Gentle Djembe for Beginners: 3 DVD set

Learning to play the bongos has never been easier than with this new DVD, which is designed for the first-time hand drummer. It teaches fun, funky grooves--including The Habanera, Calypso, Bombo, Tumbao, and The Backbeat Groove—that fit with all kinds of music. I take a non-traditional approach, using techniques that are easy to learn and easy on your hands, so you can start playing along with your favorite music or jamming with your friends as soon as possible.

The instruction in this DVD is clear and step-by-step, with no boring exercises.  From the start of the video, the rhythm almost never stops, because I add my explanations and tips in voice over. 

The DVD also includes tips on tuning and how to hold the bongos, as well as explanations of basic rhythmic concepts. For those of you who like to work with charts, there's a PDF file you can print out with charts of all the patterns. And there’s a special section on the video explaining how to read the charts.

Finally, to show you how the grooves can work in a real playing situation, most of the lessons include samples from a jam session I had with my friend Scott Sansby up on the roof of his apartment. I had a blast playing with him up there, and with this DVD you can have a blast learning to play the bongos.

You can also get this DVD as part of the package deal for the complete Bongo Grooves for Beginners series--Volumes 1, 2, and 3--and save $15. Just click on the image of all three videos at the bottom of this page.

This DVD is also available as a download. Just click on "Bongos" on the menu of Videos and Books. 

In this package deal, you can get three DVDs for the price of two (and save $15) by getting the complete Bongo Grooves for Beginners series. Volume 1 gets you started, Volume 2 teaches drumset grooves adapted to the bongos, and Volume 3 teaches African rhythms adapted to the bongos.  All the patterns work with popular music, including rock, pop, funk, and folk.

If you want to get more information about each volume, click on their individual images below.  I also offer the complete series as a download, which you can get to by clicking on "Bongos" on the menu of Videos and Books. 

"Fantastic grooves presented in an easy, intelligent and delightful way!" Klaus Rosterg, Germany

Subtitled "Patterns for Rock, Pop, Funk and Folk,"  Volume 2 teaches 21 new patterns that will work with all kinds of music. Each pattern is taught step-by-step and shown in slow motion for a minute or more, so you’ll never feel lost or confused.  And each pattern is shown from a player's-eye view, so you won't have to flip the image in your head to play along.  The video also includes a PDF file with simple charts of all the patterns. 

As an added feature, each lesson starts and ends with me playing with a guitarist--including Indie-award-winner Dean Magraw—so you can see how the grooves you’ll be learning work in real musical situations. So whether you want to jam with your friends or just play along with your favorite music, the bongo grooves in Volume 2 will show you how.

You can get Volume 2 as part of the package deal for the complete Bongo Grooves for Beginners series--Volumes 1, 2, and 3--and save $15.  

This DVD is also available as a download. Just click on "Bongos" on the main menu of Videos and Books.   

Running time of lessons: 1 hour

In this video, I show you how to play funky West African djembe grooves on bongos.  As in the other two videos in this series, each pattern is taught step-by-step, using a player’s eye view and a side view, at normal speed and in slow motion.  The grooves fit with all kinds of music, as you’ll see when I play them with my brother Rich Dworsky, the piano player on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion.  And you’ll be able to play along, because I only play exactly what I've shown you how to play in the lessons.

To show you how the grooves work in a more traditional context, I'm joined by master drummer Fode Seydou Bangoura on djembe.  When I play with Fode--one of the greatest djembe players in the world--you'll be able to play along too because--again--I only play what I've shown you how to play in the lessons.

The DVD is 56 minutes long and includes a PDF file with simple charts of all the patterns.

This DVD is also available as a download. Just click on "Bongos" in the main menu of Videos and Books. 

This special package deal includes all three Gentle Djembe for Beginners DVDs. Basically you’re buying two and getting the third one free (which saves you $15).  If you want to learn more about each individual DVD, just click on the appropriate image below.

If you're a beginner who wants to learn to play powerful rhythms in a way that's easy on your hands, this video is for you. Watching it is like getting private lessons and taking my Wednesday night beginners class. Each of the seven step-by-step lessons on the DVD starts with me explaining a rhythm while I play it and ends with the whole class playing it, so the rhythm never stops. And each lesson has a matching play-along track. 

You can get this DVD separately, or as part of the set of three Gentle Djembe DVDs--which saves you $15.  You can also get it as a download. Just click on Gentle Djembe on the main menu of Videos and Books. 

The running time is 1 hour with the play-alongs. 

"The most non-intimidating way to get beginning beginners started." Arthur Hull, author of "Drum Circle Spirit" 

"Totally unique... the perfect choice for the new drummer!" Joanne Crofford, Boomtown Drums 

Like all Gentle Djembe DVDs, Volume 2 gives you the feel of private lessons along with the thrill of playing in a group. In this DVD, you'll be getting a whole lot funkier, while still going easy on your hands. You'll learn to combine a backbeat groove with a variety of West African rhythms, and you'll learn how to incorporate touches into your playing to add texture and momentum to your grooves. 

You can get this DVD separately, or as part of the set of three Gentle Djembe DVDs--which saves you $15.  You can also get it as a download by clicking on "Gentle Djembe" in the menu of Videos and Books. 

"What an absolute joy this video is! Probably the next best thing to being in your group class live." Bill Drol Stow, Ohio

with Alan Dworsky

In Volume 3, you'll enter the polyrhythmic world of 6/8 time, while still going easy on your hands. You'll learn patterns adapted from powerful West African rhythms--including kpegisu and dunumba as well as one of the most popular 6/8 bell patterns. Like the first two Gentle Djembe videos, Volume 3 provides clear, step-by-step instruction with the feel of private lessons. And in addition to the usual play-along tracks, this DVD includes a PDF file with charts of all the patterns.  

You can get this DVD separately, or as part of the set of three Gentle Djembe DVDs--which saves you $15.  You can also get it as a download by clicking on "Gentle Djembe" in the menu of Videos and Books.

"Your DVDs are the best! They’re easy to follow, your explanations are clear, and the pacing is just right for beginners. And I love the play-alongs!" Diana Magness, Midway, Utah