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!
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!
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!
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!
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 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:
