INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you are new to playing drums, it is important that you learn the three elements of a basic drum beat: the bass, the snare, and the hi-hat. These three elements can be played to a certain time signature or rhythm to then create a basic drum beat. The bass is the deeper note on a drum beat. It is often played on regular drums by hitting a pedal on the ground that then hits the middle of a kick drum. The snare is the complementary note to the bass. It is often played on regular drums by hitting the rim of the drum and the middle of the drum with the drumstick. The hi-hat is also known as the lightest note in a drum beat. In a regular drum kit, the hi-hat is made of two cymbals mounted on a stand. To create a basic beat on the bucket drum, you will first need to identify the three elements of a drum beat that you can make on the bucket. Begin by placing the bucket one to two feet in front of the stool on a hard, concrete floor. Sit down on the stool with a drumstick in each hand. The plastic bucket should be between your legs and you should be able to hit the bucket easily with the drumsticks. Use the middle of the bucket as the bass note. Place one foot on the bottom edge of the bucket and tilt it slightly toward you. Then, use one of the drumsticks to hit the middle of the bucket. This should produce a deep bass note. You can also simply hit the middle of the bucket to make a bass note, but tilting the bucket will create a deeper sound. Use the rim of the drum as the snare note. Hit the rim of the drum and the middle of the drum at the same time to make a snare note. Use the concrete floor as the hi-hat. To make a hi-hat note, you can lean down and hit the concrete floor. This should create a nice, sharp hi-hat note.

SUMMARY: Be aware of the three elements of a basic drum beat. Identify the three elements of a drum beat on the bucket.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: One of the most important parts of hosting a wine tasting is deciding what kind of wines you want to try. There's no right answer that will please all your guests or lead to a perfect party, but here are some suggestions: Sample different wines from one region, such as Napa Valley, Santa Barbara wine country, Willamette Valley, Rioja, New Zealand, the South of France, or whatever you like. Taste varietals produced in different parts of the world, such as drinking only the Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Napa Valley, France, or Argentina. Do a horizontal tasting. Taste only 2012 Chardonnays produced all over the world. This may be tricky to find, though. Do a tasting by one winemaker. If you really like Robert Mondavi, Cake bread, Stag's Leap, or Duckhorn wine, for example, try several different wines from this one winemaker. Sample only reds, whites, sparkling wines, or dessert wines. Just remember that dessert wines tend to be sweeter and may be more difficult to taste. You shouldn't be eating during the wine tasting, other than the bread or crackers that will be needed to cleanse your palate. So, you should decide whether you want to give your guests a light meal before the tasting, serve dinner after the tasting, or serve appetizers or dessert after the tasting. Ideally, some sort of food should be provided so your guests don't get wine drunk without anything to absorb the alcohol. You can tell your guests what the situation is when you invite them, so they know if they should come with a full stomach, or if they should prepare to eat. It's not realistic that you'll be able to give each of your guests a new wine glass before every new tasting. Realistically, just one glass per guest will do, or one longer, less oval-shaped glass for whites and a rounder, larger glass for reds, if you're feeling up to it. The glasses should have stems so the guests don't warm the wine with their hands. The glasses should be clear so the guests can see the color of the wine. There are a number of supplies you'll need to host a wine-tasting party in addition to the wine glasses. Here are some to get you started: Obviously, the wine. Pick your wines based on the theme you'll be going for. In general, it's good to have wines in different price ranges, from pretty cheap to more expensive, if you can afford it. Make sure that you have enough wine for your guests -- a bottle of wine can pour 5 regular glasses of wine, or enough for 6-10 people to taste the wine. Back-up corkscrews in case yours break. A wine opener. A spittoon. This can either come in the form of a large bowl in the center of the table or as small paper cups for each guest. An ice bucket for chilling white wine. This will keep you from running to the fridge. A white tablecloth or white napkins. This will help your guests see the color profiles of the wines. A tasting grid. This can help your guests identify the flavors of the wine and jot down their impressions. You can find some great ones online. An aerator or decanter for the wine. This can help bring out the flavors in a red wine. Bread or crackers to taste in between wines. Cups of ice water for your guests as well as a pitcher of water for the table. The ideal number of guests you should invite to a wine tasting should be between 6-12 people. If you have a nice big dining room table, invite enough people so that they can comfortably stand around it. You don't want any extra people leaning over the group and making everyone feel uncomfortable. If you really want to be formal and fancy about it, you can send out nice invitations or e-vites. You should try to invite people who have a similar knowledge about wine. If everyone knows almost nothing, then that's fine, but you want to avoid the awkwardness of having just one person who knows absolutely nothing, or that one guy who is Mr. Wine Expert and tries to educate everyone else at great length. You can host a wine tasting party any time of the year. If you want to keep it thematic, though, you can taste white wines during the summer and taste red wines during the winter. Additionally, since you shouldn't really be eating during the tasting because it will ruin the flavor of the wine, so you should invite your guests over at around 4 PM, when they don't want dinner yet, or after they've eaten, at 9 PM or so, though that may be a little late.

SUMMARY: Choose a theme. Figure out the food situation. Get the right wine glasses. Gather your supplies. Invite your guests. Pick a good time.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Although bamboo has a rapid growth rate, you only need to prune it once a year if you do a really thorough job. Pruning your bamboo more frequently can actually cause it to send off more shoots. Mark on your calendar when to start pruning and coordinate it with fertilizing. Branches and leaves can cut your skin in a bamboo grove, so it's a good idea to wear sturdy gloves, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Wearing sturdy gloves will also make it easier to handle and cut the canes. Nodes are where the pieces of the stem join together. You'll see a slight bump or bulge on the stem shaft indicating this joining. To trim down the height of a bamboo plant, locate a node. Then, position your shears or plant saw right above it and cut across. Making your cut above the node also makes the pruning process easier, as these spots are less thick. Bamboo is very strong and if you cut it at an angle, it can be quite dangerous. Keep your cuts blunt and horizontal to minimize the risk. You should be able to use hand clippers for most cane. However, if the cane is rather large, opt for a pruning hand saw and extension.

SUMMARY:
Prune once a year in late summer or early fall to minimize spreading. Wear eye and hand protection. Cut above a node if you are trying to reduce height. Make straight cuts across the bamboo stem.