Why Study Drums/Percussion With Me?


This is an update of a post from my old blog a few years ago:

Being a drummer is hard. To be a drummer is a life force. You have to be motivated to even deal with this instrument.
~ the late, great, jazz drummer, Roy Brooks


I've been teaching drums & percussion since the '70s. While I have taught hundreds students over the course of my drumming career, a good question for anyone would be: 

Why study drums/percussion with me?

I ask myself that often. I think it's important for me to continually look at what I'm doing, what I'm presenting to others. It’s also important for me to give something tangible to my students. I’m not in this to just collect their money and then pass out exercises from some drum book. I really want my students to get a wider experience.

So, if you study with me, whether drum set, hand drums, Gongs, or percussion, what should you expect to get with your lessons?

    technical exercises
    mental exercises
    rhythmic explorations
    why we do things
    how to be a ‘musician’
    how to work with others
    how to play solo
    how to think
    playing within a context
    playing outside of a context
    the nature of energy
    motions through time & space
    accidents & non-accidents
    extended techniques
    the motion of water
    the flow of air
    composing
    improvising   
    philosophy
    spirituality
    science
    physics
    astronomy
    mysteries & mayhem

At least that’s what I strive for, whether it’s a master class, workshop, one-off lesson, or a weekly lesson. That’s why I mostly teach from my own books and materials, because drumming is more than just playing notes on drums—drumming is a way of life. It is deep, it is full, it is all encompassing. So if you want to study with me, don’t expect just a few notes on paper and then you’re on your way. Expect much more!

~ MB

PS - If you are in the Milwaukee/Chicago area, or just passing through, contact me for regular or one off lessons.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tam Tam vs Gong

Image
I can't tell you how many times this argument of "A tam tam is not a Gong" comes up. It came my way no less than 3 different times this week. Actually, 'tam tam' (also tam-tam) was 1st used in symphonic music back in the 1800s to differentiate a flat faced Gong from a Gong with a raised center 'boss.' (There is no definitive answer as to where the term tam tam originated - some say it's Chinese, some say it's Hindi, still others say it's something else…) To add to the confusion, 'tam-tam' is a term often used for either an   African  djembe or talking drum. When a score calls for a 'tam tam' (like Messiaen’s 'Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum' or various works of Richard Wagner), then a flat faced Gong, like a Chinese Chau, is used. Flat Faced Chinese Chau Gong/Tam Tam When a score calls for a 'Gong' (like Puccini’s 'Madame Butterfly', or 'Turandot'), then a bossed Gon
Read more

What to Look for When Buying a Gong

Image
Today's blog is a revised & updated blog I posted 3 years ago on my old website. I'm always having people ask me about buying a Gong. Well, here's some tips: •••••••• So you’ve decided to get a Gong. The first thing to ask is, what will I use a Gong for? What type of music do you play? Do you want to use it in a rock band, a jazz band, solo? Are you looking for a meditation device? These are important questions and will help determine what type and size of Gong to get.  One important thing to look at is how big a Gong do you want? Gongs are heavy. Gongs are not easy to transport. If this Gong will stay in your house/studio, then that makes it easy to have a larger size. But if you plan to travel in a band with it,  you need to look at the impact a different size Gong will have on transporting it.  A lot of drummers want a Gong because they look cool and sound cool. They also want that type of sound in their percussive arsenal.  A good place to star
Read more

Music Notation for Gongs

Image
Recently, I was asked a question about how Gongs are notated in a musical score. Here are various examples of different ways they have been notated, from traditional classical, to modern musical forms. The first thing is to differentiate the 2 main types of Gongs: the flat faced, usually termed Tam Tam in a classical score, and the Bossed Gong, with a raised center boss (AKA cup, nipple). A good example of a traditional symphonic Tam Tam part would be from Gustav Holst’s, The Planets . This example is from Mars, the Bringer of War : We can see the Gong/Tam Tam notated traditionally on a single staff line.  The next example is from Puccini’s opera, Turandot . This is the Tam Tam part, notated on the bottom line. Example #3 is also from Turandot. The score also calls for Tuned Bossed Gongs. Unfortunately I was unable to find a score example of them. John Cage used various Gongs in his percussion music. This is an example of how he notated the
Read more