Most great ideas and inventions are birthed from people seeing a need that is not currently met in society and then creating a method or product that meets that previously unmet need. I started using drum charts when I found myself getting confused with song structure, and drum parts for the multiple bands that I played drums for at my church while I was in college. I was one of many volunteers’ drummers that rotated around the church playing in the Kidstuff band, the youth band, the celebrate recovery band, and the main service band. Up until that point I had played primarily with one main band or leader, who had always set aside at least 1 day a week to rehearse. I was able to have lots of practice time with those bands, and in the rehearsal time we were able to work on song structure and each instrument crafted their own part for the song. By the end of our rehearsals, each band member would have the song ingrained in our head from the repetition of playing, critiquing, changing, and replaying each song until it was near perfect.
How to Create a Drum Chart – Why I Use Them, and Why You Should Too
DRUMMERS: How to Get More Gigs
I just wanted to share something that I think could be pretty cool for all you drummers out there trying to figure out how to get more gigs.
I’ve been drumming professionally for about 10 years and for about the last 5 I’ve been using a charting technique that helps me learn and play artist’s music in the studio and live. I’ve probably learned over 500 songs in the past 5 years, some are songs that I’ve had to learn in a week to play at a gig, and some were songs that I had to learn within the hour at a recording session.
I have actually had band leaders ask me “How did you play all those songs with so little rehearsal and not miss a beat? The truth is I just figured out a method of charting songs out on paper that allows me to basically read/play through any tune no matter how long or how complicated the song/drum part is. I always tell beginning drummers 3 things if they want to get better and get more gigs:
- Play with anyone and everyone every chance you get – constantly playing with other musicians makes you better, even if they aren’t very good!
- Start using a click track now. Practice and performance.
- When learning a new song, chart it out. Continue Reading....
Reader Drum Pictures
