When the women were drummers...

[simone]

Are there any women of men out there who are interested in women playing drums? I think it is a fascinating thing that 'traditionally', or as we are told women don't play drums yet today I see women dominating class participation.

[James]

Hi Simone,

Welcome to the site. Yes there are very many ladies interested in drumming and some fantastic players out there.

Have you heard of the Amazones http://amazoneswomandrummers.com/html/links.html



James

[Rastah]

i think that womans was first drumers!
they were making pots and sudenly find out that they can put skin on it.
they were playing when they work, long time after that man was use drum like war instrument

[drumtidamdecroatie]

i think that womans was first drumers!
they were making pots and sudenly find out that they can put skin on it.
they were playing when they work, long time after that man was use drum like war instrument

nice to know, he he
but anyway I don't know many womans playing djembe in my surrounding, which is sad cause women lives more stressed with all houseworks and childrens and in the other hand druming relax. so our slap on djembe could be much better.

[bubudi]

i do notice a lot more women drawn to drumming, often more than men. a lot of them more self motivated initially so when they come to classes they have a good sense of rhythm and feel to the music. yet i have seen fairly few women among the best. i feel it's a combination of factors... the calluses and split fingers are more undesirable to them. drumming requires a lot of upper body strength, which to a large degree the women are behind the men. women tend to have more active social lives so they often feel they can't dedicate as much time to playing. also in my experience women tend to see their participation in music differently from men. men are more likely to focus on trying to become the best soloist, accompanist or dunun player. if someone does something nice in the music they feel they may feel they have to match or one-up it. most women focus on the musical exchange at that moment - something which often takes men longer to achieve. a woman can actually add a lot to the harmony of a group. i know of at least a dozen djembefolettes who are better than most of their male counterparts. they have all made the djembe their livelihood though.

[James]

Yea, I would say I've noticed a difference between female and male drummers around me. Of the better female drummers I know, they are a lot more into enjoying the music and tend to have a more rounded musical approach and aim.

I agree with the lack of one upiness too

[rachelnguyen]

I am very new to drumming, but already I can see that if I want to take it seriously, I might have to start working out my upper body. I can keep up with my teacher during a 1 hour class, but if I were to do a longer stint, I would be very sore!

About the hands: I am thrilled with my callouses! LOL. I come home after class and show my husband the latest blister with great pride!

My big goal at this point is not to be the best at anything, but to be adequately mediocre. Actually, I have told my teacher that I would like to be good enough to play out with him sometime. That would be huge.

Rachel

[Rastah]

Im sure you will!

[rachelnguyen]

Hi Rastah!

My teacher says that if I put my mind to it, it will happen. So I guess I am saying that I WILL be playing with him by next summer, LOL!

How about you? What are your goals and dreams for drumming?

Rachel

[Rastah]

I play everyday, i started 6 years ago and now i am a teaher of drumming. im sure not like your teaher but always! i dont have a dream about it i just play and every month i hear that its better

[e2c]

I'm relatively new to West African drum/dance (and am a woman), but have been playing other percussion instruments for many years and (per some of the comments above) have found myself gravitating toward the following:

1. ensemble playing

2. a focus on rhythm section playing (as opposed to being a soloist)

3. a deep interest in accompaniment work - in other words, how can my playing add to and support the overall feeling that we're trying to create, whether it's accompanying a singer or getting the rhythm section to rock a bit?

At present, I'm learning both djembe and dunun, and find myself drawn to the latter. (Though i love both!) I guess I would like to be an all-round player, able to move from dunduns to djembe and back again, or even to accent percussion, as required in a given situation.

right now I have the chance to help in playing accompaniment for dance classes, and that is a great way to learn. (And a lot of fun, too!)

[James]

Hello and welcome e2c.

You're on the right track. You need to understand how the dundun works and an all round approach is the best for you longer term, for sure.

It's also great that you are already getting exposure to the dance.

It's all a part of a big machine

[e2c]

Hi James,

I think the music really comes alive when there are dancers!

Helping accompany at dance classes is also fun because I love to watch the dance lessons, though I'm only just getting to the point where I know some of the parts well enough to be able to play and watch at the same time.

Re. callouses, I don't have any! (No, really - I don't.) I wonder if some of you are overplaying and/or have drums with not-so-great heads? (or maybe just less than optimal drums?) I'm not saying this to be critical - but good skins and well-constructed drums can make a huge difference in all sorts of ways, in terms of requiring much less effort to get good slaps/tones + simply not being hard on the hands.

[James]

I used to think that calouses were caused by bad technique
@ keanie

Which they are sometimes...

To get calouses you need to play more, play harder and play faster....

Of course everyones hands are different.

Cow skin tends to rip my hands faster, maybe because it's harder at tension....

[KEANIEirishdjembe]

atcha kross flam hehehe
no more soft touch now

In west africa, majority of drummers are male
women are usually dancers, shakers and singers in groups
the dancers (male and female) know the music, djembesolos and dundun patterns, songs etc
so it is shared between male and female, after all is was created by both a presume
i think theres something there for every one

i wonder did any one hear any girls in africa working the pounding pot
they get a wicked rhythym going, and power.. and fresh peanut butter, agh..
something similar to basque percussion really

nice video of fomadou on you tube playin a dundunba with group of men and women


chicargo djembe project has nice singing and djembe playing by a girl too
sound s like a student of fomadou's(on you tube to)

girls ye should play more and more
peace