Drummer of the Week: John Stamos

I used to watch Full House all the time when I was a kid. My favorite character was always Uncle Jesse -- he was hilarious and he was a musician. It's kind of creepy now watching old episodes when the Olsen Twins were babies since I'm the same age as them. Whenever he said "Capiche?" I wanted to blurt out "CAPICHE!" just like they did.

Stamos is proficient in guitar, keyboards, and an excellent vocalist, all of which were seen on Full House. But my favorite episodes were of him playing drums. I still remember when the Beach Boys were on Full House singing "Kokomo"; it was one of my favorite episodes ever.

John Stamos played drums in the "Kokomo" music video. He's also toured with the Beach Boys during the summer on and off for several years, mostly playing percussion.

Check out this video of John Stamos playing with the Beach Boys on Dancing with the Stars.

Here's a video of him doing a drum solo during a Beach Boys show:

Reason #43439180 Why I Love Angelina Jolie

I've been an Angelina Jolie for a decade, long before she became a household name. When I was 15, I sent her a fan letter and I actually received an autographed picture of her from Tomb Raider a few weeks later. I wonder how long it would take if I tried sending a letter now. Since 2001, I've seen all of her films the day they are released. The Tourist, with Johnny Depp, is coming out next Friday and I can't freaking wait.

Journalist Andrew Morton, who wrote the biography Diana: Her True Story, recently published a book about Angelina. I was hesitant to buy it -- I was sure it was a bunch of tabloid rumors, and what could be in it that Angelina Jolie has not admitted herself? She's one of the most honest, open celebrities out there. But I read some reviews and people said it didn't portray her negatively so being the curious fan that I am, I decided to read it.

I flipped to the picture section first, and what did I find? A picture of Angelina Jolie playing drums with Joey Covington, the drummer from Jefferson Airplane. In Chapter Seven, pages 134-136, Morton writes about how Angelina was very self-destructive around 1997 -- suicidal, cutting herself, etc. (She has spoken in-depth about all this on television). She contacted Joey Covington who told her to give him a list of people she hated to place on the different drum heads. Who did she have on the list? Her father (no surprise there) and her agent.

"I sincerely believe drums helped save her life," says Covington. "They gave her a focus and a sense of achievement." She started lessons to maybe jam with her then-boyfriend Timothy Hutton's band. She even bought an electric drum kit so she could practice in her apartment.

Of course, I have no idea how truthful Morton's information is, or if playing drums "helped save her life." All I know is, this is super cool information, and I have one more reason to admire her.

Brandon Flowers 930 Club

Have you heard of the fabulous band, The Killers? If so, then you know the lead singer and songwriter, Brandon Flowers. The Killers are my third favorite band. Obviously, Hanson and Bon Jovi are #1 and #2. :) They have a great sound, almost a combination of European bands like the Pet Shop Boys, New Order, and The Cure. But they're from Las Vegas, which you would know if you listen to their albums. I fell in love with their song "Somebody Told Me" from their debut album, Hot Fuss. The lyrics were ridiculous, ("Somebody told me / You had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend / that I had in February of last year / It's not confidential / I've got potential") but the melody was addictive...and the VOICE of that lead singer! It sounded so unique and fabulous to me. They got extra points when I read that Jon Bon Jovi was a big fan.

When I went on a trip to California a few years ago, my sister had tickets to the Jay Leno show. Guests are not revealed much ahead of time so we bought tickets without knowing who we were going to see. Well, I got lucky and the musical guest was The Killers! They sang their latest single "Bones" from their sophomore album, Sam's Town. I loved the song and the performance. I was now a big fan.

I've seen them a couple times since Jay Leno, but I watched them perform in huge venues where I sat at an incredibly far distance and could barely see a thing. If you love live music, nothing is more amazing then seeing the performer up close.

Earlier this year, The Killers announced that Brandon was working on a solo album, Flamingo. The constant touring and work made the band want to rest, but Brandon, with all his creative energy, could not take any time off. So the band said they were cool if he wanted to work on a solo project. "Great!" I thought. "Now there's a chance he will tour at smaller venues and I will get to see him up close!!"

Ah, my wish came true. Here are two videos I took last night at the 930 Club in D.C.

I realize this blog entry doesn't have much to do with drums, but I can't shut up about good music and this is one of my outlets... :) I did think the drummer, whose name I can't find anywhere, was absolutely fantastic. I tried capturing him and Brandon in these two videos. None of the songs would be amazing if the drum beat were terrible, but this guy played some really unique, energetic stuff that made the music pop. I really enjoyed watching him. But not as much as Brandon, of course.

Drummer of the Week: Tico Torres

I love Bon Jovi. Love. I had no idea who they were until I heard the song "It's My Life" on the radio in 2000. My older sisters of course knew who Bon Jovi were -- they were huge when they were in middle school. (I was born in 1986, the year "Livin' On A Prayer" hit airwaves). I absolutely fell in love with the song, especially the "woaw woaw" from the guitar, and the drum beat! So intense and LOUD and amazing! The lyrics were perfect -- it became my own little anthem. At 14, with super strict parents, I loved blasting the line "I just wanna live while I'm alive 'cause it's my life"!

I had to buy their latest album, Crush. I loved that album so much that I had to buy their greatest hits, Cross Road. I loved that album so much that I had to go buy every single one of their albums. Ten years later, I'm still a total Bon Jovi nut.

The drummer, Tico Torres, started off learning jazz drumming (perhaps I should consider this even more motivation for learning jazz) with Joe Morello (this guy has a number of drumming books -- he's amazing). Torres had already recorded drums for a number of artists when Jon Bon Jovi approached him to be the drummer of his new band. Almost 30 years later, they are now one of the biggest rock bands in the world.

Here's a video of Tico talking about his Remo drum heads:

Rock and Jazz Drumming

Before I started drumming, I knew what style I wanted to play. Rock. Though dozens of styles of drumming exist (Jazz, Funk, Middle Eastern, Heavy Metal, Punk, etc), I've always favored pop/rock music. I can’t resist music by Bon Jovi, The Killers, and Guns ’N Roses, especially since the drummer for each of those bands adds a solid beat with great fills. Though I’m not a big fan of U2, I still have tons of respect for drummer, Larry Mullen. I probably only like a handful of U2 songs (actually, I love the song "Red Hill Mining Town"), but the drum beats are always amazing to me. Listen to the song “Bullet the Blue Sky.” The drum beat intro is what makes me want to listen to the rest of the song. It just sucks me right in.

Rock drummers add power and much more volume to a song -- the type of pulse that makes you want to dance. Rock music is the most popular and universal so the number of drumming books available are endless. Since January (when I started lessons), I’ve been practicing rock drumming. Now, my drum teacher Jason wants me to learn different styles -- the second style being jazz. I never listen to jazz, but I have no choice if I want a feel for jazz drumming. So I bought jazz drummer Art Blakey's Moanin' album, which I'm listening to right now. The more styles a drummer learns, the more creative they can be once they start forming their own beats. Learning different styles is also excellent for improving technique. Since I’m obsessed with becoming the best drummer I can possibly be, I’m for anything that will help me improve.

So what’s the difference between rock and jazz drumming? Well, first, a quick lesson for those who don’t know anything about music:

Music is divided into measures, which are divided by a straight line called the Bar Line. The standard time signature is 4/4 (also called common time). The top number indicates the number of beats in each measure and the bottom number indicates the type of note that receives one beat. The duration of musical sounds are indicated by different types of notes, such as a whole note (hollow oval), half note (hollow oval with a stem), quarter note (solid oval with a stem), eighth note, (solid oval with a stem and flag), and sixteenth note (solid oval with a stem and two flags). Check out the picture I drew to the right.

If the time signature is in 4/4 time, the whole note gets four beats. One whole note equals two half notes; one half note equals two quarter notes; one quarter note equals two eighth notes; one eighth note equals two sixteenth notes.

So if you count eighth notes in a measure, you count it 1 & 2 & 3 & 4. Sixteenth notes are counted as 1 e & ah 2 e & ah 3 e & ah 4 e & ah.

(Photo: The black notes are played on the hi-hat, the blue notes are played on the bass, and the orange notes are played on the snare. The orange numbering on top just show how you would count this measure. This is a ROCK beat!)

Rock drumming is usually in 4/4 time, but jazz drumming usually consists of triplets (a triplet is a note divided in three subdivisions, meaning a quarter note triplet equals one half note). Written eighth notes are usually played as triplets. It sort of has a swing to it. Rock drumming usually consists of beats 2 and 4 on the snare (see photo above again -- notice the snare is on beat 2 and 4), but jazz drumming usually uses the hi-hat on beats 2 and 4. The variations are complicated, but here’s a short video of what jazz drumming sounds like:

A standard jazz beat looks like this:


The red stem facing down is the notation for pressing the pedal for the hi-hat.

Earlier this year, my sister and I went to see trumpeter Chris Botti's show at Wolf Trap. We didn't go for the jazz show -- my sister wanted to see American Idol runner up, Katharine McPhee, who was the opening act. After Katharine was done singing, Chris Botti came out and played loud music with his huge band. The drummer played ridiculously fast -- the entire band sounded like they were trying to race and see who could play the fastest. The clitter clatter of it all gave us a headache so we left the show after the first song. "I can't believe that," my sister said. "I thought it was going to be a chill, relaxed, soothing thing, but what the f*** was that?" As I'm listening to Moanin' on iTunes, my sister barges in and says "Are you listening to elevator music? I feel like I'm in the lobby of a hotel."

It's an interesting album, but I'm pretty much only paying attention to the drumming, which is quiet...the drums aren't overpowering the song like rock does. It's almost hidden in the background, like a special sound that accents the trumpet dominating the tunes. I hear the swish of the hi-hat a lot, too. The tempo is faster than I'm normally used to hearing, which might freak some drummers out…but as I’ve discussed before, speed is definitely important to be a fantastic drummer.

Though I've only listened to a few songs on this album, I'm tempted to switch to Rihanna's new album, Loud. I need music with loud, pumping drums to get me energized...not quiet, trickling beats with a soft bass and ping-ping ride cymbal. (Besides, have you heard the Part II of "Love the Way You Lie"? That's some amazing beat.)

I still have much to learn about jazz drumming, but I hope I don't practice this genre for very long. I need my drums to be LOUD with a strong presence. I'm pretty sure I'll always stick to rock drumming, but I'll still dabble in other genres...only because I think it will make me a better overall drummer. But for now, I'm gonna go ahead and listen to Rihanna...Blakey's album is starting to become torture.

Drummer of the Week: Nick Jonas

It's not very common for a 24 year old to enjoy the Jonas Brothers...but I do. They remind me of Hanson -- a young, sibling trio, who are singers, songwriters, and instrumentalists. Besides, I'm a huge Disney fan, always have been, and I can't resist cheerful, pop tunes with great harmonies. When I found out Nick Jonas -- the youngest in the trio -- is a drummer, I wasn't surprised. He's the most musically-inclined of the bunch; he writes the majority of the tunes, plays multiple instruments (piano, drums, guitar), and possesses the best vocal range.

I was lucky enough to see their show at the Verizon Center in 2009 when Jordin Sparks was the opening act. During the encore, Jordin Sparks came back out to sing her new song, "Battlefield," with the guys, while Nick played the drums. Check out a fan video below:

An Ode to Hanson

I go to an average of 15 concerts a year. Since January 2010, I've seen the Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga, Brandon Flowers, Rihanna, Lifehouse, and more. But no artist gets me pumped up like Hanson. Yes, Hanson. People roll their eyes at me anytime I mention them, but I can't help myself. Since 1997, they have been my favorite band. Something about the wholesome image, the bubblegum pop (someone TRY telling me that MMMBop isn't catchy!), and the talent (all three play their own instruments and write their own songs) wooed me into a passionate fandom. The youngest Hanson, Zac, was my first true, crazy, full-blown crush. And Zac Hanson just happens to be a drummer. (Oh, and I still have a crazy crush on him...)

No, he's not the reason I'm attracted to drums. My love of the drums started before I knew he existed, but he sure has been an inspiration to me. In fact, all three of them are inspirations to me. I feel like I grew up with them. I listened to their music evolve from their first album, Middle of Nowhere, with their high-pitched voices and bubbly melodies to their latest album, Shout It Out, which sounds like bluesy 50s and 60s rock and roll. Shout It Out is filled with rich melodies infused with trumpets and horns, great guitar solos, and of course, drum beats that give the tunes momentum.

So when I found out that Hanson would perform at the State Theatre in Falls Church on Sunday, November 14, I had to be there. I haven't missed a single show they have performed in northern Virginia and DC. Each time I see them, I turn into the giddy, silly, heart-pumping fan who stares wide-eyed at the stage. Yesterday was no different.


They came out around 9:30pm and the crowd went nuts. I was standing in about the 6th row. When Hanson performed at the Nissan Pavillion in Brisow, Virginia in 1998 I was sitting in the very back row (the place holds about 20,000 people). Now I get to see them up close, which is always exciting. They started off singing the first track on Shout It Out, an energetic pop tune titled "Waiting For This." The song turned into a medley of a track from their second studio album titled "In the City" and another unreleased song titled "Rock and Roll Razorblade." The crowd was on their feet, but I must say I got most excited during Zac's songs.

Zac sings quite a few leads on Shout It Out. Normally, he plays the guitar or piano during his solos, but for this tour, he's playing drums and singing at the same time. He is one amazingly coordinated drummer. During "And I Waited," a tough song that grabs you from the drum intro, he did not miss a single beat, or lyric! He was absolutely incredible. I didn't have my camera with me (only my phone) but here's a fan video of a recent show:

After 6 electric songs, they changed their set to acoustic. They sang two songs as a group, then Isaac and Taylor left the stage for Zac to do another song. This time he sang "Go," a ballad about a couple going through a divorce. It was just him and the guitar and of course, he sounded very beautiful.

Next up was Taylor on the piano singing a cover of "Love Me" by Elvis. Though the acoustic set was great for giving the crowd some time to stop jumping, I couldn't wait for them to get back to the electric set.

Zac also did a cover of "Oh Darlin'" by the Beatles. Again, he was incredible. Here's another fan video from a recent show:

Next was "MMMBop," the song that made them popular in the first place. I love hearing this song live -- the crowd is always extra energetic. The song always takes me back to 1997. Good times.

But the crowd was most energetic during the song, "If Only." Mr. Taylor Hanson plays the harmonica and piano at the same time. He starts the song off with the harmonica and jumping up and down to get the crowd to do the same thing. Hair was definitely being flipped in my face -- not very pleasant, but I love the song so much that I didn't really care. One more fan video:

Before the last song, Taylor said "We can end either really loud, or really, really quiet," so they ended on a quiet song, titled "A Song to Sing" from their second album, This Time Around. It was a perfect, beautiful ending to a very energetic 2 hour show. I can't freaking wait to see them again.

Oh, and one more thing. Nikki Reed was there. Yes, the girl from Twilight.

Set List:

Waiting For This
Make It Out Alive
Minute Without You
And I Waited
Speechless
Carry You There

--Acoustic--

Penny And Me
These Walls
Go (Zac Solo)
Love Me (Taylor Solo)

--Back To Electric--

This Time Around
Voice In The Chorus
Where's The Love
Madeline
Thinking 'Bout Somethin'
Oh Darlin'
MMMBop
Give A Little
If Only
Lost Without Each Other

--Encore--

Save Me
Dying To Be Alive
A Song To Sing

Drummer of the Week: Sheila E.

Sheila E. is one of the most prominent female drummers. Her father is percussionist Pete Escovedo, who she was performing with in 1978 when Prince discovered her. She joined Prince's band during the Purple Rain recording sessions. (The two dated for a little while).

Sheila E.'s most notable act these days is performing with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. I read once that during one of the tours they would each sit at the drum set and try to battle each other. Sheila E. would continue to play flawlessly as Ringo could barely keep up her. The comedic act was a joke on Ringo since he's so often dissed. (See blog on Ringo).

Check out the video below!

Practice Makes Perfect

I'm ashamed to admit that I barely practiced this week. I'm transitioning into a new job on Monday and I'm pretty nervous about it -- new co-workers, new boss, new tasks. Meanwhile, my graduate program is overwhelming me. I feel like I'm running out of essay ideas and there's much to think about before I even earn the next half of my credits, not to mention a project and thesis.

My only escape right now is drumming (during the summer, the gym was another outlet) and I didn't even make enough time for it. When I don't practice, I feel a void. My hands are usually itching to sit down by my practice pad and play some rudiments, but this week my mind was too boggled to really let myself do what I love to do. If I don't have my sticks in my hand, I feel like I'm missing something, kind of like the weird feeling you get when your cell phone isn't with you.

When I sat down to practice yesterday, I felt my speed slow down a bit. A few days of no practice really weakens the chops. Now I feel like the days that I worked so hard to build speed are reverted and I have to work extra hard to get it back. Not a good feeling.

So when I went to my drum lesson today, I had to confess to my teacher that I barely practiced. "That's OK," he said. "Today we will play some stuff that you are new to you."

We sat down facing each other using the same practice pad and played triplets with a specific kind of sticking. I felt exceptionally slow learning it, so of course, the only way to perfect it is to play it at least 800 times. Yes, 800 times.

I better make time to practice.

Anyone who calls themselves a musician needs to practice their instrument to refine their craft. 20 minutes a day is the minimum, but it must be done. My drum teacher says that we usually "practice to our strengths," meaning we don't practice things we NEED to practice, but instead practice things we already mastered. So with a minimum of 20 minutes a day, I better practice what I need to practice. I also need to learn to practice slowly. Sometimes I lose patience with myself and speed ahead, but that will only make my technique sloppy. The last thing I want is sloppy technique, especially since I pay $130 a month for lessons.

Time to take out the metronome and the books and sit down with the practice pad.

Drummer of the Week: Travis Barker

I've mentioned Travis Barker many times on this blog, so you might be wondering why I find him amazing. When I first saw him on MTV in 1998, I think what attracted me the most was how involved he was with his set -- he looked like he was using his whole body to play. Blink 182 wasn't one of my favorite bands, but Travis always stuck out to me as an energetic, cool drummer.

I recently found this video of him:

Isn't that cool?

Sometimes he does remixes of popular songs, such as the rap song, "Forever" by Drake. This is the kind of energy I'm talking about:

Doesn't he look like he's having a blast? I love it.

When he was in a plane crash with DJ AM in 2008, I freaked out thinking he wouldn't be able to play drums anymore. Thankfully, he can.

Best Menu Ever

I went to T.G.I. Friday's with some co-workers today and was delighted to find this amazing menu...

Why So Few Female Drummers?

Let our young ladies -- always saving, of course, those who have the gift for the special instrument -- leave that and address themselves to the violin, the flute, the oboe, the harp, the clarinet, the bassoon, the kettledrum. It is more possible that upon some of these instruments the superior daintiness of the female tissue might finally make the woman a more successful player than the man. -- Sidney Lanier, 1898

When I joined school band in elementary school, I settled with the flute after learning my favorite teacher played. The flute section was quiet, reserved, and female, just like myself. No boys were in the flute section, which now surprises me considering the most famous flautists are male, such as James Galway. Girls played the flute, oboe, and clarinet, and boys were drawn to the saxophone, trumpet, and of course, percussion. Since I didn't see any female drummers on TV, I wondered if females SHOULD play drums. Was it acceptable for females to be drummers? If not, how come? Like I said in a previous blog posting, the drum set was not even offered, but even it was, would I have selected the drum set, knowing that I would most likely be labeled a tomboy by my peers?

The first female drummer I ever saw was Caroline Corr, drummer of the Irish pop band, The Corrs. They were performing their song, "So Young," on MTV Unplugged in 1999. I was beyond excited. Caroline styled her hair half up, half down, and wore a red dress. She energetically moved her arms around the set and smiled every now and then. Though the camera mainly focused on the lead singer and violinist, I could not wait for the camera to flash back on her. I was used to seeing drummers like Travis Barker and Tommy Lee -- lanky, tattooed, wild males. I definitely adored them, but I wanted to see a drummer I could identify with, someone who would make me feel like it was acceptable to want to play the drum set. I wanted to throw my arms in the air and create the sizzle sound of the cymbals and cracking sound of the snare that perked my ears, making me want to dance.

Seeing Caroline changed the stupid stereotype for me at 12 years old. Girls could play drums. Playing drums was a matter of WHEN not IF. Luckily, I am able to fulfill my dream 11 years after I first watched The Corrs' performance. I am also lucky that my drum teacher does not find it strange that I have a huge desire to play.

A few months ago I went to see Adam Lambert at the 9:30 Club. Allison Iraheta was his opening act, and I was delighted to see the drummer, who happened to be female.

"The drummer is a girl!" I said to my sister.

I quickly took the following picture of her. (Her name is Valerie Franco)

How come 11 years later I am still surprised to see a female drummer? And why are female drummers uncommon? Female drummers are out there, such as Debbi Peterson (The Bangles), Torry Castellano (The Donnas), and Elissa Bello (The Go-Go's), but are any of these female drummers household names? Everybody knows Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, and (I hope) John Boham (Led Zeppelin). Maybe if female drummers were more recognized, females would feel more comfortable playing.

I wonder if females shy away from drums because they think they need massive upper body strength. Maybe some think playing is very powerful and violent, considering it's an instrument that you have to HIT to create a sound. The flute and clarinet are much more delicate -- all you have to do is gently move your fingers and make sure your embouchure is correct. Drumming is very physically demanding, though does not require much strength. Speed and technique are mostly formed by wrist control and muscle memory. Your heels and legs move, too, but again, not much strength is needed.

Maybe the misconception that major strength is needed is that the majority of male drummers on TV, like Travis Barker (pictured to the right) and Tommy Lee, are muscular guys with tons of energy. The two of them drum shirtless with tattoos covering their arms, neck, and chest.

In a BBC News article "Why don't girls play guitar?" I found this quote interesting:

The size of the instrument (bigger, male), its pitch (higher, female) and the physical characteristics needed to play it could be partly responsible.

Though the size probably does not have much to do with it (like the article suggests, the harp, a "feminine" instrument, is pretty large), the weight of the instrument might. Females supposedly prefer lighter instruments. However, the idea stems from adults, not children. Parents might look in horror when their daughter says she wants to play drums -- the gender stereotype is an influence they don't even notice. Drums are heavy, but not unbearable. I remember feeling very lucky that I was out on the football field with my little piccolo when the drum line had their equipment strapped around their shoulders. But that was only necessary for marching band. Regardless, their love of drumming was so strong they never even complained about their hefty equipment.

It's not surprising that gender stereotyping influences the instrument that children choose -- like I said, I don't think I would be comfortable with the teasing. In the article, peer pressure is listed as a reason students choose their instruments. Nobody wants to be teased in elementary school.

Percussionist Layne Redmond wrote a book called "When the Drummers Were Women," and a featured article with the same title for Drum! magazine online. For a large part of our history, percussionists were female, beginning with Lipushiau, a Mesopotamian priestess in 2380 BC.

In every ancient Mediterranean civilization I studied, it was a goddess who transmitted to humans the gift of making music. In Sumer and Mesopotamia it was Inanna and Ishtar; in Egypt it was Hathor; in Greece, the nine-fold goddess called the Muse. Musical, artistic and poetic inspiration was always thought to spring from the Divine Feminine. One of the main techniques for connecting to this power of inspiration was drumming.

Isn't that fascinating? It's amazing how history shows that percussionists were predominately female, and now they are male and drums are considered a "masculine" instrument.

It's pretty annoying when people are surprised that I am a drummer. Is it really that difficult to understand that a quiet girl could be attracted to a loud instrument? The drum beat is my favorite part of listening to songs; sometimes I close my eyes and visualize the beat being played on my drum set so I can mimic it later. I fell in love with the sound -- I didn't care about the physical demand or size of the instrument. I just wanted to play.

I hope female drummers become more prominent so that females out there feel more comfortable wanting to play, just like I felt comfortable after watching Caroline. It seems silly that such a gender stereotype even exists...but I'll try not to let it bother me.

Drummer of the Week: Dave Grohl

Yesterday, I walked into the kitchen and found my sister watching an SNL re-run on MTV. The Foo Fighters were performing their hit song, "Learn to Fly."

"Did you know that Dave Grohl was the drummer of Nirvana? He formed the Foo Fighters after Kurt Cobain died," I said.

"I didn't know that," she said. "And now he's a lead singer?"

Dave Grohl is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, but he started off as a drummer. He's considered one of the best living drummers, actually -- his speed and coordination are amazing. He still participates in many projects, such as playing drums for other artists' records. John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, is Grohl's greatest influence.

Neat fact: He's from Northern Virginia.

What Does a Drummer Do?

The drum set is not a solo instrument. The sound is not melodic, unlike the violin or the piano. So most people think a drummer's job is to keep the beat, set the tempo, and ensure the band keeps up with the tempo. But, as my drum teacher says:

It's everyone's job to keep time. But the drummer will get blamed if you speed up or slow down to keep up with them. It's a Catch-22.

He's right. Every musician should be able to keep a steady tempo, without depending on the drummer. If they can't, they need to go back and start practicing with a metronome. Really, it should only be the drummer's job to keep time when others start slipping.

So if everyone's job is to keep time, then what does the drummer do?

Drummers emphasize dynamics. When a drummer plays a crescendo (gradually playing louder), the song sounds explosive. The effect is much more easily created than other instruments, even when trying to play a decrescendo (gradually playing softer). Would heavy metal exist without drums?

Drummers indicate changes in structure. My favorite part of listening to most music is paying attention to the drums fills -- a fill is a phrase that is played between sections of the song. Sometimes a drum fill is simple, and other times very complex, like quick, erupting notes, mainly played on the tom-toms. The fill leads us in the next section of the song. Just listen to the song "Creep" by Radiohead. In 2:24-2:27, the drum fill leads into the climax of the song when Thom Yorke sings for the first time, "She's running out the door..." In the song "Pretty Girl (The Way)" by Sugarcult, the drum fill at 1:50-1:56 leads into the guitar solo.

Drummers complement other instruments. Sometimes the drummer will play the bass along with the rhythm of the bassist -- together, they create a solid beat. Drummers make everyone else in the band sound better. Like the song "Pretty Girl (The Way)" the drummer, Kenny Livingston, adds the perfect punch for the soloist. With the right fills, accents, and crashes, the soloist instantly sounds more alive.

Imagine a world of music with no drums. Honestly, I can't listen to music without the drums for very long -- I need the beat in the background that makes me bob my head and tap my foot. (The only song I can listen to repeatedly with no drums is "Yesterday" by The Beatles). Drummers give a song the extra oomph it needs to sound brighter, groovier, and more exciting.

Drummer of the Week: Ringo Starr

The more I read about drummers, the more I read about Ringo Starr and am shocked to hear his reputation for being an OK drummer. Supposedly, he does not have great technique, mostly because he is a left-handed drummer playing on a right-handed set up. How could the drummer of the greatest rock and roll band of all time have a reputation for being just OK?

I don't have enough expertise at the moment to comment on Ringo's technique, but I love his drumming (my drum teacher agrees). When I listen to the Beatles, many of the songs have unique drum fills, such as the song "Something." During 1:16-1:40, the fill is absolutely crazy -- the tom-toms are played heavily, moving from one tom to the next quickly, and it sounds like he's playing the hi-hat, too. I can't figure out what he's doing, but I hope to one day.

When the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, his four-piece Ludwig set became the most popular drum set at the time. Meanwhile, Ringo inspired a whole generation of new drummers. Before Ringo, drummers were not considered equal members in a band.

I love this Ringo quote:

First and foremost, I am a drummer. After that, I'm other things. But I didn't play drums to make money. I played drums because I loved them. My soul is that of a drummer. It came to where I had to make a decision -- I was going to be a drummer. Everything else goes now. I play drums. It was a conscious moment in my life when I said the rest of things were getting in the way. I didn't do it to become rich and famous, I did it because it was the love of my life. -- Ringo Starr, in The Big Beat by Max Weinberg

Origin of the Drum Set

When I was a kid, many holiday get-togethers involved Bongo drums and loud Armenian music. My uncle played the bongos and though I watched him in fascination, I never wanted to mimic his talent. I was interested in the drum set. When I was in high school marching band, I loved watching the drum line. Collectively, they were the drum set. But I wanted to be the one to make the noise all by myself.

The drum set has only been around since the early 20th century. The percussion in ensembles used to be collective (brass bands!) -- just like my high school drum line. According to this source, "Small budgets and little stage space for theater shows and silent movie bands" forced drummers to play more than one instrument at a time. So drummers played a bass and snare drum with their hands.

In 1909, William and Theo Ludwig developed a bass drum pedal. Drummers now had two free hands, while their feet would create the boom-boom sound of the bass. By the 1930s, a standard set became more and more popular -- snare, bass, tom-toms, and cymbals. A standard set (like mine pictured below) includes a 21in ride cymbal, 18in crash cymbal, 16in crash cymbal, 16in floor tom, 10in tom, 12in tom, 13in hi-hat, and a 16in snare. (The black covers on the tom-toms and snare are mutes so I don't upset the neighbors like this person!)


Drummers nowadays can customize their set however they would like -- the number of cymbals, tom-toms, and other beauties from the percussion family (cowbell, tambourine) are endless additions. Watching the sheer joy and energy drummers display, hitting their feet and waving their arms in the air, makes it hard to imagine a time when a drummer used two limbs to only play one drum.

Though the history of the drum set is long and elaborate, you get a gist of how one of the greatest creations in the world came to be. For a longer, more detailed history of the drum set, I recommend reading this.

Drummer of the Week: Buddy Rich

Buddy Rich is one of the most famous drummers of all time. He never took drum lessons and couldn't even read music. Check out his amazing speed.

Drumming is Bliss

Drumming makes me happy. Even when my body aches from playing the same rudiments repeatedly, I still can't stop. I don't play because I want to...I play because I can't help it.

I'm often asked if I'm in a band, or if I want to be in one. I always answer no. I've never wanted to be on stage -- I've hated public speaking since I was a kid, and playing music in front of others has never been natural to me. Any playing tests I had in school band terrified me. I remember practicing and practicing my flute until I became dizzy. I would play perfectly in front of my private teacher and my family, but then when I had to play in front of judges at a state competition, I would shake, twitch, forget the notes. I'll never forget when I had to play a chromatic scale for judges who were sitting behind a curtain. My nerves beat me, and I couldn't finish the scale. I cried the entire day. (I was in 12th grade)

When I called my local music store, Music and Arts, about drum lessons, I made myself clear that I did not want to participate in recitals or competitions. "Don't worry, we don't have recitals for the store," the employee said. I was relieved. I was going to play music for fun! Nobody would judge me except for the private teacher, who would only judge me to help improve my skills.

Since I started drumming, I've noticed that I'm happier and more energetic. I'm not surprised. Just listening to drum beats makes me feel happier and more energetic! I remember when I heard the song "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. The drum beat stood out to me more than any other song had in awhile. The song starts off calmly as the drums create a crisp sound effect. The song gradually crescendos into an epic, antsy tune. By the time the song reaches the bridge and she croons, “Why does love always feel like a battlefield? a battlefield! a BATTLEFIELD! I guess you better go and get your armor. . .” the percussion turns the song into a bombastic, raging force that brings out the essence of the song's message. It almost sounds like Jordin Sparks is on a battlefield. What would that song be without the drums?

When I listen to tunes like "Battlefield," or some of my other favorite songs, I try coming up with drum covers. This weekend, I took the video below, which is me trying to play "Holiday" by Green Day. I've always loved Tre Cool's drum beat to this song -- the floor tom is played heavily in certain parts, which is refreshing since I don't often hear songs with this much emphasis on the drums. I've been working on a cover for some time now, but something seems to be missing. Basically, I learned this by ear, so it's rusty.

But this is one of my favorite things to do...put on a song and try playing along to it, come up with covers, etc. I don't wish for a keyboardist, vocalist, or guitarist to jam with me. I don't need an audience to be fulfilled. All I need are my sticks and my kit to be in complete bliss. So it's not surprising that drumming is good for health. According to the Raven Drum Foundation, drumming reduces stress, boosts the immune system, and more. I found this fascinating:

Specifically, drumming promotes the production of endorphins and endogenous opiates, the bodies own morphine-like pain killers, and can thereby help to control pain.

Drum therapy has been around forever. According to Michael Drake, About.com contributor, "From the shamans of Mongolia to the Minianka healers of West Africa, therapeutic rhythm techniques have been used for thousands of years to create and maintain physical, mental, and spiritual health."

The benefits linked to drumming are numerous. My favorite fact about drumming is that it can make you smarter. According to the article "Everyone Gets Some Kind of Release Hitting Things," drumming stimulates the brain. In addition, kids who play drums score higher on IQ tests.

I have no idea how accurate the research is (don't all new hobbies stimulate the brain?), but I do know that drumming has forced me to think harder than I ever imagined. Playing music in general is linked to higher IQ scores, SAT scores, etc. -- at least that's what I remember hearing from VH1 Save the Music. The fact that there are tons of jokes about drummers being stupid really bothers me ("What do you call a drummer with half a brain? Gifted.") Anyone can pick up sticks and hit a drum, but how many people can pick up a guitar and play a chord without some kind of assistance? But the amount of coordination needed blew me away. Perhaps I never thought about the difficulty because all the drummers I watched growing up always looked like they were having a blast.

But I am having a blast, regardless of the frustration. I remember video taping myself once (just like the video above). Once I watched it, I noticed that my father was in the background -- I never even noticed he was there. Practicing becomes meditative. All the research that proves drumming reduces stress, tension, and negative feelings are benefits I could tell anyone without any scientific proof.

Drumming is good exercise, too. After a good practice session, my forearms burn, and I almost always feel sweat form on my forehead. I always need to keep a bottled water nearby. In a recent article on BBC, titled "Can Blondie Drummer Solve the Obesity Problem?" more drumming benefits are found. Clem Burke, drummer for Blondie, participates in a study that suggests drumming could be great exercise for obese children who are embarrassed to dress up in sports gear. I love this quote from the article:

Drumming involves the coordination of four limbs and the brain, so it's a fantastic model to investigate.

--Dr. Marcus Smith

The study was in the news in 2008, too. In an article on BBC, "Rock Drummers are 'top athletes,'" Dr. Marcus Smith said drummers can burn between 400 and 600 calories during an hour concert. Clem Burke's heart rate peaked at 190 beats per minute, which compares to top athletes. Isn't that incredible? My drum teacher quit smoking recently because after a 4 hour gig, he was absolutely exhausted. Drummers need a ton of endurance.

Of course, drummers need to be careful. Sound protection is much needed (I wear Vic Firth sound protecting headphones), and with improper technique, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis could occur. Posture is very important as well. I believe this is why private drum lessons are a must. Max Weinberg, drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien, suffered with tendinitis and carpal tunnel in the 1980s. Weinberg thanks famous drummer, Joe Morello, for teaching him how to play with his condition. He ends his shows dunking his hands in a bucket of ice.

So when people ask me what the point is of learning an instrument at 24 years old, I don't feel the need to defend myself. No, I'm not in a band, and I don't plan on being in one. I'm simply fulfilling a childhood dream and having a blast playing along to my favorite songs. Meanwhile, I'm benefiting my mental and physical health. How cool is that?

Drummer of the Week: Rick Allen

Rick Allen, drummer of Def Leppard, got in a bad car accident and lost his left arm in 1984. With a customized kit, he was able to continue playing. Check out the video below. Amazing!

Similar Drum Beats: Phil Collins & Miley Cyrus

When I started drumming, people often asked me to learn the drum beat to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." I always thought the song was completely boring...until the drums come in at 3:41. Listen to the song!

"My Heart Beats for Love" performed by Miley Cyrus is a great tune that reminds me of the drum beat in "In The Air Tonight." Pay particular attention to the beat at 0:47, then 1:47, 2:28, 2:38, and 2:48.

Tuning Drums

I love playing my drums, but I can't stand the sound that comes out of it.

When I watch drummers on TV and live, the drum set sounds beautiful -- in tune and perfect. Sometimes the set has a high-pitched sound, low-pitched sound, or maybe even dry, or extra thumpy. Electric drum kits usually come with a module so you can customize your sound. But I have an acoustic set, so tuning is a nightmare for someone like me who can't tune drums by ear.

So I bought a DrumDial, which measures the tension of the drum head next to each rod. The instructions inside recommend specific tensions for the snare, tom-toms, floor tom, and bass. Basically, the tension should be even. The resonant (bottom) head should be looser than the batter (top) head.

But my kit still sounded crappy to me. I did some research and decided to buy different drum heads: Remo Ambassador (Fusion Clear), Remo Emperor (Fusion Clear), and Aquarian (which I use now). For the snare (the most difficult to tune), I bought Evans.

For whatever reason, my kit still did not sound professional.

When I brought the issue up to my teacher, he told me that I probably needed mufflers, so I bought several sets of studio rings -- Aquarian and Remo, clear and coated. See the ring around the drum head? The ring is supposed to dampen the ringing noise.




I use "moon gels" for my snare. I position them differently to experiment with the sound, but it still doesn't sound clear and crispy. Instead, it rattles too much. Some drummers use tape as a dampener, which I've also tried. No success.





The last thing I bought for tuning is an Evans Torque Drum Key. The handle on the knob has numbers on it for tension, so you can select a number, place it on the tension rod, then turn it until the handle clicks, which indicates the tension is set. I use the Key after using the DrumDial to ensure the tension is perfect.




But the sound is still off. My drum teacher told me to bring my floor tom in, my snare in, or whatever else in, so that he can tune it himself.

One of these days, I'm going to have to.

Drummer of the Week: Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter, singer in the group, The Carpenters, suffered with anorexia for years and died of heart failure at age 32. Though Karen is remembered greatly for her beautiful voice, many do not know that she was a drummer. Actually, she considered herself a "drummer who sang." Many great drummers praise her skills, including Hal Blaine.

Look how happy she is!

Drumming Hurdles

What am I doing here? I got home from work, ate my dinner, and then came downstairs to the guest room where I keep my practice pad on a snare stand. I sit on my drum throne, right in front of a full body mirror, and turn on Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster album.

I am now the teacher and the student -- the student is in the mirror, and I am the teacher, closing monitoring my technique. Am I sitting up straight? Are my arms to my sides? Am I holding the sticks at the same height? Is the stick rebounding correctly? Does my grip look OK?

My drum teacher, Jason, told me that if I practice in front of a mirror, I will greatly improve my speed. The first thing I learned from Jason was how to hold the sticks, using matched grip and traditional grip. I quickly settled with matched grip, which is the most common grip.

Matched grip: grab the stick from about a third of the way down and open your palms so that the stick comes across diagonally; hold your fingers loosely around the stick, almost like you're shaking hands with it. Your index finger can be looser than the rest, but your thumbs must always be on the stick. Both hands are positioned the same.


Traditional grip: the right hand is in matched grip, while the left hand is facing up. The stick is held between the second and third finger.

My pictures probably make the grip look very easy -- it is, until you start playing (especially when trying to play at a very fast tempo). Drumming is all about the hands. When I played the flute, playing was all about breath control. I thought drumming would be easier since I would no longer have the dizzy, out-of-breath feeling I had as a flute player, but for some odd reason, I can't stay relaxed as a drummer. I always hold my breath the faster I play. Being a good drummer means being relaxed, but I simply can't. I have to work hard to stay relaxed...sounds paradoxical.

Even though I've been taking lessons for over half a year, I still haven't learned all 40 rudiments of drumming. Check out a good list on Wikipedia. My drum teacher said that the MOST important rudiment is a double-stroke open roll, which is right-right left-left, or left-left right-right. By now, I should be playing much faster than I do. A typical practice session is basically the video below (yes, that's me). I start off slowly and gradually build speed, which I do for about 15-20 minutes at a time. It seems easy, but it's super difficult for me to play faster -- my wrist aches, my back aches. In addition, I formed mini-callouses on my index fingers, which could be a good thing -- blisters mean you are playing incorrectly.

I read once (probably my Idiot's Guide to Playing Drums book) that if I'm in pain, then I must be doing something wrong. I really don't think I am.

I spend an even amount of time with the practice pad and the drum set. I usually sit with the practice pad as a warm-up or very late at night when everyone's asleep. Originally, I spent much more time at the kit, but my "chops" were weak.

In addition, I have a foot pedal to exercise my foot muscles with. My left foot is much weaker than my right; same situation with my hands.






So this is the life of a beginning drummer. It makes me wonder how someone at an expert level practices, or improves their skills.

About Me

Hi, everyone! Welcome to my blog.

Ever since I was a little kid, the drum set has fascinated me: the tumbling sound of the tom-toms, the loud crash of the cymbals, and the crisp sound of the snare makes every song sound 10 times better. I used to bang on the kitchen table and pause at the sight of drummers, such as Tommy Lee, Caroline Corr, and Tico Torres. I wished for lessons for over a decade, but I didn't begin until January 2010, at 23 years old. Sometime after I finished my undergraduate degree and got a job, I told myself it was time to fulfill my dream.

Luckily, playing music was nothing new to me. I played the flute in school band from 7th - 12th grade. In marching band (11th-12th grade), I played the piccolo, the tiniest and highest pitched instrument in the ensemble. Though students envied the piccolos because of the light-weight instrument, I envied the drum line. Why didn't I play the drums to begin with? I'm not really sure. But now, I'm trying to make up for lost time.

The process of learning how to play has been maddening, but it's still the best thing I've ever decided to do. I never expected the amount of frustration I would face being a drummer, such as coordination and speed. But I love practicing -- often times I go in a trance and don't even notice when someone is in the same room! When I'm not practicing, I'm reading about drummers, listening for drum beats, and searching for the best books and DVDs about drumming.

I'm definitely not a drumming expert, but I still hope I can share some information I've learned, and continue to learn, about the oldest instrument in the world.

Tammy