(Book). In this quintessential guide to both creating and facilitating drum circles, noted music therapist and drum circle facilitator Christine Stevens covers everything from key grooves and instrumentation, to the personal side of empowering people and creating transformational experiences through recreational drumming. Filled with practical tools, guidelines, principles, helpful hints, exercises, and even a play-along CD, Stevens' book weaves into one resource the many key elements of what My Generation/AARP Magazine refers to as one of the country's "fastest growing holistic health trends." "Christine Stevens brings together the energy of her drum circle leadership and the healing power of her background in wellness to give us a very helpful book for drum circle leaders, teachers, recreation specialists, religious group leaders, health professionals, business people and amateur drummers." Dr. Will Schmid, MENC Past President and author, World Music Drumming "This book is a must for anyone involved in or interested in the drum circle movement from veterans to wanna-be facilitators." Karl Bruhn, Father of the Music Making and Wellness Movement What you'll learn: . The science of entrainment . The drum circle duality . How to advertise and set up your drum circle . Recommended drums and percussion instruments . Eight basic facilitation cues . Seven essential skills of facilitation . Making arrangements in-the-moment . Facilitation using a melody instrument . Creating sound-scapes with new drummers . How to cover the basics of hand drumming . Starting and maintaining the groove . Designing your program . Facilitating from a place of musical joy! . Creating metaphors and meaning

With easy-to-follow instructions for group activities and rhythms, this book provides tools to lead drum circles effectively with people facing a wide variety of life challenges. Sections on outcomes, setting up for success, common challenges and practical adaptations of the drum circle guide you in leading sessions with your own groups. The compendium also offers guidance on pricing, evaluating your sessions, managing challenging behaviours and duty of care. Demonstrating the potential of this empowering creative activity in supporting therapeutic and developmental outcomes, this book equips you to meet the needs of different groups through the healing power of music.

This 6" x 9" paperback is over 300 pages of text, and it%u2019s jammed with practical information, suggestions, and ideas for people who love hand drumming, or who are interested in starting up a drum circle, or drumming program for their group. The focus is on sharing as much information about hand drumming, and drum circles as possible. For example, six different ways to quickly jot down drum rhythm notations. I include a few dozen written drum rhythm notations, and lots more that are written vocalizations. There is also my sample set list (or worksheet) of various rhythms I use for a 90 minute facilitated drum circle. It's sort of an outline that I use and then improvise from as needed. It gives you an easy to follow guideline for almost any form of drum circle, or interactive group drumming. Facilitated, specialty, hosted circles, and rhythmic drumming events. I also include two chapters on open freestyle community drum circles which are often misunderstood or even misrepresented. Everything from a rockin' drum circle - to a healing drum circle, plus the many different ways to approach them. I discuss how to go about building a drumming program in many of the specialty areas such as: Drumming with special needs groups, health and wellness. Drumming with children, teens, adults, elders, and mixed age groups. Drum circles in night clubs, cafe%u2019s, at businesses, corporations, and events. Drum circles with at risk populations, spiritual gatherings, and community events. Working with music directors, educational teachers, music therapists, and medical professionals. Even if you are just someone who just wants to get a drum circle going at the beach or at a public park, this read will give you plenty of ideas how to get it started up, or improve the one you currently have going. I also cover the business side of drum circles. Are you wanting to start one just for fun? Or only cover your expenses? Want to earn a full time living from it? I cover all that, and lots more. I hope to help you along your drumming journey. Hand drumming and drum circles enriched my life, and I think it will for you as well. I hope you can benefit from some of the things I've done right, as well as the things I%u2019ve done wrong. It doesn't matter if you are new to hand drumming, have been drumming for a while, or are a professional musician, this book is loaded with good information on getting more enjoyment out of hand drumming, and from drum circles. -SL Ratigan drumcircles.net.

Percussionist Arthur Hull has used drum circles to build team spirit among managers at Motorola, to ease tensions between rival street gangs, and to improve communication in Wall Street investment firms. He led a rhythm event in Red Square in Moscow -- the first celebration other than a military one there in many years. His appearances with major musical figures such as Babatunde Olatunji and Mickey Hart, and his forthcoming appearances on major media, will propel Drum Circle Spirit forward as a leading self-help, spirituality, and New Age title.

This concise guide explains the theory behind drumming for therapy, as well as giving practical advice on facilitating and leading drum circles. The book explains why drumming is therapeutic, offers hands-on guidance for using drums in group therapy and details specific techniques to lead to increased engagement. Incorporating art therapy into drum circles, it provides step-by-step instructions on making and painting a multi-tonal drum from scratch. Emphasis is also placed on how to create a therapeutic or safe place while conducting a drum circle and making art.

If you want to have more fun on the drums, improve your skills faster, and play along to real music, then you need to build a solid foundation. The Best Beginner Drum Book gives you a clear path for getting started on the drums and skipping the frustrating obstacles that most new drummers face: setting up your kit, holding the drumsticks, learning notation, creating catchy beats and fills, learning musical styles, and playing your favorite songs.

Voted second on Modern Drummer's list of 25 Greatest Drum Books in 1993, Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer is one of the most versatile and practical works ever written for drums. Created exclusively to address syncopation, it has earned its place as a standard tool for teaching beginning drummers syncopation and strengthening reading skills. This book includes many accented eighths, dotted eighths and sixteenths, eighth-note triplets and sixteenth notes for extended solos. In addition, teachers can develop many of their own examples from it.