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Bill Powelson's School of Drums

 Back to the Tempo Dispatch Archives  

 ISSUE #22___\__\__\__\__\__________/__/__/__/__/ October 5, 1998

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               TABLE OF CONTENTS
            What is in this issue?
     Contents:
      1. Feature Article:
              PERSONAL MUSICAL TASTES
                       VS
                  THE REAL WORLD!

      2. Humor: Fun Things To Do When
              You're Stuck in an Elevator


     ________________________________________________________
    |_____________________FEATURE ARTICLE____________________|

                       PERSONAL MUSICAL TASTES
                                VS
                           THE REAL WORLD


    Nearly 1,000,000 songs are being recorded
every year.  This has been going on for over 50 years
and it will probably continue for the next 50 at least,
(with a little luck.)

    We drummers may be called on to play ANY one of those
songs at ANY MOMENT on stage!  We need a way to immediately
jump-in-jamming . . . no matter what song is called.

    How does a drummer KNOW INSTINCTIVELY how to play ANY
of 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 possible songs?

    Thankfully . . . ALL music is based on patterns! Learn
those patterns and play ANYTHING.

    THAT, is what I teach!
    Some students are missing it at the site.


THE 'REAL WORLD' POINT:
     On stage, musicians never turn to the drummer and ask . . .

     "Is it OK, if we play this (or that) song"?

     Nor . . .  will they turn and say . . .

     "Uuh . . . since you only like 'White Zombie', that's all
we will play tonight . . . 'cause we don't want to torque your
jaws".

     Hahahaha! :>). . .  Get it?
     Get real!  It just NEVER happens!

     Most bands just kick off the song . . . and if we can't
follow . . . they get a new drummer. FAST!!!!
     Understand THAT from the very beginning!
     We are lucky if they even bother to tell us the NAME of
the song at all!

     If the gig is paying $150 a night . . . (3 hours of fun work)
and if we want the money (who doesn't?). . . We may need to develop
a variable flexibility towards SOME MUSIC that may be beyond
own personal taste.  We had better get used to it!
This VERY SAD FACT goes with every gig.

     All knowledgeable drummers are playing essentially the same
stuff . . . in EVERY music style! BELIEVE IT!!  It is true!

    The BIGGEST DIFFERENCES between MOST of the 20th century
music trends are:
     Hair styles, body-art and lyrics!
     Everything else is about the same . . . ESPECIALLY
the beats!

     And THAT, my friend . . . IS the good news!


NOW, FOR THE REALLY GOOD NEWS!!!!!

        THERE ARE SPECIFIC (Easy to LEARN)
              FORMULAS & PATTERNS

     We learn to ANALYZE ANY SONG within the first 20 notes,
4 bars, or 10 seconds . . . Which ever comes first!

     Listen . . . categorize . . . and play!  In that order!
     ANY SONG!!!!!  Immediately

     YOUR 'EARS' & YOUR 'MIND' ARE THE SECRET
     WEAPONS  . . . IN THIS WAR OF NUMBERS!

THE TRICK???
     Memorize the BASIC Dance Beat patterns . . . then adapt those
patterns to everything you hear, . . . EVERYTHING! Especially,
YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC.

     Yes! It IS BEST to stick with YOUR favorite bands and
recordings in the beginning!  But, early in the learning stages,
strive to reach outside your own personal taste just long enough
to get the BIG picture.  You can play ANY SONG with the same knowledge
gained from your chosen music styles . . . even if you dislike those
songs.

     All this can be accomplished in about 3 hours (or less.)  Memorize the
 Basic Dance Beats.


     Then . . . apply that knowledge to ANY SONG . . . especially
YOUR individual favorite songs.  Do this as you go through your
routine day; riding in the car, sitting in a restaurant, at school,
work or where ever.  If you hear a song . . . analyze and play it
mentally!  You will get amazingly quick at doing this in only a day
or two!

THIS IS THE SAME SECRET ALL THE PROs USE!

     This theory works!
     ALL pro drummers use it!  BUT . . . it is up
to each drummer to ANALYZE and CLASSIFY each particular song of the
50,000,000 (50 Million) we may be asked to play at any time.
     That is what you are trying to learn to learn, at my site and with
my lessons.

     Good luck!   Use your head and sense of logic!  Force yourself
to play music styles outside your personal taste, including some music
you may hate.  You may just expand your horizons and increase your
earning potential at the same time.

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


     ________________________________________________________
    |__________________THOUGHTS & GRINS______________________|

      Q. Did you hear about the terrorist that hijacked a
         747 full of bass players?
      A. He threatened to release one every hour if his demands
         weren't met.

          ___________________________________________________

Your measure of yourself is all that matters!  How do
you measure up?   This may offer a clue! 


             END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #22  October 5, 1998












Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.