Drum circle - Notable Drum Circle facilitators

Mickey Hart

• Arthur Hull
• Babatunde Olatunji

Drum circle - Professional drum circle facilitators

Professional groups exist in most countries to serve various markets. They are firmly established as a team building activity in the world of corporate training and drum circle companies are regular visitors to schools. There is also a growing body of facilitators working in places such as hospitals, prisons, and hospices using drumming as a therapeutic tool.

Drum circle - Shamanic drum circle

This type of circle tends to center around Native American Cultural Drums and rattles but is primarily focusing on the spiritual rather than the musical aspects of the culture. They are a facilitated circle but the leader is facilitating a shamanic journey type process rather than a musical event. Shamanic drumming is generally simple and repetitive, often considered as a form of prayer or method of trance induction, rather than as music or entertainment. During a shamanic trance or shamanic journey, the shaman uses the steady beat of the drum as a "lifeline" to find the way back to the world of ordinary consciousness.

Drum circle - Neopaganism

Neopagans have created another type of drum circle. At Neopagan festivals, people gather around a large bonfire, the drummers generally sitting on one side to encourage better listening. The musicians sit together and play while dancers dance and circle around the fire. Often, those present will stay and play throughout the night until dawn, treating the evening as a magical (or alchemical) working. Sound is not limited to drumming alone; there is also chanting, singing, poetry, and spoken word pieces. This type of drum circle is not usually facilitated.

Drum circle - Solstice Drum Circles

Summer Solstice Drum circles are growing throughout the world and many of the participants are of various faiths. The summer solstice is the day of the year with the longest daylight period and hence the shortest night. Winter Solstice drum circles are also growing in popularity. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. These Winter Solstice drum circles are often referred to as "Drumming up the Sun", and will frequently begin before dawn.

Drum circle - The anarchic drum circle

Anarchic drum circles are open gatherings of drummers with no formal leadership or moderation. The structure is often casual as the participants themselves are responsible for the starting and stopping of rhythms. Once a rhythm is introduced, others follow and contribute their own accents to build the beat organically until it either evolves into a new rhythm or loses its momentum and stops. Listening, improvisation and restraint are the keys to following the ever shifting layers of rhythm.

Drum circle - The culturally specific drum circle

This is generally an informal gathering of drummers and percussionists who have some knowledge and skill in sets of rhythms that are specific to a culture. They would tend to use instruments that are authentic in relation to that culture. They may be peer led or given structure by teachers or performers.