Village Heartbeat Buzz

Practice makes perfect? Is that the point? Or is it that practice makes practice? Once we begin on a path, practice shows us a way to pay attention and dedicate time to our learning. Practice can be either a verb or a noun. Drum practice builds a foundation for becoming a more competent player, and developing a drum practice opens us to the healing aspects of the drum.

When you play drums on a regular basis, make your strokes ergonomically. Use your body in the most effective and easiest approach possible. One way to do this is to study the movements involved in playing your notes: bass, tone, and slap. Find the flow–the way to go from one note to another in the most direct way possible.
Sitting in front of a mirror to play, and observing yourself is a great way to learn.
And that, my dear friends, is scary. You will see everything how your posture changes, how your hands change when “they don’t mean to”, the look on your face while drumming: everything from clenching your lips together, grimacing, looking like you have just attended a funeral, or are about to meet your worst enemy! Stay with it. Keep at it! Try playing very slowly so that you can track everything that you do, and make corrections as you go.
If your hands hurt, STOP! Look in the mirror again. See what needs to change.

We can “achieve” flow, however. Each note we play “sets up” a relaxed way to “travel” to the next note and the next. Easy, effortless, and consistent.
This is part of practice also–finding the best way to do what you are doing, repeat it, and repeat it again.

You have the potential to make practice interesting and illuminating. Learn about yourself. In one sense that is what a good practice develops: the ability to tolerate what is.

The drum also becomes an instrument that strengthens our bodies and augments vitality.
The upper body – arms, shoulders, upper back, and torso all experience positive effects of repetitive exercise. Many people who have had arthritis in their hands report that they feel increased circulation and flexibility from playing their drum.
As you can increase speed and playing time, experience the cardio-workout of drumming.
The lower body, keeping the spine erect and holding the drum with the legs, can strengthen the pelvic girdle and the legs.
Or, you may choose to stand and use your feet and legs to ground and balance you as you play.

And finally and most importantly, coordinating the breath with drumming can invigorate, stimulate you, lowering stress and increasing the immune system. And if you want to push yourself further, sing while you play. Start singing the notes you are playing. As you continue, see if you can sing another set of syllables other than your drum notes. Experiment! When you lose track return to your drum-note-song.
Notice how you feel when you finally bring the drumming and singing to a close. Spacious? Spaced-out? Connected? Make a note of how these singing sessions progress– and they will.

Anyone who drums regularly know that they feel good after playing, but Remo Drums have a created a division called HealthRHYTHMS Research specifically to study the immune system and social systems and significant impact that drumming can have on our health.
They have published research in the following areas:
Impact on Immune System
Employee Burnout; Turnover Reduction
Reducing Student Drop-out Rate
Genomic Impact
Corporate Employee Wellness Benefits
Creativity; Bonding in Seniors
Stress Impact Research Summary

Invest in your Practice. Enjoy your Practice. Remember that it is you that you are playing for. Cultivate the sounds that you want to hear. PLAY!