The DrumTech workshop Feb 18, 2009
24/02/2009

Last week I had the opportunity to speak and perform at workshop sponsored by DrumTech, a music school set up much in the way as MIT in LA and a few others around the world. The presentation was well attended and held at a venue in the Chiswick area of west London. Assisting me were three teachers from the school, Carl Orr - Guitar, Andrew McKinney on bass and Simon Carter on piano (when I get find the last names I'll insert them..... memory lapse, sorry.

Over the past few months I have been working on my "Fruit From the Loom" project with the idea that it should encompass many of the elements of performance that I have developed throughout my career. These ideas that support me in performance on the conceptual side tend to be born out of the vast amount of mistakes I made along the way to finding my personal musical direction. One element that seems to stand out when I bring it to the surface, is my being able to conduct the band from a sitting position while in performance. I believe that the reason why there are very few bands fronted by the percussionist who specializes in playing the drum set is because this element of maintaining command of the stage and directing the band from that vantage point is not easily sustained by the drummer. Why is that? I believe that one has to think through what is to take place on the band stand by working with a mental check list of what you'd like to have happen in performance.

Set Length: How much time does the band play? 

Music: What tunes? How long should they be, approximately? Solos - who plays the first, second and so on...... 

Set List: What tune opens and why would that be? where do you place the slower - mellower piece in the show, if there is one that lends itself to a release from the opening pieces? Then, what composition should move the band towards the end of the performance?

These points I found to be interesting enough to focus upon in performance and in the question and answer session.

All in all: It was a blast working at Drumtech as usual.

 

Bill C. 

  



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