What in the World is Djembe?

What in the world is Djembe? Well.....simply put, Djembe is is a goblet shaped hand drum with an authentic goat skin playing surface which is held down by rope runners. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the Djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together" and defines the drum's purpose. They come in different styles & sizes....and so on and so on.

Djembe drums are commonly used in drumcircles where people gather together in groups and everyone just kind of plays from within. The main objective in a drum circle is to share rhythm and get in tune with each other and themselves. If you haven't taken part of a drum circle yet, I highly suggest you check one out! It is truly a moving experience! I guarantee you'll be forever changed! To find a drum circle event near you, go here ---> http://drumcircles.net/circlelist

There are different techniques and ways to hit the djembe. One uses different parts of their hands to produce different sounds. Those sounds can also differ when you hit a different part of the playing surface.

Here is a great instructional video on the djembe made by solo artist/teacher Jim Donovan. Jim is one of the best and his music has been featured in major motion films such as Ice Age, Twister, Mathilda as well as on various network television shows such as American Idol, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Party of Five and the PBS "Web of Life" documentary.

This guy is awesome!!!! Check it out!

Diddle's Drum Shop has gone live!

Well, sort of.....LOL. Last night Diddle's gave the "thumbs up" to go ahead and launch the shop's NEW main webpage.

Can you tell that Diddle's is super excited to get this thing rollin? He told us, "Get the site up! Tell them who we are and what we're about. We 've got stuff to do!"

So, we setup a homepage telling the world who we are - what we're about and what they can expect to see from DiddlesDrumShop.com. I can't reveal everything here, but I can tell you that Diddle has many projects in the works for the shop. New products are being offered, some very cool local projects to help the community happening.

What Can You Expect 2 See at DiddlesDrumShop.com?

• Diddle's Drum Blog - Diddles loves drums and everything related to drumming. In his blog, he will share the latest news, reveal how to do the coolest tricks, share helpful drumming tips.......and more. You can check out his current blog HERE.

• Diddle's Drum Forum - Diddle's is going to have a forum where percussionists from all over the world can get together and discuss about drumming. You'll need to register, but It will be FREE to participate.

• Diddle's Outreach Programs - Diddle's loves his community. He enjoys helping people, specifically those in need. Stayed tuned to see what he's involved with.

• Diddle's Online Drum Store - Yes, Diddle's will have an online store. He plans on providing percussionists with the tools they need to have fun with their drumming! He plans on providing products such as:
  

1. Marching Percussion (Drums, Carriers, Sticks, Practice pads)
   
2. Hand Percussion (Bongos, Congas, Cajons, Darbukas, Doumbeks and Djembe)
3. Kid's Percussion (Drum Sets, Drumsticks for kids, Beginner programs and more!)
   
4. Accessories (Bags, Cases, Drum Sheet Music, DVD's, Drum Music Downloads)

So as you can see, there is quite a lot of things Diddle's has in the works! Stay tuned as we make it all happen! We're stoked!

The" Diddle" Exercise

Well, I was just sitting here thinking about what drumming exercise to post. I couldn't think of a more appropriate exercise than the "Diddle" exercise. So, with that said........I would like to say that this exercise is one the the core drumming exercises a percussionist can learn. There are many variations of this old drumming exercise, but the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) method works!

First off, what is a "Diddle?"

It is nothing more than 2 consecutive notes played rapidly one after the other on the same hand.


Simple exercise. Use alternating R then L sticking pattern. DO NOT accent the diddles! Alot of drummers have the tendency to accent the diddles. This is incorrect for exercise purposes! Try to play the "diddles" at the same volume at the same level as the other notes. If you wanna have some fun at accenting this: Try accenting the diddles in this exercise as an ADDITIONAL excercise to your daily routine. Exaggerating the diddles.


Give this a shot. Start out slowly - then build up speed! ALWAYS practice with a metronome......

If you get bored with this drumming exercise, or just wanna add some flare to this, try adding some "spida" movements or tosses to the check pattern.

HAVE FUN MAN!

Chicago Bears Drumline Auditions 2010

The Chicago Bears are hosting auditions for their drumline um...........TOMORROW!

What!? When?

It's tomorrow man! So Spanky, quit wastin time. Grab your practice pad, your favorite pair of sticks, your best friend (they're gonna drive while you practice on the way there) and get your butt to Chicago man!

Wanna be on Da Bears' drumline?
Here's what you need to do:

1) Go to http://www.chicagobears.com/gameday/Drumline.asp

2) Register to receive your 2010 audition packet.

3) Receive audition packet by email, print it out - practice your tail off!

4) Grab your friend, get in your car and drive to:

Hilton Chicago
720 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60605
(click for directions)

5) Auditions are @ 9:00 AM sharp! EARLY IS ON TIME!

6) You'll need your Diddle sticks, Pencil, Paper, Practice Pad, Audition Packet (you'll get this in your email once you register online), Picture ID and money for breakfast, lunch & supper!


Hurry..........get going!

**** The Chicago Bears Drumline anticipates holding at least 5 rehearsals during the summer to prepare for the 2010 season. All members are expected to be available to participate in all 2010 Chicago Bears home games and rehearsals. Candidates who do not feel they will be able to attend all rehearsals and games should not audition.

The 2010 Chicago Bears Drumline love to drum - and will perform at all Chicago Bears home games and at various Bears events throughout the year. This high energy and entertaining group adds excitement to the game atmosphere and the fan experience at all Bears home games. You can catch the Bears Drumline entertaining fans in the parking lots before each game and in areas around the stadium and on the field during the game.

Meinl Drum Festival 2010

Those who have ever been to the Meinl Drum Festival at the Meinl Cymbal grounds in Gutenstetten, Germany - know that this is truly a drummer's paradise! You will never see so many talented percussionists jammin all in one place! This year the monster drumfest takes place on June 26 & 27th. Whatever you do, get there!

Can't swing the extra cash? Pull that Flatscreen TV off the wall and hock it - sell your tools - shoot be a paperboy for a few months if you have to - JUST GET THERE MAN! You won't regret it!

Wanna know which Percussion God's will be performing at this month's woodshedding event? Well, this year Meinl has recruited Dave McIntosh (Dragonforce) - Chris Coleman (Prince, Chaka Kahn, NKTOB) and Thomas Lang ......to name but just a few.

For those of you who've never been there, here's a clip of J. Rabb and Benny Grebb from the 2008 festival to give you a glimpse of what The Meinl Drum Festival is all about!

It's pure percussive heaven!