A massive, warm welcome to all the incredible new groovers! Introduce yourself to these new groovers and help me welcome them to our community. @MaryAnn Fricko @Elena Marovic @Emily Wolfe @Nuno Fernandes @Antonietta Natoli We are so excited to have you here and can't wait to hear the music you'll create. Whether you're picking up a steel instrument for the first time or you're a seasoned player looking for new inspiration, you've found your home. This group is built on support, curiosity, and shared rhythm. What to do now: 1. Introduce Yourself! Drop a comment below and tell us: - What instrument are you playing (or hoping to play)? - What is one thing you hope to learn or improve this month? - What's a song that always makes you want to groove? 2. Check out the Classroom! Don't forget, the Welcome Post in our Steel Groovers Classroom is waiting for you! It's the perfect way to get oriented and start feeling comfortable.3.Explore the Prompts! If you're looking for an immediate way to play, check out our monthly Groove Garden Theme (this month is "The Inner Light"!). Remember, every great rhythm starts with a single beat. Don't be shy, share your triumphs, ask your questions, and let's make some amazing music together! Happy Grooving!

❄️ 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.

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?