First diary Entry Of Year 2K13
Diary Entry
Section A:
My instrument is the drum kit. I've been playing for around 6 years and have recently developed a lot. This will be my instrument that I'll be focusing on for my dairy entries and three solo performances. I don't know what grade I am as I haven't had many lessons and have been self taught for the majority of my playing. The most recent songs I have played are mostly originals with my band, however I have played Kings Of Leon's Use Somebody and The Immortals. As I said before, I am in a band with three of my friends. The lead singer has already got many acoustic originals which we are now trying to turn into full band versions. We plan to try and go gigging as much as possible, but for now we want to learn a lot of material so that we're prepared to gig. We want to have a mix of both originals and fairly well known covers so that the audience can interact and know the songs, but also so it can promote our own music. I also go to church regularly and play in the Worship band there. This is a great experience and has really developed me as a drummer. For example Christian music has a range of techniques which has helped me broaden my drumming style. Saying that there are some techniques and styles of playing which are quite similar which has made me feel very competent in these areas. For me playing in church means more to me, as being a Christian, I feel deeper meaning with what I'm playing and the lyrics to the songs.
My strengths would be playing in groups and taking a lead role. But also I am good at listening to other people and paying attention to their parts and opinions. I believe I am fairly open minded with what to play and enjoy playing many different genres, you can see this as I play at church but also do covers of Indie Rock bands such as Kings Of Leon. I like playing solos, but I do prefer playing with a band as I feel more involved with the music as I have people around me playing the other parts.
I suppose my weaknesses are focused more on the theory side of things. I can read a fair amount of drum charts however my knowledge in music theory is poor. It is something that I am trying to focus on at home whilst I'm practising and when I have spare time. The one genre which I can't connect with is classical music, I think this is linked to the fact that I don't know much about music theory.
I don't know any scales but I can play a few chords on the guitar and piano. These chords are D, G, F, C, Em and B.
Section B:
A usual weekly practise routine composes of 2-4 hours of practise per day, depending on how much college or other commitments that I have on each day. I have really stepped up my practising in recent times as I have realised how important it is to develop as a musician. I used to mainly just get on the kit and play around to different songs. However now I always start with about an hour of rudiment practise; practising single and double strokes, paradiddles, para-paradiddles, para-para-paradiddles, triplets and flams. I start at around 60 ppm (beats per minute) and work up in either 5 or 10 bpm's depending on the rudiment. I usually work up to around 120 bpm. I try and do this at the start and end of everyday, although with college it's getting harder to keep this routine up.
Then during the day I will try and orchestrate these rudiments onto the kit. A Youtuber called Adam Tuminaro. I like watching his videos as he gives in depth lessons on very cool and innovative grooves and drum fills. He is really good at breaking them down and using theory in a way I can understand and develop my skills. Once I've learnt his material I try to make it my own instead of just taking his material and calling it my own, by orchestrating it around the kit to what I think sounds the best. This also develops my variety of playing. This is a purposeful practise as I am breaking up a hard groove or fill into smaller sections which I am learning at either 2 or 3 different tempos. It means that I am fully understanding how the groove or fill comes together and helps me identify how each part connects together.
Also if I'm playing drums on the Sunday at church then I will take extra time and focus on practising these songs so that I feel confident by Sunday and so that when I get their for the practise I am prepared, knowing my part inside out.
I think I just need to carry on with what I'm doing but be more persistent, trying not to miss a practise, whether that's on the kit or on the practise pad playing rudiments. Also working on my technique and unison in both my hands to try and make them as identical as I can will help with making my playing feel more comfortable and natural.
Section C:
Short Term Target:
My short term target is to keep doing what I am doing in practise and be persistent with it.
Medium Term Target:
My medium term target is to focus on my theory side, developing my knowledge at a pace which I feel comfortable with but also a pace which is going to develop my knowledge each week.
Long Term Target:
My long term target is to develop my rudiments and being able to sit at a kit and be imaginative and innovative with what I play, whether that's playing in an unusual time signature comfortably or playing more advanced grooves and fills.
My instrument is the drum kit. I've been playing for around 6 years and have recently developed a lot. This will be my instrument that I'll be focusing on for my dairy entries and three solo performances. I don't know what grade I am as I haven't had many lessons and have been self taught for the majority of my playing. The most recent songs I have played are mostly originals with my band, however I have played Kings Of Leon's Use Somebody and The Immortals. As I said before, I am in a band with three of my friends. The lead singer has already got many acoustic originals which we are now trying to turn into full band versions. We plan to try and go gigging as much as possible, but for now we want to learn a lot of material so that we're prepared to gig. We want to have a mix of both originals and fairly well known covers so that the audience can interact and know the songs, but also so it can promote our own music. I also go to church regularly and play in the Worship band there. This is a great experience and has really developed me as a drummer. For example Christian music has a range of techniques which has helped me broaden my drumming style. Saying that there are some techniques and styles of playing which are quite similar which has made me feel very competent in these areas. For me playing in church means more to me, as being a Christian, I feel deeper meaning with what I'm playing and the lyrics to the songs.
My strengths would be playing in groups and taking a lead role. But also I am good at listening to other people and paying attention to their parts and opinions. I believe I am fairly open minded with what to play and enjoy playing many different genres, you can see this as I play at church but also do covers of Indie Rock bands such as Kings Of Leon. I like playing solos, but I do prefer playing with a band as I feel more involved with the music as I have people around me playing the other parts.
I suppose my weaknesses are focused more on the theory side of things. I can read a fair amount of drum charts however my knowledge in music theory is poor. It is something that I am trying to focus on at home whilst I'm practising and when I have spare time. The one genre which I can't connect with is classical music, I think this is linked to the fact that I don't know much about music theory.
I don't know any scales but I can play a few chords on the guitar and piano. These chords are D, G, F, C, Em and B.
Section B:
A usual weekly practise routine composes of 2-4 hours of practise per day, depending on how much college or other commitments that I have on each day. I have really stepped up my practising in recent times as I have realised how important it is to develop as a musician. I used to mainly just get on the kit and play around to different songs. However now I always start with about an hour of rudiment practise; practising single and double strokes, paradiddles, para-paradiddles, para-para-paradiddles, triplets and flams. I start at around 60 ppm (beats per minute) and work up in either 5 or 10 bpm's depending on the rudiment. I usually work up to around 120 bpm. I try and do this at the start and end of everyday, although with college it's getting harder to keep this routine up.
Then during the day I will try and orchestrate these rudiments onto the kit. A Youtuber called Adam Tuminaro. I like watching his videos as he gives in depth lessons on very cool and innovative grooves and drum fills. He is really good at breaking them down and using theory in a way I can understand and develop my skills. Once I've learnt his material I try to make it my own instead of just taking his material and calling it my own, by orchestrating it around the kit to what I think sounds the best. This also develops my variety of playing. This is a purposeful practise as I am breaking up a hard groove or fill into smaller sections which I am learning at either 2 or 3 different tempos. It means that I am fully understanding how the groove or fill comes together and helps me identify how each part connects together.
Also if I'm playing drums on the Sunday at church then I will take extra time and focus on practising these songs so that I feel confident by Sunday and so that when I get their for the practise I am prepared, knowing my part inside out.
I think I just need to carry on with what I'm doing but be more persistent, trying not to miss a practise, whether that's on the kit or on the practise pad playing rudiments. Also working on my technique and unison in both my hands to try and make them as identical as I can will help with making my playing feel more comfortable and natural.
Section C:
Short Term Target:
My short term target is to keep doing what I am doing in practise and be persistent with it.
Medium Term Target:
My medium term target is to focus on my theory side, developing my knowledge at a pace which I feel comfortable with but also a pace which is going to develop my knowledge each week.
Long Term Target:
My long term target is to develop my rudiments and being able to sit at a kit and be imaginative and innovative with what I play, whether that's playing in an unusual time signature comfortably or playing more advanced grooves and fills.
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