Tutorial 1

TUTORIAL #1: SO YOU WANT TO BE A MUSICALDRUMMER?As one who was involved in music and musical performance from a very early age I amnonetheless thankful that I experienced various aspects of learning at a high level of under-standing and performance before being led to a life devoted to the art of jazz drumming.From these experiences, I have found no other music or musicians anywhere who swingharder than the pipe band drummers and the sophisticated musical lines they play in unisonaround the music is second to none in musical artistry.How you may ask can so many drummers who are pure hobbiests play at such a high musical level? The key lies not in the chops they have developed, but in understanding themusic and being able to sing every composition they perform.The pipe band drummer mustknow every nuance within the musical score for without this their interpretation will lackfeeling, meaning and musical expression.Whatever field of music you wish to enter the key is the same - know the music. Playinglatin rhythms does not make you a latin drummer. You must know the music. Playing clas-sical snare drum studies does not make you a classical musician.You must know the music.Being able to play classic independence studies does not make you a jazz drummer. Youmust know the music. I am continually asked why my transition from pipe band drummingto jazz drumming posed only minor difficulties and the answer is simple - I knew the music.As I moved into the ...