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Bill Powelson's School of Drums

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 ISSUE #23___\__\__\__\__\__________/__/__/__/__/ November 5, 1998

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               TABLE OF CONTENTS
            What is in this issue?
     Contents:
      1. Feature Article:
             DRUM SOLO MAGIC!
      2. Humor: (Another sick Bass Player joke.)


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    |_____________________FEATURE ARTICLE____________________|

                    A MAGIC FORMULA FOR DEVELOPING
                         EXPLOSIVE DRUM SOLOS.

      Over the past four years, I have received a lot of
  e-mail from people passing through the web site.  I
  love it!  PLEASE DON'T STOP with the e-mail questions!
  I try to answer all mail.
      Of all the questions I receive, it seems that the
  bulk of the messages are written by drummers who are
  struggling to improve their drum solo techniques.
      So, with that in mind it seems appropriate to focus
  one  more time on this fun topic of seemingly universal
  interest.
      Here it is . . . My best 'magic formula' for
  developing explosive drum solos quickly.

  WYHIWYG = WHAT YOU HEAR IS WHAT YOU GET!

      I am a BIG believer in the theory that great
  input will result in great output.  We all tend to
  reproduce the solos we hear.  The more great solos
  we listen to, the better our own solos will become.
      The human mind is awesome when it comes to absorbing
  the rhythms and ideas of great players.  In a sense,
  our own solos tend to become a blend or mixture of all
  the players we have appreciated and listened to in the
  past.  Much of this tends to occur at a subconscious or
  subliminal level . . . but there are ways to capitalize
  and accelerate the benefits of this interesting phenomenon.

      It is really simple!  If you want to play great solos,
  begin building a collection of great solo recordings, then
  listen to them regularly!

      MORE THAN THAT!  Do it this way . . .

    *  Listen to these solos  everyday.
    *  Really listen!  Absorb what you hear . . .

      Listen to a 10 or 15 minute solo with headphones and no
  distractions.  Let it soak into your soul.
      Then, after 15 or 20 minutes . . . move immediately to
  your drum set.  Do not pass go . . . do not get a drink of
  water . . .

      Begin playing what you feel, IMMEDIATELY!  Imitate, but
  DO NOT try to copy the solo you have just listened to.  DO
  YOUR OWN THING along the same lines as the solo you heard.
  And,  don't worry about perfection . . . Just let it flow.
  This is YOUR solo!  There are NO MISTAKES . . . only great
  new ideas that weren't what you intended to do, haha.

      If you will begin doing this a few minutes everyday,
  the results will amaze you!  Do it religiously 30 minutes
  a day for 30 days and I will guarantee results!  One month
  from now, you will be stopping traffic! (It may be the
  police . . . haha) but even THEY will admit that the solos
  are sounding great (as they haul you away!)
      This tip works like magic and it is great fun!
  DON'T SCOFF until you Actually try it!  You will see the
  proof!

      Your own solos may sound like crap for the first few
  minutes but before you know it . . . some of the recorded
  solo material will begin to rub off on you.  Let it happen!
  Have fun with it and don't be too hyper-critical of yourself.
  Negative attitudes always lose!  Positive attitudes always
  win.  You CAN be great!  Just do it!

      Learn to express yourself rhythmically this way . . .
  and be proud of the rhythms that occur.  They are uniquely
  your own!
      Continued effort in this direction may lead to big things.
      Every HOT drummer I know will admit that this is the way
  they learned to play their own solos.

      Come from within . . . and create!  Play the same rhythms
  at the kit that you might pound out on a table-top or the
  dash-board of your car.
      Good luck!  Most of all, have fun!

      Rudimental studies will help as a prerequisite to all
  this, but . . . if you can move your hands and feet at all,
  try these soloing suggestions now.  Forget the rudiments for
  the moment!  You may be amazed to discover that fun and
  enjoyment can lead to truly professional sounding results . . .
  and the rudiments will be a snap when you finally do get
  around to studying them.

      This type of practice may be BETTER for your coordination
  development than all the rudiments ever written!
      Actually, it is possible to discover and develop the
  rudiments in a totally REVERSE but NATURAL way by practicing
  this way.  It is a mathematical thing . . . the rudiments
  themselves actually evolved in a similar manner.  The master
  players . . . played and created the rudiments first, then
  wrote them down on paper and began to teach them to students
  as rhythmic building blocks. From there, the students have
  accepted them as gospel.
      If you find rudiment study to be boring . . . try this
  reverse learning project for one month, then return to your
  rudiment studies.  You will see and feel the improvement!

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


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    |__________________THOUGHTS & GRINS______________________|
                           (HUMOR?)
     Q. What is brown and black and looks good on a Bass Player?

     A. A Doberman.

          I'm just kidding!  Haha . . . I love bass players!
     Really I do!  Every one should own one or two!
          Hey!  They poke fun at us all the time!  My shrink
     tells me this is good therapy!


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 FAST RESULTS WILL REQUIRE THIS 'SPECIAL' ACTION! 


           END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #23  November 5, 1998











Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved.