Community drum and percussion circles can be fun and rewarding for all involved. You do not need to be a professional musician to start or participate in a drum circle, amateurs and experienced drummers alike can both join in the fun.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: It depends on your situation.

Here's How:

1. Get a Drum! - You'll need some sort of hand-drumming or percussion instrument in order to join in a drum circle. A Djembe is a good, reasonably inexpensive and practical choice as a beginner drum, and you may also consider investing in a few small but cheap alternate percussion instruments, such as egg shakers or claves.

1. Decide the "vibe" you want your circle to have. - What is your goal for starting a drum circle? If it's simply to make friends and have fun, your circle can be pretty laid back, with people of all ages and abilities allowed to join in. If you're setting out to learn about, say, the rhythmic principles of Classical Indian Music, you'll want your drum circle to have a more serious attitude.
2. Find fellow drummers. - Start with your friends, and tell them to spread the word about your plans. Make sure you make your intentions clear, in terms of what type of drum circle you want to have. If you still need more people, consider hanging a flyer in your local coffee shop or posting on an internet forum like Craigslist.com to find more people.
3. Choose a time and place. - If you plan to have a regular event, choose a time and stick with it. Make sure you think through the location of an event. Public places may require permits, so check first. Apartments are generally not a good idea - as much fun as you might be having, your neighbors might not love your musical adventures. Make sure whatever place you choose has enough room for all the people you've invited.

1. Dig right in! - When people start to arrive, you may as well begin playing. If you have a master drummer or group facilitator, they will probably want to give some instruction. If not, choose a member of your group to start a basic rhythm and let everyone else join in, either mimicking that rhythm or playing a rhythm that they find complimentary. Let the rhythm happen for as long as everyone wants to keep playing, it will probably organically evolve on its own.
2. Have fun! - That's the whole point, so if you or someone else doesn't seem to be having fun, you're doing something wrong. Be encouraging and supportive and everyone should have a perfectly marvelous time.

Tips:

1. If everyone in the group is a beginning drummer, starting with very basic rhythms is recommended.

What You Need:

• A drum
• Friends
• A space to play where you won't disturb others
• A little creativity
• A lot of enthusiasm