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ISSUE #74 \__\__\___TEMPO DISPATCH  ___/__/__/ Feb 5, 2003
         Monthly Newsletter / DRUM SET LESSONS
  Copyright Bill Powelson 2003 all rights reserved.
________________'IT'S ALL ABOUT DRUMS'______________
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IN THIS ISSUE . . . (TABLE OF CONTENTS . . .)

(Article/lesson)
1. Mastering Bass-Drum Techniques without drums.

2. Humor: George Carlin strikes again.


*  NEW: 
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for an online chat.


http://pub9.bravenet.com/chat/show.php?usernum=762461667cpv=1

__________________________________
|____MASTERING BD TECHNIQUES______|

     Repeated movements will develop coordination.
It isn't necessary to sit behind a drum set to
develop your chops.
     I've said this before, but it's worth repeating.

     Jam with recordings. Beat on anything
in sight . . . but remember to pat the feet
on the floor as you jam.  Play as though you
are behind a drum set, even if you are sitting
behind your desk.
    The bass drum foot is much more important than
the hi-hat foot, but it's best to try to develop
both feet in an equal way, if possible. 
    Don't neglect the feet . . . but, at the same
time . . . don't worry too much if they aren't doing 
everything you tell them to do.  We ALL
have trouble with the feet, in the beginning. 
     For beginning students, the feet will be
a little contrary. Continued focus and
effort will finally bring them around.
     Play and jam with recorded music every day,
whether you are behind a drum set or not.

     Memorize a beat pattern you want to master,
then do it repeatedly while watching tv, or idly passing
time at your desk at work or school.
     Build your speed slowly.  It will take time and
many repetitions, but persistent effort will pay off.

     You can become an awesome drummer without owning
a drumset.  All you'll need is an active imagination.

     Here's a stretching exercise I've sometimes used
to build and flex the muscles needed to promote faster
action with the feet.

Exercise #1:
     This is good for both feet . . .
     Sit with both feet flat on the floor.
     Keep the heels down, but raise the toes into that air.
Push the envelope. Raise the toes as high as possible
while keeping both heels in contact with the floor.
     Hold the toes of both feet as high as you can,
and as long as you can.  It should hurt a little or you
may not raising the toes high enough.  Raise them higher
and higher until it hurts, then hold that position as long
as you can.
     Next, stretch the muscles the other way . . .
     Point the toes towards the floor and raise the heels.
     Repeat this process, several times.

Exercise #2:
     Practice single stroke rolls (RLRL) with the feet.
Strive to build this roll so that it will nearly match
the speeds of the hands.

     It is also good to practice double-strokes (RRLL) and
paradiddles (RLRR LRLL) this same way.

     Most students will quickly gain amazing power
and strength with all bass drum techniques, by practicing
these exercises several times a day, every day.

     It'll also help to master bass syncs too, but that's
another lesson. It has already been written, and it's in the
course.  See EM #3 at the password site.   Scroll past the
Fatback beats, then memorize all the bass-sync exercises
in the middle of the page.  They're guaranteed to take
your bass drum techniques to unprecedented levels.

.......................................................

     Here online, many of you may find it easy to absorb
SEVERAL lessons per week, while others may need several weeks
on each lesson! 

     That's the advantage of online lessons!
_________________________________
|___________HUMOR? ______________|

   Here's a smile or two for you . . .

George Carlin Strikes Again

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00
apiece on those little  bottles of Evian water?
Try spelling Evian backwards:  NAIVE

Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant
like making a peeing-section in a swimming pool?
OK...  so if the Jacksonville Jaguars are known
as the "Jags" and the  Tampa Bay Buccaneers are
known as the "Bucs", what does that make the Tennessee
Titans ?
If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea . . .
does that mean that one enjoys  it?

There are three religious truths:
1.  Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
2. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the
leader of  the Christian  faith.
3.  Baptists do not recognize each other in the
liquor store. 

1.  If you take an Oriental person and spin him
around several times, does  he become disoriented?

2.  If people from Poland are called Poles, why
aren't people from Holland  called Holes?

3.  Why do we say something is out of whack?  What's
a whack?

4.  Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults
enjoy adultery?

5.  If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

6.  If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

7.  When someone asks you, "A penny for your thoughts"
and you put your two-cents in .  .  .  what happens
to the other penny?

8.  Why is the man who invests all your money called
a broker?

9.  Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't
they just stale  bread to begin with?

10.  When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
11.  Why is a person who plays the piano called a
pianist but a person who  drives a race car not
called a racist?
12. Why are a wise-man and a wise-guy opposites?

13. Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

14. Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?

15. "I am" is reportedly the shortest sentence in the
English language.  Could it be that "I do" is the longest sentence?

16.  If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked,
doesn't it follow  that electricians can be delighted,
musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed,
tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

17.  If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call
it Fed UP?

18.  Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?

19.  What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses
of bald men?

20.  I was thinking about how people seem to read
the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then
it dawned on me . . . they're cramming for their
final exam.

21.  I thought about how mothers feed their babies
with tiny little spoons and forks, so I wondered
what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?

22.  Why do they put pictures of criminals up in
the Post Office?  What are we supposed to do, write
to them?  Why don't they just put their pictures on
the postage stamps so the mailmen can look
for them while they deliver  the mail?

23.  If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are 'the others' here for?


24.  You never really learn to swear until you learn
to drive.

25.  No one ever says, "It's only a game" when their
team is winning.

26.  Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would
be if it didn't zigzag?

27.  Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The
mime next door went nuts.

28.  If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?

29.  Whatever happened to Preparations A through G?

Thanks to George Carlin for the humor, and Jim Casey
for sending these thoughts . . .

vermontdrums.com


 


QUESTION:  How much work do you think has gone into this presentation
of more than 125 drum set lessons?  It's a complete course!


ANSWER: 50 years (night and day) X 40 hours per week!  That's approximately
104,000 man hours!

 Treat yourself to my BEST stuff!  You have no idea
how much time I can save you!
 


END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #74 Feb 5, 2003

Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.