The beat is on..
One of the things I get off on in this life is recording sound. I enjoy recording more than anything that comes after it. When the red light is on, I feel as if it’s my turn. I try to show up. I enjoy hearing what that brings out of others too. So naturally I acquired stuff over time to make recordings. What I have discovered by doing this is a love for all things percussion.
What we’re used to (already).
Many folks don’t have a historical perspective of music. I don’t know if that’s right or wrong, but it is different. One example of that is the drumset. It was invented in the early 1900’s and while that may sound old, it doesn’t even come close to making it “the norm” from a historical perspective. Considering all of the history of music, the drumset is new. What’s more, the onset of the obvious loud beat like a metronome as loud as the lead vocal is new. Believe it or not, most music around the world still does not have that. But most music on the radio here in the U.S. does. There’s music that has percussion that comes out daily that hides the beat, or doesn’t pound you over the head with it. Even drum music from the ancient ancestors didn’t hold your hand for the beat. That was your job as the listener. It gave you something to do in your brain while listening. Today’s music on the radio lacks that intrigue. It’s just a sound on the beat. meh. But there’s plenty of great percussion out there.
New Release Alert:
My friend, Dino DiMuro. What can I say? I truly love the guy.
What I have been up to.
I am making free percussion beats for folks to play with their hearts’ content. I’ve made several. I use the doodads here around the house, some djembe. I’ll mix it up or they can. Sometimes I play to a melody of theirs. Sometimes I just make a beat and they play with it until they get a melody. There’s no wrong way. I am here to help get creative juices flowing. If you need a beat, all real instruments, let me know. I would love a shot at that. [email protected]. PS: this is a free service until I can’t do it anymore. Hopefully it takes off. But there are other options out there.
What does a percussion part require?
I can’t get the computer to play the parts I hear or want anymore. So a while back I broke out the djembe. That was a game-changer in my whole musical life. I get so many sounds out of that drum and different mallets and brushes to hit it with. Plus, playing regular djembe greatly assists me with my Tardive Dyskenisia. I get relief. That’s what got me going, personally. Diverse sounds, fun to play, easy, various recording options outside the box.. all of that helps me get out of bed these days. I’ve gotten a cymbal and some other things and I get small doodads here and there. But the djembe just jives with me and what I hear in drums. My personal kit revolves around the djembe so far. Kick drum and snare drum mimicking as well as rolling patterns, even have a rain on a metal roof vibe. Where I am at.
What if you accented a piece of music as a drummer instead of the backbone concept?
When I listen to music from across time and around the world I get very thankful for all the percussion options. I have found various ways to move away from the “foundation” concept thrusted on percussion since the drumset and get back to accenting the song. Music I am writing now doesn’t call for a steady beat all the way through. But accents here in there are most welcome. I don’t need a metronome in the final product. It might help me get there, but folks don’t have to hear it if the song does its job.
If I am jamming with a person, I like movement. I don’t like robot vibes. Many “great” drummers sound like robots to me. That’s their training. Worked well for them. But I’m just a guy with a spare bedroom and a computer. I’m not wanting to sound like a robot so I can get a paycheck. I am wanting to make things from my heart. That isn’t a robot thing. It’s a human one.
I love the drumming of bkbirge. There’s more purpose than duty in it. It makes a difference. Enjoy a song me and Keri wrote and got to record with a friend. What it’s all about.
It’s contributing to the piece, not being it.
Many drummers suffer from a lot of ability and not a lot to do. It might not even be their fault. It’s what songsters want from them. I am not after this trap. I am starting from the get go as a “percussionist.” I do not want to give the impression I am out to do things for real the computer can already do. I want to contribute to a song something the computer cannot do. I don’t want to be a backbone, just looking to be what a song needs to come across right. They aren’t the same thing.
Let’s jam.
Again, free percussion if you want it while I am exercising new philosophies, practicing, and acquiring pieces to my kit. Don’t hesitate. I have a lot of time and energy for this. Thanks. [email protected].
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