The AmbA DextrO Blog

Since the internet is now a part of our lives, it has become very easy to open the door to any drummer that has put his or her skills for all to see on-line. This can be good and bad. Bad in that we now get to see little Johnny play “Wipe-out” with all the finesse of a quadriplegic horse. Good in that I just saw Ronald Bruner, Jr… Man…what power! What a great drummer! Of course there is Tony Royster, Jr. (So all I have to do is add a “Jr.” to my name and I’ll become great?!) I seem to be seeing great drummers as of late like guppies have babies…thousands of them…I can’t keep up! Where are all these people coming from? These kids have been playing since the age of 2! I didn’t get my first drum-set until I was almost 13… an old man! And then there’s all those Wackermans…sheeesh…they just keep popping up. How about the genius of Grant Collins…?! That guy has such mastery over everything it makes me feel silly.

Do you think with this generation having access, instant access, to internet video that they can not only hear but see what’s current with drumming? I remember wearing out at least two “Sargent Peppers” Beatles albums (Yes, folks…vinyl records) to hear over and over again Ringo playing the drum intro to “Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.” You know, the one after the rooster goes…”Buck buck buck buck buck buck buckAH ga ‘One Two Three Four’… boom bap boom boom bap boom bap boom boom bap etc…” I didn’t even get to see how Ringo was holding his sticks!

Now we get to see at least 4 different camera angles. Overheads, feet angles, front and back views…man…no wonder these kids got a lick up on us! The only camera angle I got was from my sisters Kodak Brownie…and that was blurry.

I’m overwhelmed…are you? Oy vay…I just saw Derico Watson and Arron Spears. Man…where DO these cats come from! These are GREAT drummers~! *sigh*

Have fun!!

MPB

I am always in the process of writing songs and coming up with drum parts for those songs. This all leads me to one of my more fervent passions…recording. I love the time spent and the time listening to my accomplishments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no George Martin and I’m certainly not Hal Blaine. But what I have learned along the way is one very valuable lesson that can easily be lost amongst todays technology and the relative ease at which one can learn to use it. My lead engineer, Jesse Cahill (who has a degree in recording technology) and I often butt heads when it comes to this philosophy. What I’m talking about is great performances verses great recording techniques. I have myself been so swept up with getting better microphones, better effects to add to my rack, better plug-ins, better mixes, better mastering…and so on and so on…It can be a quagmire of confusion…quicksand…a black hole…and it never ends! If only, if only~!

I just received some advice from the great mastering guru, Joe Palmaccio of www.theplaceformastering.com lamenting on this very thought…Mr. Palmaccio says every band should concentrate on better performances rather than spend time trying to perfect their songs with better recording techniques…I agree…I mean, how many times have I heard the A&R story of the band that gets signed by simply submitting a recording of their song recorded by a condenser mic on a boom-box! GOD forbid…a condenser mic on a boom-box! Hey, a great song is a great song…you can’t deny it…as they say, the cream will rise to the top.

When one is tyring to write the next big hit and shopping that song to the “majors,” it is easy to “stay in the basement” perfecting that song…never to see the light of day. This reminds me of people in multi-level marketing…When it comes to succeeding with type business, the best way to get it is to share the business plan with anything that fogs up a mirror…but is that done? No. That’s too scary…rejection is a drag. So…what do they do? They buy tons of sales aids telling them how to talk to people…when in all reality, they should just learn to take rejection and talk to…you got it, people. Kinda like recording a song…get it somewhat presentable…and then go shop it! Get ready for opinions, thoughts, and yes…rejection…but rejection is actually cool. Look at it this way…when you get a “no,” it simply means you’re that much closer to a “yes.”

I believe getting the songs written, recorded in a timely fashion and yes, pay attention to some details and if you can use great techniques also in a timely fashion, by all means, do it! But don’t get caught up in the looping nightmare of “great recording techniques…”

You hear me, Jess?! (Man, am I gonna get spoofed for this one…)

I hope you write the next hit…on a boom box!

Best to you all,

MPB

I’ve noticed more modern drummers seem to be equipping their left side with (In the words of one of my favorite and influential drummers, Stuart Copeland), more “artillery.”

I’m seeing more floor toms, toms and snare drums on the left side…more FX’s cymbals…just bunches more…I applaud this. We as drummers have come a long way from the simple “trap setup.” But this is not a new idea to some early pioneers.

Take Papa Jo Jones for instance…Jones often had a floor tom on his left side…check out this video from the internet website for drummers, Bernhard Castiglioni’s drummerworld.com: www.drummerworld.com/Videos/papajoejones.html

And the king…little Chick Webb… Talk about having artillery in the center of your setup…man, could this guy swing! http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Chick_Webb.html

And how about Warren “Baby” Dodds? www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Baby_Dodds.html

And then there was Duke Ellington’s wonder drummer, Sonny Greer…man, that cat had a whole percussion section! www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Sonny_Greer.html

Even legends like Keith Moon was known to surround himself with artillery: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Keith_Moon.html

Here are a few modern drummers with artillery on the left:

One of my new hero’s, Joe Babiak…now THIS guy knows what being an ambidextrous player is all about! www.joebabiak.com/

How about one of the first grunge players to put a snare on the left side, Dave Abbruzzese: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Dave_Abbruzzese.html

The incredible Gerald Heyward: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gerald_Heyward.html

The amazing Benny Greb: http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Benny_Greb.html

King Krimson great, Bill Bruford has had a symmetrical setup with a hi hat in the center for some time… www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Bill_Bruford.html

Danny Carey’s last appearance in Modern Drummer showed a Hi Hat in front of his kit.

Of course, there’s Virgil Donati…whoa…that guy practices so much he doesn’t even get around to brushing his hair! www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Virgil_Donati.html

Check out the surround-sound set up of Vinny Appice: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Vinnie_Appice.html

And the ever-popular Neil Peart: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Neil_Peart.html

Jason Bittner looks ready for battle with his rig: www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Jason_Bittner.html

Charlie Benante is seldom without a floor on his left…is this guy human?! www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Charlie_Benante.html

And one of my all time favorite drummers and people…the World Fastest Drummer, Mike Mangini…1,247 single strokes in 60 seconds…that’s incredible…! (My fastest time to date is 1109, for what it’s worth!) …this man lives on the right side…the left side…and everything in between…this is who we all should aspire to be like… Go Mike, go!!www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Mike_Mangini.html

These are just a few drummers who took the walk or are taking a walk on the left side…but just because one has artillery on the left side, doesn’t necessarily mean they play on the left side…that’s a state of mind…and that requires some dedication and work…but well worth the effort…!

Have a great day and remember: Lrlrlrlr Lrlrlrlr !

Best to you all,

MPB

Not too long ago, I entered a W.F.D. (World’s fastest drummer) contest. One is required to play a single stroke roll, no bouncing or you are disqualified, for a grueling 60 seconds. (www.extremesportdrumming.com) Some drummers feel this is pushing the limits of good taste and direction when it comes to what drumming is really all about. Vinnie Colaiuta in his latest Modern Drummer interview felt that way. I’m sure there are legions of players that would agree. I do too to a certain extent…I mean, if I was a bass player or a guitarist in a band and my drummer was obsessed with becoming faster and faster with his/her playing, there would be discussions about the role of grooving and being a time-keeper.

I do, however have this to say about the experience. I learned some things about myself and my drumming. In preparation for the contest, I did have to practice finger technique. That would be the only way I could compete against the plethora of speed metal drummers that are out there today! I had learned this technique in college. (I must say that when it was my turn to do the 60 second run, a hush fell over the audience as the previous contestants were beating the heck out of the trigger pad with red-faced wrist and arm stroked singles).

Getting back to my preparation. What I learned about myself and my drumming was if I wanted to run through a complete 60 seconds with just fingers, I would have to learn to relax…really relax. I noticed that when I wanted to enter warp drive, my face and jaw would tighten. My whole being would become frantic! I began to take note of these conditions and how they would affect the quality of my finger technique. If I could “melt” my face and relax my whole body, the finger rolls would improve. This was no easy task as my natural inclination when playing fast is to tense up. So I had to learn to approach this type of playing with a different state of mind.

I identified the parts of my body that were the biggest offenders. To my surprise, I found in my case, it was my jaw. Then I found that my shoulders would ride up and my whole upper body would tighten. So what I did was to consciously relax each body part in order of their offense. I also found that I could practice relaxing by doing certain exercises. I would take a washcloth and soak it in water. Then I would take each hand and squeeze it as hard as I could while being mindful of keeping my jaw slack and relaxed. After my jaw was relaxed, I would then work on adding relaxing my shoulders and neck…and so on. This did wonders for preparing myself for the contest.

Since then I have incorporated all these techniques into my playing. I have found this to be a milestone! I am now more aware of a relaxed physical and mental state of being in my playing. And isn’t that what we are all trying to do anyway?

I hope you will give this type of attention to your playing as it is well worth the effort.

Oh, and how did the contest turn out? I won! Can you believe it?! I can’t! I didn’t set any world records and I won by only the smallest margin, one stroke…but it was an experience I will never forget. My first place price was a prototype 22″ Ziljian ride cymbal. It is beautiful.

As always, I wish you the best.

MPB

A grip is a grip is a grip…or is it?

Traditional, German, American, French…just how many grips do we need? Having a grip on your grip is a big deal if you’re serious about drumming. A good grip will allow you to grow and not plateau…after all, you’re only as good as your grip.

The traditional grip really came about because of marching with a drum strapped to your leg…it was almost impossible to play the drum with a matched grip. So the traditional grip was “invented.” I really don’t know why this grip was accepted for a while as the grip of all grips. It really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when it comes to drumset playing.

I was taught the traditional grip and that’s pretty much how I play 99% of the time, however I wish I would have been started with matched. As a matter of fact, all my new students who have never held a pair of stick are taught matched grip right from the start. Makes perfect sense to do it that way…although I feel a bit hypocritical with adjudication on their rudiments by sharing with them the correct way by playing with a traditional grip! I do play matched grip but am not as comfortable with it as I would like to be…I feel a bit like the old dog that really doesn’t have the time or inclination to learn the matched grip new trick.

When I play in an ambidextrous way, it seems almost asinine to play with a traditional grip and I want so bad at times to just say “the heck with it” and woodshed it until I pretty much got it but I just can’t! Besides, a young buck of a player saw my traditional grip and lamented on how “exotic” it looked and what he wouldn’t give to be able to do that! Just what my stinkin’ ego needed to hear. Believe me matched players, be glad you play matched…what I wouldn’t give to be able to do that! In my humble opinion, it’s stronger, faster and more logical. It lends itself to more symmetrical playing…ambidextrous playing. If you traditional players disagree, then why is your right hand a “matched” grip grip? Like traditional so much? Why not play both hands that way?!

I guess when it comes down to it, if you can groove with the grip you came with, then by all means do it…isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? Groovin?

SO…get a grip…your own grip…preferably matched!

Best of luck to you all…

MPB

I remember a lesson I once went to when I was a boy of 11 or so… way up in the northern reaches of Montana. Shelby, MT to be exact. I remember this lesson because it was very, very cold and it was at the High School. I was still in elementary school so the High School was a huge palace I only went to to watch basketball games. My mother dropped me off at the back entrance and drove away. I made my way up to the door with 2B sticks in hand, my spiral notebook and a Haskell W. Harr drum method book. I yanked on the door and to my horror it was locked! I quickly turned around to catch my mom but she was long gone. What was I to do now? My house was at least 3 miles from the High school and I had on my penny loafers! I didn’t even have a hat. I did manage however in my panic to pummel the door until my teacher finally did open it. Thank Goodness…I could have frozen right there trying to start a fire with my drumsticks. The lesson went on without a hitch and my mother picked me up in the back when it was done…no harm, no foul, no errors. Lucky me…

Or was I lucky? I think of today’s drummer…How lucky are they?! man, look at what’s available online! You want the 26 N.A.R.D. rudiments? No problem. Google it. Yahoo it. You need to see how to twirl sticks? No problem…go to Jeff Queen’s page on Vic Firth’s site. Want to hear different Zildjin cymbals? Their site actually has a page that will let you hear them! If you are researching cable hi hats, that’s easy too! You can bookmark all your favorite drum sites.

QuickTime movies online, Window’s Media player…now there are some powerful teaching tools…I saw Dave Weckl demonstrate the Moeller technique… as well as JoJo Mayer. If you find Dom Famularo’s teaching site, and he welcomes you to his”Wisdom Woodshed,” there’s a good chance that the great Jim Chapin won’t be far behind. How about a cyber lesson with Steve Gadd? Gadd’ll show you his infamous paradiddle ramaque and 6 stroke roll! JoeMorello can show you how to double your speed…Tommy Igoe is giving cyber-lessons… need to brush up on your brushes? Google up Clayton Cameron, Ed Thigpen, Jeff Hamilton and Steve Smith…my goodness! Want to watch master drummers, like Vinnie Colaiuta, Thomas Lang, and Virgil Donati? All you have to do is find them and click your mouse. Need to double up on your double bass playing? How about a cyber-lesson with Derrik Roddy…(is that man even human?!) How about a double bass lesson with Bobby Jarzombek? Mr. Jarzombek will be happy to show you his “Double-Drop” technique…for FREE! Go visit www.drummerworld.com and tell em Barton sent ya~!

So today’s drummer should be studying with a teacher but also should be perusing the internet for their heroes…it’s all there… you can find them…then just click your mouse!

All this and you don’t even have to be left out crying in the cold, cold snow wondering if your Haskell W. Harr book will taste good if you have to eat it!

Enjoy…the internet is truly our oyster!

Best of luck to everyone.

MPB

Playing drums with the idea that one should alternate strokes as much as possible isn’t the first thing we do naturally. If your a right handed drummer, you will do all kinds of drumming gymnastics to crash with the right hand after a fill gets out of sequence and ends up with the left hand leading for a bit…you can feel it! So you make the adjustment…sometimes at the cost of consistency, meter or tempo. But you do it anyway…why?

Put it this way…when we nonchalantly kick a can down the street, if we are right side dominant, you will continue to try and kick the can with your right foot…even if that means a quick adjustment because your next approach is too much on the right foot, (You need to be on your left side to kick with your right foot.)…in other words, you have no intention of kicking the can with your left foot…so you hop to your left side to make sure you’re set up to kick it with your right foot…but why?

We are most certainly capable of kicking that can with our left foot…we just don’t consider it in the heat of the moment. We tend to “go with what we know.” And yet, with a little practice, we are able to kick the can with our left foot, finding ourselves ambidextrous “can kickers!”

The same theory would apply to drumming. The next time your practicing your paradiddles, instead of starting them with your right hand, start with your left; LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR and so on…keeping the down beat on your left side…you could even tap time with your feet…your left foot tapping on the down beat…This works well with double bass.

Try this exercise the next time your at your kit:

Start the down beat pulse by playing 8th notes on the hi hat with your left hand and 8th notes on the double bass by starting with your left foot (L R L R etc…) Let the right hand play two and four on the snare. This sequence sets you up totally on the left side.

GET USED TO IT! The more the better…eventually one would get to the point where it doesn’t matter which side is starting the down beat pulse! That is our ultimate goal.

Being uncomfortable playing on the left side is really just a state of mind…all one has to do is practice “kicking the can with both feet…”

Good luck!

M.P.B.

NOTE: All discussion here will refer to the right side as being dominant and the left side being the weaker. The ultimate idea is to not be uncomfortable when playing your drums with the left hand leading. As a matter of fact, if you find yourself by “accident” on your left side with a left hand lead, you will come to recognize that feeling and eventually accept it and be comfortable with it…simply crash with that left hand!

Hello all!

Becoming ambidextrous is not that difficult…like all journeys, it starts with the first step. 

One can start introducing their left side by doing simple things; Start brushing your teeth with your left hand…vacuum the carpets with your left hand…write out the alphabet with your left hand.  Find things that you normally do with your right hand and start doing them with your left hand. The idea is to slowly bring your left side into the picture…this will make drumming on your left side much easier to accept.