Guest Blog – Adrian Wiggins

This week we caught up with Adrian Wiggins, our Rhythm Rocks star. Adrian comes from Big Beat Team Building and is one of our most trusted suppliers.

The process of building a non-musical group into a coherent sounding drumming band.

Arms are often folded and I hear the mind saying “oh God not another bloody pointless team building exercise!” I guess over the years I’ve grown to enjoy the challenge of turning that presumption around to my benefit.

Teaching one of the most dynamic drumming styles in the world all the way from the favelas of Rio De Janeiro has it’s rewards not just for me as a facilitator but most importantly for the user.

Using authentic Brazilian instruments including the Surdo (large bass drum), Ago-go Bell, Tambourine and Snare Drum; participants experience some of the passion, energy and rhythms associated with Brazilian street drumming.

This is definitely one of the more dynamic group sessions out there. Designed not to be too difficult to understand but not too simple that it becomes boring.

Using simple memory aids (learning the rhythms using words) the user is given an instrument to play their new rhythm. Within a few moments a cacophony of metal, bells, sticks and cries of pain can be heard. This may seem all too much sometimes from a sound point of view but after a little patience from both teacher and student a coherent Samba drumming piece starts to takes shape.

Now we have a groove the group is taken through its paces with some musical dynamics; breaks, intros etc Brazilian style.

The steady repetition is a great way to get the 4 different poly-rhythms working together like cogs and the understanding that a little practice makes a big difference.

The slow crescendo of drumming and music brings the whole process to an amazing climax!

We might just have found a new band!

So those crossed arms and muted groans have turned into shouts of pleasure, outstretched hand shakes and “That was amazing thanks”, “one of the best team building sessions I’ve ever done” and “how do you get so many people to sound so good?”

I sometimes wonder if its my challenge and not theirs. Especially with some of the mixed bag of personalities I have experienced over the years.

The benefits of experiencing this type of event is long lasting and is all about the hands on approach.
The benefits include:
• Arouses the senses
• Emulates natural team work
• Drumming removes inhibitions
• Teaches fundamental communication skills
• Motivates and leaves the person energized
• The freedom to bang a big drum

Lots of energy, lots of noise and a real sense of achievement.

A guaranteed all round team building event that will never be forgotten and quite often the staff are still singing and clapping the rhythms in the office days after.

Maximillion offers a wide range of outdoors team building activities to suit different group sizes, objectives and budgets in Edinburgh, Scotland, throughout the UK and beyond. Please Click here for more team building ideas, make an enquiry or contact one of the team on 0131 333 0066.

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