Drumming Together

by Bob Bloom

I remember an episode of the popular series "Bonanza" that was on television when I was a kid.

One of the sons, Adam, decided that he was going to leave the family ranch, the Ponderosa, to go out into the world alone. His father, Ben, sat him down to show him the value of people working together. He created a metaphor by taking a small stick and snapping it into two pieces with his hands. He then took a bundle of small sticks and instructed Adam to try to snap the bundle. Not being able do this, Adam realized that the strength of the bundle came from its' unity, and that one person alone is not as strong as a group.

When drumming together, people entrain. This entrainment creates a strength that's similar to that of the bundle of small sticks. Every stick is a contributor to the enduring quality of the bundle... every person is a contributor to the enduring quality of a rhythm, a musical piece, and a community.

Entrainment leads to success. By this, I mean that everyone in a drum circle can enjoy the experience of accomplishment. An example is the excitement that drummers get when a rhythm comes to a close and all drummers stop together on a dime.

People with special needs, people who are "at-risk", people of foreign cultures, people of all ages, "mainstream" people... everyone shares in the success. And after experiencing success musically, one may take the risk of trying to overcome a challenge in their life that was previously too daunting.

Master Babatunde Olatunji speaks of "Unity of Purpose." He says that by playing drums in a group, we are supporting each other, that we are putting aside our differences for the sake of the music. Even though some people have less musical training than others, or no musical training whatsoever, even though they are "different" from you and me, they are a necessary ingredient to the overall character of the music, and to the well-being of their communities.

So for me drumming is the way I can give voice to my belief that, yes we can get along. A drum circle offers a setting in which there is a level playing field for everybody.

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