[Thanks to Joaoclima for the photo, rollover for credits.]

I was frustrated with my pandeiro practice a few months ago, because I felt like I had enough practice to keep up with and play along with some slower sambas / pagoda tunes - but my playing didn't sound right, it didn't "fit" the music.

My pandeiro teacher had always stressed the active use of the left hand - in particular to bring the pandeiro to meet the right hand when playing. To be clear - this is true, and is not the problem.

I originally wrote my notes below when I was still playing in a drum ensemble with a group of learners.

I've often wondered what was the (dare we say "karmic"?) reason for me to spend 2 years as a Tech Director at a school. I think one of the significant things I gained was an interest in examining the learning process. One thing my time at the school taught me was the basic concepts of not only learning, but reflecting on your learning. How do you learn? What makes learning easier or harder? And what have you learned? What came easily, and what took work - and how do you feel about either?

Over the winter I was pretty frustrated, because I wanted to do more "micro-drumming" - i.e. spend 5-10 minutes practicing the pandeiro, or on the congas remembering some of the old rhythms I used to play with my first drum teacher. But I was cold, and the circulation in my hands is terrible. Drumming is not made for cold weather. In a very non-rigorous scientific observation, I can't think of any hand drumming tradition that comes from cold countries. Barring the Irish frame drum of course; but there is ample evidence that this drum came up from North Africa anyway. (No, I can't cite sources - I told you this was non-rigorous).