Ogres Are Like Onions

Written by Greg Whitt Monday, 19 July 2010 00:00

OGRES ARE LIKE ONIONS
Originally posted in Soundings on the Raleigh Drum Circle Yahoo Group, May 2004

SHREK: Ogres are like onions.

DONKEY: [Sniffs] They stink?

SHREK: Yes. No! Layers! Onions have layers! Ogres have layers! Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers. [Sighs]

DONKEY: Oh, you both have layers. Oh. [Sniffs] You know, not everybody likes onions. Cake! Everybody loves cakes! Cakes have layers.

from SHREK!, Dreamworks, 2001


One cool thing about visiting with kids is that you get to watch some great cartoons!  This is one of my favorites.  "Ogres are like onions."  Ha!  Now that's a philosophy!

Drum circles are like onions, too.  No, they don't stink!  They have layers.  At bigger events, the group sets up in concentric circles, like layers.  Often the instruments are arranged by timbre - the different types all sit together, like they do in an orchestra.  

Even the music itself has layers.  There are bottom-end bass drums like djuns, tantans, surdos, and gathering drums at the core.  Layer on some djembes and congas to make the groove.  Fill it in with smaller drums like doumbeks, frame drums, tablas, and paddle drums.  Add some wood: claves, sticks or krin to keep the count.  Cut it with metals like cowbells, agogos, tokes, gankogui, tambourines or shakers.  Wrap it up in soft sounds or ambient drones like rainsticks, singing bowls, spring drums, and didgeridoo.  Spice it with melodics like a samba whistle, balafon, flute, or voice.  

These are the layers of that sometimes lumbering, sometimes running, but always great beast we call a drum circle.  They are also the pieces used when building your own personal percussion kit.  If you're like me, drumming is addictive.  I started out small with a little kids drum, and the next thing you know I've got a music room at home!

So, I guess I'm saying BE AN OGRE. Add some layers. Fill out the sound. Pick up something new instead of playing that djembe all the time. You'll add some variety to your playing, and to the music of the drum circle as well.

Ogres are like onions???  OGRE: One Great Rhythm Experiment!!!