Greetings Pittsburgh Drumming Community,
I’ll be offering a new six-week session in jembe and dundun drumming for beginner through intermediate levels at Greenfield Presbyterian Church in near Squirrel Hill on Tuesday nights beginning August 31 through October 5.
See the Link for Green Presbyterian for more information about the venue.
The class will meet from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the cost will $75 per person for six classes. For those who wish to attend only one or two classes, there will be a drop-in fee of $20 per class.
I will need at least ten people for the class to make, so please respond by August 30 to confirm your interest. You can register for the class by mailing a check made out to Gordon Nunn for $75 to the following address:
410-416 N. Craig St., Loft M
Pittsburgh, PA 15313
I will also accept payments at the first class.
Over a period of six weeks participants will be introduced to basic hand-drumming techniques, including the proper way to hold the drum, the correct hand and arm positions, and the right technique for playing three different sounds on the drum: bass, tone, and slap. The class will cover simple exercises to help develop these skills. And, members of the class will be introduced to two to three rhythms from the Malinke and Bambara jembe drumming traditions, as well as solo phrases and musical arrangements form each of the rhythms.
Each class will begin with a review of basic drumming techniques, and then progress to playing basic rhythmic patterns. The majority of the class-time will be dedicated to learning and playing jembe drumming pieces.
Students will also be introduced to playing the dundun — a two-headed drum played with a stick — and the techniques used such as grip, strokes, and two-hand independence.
I’ll provide a few loaner drums for those who don’t own one.
Drumnoise Percussion 