Getting "rewired"

When I was in college, I decided to supplement my percussion education by taking drum set lessons from the great Jay Lawrence for a couple of summers. He had (and still has) a huge reputation, and I was beyond excited to get started.

At the same time I was playing in a very fun, Dave Matthews-esque band, and I had been telling my mates how much better I was going to be, and how glad I was that I was taking lessons. Due to the summer schedule, it was about six weeks - and hence, six lessons - before we got back into a rehearsal and I was able to display my newfound skills.

There was only one problem: I had not improved. In fact, I was much worse. Awful. Terrible. Discombobulated.


My band was furious. We had a bright future, and as far as they could see I was throwing a huge wrench in the works by trying to change my approach through lessons. A couple of the band members actually went so far as to tell me that I needed to quit - immediately!

I knew that lessons were the right thing to do. Jay was awesome, I was learning a ton, and it seemed that I was gaining skills. So, at the next lesson, I asked Jay about it. Why would I play so terribly if I was actually making progress?

Jay's answer has stayed with me, and I've passed it along to my own students over the years. It's a paraphrase, to say the least, but here's how he explained it to me:

Have you ever seen the inside of a computer? Imagine what it looks like. There are a lot of set parts - boards and ports and power related components - but, by and large, it's a ton of wires. Wires everywhere that connect everything to everything else. 

Well, basically what we've done over the last six weeks is yank all of the wires out of their places and start to put them in new places, wire by wire. We're "rewiring" you, so to speak, and when we're done, you'll be a much, much better "drumming computer." But for now, there are still a lot of loose wires and parts that aren't functioning totally correctly yet. 

As we keep working on you, more and more "wires" will be put in place, and you'll function and play better and better and better. Just keep practicing, and keep challenging yourself.

That explanation, in addition to making sense, has been proven true over the years. Because of Jay's influence and approach, I've been able to kick some bad habits and develop a lot of techniques, skills and styles that were never a part of my old "wiring."

Thanks, Jay.

As always, happy drumming!

It takes a village, Part 1 of 2

Guest blogger Emily Sorensen*, former Play Music Educational Studios administrator, takes a look at the parent's role and perspective in getting the most out of private lessons for your student. 

As a parent it can be difficult to know how to interface with your student’s private music teacher. This is part one of a two part series with some tips and suggestions to help you team up with your student and his/her music teacher to increase your student’s success.

As a parent you can expect a short list of characteristics from your student’s teacher regardless of his/her background. Some of these characteristics include:

• Professionalism

Many of us associate professionalism with the corporate industries and, more often than not, associate beatnik and hippie stereotypes with the music industry and aren’t sure what to expect with music instructors. So many of the things in this category seem like common sense, but because of the aforementioned stereotypes, it bears repeating. 

• Personal grooming and good hygiene: A professional music teacher should appear to care about personal grooming and hygiene. Something as simple as showing up in clean clothing in good repair can make a big difference in your student’s ability to focus during lesson time. 
• Punctuality: The teacher should be punctual. Being on time and organized prior to your student’s lesson allows your student maximum time to get through material and both teacher and student are able to concentrate. 
• Legitimate skill set, instrument knowledge and current industry experience: In a previous post I wrote about knowing how you are getting a good deal for the money you spend and a big part of professionalism is having a legitimate skill set and knowledge of the instrument they are teaching as well as current experience playing their instrument.  
• Interest in your student’s progress: One of the biggest professional qualities your teacher should have is caring about your student’s progress and skill development. In a hard economy many people who played in junior high and high school or took lessons for a while and need to make a little extra money might start teaching lessons. Often times those can be, “my personal music history,” lessons and not much by way of progress for your student. Yes, a teacher needs to have experience and be able to relate to your student’s current experience, but the overall goal needs to be about your student.

• Communication

The importance of good communication cannot be over emphasized. Everyone’s experience in music lessons is enhanced when good communication is expected and practiced. Sometimes that means being willing to say something that seems common sense or seems like it could go unsaid. Again, communication should be professional and tactful at all times. As a parent, never feel bad about asking a question or expressing a concern. You should feel comfortable expressing yourself and expecting your teacher to be clear with you and your student.

• Clear Expectations and agreements

This goes hand in hand with communication, but is worth pointing out specifically. You should be able to expect a clear list of expectations for your student and you. This often will include expectations about payments, practicing, attendance, rescheduling and make-up lessons, personal emergencies, studio group activities and suggested memberships and such. However, don’t expect the list of student/parent expectations to be all inclusive. There is not a way, nor should it be required, to account for every possible scenario. More often than not you will find that professional teachers who are willing to communicate their expectations for you and your student are willing to listen and work with you as long as you don’t try to take advantage of them.

In addition to a list of expectations for you and your student, a list of clear expectations and agreements about your teacher’s behavior should be part of your lesson experience. Teachers should communicate with you how and what to expect as far as their policies, personal emergencies, rescheduling and make-up lessons, holidays or no lesson weeks and how they handle the non-lesson elements of their business (payments, credits, statements, receipts, referrals, etc.) Again, the list can’t possibly include every situation and scenario, but should provide for open and clear communication.

• Pricing Structure & Payment Policy

This is another element that goes hand in hand with communication, but is important enough to discuss as an individual point. Good music teachers are in business. As consumers, we often overlook the arts as businesses, but it’s extremely important to remember your private music instructor is providing a valuable service, and this is an important part of how they make their living. Imagine if you went to work and didn’t get paid on time or consistently and often you were carrying your employer with a balance they owed you at least one month behind. Keep this in mind as you are paying for lessons, and expect a clear pricing structure and payment policy from a professional private music instructor. 

A clear pricing structure will include a price per lesson, often based on the length of the lesson. 20 (for younger or beginner students) 30, 45 and 60 minutes are common time increments for lessons. The longer your lesson time the more you can expect to pay. Also, the more educated/experienced the teacher, the more you can expect to pay for lessons. It is expected that you pay for lessons a month at a time and at the beginning of the month. It is common for teachers to charge an additional fee for paying later in the month. Some pricing structures offer a discount for paying in full on time, however, this is less common so it shouldn’t be expected as part of a good pricing structure. Before you begin lessons, be prepared to carefully read and discuss the pricing structure and payment policies. Nothing can ruin a lesson experience like miscommunications about money - so be clear about your expectations and what is expected of you. 

• Knowledge of available resources

This seems like a silly expectation to have for a professional private music instructor. However, it would surprise you how often you will need to talk to your teacher about where to purchase items, software, supplemental materials, instrument upgrades, music camps and many more items that are indirectly related to lessons. You should feel confident in your instructor’s knowledge and comfortable asking for information. Many times you won’t need to ask because the instructor will volunteer the information about resources, but you should expect to be able to get an answer if you ask your instructor.

In part two of this series we'll explore a team approach to student success. We’re looking at what parents can expect to contribute to their student’s success.

*Yep, Emily is my wife and best friend. She's also an experienced musician and was the administrator at our music teaching studio where she worked with about 20 teachers and over 100 students. She dealt with all of the day-to-day operations, including interfacing with parents and students. In short, she knows her stuff.

Five ways to improve your playing

As musicians - and especially as drummers - we tend to complicate things. We especially overcomplicate things that we oversimplify......wait, what? Allow me to 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up here.


One thing we all want is to consistently improve. Here are five simple (I didn't say easy, okay? Just simple) ways you can quickly improve your playing.

1. Take private lessons from a great teacher.
This one activity will probably have the greatest and longest-lasting impact on your overall music career. That being said, it's an investment of time and money, and won't usually pay immediate results. While you can make an improvement after the first lesson, most of your progress will depend on your dedication to the concepts you are taught and your own practice habits.

But I'm telling you this - don't reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Learn from someone who can show you the high road and steer you away from pitfalls and traps.

While I'm on this subject, I hear some musicians who say they don't want to take lessons or study music because they want to, "be creative," or, "be my own person." They don't want to have any outside influences that might color their own personality or style.

To me, that's the same as a carpenter not wanting any tools because it might make their handiwork look like someone else's. No matter what, you're still you, and no amount of teaching or studying will change who you are as a person unless you choose to change based on new knowledge.

But the more tools you have, the more you'll be able to freely express yourself.

2. Attend great live performances.
No, I'm not talking about your sister's punk band. They may be awesome, but I'm talking about top-level, world-class performers on your instrument or in your genre. There is nothing quite so inspiring or educational as being the in same room with someone who is doing what you want to do, or - even better - opening your mind to new possibilities. You will find yourself using some of their tools, thinking differently and holding yourself to a higher standard.

Another way to think about this is this: we tend to become like those with whom we associate because we begin to emulate their habits and behaviors. As Dave Ramsey says, "You wanna be rich? Do what rich people do. You wanna be skinny? Do what skinny people do."

You wanna be a great musician? Do what great musicians do. And the more you see, hear and associate with them, the more you'll learn what they did and do to become great and stay at the top of their game.

3. Use a metronome.
And not as a drink coaster. One of the hallmarks of a great percussionist/drummer is the ability to keep impeccable time. If you consistently train yourself to play in time, you soon internalize the pulse and everything you play feels great. When everything you play feels great, other people want to play with you and you become known as a good player.

One of the bands I play with has asked me to play with a click track on stage during live shows. At first I was a little hesitant (not insulted, per se, but...), but I've been using it at rehearsals, and it's amazing what it's done for me. I never worry about whether we're too fast or slow, or if the tempo is wavering. I wouldn't do it all the time, but it has allowed me to lock into the tempo and just worry about making music.

As with private lessons, this improvement may take a little time, but if you consistently use a metronome (or "click"), your playing will become more and more solid. You'll develop a good feel for time, and it will be natural to play "in the pocket."

4. Upgrade your gear.
About ten years ago I was playing an old and beat up kit. When an opportunity came up to purchase a new DW rig, I jumped at it. It took almost three years to pay off the drums, hardware and cases, but it was well worth it.

I became a different, better player that day. My mindset was totally different. I no longer thought of myself as an inferior or second-tier player with a cheap set of drums. I had stepped up to a level of instrument quality that was as good as what the pros play. It was as if one of the natural barriers between me and greatness had been removed. Mentally, I was a new man, and I played like it.

Not only that, but my new rig was capable of sounds that I never would have gotten from my old drums. The hardware was in great shape (still is) and the heads were pristine and in tune. I went straight to a recording session that afternoon and did the best playing I had ever done.

In short, I wasn't being held back by my equipment.


Now, you don't have to buy a new kit to have this experience. Sometimes new heads or trying a different set up will have the same effect. Heck, even just taking an afternoon to clean everything up and get the everything in tune and feeling great can give you a major lift.

Bottom line is that you need to be able to depend on each and every piece of your gear to make you sound and feel great when you play.

5. Commit to your goals.
I mean this in the long-term sense as well as in the day to day sense. Set yourself up a plan to achieve your goals. Break it up in terms of what you need to do this month, this week and today. Then commit to what you have to do today, and do it.

Of all the ways to improve, I think this one has the most power. If you have a specific goal for today, and you achieve it, you can answer this one critical question: Am I closer to my goals today than yesterday?


Progress is progress, even if it's just one click up on the metronome.

So, there you have it. Five simple ways to improve your playing. Go and make your dreams into your reality. Your success is up to you.

Happy drumming!

The Plan - Five Days a Week

All right, ya'll. This blog is growing, and I'm grateful! It has been my goal to get up to posting five days a week. I'm not there yet, but I do have a plan. I'll lay it out below, but I wanted to get my readers' perspective and input.

So let me know what you'd like to see on this blog. In fact, if you want to share your insight or knowledge, I'll also be looking for some guest posts from friends and other musicians and drummers. Let me know if you're up for it.

Here's the plan:

• Mondays: "Gear Up" - All things related to gear. Maintenance, purchasing, cleaning, tuning, repairing, modifying, etc. If it has to do with gear, you'll get it on Monday mornings.
• Tuesdays: "The Weight Room" - Exercises, drills, rudiments, coordination, independence, etc. I hope to share some of the exercises that will develop all parts of your technique so you'll be prepared to tackle all kinds of musical opportunities.
• Wednesday: "Beyond the Kit" - For the most part, these posts will be from outside of the drum set world. It may be percussion or another instrument (or instruments), and a wide variety of styles. Expect weird, but interesting, education.
• Thursday: "The Bag of Tricks" - Every drummer has a toolkit. I'll try to help you fill it up with licks, tricks, kicks, fills and transcriptions that you can immediately apply to your playing. We'll go beyond exercises to actual music.
• Friday: "Friday Features" - I gave you a taste of this a couple of days ago with my nod to Justin Bieber.  On Fridays I'll be giving you my perspective on albums, artists, performances, videos, books, or products that are interesting, ground breaking or just plain awesome. 
• Extras: In addition to the five days a week posts, I'll occasionally throw in random stuff (as if I'm not doing that already) on weekends, holidays or just to substitute for one of the regular posts. This is where I'll also try to fill any requests that I get.

So, that's the plan. I welcome any suggestions or requests, so let me have 'em. 

Happy drumming!

Are you a musician?

When I was in high school we talked about how there are three types of people who hit musical instruments: percussionists, drummers, and "dummers." It's sort of a matter of pride with us to be called a "percussionist," not a "drummer." (However, there have been countless times in my professional life that I've been very happy to be, "the drummer.")

These days, I like to think of myself as a musician who happens to also play percussion. Because music is created in so many different ways by so many different instruments, we should put the music first and the instrument second.

Are we all clear? We're musicians who play percussion. That being said...

In my view, there are six major categories of percussion with which students should be familiar. I'll give a very brief introduction of five of the six over the next week or so.*

So, to introduce the first area I'll focus on, two of my fave marimbists playing one of my favorite pieces.

Enjoy!




*Why not all six, you ask? Because drum set is one of the six, and I spend most of my time on this blog talking about and exploring drum set. I'll be giving only a brief overview of the others at this time.

The Gig Log - Utah Wind Symphony

I don't have any awesome pictures yet, but last night's Utah Wind Symphony concert with Larry Zalkind, principal trombonist of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, was fabulous.

Most of my parts were chimes, and I also played some bass drum, triangle, marimba, xylophone, and exactly four snare drum notes. Awesome!

The UWS is a rare group on the wind band front, and if you get the chance, you need to check it out. Hope to see you at a future concert.

The highlight of the evening for me was "Sunrise at Angel's Gate."

Utah Wind Symphony Concert

Exciting news!

The Utah Wind Symphony is beginning its second season with a concert of epic proportions. It has been a privilege for me to be a part of this group, and I look forward to playing with them for a long time.

Please join us on November 2 if you can!

The Gig Log - Lokalgrown: Brigham City Fine Arts Center

On Friday, October 21, Lokalgrown played at the Brigham City Fine Arts Center as part of the "Music in the City" Concert Series. Special thanks to Austin Weyand for inviting us out. We had a great time - and talk about a friendly audience!

I apologize for the bad photos. This was another time that I felt like I just had to shoot a few quick photos. So...here they are!


From about 1/3 back in the audience.

It's a really small stage, and it's apparent that this building was used for something else before it was converted into a performance venue.

Right: A little closer up.













Below: Views from the right and left of the kit. The first kit shows my monitor, a Mackie SRM 350. Love those little dudes. Extremely hard working and great sounding.

Music is a language: learn it like one

I've always found it interesting that when we are trying to learn the language of music, we often limit ourselves to one particular dialect. When I moved to the midwest (USA) for a few years, it took me forever to figure out what a 'bubbler' was, and people looked at me funny when I asked for a drinking fountain. But I'm from the mountain west. It's not a bubbler (or is it?), it's a drinking fountain.

So it is with learning a style of music. Many of my students are learning jazz, and most of them play jazz at school, but they don't actually know how to speak the language. And the biggest reason we don't speak jazz is that we rarely hear it being spoken.

What do you hear on the radio at the mall, doctor's office, or grocery store? Usually it is a pop station or what we lovingly refer to as "elevator music." Not a good example of jazz. Again, in mainstream culture, you won't hear jazz.

You have to seek it out.

In the Salt Lake City area (and most of Utah, southern Idaho and western Wyoming) you can catch jazz here, on KUER 90.1 FM from 8 PM to 12 AM. There are also great online resources, such as Pandora, Jango and Grooveshark.

When I was in college, a roommate of mine attempted to teach me Spanish. He had some great books and CDs, but also told me that I had to watch daytime television.....in Spanish. Every day. I know it sounds odd, but it didn't take too long before I started to hear the words and phrases I was studying in the TV shows, and my accent improved tremendously.

The same is true with jazz - or any other style or genre you want to master. And just like a small child learning to talk, you start by imitating, then you speak with your own voice.

Good luck, and happy drumming!

Jazz Swing Independence

In our quest for swing independence, one of the goals is to keep the ride pattern consistent. Try the exercise below and see what it does for your thinking and swinging. Keep the snare, hat and kick all at the same dynamic level at first, then try playing around with some phrasing.

Remember, start slow and gradually speed up. Don't play this exercise any faster than you can do it accurately. 

Once you're feeling comfortable with it, try laying it down with the track below. Go for at least a full minute, and get it really dialed in.

Happy drumming!

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 3

Know your price range. Know what drums cost. My most expensive kit would cost somewhere in the range of $8,000 to replace, and there are plenty of kits out there that would be even more. That being said,  the kit I have played the most (for just the drums and hardware, no cymbals) was right around $500 new. This will offend 99% of drum makers out there, but if you pay less than about $500 for a "complete" drum set new, you're getting ripped off.

Cymbals are their own world, and we'll get to that in another post, but as a baseline, check this out.

If you're buying new, plan to spend around $1,000 for a set of drums, hardware and cymbals at the entry level. Again, you don't have to buy new. In fact, I strongly recommend that you buy used, if you can, but only if you...

Don't shop alone. Take somebody with you who's got some experience with drums and has your best interests in mind. (If you're my private student, CALL ME. Seriously! I enjoy drum shopping and making a great deal.)

All the other great advice about taking somebody with you comes into play, too. Don't buy the first kit you look at, wait 24 hours, etc.

Feel free to add any words of wisdom in the comments below, and questions are always welcome.

Happy drumming!

The Art of Performance

Occasionally I have the opportunity to serve as a judge or adjudicator at festivals and competitions. It's a great learning experience for me, as well, as I'm often looking for indicators of a musician's preparation beyond the music.

Here's what I mean.

Many times a musician is playing very well, but not performing well at all. The music may be really great, but performing means going beyond the music and presenting yourself well in all areas.

In a formal or school-type setting, like a recital, here are a few factors to consider:

1. Appropriate dress. You wouldn't show up to a rock concert in a tux, so why would you show up to a recital in a t-shirt? If there are any questions as to what is appropriate dress, ask the teacher or conductor - or your bandmates - or go online for some pictures or guidelines for the type of event you're playing at.

2. Speak clearly. Many a good performance has been ruined by sloppy language before the music starts. Again, ask your teacher for help or find some information online. A good place is to simply tell the audience clearly who you are and what you will be performing. If you don't know what to say, just  smile and play your piece. Let your music speak for you.

3. Stay in 'character.' Keep your composure! Keep a pleasant expression on your face, don't react to mistakes, and - unless it's part of your performance - don't let the audience affect you. Things are bound to happen - someone will sneeze, a baby will cry, you'll drop a stick, or whatever. Don't get frustrated, just keep playing.  If you have to stop (to pick up the stick!), just start back where you stopped and move forward as if nothing happened. If you don't make a big deal of it, chances are, neither will your audience.

4. Don't apologize. Before, during and after the performance, keep your game face on. Don't say things like, "I really didn't practice that much," or, "I'm not ready yet, so this isn't going to be that good," or anything before you play. Even if you know it's going to be terrible, refer to number 2 above.

During the performance, no matter how many mistakes you make, keep playing. Do not say, "Sorry," or, "Let me start over." Just keep going. Don't acknowledge your mistakes. If the absolute worst happens and you just can't finish, simply smile at your audience, bow or say, "Thank you," then walk off the stage. When the applause happens, acknowledge it with a nod, or bow and smile.

5. Accept compliments. Even when you feel like you've had the worst performance of your life, someone is bound to tell you how great you did. You'll want to say something like, "What?! Didn't you hear that? I was horrible!" But don't! Just say, "Thank you," and leave it at that.

6. Be prepared. Maybe the best way to build confidence is to be very well prepared. If you've practiced and polished your music until it shines, and you know you can play it very well, you'll have no trouble feeling good about the performance, and you'll have no reason to be awkward or ungracious.

7. Stay engaged. If you're not playing solo, make sure to support the other performer(s). Never give any impression that you're bored, tired or distracted in any way - even if you have to rest for 168 measures. If there is a solo going on, watch the soloist. If someone is singing, look in their direction. Try to let the audience and your fellow performers know that you are supporting them in any way that you can, even if you're not playing.

8. Don't distract. Even if it's a rock concert, there's a time to play and a time to keep quiet. Especially in between songs, don't practice or "noodle" on your instrument. Start together as a group, and end together as a group. Let all of the sounds you make be part of the music, and on purpose. You may think that everybody knows that you're making sure your snare drum is working, but all the audience hears is unnecessary noise.

Next time you go to a live concert, pay attention to what the performers do aside from playing music. You'll start to notice pretty quickly that some things make the performance better, and other things make it much worse.

With a little effort, you can not only play great music, but have a great performance, as well.

Happy drumming!

Groove of the Day

Try out this 12/8 groove. It's deceptively simple.

Some tips:

1.The diamond-shaped note heads above the staff are the ride cymbal bell (alternating with hi-hat). 


2. Remember that a hi-hat note with an "o" above it is to be played slightly open, but make sure you get it closed for the next note. 


3. The note on count 10 (or 4, depending on how you're counting) is the floor tom.


4. Yep, right hand is moving all over the place while the left stays home on the hi-hat.

Happy drumming!

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 2

Here a few more things to think about as you go drum shopping for the first time. If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can find it here.


Spend on drums, not cymbals
Especially for your first kit, get the best drums you can get. Don't worry too much about cymbals. The more you play and the more you hear, the more your taste in cymbals changes.

Also, you can get cymbals one by one, but adding an extra drum that matches your kit is potentially very expensive.

Don't worry about the heads. You'll replace them anyway
Think of the heads on the drums like tires on a car. If it's a great car but the tires are worn, you still buy the car - but maybe you negotiate a better price!

How many drums and cymbals to buy?
You don't have to get crazy. You don't want Terry Bozzio moving in, right? A standard four or five piece kit* is plenty for a beginning player.

As for cymbals, you need at least a hi-hat, a ride and a crash. Sometimes you can get a great deal on a set of drums without cymbals (as long as you get the hardware - the stands that hold everything up and together) and then get an inexpensive box-set of cymbals like this. Cymbal companies are getting innovative, though, and if you're looking for a little more bang for your buck, this is an amazing deal for a beginner. 

* Only actual drums count as "pieces," not cymbals, hardware, sticks, etc. A five-piece kit usually has a bass drum, snare drum and three toms. A four piece has bass, snare and two toms. Here's a great discussion on the complete drum kit.

Getting drums that fit

As I mentioned in another post, I have a hard time with "standard" size drum kits.* In my world you choose drum sizes based on functionality and sound, not for style or image, and certainly not because a drum maker said they'd be "perfect for any player."

So-called standard sizes (diameters) for a five piece kit are as follows:

• Bass Drum: 22"
• Snare Drum: 14"
• Rack Toms: 12" and 13"
• Floor Tom: 16"

For more information on a what a complete drum kit is, check this great post at www.start-drumming.com.

Here's my big issue: not every player is the same size, but there are some physical and ergonomic rules that need to be followed - not only to ensure proper technique and comfort, but also to prevent injury. 

Consider this - When sitting at the kit with both feet on pedals, the thigh should slope slightly toward the floor from the hip to the knee. The knee should be slightly behind the ankle, but directly over the heel (not to one side or the other). This sitting position puts the shoulders (and thus the elbows, wrists and hands) at a certain height. 

When you put standard sized toms in a correct playing position on top of a standard sized kick (bass drum), the average person simply isn't tall enough to play them without seriously altering their technique, sitting position or playing motion.

To deal with this issue, most young players will either play with incorrect technique or form, or put the drums into an incorrect awkward position, or both. 

Imagine a kid on a bike that's obviously way too big or too small. This is an oversimplification of the problem, but you get the idea.



Bottom line - When considering a set of drums, first set them up so that they're ergonomically correct, then sit at the drums at the height you'd have to be at to play them with good technique. If your thighs are more than a little sloped, they're probably too big.

*As a disclaimer, I actually own and use all of the above sizes, but never in this configuration. I have no problem with 14" snare drums, although I use 13" hats (standard is 14") about 99% of the time.

Lessons now or lessons later?

When I worked in a music store, one of the many questions asked was, "Should I take lessons right away, or should I try to figure it out on my own and take some lessons later?"

It's a legitimate question.

Simply put - is it a waste of time getting lessons when you don't know very much? Shouldn't you just play for a while, figure some things out and then make the most of lessons when you know a few things?

Well, let's put it in a different light, shall we?

Imagine you want to climb a mountain, a big one, and you point to the top and say, "Hey, why don't I just head that way? I can see the top, it'll be easy."

What are the chances you'll get all the way to the top? You might not. You might run into cliffs, rivers or forests that you can't navigate. Or maybe you'll get there, but it will take a long time and you'll have to back track and change routes many times.

Now imagine you take someone with you, somebody who knows the trails and has the map. How much easier and faster will it be to get to the top?

Just as in climbing a mountain, having a "guide" to learn to play music can help you get to where you want to go much faster and with fewer problems along the way.

Now, I'm not saying that nobody has been successful on their own. Many people have, but almost all of them will tell you they wish they'd had help when they first started.

On your journey up the mountain, it's better to have a guide to show you the map and get you on the correct trail right from the beginning.

My advice is this: Learn right from the start.


Happy drumming!

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 1

The Christmas season is just around the corner, so it's time to talk about getting that first drum set. Before you go on, though, read this post I wrote a while ago.

Buying a drum set is not complicated, but it's worth considering a few things before you drop a bunch of cash. Here are a handful of considerations to get started:

SIZE
Think about the size of the drums and the size of the drummer or drummer to be. "One size fits all" has been the motto of the entry-level drum world for a long time, and it simply isn't true. For example, I'm 6'1" tall, and a standard size drumset (22" bass drum, 12, 13 and 16 inch toms) is pretty hard for me to set up in a comfortable, ergonomically friendly way because it's just too big.

Check out this post for more info about drum size and player size.

Especially if the player is younger or smaller, make sure to get drums that fit. While the sound of the drums will be nominally affected by their size, today's drum makers are making great sounding drums in a variety of sizes.

Imagine a pee-wee football player wearing NFL sized pads, helmet and shoes. The equipment won't protect them, and may actually get them hurt if they go out to play in it.

Developing good technique and enjoying drumming is a lot easier when the drums are set up right and you can get to everything in a natural, easy way.

BUY USED
Consider buying used. Purchasing a new kit can be expensive, but buying used - especially from an individual - is an entirely different story. Once I was able to buy a "bulk lot" of drums and equipment from somebody who was moving and just wanted to get a little quick cash. I paid $225, and as I inventoried and researched the items, what I had purchased was worth well over $1,000. Score!

Online sites such as ksl.com and craigslist.com are great places to shop. I'm a little obsessive about it, but I skim online ads a few times per week, and there's always at least one good deal on a drum kit.

Other sites, like eBay, allow you to list items that are within a certain geographic area, so that you can actually go to pick up the kit (and examine it) after you purchase it. Guitar Center lists used gear on their website, and you can purchase it online and have it shipped to your local store or to your home.

In Part 2 we'll discuss how to get the best value for your dollars, and how to decide what's worth buying.

The Gig Log - Lokalgrown: USU Party at Hamilton's

This is probably the most common type of gig for us, a private party or "casual" gig. We played for USU's Alumni Association during homecoming week.*

Pics aren't great because the sun was bright and we were in the shadows, but I played my Yamaha Manu Katche Jr. Kit on this gig. I haven't posted any pics of that one yet, so I thought I'd put it up. Please note that the snare is a Pearl 3 x 13 steel shell, not the stock 4 x 12 that comes with the kit.

Seriously love this kit. With good heads and some time finding the sweet spot, the drums sound good. The kick has taken some work, but it sounds good for a 16", especially with a microphone. The most beautiful thing about this kit is that you can load in with only two trips. 

This one is the view that I had during the gig. It was a low-key, nice party, and the sound was pretty good. Honestly, it's like getting paid to hang out with friends and practice. LOVE IT.

I took this video walking into the gazebo, and Matt, the bass player, is sitting at the kit playing the kick and hat while playing the bass. It's not much, but gives you a little better shot of the kit and the setup of the gig.

Click here to see the video.

*USUs football team is KILLING me this year! Talk about heart-breaking losses....   Can't we win just one of the close ones? Please?! Do I have to wait until basketball season to wear my Aggie gear AGAIN?!

The Gig Log - Lokalgrown: Eagle Gate College

I'm not gonna lie, it never sounds very glorious to play a rock gig in a parking lot - unless it's the parking lot next to Eagle Gate College!

Again, I play all types of events, and this was the second year we played at Eagle Gate's back to school party. Probably the coolest part was the demonstration of police dogs. Scary cool.

Pics from the usual views. Feel free to comment and ask any questions.

The above photo includes one of the police officers (on the right), and a student in the Law Enforcement program at Eagle Gate (on the left). The student is THE BEST dancer we've ever had at a gig. Bust it, man!

Again, it's a little weird to set up in the parking lot, but at least we had trees and grass. I mean, it wasn't all pavement. 

As I mentioned in the last Gig Log, this is my favorite configuration of late. I need to get a splash added (maybe a cowbell or jam block, too) soon!

The Gig Log - Lokalgrown: The Gateway for KSL Studio 5

Most of you are probably in school or at work at 11 AM, but there is a great tv show on Salt Lake City's KSL (channel 5) called Studio 5. You can check it out here. Lokalgrown wrote their theme song, which airs daily. You can check that out here.

On Tuesday, September 6th, Lokalgrown played at their Season Premier live show which was held at the Gateway in downtown SLC. We did some pre-show tunes, played a little bit live, and then played a short concert on the Plaza afterwards. The rain notwithstanding, it was AWESOME.

As always, you'll get some different views of the kit, the stage, and then an extra surprise today....

I always try to take a shot of the kit before it gets cymbals and microphones so that I remember which drums I used and in what configuration. This specific setup is starting to be a favorite. 10" tom up top, and the 14 and 16 off to my right.

The next shot is from the audience. It's a little bit of cool to have the KSL van off to the side behind the stage. At first we were talking about taking the tent down because it was really hard to see the people (us) under it, but when the rain came down we were grateful for the cover!

This was my view. There were a few more people out - and some dancers - when the show started. It was also cool to have people who work and shop the Gateway just stop and listen for a while.

The kit all wired up. Thanks to Trevor, the sound guru, who made us sound great both live an on TV.

And the view from the front of the stage. It's still not terribly clear, but this is what it looked like.

Now for the surprise. Check out the live TV footage from the gig.