I sometimes attend a weekly community drum circle. Why is the music so much fun one time, and so frustrating another time?
Community drum circles tend vary widely in quality, depending on the facilitator, participant demographics, the beginner to advanced ratio, and the general state of mind of the players. It can be very subjective. More than once, I have finished playing, feeling (one way or another), to discover that the guy next to me had been feeling just the opposite. Music is a many faceted and wonderful thing. Sometimes the source of irritation is obvious, like a loud aggressive drummer who is not listening to the rest of the group, drowning everyone else out. there are various interventions which might be tried, to reach the guy, but the best thing for you, the newbie, to do at that point is to move around the circle to see if there is a place where the sound isn’t too overbearing. It changes every few feet, in bigger rooms or outdoors. You might try earplugs, and/or switching from an overworked hand drum to bell or shakers. It is supposed to be fun, and relaxing. If you are frustrated or in pain,
