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!
A place for useful tips, drills, and information about taiko.
Showing posts with label counting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label counting. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2010
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Taiko Drill Part 60, 2 Against 3 Pre-Lesson
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!
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!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Taiko Drill Part 52, Thinking About Improvisation
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.
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:
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!
| 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!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Taiko Drills, Part 33 UP BEAT DOWN BEAT
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.
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.)
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!
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.
| 1 | & | 2 | & | 3 | & | 4 | & | 5 | & | 6 | & | 7 | & | 8 | & | |
| Line 1 | don | do | ko | don | don | don | do | ko | don | don | ||||||
| (twice) Line 2 (twice) | don | do | ko | don | do | ko | don | do | ko | don | don | ko | ||||
| Line 3 | 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 |
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.)
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!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Taiko Drills, Part 24 ANOTHER DON TSU KU DRILL
Hi there!
Okay, I admit it. I have kind of a don tsu ku obsession, but with good reason! Don tsu ku is a very common taiko rhythm, but it's difficult to play correctly because each hit is a different volume. Please jump back to review form and the dynamics (explained in the extension) before getting started today because it won't be reviewed here.
Focus: Balance, Counting
Watch for:
1. We often use our ears to determine if something is being played correctly, however, try to use your sense of body awareness as well. Do your hands feel the same when you strike the drum?
2. I challenge you again to keep those sticks hitting the same place on the drum. Probably there are a couple of little spots on the drum you can use as markers until you're consistent with this. Watch your hands to make sure they hit them every time.
Alrighty then. Here's what I've been playing around with the last few days:
So, you have the basic don tsu ku pattern, 4 times, followed by the same sticking pattern with a different rhythm. The second rhythm is very basic, hit on every beat, but it might be tough at first because your body is used to playing don tsu ku a certain way (hopefully!). Be sure to keep the same dynamics even though the rhythm is different.
Okay, actually, the real reason that 3rd line is there? Well, I bet you can guess... You finish with a double right so that leaves the left hand free... You got it! Repeat starting with the left hand and loop away.
Oh--and count!! It will help later with the extension :)
Extension
Line 4 above can be played more than once. But, when you're working in counts of 4 (or 8), you can't just repeat it any old number of times. For example, if you were to loop it here's what you get:
You'll see that if you play it through for 4 lines, you finish in the same convenient double right as if you play it 1 time. If you play for 2 lines, it's also a convenient place to switch to the left hand for the next set of 4 basic don tsu kus (as above). Switching after 3 lines isn't so smooth, but you're welcome to do it if you want to.
So you have 3 options to finish on the right hand: repeat through 1 line, 2 lines, or 4 lines. Go back to the original drill and adlib this part of the drill, alternating or deciding on the spot if you'll play for 8 beats, 16 beats, or 24 beats. Try to keep with the tempo--counting will help.
See you next time!
Okay, I admit it. I have kind of a don tsu ku obsession, but with good reason! Don tsu ku is a very common taiko rhythm, but it's difficult to play correctly because each hit is a different volume. Please jump back to review form and the dynamics (explained in the extension) before getting started today because it won't be reviewed here.
Focus: Balance, Counting
Watch for:
1. We often use our ears to determine if something is being played correctly, however, try to use your sense of body awareness as well. Do your hands feel the same when you strike the drum?
2. I challenge you again to keep those sticks hitting the same place on the drum. Probably there are a couple of little spots on the drum you can use as markers until you're consistent with this. Watch your hands to make sure they hit them every time.
Alrighty then. Here's what I've been playing around with the last few days:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | ||
| don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | ||
| don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | don | tsu |
So, you have the basic don tsu ku pattern, 4 times, followed by the same sticking pattern with a different rhythm. The second rhythm is very basic, hit on every beat, but it might be tough at first because your body is used to playing don tsu ku a certain way (hopefully!). Be sure to keep the same dynamics even though the rhythm is different.
Okay, actually, the real reason that 3rd line is there? Well, I bet you can guess... You finish with a double right so that leaves the left hand free... You got it! Repeat starting with the left hand and loop away.
Oh--and count!! It will help later with the extension :)
Extension
Line 4 above can be played more than once. But, when you're working in counts of 4 (or 8), you can't just repeat it any old number of times. For example, if you were to loop it here's what you get:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | don | tsu |
| ku | don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | don |
| tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku |
| don | tsu | ku | don | tsu | ku | don | tsu |
You'll see that if you play it through for 4 lines, you finish in the same convenient double right as if you play it 1 time. If you play for 2 lines, it's also a convenient place to switch to the left hand for the next set of 4 basic don tsu kus (as above). Switching after 3 lines isn't so smooth, but you're welcome to do it if you want to.
So you have 3 options to finish on the right hand: repeat through 1 line, 2 lines, or 4 lines. Go back to the original drill and adlib this part of the drill, alternating or deciding on the spot if you'll play for 8 beats, 16 beats, or 24 beats. Try to keep with the tempo--counting will help.
See you next time!
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