Hi there!
Well, I just realized I tried too many new things this week, which may have resulted in an overall failure. But, I won’t fail to bring you something, so my apologies.I got a new camera. I was very very excited because it has audio capabilities. But, I failed to configure the sound in a way so you can actually hear what I’m saying. Then, after dealing with the technical difficulties, and running out of recording time, I watched the videos and immediately heard my teacher’s criticism in my head: KATAI! You’re too stiff–relax!So, bear with me this week and I’ll try to figure it out by next time.Also, this is my first time teaching katsugi okedo in any form. So, please please ask questions if something’s not clear. Alright, here goes…
Focus: Form, Speed
Watch For:1. When you strike with the right hand, initiate from the elbow. When you strike with the left, initiate from the wrist.2. Keep your weight a bit forward; I think of it as 65-70% forward.
Okay, let’s start first with how to place your feet. Your heels should be in line with one another, right foot points forward and left angles outward. Mine are about 4 inches apart from one another.
The drum is going to rest on your left thigh. You’ll notice in the photo below that the center of the drum lines up with my belly button and the drum is angled up only just enough so I can barely see the head by looking directly down.
The grip for each hand is completely different. The right hand is nearly like making a fist and sticking the bachi right in the middle. For the left hand, the bachi sits between the middle and ring fingers. Your actual grip is between the pointer finger and the thumb (further illustrated in the video).
Here’s an example of ready position. The left bachi rests with its tip at the center of the drum, while the right is just next to it. Each stick is angled in toward the head of the drum, not parallel to it. Note that the left elbow stays tucked in to the body somewhat, while the right arm is rounded, out to the side.
Now, let’s hit the drum! Think of it this way: right hand is rounded, left hand is linear. What I mean is that the right arm swoops around away from the body before striking, and the left arm moves in line with the drum in an upward motion, coming down with a relaxed wrist.
And, finally, today’s drill. This drill is meant to help you increase speed when striking the drum. If you think about it, if you bring your arm slowly toward the drum your sound will be much weaker than if you strike quickly. By following a small hit with a big hit, you’re forced to bring your arm quickly off the drum and back down in order to stay on tempo. This will help your body learn how to make big sounds on your katsugi drum.Here’s the pattern:
tsu don tsu don tsu don tsu don
You’ll strike twice with the right, twice with the left, twice with the right, twice with the left, and repeat!
It’s difficult to get a balance between the left and right hand with katsugi, so listen carefully to your sound and aim for evenness in volume, particularly with the louder hits.
Extension:
If you’ve played katsugi before, then try alternating the basic pattern in this drill and really focus on keeping good form, while increasing the speed of the drill. (i.e., slightly increase your metronome pace daily)
tsu don tsu don don tsu don tsu tsu don tsu don
don tsu don tsu
Gambarimasu!