Crazy I know, but there it is. Actually it's looking like three books now, not just one.
I've been playing drums for 23 years and teaching for 15. I've finally had the motivation to start putting thoughts into words, so that I can define my own take on drumming and hopefully pass it on to a few other people. This has come about because every lesson I find myself writing additional exercises or thoughts or concepts into the students' method books, or writing the lessons as I go, along with conversations I've had with other drummers and some of my older students.
A lot of books out there seem to be focused on the 'what' of drumming. There is nothing wrong with this - learning different styles and improving your technique is essential to being a decent drummer. However, most of the books and DVD's released by pro drummers are focused on hyper-technical ability or how they play their 'signature' licks. Most of this material is completely beyond the average drummer, and useless for most of the gigs and situations that they find themselves in.
Two things I find that are usually lacking are the 'why' and the 'how'.
The 'why' of drumming is simply why the student wants to learn the drums in the first place. Most of the time it's all about learning enough to play in a band. For some reason, current books never mention anything about business and promotional skills, people skills, or professional attitude, which are essential for longevity in the music industry.
The 'how' is going beyond just playing a beat. It's about playing authentically within a style. It's playing with touch and sensitivity. It's knowing how songs work and playing accordingly. It's about knowing when (and when not) to play fills. It's about knowing how band dynamics and drum kit dynamics work and how to adjust them to suit the style and the situation. It's about playing musically. I haven't seen one book yet that addresses any of these concepts adequately.
These are some of the things that I'm going to try to address in these books.
Stay tuned...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
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