Drum fills are fun to play. At home, I say knock yourself out. On the bandstand they can be reason you get fired.

Some thoughts. 

When the music presents a space for a drum fill, it also presents a space for the pianists, guitarist, bassists, various horn players, and hand percussionists to add their own noodly bits too. A real "Hey look at me moment". Sunday morning worship bands are famous for this. The results are cacophony and distraction.

Singers hate this because naturally they want to be the centre of attention. The listener gets confused. Who do I listen too? If you aren't the band leader, band leaders really hate this too, it often breaks up the flow. 

Try this experiment:
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Listen to fifty tunes in various genres, make a note of how "filly" they are. Now that being said there is music that is crazy busy, loud, fast, and fun. Knock yourself out. But for the gigging musician/drummer plan your moves carefully. 

If I can help you out, call me. 

David

Really. 
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1. Make a play-list of ten simple pieces. Play it day and night. Immerse yourself in the sound. 
2. Day 2, sit at the kit and start playing along. After you warm-up of course. 
3. Day 3, chart the tunes out. Write out the form: Intro, verse, chorus, solos, endings. Mark in salient details like where the fills are and changes of orchestration. Write on your notes the lyric at the beginning of each section. Keep listening. 
4. Day 4,5,6,7 back to the kit. Keep listening.
5. Day 7, show up to rehearsal and play. 
6. Repeat.

If I can help you speed up your ability to learn tunes, call me. 

David

When you join a band with a set list and meet regularly with a group of musicians who share the same desire, you will improve rapidly. Guaranteed. 

Two stories

1. Your teenager is making mediocre progress at lessons. Their commitment is low and lethargic. You know what I mean. Junior joins the school band or drum line. What happens? Bang, they now practice at school 3 times a week or more under supervision and the pressure of their peers. They discover the rush of making music in a group. By Christmas they can read music, play in an ensemble, play dynamically and much more. Works every time.

2. Adult takes up the drums. They are having fun, playing with tracks at home, playing their rudiments, plugging along. One day they overcome their fear and anxiety and join a group of bangers in a basement in Mississauga or in my case the local concert band 12 years ago. What happens? Bang, they are practicing their pieces at home nearly everyday, because they've got to play in front of their peers next week. Drums are front and centre, unlike the 2nd clarinetist sitting quietly in the back of the band. By Christmas they can read music, play in an ensemble, play dynamically and much more. Works every time. The rush of playing music together is overwhelmingly positive. 

If I can help you get ready to play in an ensemble, call me. 

David

Five reasons why practicing rudiments on the pad or snare drum. In short rudimental skill is one path to the musical freedom, artistic expression, and joy you are seeking.
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1. Rudiments, when practiced thoughtfully with a metronome, develop your time sense. Time sense is the ability to play steady over a period of time. A basic prerequisite in playing with others.
2. Rudiments develop your drumming repertoire of sound patterns, the basic vocabulary of the instrument. RLRLRLRLR is one word, one sound. Explore the following. At a comfortable tempo play these patterns, trying to play as evenly as possible to the metronome. Listen to the subtle rhythmic shift that occurs when switching patterns. RLRLRLRL, RRLL RRLL, RLRR LRLL. Cycle this pattern. Record it on your phone and listen back.
3. Rudiments when practiced thoughtfully develop finesse in your hands and nuance and musicality on the drum kit. The result? Think it, play it, be musical.
4. Rudimental exercises and pieces played with others are SOOO fun. And fun is why you signed up. I remember walking past the dozens of drummers who collected daily in the halls to practice rudiments together at Berklee College of Music in the late 1970s. They were smiling as they sat and drummed on the carpet. Rudiments were no chore for that bunch.
5. Rudiments are physically and intellectually interesting to explore. Playing exercises like the one in point 2 for 5 to 10 minutes will transport you into a peaceful place of bliss and calm. Really. Historically rudiments moved soldiers on European and American battlefields, thankfully now we move only audiences or ourselves. With the hundreds of modern hybrid rudiments added to the basic 13, then 26, which grew to 40, and now hundreds, rudiments are an interesting study on to themselves.

If I can help you get started on the drumkit, call me.

​David

"Because we love it". Taylor Hawkins

2 thumbs up!

​David

Drumming is all about time, feel, touch, and endurance. This blog address time.

Ten tips to improve your time feel

1. Practice with a metronome.
2. Learn to count aloud rhythmic patterns with a metronome.
3. Slow down. Slow practice with a metronome will teach you to subdivide the beats evenly. Forty beats per minute is professional tempo.
4. Play with people who have good time.
5. Record yourself practicing, checking your progress daily. Feedback in the practice room is imperative.
6. Practice softly.
7. Learn proper hand and foot technique. Chimpanzee technique is not going to help.
8. Seek feedback from a teacher.
9. Be determined, but patient.
10. Study the different time feels in the various idioms you are learning.

If I can help, call me.

​David

Drums are loud.

Playing loud is fun! We are the peace disturbers. But drummers are required to play softly in most situations.

1. Rehearsals
2. Concert bands
3. Jazz bands
4. Home practice
5. Churches
6. Singer songwriter bands
7. Orchestras
8. Theatre orchestras

The question is how to play at softer dynamics without losing intensity. There must be a way to play your beautiful drumkit without stuffing them full of pillows, covering them with tape and otherwise muffling the death out of them.

Ten Tips on playing the drums softly

1. Learn proper drumming technique. Chimpanzee technique will not serve you well in your quest to play musically and softly.
2. Practice softly.
3. Work daily on pad technique with your metronome. You will need to be able to control the hands in small and precise movements. This regime will last a lifetime.
4. Use smaller drums and lighter cymbals. For Jazz I use a Paiste 602 flat ride and Paiste Masters 20" crash ride with rivets. 
5. Most drums are sold for their “cutting” qualities. This means loud. I’ve been using a Tama SLP spruce snare drum for softer situations not my hard maple, brass, or oak snare drums.
6. Use smaller sticks. I use lighter maple over heavier hickory in Bebop sizes. I leave the clubs at home.
7. Learn to use brushes, brooms, and rods/rutes.
8. Use a softer beater on the bass drum. Play heel down.
9. Play with unamplified instruments. I play weekly in jazz bands. The best sounding ones rehearse with no amps, including the bassist. If I can’t hear the bass I know I’m too damn loud. I learned quickly.
10. Learn to tune your drums. Well tuned drums will sound lovely at lower levels. No need to beat the “you know what out of them” just to make them sing.

These are a few of the techniques that will help you survive and thrive in a lower sound level environment and avoid the indignity of either being fired, required to play behind a plexiglass barrier, or worse play some crappy electric drum kit though an amp.

Bonus? It will help save your hearing.

​If I can help, call me.

​David

Some thoughts on eliminating the gap between our current skills and our aspirations. Click on the photo for the whole story from Ira Glass.

​David

I needed some new inspiration for tomorrow's jam session. So, I spent twenty minutes with Elvin Jones and made some notes.