Friday, August 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The best gardener in the world
Anybody who's every tried to play an instrument knows that it's not
easy. What surprised me a few days ago is that I'd forgotten this
fact. I started playing guitar around age 12. My dad, who also played a bit
of guitar, thought I was a no-hoper. He was surprised when I finally
became quite proficient. I had the same experience a few years later
when trying to teach my younger brother. He seemed pretty hopeless
and couldn't even get his fingers around basic chord shapes. I didn't
think he had it in him, but he persevered and now he's a pretty decent
guitarist/pianist/bass player/singer/songwriter
(http://www.paperbeatscissors.com). I've watched him stick with all
of these and become what most people would term a 'natural'. His
perseverance has been very inspirational to me because I know that he
worked at it. If anyone is a natural at anything, then that thing is persistance in
the face of adversity. In this case it's sticking with it and
try-trying again every time you don't succeed. Applying this simple
rule basically allows pretty much anyone to do pretty much anything. What I want to talk about here is not the initial learning. Everybody
knows that picking up a new skill is going to be difficult. If you've
never held a guitar before, then putting your fingers on the fretboard
and holding down three or four strings while strumming with your other
hand is going to take a huge amount of concentration and it's going to
be messy for a long while. Eventually though it will start to feel
'natural.' I can remember very clearly the first time I managed to play 'Wild
Thing' at the proper tempo on the guitar. I recall how I could slide
my index finger back on the same string to help me get from the open D
chord to the open E chord. This little trick made it possible for my
fingers to get in the right places quickly enough to play the song. That's nearly 20 years ago. I don't play much any more, but it's a
bit like riding a bike. I feel like I could learn a new song on the
guitar pretty easily once I've brushed away the cobwebs. Therein lies
the danger. The fact that I feel like a guitarist makes it even more
frustrating when I struggle to play something simple. In this particular case I wanted to play an open chord sequence that
involved playing D minor over a C root. I've played open D and D
minor chords many times, but it turns out I've never had to put a C
root in there. That small change involves changing the fingering of
the chord to something unfamiliar. Suddenly, rather than my brain
telling my hand to play a shape, it has to tell my fingers to play
certain positions on certain strings. So, instead of sending the
message "D minor over C" it has to send the messages "put your first
finger here, and your second finger there, and your third finger there
and your pinky there." Quite a difference! The point is that even if you have theory coming out of your ears, you
know exactly what's happening musically, and you've played the guitar
for 20 years, there is no shortcut to being able to play this chord.
In order for it to become 'natural' you have to compress the
information and your fingers have to learn a new shape so that your
brain can just send the message "D minor over C." The process of
learning the new shape will be quicker for someone who's already
comfortable playing the guitar, but my point is that it still takes
time. You need to be aware of this so you don't get put off. The same applies on the drums. That's why I'm always looking for the
"simple things that seem difficult." The things that you feel like
you "ought" to be able to do because you're a drummer. Nothing falls
into that category. The things you "ought" to be able to do now are
the things that you've practised and can do. The things you "ought"
to be capable of doing in the future covers pretty much everything -
just be aware that it'll take time. I think gardening provides a good analogy. Even the best gardener in
the world needs time in order to produce a tomato!
easy. What surprised me a few days ago is that I'd forgotten this
fact. I started playing guitar around age 12. My dad, who also played a bit
of guitar, thought I was a no-hoper. He was surprised when I finally
became quite proficient. I had the same experience a few years later
when trying to teach my younger brother. He seemed pretty hopeless
and couldn't even get his fingers around basic chord shapes. I didn't
think he had it in him, but he persevered and now he's a pretty decent
guitarist/pianist/bass player/singer/songwriter
(http://www.paperbeatscissors.com). I've watched him stick with all
of these and become what most people would term a 'natural'. His
perseverance has been very inspirational to me because I know that he
worked at it. If anyone is a natural at anything, then that thing is persistance in
the face of adversity. In this case it's sticking with it and
try-trying again every time you don't succeed. Applying this simple
rule basically allows pretty much anyone to do pretty much anything. What I want to talk about here is not the initial learning. Everybody
knows that picking up a new skill is going to be difficult. If you've
never held a guitar before, then putting your fingers on the fretboard
and holding down three or four strings while strumming with your other
hand is going to take a huge amount of concentration and it's going to
be messy for a long while. Eventually though it will start to feel
'natural.' I can remember very clearly the first time I managed to play 'Wild
Thing' at the proper tempo on the guitar. I recall how I could slide
my index finger back on the same string to help me get from the open D
chord to the open E chord. This little trick made it possible for my
fingers to get in the right places quickly enough to play the song. That's nearly 20 years ago. I don't play much any more, but it's a
bit like riding a bike. I feel like I could learn a new song on the
guitar pretty easily once I've brushed away the cobwebs. Therein lies
the danger. The fact that I feel like a guitarist makes it even more
frustrating when I struggle to play something simple. In this particular case I wanted to play an open chord sequence that
involved playing D minor over a C root. I've played open D and D
minor chords many times, but it turns out I've never had to put a C
root in there. That small change involves changing the fingering of
the chord to something unfamiliar. Suddenly, rather than my brain
telling my hand to play a shape, it has to tell my fingers to play
certain positions on certain strings. So, instead of sending the
message "D minor over C" it has to send the messages "put your first
finger here, and your second finger there, and your third finger there
and your pinky there." Quite a difference! The point is that even if you have theory coming out of your ears, you
know exactly what's happening musically, and you've played the guitar
for 20 years, there is no shortcut to being able to play this chord.
In order for it to become 'natural' you have to compress the
information and your fingers have to learn a new shape so that your
brain can just send the message "D minor over C." The process of
learning the new shape will be quicker for someone who's already
comfortable playing the guitar, but my point is that it still takes
time. You need to be aware of this so you don't get put off. The same applies on the drums. That's why I'm always looking for the
"simple things that seem difficult." The things that you feel like
you "ought" to be able to do because you're a drummer. Nothing falls
into that category. The things you "ought" to be able to do now are
the things that you've practised and can do. The things you "ought"
to be capable of doing in the future covers pretty much everything -
just be aware that it'll take time. I think gardening provides a good analogy. Even the best gardener in
the world needs time in order to produce a tomato!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Jam nights and terrible drumming
On Monday night I played at a local jam night. It's a while since
I've played live and I was looking forward to the opportunity to
stretch out. However, after three songs I was about ready to give up
drumming all together! Various thoughts went through my head during the songs. I really felt
like I couldn't play - I felt like a complete beginner. There was no
monitoring, so I couldn't really hear a thing I was playing. There
was no PA and I couldn't really hear what anyone else was playing
either. The sound in general was terrible from behind the kit. Also,
I'd been playing on the studio kit for a while and it felt quite alien
to be behind a different set up again. I was using my old Iron Cobra
pedal which was adjusted differently to the Pearl pedal I've been
playing in the studio. To top it all off I was playing songs that I
didn't know (and neither did some of the other musicians by the sound
of it.) All these are potentially valid excuses. I'm sure that if there'd
been adequate monitoring and I'd spent more time getting my drums set
up comfortably then things would have gone a lot better. But I
couldn't escape the fact that I just felt very awkward. In my head
I'd gone backwards. I'm felt sure that I could have done much better
10 years ago. After my 3 songs I went and sat in the car to escape. I spent some
time clearing items out of my old todo list app. One of the lists I
had in there was labelled 'Thoughts' and just contained snippets of
ideas I'd picked up from reading various books. The one that caught
my eye said "Avoid using the words 'ought to' and 'ought not to'". It
seemed very pertinent at that moment in time. Perhaps you never use the word 'ought' at all, but most people at some
point or other say "I should do this" or "I should do that." That
night I found my internal voice saying "I ought to be better after 20
years of playing." It was a thought that I found quite depressing. On further examination I realised that the statement is essentially
bollocks. I'm exactly as good as I ought to be after the number of
hours I've put into playing. Perhaps that isn't as good as I'd "like"
to be, but that's a different thing. I also realised that I probably can play. Maybe not as well as I'd
like to be able to, but certainly better than I felt like I did that
night. The problem was partially lack of adequate monitoring, but
more specifically my lack of appreciation for the importance of
adequate monitoring. Essentially what I was doing was the equivalent
of a painter trying to paint with a blindfold on. They're going to be
disappointed with the results. For future reference I'm either going to have to accept that playing
in that situation is going to make me feel like I can't play, or
remedy it in some way. I certainly could have spent more time setting
up the kit. I could have used the pedal I'm used to. I could have
taken my BC2 drum stool and mic'd the kick. I was just too lazy to do
all these things because I thought they didn't matter. BUT THEY DID.
Not necessarily to the audience, but to me. It's a horrible
experience to feel like you've regressed to being a complete beginner
and it's important to realise that you need to feel comfortable. I think I'm going to brave the jam night one more time and put these
theories into action. I'll let you know how I get on...
I've played live and I was looking forward to the opportunity to
stretch out. However, after three songs I was about ready to give up
drumming all together! Various thoughts went through my head during the songs. I really felt
like I couldn't play - I felt like a complete beginner. There was no
monitoring, so I couldn't really hear a thing I was playing. There
was no PA and I couldn't really hear what anyone else was playing
either. The sound in general was terrible from behind the kit. Also,
I'd been playing on the studio kit for a while and it felt quite alien
to be behind a different set up again. I was using my old Iron Cobra
pedal which was adjusted differently to the Pearl pedal I've been
playing in the studio. To top it all off I was playing songs that I
didn't know (and neither did some of the other musicians by the sound
of it.) All these are potentially valid excuses. I'm sure that if there'd
been adequate monitoring and I'd spent more time getting my drums set
up comfortably then things would have gone a lot better. But I
couldn't escape the fact that I just felt very awkward. In my head
I'd gone backwards. I'm felt sure that I could have done much better
10 years ago. After my 3 songs I went and sat in the car to escape. I spent some
time clearing items out of my old todo list app. One of the lists I
had in there was labelled 'Thoughts' and just contained snippets of
ideas I'd picked up from reading various books. The one that caught
my eye said "Avoid using the words 'ought to' and 'ought not to'". It
seemed very pertinent at that moment in time. Perhaps you never use the word 'ought' at all, but most people at some
point or other say "I should do this" or "I should do that." That
night I found my internal voice saying "I ought to be better after 20
years of playing." It was a thought that I found quite depressing. On further examination I realised that the statement is essentially
bollocks. I'm exactly as good as I ought to be after the number of
hours I've put into playing. Perhaps that isn't as good as I'd "like"
to be, but that's a different thing. I also realised that I probably can play. Maybe not as well as I'd
like to be able to, but certainly better than I felt like I did that
night. The problem was partially lack of adequate monitoring, but
more specifically my lack of appreciation for the importance of
adequate monitoring. Essentially what I was doing was the equivalent
of a painter trying to paint with a blindfold on. They're going to be
disappointed with the results. For future reference I'm either going to have to accept that playing
in that situation is going to make me feel like I can't play, or
remedy it in some way. I certainly could have spent more time setting
up the kit. I could have used the pedal I'm used to. I could have
taken my BC2 drum stool and mic'd the kick. I was just too lazy to do
all these things because I thought they didn't matter. BUT THEY DID.
Not necessarily to the audience, but to me. It's a horrible
experience to feel like you've regressed to being a complete beginner
and it's important to realise that you need to feel comfortable. I think I'm going to brave the jam night one more time and put these
theories into action. I'll let you know how I get on...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Playing Drums on Mick McConnel's "My Kinda Heaven"
Last summer I had the pleasure of recording drums for Mick McConnell's
solo album 'My Kinda Heaven'.
I got the call after Wishbone Ash came back from playing in South
Africa with Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. Trevor Bolder, Uriah Heep's
bass player, is also featured on the album and he recommended me to
Mick.
Mick's regular gig is with Smokie but he's been saving up songs for a
solo album for some time. He was a great guy to work with and some of
his enthusiasm for scuba diving rubbed off on me - I'm currently
working to get my PADI!
Release Date: 15th July
Available in shops: Germany, Austria, Switzerland.
UK, Europe, and rest of the world; can buy online @ www.mickmcconnell.com
Digital Download: exclusive to iTunes Worldwide, available 15th July
Record Label: FerryHouse Gold
Distributed by: Warner Music Europe
Friday, June 24, 2011
Pantera track - Cool Snare fill
Somebody asked me to transcribe the snare fill in this Pantera song -
It's not really my style (and for any young readers I apologise for
the lyrical content) but the snare fill is interesting.
If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, telling your drummer buddies, etc. I really appreciate your support!
Joe
Monday, June 13, 2011
Revamped website, blog, Drum TV and more...
I've been working really hard to update the website. For the last 3 days I've barely moved out of the sitting room chair; laptop burning a hole in my jeans, probably seriously affecting the possibility of there ever being a Joe Crabtree Jr. I feel like I'm almost done...
So, what's new? Facebook ConnectYou can now login with Facebook. It wasn't difficult to create a MasterClass account before, but I know it's a pain having to come up with yet another username and password. I prefer it when I can log into other websites with my Facebook profile so I figured I should get it working on my site. So now, creating a MasterClass account is as simple as clicking a button! Joining the MasterClass (for free) lets you buy MasterClass lessons and software, and allows you to chat to me when I'm broadcasting on Drum TV.... Drum TV
Drum TV is basically me drumming :) The same set up I use to record the YouTube and MasterClass lessons is now set up to stream live as I work on new ideas. You can sit and watch as I break down the things I'm working on, coming up with exercises to make them easier to play. You can see how long it actually takes me to be able to make things sound good. You can watch me drop sticks and hit rims. If you want to make it an interactive experience you can ask me questions via the chat window as I practice. It's basically your chance to get inside my head. Blog
I've revamped the blog. It's now easier to subscribe. If you check out www.joecrabtree.com you'll see a 'Get Updates' section where you can easily get new posts delivered to your inbox, or follow me on any of the social network sites I'm using. Drum Discussion
I've steered clear of setting up a Forum on the website. It's too much for me to manage, and there are some really good drum forums out there already. However, I'd love to get some drum discussion going on at joecrabtree.com. My solution has been to install a nice commenting system on the blog (if you're viewing in its proper place). Basically, you can comment on any of these posts and let me know what you think. I'm putting this content out there for you, so let me know what you like and don't like. Tell me what direction you want to see the site and the content to go in. I love your feedback! That's all for now. Maybe I'll see you in the practice room soon. Joe x
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Want to know what I practice? Come and watch...
(Note: This is now happening at www.joecrabtree.com/tv)
I've been working on a Dennis Chambers lick that I've struggled with
for a long time. I was thinking of doing a YouTube video on it, but
first I had to be able to play it myself. I started going through my
usual steps in trying to learn something. Each was a new exercise
that required some time for me to be able to play it. As I was coming
up with these exercises I was making mental notes of them so I could
include them in the instructional video.
I've been working on a Dennis Chambers lick that I've struggled with
for a long time. I was thinking of doing a YouTube video on it, but
first I had to be able to play it myself. I started going through my
usual steps in trying to learn something. Each was a new exercise
that required some time for me to be able to play it. As I was coming
up with these exercises I was making mental notes of them so I could
include them in the instructional video.
Last night I had a thought. What if I just streamed video of my
practice sessions. Maybe that would be of interest to some of you.
Perhaps I could have a realtime chat window so if you were watching
live you could ask questions. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or
not, but it sounds like it might be fun so I'm going to do it.
I still have some setting up to do, and I'm trying to figure out the
best way to make it all work nicely. When I finally get around to it
(in the next few days) I'll send a tweet out
(www.twitter.com/joecrabtree), and probably announce it on the
Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Crabtree/154808904561193)
- so I recommend following one of those if you're not already.
Maybe I'll see you in the practice room....
--------------------------------------------
If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, telling your drummer buddies, etc.
I really appreciate your support!
Joe
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Cool Vinnie Fill
I got this from a live recording of a Robben Ford gig. It's Vinnie on
drums. I'll be doing a YouTube video lesson on this and some other
cool stuff in the near future... --------------------------------------------
If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
drums. I'll be doing a YouTube video lesson on this and some other
cool stuff in the near future... --------------------------------------------
If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
Peter Erskine
I recently bought the DVD 'Everything is Time Keeping' by Peter
Erskine. It's both of his VHS videos from the 90s on a single DVD. I
owned his first VHS and had seen parts of his econd one. It's great
to see it all again. His feel and musicality is phenomenal and he has
such great advice. I can see it on the US Amazon site - for some reason listed as a
hardback (though it says DVD in the description)
Erskine. It's both of his VHS videos from the 90s on a single DVD. I
owned his first VHS and had seen parts of his econd one. It's great
to see it all again. His feel and musicality is phenomenal and he has
such great advice. I can see it on the US Amazon site - for some reason listed as a
hardback (though it says DVD in the description)
Friday, June 03, 2011
What do you want to see here?
After 6 weeks away I'm finally back home. Right now I'm extremely jet lagged, but I'm looking forward to recording some new lessons in the very near future.I'd love some feedback from you. Comment on this post and let me know what kind of stuff you want to see - either in video or writing... As always, if you enjoy my content please help spread the word to like minded drummers.Thanks,
Joe
Joe
Thursday, May 26, 2011
It's Raining Drummers!
A friend of mine is organising a drummer-skydiving combo on August
13th this year. The aim is to get 50 drummers to do a sky dive to
raise money for Banardo's. Check out the website here - www.DrummerPlunge.com I've done a couple of sky dives in the past and it's a lot of fun. I
wish them all the best... Joe
13th this year. The aim is to get 50 drummers to do a sky dive to
raise money for Banardo's. Check out the website here - www.DrummerPlunge.com I've done a couple of sky dives in the past and it's a lot of fun. I
wish them all the best... Joe
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Batá Drumming
Last September I visited my brother in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and met
up with a friend of his who plays Batá drums with a couple of friends.
I was extremely impressed at how complex the music sounded and how
many interesting rhythmic ideas it contained. I was also quite
surprised to learn just how structured it all is, as I'd always
thought that kind of music was a little more improvised. I'm out in Halifax again at the moment and one of the trio has gone
off to study drumming in Cuba, so today I sat in with them and started
to get my head around the music. It's amazing fun and is introducing
me to some really interesting rhythms. A lot of it is written in 6/8 but some parts will be playing a
straight 4 over the 6, or variations on that kind of concept. The
interplay of the drums is hypnotizing. Each drum has 2 sides - the
larger one giving more of a tone and the smaller one giving a slap
sound. When you're sitting in the middle of 3 people playing you hear
melodies split between the drums. It can be really hard to identify
what each drum is doing individually, but the overall sound is
fantastic. I'm heading over there again in a couple of days so I'll try and get
some video footage to put up on the blog. In the meantime, if you're
interested in investigating further, check out this page:
http://www.latinpulsemusic.com/albums/show/18 If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
up with a friend of his who plays Batá drums with a couple of friends.
I was extremely impressed at how complex the music sounded and how
many interesting rhythmic ideas it contained. I was also quite
surprised to learn just how structured it all is, as I'd always
thought that kind of music was a little more improvised. I'm out in Halifax again at the moment and one of the trio has gone
off to study drumming in Cuba, so today I sat in with them and started
to get my head around the music. It's amazing fun and is introducing
me to some really interesting rhythms. A lot of it is written in 6/8 but some parts will be playing a
straight 4 over the 6, or variations on that kind of concept. The
interplay of the drums is hypnotizing. Each drum has 2 sides - the
larger one giving more of a tone and the smaller one giving a slap
sound. When you're sitting in the middle of 3 people playing you hear
melodies split between the drums. It can be really hard to identify
what each drum is doing individually, but the overall sound is
fantastic. I'm heading over there again in a couple of days so I'll try and get
some video footage to put up on the blog. In the meantime, if you're
interested in investigating further, check out this page:
http://www.latinpulsemusic.com/albums/show/18 If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
Thursday, May 19, 2011
750 Words - Day 15 : On complaining and performing
What is my job? I play drums for 2 hours every night. Well, every
night that I have a gig. Sometimes I enjoy it, other times I really
don't. What makes the difference between a good and a bad gig? I
suppose it's whether I feel like I'm making good music. Other things come into consideration too. Playing to 20,000 people in
a stadium is quite different to playing to 30 people in a bar. I've
done both. Is one better than the other? It depends how you look at
it. Personally there are things that can spoil a gig for me. One of them
is lighting. Occasionally there'll be a really bright spot pointed
straight in my eyes. It means I can't see the audience, and it's like
staring at the sun for 2 hours. It gives you a headache and kind of
tires you out. I suppose I shouldn't complain - I should just try and
make sure it doesn't happen. Last year we did a gig with Toto. I was using a hired drum set which
needed a lot of work to get it to sound even half decent. Behind me
was Simon Phillips's monster kit - every drum in the perfect place. I
spoke to him about setting up drums and said that sometimes I just
gave up and made do. He said you should never do that. If you're not
comfortable on stage and happy that you're making a good sound then
you're not in a position to do your job properly, and you'll probably
have a bad gig. One could say that's fine coming from Simon Phillips.
He can request exact drums and hardware and have his tech set
everything up the way he likes it. Even so, he always comes and makes
the small adjustments required to make sure he's comfortable. A couple of years ago I read a great book called 'A Complaint Free
World' (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385524587/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=drums...)
Even if you're skeptical it's well worth a read. I was well aware
that complaining is unnecessary. Most people complain to their wife
about their boss, and to their boss about their wife. It doesn't
serve any purpose apart from sustaining your annoyance and boring
whoever is the recipient of the rant. I didn't feel like I was much
of a complainer, but after reading the book I became more aware of the
times that I did complain and resolved to try and eliminate them. If you feel annoyed at someone or something then you should figure out
why, and do something about it. I spend a lot of time writing
software to automate menial tasks, and I spend a lot of time finding
problems with my playing and working to overcome those. These are
active ways to overcome annoyances. Complaining that I have a bad gig
because there was a spot light in my eyes seems really petty when I
think about it. So, I plan to start a check list of things that can make a gig bad,
and make sure I systematically eliminate them from the equation. It
doesn't take much to ask someone to turn on the stage lights in sound
check and request that they change the angle of a spot or don't use it
as full brightness. If there is no soundcheck or they can't change
anything, then I suppose I could wear shades. Another thing that can spoil a gig for me is having a bad monitor mix.
Last night was the final night of a 19 date US tour. We had an 11
hour drive to get to the gig and there wasn't time to set up the
in-ear monitoring or do a proper soundcheck. The result was that I
could barely hear myself during the gig. I felt like the sound out
front also had no drums and assumed everything I was playing sounded
terrible to the audience. I played the whole gig, especially the drum
solo (which I wanted to cut from the set), feeling slightly
embarrassed about the performance and the sound. At the end of the gig many people came up and congratulated us on a
great set and commented that the sound was fantastic and the drums
were really powerful. This has happened on more than one occasion,
and I really should have learned by now. One of the hardest things to
do is look like you're enjoying something when you're not, but that's
what I'm paid to do. I've found that if you make the effort and
decide to let go of the things you can't change and trust that
everyone else is doing the best job they can do then things usually
turn out for the best. I know of no better example of this kind of professionalism than the
following clip. The backing track is played back at the wrong sample
rate and is out of tune by a random amount. Eddie does his best to
bend notes to make them sound less awful, but it's pretty horrendous
by any standard. I have no idea how he felt on stage, but it couldn't
have been good. Despite all this he still 'jumps' every time the word
comes up. Now that's a professional performer!
As for the gig when only 30 people show up to a bar in the middle of
nowhere... They've all paid for a ticket and deserve to see the same
show that the 20,000 arena goers paid to see. In some ways it'll be
even more special for them. If Eddie found himself in that situation
I think he'd still jump. If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
night that I have a gig. Sometimes I enjoy it, other times I really
don't. What makes the difference between a good and a bad gig? I
suppose it's whether I feel like I'm making good music. Other things come into consideration too. Playing to 20,000 people in
a stadium is quite different to playing to 30 people in a bar. I've
done both. Is one better than the other? It depends how you look at
it. Personally there are things that can spoil a gig for me. One of them
is lighting. Occasionally there'll be a really bright spot pointed
straight in my eyes. It means I can't see the audience, and it's like
staring at the sun for 2 hours. It gives you a headache and kind of
tires you out. I suppose I shouldn't complain - I should just try and
make sure it doesn't happen. Last year we did a gig with Toto. I was using a hired drum set which
needed a lot of work to get it to sound even half decent. Behind me
was Simon Phillips's monster kit - every drum in the perfect place. I
spoke to him about setting up drums and said that sometimes I just
gave up and made do. He said you should never do that. If you're not
comfortable on stage and happy that you're making a good sound then
you're not in a position to do your job properly, and you'll probably
have a bad gig. One could say that's fine coming from Simon Phillips.
He can request exact drums and hardware and have his tech set
everything up the way he likes it. Even so, he always comes and makes
the small adjustments required to make sure he's comfortable. A couple of years ago I read a great book called 'A Complaint Free
World' (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385524587/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=drums...)
Even if you're skeptical it's well worth a read. I was well aware
that complaining is unnecessary. Most people complain to their wife
about their boss, and to their boss about their wife. It doesn't
serve any purpose apart from sustaining your annoyance and boring
whoever is the recipient of the rant. I didn't feel like I was much
of a complainer, but after reading the book I became more aware of the
times that I did complain and resolved to try and eliminate them. If you feel annoyed at someone or something then you should figure out
why, and do something about it. I spend a lot of time writing
software to automate menial tasks, and I spend a lot of time finding
problems with my playing and working to overcome those. These are
active ways to overcome annoyances. Complaining that I have a bad gig
because there was a spot light in my eyes seems really petty when I
think about it. So, I plan to start a check list of things that can make a gig bad,
and make sure I systematically eliminate them from the equation. It
doesn't take much to ask someone to turn on the stage lights in sound
check and request that they change the angle of a spot or don't use it
as full brightness. If there is no soundcheck or they can't change
anything, then I suppose I could wear shades. Another thing that can spoil a gig for me is having a bad monitor mix.
Last night was the final night of a 19 date US tour. We had an 11
hour drive to get to the gig and there wasn't time to set up the
in-ear monitoring or do a proper soundcheck. The result was that I
could barely hear myself during the gig. I felt like the sound out
front also had no drums and assumed everything I was playing sounded
terrible to the audience. I played the whole gig, especially the drum
solo (which I wanted to cut from the set), feeling slightly
embarrassed about the performance and the sound. At the end of the gig many people came up and congratulated us on a
great set and commented that the sound was fantastic and the drums
were really powerful. This has happened on more than one occasion,
and I really should have learned by now. One of the hardest things to
do is look like you're enjoying something when you're not, but that's
what I'm paid to do. I've found that if you make the effort and
decide to let go of the things you can't change and trust that
everyone else is doing the best job they can do then things usually
turn out for the best. I know of no better example of this kind of professionalism than the
following clip. The backing track is played back at the wrong sample
rate and is out of tune by a random amount. Eddie does his best to
bend notes to make them sound less awful, but it's pretty horrendous
by any standard. I have no idea how he felt on stage, but it couldn't
have been good. Despite all this he still 'jumps' every time the word
comes up. Now that's a professional performer!
As for the gig when only 30 people show up to a bar in the middle of
nowhere... They've all paid for a ticket and deserve to see the same
show that the 20,000 arena goers paid to see. In some ways it'll be
even more special for them. If Eddie found himself in that situation
I think he'd still jump. If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Manu Katche Fill
I was just watching this Manu Katche video on youtube
back and watched the rest of the video (seems to be some instructional
thing). He goes on to play the song again in a more 'expansive' way.
It's interesting to note that the same fill crops up in that take too.
It just shows you that it's one that he likes and wasn't a random
thing that he came up with on the spot. If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
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channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Hard work
A poem by Demitri Martin. Seems a bit random, but it's thoroughly impressive. I'll tell you why afterwards....
----
"Dammit I'm Mad"
Dammit I’m mad.
Evil is a deed as I live.
God, am I reviled? I rise, my bed on a sun, I melt.
To be not one man emanating is sad. I piss.
Alas, it is so late. Who stops to help?
Man, it is hot. I’m in it. I tell.
I am not a devil. I level “Mad Dog”.
Ah, say burning is, as a deified gulp,
In my halo of a mired rum tin.
I erase many men. Oh, to be man, a sin.
Is evil in a clam? In a trap?
No. It is open. On it I was stuck.
Rats peed on hope. Elsewhere dips a web.
Be still if I fill its ebb.
Ew, a spider… eh?
We sleep. Oh no!
Deep, stark cuts saw it in one position.
Part animal, can I live? Sin is a name.
Both, one… my names are in it.
Murder? I’m a fool.
A hymn I plug, deified as a sign in ruby ash,
A Goddam level I lived at.
On mail let it in. I’m it.
Oh, sit in ample hot spots. Oh wet!
A loss it is alas (sip). I’d assign it a name.
Name not one bottle minus an ode by me:
“Sir, I deliver. I’m a dog”
Evil is a deed as I live.
Dammit I’m mad.
- Demitri Martin
-------
Think about how much work went into writing that. How many hours do you think it took? 1? 2? A day?
Now, start at the bottom and read upwards. Not word by word, but letter by letter. It's a palindrome. Rearrange the punctuation and it reads the same forwards as backwards. I think that's pretty damn impressive!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Lick a Day - Flammy Fill
Play this at a slower tempo. You have to play a quiet left hand note
immediately after the accented flam. You could make the rest of the
beat into double strokes and switch the sticking for beats 2 and 4
(eg. L rL l r r l l R lR r l l r r etc.)
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
Lick A Day - 1 bar snare drum fill
If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
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Thanks for your support,
Joe
Maybe one of the best things ever...
This is one of my favourite drum solos of all time... If you enjoy this content please spread the word. You can help by
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
clicking 'like' on my Facebook page, subscribing to my YouTube
channel, leaving comments, etc.
Thanks for your support,
Joe
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