The natural and unencumbered flow of form, energy and ideas in the physical, emotional or spiritual realms is the currency with which we trade and share who we are at the deepest level.
Music is the arrangement of sounds within a cultural context for the creative communication of beauty, form and emotion. The practical tools and methods used to accomplish this are what we call technique.
Technique is how we do what we do. To use technique is to work with some basic laws of nature in meeting specific physical demands of the music. When met effortlessly and fluidly, with a great sound and feel, then we have proper technique.
Making the choice to work on technique ought to come simply from the desire to make musical ideas feel and sound better; from the observation that things may not be working as well as they could. We gain an understanding of how the body can be used to get the sounds we want. We design an economy of movement so ideas are communicated clearly and easily. We use and develop our touch and our hearing to a finer degree. Done properly with cognitive engagement, it’s like a self-sharpening tool. The more we use our internal skills to sound good, the sharper the skills become. And this refines our touch even further.
Working from a musical mindset differs from learning established techniques by themselves in that we understand how technique facilitates the aesthetic art of music, that it is the scaffolding which supports the physical expression of aesthetic content. Its purpose is to support content within context, rather than be content on its own.
Sadly however, in drumset pedagogy, technique takes precedent within the complex mix of what makes a drummer a musician, and of what makes a musician an artist. When it comes to technique, drummers sometimes lose sight of the more important aspects of musicianship, such as putting music first and being creative.
I believe the reason that technique receives so much energy and attention is due to the fact that technique as we know it is one of the few tangible and therefore teachable aspects of learning drums. Drummers and percussionists come to believe that technique is the primary component of drumming and that perfection and precision are the highest virtues. In this way they become craftsmen or women, highly skilled yet having forgone the creative contributive connection that lies at the heart of American collaborative music.
The vast majority of what we must bring to music is, by and large, not taught by teachers, books, or videos. The things that feed our humanness and subsequently our musicianship are the things we discover by living deeply, by digging deep within ourselves, the music, and the instrument. Our artistry is a reflection of our very humanity. Our humanity represents our humanness: creativity, compassion, empathy, wisdom and love; our collaborative sense, the desire to be our best and our connectedness. Intangibles such as creativity, improvisation, musical instincts and intuition, talent, touch, listening skill, experience, discipline, and cultural awareness, are assimilated from years of playing and listening to the music. Together these immaterial things form our sensibilities, and it is our sensibilities which hold the most value within the context of music; to our fellow musicians, to the listeners and to music itself.
Ignoring the unseen, not acknowledging, or discounting the presence and importance of the things which cannot be seen, easily measured or quantified is to hold a Cartesian world view, void of the essence of what it means to be human. Not everything can be explained. As music artists it is our responsibility to continually attempt to get closer to that which we believe might hold truth. Organically finding the technique that allows our ideas to resonate freely is a kind of truth. The natural and unencumbered flow of form, energy and ideas in the physical, emotional or spiritual realms is the currency with which we trade and share who we are at the deepest level.
Here I will spare the reader a discussion on the different types of technique, how they work or how to play them. Instead, working autonomously by digging and discovering answers for ourselves, while seeking sound advice at the proper time in the learning process as needed, is most effective in making the proper musical and internal connections.
Working autonomously, we identify musical problem areas and discover for ourselves how to overcome them in order to reach a state of fluidity and ease. Each unique situation means that we have to organically gain an understanding of ourselves as instrument. With eyes and ears wide open, we use attentiveness, curiosity and problem-solving skills. That process supports and enables the sensibilities of our musicality. Once this is fully understood, it is easy to see the path forward.
Technique that comes as a result of wanting to make something work better is quickly assimilated into our skill set and can be applied more broadly and naturally. It is common to think that loads of repetition magically makes something better, when in fact repetition, when done mindlessly, reinforces the way we are already playing. It is not progress, but rather a kind of reinforcement. Solving problems and finding answers is up to us and the connections we make in the moment. We can only make something feel and sound better through conscious, active engagement. We dig deeply to understand the mechanics necessary in making each situation fluid, and then take intelligent steps in the right direction- steps that originate in our own reasoning. We grow by making our own connections and reaching an understanding of how and why something either works or does not. Instead of forcing something by simply playing it stronger and faster, permanently reinforcing poor technique in the process, we must consciously step in, take something apart and understand the basic physics at play. In this way we organically relate techniques to what we want to play rather than playing that is based on technique.
Popular techniques are well-suited for specific situations. A firm grasp of popularly used drumming techniques is necessary and useful. However, it is important to understand that there are limits to their use. When what we play comes only from the techniques we have learned it limits our creativity to only what those techniques allow, often without our even realizing it. Learning a wide variety of techniques broadens the range of possibilities, although we are still limited to what the techniques allow. Learning techniques derived from creative ideas and from problems we encounter takes it even further in the right direction, since ideas come from imagination and are rooted in music rather than in technique itself.
I think figuring out how to sound good is the most useful technique. I occasionally work on a practice pad or just a pair of hi-hats because it emphasizes the bare bones of my touch. The limited sound of a pad or hats reveals my touch at its most basic level and brings to the fore the economy and efficiency of my movements, or lack of it. It reveals differences between right and left.
Using the basics as a workshop, such as the Single Beat Combinations in George Stone’s classic Stick Control, or any collection of sticking patterns, presents opportunities for the development of listening, control and touch. Since the patterns themselves are not intended to be memorized and applied literally, although they could be, the potential for overall improvement of listening, control and touch is of profound importance. Listening, control and touch is where we place our focus.
First, rather than trying to memorize the right or left sticking patterns for the exercises, simply hear the rhythm that the sticking pattern creates, and play the pattern from ear. This is a useful tool for learning patterns quickly based on their rhythmic melody instead of fumbling with remembering right and left patterns. We make a direct connection via the ear to the rhythmic content instead of the more disconnected approach of dutifully memorizing when to play the left and right hand.
Once the rhythm, not the sticking pattern, is recognized and easily repeated correctly, work to make the exercises sound like evenly spaced eighth-notes and nothing more. In other words, play each exercise so that the sticking pattern cannot be heard and all notes sound even and smooth. Listen carefully and identify the subtle differences that cause one stick to sound different than the other, and find the reason why, such as playing one hand louder. Differences may also be caused by playing on two sonically different parts of the pad. Or we may be holding one stick differently than the other. And yet even when all these differences are addressed, we still may find that the pattern can still be heard. Ah, then the reason must be our spacing. Listen carefully and fix all minute discrepancies. I’ve found that proper spacing of subdivisions, equal from hand to hand, contributes the most to an even sound. It is easy to make the hands sound different from one another. Making them sound the same transforms our touch.
Another example to develop listening, control and touch is to work to make double-strokes in triplet subdivisions sound more like triplets than doubles in triplets. Make the triplet the dominant characteristic rather than the doubles. The same applies to doubles in sixteenth-notes. Make the sixteenth note the dominant aspect of the sound, not the doubles themselves. The challenge increases by playing the triplet or sixteenth-note doubles on two different surfaces, like a cymbal and snare, or using bass and drums behind a ride cymbal. Work with the spacing of notes to increase the clarity and emphasize the continuous flow of the subdivision. Proper spacing clarifies the time.
Well beyond technical precision and striving for perfection, technique gives our ideas the clarity they need. Technique gives us what we need to create music with fluidity and sensitivity. It allows our attention, receptivity, instincts and skills to be directed at the overall group sound. Good technique gives us power in reserve. John Riley observes how the concept of headroom, or excess capacity, relates to our ability to play with ease and efficiency, while freeing us to use our reserve capacity for listening, creativity and our musical responsibilities. [1]
Although great players often play complex ideas, the overall flow is one of ease and effortlessness. Think: fluidity. When we play at maximum capacity, we are exhausting all of our resources. Listening, supporting the other musicians, and conversing with ease takes mental capacity and mastery on multiple levels. Developing our capabilities beyond what we might actually need gives us reserve capacity which we can then devote to other areas.
Having power in reserve positively influences our music in other ways as well. When we leave headroom in the music it imparts a feeling of potential. There is music in reserve. Not using all our power all the time conveys confident musicianship and makes the music a more engaging experience. Continuously playing at maximum level leaves nowhere to go but down. When we highlight everything, nothing stands out.
Developing technique makes all this possible when we maintain our connection with the clear communication of ideas within the context of music. Autonomous discovery of the mechanics that lie behind playing is more broadly applicable than merely learning established techniques.
Thanks for reading. ... Brett F. Campbell, 2019
[1] John Riley, The Master Drummer DVD (Alfred Music, 2009)
Technique is how we do what we do. To use technique is to work with some basic laws of nature in meeting specific physical demands of the music. When met effortlessly and fluidly, with a great sound and feel, then we have proper technique.
Making the choice to work on technique ought to come simply from the desire to make musical ideas feel and sound better; from the observation that things may not be working as well as they could. We gain an understanding of how the body can be used to get the sounds we want. We design an economy of movement so ideas are communicated clearly and easily. We use and develop our touch and our hearing to a finer degree. Done properly with cognitive engagement, it’s like a self-sharpening tool. The more we use our internal skills to sound good, the sharper the skills become. And this refines our touch even further.
Working from a musical mindset differs from learning established techniques by themselves in that we understand how technique facilitates the aesthetic art of music, that it is the scaffolding which supports the physical expression of aesthetic content. Its purpose is to support content within context, rather than be content on its own.
Sadly however, in drumset pedagogy, technique takes precedent within the complex mix of what makes a drummer a musician, and of what makes a musician an artist. When it comes to technique, drummers sometimes lose sight of the more important aspects of musicianship, such as putting music first and being creative.
I believe the reason that technique receives so much energy and attention is due to the fact that technique as we know it is one of the few tangible and therefore teachable aspects of learning drums. Drummers and percussionists come to believe that technique is the primary component of drumming and that perfection and precision are the highest virtues. In this way they become craftsmen or women, highly skilled yet having forgone the creative contributive connection that lies at the heart of American collaborative music.
The vast majority of what we must bring to music is, by and large, not taught by teachers, books, or videos. The things that feed our humanness and subsequently our musicianship are the things we discover by living deeply, by digging deep within ourselves, the music, and the instrument. Our artistry is a reflection of our very humanity. Our humanity represents our humanness: creativity, compassion, empathy, wisdom and love; our collaborative sense, the desire to be our best and our connectedness. Intangibles such as creativity, improvisation, musical instincts and intuition, talent, touch, listening skill, experience, discipline, and cultural awareness, are assimilated from years of playing and listening to the music. Together these immaterial things form our sensibilities, and it is our sensibilities which hold the most value within the context of music; to our fellow musicians, to the listeners and to music itself.
Ignoring the unseen, not acknowledging, or discounting the presence and importance of the things which cannot be seen, easily measured or quantified is to hold a Cartesian world view, void of the essence of what it means to be human. Not everything can be explained. As music artists it is our responsibility to continually attempt to get closer to that which we believe might hold truth. Organically finding the technique that allows our ideas to resonate freely is a kind of truth. The natural and unencumbered flow of form, energy and ideas in the physical, emotional or spiritual realms is the currency with which we trade and share who we are at the deepest level.
Here I will spare the reader a discussion on the different types of technique, how they work or how to play them. Instead, working autonomously by digging and discovering answers for ourselves, while seeking sound advice at the proper time in the learning process as needed, is most effective in making the proper musical and internal connections.
Working autonomously, we identify musical problem areas and discover for ourselves how to overcome them in order to reach a state of fluidity and ease. Each unique situation means that we have to organically gain an understanding of ourselves as instrument. With eyes and ears wide open, we use attentiveness, curiosity and problem-solving skills. That process supports and enables the sensibilities of our musicality. Once this is fully understood, it is easy to see the path forward.
Technique that comes as a result of wanting to make something work better is quickly assimilated into our skill set and can be applied more broadly and naturally. It is common to think that loads of repetition magically makes something better, when in fact repetition, when done mindlessly, reinforces the way we are already playing. It is not progress, but rather a kind of reinforcement. Solving problems and finding answers is up to us and the connections we make in the moment. We can only make something feel and sound better through conscious, active engagement. We dig deeply to understand the mechanics necessary in making each situation fluid, and then take intelligent steps in the right direction- steps that originate in our own reasoning. We grow by making our own connections and reaching an understanding of how and why something either works or does not. Instead of forcing something by simply playing it stronger and faster, permanently reinforcing poor technique in the process, we must consciously step in, take something apart and understand the basic physics at play. In this way we organically relate techniques to what we want to play rather than playing that is based on technique.
Popular techniques are well-suited for specific situations. A firm grasp of popularly used drumming techniques is necessary and useful. However, it is important to understand that there are limits to their use. When what we play comes only from the techniques we have learned it limits our creativity to only what those techniques allow, often without our even realizing it. Learning a wide variety of techniques broadens the range of possibilities, although we are still limited to what the techniques allow. Learning techniques derived from creative ideas and from problems we encounter takes it even further in the right direction, since ideas come from imagination and are rooted in music rather than in technique itself.
I think figuring out how to sound good is the most useful technique. I occasionally work on a practice pad or just a pair of hi-hats because it emphasizes the bare bones of my touch. The limited sound of a pad or hats reveals my touch at its most basic level and brings to the fore the economy and efficiency of my movements, or lack of it. It reveals differences between right and left.
Using the basics as a workshop, such as the Single Beat Combinations in George Stone’s classic Stick Control, or any collection of sticking patterns, presents opportunities for the development of listening, control and touch. Since the patterns themselves are not intended to be memorized and applied literally, although they could be, the potential for overall improvement of listening, control and touch is of profound importance. Listening, control and touch is where we place our focus.
First, rather than trying to memorize the right or left sticking patterns for the exercises, simply hear the rhythm that the sticking pattern creates, and play the pattern from ear. This is a useful tool for learning patterns quickly based on their rhythmic melody instead of fumbling with remembering right and left patterns. We make a direct connection via the ear to the rhythmic content instead of the more disconnected approach of dutifully memorizing when to play the left and right hand.
Once the rhythm, not the sticking pattern, is recognized and easily repeated correctly, work to make the exercises sound like evenly spaced eighth-notes and nothing more. In other words, play each exercise so that the sticking pattern cannot be heard and all notes sound even and smooth. Listen carefully and identify the subtle differences that cause one stick to sound different than the other, and find the reason why, such as playing one hand louder. Differences may also be caused by playing on two sonically different parts of the pad. Or we may be holding one stick differently than the other. And yet even when all these differences are addressed, we still may find that the pattern can still be heard. Ah, then the reason must be our spacing. Listen carefully and fix all minute discrepancies. I’ve found that proper spacing of subdivisions, equal from hand to hand, contributes the most to an even sound. It is easy to make the hands sound different from one another. Making them sound the same transforms our touch.
Another example to develop listening, control and touch is to work to make double-strokes in triplet subdivisions sound more like triplets than doubles in triplets. Make the triplet the dominant characteristic rather than the doubles. The same applies to doubles in sixteenth-notes. Make the sixteenth note the dominant aspect of the sound, not the doubles themselves. The challenge increases by playing the triplet or sixteenth-note doubles on two different surfaces, like a cymbal and snare, or using bass and drums behind a ride cymbal. Work with the spacing of notes to increase the clarity and emphasize the continuous flow of the subdivision. Proper spacing clarifies the time.
Well beyond technical precision and striving for perfection, technique gives our ideas the clarity they need. Technique gives us what we need to create music with fluidity and sensitivity. It allows our attention, receptivity, instincts and skills to be directed at the overall group sound. Good technique gives us power in reserve. John Riley observes how the concept of headroom, or excess capacity, relates to our ability to play with ease and efficiency, while freeing us to use our reserve capacity for listening, creativity and our musical responsibilities. [1]
Although great players often play complex ideas, the overall flow is one of ease and effortlessness. Think: fluidity. When we play at maximum capacity, we are exhausting all of our resources. Listening, supporting the other musicians, and conversing with ease takes mental capacity and mastery on multiple levels. Developing our capabilities beyond what we might actually need gives us reserve capacity which we can then devote to other areas.
Having power in reserve positively influences our music in other ways as well. When we leave headroom in the music it imparts a feeling of potential. There is music in reserve. Not using all our power all the time conveys confident musicianship and makes the music a more engaging experience. Continuously playing at maximum level leaves nowhere to go but down. When we highlight everything, nothing stands out.
Developing technique makes all this possible when we maintain our connection with the clear communication of ideas within the context of music. Autonomous discovery of the mechanics that lie behind playing is more broadly applicable than merely learning established techniques.
Thanks for reading. ... Brett F. Campbell, 2019
[1] John Riley, The Master Drummer DVD (Alfred Music, 2009)
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