No Experience Needed: What to Expect at a Drum Circle

If the idea of a drum circle makes you wonder whether you are supposed to know how to play, I want to answer that first: you do not.  The drum circles I host at the Empower House Community Gathering Space are open to people with no drumming experience, and everyone is able to participate.

A drum circle is a group of people sitting together and making rhythm in the same room.  Some bring a drum, some bring a shaker or a pair of hands to tap on a knee, and the rhythm builds as people listen to each other.  There is no performance and no audience, and nobody checks whether you are doing it right.  You are welcome to play, to sit and listen, or to move between the two as the evening goes on.

Researchers have looked at what happens when people drum together.  In a 2020 study in Scientific Reports, Ilanit Gordon and colleagues had fifty one groups of three people drum together, and found that the drumming increased synchrony in the group members' heart rhythms, and that both that physiological synchrony and the synchrony in their playing predicted how connected each person felt to their group.  That is a small laboratory study about connection among the participants, and it makes no claim about treatment.  It does match something many people notice at a gathering like this one, which is that playing the same beat as a room full of people is an easy way to feel part of it.

I want my gatherings to be a place where you can show up as you are.  Bring your drum if you have one, and bring yourself if you do not.  My drum circles are contribution based, and the exact address is shared when you register.  Upcoming dates and full details are on my events page, and my private sessions are there when you would like one on one time.

FAQs

Do I need to know how to play the drums?

No.  No drumming experience is necessary, and you will be able to participate.  You can bring a drum, and you can also come to listen and join in at your own pace.

What is a drum circle like for a first timer?

People sit in a circle and make rhythm together, listening to each other as the beat builds.  There is no performance, and you can play, rest, or simply listen.

What should I bring to a drum circle?

A drum if you have one, and an open mind.  Registration details and upcoming dates are on the events page.

If you'd like more info, feel free to call me at 623-986-3987.

Warmly, Water Shepherd