The Mandatory Art of Listening
by Chris DiGirolamo
A few years back I wrote a column explaining the importance of listening. I believe it is time to revisit the subject matter as a player who has matured over the years. Passing along the suggestions that have been valuable will only benefit the readers to change as listeners and grow as players.
Listening is mandatory for the development of any drummer, or for that matter, any musician. As drummers, we are taught the basics. Once we learn the basics, we want to develop our own style. We do this through listening. Practicing allows the physical part to develop; listening allows the mental part to develop.
I have shared the following story in past columns, but this time I want our readers to actually attempt it. In 1986 I was a freshman at Berklee College of Music in Boston. What I learned very quickly is that I was a minor league pitcher starting for the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series. I think you understand my point: I was out of my league. Staying in the game, playing every day, allowed me to improve, but there were countless international players at the school that were so far above me on a performance level. I became discouraged, and my playing became stale. By the third month in school I wanted to toss in the drumsticks. I attended my private lesson on a rainy Boston afternoon with a face so long I tripped over it. My teacher was a man by the name of Alan Hall. He had some great professionalism behind him. He played and recorded with the finest in the business. He asked me what was wrong. I told him "Alan, my playing is stale, and I don't know how long I can do this." He then told me something that teachers at Berklee didn't do too often. He advised me not to play my drums for a week. He told me to keep loose on the practice pad, but don't touch the drums. Spend the week listening.
I went to the school library, recorded 15 Art Blakey records, and for the remainder of the week all I did was listen to Art Blakey. I focused on his approach to the kit and the sound he was trying to bring to the recording. At the end of the week, the results were obvious. I developed new ideas, and my technique showed a great deal of improvement. This experience proved to me, without a doubt, the power of listening.
In today's world, you have access to so much via the Internet that a project like this could be customized to your liking. If you're in that rut with your playing, pick a drummer that you like, or a drummer that you have been curious about. Gather a number of his or her recordings. Listen to them throughout the week.
A substantial amount of time needs to be put into this project.
Listening for five minutes a day is not going to produce results. Listen in the morning. Listen in the car. Listen at night. Headphones will always make this more effective. With no outside distractions, you are more focused on the playing. In a week, go back to your kit and see if this project worked for you.
Product Review KORG Beatlab
The KORG Beatlab is a great tool for making practice fun for the everyday drummer. With the ability to generate a variety of rhythms and styles, this new product opens the door for many drummers who shied away from different styles. Features include a training function with 39 patterns for practicing rudiments, and sound and LED cue indicators that help with perfecting the right/left stroke timing. If you would like to add a little spice to your practice sessions, pick up the KORG Beatlab.
