working drummers: make it danceable

We all know drummers who like to show off their chops with every opportunity they get.  And I think we can all agree that most drummers go through the ‘chops’ thing at least once in their playing career.  Let’s face it, folks who are attracted to the drums are probably attracted to other pursuits that require a certain amount of physicality.  So, the display of mad chops is simply an extension of our interests as drummers – artists who’s expression is communicated in a physical manner.

The bad news is our display of chops is not always in the best interest of the groove.  Not to say that it is out of the question to do ‘tasty lick infested’ fills that are intuitively groovy, but that is few and far between.  And sometimes we get so caught up in challenging ourselves to play complex beats that we lose sight of why we’re playing them to begin with.  And that is to lay down the rhythm to get folks to Dance!  Drummers are there to get people to move.  When we’re playing in the clubs our kick drums should be solidly pounding the chest in a relentless quest to get people on the dance floor.  This is a simple principle that is often overlooked, and I have been guilty of it myself, errr.

Obviously, there’s more to drumming than simply playing dance beats.  There’s all sorts of metric modulations and odd time signatures that we can explore.  Pataflaflas while saying the alphabet backwards; the list goes.

Efforts by amazingly talented drummers in recent years have advanced the rhythmic arts to a level that has been unsurpassed in history.  But having said all of that it’s still a good idea to set aside some time in our daily practice regimen to just lay it down.  Play a ‘4 on the floor’ and see how funky we can get it.  See if passers-by start to move in reaction to that nasty beat your playing.  As a drummer, try to make a non-drummer happy, it’s fun 🙂   Check out this video of Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Until next time, keep groovin.  The House of Groove

The “Invisible” Art of Drumming

One of the most enduring lessons I took from my college cinema class (way back when) was the principle of “invisible” art. Filmmakers thrive on it because they want the viewer to get so involved in the film that they don’t realize they are watching one. Directors like Spielberg and Scorsese are masters at this (Saving Private Ryan and Goodfellas, respectively)…they pull you into the film and before you know it you are having a “real-time” experience. “Invisible” art makes this possible by hiding the technical goings-on behind the scenes. It assumes a total dedication to the experience of the viewer and by its very nature is an act of selflessness.

What does this have to do with drummers or music in general, you might ask? I’m here to say that we musicians have more in common with the great filmmakers of the world than you might think (or we should)!  Most musicians would agree that drumming in a band context, and even in a solo context, is best served when we remove ourselves from the technicalities of what we’re doing and focus more on the achievement of a musical or emotional statement. This, in a sense, is “invisible” art in that we are soliciting a heart felt response from our listeners and viewers, as opposed to a more ‘left’ brained-analytical response. Not to say that we aren’t to play on a technical level as this is how we learn our technical vocabulary, not to mention it can be quite entertaining (almost exclusively to drummers and other musicians) to attend conferences, clinics and master classes that feature the technicians of our craft…we all love the Donatis and Weckls of the world. However, don’t let them fool you, these guys are masters of the “invisible” art, as well.

The point being that we can learn from “invisible” drumming artists, such as Ringo and Ricky Lawson. These drummers have attained professional achievements that are beyond the comprehension of many musicians and they did it by playing for the song. We all know the emotional affect a Bonham groove has on even the most unsuspecting listener. And Ringo’s groove and fills are still being copied today, I definitely dip into my “Ringo bag” every now and then. Another outstanding “invisible” drumming artist is the great Steve Gadd. Check out Paul Simon’s 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover below, it’ll make a believer out of all you skeptics out there.  It is guaranteed that you will pay attention to the drums in the beginning, but by the end of the tune you will have all but forgotten about the technical aspect of the groove…and that’s the point.  Sweet, no other way to describe it.

Not to be misunderstood, I love technical drumming and the discipline required to reach the most physically and mentally challenging drumming one can achieve; but the beauty of drumming is the choices it presents. We have the choice to self-indulge or to serve the music. Both choices are fine but must be appropriate for the music and audience. The problem is often times we forget to make the distinction. So, my suggestion is that we look to our counterparts in the film industry and borrow one of their artistic principles. Hey, if it works for them, by golly it can work or us!

Until next time, keep groovin.

The House of Groove

Video of Paradiddle-diddle: one of the most musical rudiments

We are often asked why it is important to learn rudiments and the answer is not always clear.  I mean, is it really important for a drum set player to work on his pata-fla-flas?  Maybe, but it’s probably not essential.

Nonetheless, there are some rudiments that just make sense and the paradiddle-diddle fits the bill.  Check out this video of my drumming duo ConunDrum!  We introduce the rudiment and take it through its paces.

Until next time, keep groovin.

What Not to Practice

Okay, so we discussed what to practice when time is limited, but what about what not to practice?  One thing many drummers (if not most) like to do is play what we know. We love to just kick back and groove on our favorite beats and throw in our bag of licks.  Next thing we know a half-hour has gone by and we’re ready to hang it up for the day.

This can be a good approach for those of us who want to enjoy our current place in the world of rhythm.  However, if we wish to progress past our current skill level and grow as a musician we have to continually try out new things.  This is just a fact of life…the brain does not grow unless we offer it new stimuli.

So, the bottom line…it’s in our best interest to avoid playing things we know (the majority of the time).  Unfortunately, this is somewhat of a catch 22.  Why? Because it is enjoyable for most drummers to play what we know.  If you are a weekend-warrior who simply likes to jam out in the basement what is the incentive to challenge yourself with new stuff?  For a lot of folks it’s the thrill of the fight. For others, it’s simply too much of a headache, nothing wrong with that.

So, let’s just assume this little suggestion is geared towards drummers who would like to progress.  Stay off of things you know and try something new.  It helps the brain develop and stimulates the mind.  Then allow yourself some time at the end of your session to jam out, pretty soon you will have a lot more to jam on because you will ‘know’ a lot more.

For more tips and suggestions check out the tips page at The House of Groove.

Until next time, keep groovin.