How do you listen?
Are you a drummer, maybe be a classroom teacher or someone learning drum circle facilitation who loves to connect and share your rhythmical spirit?
I’ve spent many years learning and studying drumming from master percussionists and how to facilitate drum circles from the best mentors across the globe.
One thing I noticed about these masters and what they have in common. They all intuitively expressed themselves in the moment.
Grow self-awareness to increase music skills
I attended my first drum circle facilitator training in 2010 and was totally hooked. Most of my drumming experiences up until then had been teaching people how to play drums, and band leader for percussion ensembles.
Something kept me coming back to the in the moment magic of drum circles! So, I began my facilitator journey and gradually shifted from teacher to facilitator. Even though I find myself still teaching others, I love facilitation.
I was drawn to facilitation side of drum circles. I find it fascinating, there is just so much involved in being a music facilitator. The skills and knowledge of facilitating groups can be linked back to communication, how we listen, the psychology of us complex human beings.
If you are a drum student and wish to bring the same principals into your practice, you’re opening up to a world of wonder and leaning. How we listen, learn music and drum rhythms, can increase our understanding of how we learn and process music. Therefor grow our musical skills with ease.
How quickly do you learn rhythms, what do you focus on? Is it the sound, maybe there are visual cues or is it energy of the music that draws you in?
Music is created to help free us! Yes? Let our hearts soar and our spirit fly. When we play from the heart there is a release and connection. However, if we are continuously stuck in our head and struggling to play a rhythm, it makes learning way harder. Not much fun.
Less struggle and more ease… how does that sound?
Some homework for you this week.
Choose a new rhythm to learn. Focus on how you listen. Do you find yourself watching someone play the rhythm, therefor you can hear it? Or listening to a song without visuals, just with your ears? Or do you find yourself moving or tapping to the groove while listening?
Everyone has at least one preference of listening style, whether it’s visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Some people have two out of three. And with practice we can grow all three, strengthening our music skills - just imagine the possibilities that you could achieve. What difference would that make in your drumming or facilitation?
By strengthening our listening skills, we become more focused and present within the moment, being creative and playful, naturally making those connections with others.
Can you see the link between learning positive music facilitation and learning to play drums. We become more self-aware of our preferences and learning styles, therefor making learning to play drum rhythms and communication with others a breeze.
Would you like to join me?
I will be running a variety of Positive Music facilitator trainings here in Australia, to help support those learn new skills and delve deep into musicality and connect with others.
Basic Introductory Positive Music Facilitator Training
The first session is a sample introductory workshop coming up Thursday 7th September in South Eastern suburb of Melbourne. For bookings please go to my events page.