Shamanic & Rhythmic Drumming

[Logic]

I was wondering what some of you thought or know about special types of drumming to induce altered states. Ive heard accounts of how much of an aid this can be to inducing trances, and have had similar experiences with programs like BWGen (similar in regards to influence by sound). I am also reading a book on drumming which is briefley covering this topic, which has tickled my interest. What are your thoughts, experiences, critisisms?

[knightlight]

I havent done anything with shamanic/rythmic drumming before but I listen to and play alot of Death/Black metal drums which rely on heavy amounts of blazingly fast and repetitive drum beats.  I have popped in a CD before and started playing along and it just gets me in such a frenzy!  I have gone into heavy heavy trances before playing drums to the point where my eyes arent open anymore and I am almost falling off of my throne but still playing the song perfectly at inhuman speeds.  I have also had RTZ overlay experiences through drumming as well as seeing points of light forming shapes behind my eyelids.  

Here are some random videos no one will like but are good examples of the style of drumming I am talking about!  Its great fun and an awesome workout!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpMZkmLT9gc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qr9ElWhJD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDAh2ti8u18

[Ryuji]

logic, I've dome shamanic drumming its very interesting. in basic essence its a repetitive beat you do with combination of deep breathing. When in a drumming circle the whole circle can do same beat and switch to different beats, there's also of course the combination of beats at same time but must fit in on each other timing and not sound like random crap though

where i use to drum we start with same beat, then group A plays beat A and group B plays B, certain time we stop and the lead drummer so to say with another lead join in on a faster more hmmm (hard to describe though) intense ubernating beat that surly kicks in the pants - if by this time you're not tracing its be really surprise.

anyways you more or less talking about a *gets out shaman book* shamanic journey with beating of the drum (thus at this point inducing a controlled trance like state).

the drum is awesome tool for this - which I'm sure you can use the drum for magick related yet but owell not sure yet how to.

i am however skilled in the west African kuku beats  1 - 3 hehe


blessings,
Ryu

[Logic]

What are some of the more well known / reliable hand drums which I could find at more mainstream music stores (ie, Long n McQuade), and what are some other good resources for begginers?

[Ryuji]

well im not uber shaman level its a continuation study for me i really find it to be hmm close to my spritial vibration...


i still need to build up my collection though. current what i have is:

current book(s)
title: secrets of shamanism
author: Jose stevens & lena S Stevens

website
www.shamans-cave.com


as far as i know, its called West African drums - i have 2 24cm and 26 cm diameter, trust me on this one the bigger the better cuase after while your hands gets sore on the 24cm one just where your fingers is connected with hand that parts gets allot of beatin

awesome to write to fellow shamin-intraining or just interisted person in drumming

[Squirrelly]

Not sure if this would help, but I went to an Asian New Year festival this year. When the drums were playing, I could actually feel it in what I believe to be the Solar Plexus chakra. It got me pretty scared. Like, when the drumstick hit the drum, I would feel the "thump" in my Solar Plexus chakra.

[CANNIBALEX]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpMZkmLT9gc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qr9ElWhJD4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDAh2ti8u18

im probaly one of the few people here that has a simler taste in music as you.

although recently ive got into indie

[knightlight]

lol thanks, its a lonely road most of the time but I really enjoy it musically.  I can understand why most people dont get into it but I feel as a musician myself that it is probably one of the most technically demanding and awesome styles out there!  You really have to dedicate yourself musically and give it your all to play this style and I admire that the most.

[WindGod]

.......I feel as a musician myself that it is probably one of the most technically demanding and awesome styles out there!

agree, (I've some classical piano background, love jazz, all metal, and hi speed stuff) that style is an inspiration to me. A level of virtuosity that seems super human at times. Thank God that music hasn't gone the way of the disco drummer. (Is there a special hell for disco drummers? )

The only thing that puts me off for this style as a group is the throaty croaking noises that the vocalists make.
IMHO, the virtuoso instrumental riffs, bass and rhythm structure is suddenly spoiled or distracted by the bizarre low hoarse throaty croaking noises that the "vocalists" suddenly blurts out with.
I have difficulty interpreting the mood they're trying to convey. Maybe because I'm too old, over 50? I can't figure it out. :confused:

TBH, I edit out all the "vocals" in the tracks for my play list.
With all due respect to the artistic expression, I can't stand the "singing" parts.

Perhaps you have a word or 2 that will help me to appreciate this style as a whole.

[knightlight]

lol well... hehe... not really!     I have grown to respect the vocalists just as much as the other members over time just because I believe it takes the same amount of dedication and super human extremeness to do what they do.  Some vocalists are WAY better than others in the genre but the one thing I enjoy the most out of all of it is the shear cave man animalisticness of it all.  Its like pure adrenaline and pushing the limits of the voice box to the extreme.  Sure, its not really in any particular key (most of the time anyway) and its not very dynamic in range, but seriously thats gotta be hard as hell!  And there are just as many unique styles of vocals as their are riffs and beats in extreme metal as a whole.

I will give you a few recommendations that I find rather awesome musically or as a whole:

Dimmu Borgir (my personal fav of all time, any recent album...  Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia or Death Cult Armageddon)

Behemoth (Demigod is the only album I have but its insane)

Origin (any CD, the newer the more intense)

Krisiun

Death (Chuck Shuldinger RIP, one of the greatest bands of all time, The Sound Of Perseverance is an unbelievable CD)

Decapitated

Dying Fetus (STop at Nothing CD)

Diabolical Masquerade (Death's Design)

Emperor (anything recent, their older CD's suffered badly from poor production quality)

This should keep you busy for a while!  Its awesome meeting people who dig the music a lot.  I dont understand people who listen to it for the lyrics specifically.  Listening to satanic spewings and songs about force feeding people broken glass or sanding them faceless with a belt sander seem a bit off.....

[Kodemaster]

I went to a pagan festival a couple of years ago where they offered a workshop in "Shamanic Journeying."

It featured rhythmic drumming and is intended to induce states similar to astral projections.

[WindGod]

Knightlight, thanks! I'll look them up and buy all I can to help the cause.

Kodemaster wrote: "Shamanic Journeying."

It featured rhythmic drumming and is intended to induce states similar to astral projections. "

- During a quick meditation I tried "saying/enunciating" a simple drum rhythm with synchopation in my head, sort of the way you'd say a mantra, I think it helped to focus the mind and cancel out the jibber jabber.
( I'm in no way qualified to recommend doing this, just trying an idea)

you're going to laugh, but something like:
boom - - ba-da boom - - ba-da-ba-da- boom - - ba-da boom - - ba-da-ba-da- boom - - ba-da boom.....

The words should mentally "sound" more like percussion beats than saying words.

The simple sychopation needs a little bit of concentration compared to just a steady thum - thum - thum - thum - for example, so to create focus rather than a hypnotic drone.

This in pace with breathing based as a very slow metronome.

Just brainstorming, not actually advocating a specific method...