I've been making notes to myself about my weekly drum lesson since the beginning. I have always hated and avoided music lessons. I had a couple of free lessons when I first bought my kit and took a few more later on, but for the most part I am self taught. The foundation of my playing came from a single afternoon spent at The Experience Music Project in Seattle in what must have been 2002. I learned the basic rock beat there at the Sound Lab and that was the end. As soon as I had a space that could accomodate it (which wouldn't be for 4 more years) I bought a drum kit and started playing.
But I digress. Last fall I had a life-changing shift in perspective which has lead to a great deal of changes. Some fast...some slower. But the central tenant was that I wanted to actually get good at one thing (rather than being half decent at everything I try). And that lead to drum lessons, which started in February and I've stuck with ever since with no intention of quitting. Below is a long ass post that consolidates my lesson notes to date. From now on I'll post single day posts.
LESSON NOTES
10/12/2009 Week 37 :
I've had a passing thought that I ought to start a new blog that is drum only and that is open to the public. I don't know if it is really worth it or not. But this venue is quickly turning into all drum all the time. I could even make the new one even more anonymous than this one...but it would allow me to interact with humanity again. Don't know. People like to flame out and I can't handle that...you know criticize your skills or tastes. It may not be worth it. Plus there's already a billion drum websites out there.
Anyway...
Monday EN took me through 3 or 4 groups in the funky vein with a focus on Medeski Martin and Wood. At some point in the lesson it became painfully clear that #1 I still suck at Bossa Nova and all things related and #2 that I have a real problem with off beat foot high hat. I'm sure it is with off beat anything, actually (except alternating right hand high hat on off beats, got that). So yesterday I sat down and tried to work the off beat thing against various other stuff. Sucks ass. Has to be done, though. Over the weekend I cracked the triplet versus eighth note thing...so I felt smart. Now I feel dumb again. The roller coaster.
10/5/2009 Week 36 :
Yesterday he showed me how to use a Drum Dial tuner (pretty cool) and we played two songs by The Who: Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again.
So I'm slowly putting together the history of rock and roll drumming and learning who the major players were. Without even delving very deep you tend to hear four names:
Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)
Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
Keith Moon (The Who)
Watts and Starr tend to be considered influential, but under rated, for their simple groove-based beats. Bonham gets props for doing more complicated things, innovative things, and generally playing really, really loud. Keith Moon is just considered a maniac. I knew that Moon was a maniac in life...blowing up things like toilets was a favorite past time. But I wasn't sure exactly what this meant in terms of drums. Yesterday I learned.
Essentially the man never stopped moving. If there was a breath of space, he filled it with a drum fill or cymbal crash.
I'm not a fan of cymbals...I just don't like the sound. Makes my head hurt. And I kind of suck at fills...and I think it is tacky to overuse them. So Keith Moon is not going to be a major influence for me. That said, the songs weren't as hard as I'd expected them to be. And a couple of really useful licks came out of the lesson from Won't Get Fooled Again (can't find tab online, but I have the sheet music in hard copy, which was nice to follow up with), as I WOULD like to expand my ability to play interesting and "full" sounding fills. So Moon is a useful study...if only in passing. And I can probably check off being in any band that is looking for a Moon clone. Not only could I not be that...I don't want to be.
Here's Baba O'Riley (note, tab is here):
and Won't Get Fooled Again:
9/28/2009 Week 35 :
A better version of Little Wing than I found yesterday:
I've seen this played about six different ways now, so probably okay for me to play it however the hell works for me. Haven't sat down to try yet. Had lesson last night, than spent all night learning the song structure for The Nod audition tunes (more complicated than your average rock tune).
Despite his promise, EN ditched on the last Led Zeppelin lesson and also on the promised Who lesson. Instead we played Stevie Ray Vaghn, which is again something deep into his comfort zone. I'm going to have to really fight him to present other styles than blues. I DID ask him about "Bonham triplets" which he had never heard of, but as soon as I explained he knew what I meant and could pull them off. I, however, still cannot. We also went back over ride cymbal doubles, which I really suck at and need to get better at. The X tune we are covering uses the hell out of them and I can't do them yet.
I haven't heard back from The Nod about audition details, but I'm doing my best to pick up the tunes. They are a real stretch for me...so we'll see if I can limp to the audition by next Wednesday...or maybe it won't even happen. Another frantic week learning tunes I'll never need to know again.
The classic rock band isn't troubling me too much. The more I think about it the more I think I'll be able to slide right in without a problem. It occurred to me this morning that neither of the other guys sing, so I probably should go ahead and learn the words to the three songs we're going to do on Sunday. That would probably blow them away if I could play and sing. It won't be tough with the Cheap Trick or the Georgia Sattelites...think I'll probably skip singing Hendrix, though, so I can focus on the drum part.
9/21/2009 Week 34 :
This was week two of Led Zeppelin. Not nearly as discouraging as week one. We played through a half dozen tunes including Kashmir, D'yer Mak'r, When the Levee Breaks (spent the most time on this one, getting the bass right), Over the Hills and Far Away, and another tune who's name I'm forgetting (I think it had an S in it). Maybe more. The fact that we did so many is an indication that they weren't coming as hard. Maybe because we weren't bothering with sheet music and I was just watching what he played and copying. Sometimes that can be easier. Sometimes not.
We're going to do one more week of Zep and then move on to The Who.
Later that night I was reading through my Green Day sheet music and realized that the beat for When I Come Around is Immigrant Song slightly slower. This reinforces that I just have trouble with that beat. And that this beat is everywhere. I'm still working on it. I'll get it down soon.
I finally realized what that lady meant by Bonham being a melodic drummer. Basically he plays the guitar rhythm alot...while most drummers play the bass rhythm. I get it now.
Coming out of this study of Bonham, I think the main thing is that he plays alot of bass pedal...which I actually like. Not everything he does is as hard as it seems at first, though. That he thought of it is impressive...but it can be copied with work. I think that a point will come in time when I won't be intimidated by the Craig's List ads that want a Bonham clone. It is doable. Ultimately I think I'm a more Bonham kind of drummer than Keith Moon type. We'll see after The Who study is done. What I know of Moon is that he likes to bang cymbals and that isn't me...and that he's basically a madman with whacked out technique. I think Bonham was more musical...more aware of subtlety. Moon was just playing to be loud. But we'll see.
9/14/2009 Week 33 :
Started the John Bonham portion of my drum lessons on Monday. I thought I had gotten Immigrant Song down this past weekend, but alas I'd forgotten one bass drum beat that totally threw me off in the lesson. Made me feel dumb. I know I'll get it with practice, but it still was demoralizing. We also went over a bit of The Ocean, one of the only songs in the book that isn't on the Mothership album I bought this weekend. Figures. So I bought the single online today. We discussed different strategies for getting better right foot control and increasing speed.
Woke up this morning with Immigrant Song beat stuck in my head. I guess that's what happens when you listen to something for 30 minutes straight the day before. Went to get gas in the car and there was some other song playing that had the exact same beat. It was truly weird.
9/7/2009 Week 32 : No lesson for labor day
8/31/2009 Week 31 : Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
8/24/2009 Week 30 :
I highjacked my lesson asking for a review of country. We played through half a dozen old tyme tunes...easy stuff. And reviewed the dreaded train shuffle...which I seem to have a mind block against. Makes me feel stupid.
(we were playing it minus the last accent)
I think my block is that the accent is with the right hand on 2 and 4...and I'm used to playing back beat with my left hand. And that the accent makes me want to play the bass drum. It's easy enough...but it's giving me fits. So I'll be playing it over and over until I get the call from Brown Derby or I give up on them calling me and move on to the next thing.
8/17/2009 Week 29 :
We were supposed to go over John Bonham...but instead he showed me the Tower of Power. This is all good and well, but I think it torqued me off a tiny bit. But I have to get over these things. I think he has a little crush on David Garibaldi, and I guess I can forgive that.
Here's Moby Dick anyway:
For the record, I have no interest in learning to play long-winded drum solos. Being the center of attention is the last thing in the world that I want.
8/10/2009 Week 28 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
8/3/2009 Week 27 :
Lesson on Monday was more soul and funk...and I kind of got the feeling he was getting lazy (actually played a song we'd already done months ago, though I was much better at it now than then, which was nice). So I said "do you have a big picture in mind here or are you just playing it by ear?" He replied by giving me a two pager of jazz independence exercises. I told him straight up that I have no interest in actually PLAYING jazz, but that I DID want to be able to feel more comfortable with slightly odd-ball things. Not get totally shook by anything not of the four beat, quarter/eighth note variety. So we'll see if I can bring myself to practice the exercises. I periodically completely forget about my stick control book...then remember and hit it again hard for a few weeks...and forget about it again.
Lately been splitting time between Green Day (and working on speeding up and complicating the bass drum), learning funk tunes, and learning whatever the new SSW tune for the week is. My tenure with funk is probably over...the band I was planning to try out for flaked out on me. I've answered about six Craig's List ads in the last two weeks and none have panned out...not because of me, just because people flake out or over-promise or whatever. One last duo on the hook...and a new ad today...but I'm not confident any of it will work out. I really got lucky my first three times out with Craig's List...hooking up with a band for a while each time. Since then it has been pretty sparse.
In anticipation of hooking up with a new group (which hasn't happened) I borrowed Pant's drum kit so I could leave one permanently set up at my house and travel with the other. Now it's looking like they will BOTH be permanently set up at the house. I like her kit...a Sonor Force 2001 with a 20 inch bass drum, and 10, 12, 14 inch toms...but hate the cymbals. I think I'm just not a cymbal person. Makes my head hurt. The best I hope for from cymbals is a crisp attack and a quick decay. Make that sound end as quickly as possible. For now I'm pretty happy with the ones I have on my kit except the high hats. That color sound RD gave me is about as much crash as I can take.
Speaking of funk, the funky drummer needs a kidney.
7/27/2009 Week 26 :
Focused on funk. Temporary loss of mp3 player thwarted practicing audition tunes at lesson
7/20/2009 Week 25 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
7/13/2009 Week 24 :
Did some exercises from the sticking book. Went over buzz roll and open/closed rolls. Played some tunes...don't know what genre you'd call it. Blues I guess. Revisted bossa nova, which I'm still having trouble with. He suggested I listen to The Girl from Ipanema...which is pretty fricking hilarious.
Last night spent practice just doing stickings. I really want to build some speed up. I feel like that's lagging in my development.
7/6/2009 Week 23 :
Tuned up my snare at drum lesson last night. It took 45 minutes. It sounds better now, though, and has better bounce-back. He tuned it higher than it was before, so I went around the entire kit and tuned everything a bit higher. I'm still not totally happy with the floor tom, but the rest sound pretty good. He seemed to think my el cheapo snare was perfectly servicable and sounded fine.
It does feel like a new kit. It really is true that a decent instrument makes it easier to play and makes you sound better. But I think the difference between a decent instrument and a great instrument probably doesn't make a huge difference in playing. Of course, I'll never know...cause I'm too cheap and careless to ever own a great instrument. I'd rather have something not so great...so that when I break it I won't feel bad.
6/29/2009 Week 22 :
Went over the high points of Bosso Nova and Samba, whilst revisiting Rumba. I don't care much about these forms...but know they are required knoweledge. Plus it will help with my bass drum independence.
Next week I'm gonna bring in my snare and get a proper drum tuning lesson...something I've never had before.
6/22/2009 Week 21 :
Did some more soul and he reviewed the blues so I can go to the blues jam tonight at The Bayou without fear of making an ass of myself.
Well...at least we tried to make that the case. I'll probably still make an ass of myself. Been to jam sessions and open mics before...but never on drums. It helps that my instructor is the host.
Next week looks like we'll attack latin rhythms...bosso nova and samba...after the blues rumba revealed I know nothing about latin music.
6/15/2009 Week 20 :
Picked up soul where we left off last week and one other thing I've already forgotten. Lesson was not ground shaking. Guess these things come in waves.
6/8/2009 Week 19 :
I neglected to post about last week's lesson (6/8) because of vacation. But more than ever it is important that I keep track...and keep on track...so here it goes.
It was what I would consider a really important lesson. He was planning to show me a soul beat (I think), but I stopped him and went over fills around the kit. I've really been struggling and he showed me some great exercises. We also worked on sticking with the double exercise he gave me a few weeks ago. Again, I stopped him and asked him to review some things about proper sticking...and I think it really helped.
I was lucky enough to finally catch the man in action at Marquette Waterfront Fest on Sunday, along with my boy Kn.
Lesson tonight! Not prepared after almost a week away from the kit! (Tried to make up for it with several hours of playing Fri-Sun). Was a time when I didn't go anywhere without my guitar. Sticks and a practice pad just aren't the same.
6/1/2009 Week 18 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
5/25/2009 Week 17 :
No lesson for Memorial Day
5/18/2009 Week 16 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
5/11/2009 Week 15 :
Went over sticking exercises, including triplets and sixteenth notes.
Did Johny Cash style drums...two different "train" beats.
Played another couple of songs that I've already forgotten.
I've been saving up some questions for him, but I've learned that most questions I can answer for myself if I think long and hard enough about it...so I'm kind of just letting him teach whatever he wants. When we hit a lull I'll have some things in my back pocket to whip out.
I'm noticing my consistency on rolls is not doing so well...so I think that I need to practice sticking more. And sticking rolls around the kit interspersed with regular beats, not just exercises on a practice pad.
Yesterday was weird because I did really well in the lesson...then went home and stunk up band practice something awful. Kind of weird. I think I'm tired from the last few weeks at work and of doing consulting gigs. I should probably rest (i.e. sleep and not over-extend myself socially/mentally/emotionally...practicing drums is okay/good) as much as possible this week before the show on Thursday.
A side note...I've been craving playing more music. I like the band and it is fun...but I'm starting to wish for a side project. Not necessarily a band that would play out...but something that would play on a semi-regular basis for fun. I'm realizing that Michael is leaving town soon...which reduces my ability to call someone on a moments notice to jam.
I'm also starting to think that I really ought to start running again. Not to lose weight, but because I think it is good for my mental health.
5/4/2009 Week 14 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
4/27/2009 Week 13 :
A few days late.
We went over a bunch of songs I don't know by a bunch of people I don't know. I got him to clarify ghost notes a bit. He said my bass drum independence is getting better...but I haven't been working on it nearly enough.
I think I want to pick out some parts that are slightly more complex and troubling me and see if he can help me work through them. Maybe some GoGos stuff or something off the cd/sheet music set I bought. I should find something that I like and want to learn but that I couldn't figure out entirely on my own.
We're skipping next Monday cause he's at a blues fest.
I played through 3 cds of 70s music yesterday. Most pop-rock is just ridiculously easy. I don't know why everyone doesn't play drums. I'm at that place where it is starting to get boring and I need to advance to stay interested. It isn't a bad place to be, but it is a little frustrating...because it just gets harder from here.
4/20/2009 Week 12 :
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
4/13/09, Week 11:
Went over funk beat (w/James Brown song and Nirvana) and drop sticking. Figured out that I've been using my middle finger as a vertex and probably ought to switch to my index finger. I still need to work on separating my right hand and right foot...and building speed with right foot. Thinking about reconfiguring my kit...yet again. Before my lesson I bought a wicked Dickies work shirt with a Zildjian patch for only 20 bucks. Went home and worked "Come Together" some more. I think I've got it. Three new tunes to work up this week for the band...and want to take a look at Baracuda, which is in this cool book I bought that has a cd and drum sheet music for 8 tunes.
4/6/09, Week 10:
Losing count of which lesson it is. Went over blues shuffle at three different speeds. Taught me "Come Together" by Beatles (in support of last week's lesson on triplets). Lesson flew by in no time.
3/30, Week 9:
Went over independence exercises and triplets. Showed me rock n roll and boogie woogie beats. Was about to show me "Come Together" by Beatles, but we ran out of time. I also wanted to get tips on the rolls into crash on "Borstal Breakout"...but the files wouldn't upload.
Still want to revisit that Green Day song...and maybe some Go Gos. But I'm letting him show me what he wants to show me.
3/23/2009, Week 8:
Monday was #7. It blew my mind. Like literally left me unable to function.
We did independence exercises for awhile. He introduced me to the reggae beat...both rock steady and drop beat. And then he played a couple of tunes for me to help me with developing more interesting parts.
He played a Dire Straights song that I've forgotten the name of and Green Day, When I Come Around. The Green Day song was amazing. I've never listened to the drum part critically before.
This video doesn't do it justice because you can't see or really hear the bass drum:
You can hear it a little better here...but the subtlety is honestly something that I would not have appreciated before learning to listen more critically to drum beats:
3/16/2009 Week 7:
Had a lesson but did not post to blog about it.
3/9/2009 Week 6: No lesson
3/2/2009 Week 5:
Worked on rudiments and sticking control exercises with some independence exercises thrown in for good measure. He recommended that I get Stick Control for the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence Stone...which I ran right out and bought...and that I spend at least five minutes a day on the exercises...or more.
The cover of the book cracks me up. It reminds me of dozens of books of its type. I think the original copyright is like 1938. Quality needs no snappy redesign.
Next week we're taking off cause he's on vacation.
2/23/2009, Week 4:
We spent a fair amount of time deconstructing "Maniac"...arriving at the following conclusions
1) bass beat is, at a mimimum "1+...3+" but actually much more than that
2) the recording may have an inconsistent tempo
3) I ought to try a "double time" beat on the bridge tom part (both hands) leading with the left
We also played through the other two "new" covers...and I showed him what part I was thinking of for JG's original song.
We discussed what it means to be locked in with the bass player. Essentially he takes it to mean that your bass drum beat is following what the feel of what the bass player is doing.
We also talked alot about the importance of keeping a steady beat. He insisted, which I've always heard but don't quite believe, that the most important thing a drummer can do in a rock band is keep good time. The rest is all bonus. Unfortunately, since I'm someone who is struggling with the "bonus" stuff, it is hard for me to buy this...though I know it is true.
He played me a recording of a "punk" song he did back in 2003...but it sounded like rockabilly to me.
Reflections: I really got to improve my bass drum independence and stamina
2/16/09, Week 3:
Buzz Roll
Two Stroke Roll (discussed the benefits of using the two stroke roll over a single stroke roll). I need to basically learn the two stroke roll and practice it alot because I've never played it before.
Playing 16th note and triplet fills around the kit (both right and left hand lead)
Switching back and forth between the regular beat and the fills (both full measure and half measure fills). May want to skip last few high hat 16th notes in order to get to right hand lead at start of fill.
Try a wooden or plastic bass beater for a louder sound. Can also loosen head. May just be drum placement or my relationship to front of bass drum (maybe it is louder than I think). We talked about how playing with a mic'ed band just makes everyone play louder, which isn't better. He made fun of people with tube amps who say they have to play loud. He doesn't buy it. "Get a different amp if that's the case." I like this guy.
Still need to practice and get the more complicated bass beat on "fucked up and wasted"...also need to practice fills around the kit for "part time punks".
Next week bring in the 3 new songs Kv gave us.
We talked about the benefit of learning to play on different kit setups so that you can use other people's kits and not have to drag your equipment around so much...and I told him the story about me busting AdR's bass head at a gig. He replied with a story of a broken kick pedal. We concurred that duct tape is required supplies for a drummer playing gigs.
Like I said, I like this guy.
Later on I ran into someone I know at the Coop. I got a little bit of judgement from them for driving to Fitchburg for drum lessons. I'm so sick of other people's judgement of my actions it isn't even funny. In the words of Lil Wayne..."I got mine, they got theirs, and you got yours." In other words...worry about your own shit...and I'll worry about mine.
2/9/09, Week 2:
We played through the first three songs that my new band is doing and I had the parts mostly right except the kick drum on Fucked Up and Wasted...which I had just that afternoon realized was wrong.
To get that kick drum and keep independence from my quarter note high hat, he recommended that I focus on quarter note high hat/snare really hard...and then do all kinds of beats on the bass drum. Over and over and over. Keep your focus on the quarters.
He also taught me a coordination exercise where you alternate tapping your right and left foot to quarter notes...then add hands on your knees with alternating eighths. Then you take every third hand and hit your chest. It is hard. I don't get it yet. Eventually...you switch to every fifth hand...etc.
2/2/09, Week 1:
One of the hardest things about lessons is remembering everything you were told. Second hardest part is bringing yourself to practice between lessons so that any of it matters. I'm going to try to be better on both counts this time round. I'll try to post notes from each lesson.
Lesson #1:
single, double, triple paradiddles
paradiddles with bass drum on first beat of each paradiddle
paradiddles with bass drum and high hat
punk rock beats (memo to myself, need to build right foot endurance for sustained double beats)
stick exercises to loosen grip and improve control and "bouncing"...holding sticks regular way and "backwards"...work extra hard on left hand.
Next time: bring tunes for new band to deconstruct and work up. He also said he'd teach me some "body drumming" exercises to help with independence
General comments...I like him so far. He has a good balance between an understanding of fundamentals (which I was never taught and sorely need) and an appreciation for what it takes to actually play in a band. I think he'll help me with rudaments, which will build my overall control, independence, speed, and endurance...but it won't turn into a totally boring parade of exercises. I'm also glad to say that he isn't a show off...he didn't have to play a bunch of fancy riffs to show me how good he is.
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