The last 3 days, San Jose Taiko welcomed 10 people into our studios for another TWI, this one focusing on playing the slanted drum, or naname.
It was the second year we've done this particular TWI, and the first one of this type that I've helped with. Apart from all the sweating and eating and more sweating, we had a discussion session that started with the topics of stand patents and playing another group's songs.
While writing down notes, I found my notes from the TWI back in May, which I totally forgot about! I'll be writing some blog posts in the future based on what I wrote down in both TWI discussion sessions.
And I have to say, if you're ever thinking about attending TWI, I highly recommend it. It's a butt-kicking experience that will challenge everything you know about playing taiko, and then some! Oh, and it's fun. :)
Coincidentally, the beginner group I'm in just introduced that style (which our group just calls Sukeroku) Sunday morning.
ReplyDeleteIt felt really awkward after a few weeks of using Suwa stands -- at first it felt like I was absorbing all the energy of the hit with my arm, not transmitting it to the drum. But practicing this week has made it feel a bit more natural. It certainly looks more dramatic. :)