So I'm looking forward to Lilies and what to do there. I'm not certain exactly how much time I'll be able to be there, though the weekends and evenings look pretty certain. With that in mind, the only class I'm certain to run is a playing workshop that focuses on ensemble skills. The workshop will be open to all skill levels and there's stuff people can practice on their own from now to then.

Next, I'll offer up playing in phrases. Most rhythm sections in any type of performance group do not simply play the same repeating pattern over and over. Even when playing a basic background rhythm, the rhythm gets played in phrases. A typical phrase length is four bars, and that holds for ME drumming as well.

So, how do you play a four bar phrase with an ME rhythm? Simple! Change the fourth bar so it's different from the first three and provides a disctinct break in the flow. A lot of filled leads involve playing pickup notes at the end of each measure, so ending a phrase can be as simple as not playing those.

For example, let's look at Saidi: D-T- --D- D--- T---
A filled version: DkT- tkD- D-tk T-tk (last "tk" two are the pickup notes)
To make a phrase: DkT- tkD- D-tk T-tk / DkT- tkD- D-tk T-tk / DkT- tkD- D-tk T-tk / DkT- tkD- D-tk T---

The base being played under this lead can also change at phrase end, like this:
D-T- --D- D--- T-k- / D-T- --D- D--- T-k- / D-T- --D- D--- T-k- / D-T- --D- D--- T---

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Playing in phrases makes it easier on the dancers to follow. It gives them a structure in the music to use to phrase their own movements. Phrasing also allows other good things to happen during play, such as calling for a last phrase to let everybody end at the same time, gives explicit breaks to allow for rhythm changes, allows for planning solo breaks, and all sorts of good stuff.