Today, I had the pleasure of playing and recording some fun fusion music! We recorded live and even though it took a little while to find a good level for the entire band, I think that it was well worth the effort. I really enjoy creating and...
Read moreTuning Drums
I moved two drum kits in my teaching studio yesterday and neither one of them sounded quite the same as they did before I swapped their positions. Granted, they are now in different places in the same room so the different acoustics account for...
Read moreDrum Solos!
I tend to like playing for the music regardless of the style. Most of the time, that means that I get the opportunity to groove hard while interacting with the other musicians. I like the moments that are not planned the best. To me, this is when...
Read moreThe Four Stick Strokes
In order to play with ease on the snare drum, let alone the drum set, I find it very useful to use the four stick strokes. There has been much written about them, so I will not attempt to re-write this material. Suffice it to say, the four stick...
Read moreRecording and Being Open
I was recording today – tracking bass and drums. For some reason, I swapped out snare drums. I took the drum that’s usually to my left (by my hi-hat) and set it up as my main snare drum. I didn’t dig it, but the bass player did! So, I left it...
Read moreEnergy and Volume
I just heard the Jim Hall Quartet last night – wow! There was an amazing amount of energy and yet the group practically played at a whisper. I was only three tables from the stage, and at times I had to almost strain to hear the guitar (Jim...
Read moreListening to “New” Music
I’m in a phase where I seem to buying a bunch of “new” music to listen to right now. Some of it is relatively new to the market, while most of it has been around for a while. Quite a bit of it is jazz trio stuff. The piano jazz trio is so cool...
Read morePracticing and Being Consistent
I have been trying to be consistent recently with my drum practicing. It’s something I talk about with my students, and it’s working for me too! Life does get busy with all the “stuff” to do, but there does seem to be a way to squeeze some drum...
Read moreAccepting Others
OK, so let’s say you have an education in music. Perhaps you have a degree, maybe even a Master’s Degree or beyond. You are a trained musician, as they say. You are able to talk about harmony and theory in a way that others may not understand...
Read moreDoing My Job
At the end of the gig last night, I was told by a fellow band member that by listening to me he always knew where he was in the music. It’s a nice compliment. It’s also my job – at least that’s how I look at it. With a 10-piece big band playing...
Read moreRecording Drums
I’ve been having fun recently coming up with ideas for drum parts for some tunes that a friend of mine has been writing. These are instrumental tunes that would probably be labeled as “jazz fusion.” We’re tracking bass and drums together (with a...
Read moreKeep It Simple
I am sometimes amazed at how good something can sound when I keep my drumming simple and to the point. Even when I check out some of the greats, and I hear something that floors me – sometimes it’s so simple! But is it? From a technical...
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