Drumming
I have been playing percussion for twenty years and have always got a lot of pleasure out of it. I still get surprised by the new things I learn from the many drum cultures around the world. I have learned to play many different styles of drumming, including Brazilian, Afro Cuban, North African and the Middle East.Using drums as a helpful instrument for people who stammer is personally very fulfilling. It is interesting to me that I used to stammer quite badly, ( to the point of going in a shop and ordering an apple rather than a banana because I was scared of stammering on the letter B,) and stopped quite rapidly when I began investing more time in drumming. Drums make people feel better, connecting them to something other than their day to day lives. It is a healthy thing to do. You can see the power of drums on a larger scale around the world.
Drums are a binding force for many communities, connecting to Nature, Religion and Sport, amongst other things.
There is the Indian Art of Tabla Drumming that plays rhythmic cycles ( Taals ) to accompany music ( Rag ) for the morning, noon and night.
West African talking drums play for weddings of kings, and the Southern Italian Tamburello accompanies the secret dances of the rural poor.
On a more urban note, drums also accompany football matches and cricket ODI's. The experience for me of now offering drums as part of a therapy for people who stammer, is something very alive, not only in me but also in the society we live in. This can only be a good thing.
