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Stretch

The One: A look at soloing!
Our first class we went over how this class is going to be more like a workshop rather than a "song learning" course. Come with an open mind and try out these methods on how to view and construct a solo with your taiko abilities. All I ask is try, it maybe out of your comfort zone at first but you may find that you had more untapped potential than you realize! This class is a safe space where students are encouraged to take risks and be bold with their choices and push the limits of their comfort zones. With these tools, my hope is that the soloing process will be less daunting and something that you look forward to rather than dread, it can be fun and liberating! After this 3 day course we may not be amazing soloists yet, but with practice and the more experience you have soloing the easier it will become.
(also feel free to bring any of these soloing drills to your respective groups! share the knowledge or invite them to take this course too!)

A few thoughts on my philosophy to soloing...
"In that moment in time (when you solo) you are showcasing your best self and presenting your taiko abilities and skills that that you've developed up until now". Whether you are just starting your taiko journey or a long term veteran, what ever you present to the audience is you at that very moment and there will never be a moment like that ever again so why not make it the very best version of yourself. Trust your instincts and do what feels right to you.
"A solo is just a series of choices (musical choices, movement choices, artistic choices) that you are making in that moment. The choices you make will influence the story you are telling, but ultimately you are in control. Whatever choice you make, you must commit to it 100%"! There are infinite choices that you can make as you play your solo so there is no right or wrong way, it's just YOUR way. Sometimes there are choices that we make that are straight forward and safe, other times we might try to make a choice that is adventurous and unexpected. Practice will help you understand your abilities better and help narrow and focus which choices are best for you. I can tell you things I like that you've done in your solo, but I do not have the answer to the perfect solo for you, that you need to figure out for yourself.
....more Doug Solosophies to come in the future!

Our first activity was to get the creative juices flowing in a realm other than taiko. We passed around a ball of "energy" and we tried creative ways to pass that energy from person to person. Man you guys are so creative and no idea was duplicated!

We went to white board where we took turns drawing lines from point A to point B. This is to illustrate that are many options we can take to get from point A to point B and there is no right or wrong way to get there. It is all about the journey and that is the solo. Look at attached image and take a look at the lines we made!

We then moved into "Copy Cat" game with variations.
First, we copied Doug just to get some new ideas and start thinking of rhythms patterns that might be tricky and new. If you struggled that is great, by doing this exercise I am trying to expand your musical repertoire. I repeated some 4 beat patterns multiple times so that if we didn't quite get it the first time we might get it the second or third time, this is a good skill to have to be able to process and recreate as quickly as possible.
Second, it was the class' turn to take lead. We went around the circle and everyone had the chance to play a 4 beat rhythm and the rest of the class had to repeat. This is a great way to start noticing which musical tendencies you gravitate towards.
Third, we did the domino effect. Each player played an 8 count rhythm and as it passed the next person would have to repeat the last four beats of the previous player and then play 4 beats of their own creation. (ie: Person A plays beats [1-4] and then [5-8], then Person B plays [Person A's 5-8] [Person B's 5-8], then Person C would play [Person B 5-8][Person C 5-8] etc.) Started to think about how we can use ideas in previous solos to help us construct our solo. It is like an easter egg for the audience!
Fourth, we did open soloing with a "tag". A tag is basically a rhythm pattern that when it is played it lets the ensemble know that their solo is coming to an end. Rather than being constrained in a set time (4 beats or 8 beats) we can play as many beats as we want and we can take as long as we want with our solo. During the tag ( Don Don Don Don/ Doko Doko Doko Doko) we randomized the order and whoever the soloist pointed at next gets to solo. Always being ready is key! This is to practice playing in an open time solo and trying to fill the time with musical ideas that connect and hopefully tell a story from point A to point B.

"Limits" Game
As we became a little more comfortable with the format of an open solo, it was time to make things a little more challenging and time to think outside of the box. While you may not do this particular technique during a performance, it helps you to think creatively and helps you narrow down what choices you can make during your solo. When practicing create rules that might provide restrictions or force you to make certain choices in your solo. (ie: solo only on don, solo only on ka, right hand only solo, do a 8 count dance break in the middle of your solo, etc.) This can prove to be difficult but it also forces you to dig deep to search for answers and be spontaneous and take chances! Believe in yourself and push yourself!

We ended with "Ma is okay!". Ma, or spaces in your solo when you aren't hitting the drum, is completely acceptable in your solo. Having space can create tension or just allow the solo to breathe. It also can make the basebeat (jiuchi) more audible in the break. If the jiuchi is particularly interesting you can play beats that outline it and not play too much over it and it will still sound good. The challenge here is to be okay playing very sparse and be okay in the long spaces. If you'd like to practice the jiuchi we played was in 3/4 time ( Don kutsu tsu/ Don tsu tsuku).

Clean Up

Aisatsu

Extra Notes

If you have any questions or need any clarifications feel free to email me or message here!