Percussion Deconstruction™

This question was recently asked on a Facebook Percussion group: What stresses you out most about recording in the studio? Click tracks, perfect editing, etc. My answer, without meaning to be snarky, was, Paying for it… And I meant it. Recording time in a quality studio with a good engineer is expensive. What stresses me out the most is having things go wrong, or not being prepared, and having to pay for any time wasted. When the session starts, the dollar clock is running. Making The Most Of Being In The Studio I always approach recording just like playing a live show and more. The 3 most important rules are: 1 - Be prepared. 2 - Be Prepared. 3 - Be prepared. I can't emphasize this enough. Before you get into the studio, rehearse your material and rehearse it some more. There's nothing worse than wasting time trying to figure out something you should have known before you set foot in the studio. Rehearse your material and make sure you know it. Next, know ...

If you approach drumming seriously, then  everything you put together to make your  sound brings you to your own, unique world.  — Robyn Schulkowsky Texture . This is where percussionists can shine.  texture  / teksCHər/    noun noun: texture ; plural noun: textures 1 . 1. the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance. "skin texture and tone" Musically, texture is the quality of the sound you make. Think of sound as a surface (as in the definition above), is the sound you are making smooth, rough, rippled, watery, gaseous, solid, etc.? The fact that percussion can be just about anything, means that we not only have unlimited sound, we have unlimited textures .  Texture as Instrument We have a lot of instrument choices out there. Percussion is made from: Wood Metal Plastic Stone Skin Bone Styrofoam Rubber Water Etc. These instruments can be: Large Small Thic...

This is a companion piece to last week's blog on concept . Percussion/drums are very visual instruments, so gesture is a natural part of performance. There is a lot of movement, both from the arms and, from the whole body itself. Not to mention the movement of the mallets/sticks we play with. Unless you are playing a particular theatrical piece of music, that might have gestures written out, gesture itself is usually given little thought. ges·ture ˈjesCHər/ noun noun: gesture ; plural noun: gestures 1 . a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning. "Alex made a gesture of apology" Think of the rock or metal drummer behind their kit, with arms raised and  flying away.  Or watch a marching band/drum corps, with each movement heavily  choreographed for visual effect. This is what most people notice, what most drummers think about, the visual aspect. But what part does gesture play on the sound ?...

Concept. Do you have a concept. or do you even know what it means? Merriam-Webster defines concept this way: 1 concept play  noun    con·cept   \ˈkän-ˌsept\ 1 :   something  conceived  in the mind  :    thought ,  notion 2 :   an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances In a general arching definition, a concept is an over reaching idea that covers what you think and do about something. As a drummer/percussionist/musician, let's look at what the great Vinnie Calaiuta said about concept in an interview: (Concept) That’s my new word. It’s the word that everyone is going to be sick of hearing me use. What does it mean to me? It is the highest understanding of how you experience music. And it is accomplished by total immersion. In a way, it's beyond a cognitive understanding. It is an inner understanding of total immersion. Developing a concept is a long process. It sta...

Getting ready for last night's gig, I found myself struggling to haul all my equipment up and out of my studio and into my van. I found myself thinking, “ what the hell am I still doing this for?” After all, I'm not a kid anymore and, I usually have to do this alone. While my gear is compact and only 8 cases, those cases get heavier every year I do this.  The original heavy metal: bronze, nickel-silver,  iron, steel, & aluminum, waiting for the gig. To top this off, I have developed arthritis, especially in my elbows and hands, and my right hand has been pretty useless these past 2 weeks. I've even experimented with different grips to try to be able to play. At least with the Gongs and such, it's not a hard hitting gig like playing a couple of hours in a rock band. So I went to the gig and set up everything. And I still get that pre-gig rush of energy and wonder. I still have that same spark like I did as a 12 year old kid playing drums for the first tim...

This post is inspired by more internet discussions, this time on the seemingly endless battle between drummers and soundmen. It seems every drummer has their story about evil soundmen wanting to modify their drum heads with tape and/or a razor blade, in order to get a better sound while miked. I'm sure that there are as many stories that soundmen tell about drummers and how stubborn they are when it comes to getting a good sound out of their drums through the sound system. So what's it all about? Like most drummers, I've had my run ins with a few soundmen, but I've always tried to look at how to work with them in any given situation. So let's look at a few Don'ts & Do's: DON'T immediately think of any soundman (or woman) as being stupid. A lot of them have studied as hard and as much as you, and they also take pride in doing their job just like you. DO treat them with the same respect that you want to be treated with. OK, I'll admi...

I recently joined an online drum group that looked interesting. For the most part the discussions have been interesting. But there's also a sizable amount of people posting who seem to be whiners.  For example: the current whine is from a guy who is playing a free, 1-hour benefit that will be supplying the drums. He's complaining, and wants to bring his own drums. “ But I just found out that they are supplying the drums (a crappy set), and goodness knows what cymbals and peddles (sic) they will have.   Some people don't understand that drummers take pride in their sets, and our muscles are accustomed to our layouts, and the tensions of our peddles (sic)? You just can't play your best in a strange set.” Rule #1 - If you are a drummer, you need to learn that you can't always use your own drums and cymbals for the gig.  Your challenge, should you accept, is to make music with these.  Many times drum sets are supplied as part of the backline (amps, ...