We talked about some of the cons of a job in taiko in the last episodes (here and here). In this episode, Isaku Kageyama and I talk about some of the positive experiences we've had in our experience with taiko drumming. audioPlayer( "EP19POP", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Taiko%20Pos.mp3", "The Pros of Taiko Job") Tip of the Month How to sound like Hayashi Eitetsu. Isaku gives a detailed breakdown of some of the characteristic grooves of Hayashi Eiitetsu. Check out his great blog post to master the grooves for yourself. Video of the Month This month's video features Bo-Sung Kim, demonstrating some changgo rhythms at the Global Music Academy in Berlin.  Feedback Send in your questions and comments to: [email protected]  Here are some other taiko related resources you might find helpful: Isaku's Homepage: http://www.isakukageyama.com/ Taiko Information: Taiko Playing Styles Why are Taiko Drums So Expensive? How to Play Taiko Drums 5 Ways to Get Better at Taiko Finding and Learning Taiko Music Getting in Taiko Playing Shape Taiko Drums vs Other Percussion Taiko Building: Where to Get Taiko Drums How to Make a Happi Coat How to Make a Taiko Drum How to Make Handles on a Taiko Drum How to Make Shime and Oke Taiko Heads How to Make Taiko Skin (Drum Heads from Cow Hide How to Make Practice Taiko Drums How to Paint a Taiko Drum How to Make Practice Shime Drums How to Make Taiko Sticks (Bachi) How to Make Tire Taiko How to Raise Money TaikoSkin Podcast The TaikoSkin podcast covers a whole range of topics related to taiko- building drums, starting groups, getting performances offers, going to grad school. Just about anything really. Download them in the iTunes store, or find all of the episodes here. As always, take care and keep on drummin'.

Do you ever just get sick and tired of taiko? Or of anything for that matter? You do it because you think you love it, and you've devoted a big part of your life to it. But at some point, it can just become too much. You don't enjoy it the same way you once did. You feel obligated to stick with it, but there's a part of you that just wants to walk away. This is a burnout, and we'll be talking about it in this episode of the TaikoSkin Podcast. audioPlayer( "EP17BRN", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Burnout.mp3", "Taiko Burnout") Tip of the Month Throw away your bachi sticks! Sticks get old after a while, and though they can be fixed up, often times it's just better to get knew ones. Why? When they're damaged, they can hurt your drums.  Video of the Month This month's video is found on the United Nations Website. It's a live recording of Ondekoza and a group of Japanese musicians performing at the UN Headquarters, as a part of the commemoration tour for the earthquake in Japan.  This is the link for the video if you need it. Feedback Send in your questions and comments to: [email protected]  Here are some other taiko related resources you might find helpful: Taiko Information: Taiko Playing Styles Why are Taiko Drums So Expensive? How to Play Taiko Drums 5 Ways to Get Better at Taiko Finding and Learning Taiko Music Getting in Taiko Playing Shape Taiko Drums vs Other Percussion Taiko Building: Where to Get Taiko Drums How to Make a Happi Coat How to Make a Taiko Drum How to Make Handles on a Taiko Drum How to Make Shime and Oke Taiko Heads How to Make Taiko Skin (Drum Heads from Cow Hide How to Make Practice Taiko Drums How to Paint a Taiko Drum How to Make Practice Shime Drums How to Make Taiko Sticks (Bachi) How to Make Tire Taiko How to Raise Money TaikoSkin Podcast The TaikoSkin podcast covers a whole range of topics related to taiko- building drums, starting groups, getting performances offers, going to grad school. Just about anything really. Download them in the iTunes store, or find all of the episodes here. As always, take care and keep on drummin'.

If you play a lot of taiko, or any other musical instrument for that matter, you may have considered the possibility of getting a formal education in music. It's a career enhancing move that many musicians take. In this TaikoSkin Podcast, we ask Isaku about his experiences at the Berklee School of Music and his reasons for going there. We'd love to hear your experiences too. Share them with us at  [email protected], or leave us a comment below. Likewise, if you have any questions for Isaku about getting a musical education. Tip of the Month Make yourself some business cards. It gives you credibility, and makes it far easier for people to contact you- which also means you'll be easier to ask for gigs. Video of the Month And here's the link if you need it: Ondekoza (Taiko Drummers of Mt Fuji) Click play below to hear the podcast, and if you're looking for our back episodes, and all of Joe Small's bits about Kodo, you can find them all at the iTunes link below:  audioPlayer( "EP15FE", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Formal%20Education.mp3", "Getting a Formal Musical Education") TaikoSkin on iTunes

In this edition, we're taking a look at taiko group culture- the 'atmospheres' and 'funiki' of a group. Some are more 'Japanese' than others, but what does that mean? We talk about the seemingly arcane social hierarchies that exist in Japan, and how these are reflected in a place like a taiko group. Isaku and I talk about our personal experiences in taiko groups, and the senpai/kohai relationships that have existed there.  Tip of the Month Want to get better? Then take a video of yourself practicing and playing. We've all done it, but we tend to get lazy about it sometimes. In many ways it can be better than a mirror. If you find yourself in a rut, it might just be the key to get you over the hurdle. And an extra tip from Isaku... don't get a camera with a hard-disk- all that drumming can shake your camera to death.  Video of the Month  Here is some incredible drumming from Neal Smith, jazz drummer and professor at the Berklee School of Music. Watch Prof. Smith as he 'solos in the context of the tune' in this video of the 'Cup Bearers':   And the link if you need it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pY_mO4_kjw&feature=youtu.be Here's this months TaikoSkin episode: audioPlayer( "EP9GC", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Group%20Culture.mp3", "Taiko Group Culture") TaikoSkin in the iTunes Store You can find the TaikoSkin Podcast on iTunes, so simply go to the following link to listen and download episodes (yes, for free, don't worry). http://itunes.apple.com/ne/podcast/taiko-skin/id430141469 If you're an iTunes user, simply search for TaikoSkin in the iTunes store and you can subscribe to the podcast and download all the episodes. If you don't use iTunes, simply paste the following feed address into your music software, and then you'll be able to transfer any episodes onto your portable player. http://taikoskin.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default As always, if you have questions, ideas or just want to pitch in, throw us an email to: [email protected] Keep on drummin' everyone. 

Starting a taiko group? Needless to say, it isn't easy, but it's probably not as hard as you think either. We'll be giving a few tips and stories about starting a group over the course of a few episodes. In this first episode, we talk about the importance of finding someone to work with in getting your group going.  We'd love to hear your experiences with your taiko group. Please do share them with us at [email protected], or leave us a comment below.  Tip of the Month Reply to emails! And don't leave it aside for too long. Especially if you're in charge of your taiko groups' account. Your emails can make or break the chance of getting a gig. Video of the Month And here's the link if you need it: Amanojaku "Soul Beat" DVD Trailer  For anyone starting/running a taiko group, here's a few links that may help out:  -Getting Taiko Gigs Podcast-Taiko Networking Podcast-5 Ways to Get More Performance Offers Click play below to hear the podcast, and if you're looking for our back episodes, and all of Joe Small's bits about Kodo, you can find them all at the iTunes link below:  audioPlayer( "EP14STG", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Starting%20A%20Taiko%20Group.mp3", "Starting a Taiko Group") TaikoSkin on iTunes

Taiko in Japan? Taiko in the US? What's the difference? Is taiko in Japan as strict as they say? Isaku and I talk about how taiko groups in the two countries approach taiko. They're pretty different, and if you're going from one to the other, it might be a good idea to know what you're in for. We also give a few suggestions on how to avoid being too rude when you first meet another group. Tip of the Month Want to promote yourself? Make a 'Promo Box' to make your life easier. Here's the link on how to do that: http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2009/07/promo-box-on-your-desktop/ Video of the Month *(I know I said 'Video of the Week' in the episode.. sorry!) Here's On Ensemble with their piece, 'After Rain'. Great vid, fun listen, check it out:  Here's the link if you need it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiqBIuM-1DI Here's this month's podcast: audioPlayer( "EP8JUS", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/japanamerica.mp3", "Taiko in Japan vs America") TaikoSkin in the iTunes Store You can find the TaikoSkin Podcast on iTunes, so simply go to the following link to listen and download episodes (yes, for free, don't worry). http://itunes.apple.com/ne/podcast/taiko-skin/id430141469 If you're an iTunes user, simply search for TaikoSkin in the iTunes store and you can subscribe to the podcast and download all the episodes. If you don't use iTunes, simply paste the following feed address into your music software, and then you'll be able to transfer any episodes onto your portable player. http://taikoskin.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default As always, if you have questions, ideas or just want to pitch in, throw us an email to: [email protected] Keep on drummin' everyone.

We all want to be the best. The best player, the best group. And we compare ourselves to others in order to gauge where we stand. And this leads to competition, sometimes heated, sometimes passive. But is this healthy for the group? Does it lead to players getting better? And for anyone interested in what life is like at Kodo, we have a guest speaker, Joe Small, talk about his apprenticeship there. Check it out, its worth the listen. Tip of the Month Don't be a chameleon, don't be superficial, don't be disconnected, biased or overly formal. And don't over-network. The Harvard Business Review provides an excellent article, and a four-step process to better networking. It isn't about the numbers, it's about having a few, close and important connections in the right place. Here's the link the article (you'll have to register to read it all, but it's well worth it): http://hbr.org/2011/07/managing-yourself-a-smarter-way-to-network/ar/1 Video of the Month This guy is awesome. Don't know where it was recorded, or who the drummer is. But it's worth the watch, check it out. Plus the jump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cXxQ5kQVO0 Click play below to hear this podcast: audioPlayer( "EP10CP", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Competition.mp3", "Taiko and Competition")   TaikoSkin in the iTunes Store You can find the TaikoSkin Podcast on iTunes, so simply go to the following link to listen and download episodes (yes, for free, don't worry). http://itunes.apple.com/ne/podcast/taiko-skin/id430141469 If you're an iTunes user, simply search for TaikoSkin in the iTunes store and you can subscribe to the podcast and download all the episodes. If you don't use iTunes, simply paste the following feed address into your music software, and then you'll be able to transfer any episodes onto your portable player. http://taikoskin.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default As always, if you have questions, ideas or just want to pitch in, throw us an email to: [email protected] Keep on drummin' everyone.

What is life like as a professional taiko drummer? What are the necessary skills, and what do you need to be ready for? We talk about some of our personal experiences of drumming as a full-time job. Our guest, Joe Small also talks about his experiences in the professional taiko group, Kodo. It's an eye-opening talk about what it's really like in the world of an apprentice. And here's a link to our first TaikoSkin Podcast episode, where we first started talking about professional taiko. Quality's low, but check it out. Tip of the Month Learn a different musical instrument, besides taiko. And the earlier you start, the better. Video of the Month Stefon Harris talks about how actions are perceived as mistakes only because we don't react to them appropriately. Feedback  We recently received an email about some problems with the player, specifically when used with Chrome. We're working on a solution, but for now, you can listen to all the episodes from the iTunes store (for free of course): TaikoSkin on iTunes We are always looking for your feedback. Do let us know if you've noticed any technical issues, or have general questions/comments about our podcast. You can send them in to [email protected] Here's the actual podcast: audioPlayer( "EP12PT2", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Pro%20Taiko.mp3", "Professional Taiko 2") As always, take care and keep on drummin'.

If money, time and language weren't an issue, I think most taiko players out there would seriously consider an opportunity to train in Japan. But is it really worth it? Or is it just a preconceived notion that going to Japan makes you better? We'll be talking about this and more in this Taiko Skin podcast episode. We also have Joe Small as a guest once again, to talk about life at Kodo, and the senpai-kohai relationship in Japan. Tip of the Month Make a website and get your name out there. Step 1: Build a website (build one here) Step 2: Search engine optimization (add your site to a directory) Step 3: Drive traffic to your site (share your articles) Video of the Month Incredible talk and demonstration by deaf percussionist, Evelyn Glennie. Feedback  Click play below, or go to iTunes for previous episodes: audioPlayer( "EP11TJ", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/Training%20in%20Japan.mp3", "Taiko Training in Japan") TaikoSkin on iTunes We are always looking for your feedback. Do let us know if you've noticed any technical issues, or have general questions/comments about our podcast. You can send them in to [email protected] As always, take care and keep on drummin'.

Hope everyone has had a great 2012 so far, and that those resolutions are still keeping up. To kick start the new year, we'll be taking a break from our usual format, and instead Isaku and I will be talking about 3 things we learned in 2011, and 3 things we want to work on in 2012. We'd love to hear your new year resolutions too- we know you've got some. Do share them with us- who knows, it might help you keep them for longer! [email protected] Click play below for the podcast, and if you're looking for our back episodes you can find them all at the iTunes link below:  audioPlayer( "EP13NE", "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10907961/TaikoSkinPodcast/New%20Years%20Podcast.mp3", "New Years Taiko") TaikoSkin on iTunes Once again, best wishes for the new year, and we do hope to hear from you. Keep on drummin'.  Related articlesYou: Hayashi drums up a birthday performance (japantimes.co.jp)Morikami celebrates Japanese new year (pbpulse.com)