*Taps mic...* This bastard on?  Excellent.  I figured by now that the majority of people who have decided to grace us with their time on myspace and, of course, those that have seen us live deserve a beginning insight into some of the individual members.  So I'll start things off.  I warn those casual music goers that this is also a manuscript (if you will) of the basics of how I approach the elements of percussion and rhythm.  This is simply a nod to those who have continually asked me how I have come to reach my level of skill (whatever that may be!) at this time.

I. Just because...

I'm not just a musician although that is the identity that I would most love to associate my time and dedication to.  I'm a working stiff 6 AM - 2 PM and 2 PM - 10 PM (on occasion) in a job that I dislike immensely and I can't stress the value that I've learned about time management in the past year and a half.  Even with the full-time endeavors of band and work, I still manage to find time to train as a moonlighting sprint-triathlete.  Although that part of my casual life has taken a partial backseat (due to new work and method) it is still part of my routine and passion.  For all those who have competed in anything close to a 23-34 mile endurance-fest you all know how damn fine Gatorade tastes after mile 20 and by Gatorade, I mean your fourth or fifth one.  The only downside is that the "purple" doesn't become a falsely flavored grape so much as a religious experience, but I digress...

II. Rhythm Method

In the summer of 2002 I was still in high-school, but relaxing in the inevitable summer vacation.  I was in my room listening to the radio after a trombone practice session (yeah I was a fledgling jazz trombonist) and I heard the opening statement of Rush's "2112".  Almost immediately I cranked the volume...who the hell doesn't stand up and take notice to that?  Not to over-indulge on my musical influences and past history, lets just summerize that experience and say that I picked up sticks a drum-pad and began learning the fundamentals of playing whilst foaming out of the mouth and constantly muttering "I wanna do THAT"!!

WARNING!!!!  THIS IS WHERE I CATER TO THE PERCUSSIONISTS AND MUSICIANS.  CASUAL READERS BEWARE!!!>

*Note*  These are basic practice and applicable concepts, but still valuable.  I'm not going to get into metric modulation, polyrhythms, over-the-bar-line-grooves and odd-time approaches because they are advanced and only cater to those with a high skill level.  Maybe later I'll talk about them?

Rule #1

Learn Rudiments.  I'm not kidding.  Take yourself away from the full aspect of the drum set and focus on the fundamentals and by that I mean your hands. 

http://www.vicfirth.com/education/rudiments.html

Vic Firth has an amazing benchmark system and breakdown of all the 40 essentail rudiments.

Rule # 2

Buy a damn metronome...PLEASE!!  To hell with my chops.  I would rather have a solid groove than an animal behind a kit and the only way to develop a comfortable bed of groove is to learn to play at a solid and consitent tempo with artistic precision and authority.  You all like John Bohnham right?  His rock-solid grooves and agressive playing is what made Zeppelin stand apart...well one of many reasons right?  So back to the metronome.  If you can't comfortably play with one, you can't make your band mates comfortable in a groove.  Without groove there is no soul or heartbeat.  I don't care if you're playing folk, country, metal, ska, etc.  No Time...no groove...no soul...no good.  Take your metronome and work with the first 15 - 20 rudiments that were mentioned earlier.  My personal favorites which have infinite applications are as follows...

Single stroke roll, double stroke roll, flam taps, flam accent, flam tap, all paradiddle combinations, and the multiple bounce roll. 

Rule # 3 (For all intents and purposes Right Hand = R and Left Hand = L)

Working with a metronome.  Pick a rudiment and set your metronome at a tempo which is slow enough that you can focus on clean consistency.  Lets take the single stroke roll which is...(you should be researching by now HA!!!) RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL...ad infinitum
Focus on your hand to hand motion and playing along with the click.  DO NOT STRAIN!!! PLAY ONLY AT A TEMPO WHERE YOU GET A WORKOUT AND YOU GET CONSISTENT SOUNDING HAND-TO HAND MOTION!!!  When that is solid, move onto a faster tempo or move onto a different rudiment.  This may sound extremely tedious...it really is...very much so to the point where you may want to noodle around on your pad.  So be creative...play while watching t.v.  Get a song you like at a tempo which is comparable to your skill level and play it while you practice.  Be creative!!  After all, we're muses right?

Rule # 4

Take all of those concepts of your hands (rules 1 - 3) and put them to your feet.  Double pedal works very well with this, but you can get the same control with a single pedal and high hat combo. 

Rule # 5

For the average male at 165 pounds, 65 inches tall (keep it clean guys), and 30 years old...you burn an average of 215 calories an hour.

Source: http://www.fitday.com/webfit/exerciseinfopage.html

Stay hydrated and most importantly take care of yourselves.  I'm only adding this as a rule because, I passed out from severe dehydration at a gig.  If you've seen me play you probably undertand why...but I can't stress the importance of a good diet and fluid intake.  No alcohol doesn't help...but it is more fun HA!!  Now that I've sounded like mom, I'm gonna shut up.

III. Influences

Mike Portnoy/Dream Theater
www.dreamtheater.net


Neil Peart/Rush
www.rush.com


Steve Jordan/Independent
www.stevejordan.net


Elvin Jones/John Coltrane

This is just a small list, but four of the major players on my book that I've intensely studied.  They are vastly different players in very different styles.  Besides drums they have one very important concept in common and that is complete artistic freedom and mastery of their craft.  Check them out and you'll see why. 

IV. Special Thanks (from Me)

a: To the other members of GryN
b: To the constituents of Fern Avenue Entertainment (you know who you are)
c: Red City T.V.
d: The owners and booking agents of establishments who have worked symbiotically with us (and those to come)
e: K & S Music (Paxinos in particular)
f: Band members and artists in the Pottsville area.  I dare anyone to find a rough group in this place!

If you liked this...let me know.  That will allow me to either put up or shut up.  Next installment will be personal philosophy Ala: Bruce Lee HA!  And other percussive concepts as well as personal updates in the band context.  Until then...be sane. 



With All Respect,



Matt of GryN