DRUMS
THE WORSHIP DRUM CIRCLE – ART AND INTERCESSION | Carl Albrecht
OK , I honestly have no idea where this is headed . With so many articles and teaching years under my belt I feel compelled to take us down another road . Well , actually it is an on-going journey . Let ’ s walk a while … or maybe march , if you will . Enter the “ Worship Drum Circle .”
Drum circles have been around for a very long time . Drumming is in every culture . Throughout history drumming was used for every event . A call to battle and a call to retreat … marching to celebrate and marching to mourn … setting a pulse to race by and setting the pace to rest . Yes , drumming can be restful and healing . To be clear I see all music , and that includes drumming , as a creation of God . Yes , the enemy tries to steal everything God made , but we know whose it is … and so in our world we serve , celebrate , and worship HIM with our drumming . We are His … “ kings and priest ” in the earth . And so all the sound we make comes from His Spirit in us .
So let ’ s start a drum circle in our church , or home , or gathering where ever it may be . A “ Worship Drum Circle .”
I recommend calling together all the drummers and percussionists in your fellowship ; your “ circle ”. First , have a conversation over a nice cup o ’ jo ... talk about what this means . And then pray together . Yes , pray ! Because this will become much more than drumming . It will be a time to pray , to intercede , to make a sound as one . So that this circle of worship drummers will affect the realms of the spirit that God has forever called musicians to step into . It ’ s very much a “ Davidic ” anointing to change atmospheres . Like when David played for Saul . I do also highly recommend Terl Bryant ’ s book “ A Heart To Drum ”. Terl has a great way to communicate this calling , and his book gives the history and the Biblical grounding that will encourage you . This is not new age stuff … it is “ God ’ s age ” stuff for the days we live in . Even more so now than every before .
If you don ’ t know where to begin , first read the book and then watch a bunch of Psalm Drummers videos on YouTube . Terl Bryant and his crew have done many events and they are great inspiration for how to dive into this amazing world of worship drum circles . I specifically use that term because that has to be the focus of this endeavor . Keep your heart centered on the Lord and what His Spirit is leading your group to do during these gatherings . Even if you only start with two players , make it a time where you inquire of the Lord about what sounds to play , what prayers to prayer , what scriptures you might read , and what declarations you feel need to be made . Of course it can be just about playing music ( drum music ) as unto the Lord , and that would be just fine .
Some practical guidelines :
1 . Listen carefully to each other . This is about unity of mind , spirit , and sound . (“ They made a sound as one , and the glory fell .” – II Chronicles 5:13 )
2 . Allow one drummer to set the pace for a certain amount of time . Honor within the circle is very important . The leader can set up a basic rhythm or ostinato and then the other drummers can take turns interacting with that pattern . Yes , sort of like soloing over a groove . But don ’ t take on the mindset of showing off your best ideas … stay in an attitude of prayer and worship and let your spirit respond to whatever the Lord stirs within you .
3 . Start with shorter periods of playing and then take a break to talk about what was happening . Pray together and ask the Lord what to do next . He will tell you . Then allow another player to lead the group to create the basic rhythm that the others will respond to .
4 . It ’ s OK to use patterns and sectional ideas that may seem similar to marching band or percussion ensemble concepts . You will see this in the YouTube videos from Psalm Drummers . You should also start , sometimes , with scripture reading and / or prayers as part of the launch into the time of drumming .
5 . Start simple and build . Play ideas that are very simple at first . Adjust according to the skill of your group . Also , keep trying new ideas … sounds , grooves , and even new instruments . Like modern theatre groups that use anything for rhythm , keep an open mind to what you want to hear as a sound source . Trash cans , pots and pans , car parts and more … anything is possible . Ask the Lord at all times for the sound that He is stirring in the heavens , and see what that might release in the earth .
Worship the Lord with all your might and let the “ Worship Drum Circles ” arise !
Carl Albrecht Professional drummer for 30 + years , playing with Paul Baloche , Don Moen , Ron Kenoly , Abe Laboriel , LeAnn Rimes and others . He ’ s also a clinician , author & pastor . Contact Carl for coaching , online lessons , producing , or sessions . I ’ m still growing too .. www . CarlAlbrecht . com LMAlbrecht @ aol . com