Video demonstrating pilon rhythm played on the Congas

Drum lick from selection for beginner to intermediate drummers from www.therhythmlab.com

Drumming and dancing in Bamako, Mali. This was a recording at a Janjigi ceremony in 2007.

Thanks to www.rootsyrecords.com

Djembe drumming and dancing. Rootsymali says "Some clips of a recent wedding I drummed at in Bamako, Mali."

Thanks to www.rootsyrecords.com

Vic Firth artist Alex Gonzalez, nicknamed "El Animal" is the driving force behind Mexico's multi-platinum band MANA. Check out Alex, live and in concert, in this drumset podcast.

Music has been a part of Tony Royster's life from the very beginning. Over the years, Tony has made the amazing musical journey from sleeping in his father's guitar case and sitting in with the band at the age of three, to taking the stage and performing for audiences at PASIC, Modern Drummer Festival, Montreal Drumfest and many more! Don't miss our interview with Tony to hear more about his early days as well as some of his current projects.

Video from Concert Percussion Series. Second of Gary Burton's Vibraphone Masterclass, focusses on correct mallet grip and attack of the vibes.

Threads, written by Paul Lansky for So Percussion in 2005, is a "contata" for percussion quartet in ten short movements. There are three "threads" that are interwoven in the piece: Arias and Preludes that focus on the metallic pitched sounds; Choruses in which drumming predominates; and Recitatives made largely from Cage-like "noise" instruments. The aims of the different threads are to highlight the wide range of qualitities that percussion instruments are capable of, from lyrical and tender to forceful and aggressive, and weave them into one continuous texture. Presented this week are movements 1-5.

Video of Djembe drumming and singing with African dancing.

The soundtrack to this advert is 'Something in the Air' by Phil Collins. To start with the mood is quite gentle and the gorilla sits passively in facial close-up. But then about two thirds of the way through the camera pulls back to reveal that the gorilla is seated at a drum kit. The gorilla suddenly plays a loud tom fill followed by very heavy two-handed (flams) snare hits on beats 2 and 4 of the bar (the 'backbeats').

KS2/3 idea: Discuss with pupils what is the musical effect of the heavy backbeats. Get them to count the beats of the bar out loud at the beginning, then after a few more seconds get them to mime (or play) on beats 2 and 4 - do they match the gorilla when it begins playing? Can KS3 pupils describe what the bass drum is doing (even though they can't see)