Call 204-487-3664 now or write info@riverheightsmusic.com to book your Winnipeg Percussion Lessons
Our Percussion lessons center around the 3 most popular and affordable instruments out there. The Bodhran of the Celtic tradition, the Cajon of the Latin tradition and the djembe of the African tradition.
The Bodhran uses a stick (call the Tipper) while the Cajon and Djembe are considered hand drums.
Despite their disparate origins these instruments can all be used in almost any style of popular music.
Djembe Lessons
Learn Hand Drumming right here in Winnipeg!
The Djembe (Gem-Bay) is a hand drum with its origins in West Africa. A drum of many sizes and with many sounds. These sounds are made available by striking different parts of the drum head and with different parts of the hands. It has become a great hand percussion instrument for everything, from large concerts to a campfire sing along!
While learning to play this most popular of hand drums in a “Drum Circle” is a fun social experience, we have found that private lessons work best. If you want to play a djembe outside of a drum circle (like with a singer or guitarist) you need to get past the ‘right hand-centric’ nature of the group drum lesson.
Djembe Lessons are available to students 5 and up. For Kids and Adults. Whether they have music experience or not
Cajon Lessons
Cajon lessons in Winnipeg
The Cajon (ka-hone) is Spanish for “box”, “crate” or “drawer” Matter of fact in any “kitchen” party someone in the Afro-Peruvian tradition might pull out a drawer and start to play it.
As you can gather it is an instrument of Peruvian descent. It is played by sitting on it and getting various tones by hitting it with your hands in different places on the front and sides. It can also be played with specialized cajon brushes call “brooms”.
While you can play the cajon in Peruvian music as well as many Latin American musical styles as well as flamenco music.
On top of that you can play patterns that fit well with rock, pop, blues and even jazz!
That is a lot of versatility from a little box.
Traditionally played with the hands it recent years there has been a move to play it with special cajon brushes and even a remote foot pedal resembling a bass drum pedal. There are a myriad of sounds and rhythms available on the cajon. It really is a very versatile instrument
Bodhran Lessons
Bodhran (Celtic Drum) Lessons in Winnipeg!
The Bodhran is a frame drum originating in Ireland early in the 20th century. Frame drums are found in almost all musical cultures but the Bodhran is common in Irish music and Celtic based music like that of Canada’s east coast. Instead of hands or traditional drum sticks we use one hand for balance, tone and volume control and a mallet like item called a tipper.
With bodhran lessons we teach you how to hold the drum, how to old the tipper, how to play in straight and compound time signatures, how to use the bodhran in other kinds of music.
Robert Burton Musician
info@riverheightsmusic.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5