The Kintners Music Making percussion tracks by banging on things.

Today’s assignment:

Today, I’ve been asked to make a set of percussion tracks. “Feel free to use that stuff around the house,” they said.

A video for a mic I love.

For reference:

I did a song a while back with Keri and a $20 microphone. I put my pots and pans in it. It worked. It’s because I was banging.

The impact of impact.

I find impact has an impact. The motion, collision, and timing make for a momentum and uniqueness. Computer drums have tantalizing sounds, but they’re mostly void of that motion.

Placing beats on a grid is fine, by the way. I don’t have an issue with it and do it sometimes myself. But I always have “real” percussion too. The motion and impact is needed. If it’s all computer drums, it’s stale. So we wind up with pots, pans, drinking glasses, vases, plates, walls, even weird stuff like ceiling fans or hitting the sound proofing itself with brushes. Putting a condenser on that gets fun.

What’s the point of drumming?!

The point isn’t tone, clarity, uniqueness, or even timing. It’s capturing some motion and impact. That moves the song along with interest. That’s what I want. Once the sounds are captured, then I can play and have fun with effects. But the goal is fresh movement.

I used to feel hampered by not having a drum set. But now I feel lucky. I got djembe, cymbals, blocks, mics, and a whole kitchen! Plus, since I’m single tracking each instrument, no bleed!

Can you see someone pounding on drums? Why not?

When you imagine a person beating on shit in a song you’re hearing, it’s better. Even if it’s not happening, if it makes you think that, win. I’ve found it’s much easier to get there by actually beating on shit. Pro-tip, for real. More for me, but you’re welcome to it.

Silverware!

Today’s track is getting djembe for sure. Some cymbal.. but I’m taking their advice.. getting on some nice sounding plates and silverware.

DIY issues.

I think many folks out there are DIY but they think DIY is bad so they try to sound like the radio. I know I did that for a while. But now I think DIY is worth celebrating, exploring, maybe even leaning into. That’s the quality that separates it from radio. To me, that’s great! I don’t like radio. Why try to sound like it?

Home on the range.

I’d rather be a musical pioneer in my sod studio than a big wig. I want to think on my own and make stuff I’m working on. I don’t want a job or responsibilities tied to that. I just want curiosity. DIY music celebrates what I enjoy doing. Why forsake that for spins or popularity, even coin?

Coming soon from The Kintners, and friends!

You can do it!

DIY percussion is part of that for me. Can I make a compelling beat by banging on stuff I own and recording it? The answer’s yes. So I prove it. Even get asked for it now. You can do this!

Can you record yourself?

I don’t think the solution is how much fancy shit you put in a drum track. I think the solution is how much of YOU can you put in a drum track with what you got. That’s what makes it interesting. If I see a person banging on shit in my brain when the song is playing, win.

For the first time in my life I can recall, I’m with Trump on this one. That song is perfect for him.

“My Way.”

When I’m done in this world, I hope I feel like I helped a little. Nancy Sinatra is upset with Trump for using the song “My Way,” but I’m actually with Trump here. The words literally sound like something he’d sing. I hope these little entries, the music, and the conversations leave the world with a different impression about what I go for. It’s not Sinatra. It’s all of us.

It’s a celebration.

I think playing the drums is a celebratory act of moving together. It’s not my way, it’s not my rules, it’s not stodgy, it’s not stale. It’s perceived movement that catches your ears. Putting actual movement in it is just being honest.

Return to home

We had fun playing in New York City at The Cutting Room.

(Story about this picture, towards the end of my social media phase, I was given a little grief about leaving my capo and tuner and whatever else I want on my headstock when performing. I play cheap shit on stage and treat it cheaply. I have even given a guitar away after the show before to a good friend who I made emotional during performance. I’ve left guitars at venues on accident being all excited to find a ride home. I don’t think about these things folks on social media think about. I think that harassing someone who’s played the city for having shit on their headstock of a $300 guitar is very stupid. I hope they’re reading this too. But, I am not sure they read.)