Simple drumming is beautiful

Alright, it’s been many months since I’ve added a post to this blog. Shame on me. I’ll try to do better.

Today I just want to briefly talk about simplicity. Really, the longer I’m at this, the moe obvious it becomes how incredibly difficult it seems to be for drummers to play simply. I guess I should come up with a definition here so we all are on the same page about about what I’m talking about, but you know what? I can’t!

YOU KNOW IT WHEN YOU HEAR IT

It really IS one of those “you know it when you hear it” kind of things. Since I’ve always found it really hard to talk about music, which in reality should be listened to, not talked about, it’s maybe a bit disingenuous to even bring it up in a blog post. So I’ll concede that this is far from the best way to illustrate what I’m talking about, but I’ll try.  The fact is there are some very basic things a drummer can consider when going off to play any kind of gig. I’ll try to list them now and then get out.

Practice Pads…..why I hate them

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

Aghhhhhhhhhh!

Practice pads…..those little round rubber pieces of junk. Every drummer who’s ever taken lessons has been coerced into buying one, with the hope that by beating on this thing endlessly he or she will become a better drummer. NONSENSE!! You will become a better pad beater…I guarantee that.

I will stipulate that if you live in a 3 foot by 3 foot 5th floor walk-up in any city, you have little choice but to beat on a pad……..but even there you can go a rehearsal space and if you have the money you can beat on the drums…..real drums…….for an hour; and you can get ALOT done in an hour of practice on a real set of drums!

Greetings

This blog is primarily about drumming, but really any non-drummers are more than welcome, especially if you are another musician. If you want to know more about me, visit my website. This blog is about drumming, not me. Since it’s my blog, I’ll be sharing my own thoughts and dispensing with hopefully useful info. But the focus is on drumming, so I want everyone to step in should y’all feel the urge!!

Drums do not and cannot exist in a vacuum, WE NEED OTHER MUSICIANS in order to do our thing. Contrary to what alot of drummers think, NO ONE CARES about the drums…..besides other drummers. Other musicians want you to make the music feel good….PERIOD! That’s my first bit of advice. Stop thinking about the drums, and start thinking about how the drums contribute to THE SONG!