Fuse Drumming

About

FUSE is a brainchild by Ministry of Rhythm, based in Tauranga, New Zealand. Fuse is the art of making music through finding rhythm in every day objects, but mostly buckets and trash cans

Story

FUSE is currently taught at close to 20 school's around the Tauranga region, from Te Puna to Papamoa. Students who are enrolled, get to participate in on site, weekly sessions, generally during school hours. They are taught the basics of rhythm, through the use of drum sticks on buckets and with term booklets which allow them to practice their beats on their own buckets at home. Fuse drumming notation are colour coded red and green, as are the buckets and flex tubs which we use in class. This enable students to associate the groove they are learning from the page to bucket.

We believe the rhythm’s taught in the FUSE program will greatly enhance your child’s development. Research show that children who learn a musical instrument do better in the classroom, and particularly in the maths department. The hand eye co-ordonation also helps for sports. Team work is another important aspect, as students learn to work together as a team, helping each other by providing a strong ryhthm within class, and preparing for performances in and out of school.

Students can then progress their beats/rhythms on to other larger buckets/rubbish bins, wooden poles, brooms, hands and feet body percussion, and beat box. The rhythm’s the learn will also help make an easier transition to learning any instrument, such as drums, piano, keyboard and guitar etc.

Students will often perform in school assemblies or outside during a lunch interval, demonstrating their skills to their classmates, teachers and parents. Some groups have the opportunity to perform at community events, and busking in the street to raise money for charity. Having the chance to perform, means that some children who may never had had the chance to perform in front of others get the chance to do so, but in a way that is less daunting, due to being in a group where everyone is doing the same thing. It is a win/win, as students gain confidence in performing, while the audience enjoys from a listeners perspective.

Top FUSE students will have the chance to lead, both in performances and productions. For those schools where we have adequate numbers enrolled, we offer a FUSE Production sometime during the year, where we use FUSE to tell story through using rhythm as the storyteller. Not a word is spoken, and what results is a powerful and effective means to both appreciate music through the rhythm’s demonstrated but also a story which teachers can debrief with their classes.