Taking care of business

"It's called show business.... so show up and take care of your business."

     We often think of "show business" as some unruly, willy-nilly, free-for-all.  We think of entertainers as these untouchable and elevated people who have nothing to think of except their performances and they live in some kind of fantasy world where, if you "make it" then you're excused from overall responsibility.

     Today, more than any other time, "show business", the word "business" is just as important, if not more, than the word "show".

     Why?  Because if the business doesn't get handled, then the show ain't happening.  Period.

     So what is business?  It's everything, even the playing:  returning correspondence via email, phone, texts.  Being on time.  Being absolutely prepared.  Dressing correctly.  Supporting and serving the music.  Doing your job.  Doing what you say you are going to do.  And further...  maintaining a vibrant social media presence, keeping up with the trends, etc....

     I am reminded of all of this as I observe musicians in various states of preparedness for performances.  I am amazed at some of them, how astute and ready they are.  Others, it's the total opposite, they behave as if some magical force is going to tie up all the loose ends they haven't bothered to take care of.  

     When I'm a bandleader, I am acutely aware of the musicians I hire and their business standard.  If I hire a player, and I've sent them music in advance, it's natural to expect them the have it prepared. And if they haven't prepared, I will never call them again.  If they are prepared, then their number is on my list when it comes time to make calls.

     It's so simple, yet so easy to slack off.  Most of the things that a musician can do to make their playing experience better, to give themselves and the band a better chance of making some actual music, are not difficult but just require caring enough to do them.  In my mind and in my experience, this is what separates great musicians from so-so musicians.  The ones who know that if they want to sound good, then they have to know the music well in order to have a chance at making some good music, and also to show the leader some respect.

     Do yourself a big favor.  Handle your business, leave no stone unturned and you'll see a big difference in your life.  

What You're Doing...

Today I was thinking about all the great drummers I've enjoyed so much over the years and how some of them transcend the idiom, some of them transcend the drums themselves.

Ever hear Roy Haynes play funk?  Or Mel Lewis play a funky backbeat?  Or hear Tony Williams play a rock feeling?  It's still totally them, still has their fingerprint all over it, it's improvised and loose, but it's not "stock" by a long shot.  It's their personality, their sound, their ideas, transcending the idiom.  

You transcend the idiom by learning the vocabulary and the devices, the nuts and bolts, etc... then you're getting started.  

On the flip side, check how the drummer on Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On" plays a jazzy three feel.  Or check the loose feel that Stevie Wonder plays drums on a song like "Seems So Long"

Or check how Paul McCartney plays drums on his first two solo albums and also on "Chaos and Creation", the way they both orchestrate for the music when they play drums is so perfect, so natural and easy sounding.

They transcend the drums, by not thinking like drummers.  How can they?  They play all the instruments and the drums are just one part of it all.

How can drummers do this?  To free themselves of the patternistic trappings of the trap set?

They are not thinking about what they are playing.  They are thinking about what they are doing.  And that function doesn't change all that much from idiom to idiom.  I mean, in be-bop a drummer may be employing a conversational and melodic approach as opposed to in rock or funk a more beat oriented, repetitive approach.  But essentially, they're doing the same thing.  Serving the music.  And hey, a rock song can have conversational/melodic drums in it, too, if the music asks, answer.

Always play for the music.  The Melody.  The Form.  The changes.  The dynamics.  The statement being made. The musical vision, the composers intent. The energy.

Remember, it's not about what you're playing, it's about what you're doing. 

The "Truth Kit"

     As an impressionable kid of 12 years old, I used to marvel at fancy drum kits.  The rock drummers that captivated my attention on MTV played colossal set-ups designed to wow audiences.  Drum magazines capitalized on music video culture with advertisements of popular drummers perched atop  unfathomably big set ups.  Many of us young cats took the bait.  I would add any piece I could get my hands on to my kit:  cowbells, root-toms, extra cymbals... you name it, I tried it.

     One day in band class I innocently asked my teacher, "What's the best drum kit out there?"  I wanted to know, so I could start calculating how many lawns I'd have to mow to get that kit.  His reply was short and simple
   
     "The one with the best drummer playing it."

     I felt kind of silly.  But still, I persisted.  My kit grew, and my playing, did not.  I went to see a band who's drummer had an incredible drum rack system and his cymbals hung from the rack by chains.  So, I drilled holes in my parents basement and hung my cymbals by chains.  Poetically, it was a nightmare to try to set my kit up underneath the cymbals just right and I went back to using cymbal stands, just like all the mere mortals did.  Another time I bought a set of electronic pads, but they just sounded too out of place against my acoustic drums and they quickly felt novel.  I ditched those, too. Another time I bought all these fancy double ply heads and fancy "dead ringer" mufflers and the drums sounded so bad I tore the mufflers out, effectively wasting my hard earned money.

     As a senior in high school I got a brass piccolo snare like my favorite drummer, but it sounded thin and abrasive, nothing like my hero's drum sounded on the records, and I quit using it and went back to my old no-name drum I'd had since grade school.  I also tried using the same "power tom" sizes that the hero used, but the drums always sounded flat and weird, so I sold those too.

     I learned the hard way.  And, the expensive way.

     I finally traded the fancy power tom kit in on an old, but very solid, vintage kit from the late 60s which I still own.  Those drums have a tone and a soul.  They are no nonsense and allowed me to get on with the business of just playing.  I used those drums all around Kansas City and cats loved them.  I used them on records and I still love the sound.  I tried a few other kits here and there, but I stayed with those drums.

     After moving to NYC and relinquishing my car to live in Manhattan, I paired my kit down even more.  I couldn't carry toms around, or even a crash cymbal.  So I learned to play on what cats call "The Truth Kit".

Playing the "truth-kit" in NYC with Eliane, Hagar Ben-Ari and Bill Ware

      The truth kit exposed me, musically and physically.

     For soloing, the Truth Kit was a major challenge.  It exposed my then lack of rudimental foundation, forcing me to confront my weakness.  I went on to study with Michael Carvin who helped me re-tool my playing from the ground up, and soloing on a lone snare drum then became no problem.  The kit exposed me physically, too.  I felt like there was nothing to hide behind and now knew what vocalists and guitarists feel like.  It was a real trip to discover that.  My creativity was exposed, not having toms and extra cymbals to play, I was forced to make it all happen on a snare, bass, hi-hat and cymbal.  And you know what, you should be able to make it happen on that.  What good will all the other stuff do you if you can't??

     I need to add, that physically, with the Truth Kit, there's a piece for each limb:  Right Hand = Ride Cymbal.  Left Hand = Snare.  Right Foot = Bass Drum.  Left Food = Hi=Hat.  Unless you are an octopus, then you've got your hands and feet full.  If you need further evidence go take a look at the Jim Chapin book.

      And I paid several years worth of dues on that kit, playing all kinds of gigs on it.  And you know, it never let me down.  I played jazz, brazillian, rock, funk and singer songwriter stuff on that kit all over NYC.  Nobody ever, ever complained.  In fact, many musicians complimented me on being able to make it happen on such a sparse kit.  One time recently I was playing a Truth Kit and T.S. Monk was there checking the gig out.  After the set he raved about it, saying that Max Roach had taught him the lesson of the Truth Kit.

     Now, I'm not saying that every drummer should play on a Truth Kit, because if the music asks for multiple cymbals and toms, then do what you gotta do.  But especially for young drummers, for whom money is scarce, my best advice is this:  Get a solid kit, with standard sizes (meaning no extra deep toms and a modest size bass drum) and put some basic kind of heads on it and learn to deal with what you've got.  If you're going to invest money, invest in quality cymbals, not more drums.  Invest your thought and time into MUSIC... that is, your training.  A fancy snare drum ain't gonna help you play rudiments any cleaner, or some expensive practice pad.  Deal with the basic kit until you get out of high school.  Cats that are constantly changing their kit around, they're usually not doing it for musical reasons.  Learn to TUNE your drums.  Learn about drumheads and how they work.  Learn about cymbals and the various alloys.  Study your rudiments and coordination.  (See Charles Wilcoxon and Jim Chapin).

So, fast forward to now.  My students ask me about drums.  "Mr. Kane what are the best drums?"  And you know the answer is!  All the best to all you great young drummers.

-Matt

   

Mystical World of Cymbals and a visit to cymbal smith Jesse Simpson

     I've been chasing a cymbal sound for 30 years and never even really came close to finding it.  Maybe that's a part of being an artist, or it's part of "the journey" in being a musician, chasing something that we never quite find.  Or maybe, that magical sound keeps evolving, but whatever it is, I'm still chasing it!

     Cymbals are the X factor of the kit for me.  Drum sounds are more predictable, more attainable to me, because you can choose the woods, the bearing edge cut, the hoop and you cane TUNE them, choose various kinds of heads and combinations of heads.  With cymbals, insofar as their intrinsic sound and feel, you can choose a certain alloy, a certain weight and profile, but still, you kind of get what you get.

     Of course, there are many things that go into your cymbal sound; your touch, your stick, your intention, the part of the cymbal your play on, the dynamics and of course, YOU.  However, cymbals have that mystical, otherworldly thing that goes beyond description and has remained a mystery to me for years.

     Over the years I have gone thru so many phases: Old Ks that always had some kind of weirdness, Old As that sounded good, but still had a clumsy sounding bell, Sabian HH Sound Controls that had a beautiful oceanic sound but too much so, Paiste Traditionals that had this sort of clangy sound to the bell, Bosphorus Master Vintage that had a beautiful under stated woody sound, but void of musical overtones and Sabian Artisans that are a little too thick...  why does it have to be so confusing?

     And of course, it's one thing to find a cymbal that you love, but quite another to have a whole set that works together.  (maybe that's another post in itself)

     Of course, cymbals ain't cheap.  So, if  you're on a budget, as most musicians this day in age are, it's a constant quest of turning over cymbals, buying/selling, to find something that you really love.  You have to be absolutely tenacious and unyielding in your quest, and also gotta have some luck!

     So, last night I had a  chance to visit a cymbal smith, Jesse Simpson, in Brooklyn last night.  It was well worth the trip.  As I stepped into his shop, I felt like I was transported to an alchemists lab.  Finally, I was going to get some answers and some knowledge about cymbals that could help me evolve my conception of cymbals.

     Jesse answered all my questions and filled me in on some of the things that determine the sound and some of the things that don't effect the sound quite so much.  I learned about the cymbal "profile" the hammering patterns, the balance of thickness in a cymbal, the lathing, etc...  Jesse explained some of the myths of breaking a cymbal in (burying it, playing it really loud with heavy mallets, turning it inside out 50 times)  It was fascinating to finally get some knowledge and de-mystify some of this stuff.  And Jesse is just a cool dude, he's not out to soak anybody for cash, he's not looking for accolades... he just digs making and modifying cymbals.  Clearly this man has a passion for what he is doing.  Respect and admiration to him for going for it!

     I also brought in a few of my Paiste traditional series cymbals that have always had some kind of "clangy" tones in them and Jesse evaluated them and explained to me why that is.  I love those cymbals about 70% and the other 30% keeps me from really wanting to play them that much.  So, Jesse is going to "modify" the cymbals with some additional hammering and lathing to bring out the qualities that I feel the cymbals are lacking.  I'm very excited!

     So, the quest continues, but I now feel I am closer to the answer than before.  I will keep tenaciously searching, digging and feeding this obsession until, well, let's just leave it at that... until....

Motivation and Practice: part 2 Practice

What is practice?

That's a good question.  There are more kinds of practice than one may think.  As a noun, a practice is an ongoing carrying out of a profession.  Like a law practice.  As a verb, practice can mean to perform a particular skill in order to improve or become proficient.

Going with the latter and applied to the practicing of a musical instrument, there are different kinds of practice within that definition.

Practice to learn a skill.
Practice to become proficient at the skill.
Practice to master the skill.
Practice to maintain the skill.
Practice to integrate the skill into musical action.

Wow, that's a lot of practice!

The drums are a very physical instrument. The drum set has been referred to by the great Max Roach as a "four limbed monster" and indeed he's right.  The manipulation of the sticks and pedals to get the multiple instruments to all speak as one rhythm, one sound, takes a lot of work.  It takes a certain amount of conditioning of the muscles and mind.

So, you have a "conditioning" kind of practice that you must deal with in order to train your muscles.  Olympic athletes know this well.  Have you ever watched the Olympics and marveled at the precision, the timing, the confidence, the clutch performance of the athletes?  That certainly doesn't happen by accident, or even with mere "practice".  It happens with an intelligent and analytical approach to training, conditioning, muscle memory, mental toughness, self discipline, motivation and probably some qualities there aren't even names for.  Let's call that inspiration.

Let's break it down further.

Practice to learn a skill:  slow, concentrated practice of the skill to teach the muscles and mind how to respond.  Paying close attention to form, feel and sound production, we are literally teaching our neurological system and brain how to fire together.  We are wiring the action into our brain.

Practice to proficiency:  to be able to perform/execute the skill upon command with good form and control.

Practice to mastery:  to be able to execute the skill at any tempo, any dynamic level, under any circumstances, at any time.

Practice to maintain:  as they say, use it or lose it.  This kind of practice is usually a daily ritualistic practice of going over what we have mastered in order to keep what we have worked so hard to master.  What we have mastered is like a jumping off point where we move onto to the next plateau.

Practice to integrate the skill:  for musicians, this would mean utilizing the skill within a musical performance context, usually playing with other musicians (but not always) and to be able to maintains ones ease, concentration and form in the "heat of battle".  For athletes, this would be in an actual competition.

A lot of practice indeed, but if you break it down into different types of practice, one can begin to put it into perspective and begin to understand how a master musician attains that level of play.  Obviously, there are intangibles; talent, culture, opportunity, environment, tenacity, goals, vision.  However, if we understand what we are doing when we practice; learning, polishing, mastering, maintaing, integrating, then it doesn't seem quite so daunting, dry or academic.  It makes total sense.

Thanks for reading, let's go hit the practice room!

Motivation and Practice: Motivation Part 1

What lies at the root of our actions?  What is our "Why"?

In regards to music, playing, practicing and improving; motivation is key.

Recently a parent of a student came to me and said his son was practicing 15 minutes a day, like I suggested in the beginning, but that his practice routine hadn't grown… in 2 years.  And as a result, his playing hasn't really grown as much as he'd like.  

It got me thinking about what drives us.  What motivates us.  What's within us.  

A wise man once told me "There are no officials in life who are going to blow a whistle on us if we don't practice.  It's something that you either do, or you don't do."

Further, yes, you can practice regularly and maybe not really improve.  If that's the case, then you have to ask yourself why you're practicing, what your goals are and most of all, is it enjoyable for you or is it a drag and a chore?

A teacher can shine a light on the path, but the student must walk the path themselves.

What motivates you to play will motivate you to practice.  And what motivates you to practice is your desire to attain, to understand, to master, to move to the next thing, to build on what you've gained already.  

When a student comes to me with a desire, a goal, then my duty is done for me, almost.

On the flip side, when I have to practically beg a student to bring in a song they love and really want to be able to play, or beg them to go out to a jam session and sit in, or practically plead with them to get the Charles Wilcoxon book, then the chore is mine.

Some young aspiring players, you can't keep the instrument away from them, as soon as they come home from school they head straight for their horn, the piano, the drums, the guitar.  And they play it out of sheer joy.  They've made a connection to it, to music, and they are drawn to it.

Some musicians practice out of love for the music, so they can honor the music that they hold in high regard, to be able to play it right.  They practice to be able to enhance the music and the musicians they are playing with.  They practice because they want to improve, constantly.  The best musicians practice constantly in their minds, they are always thinking about music, art, expression.  They are literally obsessed with music, not just their instrument, but music as a whole.

Some musicians practice out of fear of not being good.  Their motivation is suspect, are they really in it for the right reasons?  They may thrive on competition, not necessarily musical expression or understanding.  And to be very honest here, if you have to be begged to practice, or if you feel it's a drag, then maybe you need to try something else.

Playing music is something that maybe good in theory, might sound like a good idea, but have you defined your "Why"?  Do you know why you're doing it?  Most say, because it's fun, because I enjoy it.  If that's the case, then use that for motivation.  

Some players truly enjoy improving.  They live to wake up and play and to experience improvement every week.  In fact, they expect to get better and they do whatever they have to do to make improvements.  Some go to quite extreme lengths, moving to another city, practicing for many hours a day.  

Some watch the clock as they practice, some sit down with something in mind and will not stop until they attain it.  

If you have hit a wall in your practice, in your musical life.  Here are some keys to working through the wall and getting to the other side:

Find what motivates you.  This could be a tough question, but it is absolutely necessary.

Define your "Why"

Tap your curiosity.

Ask what it is you love about music.

Ask what your goals are.  Short term and long term.  

Go beyond what your teacher asks you to do.  And remember your teacher is only pointing you in the right direction, you must walk the path.

Find something you absolutely want to learn to do and pursue it relentlessly until you get it.  Not because your teacher asks you to do it.

Never stop, even the best players have periods in which they have to ask these questions and re-define what their goals are.  

I also think it's important to identify what practice is.  That's what we'll deal with in the next post.

Thanks for reading, now let's define that "Why"

Music clinics...

I first heard of musicians doing "clinics" when I was in high school.  My dad read in the St. Louis paper that an amazing drummer, Dave Weckl, was doing a drum clinic sponsored by Drum Headquarters, Zlidjian and Yamaha.  I was curious, so we drove down to St. Louis, a 2 hr trip from our town of Hannibal, Mo, to check out Weckl's clinic.

It was hosted in a high school auditorium, which was pretty full.  There were a lot of guys wearing their Zildjian shire and hats, I was one of them, and there was an expectancy in the air.  Something big was going to happen.

Dave put on a fantastic show, his kit was hooked up to the latest in drum processors and he played with some pre-recorded tracks that showed his orchestration and groove skills.  The audience was truly blown away, I know I was. After Dave played a couple tracks he spoke in depth about his approach to the drums; his concept of snare drum technique, his kit, orchestrating musically, tuning, and the New York music scene.  Weckl spoke at length about New York and that there was room for everybody and that if a musician was very serious, they should think about going to New York.  That was maybe the first time I thought seriously about it.

Over the years I went to a few more clinics and they all had their own vibe.  Ed Soph was very matter of fact and no-nonsense.  Gregg Bissonette was high energy and entertaining, while also very grounded and conversational.  Louis Bellson.  Dennis Chambers.  Simon Phillips.  Tony Williams.  Kenwood Dennard.  Victor Lewis. Every clinic I ever went to I can remember something interesting about each one of them, I came away with something to think about.

Some of my favorites were not the drummers, but pianists and horn players:  Bob Brookmeyer, Clark Terry, Lew Soloff, Clare Fischer, Gerald Wilson, Phil Woods, Kenny Werner.  All amazing musicians with a lot to share.  Just being in the same room with them, listening to their ideas, elevated those who came to listen.

With Wes Faulconer of Explorer's Percussion at a clinic in 2015

Now, I am giving my own clinics and it is an awesome experience, more exciting than I ever thought.  I've been doing a lot of clinics with high school jazz groups and it's always fun and I end up learning something.  A recent clinic at Explorer's Percussion in Kansas City was a favorite, we had a great turnout and I felt a real connection was made with everybody in the room.

I do some playing in the clinic, but I try to emphasize the "Why" of music.  What motivates us to play music anyway?  Why do we do what we do?  The sacrifices, what is it for?  I always get very interesting answers from musicians as to why they love music, why they do what they do.  Sometimes it can't be explained, but I feel it's something we can benefit from being in touch with.

Aside from the philosophical side of things, in a clinic I try to give my audience something they can't get anywhere else.  So I approach rhythm from a totally different perspective…. the jump rope!  Check out this video to see rhythm from a different perspective.