January Groove Garden is here! A warm welcome to all of our new members! Post your handpan goals for 2026 below! Wishing all the best and a groovy new year!

❄️ January Groove Garden 🤍 Groove Garden Theme for January: “The Fresh Page” The New Year brings a clean slate. While the world often rushes to make loud resolutions, January in the Groove Garden is about the potential of the empty space. It is the quiet snow before the footprints. This month, we are focusing on space, clarity, and intentionality. Instead of rushing to fill the silence, we will explore how to frame it. We are listening before we play and finding the courage to try something completely new. Intentions for the Month: • Embrace silence and "rests" as dynamic parts of your playing. • Approach your instrument with curiosity rather than expectation. • Set a musical intention that feels exciting, not like a chore. 🌱 Groove Garden Prompts for January: Explore, Record, and Share Step onto the fresh snow of the New Year by exploring these prompts. Remember, you are painting on a blank canvas—there are no mistakes, only new textures! The First Breath Sit with your instrument in silence for ten seconds. Then, play the very first sound, rhythm, or note that feels right. Don't overthink it. Let that first sound evolve into a short, 30-second improvisation. This is your musical "inhale" for the year. The Power of Pause Groove isn't just about the notes; it's about the space between them. Create a groove or melody where you play less than usual. Force yourself to leave gaps. Let the silence be the loudest part of the performance. The Sonic Resolution Try one thing you’ve never done before. This could be a totally new tuning, holding your pick/sticks differently, using a weird sound setting, or playing a genre you usually skip. Record a snippet of this "new voice." The Time Capsule Pick a song or exercise you love but find slightly challenging. Record yourself playing it exactly as you are today, imperfections and all. Save this recording. We will revisit this in the future to see how far you’ve grown. The Slow Build Start at the absolute lowest volume (pianissimo)—barely a whisper. Over the course of 60 seconds, slowly, gradually build your intensity and volume until you end on a triumphant, loud crash or chord. Feel the energy of the year rising!

Welcome to Steel Groove, a global community designed for tongue drum players of all levels, from the absolute beginner who just unboxed their first instrument to the seasoned musician looking to refine their performance. I am so glad you're here! Introduce yourself to the community below: 1. Name 2. Where are you from? 3. Why are you here?

I have been exploring the looper with my tongue drum and layering other elements & bonus vocals (cover of faiths hymn by beautiful chorus) I’m hoping to share more of these snippets from my practice so you can watch and enjoy! Have a great day!

❄️ Groove Garden Theme for December: “The Inner Light” As the year draws to a close and the days grow shortest, December is the time to turn inward and focus on the deep, enduring light we carry. This month is about acknowledging your journey, celebrating the progress you've made, and playing from a place of warmth, memory, and personal resonance. We're focusing on expressiveness, sustained tones, and finding the quiet magic in your sound. Intentions for the Month: - Reflect on and integrate a skill you mastered this year. - Focus on sustain, tone, and decay, the life of the sound after you strike the note. - Play something specifically for one person or memory. - Embrace silence as part of the music. ✨ Groove Garden Prompts for December: Explore, Record, and Share Dive into the spirit of The Inner Light by exploring, recording, and sharing one or more of the following prompts. Let's end the year with heartfelt sound! - The Year in a Phrase: Choose a short melodic or rhythmic phrase (3-5 notes/hits) that feels like your emotional summary of the past year. Play it once, then immediately improvise a short, reflective piece that flows from it. - Sustain & Stillness: Play the longest note, chord, or ring you can create on your instrument. Notice how the sound slowly fades. Record a 30-second piece where you use the space after the note/hit as much as the note itself. - The Gift of Sound: Dedicate a short, improvised piece (under 1 minute) to someone you cherish. Imagine their face as you play. The "groove" is the feeling of that connection. Share the recording and tell us who you thought of (you don't need to tell us why). - Echoing Memory: Pick an old, simple piece or melody you learned when you first started playing. Play it again now, but try to play it with the wisdom and feeling you have today. Record both the original version and your new, "December" version. - The Dimmed Light: Play a line or rhythm, then play it again, but this time don't use your dominant hand or finger (or use only the softest dynamic). The challenge is to maintain the feeling and groove with a physical constraint.