Forums > Social Discussion > Translation of skills--Percussion to Poi
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
Member
32 posts
Location: Wakayama-ken, USA
Member
32 posts
Location: Wakayama-ken, USA
Posted:
I feel exceptionally cool just now. I just taught one of my pals, Jeff (who has been watching me do poi for a little while now), how to do the butterfly and the weave--solidly--both in about 15 minutes. I'm really stoked about how fast he picked it up, whether or not it's a testament to my teaching abilities. Although I actually AM a teacher, I'd guess it has more to do with his being a drummer than anything.
Does that make sense to anybody else? As a drummer (set player) you have to have good independent motion in as many parts of your body as possible, good rhythm, hands that are used to committing patterns to muscle memory, being able to move without thought or hesitation through a sequence, etc. I think that these are big, big advantages to learning poi. I've read conflicting commentary on people with martial arts training finding their skills translate to various degrees, but I think the skills of the serious percusion player are equally beneficial. Now I just need to find the kung-fu jazz-drummer and turn them into a poi-GOD.
Personally, I think that a lot of my ease at picking up poi came from some rifle, saber and flag color guard training, being used to stuff flying around my face and body, and having learned to operate based on muscle memory rather than conscious thought. Maybe when I'm satisfied with my poi skills, I might pick up staff too, as I think that'll be even more like what I already know.
What do you guys think? Any trained drummers out there? Ever taught a percussionist poi? How about other skills or activities that would lend themselves to picking up poi easily? Color guard? Trained dancers of various stripes? Yo-yo experts maybe? Maybe we should come up with a list...
I feel exceptionally cool just now. I just taught one of my pals, Jeff (who has been watching me do poi for a little while now), how to do the butterfly and the weave--solidly--both in about 15 minutes. I'm really stoked about how fast he picked it up, whether or not it's a testament to my teaching abilities. Although I actually AM a teacher, I'd guess it has more to do with his being a drummer than anything.
Does that make sense to anybody else? As a drummer (set player) you have to have good independent motion in as many parts of your body as possible, good rhythm, hands that are used to committing patterns to muscle memory, being able to move without thought or hesitation through a sequence, etc. I think that these are big, big advantages to learning poi. I've read conflicting commentary on people with martial arts training finding their skills translate to various degrees, but I think the skills of the serious percusion player are equally beneficial. Now I just need to find the kung-fu jazz-drummer and turn them into a poi-GOD.
Personally, I think that a lot of my ease at picking up poi came from some rifle, saber and flag color guard training, being used to stuff flying around my face and body, and having learned to operate based on muscle memory rather than conscious thought. Maybe when I'm satisfied with my poi skills, I might pick up staff too, as I think that'll be even more like what I already know.
What do you guys think? Any trained drummers out there? Ever taught a percussionist poi? How about other skills or activities that would lend themselves to picking up poi easily? Color guard? Trained dancers of various stripes? Yo-yo experts maybe? Maybe we should come up with a list...
"To my delight, I discovered that poi are amazing movement exploration tools. They are guides. They are teachers. They are like Yoda, only smaller and on strings." --Nick Woolsey, also known as Meenik
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Posted:
I find all musicians are good at picking up juggly stuff, of all the peaple ive given a contact ball to, the ones who get it straight away tend to be a musician of some kind.
Its also an issue of cordination, this improves with practice, no matter what you practice, so having spent 4 years getting your brain/body inteface honed in whatever skill then it translates very easily to something else.
oh, did i mention i was a drummer before i took up poi?
T
I find all musicians are good at picking up juggly stuff, of all the peaple ive given a contact ball to, the ones who get it straight away tend to be a musician of some kind.
Its also an issue of cordination, this improves with practice, no matter what you practice, so having spent 4 years getting your brain/body inteface honed in whatever skill then it translates very easily to something else.
oh, did i mention i was a drummer before i took up poi?
T
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Posted:
My best mate's a drummer and he's amazing at poi, but he thinks of them as very seperate disciplines. He thinks of drumming as catharsis, an artistic expression of it, sure, but not the same as spinning, which I think he views as more technical (he's the most technical drummer I've ever met, by the way, I have no idea how to work out what time sig he's playing most of the time) and more a creation of his... he likes to become part of the fire.. I guess you'd call it "flow" which loads of people seem to refer to here.
He's been drumming for about 8 years or something now and only been doing poi for about 6 months, but already poi is taking over his life! He's on here as poi_boy, hope he sees this and replies as I'm sure he'll have something strange and incoherent to add. But like I say, he's a drummer - you can't expect sense out of him
My best mate's a drummer and he's amazing at poi, but he thinks of them as very seperate disciplines. He thinks of drumming as catharsis, an artistic expression of it, sure, but not the same as spinning, which I think he views as more technical (he's the most technical drummer I've ever met, by the way, I have no idea how to work out what time sig he's playing most of the time) and more a creation of his... he likes to become part of the fire.. I guess you'd call it "flow" which loads of people seem to refer to here.
He's been drumming for about 8 years or something now and only been doing poi for about 6 months, but already poi is taking over his life! He's on here as poi_boy, hope he sees this and replies as I'm sure he'll have something strange and incoherent to add. But like I say, he's a drummer - you can't expect sense out of him
What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau
SILVER Member
Member
82 posts
Location: Netherlands - Hengelo
Member
82 posts
Location: Netherlands - Hengelo
Posted:
Hmm I play trumpet, and the first time i picked up a set of poi I did the weave in like 10 seconds without hitting myself.. But i've played a lot with 'swords' (wooden sticks) when I was a kid, and i used to wave around with those...
Hmm I play trumpet, and the first time i picked up a set of poi I did the weave in like 10 seconds without hitting myself.. But i've played a lot with 'swords' (wooden sticks) when I was a kid, and i used to wave around with those...
Hij die zijn kind benzine voert moet niet roken als het boert.
Love you MyIng 
mikes bitch
387 posts
Location: manchester/northampton/where the wind blows
387 posts
Location: manchester/northampton/where the wind blows
Posted:
im well just sh*t at it. still a newbie tho, n not musical...
im well just sh*t at it. still a newbie tho, n not musical...
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music - angela monet.
GOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Hi towery, good question. Though the one I’ve always been meaning to ask is how well do poi skills translation to percussion?
I’m asking this as an aspiring wannabe drummer. Do you think being articulate in poi would help a person pick up drumming?
Hi towery, good question. Though the one I’ve always been meaning to ask is how well do poi skills translation to percussion?
I’m asking this as an aspiring wannabe drummer. Do you think being articulate in poi would help a person pick up drumming?
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
SILVER Member
Pasta of Muppets
2,722 posts
Location: in the interwebs..., United Kingdom
Pasta of Muppets
2,722 posts
Location: in the interwebs..., United Kingdom
Posted:
Thats me in a nutshell, but I am a singer and pianist and guitarist...
So a sense of rhythm and space are the most important qualities in Poi?
Written by: Nantheos
the first time i picked up a set of poi I did the weave in like 10 seconds without hitting myself.. But i've played a lot with 'swords' (wooden sticks) when I was a kid, and i used to wave around with those...
Thats me in a nutshell, but I am a singer and pianist and guitarist...
So a sense of rhythm and space are the most important qualities in Poi?
ohmygodlaserbeamspewpewpew!
SILVER Member
Member
82 posts
Location: Netherlands - Hengelo
Member
82 posts
Location: Netherlands - Hengelo
Posted:
And being used to do those things with your hands I guess. Like piano or guitar, or drums for that matter...
Written by: =Flashpoint=
Thats me in a nutshell, but I am a singer and pianist and guitarist...
So a sense of rhythm and space are the most important qualities in Poi?
And being used to do those things with your hands I guess. Like piano or guitar, or drums for that matter...
Hij die zijn kind benzine voert moet niet roken als het boert.
Love you MyIng
member
43 posts
Location: Bexhill england
43 posts
Location: Bexhill england
Posted:
im a drumer and it took me about 15/20 mins to pick up the wave by myself and then another 5 or so to get the buterfly. everytime i practice i have a constant rythem in my head usaly end up makeing some kind of song up to it aswell it weird.
im a drumer and it took me about 15/20 mins to pick up the wave by myself and then another 5 or so to get the buterfly. everytime i practice i have a constant rythem in my head usaly end up makeing some kind of song up to it aswell it weird.
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