Drum Circle: Where Do I Start?

 How do I go about starting a drum circle at my school and what products do you recommend?

• Remo specializes in offering a variety of drums and percussion instruments designed to work in a school setting. With years of research, we have designed drums that sound good, are lightweight, durable, can be stacked & nested to reduce storage space, and affordable. There are different types of drum circles.  Regardless of what type of drum circle you choose to do, our products are designed for all ages, special needs, and sound sensitivity.
• You could offer a drum circle based solely on a “jam session” with creative expression. Other types of drum circles will focus on social and emotional growth.  You could incorporate culturally specific rhythms referencing geography and history.   Adding movement and math is also a possibility.   At REMO we think of our musical instruments as tools; and with our tools we believe incorporating all of the above will help create inclusiveness, acceptance, and an overall improved person and community.   
• No musical or drumming experience is required to achieve such a goal. If you do not have any background in drum circle facilitation, we recommend such programs as Beat The Odds, World Music Drumming, Arthur Hull Facilitation Training, HealthRHYTHMS, HealthRHYTHMS Adolescent Program.    Each of these programs will offer you in-depth insight on how to create drum circle sessions which are constructive within creativity.
• Some of the above programs offer 1-day training and some can be up to one week.
• We recommend our Versa line and our Festival You may choose to mix Versa and Festival drums or you may choose just one.   It is completely subjective.  Versa offers a drum with a bit more resonance, a variety of sizes, and interchangeable drumheads.  Festival Drums are lightweight, slightly muted, colorful, replaceable drumhead, and a lower price point.  We do offer a classroom drum package for 30 students, Beat The Odds  -30 Piece Set.   If you choose to build your own kit, we recommend a variety of drums in order to give your drum circle a “musical” sound opposed to every drum sounding the same.   With either the Versa or Festival drums, the Tubano drum is popular because it has a built in stand and comes in three different sizes.  For the Djembe and Timbau drums we make a one-size-fits-all Drum Riser.    It is important for the bottom of the drum to be a few inches off the floor in order for the drum to have tonal quality.   The Drum Riser lifts the drums and alleviates pain or stress on the player by not having to balance the drum in their lap.  
• If budgets are tight, we offer the Rhythm Lid. The Rhythm Lid is a drumhead that fits on a 5, 6, or 7 gallon bucket.   We recommend you purchase buckets online for about $5 each and use the Rhythm Lid to create and inexpensive drum.  Incorporating REMO percussion is always fun and musical.   We recommend including tambourines, tone blocks, shakers, and hand drums such as Sound Shapes, Frame Drums, and Buffalo Drums.
• For more information or free consultation contact us at support@remo.com or call us at 661-294-5750.

Happy Drumming!