Insights On Practicing World Percussion BY B. MICHAEL WILLIAMS ow does world percussion fit into lar classes now, much like what you the practice puzzle? For most per- would find in Europe or America. That Hcussionists, it is added to a foun- isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Everything dation of orchestral or keyboard percus- changes, but the apprenticeship based sion, drumset, rudimental drumming, or on respect for the teacher is being lost. some combination of these. Rarely does a Western-trained percussionist start Michael Spiro is recognized as one of out with the intention of becoming a the foremost authorities on Afro-Cuban world percussion specialist. More typi- drumming. He regularly performs with cally, it gets added to the mix like so the group Talking Drums with David many spinning plates in a juggler’s act. Garibaldi and Jesus Diaz, and presents Fitting it all in does indeed take prac- performances and workshops worldwide. tice, but it also requires a great amount Michael lives in San Francisco. Web: of respect for the diversity of our world’s http://kayoakes.home.mindspring.com/ cultures and their musical expressions. mspiro Practicing world percussion requires Traditionally in Cuba, there weren’t many of the same skills employed in really that many instruments on which mastering any musical instrument to practice. Especially with bata drums, (scales, timing patterns, exercises for for example, you learned by watching, technical development, etc.), but there sometimes for many years. You would do are also broader issues to consider, espe- “service” to the maestro (tune drums, cially when one is learning an instru- carry drums, run errands, etc.), and in ment from another culture. Ear exchange you would go to the ceremo- training, transcription skills, familiarity Mohamed Da Costa nies and get to watch and memorize. You with language (at least in terms of pro- community dances. You would play the didn’t sit down to play until you already nunciation for singing), and an under- same part for months or even a year, de- thought you knew what to play. You standing of cultural background and pending on how fast you learn. You’d practiced on your legs after watching the history are essential aspects of a play “pa, ti pa, pi ti pa, ti pa,” over and parts and then slowly “worked” your percussionist’s development in world over. The teacher observed your playing way into the battery. You wouldn’t even music. In addition, and perhaps most and if your sounds and timing weren’t be allowed to “hang out” if you didn’t do importantly, one should make every ef- right, you wouldn’t be allowed to move the apprenticeship part first. fort to contact a qualified teacher, pref- on to a more advanced part. erably an authentic culture-bearer. The teacher knows if you are practic- Because of the amazing breadth of ing or not, because he is always around. world percussion performance practices When the wind blows, it can carry the found today, I asked several prominent sound of a drum for miles, and your world music practitioners to share their teacher can tell if your practicing isn’t insights on practice, either from a cul- right. My teacher once came to our re- tural or technical point of view. Each hearsal in a village three miles away. As contributor’s response follows a brief in- he approached the village, he could hear troduction. us playing, and when he arrived, he im- mediately began correcting our mis- Mohamed Da Costa is a master takes! djembe drummer, dancer, and choreogra- The apprenticeship with a teacher is a pher from Guinea, West Africa. He has very important relationship. It is very been teaching and performing in the special to receive your teacher’s bless- United States since 1990, and currently ing. You must be willing to run errands resides in Greensboro, North Carolina. for your teacher at any time, even in the In traditional African society, you middle of the night! It isn’t about money. would establish an apprenticeship with It is about respect. Today, things are a teacher who allowed you to play at changing in Africa. There are more regu- Michael Spiro PERCUSSIVE NOTES 44 APRIL 2003 Now things are different in some Lesson 3 in his new video series called ways. There are schools where you can Learn to Solo on Djembe or Conga. Alan learn (as part of an overall curriculum), lives in Minneapolis. Web: http:// and where you can be “tested” and www.dancinghands.com “yelled at” if you don’t do your home- I’m a hand drummer who loves Afri- work. The serious guys still do it like the can and Afro-Cuban rhythms: rhythms old days—attach yourself to a maestro constructed of many interlocking parts and go from there. In this traditional en- played on a variety of instruments. vironment, technical exercises would Since I don’t have a community or group never be required. to play with on a daily basis, my chal- The conga drum, however, is a differ- lenge has been to approximate this rich ent story. In contemporary Cuban soci- rhythmic environment when I practice ety, almost all the young musicians go to alone. music school (for which they have to au- One way I do this is by playing along dition), and they all read, write, and with traditional rhythms on CDs, but play all the percussion instruments, when I want to play continuously, I pro- from classical to folkloric. The competi- gram my drum machine with a tradi- tion is as fierce as you will ever find, Bruce Carver tional rhythm and practice along with even in the States, so the young players ting at an instrument, discovering its that. Then I can play as long as I want are all monsters, just to be able to stay voice and taking it through its vocabu- without having my concentration broken in school. Then, in turn, to be able to get lary. every five minutes while I wait for a CD paid by the government to be a musi- I do a lot of theater and studio work, track to repeat. This also allows me to cian, you must have extremely high which requires experience with a large control the tempo, so I can start out skills, for which you are evaluated every field of instruments. So practice also playing a part slowly and gradually in- three years or so. This “academy style” means attaining an understanding of crease the speed. has very exacting standards that are the instrument you are playing, its his- Whatever I play along with, I always met through an array of technical exer- tory, performance techniques, etc. try to tap the pulse in my feet while I cises. After understanding what it is you are play. The “pulse” is the term I use for I was taught by the old masters, so going to play, you want to find and pur- the steady underlying beat people feel in their approach with me was, “Learn this chase the best instrument possible and their bodies when music is played. If you by tomorrow, don’t waste my time, and spend time near it. At this writing, I am play sitting down and it’s hard to hold be lucky I don’t hurt you if you make a spending the majority of my time with your drum steady and tap the pulse with mistake. You should be grateful I let you tabla, tonbak, daf, bodhran, mbira, con- your feet at the same time, run a strap even be around this stuff.” I don’t teach gas, djembe, and marimba. In time, from your drum around your waist to like that, but most of my students think some of these nucleus instruments may free up your legs. I’m much too mean, and that I carry be replaced with others, but I always When I can’t practice on a drum, or that same mentality with me. I don’t make time to practice tabla, marimba, when I’m stir crazy and want to get out- think I do, but to some real degree, I and hand drums such as congas or side and move, I do what I call “rhythm teach from the perspective that “this is djembe. walking.” Rhythm walking is my adap- serious stuff, and I don’t have time to I spend one to four hours a day play- tation of the “Ta Ke Ti Na” method waste, so get with the program, or else!” ing. I have percussion instruments in taught by Reinhard Flatischler. I walk It is also true that I have students who every room of my house, and sometimes “apprentice” themselves to me, and so it takes a while to get from one end of don’t pay me any money, but they pay a the house to the other! I don’t practice high price in “service.” Money is actually all instruments in one session, but I love cheaper! to spread it out through the day. This keeps me fresh and focused. My biggest Bruce Carver recently moved to Los concern before I start playing any new Angeles from Chicago, where he was a instrument is that I know exactly how to first-call percussionist in studios and play it. I will have researched the in- theater productions. In addition to mas- strument, collected several recordings, tering the core orchestral percussion in- and found a qualified teacher. The rest struments, keyboards, and drumset, is simple. The rest is fun.