Katsugi Okedo

Wednesday, May 6
9:00-12:00
Learn Ryo Shimamoto's latest composition, Yaiba 刃

Wednesday, May 6
1:00-4:00
Learn Ryo Shimamoto's latest composition, Yaiba 刃

You are welcome to sign up for one or all of the Yaiba workshops. It is a fun and challenging song.

The workshops take place in Kainan, near Shimotsu Station (下津駅). Each 3 hour workshop is a mere 3,500 yen and classes are limited to 8 people, reservation required.

Please email 島本　龍 (Ryo Shimamoto) to reserve your place! You can email in English if you need to, but note that all workshops will be taught in Japanese.

imakat (at) iris.eonet.ne.jp

Let me know if I should look for you!

Fraction Drill Plus Audio Addendum

2009-04-15T13:42:00.003+09:00

Hey there!

As promised, here is the audio version of last week's drill. Sorry about the extra noises... it's pretty windy here today and the house is creaking.

First, the basic drill from last week with one hand playing the base beat, Line 1:

And, the extension! Here the base line alternates between Line 1 and Line 2:

See you back here on Friday...

Shidara Taiko Residency Update

2009-04-12T19:39:00.003+09:00

Shidara posted more videos. Here are a few I enjoyed below. Check out the Shidara Youtube site for more!