what to do

[1Up1Down]

Guys,

I wnet to the bar tonight and i had a revalation. sometimes i wake up in the middle oef the night and i ehar cymbals. i hear them, and they say "dan, buy us so you can sound liek all the cats." but then i buy them and i sound like the cats eomteims, an i sound like me the other tiems. but sometimes i don't want to soiund like roy, or evin jones. i want to sound like me. but then i listen to roooy and elvin and i hear their sounds, and i want to sound like them. then ihear tony's licks and i want to soudns like him. but i dontl! i want tobe my own man, and aym own artist! what do i do? then ari hoening come out of nowhere and says "i am the new sound of jazz druming. osund like me" and i say "ok ari, you kill, i will sound like you.' then i realize that im not aht t tallented?? i don't know, do i sound like me, or like elvin? love, peace, and respect to all my cymbal holic brothas.

dan

[1Up1Down]

oh man guys, i jsut barfed alittle bot. im so sroory. dude this is embaredsing

[trashman]

Guys,

I wnet to the bar tonight and i had a revalation. sometimes i wake up in the middle oef the night and i ehar cymbals. i hear them, and they say "dan, buy us so you can sound liek all the cats." but then i buy them and i sound like the cats eomteims, an i sound like me the other tiems. but sometimes i don't want to soiund like roy, or evin jones. i want to sound like me. but then i listen to roooy and elvin and i hear their sounds, and i want to sound like them. then ihear tony's licks and i want to soudns like him. but i dontl! i want tobe my own man, and aym own artist! what do i do? then ari hoening come out of nowhere and says "i am the new sound of jazz druming. osund like me" and i say "ok ari, you kill, i will sound like you.' then i realize that im not aht t tallented?? i don't know, do i sound like me, or like elvin? love, peace, and respect to all my cymbal holic brothas.

dan

oh man guys, i jsut barfed alittle bot. im so sroory. dude this is embaredsing

Soooo...
What did ya have to drink tonight, Dan? http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/spezial/Sarge/Drunk.gif

[cmpartist]

Drumming aside...

You sound [and type] just like I'm sure you feel.

Don't worry, you're an original...

























...original "what", I don't know. ;) :D

[cmpartist]

Soooo...
What did ya have to drink tonight, Dan? http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/spezial/Sarge/Drunk.gif

I think he worked on his technique for "Tipping".

[mIII]

don't worry, next round is on the house. bottoms up!

[Seb]

In reply to the origimal question - which indeed is hard to be topped...
but a very good question actually.

I think - the only answer is: don't think about how you want to play!

That is, before you play, before you sit down at the drums.
I mean, in terms of what to play, what licks, how busy etc.

Two different things come to mind: planning what to practice, and tunng in before a performance.
The former , I think, is the time to also emulte heroes, copy their licks - ideas don't have to come up all from nothing.
The latter, I'd say, can focus on very general topics, like "vibe" "attitude", "energy" and related stuff, maybe with help of role models, but not connected to the material they play - more general.
Makes sense? I thought similar about the "intensity" thread - all good advice, about monitors, snares, on top of the beat and so on -
but the real thing I think is before you DO anything - it's inside, mental or spiritual, if you like.
Make your playing fit the situation, contribute something good, whatever it takes.

[1Up1Down]

Drumming aside...

You sound [and type] just like I'm sure you feel.

Don't worry, you're an original...











...original "what", I don't know. ;) :D

How about original idiot...
:snore:

[jazzerone]

Friends don't let friends post drunk.....

[adamg]

They are them. You are you. Be you. It's the only viable option.

[mIII]

Be you. It's the only viable option.

To be or not be a sober you... that is the question.

:D

[jda]

Oh yea like no one here has ever been drunk (gasp)

If you want to be someone else well. thats being you.

People only become someone else in Hollywood movies.
right?

[1Up1Down]

As sloppy as my post may have been, I think the underlaying message has been misunderstood. I don't "want" to sound like Roy or Elvin. I guess in my drunkness I poorly articulated that I sometimes get frusterated with the fact that I don't yet have my own "sound." Personally, I don't think many people do have their own sound. Most musicians with a moderate tallent level, basically average joe's like myself, take bits and pieces from their influences and weave together a way of playing. But I seldom hear players that truely have their own vibe; an unmistakable sound like nobody else. I sure don't, and that at times gets frusterating. Players that do have their own vibe? All the legends; Elvin, Tony, Roy, Billy, Jack, Max, etc. New cats: Blade, Hoenig, Tain, Billy Martin. I can hear those guys play one note, and I know it's them. You dig?

[laotzu]

"It takes an improvising musician 15 years to develop his own sound. I know this because I've researched it."
-Art Taylor

[jda]

that I sometimes get frusterated with the fact that I don't yet have my own "sound." Personally, I don't think many people do have their own sound

I thought within the minute of being born and the Doc smacks your ass you go waaaaa you got your own sound.
Maybe Doc could chime in..

You mean recorded and dispersed to thousands sound.
True I've never heard you nor you me.

[1Up1Down]

I thought within the minute of being born and the Doc smacks your ass you go waaaaa you got your own sound.
Maybe Doc could chime in..

You mean recorded and dispersed to thousands sound.
True I've never heard you nor you me.

I don't really understand what you're trying to say. Maybe I'm misunderstanding? I wasn't meaning to offend anyone who does have their own sound, I was just making a general statement. Naturally, one's own "vibe" is a very personal thing and takes time to develop. Surely that's a welcome statement?

[Drumcircle70]

Where in Connecticut are you located???

[1Up1Down]

Where in Connecticut are you located???

I'm in Storrs; I go to UConn. Close game today...

How about you?

[Seb]

Maybe then my post came about like I understood youlike you wnated to sound like someone else - but you don't.....
-and my post doesn't neccessarily mean that, too! :)

It still applies - if you trust in your own judgement, and instincts, you'll get to play what's inside you, rather than what you've heard and learned. An I think that's all that can be done about that .

I've read that Bill Stewart in his playing consciously tried to emphasize the stuff he didn't hear anyone else playing - emphasize his own accent.
But I thinkthis can only be the second step - first he certainly just played what he felt in order to get this stuff to happen.

Sounding your own way is, I think, about not compromising , to a degree, in terms of "waht do the people like"? - it involves courage, and taking risks - stuff might not work out, or might not please everyone - but in the end it does, more than any "phony" adherence to popular styles.
Other than that, it really just takes time to evolve - listen to any of the masters' early records - they sstill were to develop their thing - evenif they were "good" already (I guess doing the job well is the very first step - without jobs you can't develop any style:))

[JayCam]

If you try to sound like someone else you will probably just end up compromising your playing just to sound like them... so you wont be as good and you wont be interesting or original.. not a good plan.

Develop your own style, I know Im not a tribue to Elvin or whatever... we allready had one of him.

J.

[cmpartist]

Sound like no one and you will sound like yourself.

[adamg]

To be or not be a sober you... that is the question.

:D

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous cymbalholics,

Or to take sticks against a sea of cymbals,
And by playing them, make music? :eek:

[Tingles]

This is my take on it: You named these guys who have benchmark styles. They are so individual and incredibly influencial to every serious drummer. They played literally until they died, more importantly, though, they put their life into their playing.

Anyone who doesn't try to cop Elvin's Tony's Art's Steve's or whoever's style, isn't a serious drummer. That doesn't mean you have no style.

But put YOUR life into your playing, when you're playing music--not when you practice, necessarily. Make everything you do serve the music.

The difference is in where you're centered. If you're centered inside yourself, then your style will develop. If you're centered around the idea of another drummer you want to emulate, you won't be feeding your style.

Wait until you're sober to try to work it out. Drinkin seems to take me outside myself. But I may naturally express myself that way, even though I'm not aware of it.

Put yourself on the line when you're playing. Make it your own. When you do that people may or may not hear an Elvin-like pattern, but they'll still hear your style coming through. There is a place where you are inside yourself, the music is coming out, and you don't perceive style at all. It is just happening in the now.