Crespi School
When I studied shamisen music in Japan, the strongest players could interlock their strumming with each other to create double-speed patterns. Friends and I are hoping we can achieve something similar with taiko, to play never-before-heard patterns on these ancient instruments. Start learning one of our earliest successes: the 2-person, 1-taiko version of the famous drum-and-bass groove, 'Amen Break'!
prep
- OT and drum for KBMN
- five drums w/ two sets of sticks
- five practice pads
- whiteboard: ease-in "ABCD" explanation
"Rhythm meditation: Mountain" [imaginary hike. 1st pairs on drums: KB downbeat, all others upbeat]
share experience, questions
Speed-up vs Ease-in approaches
- How to speed up gently (KB) [1st pairs on prac pads.]
- How to ease-in by managing the challenge (MN) [1st pairs]
Mountain with partner [1st pairs on pads, anywhere]
share experience, questions
"Being Good to the Puppy"
- sensitivity to the learning moment
- positivity, clarity, reward, patience
Hearing sensitivity: early/late demo with sampler [all circled around]
Strike timing sensitivity [last downbeat rotate to 2nd pairs on pads]
- stick control: suga paradiddles (see below for more)
- dynamics: accents
- tone: "de" vs "do" vs "da" etc
New SugAmen Break line 1
- "chick" w/ clapping on "e" and "u"
- upbeat part
- downbeat part
extra time - Metallica "One"
Additional resources
Suga Paradiddles drill
Both players use the following sticking. The "downbeat" player plays the 16th notes as written and the "upbeat" player offsets in time to create 32nd notes (each hit halfway between the other players'.)
1e&u 2e&u
RRLR LLRL di-ddle-pa-ra
RLLR LRRL ra-di-ddle-pa
RLRR LRLL pa-ra-di-ddle
RLRL LRLR ddle-pa-pr-di *to repeat: three R hits in a row, or next round starting L
Videos
SugAmen
Suga 3
Suga practice idea
Amen Break on drumset