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ISSUE #43 \__\__\___THE____/__/__/ Jul 5, 2000
_____________TEMPO DISPATCH _____________
Newsletter For Drummers and Drumming Enthusiasts
Copyright Bill Powelson 2000 all rights reserved.
____________'IT'S ALL ABOUT DRUMS'__________
Tips * Tricks * Hints * Ads * Freebies * Lessons *
_________NOW 3,200+ SUBSCRIBERS!___________

TABLE OF CONTENTS: What is in this issue?

1. Feature Article:
    The #1 Secret to "Feeling the Groove"

2. Humor?  "Fun Things to do at Wal-Mart . . ."


FREE DRUMMERS NEWSLETTER
From:  Bill Powelson's
HOMESTUDY INSTITUTE OF DRUMS
On The Web * Where Beginners Learn FREE

E-MAIL: drums01@att.net

______________________________________
|__________FEATURE ARTICLE___________|

"Feeling the Groove"

*  How do we drummers develop a deeper
sensitivity for tempo and timing?

*  How do we master absolute coordination
and control over each limb?

*  What is the secret to mastering limb Independence?

*  What is the most effective way to perfect
our rolls and fills?

*  What should a student drummer do to improve
personal endurance levels and acquire extreme
speeds with both hands and feet?

THE ANSWER FOR EACH
QUESTION (ABOVE) IS THE SAME:

Find the 'groove' and . . .

  1.  JAM!
  2.  JAM!
  3.  JAM!
  4.  JAM!
  5.  JAM!


PLEASE HANG WITH ME
AS I EXPLAIN THIS
VALUABLE POINT . . .

   We are talking about an often-overlooked
BIG SECRET that will eventually lead to TOTAL
MASTERY over all your drumming techniques!

HERE IT IS . . .

   Try doing 3 and 4 hour jams (with recordings) . . .

   *  Two songs a day just won't cut it!
   *  Ten songs a day won't cut it!
   *  Twenty songs?  That's a start.
   *  Forty songs?  Yes!

FIND THE GROOVE!

   A 'thing' should happen sometime after the 1st hour
or two of continuos playing.  The mind and limbs will
all begin to work in concert with each other.  YOU'LL
FEEL IT!  Your sense of time will become more pronounced
and you'll begin functioning like a well-oiled machine.
At that point . . . your individual IMAGINATION &
CREATIVITY will also begin to kick-in, from deep within the
sub-conscious-level, and . . . the ARTIST within you
will begin to surface.

   We, in the business call it a 'groove' . . . where we
suddenly begin to feel the tempos MUCH MORE INTENSELY as
our PLAYING session continues .  . . . It's the prime
reason most bands sound best as the gig continues into
the 3rd or 4th set.  The 2nd or 3rd hour is when the
REAL creativity and FUN begins.  There's nothing like
it, once you've experienced it.
   From that point on, you'll become addicted to
longer PLAYING sessions.

   I promise!

   We always tend to find the time to do the things
we love doing . . . and these LONG PLAYING SESSIONS
will help you discover a brand-new LOVE for playing.


   As an experiment . . . TRY ONE OR TWO VERY LONG
PLAYING SESSION THIS month, rather than several short,
sessions.

   Also, please notice I've used the word 'PLAYING', here.
I didn't say the ugly word 'WORK' and I didn't say
that evil word 'PRACTICE'.  I said 'PLAY' as it might
be associated with the word 'FUN'!

WHERE TO BEGIN:

    After mastering the BASIC DANCE BEATS as they
are described in the early FREE lessons of this
course . . . you should begin playing along with
any and all recorded music almost immediately.

    It's a habit you should consistently cultivate even
when you are away from your drums.  Anytime you
hear a song playing, ANALYZE IT.  PLAY IT! Place
that song into one of the BEAT CATEGORIES and begin
tapping-along, in-time with the drummer on the recording.
No matter where you are . . . Tap on your steering wheel,
your desk . . . ANYTHING!
    YOU NEEDN'T TRY TO MIMIC THE RECORDED DRUMMER,
EXACTLY.  Just stay in-time . . . add your own touch
to the music and PLAY!

    As you do this routinely WHILE AWAY FROM THE DRUMS,
your REAL jams behind the kit will take on new life.
You'll get into the music and feel the groove much
sooner.  You'll have so much fun, that the hours will
just slip away . . .

CHOOSE SONGS THAT
ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR
LEVEL OF ABILITY, AT
FIRST . . .

    I strongly recommend medium-to-slow tempo music for
beginning students.  In the beginning you'll need music
with 'DOMINATE BUT SIMPLE' drum parts.

STAY AWAY FROM
THRASHING UP-TEMPO,
COMPLEX MUSIC IN THE
EARLY STAGES . . .

    Yes . . . I know that many of you younger students
are addicted to the thrashing, fast-paced 'Punk' and
'Metal' styles . . .
    That's fine . . . if you can keep up!  But, if your
speed hasn't developed to those extreme levels yet . . .
you should look for, and play along with slower to medium
styles of music, in the early stages.  Your speed, endurance
and 'feel' for the groove will improve a little with
each new song you play successfully and you'll slowly GROW
into the faster styles (maybe by the end of one or two
very long playing sessions.

   If you are simply 'thrashing' out-of-time . . . you
are wasting effort.  It isn't productive.  Slow down!
Play ONLY the songs you can 'feel' with certainty.
It's extremely important that we stay in-time. It's
our main function in any band.

   If we aren't in-time with the music, the drumset
becomes nothing more than a glorified Halloween
noise-maker.

    Your feel for the BACKBEAT (See TD #16) will
increase a little with each new song you play,
as will your speed and coordination.

    After awhile, you'll be able to GROW into the
much more difficult, harder, faster, music styles.

   It may take several months to 'prepare' yourself for
some of the KILLER, fast music you love.  This is normal!! :>)
Just be patient and have fun every step of the way.


   Paid students should check out the following
lessons online at the hidden website . . .


   * TD #16 . . . Feeling the Backbeat (TD Archives)
   * TD #24 . . . Playing Perfect Fills: ALL MYSTERIES SOLVED!
(TD Archives)


   * Also study, "Rudiments, Fills and Rolls, PARTS I & II".
To be found on the Main Menu as you log into the hidden site.
Both of these lesson groups are html lessons . . . Study
the entire series, AFTER READING TD #24 . . .

EXPERIMENT WITH
IMPROVISED FILLS
AS YOU JAM WITH YOUR
FAVORITE MUSIC.

   Yes . . . you can try to imitate the drummer
on the recording if you wish . . . or you may
play something totally different if you prefer.
The important thing is that you should maintain tempo,
'feel the groove' and resume 'in-time' with the beat of
the music, after playing your roll or fill.

   The bass drum is crucial for MASTERING FILLS.
It takes awhile (maybe a month or two) to master
this. Be patient & have fun jamming.  The foot control
will occur gradually . . . (See TD #24)

   In this business . . . we need to have a few train-wrecks
in mid song, before the smoother flow will begin
to happen.  Just keep trying and soon you'll be connecting
in-time, everytime.  (TD #24 goes into detail on all this.)

   Crash helmets and safety-belts are recommended, haha.
You are going to make mistakes!  When they occur . . .
simply listen closer to the drummer on the recording
and resume playing along in-time with the song, asap.

   Go for it!  Jam with recordings for hours at a time.
GET INTO THE GROOVE AND FEEL IT.  You'll notice how the
hours will simply slip away as you jam and have fun
with your favorite recorded music.  This is where the
true pros are born.

   Co-ordination, Independence, tempo-sensitivity, endurance
and creativity will all improve as a result . . . without
boring practice pads and stale exercises.  It is possible
to DISCOVER half the rudiments this way . . . without
ever looking at a rudiment chart.  You'll also begin to
learn new beat patterns at a much faster rate this way too.
Rudiments and beats make a lot more sense when you hear
them in a song.


   DO DISCOVER THE FUN, and the small stuff
will take care of itself.

   Try one or two continous 4 hour jams with
recorded music sometime this month!


_____________________________________________________


FUN THINGS TO DO AT WAL-MART . . .

1. Set up a "Valet Parking" sign out front.
2. Set all the alarm clocks to go off at 10-minute intervals.
3. Make a trail of orange juice on the floor to the restrooms.
4. Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in an official
tone, "I think we have a code 3 in housewares," and see
what happens.
5. Turn all the radios to full blast, to a polka station.
6. Challenge other customers to duel with tubes of gift wrap.
7. Put M&M's on layaway.
8. Move "CAUTION! WET FLOOR" signs to carpet areas.
9. Set up a tent in the camping department; tell others
you'll only invite them if they bring pillows from the bedding
department.
10. When someone asks if they can help you, begin to cry and
ask, "Why won't you people leave me alone?".
11. Look right into the security camera and use it as a
mirror while you pick your nose.
12. Take up an entire aisle in toys by setting up a
full-scale battlefield with G. I. Joes and X-Men.
13. Ask other customers if they have any Grey Poupon.
14. While handling guns in the hunting department ask the
clerk if he knows where the anti-depressants are.
15. Switch signs on the men's and women's bathrooms.
16. Dart around suspiciously while humming the theme from
"Mission   Impossible".
17. Hide in the clothing rack and when people browse through
say "PICK ME!   PICK ME!".
18. Go to the food court, get a soft drink, tell them you
don't get out much and would they put one of those little
umbrellas in it.
19. Go into the fitting room and yell real loud... "Hey,
we're out of toilet paper in here!!!".

    Thanks again to Jim casey at Vermont Drums Online,
for these humorous thoughts:

 

 This topic could save you YEARS, and offer you renewed ambition.


END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #43 Jul 5, 2000





Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.