Drumming With Seniors Drum Circles

 Drum circles are more fun than shuffleboard!

I drum with elderly populations all the time. Mostly at active retirement communities, senior centers, and so on. They are always looking for something new, fun, diverse, interesting, and playful for the residents. A facilitated drum circle is all of that, and more.

The first reaction I usually get when I suggest the idea is, “I have no rhythm.” Or, “I’ve never played a musical instrument before.” If a facilitated drum circle is presented properly, in a matter of 10 minutes everyone can be playing a drum rhythm together. And from there, playing various drum rhythms from around the world. The key to it is setting the right tone that this is going to be playful and fun. You can improvise, play and just have a good time. Like we did when we were kids.

After 10 minutes you can see the joy in people’s eyes as they start to “get it” and are playing a drum rhythm for the first time. Making music is exciting, and if it’s your first time, it’s really exciting.

We play Native American rhythms, African, Latin, Belly Dance, Reggae, Blues, R&B, and a lot more. After that first 10 minutes everyone is in the groove, and no longer “Thinking about messing up” “Can I do this?”, “What if I look silly.” Etc. That all goes away, and all we think about is drumming and making music as a group. That’s the goal. A lot of playing and very little talking. A bit about hand technique, where some of the drums are from, and the rest is all drumming.

I’m there as a rhythm starter, but everyone is welcome to start out a rhythm if they want to. Usually after a half hour, people are wanting to start out their own beats. Great, we go with it because it’s all organic and spontaneous at a drum circle I facilitate.

This is how I like to get drum rhythms going: After a warm up jam, I vocalize a few measures of a rhythm, and then begin playing it. It’s easier for the brain to quickly process words, free up the mind, and then the body can play. Word association is a great way to get a drum circle rhythm going with all age groups.

For example, here’s a drum rhythm called Agilablanca. It’s in 4/4 time. (4 counts to a measure.) Rather than trying to teach it, I say: I-like-to-eat__choc-late-cake, I-like-to-eat__choc-late-cake (and repeat, etc.) (The first half of the phrase is all tones, the last half is all bass notes.) People add in the decorations, and away it goes. Sound like fun? It is. I’m available for hire in the St. Louis area by the way. My rates are reasonable.

Sometimes we try drumming out Morse Code rhythms. Ask someone to suggest 2 letters, or numbers, and put them together to make a new drum circle rhythm. _ _...._ _ A dot is a tone, and a dash, is a bass note. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't, that's part of the fun, exploring, and going on this journey together. (There’s a Morse Code alphabet

chart at my site drumcircles.net )

A fun idea to entice movement in the center is to bring along a hula hoop. That can really ramp up the fun at your drum circle. It gives people a rhythmic motion to groove to. I was surprised when I first saw people of all different ages wanting to get in there and try it. The drum rhythm Beledi is a good one to use. In 4/4 time, it sounds like: Doum Doum tek-ka-Tek, Doum tek-ka-Tek. {One of my dancer friends said the Beledi rhythm is the "Catnip Rhythm" for belly dancers. lol. I like that.

With some groups it’s a drum circle once or twice a year for events or special occasions, with others it’s every month we do this. It’s a fun activity that no matter what physical limitations some of them may have, everyone can participate. Even those in wheelchairs, or strength in only one arm.

I like to provide drums from around the world such as djembes, congas, doumbeks, and bongos, frame drums, buffalo drums, sound shapes, and various other percussion instruments. That way, there is something for everyone to have fun with. And we play rhythms from different countries, and cultures. And you can try them all out if you like.

As far as the staff is concerned, all we really need is some chairs set up in a circle about 20 - 30 feet across. So it is a pretty low maintenance activity for them. If outdoors, some shade.

Many times, elders are more playful than kids. You don’t get many chances to just be silly and have fun with friends or acquaintances as an older adult. I am a senior myself, I got my first senior citizens discount last month, and it was kind of humiliating. I thought, should I, or shouldn’t I? It was ten bucks, so I went on with it. And I really don’t like being treated like a senior very much either. Most others I have spoken to feel the same way. It sucks to get old and feel your body growing weaker.

We can’t do the physical things we once could do anymore. But we do want to have fun, and, if possible, do things that recapture some of our youth. Just be silly, and goof off a little bit. I like to feel young again, and so do most other older adults. That’s why a facilitated drum circle works so well. Remembering the things we enjoyed in our past younger days, the music and songs we grew up on, that may mark fond memory points in our lives.

There are some limitations in movement of course. Some have severe arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and many other things that limit the amount of movement. Some are in wheel chairs, and only have limited movement in one arm or hand. So when I work with elderly groups I try to find out as much information as I can in advance on any possible limitations that may be present. This isn’t always possible, so I like to bring a real mixed bag of drums and percussion. Lots of things they can lay in their laps and play. Or things that can be

easily played with one hand. Finding the right drum for everyone they can easily play and have fun with is very important so they can get the most benefit from it, and the most healing from the drum. It’s a good idea to have about a dozen SoundShapes with the soft mallets. They are the perfect instrument for many with limited movement.

When I arrive, I try to allow extra time so I can say hello, and shake their hands and talk with everyone. I think that it’s very important to make sure everyone is aware of who I am. I want them to feel comfortable, and prepare them for some drumming fun. The hand shake also gives me a little bit of a clue as to their ability to use their hands so I can help them find the right drum to play.

After that initial (accessing the group) warm up jam, I spend a bit more time with them on good hand technique, and volume levels, because I don’t want anyone getting hurt, or feeling uncomfortable. Other than that, I pretty much facilitate the circle from the side, the same way I would any other group, except I make a little more eye contact.

I just let them have fun, and experience self discovery. This can deeply affect some people, I see them get very emotional sometimes. Even tears, and crying at some points. Mostly at the end is when the emotions seem to come through. Caring and compassion is needed here obviously. Lots of times they are tears of joy, because of the self discovery process many of us go through at a drum circle.

I like to bring body style drums that can stand up solid by themselves or in stands that can then be played at a comfortable level for people sitting without having to bend over to hold it. A wood Djembe is rather hard to hold onto for some people. And you don’t want it falling over on someone else. So, I use solid self standing drums, and/or drums with stands. But some people surprise me when they want to play that big ol’ drum, and proceed to jam out on it the entire session. But for the most part, drums that weigh a lot less like aluminum Doumbeks, those PVC Djembes, and Frame drums with beaters that are easy for a person to grip are ideal.

One thing I do with mallets is wrap the handle grip with cloth to be very fat, so they are easier to hold onto for a person that might have arthritis, but still wants to play. You need to think about things that are more comfortable for them, things they can rest on their laps, or play with one hand.

Frame drums seem to be the most popular, because they can be held easily with one hand and played with a soft mallet, or just rested on their laps and played that way. Plus they are just plain fun to play. The ocean drums are very popular also, (A two sided frame drum that has a bunch of buckshot inside it. When you tilt it, it sounds like waves rolling in.) I also use those Compact Congas, and tambourines. I use lots of different sizes. Bongos are fun as well, they can just rest them on the lap and be played with one or both hands. I bring a few throw pillows to put under them for comfort. Some bongo sets are rather heavy, so I

look for the polymer shell style that only weighs a couple of pounds.

For those that can’t, or would rather not, play a drum, I bring loads of different things. Maracas, shakers, guiros, rattles, claves, jingle bells, stick castanets, and real mixed bag of percussion “toys”. This way everyone has lots of choices, and can pick and choose various things as we go along. Like I mentioned, Sound shapes are always in my kit, just in case. I keep 24 at the ready in a cloth shopping bag.

The first thing I would suggest is to go into this kind of drum circles with an open mind. I try to avoid any pre-formed assumptions about what elderly people with various conditions can and can't do. Their individual conditions can affect them in lots of different ways. And some of them might come as a surprise. If something spontaneous happens, go with it. Someone may suggest an idea or a song, or even get up and boogie. Cool. Do it.

It gives some of them a chance to bring some creativity and excitement to an otherwise routine day, and maybe make a few new friends in the process. Some of them want to stand and play instead of drumming sitting down. I let them go for it as long as they want. Some of them put on a belly dance wrap, get in the center, and boogie. It adds a lot of fun to the whole experience because we all know it’s organic, spontaneous, and happening in the moment.

With seniors there is a wide range in degrees of mobility. That’s why I need to think about adjusting and adapting the equipment, but for some it isn’t even needed. I just try to have a wide range of instruments available for them. One thing I have learned is that there is nothing worse (the same as with any person with any disability) than being offered only the easiest drums, and percussion to play. I like to ask everyone to choose a drum. After a bit, trade with someone else.

One good idea if you have someone wanting to play a big Djembe but they are unable to hold it off the floor is to stand it in an upturned stool or chair. Use a bungee cord or two if necessary to keep it firmly in place. Then the sound will fully get out.

I think it’s very important to drum with the group, and not just be waving out instructions and telling them here’s what to play. That’s no fun, these aren’t children. When I’m playing my drum, some people like to watch and follow my hands. (Even though I am a lefty, and I mention that.) I put those ruffled elastic colored bands on my wrists I mentioned earlier, so people can easily see my hand movements if they want to, or need to. I always mention, play what ever you want, just follow the beat. Start a rhythm with a 4 measure vocalization,

ie: Yum, Yum, tastes like chicken, Yum, Yum, tastes like chicken...

Two bass notes followed by 4 tone notes, and repeat. They can either play the support rhythm, or improvise once it’s established. Often it transitions to another rhythm entirely. I

just go with it, because that’s the group dynamic leading the rhythm.

I don’t make a whole lot of eye contact when playing. Just an occasional glance, or smile of reassurance. It’s important not to misread what might appear to be blank expressions. Often the facial muscles often don't work as well as they used to. Many times people like to just sit back and groove without playing for a little while, taking it all in. See with your ears.

It’s important to remember that, sometimes, not all who may appear to be wandering are actually lost. This is true at all drum circles.

Try to have good background knowledge of the music they grew up on. Think of a few of the “American Standards” of their era. Some will suggest one, so go with it. Don’t be afraid to ask if there are any songs they might like to sing or play. I’ve had a couple of big band rhythm jams that were outstanding. Think about playing things like swing, waltzes, Hand Jive, I Got Rhythm, whatever they want to suggest. If they don’t have anything off the top of their heads, I suggest a few and let them choose. Usually someone knows all the old standards like: “Show me the way to go home“, “How much is that doggie in the window?”, “My old man said follow the van”, etc. Really you only need to know is the first line of the song. Everyone can La de da along, and play along. Or try instrumental standards like the song "Sing, Sing, Sing". That one has a grooving big band drum beat to it.

Just having a warm and genuine welcoming and involvement with everyone sets the stage for a very successful musical time with elders.

Many times the attendee's have an assistant, and that helps me a lot! I can then focus more on the musicality of the bigger group. They can help you offer different percussion items that might be better suited for individual people. If someone from the staff is there, ask for some assistance from them. That’s a great relief sometimes, as these particular populations do require a little bit of extra care.

But some of them love the lure of being in the band, even feeling like a rock star. So let them have that opportunity if it feels right to you. It doesn’t really matter how good the drumming is.

They love the beach towels in the center of the circle bit. About half way through the circle, I lay 2 beach towels (or yoga mats) out in the center of the circle before the next rhythm. (The slower beats work best for this.) I ask two people if they want to REALLY feel the healing power of the drum, to carefully lay down on them for a few minutes. I ask them to lay flat on them, arms to their sides, and close their eyes while we play a rhythm. When I offer up the idea, there are always a few takers on that one. And when they get up, the others see the looks on their faces, and want to try it also. It is very powerful to feel the

drum downbeat absorbed into your body. Here's an example:

At just about every drum circle I facilitate, I always do the “Let them feel the healing energy of the drum, in their bodies thing”.

This is the one where at the end of the drum circle, I ask them to all stand up still in a circle, and hold their palms open and outstretched, opposite to each person next to them, and palms opposite facing each other. Hold your palms outstretched directly above each other’s palms, about 12 inches apart. Now slowly compress your hands to the other person without actually touching them to about an inch. Slowly compress your hands up and down slowly a few times and feel that energy. The ohh’s and ah’s as they feel it compress – they are feeling their chi, or mojo in their bodies (some for the very 1st time). This is very powerful. Next, turn their hands into themselves, to let the healing power reach inward, into your bodies. Start from your head, and work it down slowly. This is incredibly powerful when you feel it for the first time. This whole process takes about 3 – 5 minutes. It leaves a long lasting impression.

That’s why I try to get everyone to drum, for at least a half an hour. To get this energy of the drum flowing inside them. All you have to do then, is demonstrate it to them at the end of the circle.

I got this next idea from a friend. What she does, with participants in the more advanced stages of dementia, she includes a “hello” and “goodbye” song into her program, which includes everyone by name. It’s a great idea. It helps to give them clues as to what's about to happen, and highlights the beginning, and ending of the session, like a good story does.

Here’s another great idea. See if they would like to make their own drums, they don’t have a whole lot to do that isn’t routine. If they are in a nursing home, the staff can help them to make their own drums out of those 2 1/2 to 5 gallon buckets, or water bottles. They get them all decorated up, and play them with padded beaters. You can get the buckets free at paint shops, restaurants, and so on. Let the residents make drums for themselves, the differing sizes and shapes provide the varying sounds. Some have even had exhibits of their drums in local art venues. Colorfully decorated drums can also be bright corner pick me ups in their facilities.

Sometimes a few of the residents are into things like knitting, and crochet, and they can make their own Djembe hats relatively easily, to sell online, etc. They have lots of spare time. I have bought a few of them myself, and they look great, as well as being nice and thick so they protect the drum heads very well. I still have one I cherish that an 85 year old lady made for me.

(If you are short on cash, and need some Djembe covers, believe it or not, those round toilet bowl covers work pretty good for 12” to 14” Djembes. They are thick like shag

carpet, so they protect them very well. And they have an elastic band around them to stay in place. You can find them at most thrift stores laying around for just a buck or two. It’s probably a good idea to maybe wash them first.) lol. Yuck, why did I include that?

Anyway, a good basic plan is this:

Try to see the actual playing space if possible, and speak with the staff if you can about any concerns or limitations. Would they like to begin a certain way, etc. Often it’s not possible, but I do it if I can. Most of the time booking, questions, and etc. happen via email. After booking a date, I like to ask if I can come by and see the room beforehand even if it does take a few extra hours out of my day. I can better visualize my drum and percussion set up, and things go smoother for me when I arrive to facilitate the circle. I can also size up the distance I need to carry all the drums from my vehicle. I can just manage my time and energy better. I also like to find the area of the room with the least echo to it. (Just clap your hands in different areas of the room to find it.) Sometimes they have a spot already picked out, and that’s it.

Clean your entire drum circle kit as best you can, before and after. We should disinfect all of our instruments, particularly when working with seniors, children, or special need groups. I keep a travel pack anti-bacterial lotion with me. We want to connect, and keep safety in mind. Clean everything up as best you can. I do my kit clean up when I get home.

Instruments are very likely to get germs on them from playing. Remember that the disinfectant needs some time to evaporate. The synthetic drums are best here in these settings. They are easy to clean with some antibacterial wipes. Lightweight Doumbeks and Darbukas are perfect. Frame drums are ideal, sound shapes, ocean drums, etc. I use many synthetic instruments, like those egg shakers, maracas, guiros, etc. for the same reason. Plastics and laminates clean most easily, and are the most durable. I don’t use many goatskin drums for these groups. But I do bring a few of them for variety.

Sometimes when working with elders, many are scared of the potential noise. I learned from a staff member to get them in there early, and let them explore the drums a little on their own. (And the percussion items.) In many cases, when they're in charge of the noise, they're happy to make it loud. I sometimes have a dancing rhythm going when they enter the room, and do the egg shaker on each chair thing, or have a small percussion instrument on or near each chair.

We play a rhythm together and they can move around as they like. It gives them a sense of making music before the drumming starts. For the first time with a group, I don't expect much of a groove, but be ready for it, because it happens if you anchor it for them with a nice support rhythm, and once it’s solid - fade back and let them take it. It is so important to have stuff that can be played with one hand. I have this basket of fruit shaped shakers I use a lot with them. Expect to spend a little time finding the right instrument for each person,

and let them choose something different later on. Make it fun, and interesting for them. Mixing in a little about the history and type of the drums between rhythms is fascinating for them, and helps me to be able to pace myself.

As I mentioned, some have physical limitations, so I bring buffalo drums, frame drums, drums they can lay on their laps and play. I try to avoid having too many things played with hard sticks or mallets, because sticks have a way of finding their way to goatskin heads. So there’s the chance someone might put one through a drum head or worse. I keep them stashed away and use them sparingly. I bring a few Djembe stands or taller drums to accommodate those who might need one. Even those who you may think can only noodle with their fingers, or bash away, will get the repetition of a drum rhythm, and catch on eventually if you are a good facilitator. It’s a good idea to have some soft beaters for those who can't use their hands very well.

Make sure that your kit is safe. No sharp edge drums like on some Darbukas etc. Think of your players as vulnerable children with the size and power of adults. Avoid taking anything fragile. The first drum circle with a group of active living elders can be very challenging. Expect some total chaos to happen. It gets a lot easier the second time. In my experience some of these people have problems judging how hard to strike a body drum and could hurt their hands by playing it too hard. Show them a few pointers on good hand technique after a warm up rhythm.

As I said, loud noise is my biggest concern. The healthy noise limit is about 85 decibels (Db.) I think that is the legal safety limit as well. That’s what the cop said when he broke up a public drum circle in a park. (This was a public gathering group.) He had his little decibel meter, and showed me the reading on it. We were up in the 120 Db. range. The neighbors called them on us. Actually, he was pretty cool about it. As a radio operator I’m familiar with decibels of gain, etc. but I researched this a little, and here’s what I found. A normal conversation is about 60 Db, up to the threshold of discomfort, that is the 120 Db range. Okay, so I’m still a bit of a geek.

A bunch of people drumming together indoors can easily reach into the 115 to 120 Db range. About 150 Db, is the Pain Threshold. You can get a decibel meter relatively inexpensively. I think Maplin makes one. Keeping the volume level down takes some skill, and experience to pull it off. But it is possible. And this is even more important when dealing with elders and special needs people. Most of the time, circles are 30 to 50 people, and volume is easy to manage.

A good idea is to create a volume down signal early on, or just start to play your drum quieter, more often than not, they will be there right with you. It works just great. And as an added bonus, the participants get to hear each other. But if you use it too much it can have a negative effect. It’s something to keep in mind, some of the beginners get way into it, and are often getting their issues out.

Here’s some advice from a friend of mine. When he does big circles with 100 people, the Db level can be huge. So he charges the client for enough cheap earplugs to go around. As far as I know, if you warn them, and offer protection, you've done your job. I keep a few dozen of them in my gig bag.

A few final thoughts. This new atmosphere of spontaneous drumming can be overwhelming to some people. The one thing I don’t want to do is have people feel threatened, scared, overwhelmed, or lost. Trying to do complicated rhythms too soon can do that. Keep it simple until the group dynamic is created. Three to four jams usually is enough to do so. Lots of positive comments from you during the drum circle helps a lot. “Hey, we sounded great on that one didn’t we?” Smile a lot, thumbs up! If they are in there, they are participating.

A few things I bring besides my earplugs in my gig bag, are some padded tape, first aid, hand creams, anti-bacterial wipes, etc. for anyone who just might ask. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with anyone that might have some serious health issues. It’s the staff’s responsibility, but you should know what’s going on if you can. It’s nice if you can speak with the staff beforehand about any possible issues, but as I mentioned, that’s not always possible. So I need to be radar up, and ready for anything. It may be a casual setting with people transitioning in and out as rhythms are going on, so I like to sit or position myself so I can see who is entering or leaving.

Remember to try and speak with the staff afterwards for some feedback. And at the next time you are there. (hopefully) Or, leave them a feedback form to fill out, with a self addressed envelope and a stamp on it. I gathered a lot of useful information with a simple feedback form. The staff knows a lot more than I do about specific medical conditions.

If the group takes a break for tea or something, make sure they don’t come back to the drumming area before they are all finished. Goatskin and cowhide drum heads make terrible coasters.

Here is a sample drum circle program I might use:

Right away to the warm up drum jam, maybe 5 minutes.

5 minutes to introduce different cultural drums, drumming history, and why people do it.

5 minutes to demonstrate the various drums, let them check them out, and pick one. A few pointers on basic playing, and good posture/hand technique. The rest of the time is jamming on different rhythms from around the world. Some slow tempo, some up-tempo for variety. Ask if they would like a take five break after a half hour of playing. Be ready to improvise on the fly. You are likely to have some real musicians in there. I had a guy once

that just got up and started playing a piano that was in the room, and we all accompanied him. It was fantastic.

Be aware of your surroundings. If they ask you to come back and do this again, mention maybe they could bring family members next time.

It’s surprising the amount of engagement they have, and how much they truly appreciate and love drumming – especially with family members. Their expressions and smiles will be permanently etched on your face. Later at night when I get home and unload – have time to reflect - it affects me very deeply.

Ultimately, I just get rhythms started and let people play. It’s a multi cultural drum circle – not rocket science. We drum up some fun playing rhythms from around the world. Let your personality out, and with your calm and reassuring manner, watch the volume, and they will quickly enjoy playing together, and connecting with you.

I hope you enjoyed reading my page, and if you facilitate drum circles for elders, some of it helps you.

- Shannon Ratigan

There is increasing recognition of the health benefits of music therapy, particularly facilitated hand drumming, which is what I do for a living. Unfortunately, places where the people who benefit the most, such as senior centers and special needs can not afford to pay for this.

All of my drum circle music tracks are copyrighted and licensed. Check Soundcloud.com or CDBaby.com & listen to a few. There's a wide variety of cultures, styles, and tempos to choose from. Here's a different way to help support the work I do in our community. The CDbaby website url:

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/SLRatigan

Or iTunes Spotify and Amazon

This post is a part of my Kindle book, "A Practical Guide to Hand Drumming and Drum Circles". 300 pages for 8 bucks.

This website, text, Copyright © Shannon Ratigan All Rights Reserved.

Ideas For Starting Up a Drum Circle

Here's some ideas For Starting Up a Drum Circle

Around the country many night clubs, bars, venues, community centers, and coffee shops are struggling to find working formulas for weeknights. Having a drum circle night quickly builds up a community around it with a loyal following that grows very quickly as well. The cost to do this is minimal, I've been doing this successfully for years at various venues. What's really needed is a kit of hand drums, assorted percussion items, an organizer to help keep things running smoothly, and promote the drum circle. I look for a small base pay, tips, or a percentage of sales like 10%.

Because believe me, there is a lot of work involved. Also, it isn't the drummers, musicians, or dancers that do the majority of buying your products. They will help support the venue and buy one or two, but it's the onlookers who are attracted and who will be buying most of the drinks and/or food. And it takes a few months to really get a drum circle community built up and established. I go into this in much more detail in my blog posts, and Kindle book about drum circles.

I began and hosted this Dunedin Micro Brewery drum circle every Tuesday night for 3 years. My hope was that it would become firmly established and become a fixture and continue on long after I moved out of the area. That happened, It has had a variety of hosts and facilitators since I left, but it lasted over 10 years, and that makes me very happy knowing that I started something positive in our community.

That circle became so popular, that musicians and onlookers came from all around Tampa, St. Pete, and even as far as Orlando, and Sarasota just to check out the scene, and play. It seemed like every week, we had out of town musicians show up, usually while on vacation. Some of the other nearby local clubs got angry, and tried to get it shut down at a city counsel meeting. They made claims that it was all riff-raff in there. Unfortunately for them a few of the board members were regulars at the circle and told them the real truth. It is mostly decent professional working people from all walks of life different backgrounds, and paths with demanding careers that just want to make music with new friends, be part of a fun social scene, drum out some stress and have a good time. It was culturally diverse, and it brought the community together. Who can argue against that? The merchants and other facilitators came after me though.

My hope was that after it got established, that it would be so deeply entrenched that it would be there for years to come. And much to my delight it has had different hosts, but has been going on for over a decade since it began. I wanted it to be a lasting thing, so I turned over the reins to a guy that attended regularly named K. James. He filled in for me as the facilitator a

few times a year, so he was the best suited for the job. I gave him, and the bar manager my two weeks notice, and sadly said goodbye to the brewery. I'm happy it had the staying power.

Here's a little history on the brewery circle, & some general info on drum circles at casual drinking establishments.

While in Florida, I got the idea to start my own drum circle in 2005. I was looking for an indoor venue somewhere that was air conditioned. I liked drumming to the sunset at the beach, but the summers there are very hot, and the sand gets all up in your drums. I tried approaching a few night clubs and bars with the idea, but no success. Everyone I spoke with said it would never work, and many drummers said that trying to facilitate a drum circle at a place that serves alcohol is crazy. It is do-able.

I went to a local craft brewery now and then. I loved the vibe of the place. I noticed that Tuesday was their slowest night of the week. So having a drum circle seemed like a good alternative to the Tuesday chess and techno music night that was going on at the time. I stopped in one afternoon and pitched the idea to the bar manager.

He was reluctant at first, but after persisting with the idea for a few weeks, he agreed to try it out.

He held a grudge, because I came up with a working formula for their slowest night, Tuesdays. I heard he was sacked 6 months after I left. Otherwise, I would probably still be there.

A lot of other jobs came my way because it was a weekly gig, and many people attended. Events, weddings, even Earth Day Festivals.

The condition at the brewery was that I would receive no pay unless they turned a profit in two weeks. It was a risky venture because of the drinking, and possible damage to my drums, but it worked. Within a month, the word had spread around, the place was packed, it was hopping, busy and jamming. (Finally a paycheck)

My formula was similar to that of an open mic night. I invited local drummers, band members, drum makers, teachers, and instructors to come attend. In return for jamming with us, they could promote their items, shows, classes and workshops. I did the same with bellydancing studios. The key to it was making it fun, and accessible to everyone so they would want to come back. Variety was the thing. The rhythms needed to be challenging and interesting for the experienced musicians, but also not so complex that the beginners didn't feel lost.

I was delighted this turned into a scene that was so culturally diverse, attracting people from all different cultures and backgrounds.

An easy way to do that, is playing rhythms from different cultures. Up tempo Latin and African rhythms, as well as slower Native American, Bellydance, R & B Groove, and improvisation. That way, the variety keeps everyone wanting to come back next week. Some drum circles can fall into this pattern of playing the same default beat most of the time. That gets a little boring and frustrating for everybody.

The local drum circle took off right from the start. Like I mentioned, attracting musicians so they would come in and jam, and not charging a fee or cover at the door is what made it work. We just used the honor system to get people in. They wanted to support it and promote it, and it worked.

Most musicians, (including myself) don't like to pay a cover charge or a fee to get in. Especially with drum circles. But they will buy a beer, soda, or food once they are in there, and network to their friends.

It was a bit of a challenge to host an on going drum circle at a casual drinking establishment, but the vibe was always good, people had a blast, and the musicianship was even better.

Three hours would go by like it was just one. I noticed right away that almost all the locals would drink in moderation, so it never really became an issue. Most musicians don't want to get hammered and play. But sometimes, things do get damaged, and that needs to be factored in.

Another venue: Drum Circle at the Comedy Club

Unfortunately, the Coconuts Clearwater drum circle on Gulf To Bay closed. Another casualty of the economy it seems.

Many of us have fond memories playing there. We packed the place every week. We celebrated many holidays and special events, and even beautiful things like the birth of a child Gabriela Gaia by a couple in our group who fell in love at our drum circle and later got married. I think that's kind of romantic.

But sometimes sad things have to be addressed on drum circle night. A musician friend of ours suddenly passed away, so we held a drum circle wake for him at Coconuts to honor his memory. I made a tribute page for him. I hope it is still out there.

There is increasing recognition of the health benefits of music therapy, particularly facilitated hand drumming.

Unfortunately, places where the people who benefit from what I do the most, have very limited budgets.

I've never received any grants, or funding. I don't endorse drum companies, or their offshoots. In fact, they have been mad at me for years because I offer a low cost alternative to their expensive methods, and approach to facilitating drum circles.

Since I was deemed non essential two years ago, things have been tough for an independent musician like myself. if you are able to make a purchase of any amount to help me continue to provide therapeutic music to groups, it would help out a little. 

I'm not a book or video machine. I offer just one book, one video, and some live drum circle jam music. That's it. My 101 Drum Circle Rhythms video is on Amazon. Over 2 hours of them. The full download is $8.

You can read the first few chapters of my book, "A Practical Guide to Hand Drumming and Drum Circles" free at Amazon. To find my Kindle book, or my Downloadable 101 rhythms, just search on the title. 101 Drum Circle Rhythms (The DVD disc is a few bucks more.)

Thanks in advance if you can pitch in a little. My book, and rhythms video are solid if you are facilitating drum circles, or thinking about starting one up for your area, or group. Thanks for reading this far, Happy Drumming!

Therapeutic Drum Circle (Lesson 2 of 6) - FULL CLASS - https://home.spir...

You can get a lot of fun with hand drumming, no matter your age, or skill level. It can help you heal, & pass the time. It's something new to do with your kids, parents, or even grandparents. Check out this 20 minute hand drumming lesson on YouTube. Spiro100 hired me to do 6 lessons back in 2015. They have a wide variety of other instructors as well. Lots of good stuff there. I hope you enjoy it.

 

101 Drum Circle Rhythms (drumcircles.net) Djembe DVD Drumming Pt. 1

Like many other independent musicians I was left with a few dozen DVD's when everything shifted to streaming. I had an Amazon special going last week, If you bought my 101 Drum Circle Rhythms DVD at Amazon for $14.95, I was including all 4 of my drum circle jam CD's with it free, (in mp3 format on a CD disc). It's over 5 & 1/2 hours of jamming and grooving drum jam music. A pretty good deal, even these days.

The music is various cultures, tempos, & styles. There's Australian didgeridoos on a lot of tracks, Native American flutes on a few, & all sorts of amazing djembe players in an improv. setting. It's a whole lot of music, in addition to my djembe drum rhythms DVD. Makes a fun gift for your favorite drummer, or add them to your own playlist. I'm extending this package until the end of December, or until they are sold out.

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/101-Drum-Circle-Rhythms-Hand/dp/B001IB5WBC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408657563&sr=8-2&keywords=drum+circle+rhythms

Deaf Drum Circles - Drumming With Hearing Impaired

At first glance one might think a deaf drum circle presents a lot of challenges. It really doesn’t. I learned from experience to just facilitate it like you would a regular drum circle. Don’t over-think it. I did that early on, and it was a mistake that I quickly had to get corrected. Rhythm games, passing shakers, and pie slices type of thing just wastes valuable time. We are there to have a rhythm session as a group, not play games or talk. Let’s just start playing, and shake out those nerves. Then the real fun can begin. Exploring rhythms with different tempos, cultures, and styles.

There are a few mechanical adjustments I make after testing the acoustics of the room, (beforehand if possible loud hand claps, or yell a loud “Hey” in the likely spots to facilitate the circle). Forgive me for this, but I call it the clap test. If there’s an echo in that spot, find a place that is more ideal. Sometimes you have to work with where they want it, or in large gyms, so echo is important to minimize if you can.

One, that is most important, is that neither myself, or the person signing is in front of a window, or less than ideal lighting. I made that mistake early on. You become silhouetted or worse. The other thing is to remember to keep my head up when I speak, because many are so sharp, they read lips rather than even look at the signer. So head’s up, no bright light behind you.

I tend to not say much during a drum circle, because an hour goes by so fast. I mix in a little about volume, history and names of a few rhythms, what they mean, a little about the drums, good hand technique, and little else. We can chat a little when drum circle time is up. Let’s just get to that warm up that lets everyone relax, and realize they can just have fun, and not worry about silly things, like making a mistake. I was very self-conscious when I approached my first drum as a teen.

Anyway, I just start things off with a basic warm up boom cha la ka where the tempo is nice and slow until everyone finds a place. Then up to faster tempo for 5 minutes or so, and end it up with a nice up and down massive rumble, wailing away, and everyone comes out of that joyous, smiling, and feeling good! That sets a nice tone for the whole session. That this is going to be fun, I’m going to improvise, and make some music with my own two hands.

Generally speaking, a group dynamic happens after 45 minutes, so we are just getting to the real groove – on the beam at that point. It’s the same with children or adults. I often go an extra half hour because of this. I want them to have as much fun as possible, and it is at this point where they start to feel what playing and experiencing a real groove feels like. It goes deep into your spirit and soul.

After that warm up, I usually have a set list in my head. I also keep it in my pocket, and that way, I don’t need to look at it. But it’s nice to know it’s there in case of a mental hiccup. Sometimes it just happens as a performer. We all make mistakes, move past it, and go on to the next rhythm. I keep duration of rhythms to 5 -7 minutes so we can try out a bunch of them from different cultures. It’s all part of giving a full experience. I almost always include African Fanga, something in 6/8, something Native American, and Mid-East Beledi as a part of my experience. Most of it is in 4/4 time.

I always start each rhythm out with a 2 measure vocalization of the beat, and then I start playing it at a very slow tempo so everyone can latch on, and then I slowly bring it up to a comfortable pace. Encourage them to experiment, and find a place in the rhythm when they feel comfortable. I try to keep each rhythm no more than 7 minutes long, as an hour goes by so fast. I can get maybe 7 or 8 drum rhythms in there.

I like to have them experience different cultures as I play along with them. As for endings, I try to mix them up a bit, but nothing beats a good rumble ending. Drum circle chairs set-up: Chairs about 20 feet across the circle, or as you see in the photos, sometimes a semi-circle so everyone can see.

I use only body drums, djembes, doumbeks, darbukas, congas, bottom drums, and a few frame drums. No lollipop drums or sound tubes, give them a real drum to play if you can, they can feel the resonation more.

My experience working with deaf, or the pc version “hearing impaired”, is many prefer to embrace the term deaf, and why not? It makes sense if I think about it. Something else as many know, is if one sense is weakened, often one or all the other senses, are heightened. So, hygiene, no colognes or perfumes. I don’t really care for TV shows with sub-titles, but this Russian series titles Sniffer” is about a guy with a heightened sense of smell, and it’s pretty good also. It’s beautifully shot, the relationships of the characters fascinated me, and the plot lines were pretty good as well. There was this strange familiarity of the main characters for me. It was like I had seen them somewhere in something. I used to get that look a lot from my acting peers when I had a number of commercials running.

That’s the life of working as an actor, you tend to watch more than what you see, and it takes a well produced film or TV series for me not to be looking at the filmmaking process or mistakes. It needs to draw me away from that world, and “Sniffer” did that. Maybe you will enjoy it as well. I’m definitely not a film critic.

I’m also not an expert on deaf drum circles, but I do have many years of drum circle facilitating experience, both with adult, kids, and mixed families. My hope is, if you are offered to facilitate a deaf drum circle, some of this may help you.

Something I didn’t know much about early on, is that there are varying degrees of deafness. Someone who might be clinically considered deaf may have limited hearing of certain different pitches and sounds. It meant that they could only hear sounds in a very high sound register. Like in super soprano, but that was all they could hear. Others can only hear just a hint of, or feel a hint of the bottom bass beat. My experience is that on the whole, people who are deaf still can be highly functional, and very musical.

Some only can feel the vibration of the drumming. Repetition, repetition, repetition. This is one reason I like to bring 2 beach towels, or yoga mats, and have people lay down flat in the center of the circle and close their eyes for a moment somewhere during the circle. To see things without the eyes, and to feel, even if they can’t hear a rhythm, they can feel it. Many times after just one circle I’ve had many different people come up to me and tell me how delighted they were. Their other senses are so acute, many feel more than say just a public gathering drum circle.

Watching someone signing to music or a rhythm is a beautiful thing to watch. It flows so nice to a drum rhythm if someone is signing to it, and it feels really nice. Or even vice versa. It looks like a sort of hand bound Tai Chi. Signing gives a beautiful sense of rhythm to the music. Many concerts or events I’ve been to have someone signing off to stage right or something.

I’ve facilitated many deaf drum circles over the years, and seen many different signers. I’ve learned a little signing myself in the process, and I use it as often as I can during events while I speak. It is not easy to sign, just try it if you haven’t, but if I could learn the basics of it, so can you. I love it when the interpreter interprets the rhythm and prompts everyone to participate. Try to make sure that there are interpreters present if you encounter this. When I am working with a signer, I just have to remember that they have to hear what I am saying, keep my head up when I speak, but not exaggerate it, or speak more deliberately, that is a bit insulting.

If it’s possible, when I load in my gear I try to find the signer and make a new friend. I let them know how my speaking will work, and what I’m going to be saying. For many, it’s the first drum circle they’ve ever seen, they have no idea what to expect, and it is much appreciated most of the time for the head’s up.

I explain to the signer, (or signers) I’ll be saying short bits here and there, but mostly rhythm names, drum names, cultures, and what they will sound like using 3 or 4 different methods. Middle Eastern doume tek-ka, Babatune’s Godo –pa-ta, a boom chick a boom boom, I may just scat out a few. Lots of them with a strong downbeat. Some modern stuff, and etc. That gives them a heads up, saves time, and helps everything go smoother.

At this kids camp event, they were swapping in a new signer every 10 minutes, so be ready for that if it happens. We jammed out like is was swapping out drummers mid-jam like Parliament Funkadelic back in the 70’s Mothership days.

Often times, it will be a transitional event, where people have time restrictions, but they can feel free to enter, or leave the drum circle at any point during a rhythm. Sometimes it is up to you to keep the groove going.

It makes good sense to do your homework beforehand on any group or condition that might be present at a drum circle. So I can be respectful, understanding, patient, considerate, and have a better understanding of it.

Then I can help them feel more comfortable, and if necessary, stay within their boundaries. It’s always better to do a little research on deaf culture or anything else you might run into before working with them. Like all cultures, they have their own habits, values, and language. Generally, the deaf community does not see their deafness as a disability. As I said, my experience is they embrace it. It’s a deaf drum circle. Nobody wants to be treated differently, so I never do that. It takes some experience to just trust yourself, and do this. It’s a regular drum circle. Heads up,  no windows behind you or the signer, and slow the pace a tad, especially when presenting the names of rhythms, and what they look like being played.

Do this simply, and there’s no communication barrier. We just speak a different language, and it is a beautiful one at that. Connect your rhythm whenever you get a chance. It’s not a variety of challenges, it’s a drum circle. Come have some fun!

Please visit my website drumcircles.net

My drum circles book on Kindle, 300 pages $8.

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Hand-Drumming-Circles-ebook/dp/B003PPDB26/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

My 2 Hour 101 Drum Circle Rhythms at Amazon Video $8. (On DVD is a bit more.)

http://www.amazon.com/101-Drum-Circle-Rhythms-Hand/dp/B006VT37W2/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1414000714&sr=1-1&keywords=drum+circle+rhythms

Thanks,

Shannon Ratigan