[bkidd]

A recent review of the literature on static stretching and its effect on performance was published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (Kay AD and Blazevich AJ, 2011). They examined 106 articles that met their inclusion criteria, and found that short durations of static stretching (< 60 seconds) had no detrimental effect on maximal muscle performance (this was independent of muscle group or stretch). The article is available for free through PubMed, but I'll just post their conclusion, which is relevant to this topic.

CONCLUSION:
The detrimental effects of static stretch are mainly limited to longer durations (≥60 s) which may not be typically used during pre-exercise routines in clinical, healthy or athletic populations. Shorter durations of stretch (<60 s) can be performed in a pre-exercise routine without compromising maximal muscle performance.

The bottom line is that a pre-drumming stretch and warm-up should have no negative effect on your performance. Like e2c, I also find that warming up helps me get into the groove sooner. Starting out "cold", and then trying to come out in a blazing fast tempo usually makes me more tense and painful. Plus, I have to work through any stiffness, which always compromises playing.

Best,
-Brian

[bkidd]

Garvin wrote:
I've always wondered about these kinds of sticks. I guess I've never really seen them used. Are they more rounded than they look in the pic? I feel like I would severely damage a drum with those. Maybe I hit too hard? Then again, maybe these are used for more mellow accompinaments with kora/bala etc.? I don't know. Do you have any info on when these are "supposed" to be used vs. other kinds of sticks?

Drumskulls sells these sticks and advertises them as Mali konkoni sticks.
http://www.drumskulldrums.com/en2/22/Sh ... ainID=3346

They are super light and work fine with dununs. I've never seen anyone put them through the head of a dunun, but I have seen the "head" of the stick pop off (it's glued into the shaft of the stick to create the right-angle shape).

Best,
-Brian

[e2c]

Rachel's teacher sells them, too - that's where I got mine.

Maybe she can post the link here?

fwiw, the lightweight Guinean and Malian sticks that I've used (the former came from Famoudou and were given to a friend) were not glued together. They were shaped so that the pieces fit together without any need for that...

[bkidd]

It's good that this problem has been solved by someone. It was a little embarrassing to have the head pop off during playing and try to push them back together.

[e2c]

I can imagine!

[michi]

fwiw, the lightweight Guinean and Malian sticks that I've used (the former came from Famoudou and were given to a friend) were not glued together. They were shaped so that the pieces fit together without any need for that...

I watched Sega Cisse make one of those sticks in Bamako. They are made out of a very pale, light-weight wood that is very soft, almost like Balsa. Sega had a stick of that wood and another piece for the head and whittled it down with a pocket knife. The head is held in place by a press fit: the hole in the stick is a little smaller than the shaft of the head, making for quite a secure join.

Cheers,

Michi.

[djembefeeling]

If my recollection doesn't baffle me, Rainer Polak told us that the material of the konkoni sticks is from the caulis of the raffia palm. It looks somewhat angular, but there is no way you could harm a cowskin with this soft material. it is used for the konkoni exactly because you even cannot hurt the worn-out goatskins used for the konkonis...

[djembefeeling]

by the way: I've been playing the ballet style dununs a couple of hours ago for my students and paid much more attention to the technique. I use straight sticks and my right wrist felt uncomfortable after a little while playing sort of fast. I noticed that it is better for me not to be level with the top of the duns, but to hold my hands at least 5 inches above level. then I can relax my wrists much more and swing the "noodles" with the least possible movement of my arms and hands. I also tried the between-middle-and-index-finger thing. felt good! I think playing whis way fast and for long will cause terrible blisters when you start doing this, but after a while your skin will adapt, I guess.

[e2c]

Well, you could try taping your hands a bit before playing...

[Daniel Preissler]

concerning the "Mali vs. Guinea" subject:
palm sticks are used in Guinea, too. For tamas, tandanis and sometimes for dunduns (sangban).
many drummers use straight sticks for sangban, but many others use curved ones (curved "away from the drum", so quite the opposite of the palm stick constructions but of one piece). These are my favourites over the last years.

Greets, d

[e2c]

Daniel - I think not many people in the US have seen or used the Guinean palm sticks... i only know about them due to the fact that Famoudou Konate gave a couple of them to a friend who is a dununfola. I have used those and like them a bit better than the Mali-style palm sticks, since they're smaller and fit my in my hands a bit more comfortably.

Would *love* to find a source for the Guinea-style palm sticks!

...but many others use curved ones (curved "away from the drum", so quite the opposite of the palm stick constructions but of one piece)

Do you have a picture that you could post?

[rachelnguyen]

I have seen the heads pop off a few times. A good player just keeps on going, LOL.

Here's a picture of mine. I have been playing them for well over a year now. I am going to get more of them when I am in Mali in January... but these have been great. They have worn, but the joints are still very tight.

And yes, these are press fit, not glued. I have even repaired some myself.

Thanks for telling me the actual name of the plant. I never knew.

By the way, I painted the red stripes because I have had more than one person try and walk off with them at gigs, LOL. I wanted to make sure folks knew they were mine!

Rachel

[Daniel Preissler]

here are two: one, very strongly curved (too much, imo) top right, under Camio's name; and one at the very bottom

[Daniel Preissler]

Here's me while playing with Tolonba and Mansa in 2010 (Lukas dancing, some local djembe teacher playing the last piece with us). These sticks are used for Sangban and for Kensedeni (for the latter a bit less I'ld say). The Dundunba has some special versions (several with a thicker ending for a better balance and weight).

Would *love* to find a source for the Guinea-style palm sticks!

how much would you pay? d;-)

[e2c]

Daniel - thanks so much for the photos and for explaining a bit more. I have seen these sticks in videos, but it's been a while.

Now, to source some for myself... heehee.