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Composed by my student Gåetano Giordäno and played by him with Rory Slater on Bass and myself on drums.
RIP Harry. Harry Forbes was one of the most positive influences in my life. At the tender age of 13 he set me on my life's course. It went like this. At our first meeting I had a guitar and 4 chords in my pocket. My entire repertoire consisted of "The Monster Mash." (Giving up the guitar was one of my best career moves, Harry later remarked.) Anyhow in the corner of the classroom, there was this thing with wires hanging out. I said, "Harry, what's that?", "It's a synthesizer." What does it do?". "It does this." At that moment, my life's trajectory changed. I came home from the experience and grandly announced to my astonished parents, "I'm going to be a musician like Harry." Fifty two years later, I'm still playing synthesizers and I'm still a musician.
I'm so grateful to have been in his orbit. The allure of the entertainment industry lies in the allure of being the centre of attention. It looks like fun. And it is. However, performing is magic, and magic always looks easy. Here are five home truths to consider.
End of rant. David Playing drums in a big band requires a diverse set of skills, including the ability to perform various music styles, from Gene Krupa's 1938 "Sing, Sing, Sing," to Santana's "Oye Como Va," and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk." Furthermore, proficient sight-reading abilities are essential. As well, a rock drum set is necessary, as an 18-inch bebop set is insufficient. (I play a 22 inch Yamaha Club Custom set with Paiste cymbals.) Finally, endurance is also key. To acquire these skills, one should play along with classic big band albums. I have transcribed many tracks from albums such as Basie live at the Sands, Benny Goodman live at Carnegie Hall, and Buddy Rich Mercy Mercy. Daily sight-reading practice is crucial; purchase the charts, listen to the recordings, and dive in. When sight-reading a new chart, quickly review the title, arranger/composer, style, form, tempo, whether sticks or brushes are needed, and if there's a drum solo. Finally, build up your endurance slowly. Gerald Klickstein, author of The Musician's Way, suggests increasing your practice time 10% per week to avoid injury. For sight-reading, practice with snare drum books and a metronome at a slow tempo. Endurance can be improved by staying fit and setting up the drum kit ergonomically. Transitioning from a 5-piece to a 4-piece kit can help you play safely on smaller stages. Avoid playing forcefully to prevent injury; instead, master the rebound and finger strokes for intense playing without harm. Finally, always stretch before and after playing. Lastly, seek a teacher experienced in this field. I have studied with the big band expert Terry Clarke and currently with Rick Dior.
Terry Clarke and Rick Dior in action.
A Jazz piano teacher has his first jazz vibraphone lesson.
I’m collaborating with a symphonic musician from the USA who also plays jazz and rock at the professional level, like Broadway touring shows and with major pop and jazz artists. We’ve been working together, since December, on drumkit and rudiments. He is direct, skilled as a teacher, and expects results every two weeks. Now we’ve added mallet studies beginning with jazz vibes with four mallets. (He is not overly familiar with my work as a jazz and classical piano teacher or previous three-decade career on stage.) Materials:
Songs assigned.
I’m off and running. In anticipation of the next class, I will buy a used glockenspiel and the recommended etude book for mallets. I already own a xylophone. My goal is to jam on the Mallet kat with my jazz friends and to play competently the mallet book (Glock, xylophone, Mallet kat as a Marimba etc.) in the Metropolitan Silver band. David How to find musicians to play with.
I’ve been playing in bands for over 50 years. I've played in pop bands, rock bands, jazz bands, big bands, concert bands, brass bands, piano accompanist, symphony orchestras, an Armenian band, Jewish bands, Latin bands, show bands, pit bands, R&B bands, a Portuguese Rock Band, and finally, Country bands. Here is what I’ve learned about finding musicians to play with. Timeless truths.
Seven steps to finding musicians to play with. (I’ve only used steps 1 to 4.)
Good luck. David Under Rick Dior's guidance, my hands are swiftly improving—my gratitude to Rick.
Here are my personal goals for drumming: 1. Improve foot technique. 2. Master rudimental, orchestral snare, and percussion techniques. 3. Expand my collection of beats. 4. Prepare several drum solos to perform as required. 5. Start practicing with mallets, focusing on both orchestral and jazz styles.
Additionally, I spend a few hours each week, away from the kit, practicing through deep listening. Total hours practice: Low side 9.5 hours a week, high side 15 hours. David |
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