Djembe solo - a concept

[FreekAce]

Freekace.. I like your description and I think that word "conviction" is quite relevant. It is the conviction that religious people have that is conveyed so well through music.

reading it back now im not sure if its the exact word i was looking for, but still cant come up with a word closer to what i meant then that. i blame the ESL.

[EvanP]

Evan, I think the video pretty well explains some of the physical differences in brain function of those two things.

Mikeleza,
I guess I didn't make my question clear. The video clearly compares the difference between a memorized and improvised piece. It does not at all address what the brain does while struggling to master a new, complex piece, which is what seems to scramble my brain, at least for a bit. I've got to think the re-wiring (or re-pursposing) the brain goes through when improvising is similar what it goes through when learning a new rhythm. Over time the activity would look like the "memorized" version, and presumably I would have less drum brain.

As far as emotion or feel, I agree that's yet another mystery. Some musicians can bring you to tears, or fill you with joy, in how they communicate via music. It is mercurial, however, because I've seen the same musicians fail to get the message/emotion across at a different performance.

Interesting discussion!

[Mikeleza]

Ah ok sorry EvanP, I misunderstood you.
We need an MRI of your brain when its scrambled... ? I'm not sure but I think too much to exposure to that MRI machine might leave us with a permanently "fried" brain? ... oh well... just as long as no-one steals your ideas... that would be a "poached" brain...

I would like to hear more about what you are describing because I still don't really get it but I do understand that you are more interested in the process of learning... not the reproduction once the music is learnt.

I like Freefeets ideas about not imposing the ego onto the music but letting the music have an ego of its own. I can totally relate to that and I would agree that drum circles and even beginner djembe players have the ability to create "ego" within the music regardless of traditional techniques or phrasing. Ego however, is not a word usually used to describe anything other than humans and I'm not sure if this is "proper" use of the word (but it definitely works poetically).

I suppose this idea relates to the religious thing again because someone who is playing for God is (maybe?) of the belief that they are not in control, that their ego is insignificant in the presence of their God. Therefore when they play, they let the music fall in Gods hands, giving the music an ego of its own... ??

This area of music is definitely a mystery and thats why I really relate it back to the spiritual thing... It seems the only other way to describe it is in a poetical fashion.. ?

[EvanP]

Mikeleza you're too hard boiled.

Maybe my brain's just over easy?

Per your point, my musings probably don't belong in the performance/solo thread. I'm still trying to understand why this rather simple instrument has gripped me, and made me feel different than anything else I've ever learned. Michi's post just got me trying to piece it together here rather than somewhere else.

PM me and we can chat off line, or if the moderators feel the topic is worthy they can move the discussion to a new thread.

Cheers,
Evan

[freefeet]

I like Freefeets ideas about not imposing the ego onto the music but letting the music have an ego of its own. I can totally relate to that and I would agree that drum circles and even beginner djembe players have the ability to create "ego" within the music regardless of traditional techniques or phrasing. Ego however, is not a word usually used to describe anything other than humans and I'm not sure if this is "proper" use of the word (but it definitely works poetically).

This area of music is definitely a mystery and thats why I really relate it back to the spiritual thing... It seems the only other way to describe it is in a poetical fashion.. ?

I think that's always been the way when we enter into that other realm of our inner being. Most religion is filled with metaphor and poetry.

I suppose this idea relates to the religious thing again because someone who is playing for God is (maybe?) of the belief that they are not in control, that their ego is insignificant in the presence of their God. Therefore when they play, they let the music fall in Gods hands, giving the music an ego of its own... ??

Exactly what i'm trying to say. Although i'm an animist not a theist, but i would happily use the term, if even poetically, that the music should become God while playing it - or for a theist, represent God while playing it. Playing music really well, whether the player is religious or not, is a form of worship, IMHO, whether that be for one's God, or for an audience who have worked hard to pay for a ticket and travelled miles to listen.

[Mikeleza]

Haha... Yes... hard boiled...

I wasn't trying to say that the process of learning is not relevant to the conversation, on the contrary, I think its vital to this conversation.