Use Your Limitations To Your Advantage

We live in a world of excess. Everyone wants more, needs more, only feels complete when they get more. But is more always best?

Think of 2 restaurants, 1 with 15 menu items and 1 with 100 menu items. 

Which one is better? 
Which one is easier?

The answer is probably up to each of us. Some people like more choices. Some like less. Some take what is in front of them at any given moment.

Percussion can be like that. We can have 10 instruments or 100. Are you a better musician if you have more? Not necessarily. If you are not satisfied with your musicianship, will buying another snare drum or cymbal make you better? Not really.


Yes please, I'll take one of everything. (Photo by Yamaha)

I own boxes and cases full of percussion. I love choices. But I often put limits on my choices, because there's only so much gear I can haul around to each gig by myself. And often there's a limited amount of space to set up in.

But I use my limited choices to my advantage. I always pick out my instruments according to the type of gig/music. I look for things that allow me to produce multiple sounds, like with different mallets. I look for things that really speak to the music being played. And rather than looking at all this as a limitation, I look at it as a challenge to be creative. 


If I can't create music with whatever percussion 
is in front of me, then I'm not really a percussionist.

Instead of wanting a new drum, or more drums to make your music better, make the most of what drums you have right now. That's not to say don't buy any new gear, but rather, don't get so hung up on a perceived need for new gear to make me better that you forget to just make music right here and now. Limitations are only in your mind. 

Don't limit yourself in your mind.

~ MB


Deconstruct Yourself™





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