If you've been looking for an opportunity to push your mind and body to the limit, this is your lucky day. :D
Some of the drills and exercises that will be featured in this class are:
Air Bachi (Suburi) - Most taiko folks have done air bachi when they didn't have access to drums, or when they needed to practice quietly. Why are we doing air bachi when we have access to the drums and we can be as loud as we want? Let me explain. First, air bachi is a great way to reduce impact on your joints. You can still go through the mechanics of playing the drums, work on your form and consistency, without your joints having to absorb the impact of playing. Second, air bachi forces the player to sing each and every note that they are playing. This helps build a connection between the music heard in the performer's mind and the physical act of striking the drum. And lastly, performers can use this drill as an opportunity to practice internalizing the length of 4, 8, 16 bars. In other words, you'll be able to count without having to really think about it. If you've ever been in a situation where you lost count, this practice will allow your internal clock to kick in.
Excerpts from "Stick Control for the Snare Drummer" and "Syncopation for the Modern Drummer." These drills are designed to help consistency and rhythmic accuracy. In the context of this class, I'd also like to use it as an opportunity to develop a critical ear. Often times in my own practice, you'll find me practicing very simple material because I want it to sound "right" to my own ears. The "right" sound is very subjective and it takes a lot of time to develop one's own aesthetic. I'm hoping these drills will help develop that aesthetic and critical ear.
Uchikomi - This is where we put it all together. We've worked on our mechanics and our ear, and now we need to project the music through the taiko. Connect the music you hear in your mind with the mechanics of your body. If you can get the music to sound exactly the way you hear it in your mind, that's great! If you're able to improve your form and mechanics so that you can play longer, that's great! If you're able to play harder than you've ever done before, that's great! I would consider any of these results a tremendous success. I hope you can join me in the adventure.
Course Schedule
Sundays from 1-2:45PM
Dates: 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22 (NO CLASS 2/23)
Price and Purchase
$176 for all 8 classes
$96 for every 4 weeks x 2 installments
Purchase Online - make sure to click on appropriate class title