I was surprised to hear in a recent conversation that some drummers who frequent drum circles prefer to blend with other drummers and more-or-less copy them. Perhaps the intent here is to bond with other drummers by creating a group mantra or meditation, like choral chanting, in which all participants play in unison. For instance, when circle drummers play “Jin Go Lo Ba”/”Jingo”, they commonly all play the main bass beat together, while Olatunji’s and Santana’s originals have multiple interlocking parts. While this might be great for group meditation, think how boring a rock band would be if the guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums all played the same thing.

I’m uncomfortable at many drum circles because the unison approach is contrary to my own goals of listening to other drummers and finding a complimentary, but quite different, pattern from theirs. I find spaces in their rhythms to interlock mine. This is standard in Latin percussive music, such as Brazilian samba and Cuban rumba in which the members of small bands all play completely unique parts. Surprisingly, it is also prevalent in West African Mande drumming that so many drum circle jembe players have been inspired by. In the Mande tradition, the three jembe parts, up to three bass drum parts, and the bell part are all unique and together form a whole.

Additionally, because drummers have also often learned only one style of drumming (usually a corruption of Mande, samba, or Afro-Cuban), they are stuck in a creative straitjacket that a broader understanding of cosmopolitan performance styles and rhythmic theory could release. So often drummers, who may have sufficient skill, are at a loss for what to do when they join a drum jam or drum circle. They may blend in, but often add nothing new to the mix.

This article is based on the goal of integrating multiple rhythmic parts together to form a percussive orchestration. To do so requires an open mind, creativity, and careful attention to the other drummers. Hopefully, the information below will help drummers improvise more effectively in an ensemble of other percussionists.

Listen and Be Aware!
Almost any experienced percussionist will tell you that listening to others in your group is primary. This obviously improves synchronization, but also keeps you in tune with what’s going on. It allows you to find appropriate patterns to integrate into the group sound effectively, and you will be aware when someone is taking a lead and when the group is purposely increasing the tempo.
Listening is critical to adjusting your playing to what’s going on. When the group quiets for a dynamic shift, you should have the awareness to quiet down with them. When someone takes a lead, quiet down a little and give a supporting foundation.

Keeping the Tempo
One thing that can really annoy drummers is inconsistent tempo. Especially disruptive to an otherwise nice jam is slowing down, known as dragging the rhythm. Unfortunately, this is very easy to do, and players tend to slow down, rather than keep steady or speed up.

To keep a steady tempo, every percussionist in the group should always push the rhythm. Don’t follow, drive the tempo. To most people, playing in a consistent tempo feels like playing at a slightly increasing speed.

Rule of Contrasts
Now to the creative part. How do you contribute something that enhances a drum jam? The first thing I consider is what I call “The Rule of Contrasts”. This means that a jam is better enhanced by combining contrasting elements.

High vs. Low
One advantage of group drumming is the ability to mix high-pitched with low-pitched percussion. This creates a tonal layering and adds depth to the audio spectrum. From Brazilian samba to Japanese taiko, drum ensembles all over the world usually feature percussion instruments in a range of pitches: low surdos play alongside ear-piercing tamborims; the high-toned shime-daiko supports massive bass taiko drums.

This blending of pitches allows greater separation between numerous drums. If they are tuned too close together, there is less depth, and it is harder to distinguish the different parts.

Fast vs. Slow
One mistake many people make in group drumming is that often everyone plays at the same pace, playing all 16th notes and creating no rhythmic variations among the instruments. One of the most effective ingredients in Cuban rumba is the son clave. It has only five beats per measure, as opposed to the complex conga drumming, but has a powerful place in the rhythm. It is the renowned signature of Cuban rumba.

Don’t feel you have to match everyone’s busy pace. When you pick up bells, claves, a bass drum, or just about anything, try a simple pattern with lots of audio space. You’ll find a critical part in the rhythm that can add life to the jam and make the other players, and hopefully yourself, smile.

Complex vs. Simple
Another variance in rhythm is how regular or intricate the patterns can be. If multiple complex patterns are layered over each other, it can sound very chaotic, busy, and without shape or direction. If one of the two patterns is simple and repetitive, it provides a firm foundation for the other and a coherent percussion piece is born. A simple foundation can even support two or three distinct complex rhythms.

On-beat vs. off-beat
Playing off-beat, also known as syncopation, is a very effective device in percussion music, sometimes giving it an infectious danceable feel. This beat is played on the midpoint (“and” in the count) between downbeats. It is normally done on the higher percussion, but can be used with great results on the bass drums when the higher instruments are played on-beat.

In order to have an off-beat, there must be a downbeat. Before trying this technique, make sure there is a strong downbeat. Occasionally, I will try to add an upbeat and the other drummers will shift the downbeat to my off-beat—definitely not the intention.

From Theory to Practice
Overall, a nice ensemble sound is based on variety. When the bass is simple, highs can be complex and syncopated. When the bass drums are going wild, the high instruments can support them with a simple, steady rhythm. If you are listening and most of the ensemble is playing rather monotonously on the down beats, add a pattern with syncopation and/or swing. If there seems to be a lot of syncopation, anchor it with firm down beats.

Knowing When and How to Add Support
A real jam-killer is when everybody tries to make a lot of noise at once. Never play a sustained jam at 100%, usually stay down near 60%. Leave room to expand volume and complexity. Pay attention to the others. When one begins an improv, the others should stay simple, steady, and drop their volume. But also give the lead player a nice foundation to work off.

Instrumental Roles
Each percussion instrument has different characteristics, such as the material it is made of, the pitch, the timbre, the loudness, the decay, and the speed at which it can be played. Therefore, certain instruments are best suited to certain roles in a drum jam.
It’s always better to have a variety of percussion for a group. I recently went to a drum circle with 15 players and 11 jembes all competing for the same space, so to speak.

Bells
Does best playing parts with space, which gives them much more power in an ensemble. Often half of a good bell pattern is on-beat and half off-beat (the Cuban son is a good example). Emphasizing offbeats and avoiding some downbeats makes a beautiful pattern.

Congas
These are among the best hand drums for adding "shape" to a rhythm with their very distinct sounds. Multiple congas of different pitches make this ability even more profound. A well-placed slap or open tone on the quinto (highest conga) adds a very "Latin" feel to a rhythm.

Jembe and doubeks
Most jembe players play with a very busy style, striking all 16th beats and accenting or altering some. This can add support for heavier drums, keeping a constant rhythm going. Jembes can be used for very strong leads that cut through lower-pitched instruments. Unless the player makes very distinct sounds, called tonal separation, a jembe or doumbek pattern can lack rhythmic shape.

Medium bass drums
A medium bass drum, such as a small surdo, bombo or taiko, has the potential for a wide variety of roles in a drum ensemble. It is best to use them for repeating phrases, but short improvs are possible.

Low bass drums
Normally a large bass drum, like a large surdo or taiko, should be kept very simple in a busy rhythm. However, if it is supported by a steady beat, it can be used with great effect to do extended taiko-like improvisations.

Shakers
Most people don’t realize how important a shaker can be for a rhythm until it is missing. Nothing drives a rhythm better than a good, solid shaker. It keeps time with a constant presence, but because of its unique sound, doesn’t interfere with any other instruments.

Follow the usual Rule of Contrasts. Keep it steady with syncopated rhythms, give it some swing for regular rhythms. Contribute something missing.

Claves
With their sharp, woody sound, claves have a special place in a drum ensemble. One player with a pair can be heard clearly over an army of bass drums, giving the claves a prominent role in the group. Claves are best used for simple, repetitive parts, but variations can be played without completely abandoning the feel of the main pattern.

Mixing East with West
In the United States, we are much more familiar with Western (African and Latin American, and Middle Eastern) drumming styles than Eastern (China, Korea, and Japan). Not only are Western styles dominant in the drumming we listen to, but also all through rock and jazz music. But The Eastern styles are very conducive to group drumming, and some drum ensembles have successfully blended Western with Eastern styles, greatly broadening the expressive range of their music.

The main distinction of East Asian drumming is the use of audio space in the music. This space is used to great effect in the Eastern tradition, and has been inspired through the influence of Taoism.

Eastern drumming is also characterized by having very clear distinctions between the beats, creating a defined pattern or rhythmic shape, almost used as a melodic phrase. In contrast, the Western tradition is often busier, with a polyrhythmic structure intended to inspire and support dancing. Like Western drumming, the roles of the different percussion instruments are often clearly defined; however, there are many situations where all the drums play together in unison. This is generally done with multiple drums of one type for power and volume.