tigger

hey shay,
there's nothing wrong with drum hopping at a pow wow as long as you've been accepted by the drums that you are hopping to. if you have not been invited to sit on the other drum/drums then don't sit down. it's only going to hurt you in the long run cause you could get a black label.
like Honkee said, "A drum is a family". this is so true. but also, singers in general can be a family. and drums do talk to one another about other singers and it might end up that if he gets a label, it could end up as a bad thing or good depending on the label.

keith

T's Girl

I have a question for all you singers. My man sits on a good Northern Drum. He loves to sing - and does all day and night. ;) But he has a problem - he loves to sing on ALL the drums that come around. If his group is taking a break, he will go over to another group and sing. He floats around each pow-wow from group to group, "helping" all the other drums out.

Here's the problem: I watch these other groups when he is not singing with them, and they don't really seem to care for him. They call him a "showoff" - they laugh at him when he walks away. :( This makes me very sad.

He is a young singer, but loves to sing. I have tried to discourage him from jumping from one drum to another, until he can "belong" to a group, but I feel like if he doesn't stop this, no one will take him serious down the road. He is in college, and is a good guy, and I would like to one day be his wife. :) I just need help in telling him how bad he is making himself look.

Out of respect for his drum, please do not ask where he is from. I just need advice, please.

Thank you, Shay

DCP

Tough situation- You don't want your guy to be labelled a "drum whore." Not much you can really do, though. Maybe you can share an analogy with him:

A drum is a family. To drum-hop all over the place is like inviting yourself to dinner at strangers' houses.

I only drum-hop with the drums that I have a positive rapport with or if a drum has travelled a long way, I may sing one song with them and shake all their hands and introduce myself as a way to welcome them.

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jdread

GOOD TOPIC!!! DRUM GROUPS USALLY ARE FORMED FROM A CORE GROUP. AN WITH NEW SINGERS COMING ON TO A CERTAIN GROUP, THEY (NEW SINGER) SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT GROUP'S FEELING TOWARD DRUM HOPPING. AS FOR MYSELF, A GOOD SONG IS A GOOD SONG, AND IF IT'S IN MY HEART TO SING THAT SONG AND ANOTHER GROUP ALLOWS ME TO SIT IN, I'M SINGING. "BUT ONLY IF I KNOW THE SONG".

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if your not singing from the heart don't sing at all

Smokin' Ace

I guess that the whole point of this topic is not the fact that her man is jumping from drum to drum, but that he is not showing respect for doing so - that's my take. Knowing a good song and singing it with everything you got is diff from just grabbing a stick and moving in so you can be seen at a certain drum. That, to me, is very unattractive. And disrespectful to the members who are jamming. I have seen people move in and when the song is done, will just get up and do shake their boys hands, but not the members of the drum they just hopped on. Man, talk about being used!

I think that if you know the song and know you can really jam on it and feel comfortable in joining, go for it - but give props to the people that let you sit in - shake everyone's hands - and don't forget to thank the drum for allowing you to sing in the first place. ;)

Still celebrating :D

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SouthernDrumSinger

What everyone has said here is true. Ace, I agree with you. When you sit in with a group that is singing a song you like, jam like it is your last time singing. BUT when you are done with that song it is ALWAYS good to shake everyone's hand at that drum, thank the head singer for allowing you to sing with his group, and show respect for the group that you just sang with. If this is done, you will leave a good impression on that group and will give you a better opportunity to sit in with them again. I drum hop but I only drum hop with the drums that I feel comfortable singing with. I never just pull up a chair and sit down, I ask the head singer first, then sit down if I am allowed. If not, I still stand behind the drum or off to the side and still sing my little heart out. Good Luck....

SDS

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SouthernDrumSinger

Big Chocolate Thunder

Interesting topic. I agree with all that I have read on the board. I agree that a drum is a family and all singers in general are related through the gift of singing. I think drum-hopping is alright as long as the "hopper" shows respect. As long as respect is shown and courtesy is exercised then why would anyone be turned away? It's disrespectful to just try hop on when the drum is doing a specific song for someone/something or contest. Courtesy and respect are some of the biggest things people and drums take note of and if this is not shown then the offending party will simply not be welcome the next time an opportunity shows itself.