Now that we understand the objective of our approach to percussion, we start glimpsing into the territory of purpose. Very few things in this life offer such a glimpse. A lot of people that teach about percussion forget how wonderful this glimpse into the giant void and mystery of purpose really can be. Why? Because it is not something that can be taught. It is human. Unfortunately for those teachers and their students, they are missing the most important reason why we do what we do. We are humans in deep need connecting with our own mystery. Who are we? Why are we here? These are not questions normally addressed in private lessons, because they lead to more mystery.
We are not afraid of the mystery. In fact, we want to embrace the mystery because it is why we practice percussion in the first place. In attempt to embrace that mystery and better embrace the objective of rich, warm tone, you are safe from being oppressed with technical jargon in this dojo. The only technique I will encourage you to is what I call Flo.
Flo is an interesting concept which I did not come up with. I was taught flo by another student of flo. But flo is a light in the darkness of all this mystery. It is simply this: embrace your natural method of producing rich, warm tone. But often the things that are most simple are the most difficult. This is why most people avoid teaching flo. It is difficult to uniform. You can't create a formula to encapsulate it. There is no five step program to achieve flo. Flo is a journey, not a destination; a constant relearning of one's self and technique to produce richer, warmer tone. With flo, there are no masters. With flo, there is only one answer: relax. Everyone is a student on the journey to perfecting their own selves.
So to help you understand flo, I will show you examples of what flo is and what flo isn't. Flo is learning your own mind a body and pushing it to new heights of producing rich, warm tone. Flo is understanding that technique is personal...music is personal.
Flo is not white-knuckle percussion. Flo is not shoes in a dryer. Flo is not a five step program to success.
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Be sure to watch Freddie Smith's solo which I linked to the title. Just click on "Technique is personal" above and you can watch a student of flow in a practice of this fine art.
12.7.08
11.7.08
musicianship: understanding objective number one's power
Now, as I suggested in the last lesson, our objective number one when approaching any instrument should be warm, rich sound.
Why? For clarity of expression. When we use increase clarity in our expression we are expressing increased musicianship; increased expertise in using our instrument to communicate effectively.
We are understanding our purpose as percussionists is to make sounds to express specific things.
In the previous lesson, I discussed how using a harsher implement causes a harsher sound. But I also pointed out that the same primary objective is at work. This allows us more of a musical vocabulary. Or as it were, gives us more "words" to describe the felling we are trying to express.
Using a rubber mallet on a low octave D major of a marimba can portray all types of emotions. Fear...Scarcity....Sorrow...
Now, if instead we choose a soft felt mallet for the same note, the emotions being communicated are much different.
Hope...Abundance...Happiness
The idea is that alter aspect of your approach while keeping technique constant.
The constant that is always at work as the foundation of technique for every great percussionist has been and always will be, warm, rich sound.
..........
So please, engage objective number one. Watch the performance video I linked in the lesson title. Watch their approach to their intruments and see that no matter what they are playing, they are achieving warm, rich sound....even with shakers...haha
Why? For clarity of expression. When we use increase clarity in our expression we are expressing increased musicianship; increased expertise in using our instrument to communicate effectively.
We are understanding our purpose as percussionists is to make sounds to express specific things.
In the previous lesson, I discussed how using a harsher implement causes a harsher sound. But I also pointed out that the same primary objective is at work. This allows us more of a musical vocabulary. Or as it were, gives us more "words" to describe the felling we are trying to express.
Using a rubber mallet on a low octave D major of a marimba can portray all types of emotions. Fear...Scarcity....Sorrow...
Now, if instead we choose a soft felt mallet for the same note, the emotions being communicated are much different.
Hope...Abundance...Happiness
The idea is that alter aspect of your approach while keeping technique constant.
The constant that is always at work as the foundation of technique for every great percussionist has been and always will be, warm, rich sound.
..........
So please, engage objective number one. Watch the performance video I linked in the lesson title. Watch their approach to their intruments and see that no matter what they are playing, they are achieving warm, rich sound....even with shakers...haha
objective number one
When I step up to any instrument I am about to play, I ask myself, is the stuff I am about to play going to be warm and rich in tone and pleasing to the ear?
warm
rich
tone.
That is our first objective. Why? Because there are a few ideas at work.
Music, is a great and wonderful power of expression. Expression, no matter its form is a human concept. This idea that one person can communicate what they are experiencing to another. Usually, the something that is being communicated is an emotional image.
Think of some emotions:
fear
joy
sorrow
"that floating feeling that sends chills down your back and goose-bumps down your arm"
these words are expressions of something bigger than the words themselves. However, we who speak English understand the limits of what these words can express. So when speaking them, we add tone and emphasis to portray these words in expressional ways.
If I say "I am mad" with a light and cheery tone...there is something ironic about my expression.... it's ambiguous.
It begs the question, "Is he really saying anything?"
If I say "I am happy", however, with a light and cheery tone...my expression is clear...no ambiguity
This same concept applies to playing an instrument.
If I approach an instrument, say...a marimba... with metal pipes in my hand and smash a low octave D major... there is something ironic about what I am doing...it's ambiguous
It begs the question, "Is he really trying to play a D major or is he trying to destroy that marimba"
Now sure...people use all types of implements to express tones in percussion. But, more often than not, the novice percussionist seems more of a demolition man than a percussionist.
For sake of this specific example, the marimba was designed to make specific tones and sounds within a given range.
If I approach a marimba with a dense rubber mallet, and rather than smashing a low octave D major, I lightly strike the bar and pull the mallet up as if gravity no longer applies to my hand and wrist... my expression is clear. We will hear a low octave D major (hopefully).
Now sure, because I used a dense implement to strike a bar designed to be struck with a felt covered mallet, what we will hear could be defined as a harsh or staccato sound. Short, abrupt and somewhat offensive.
But I promise you, I have the same goal in mind, no matter the implement...be it hard rubber or soft felt...
my goal is this:
warm
rich
tone
--------
To see kind of what I am talking about, click the lesson title and watch the video performance.
warm
rich
tone.
That is our first objective. Why? Because there are a few ideas at work.
Music, is a great and wonderful power of expression. Expression, no matter its form is a human concept. This idea that one person can communicate what they are experiencing to another. Usually, the something that is being communicated is an emotional image.
Think of some emotions:
fear
joy
sorrow
"that floating feeling that sends chills down your back and goose-bumps down your arm"
these words are expressions of something bigger than the words themselves. However, we who speak English understand the limits of what these words can express. So when speaking them, we add tone and emphasis to portray these words in expressional ways.
If I say "I am mad" with a light and cheery tone...there is something ironic about my expression.... it's ambiguous.
It begs the question, "Is he really saying anything?"
If I say "I am happy", however, with a light and cheery tone...my expression is clear...no ambiguity
This same concept applies to playing an instrument.
If I approach an instrument, say...a marimba... with metal pipes in my hand and smash a low octave D major... there is something ironic about what I am doing...it's ambiguous
It begs the question, "Is he really trying to play a D major or is he trying to destroy that marimba"
Now sure...people use all types of implements to express tones in percussion. But, more often than not, the novice percussionist seems more of a demolition man than a percussionist.
For sake of this specific example, the marimba was designed to make specific tones and sounds within a given range.
If I approach a marimba with a dense rubber mallet, and rather than smashing a low octave D major, I lightly strike the bar and pull the mallet up as if gravity no longer applies to my hand and wrist... my expression is clear. We will hear a low octave D major (hopefully).
Now sure, because I used a dense implement to strike a bar designed to be struck with a felt covered mallet, what we will hear could be defined as a harsh or staccato sound. Short, abrupt and somewhat offensive.
But I promise you, I have the same goal in mind, no matter the implement...be it hard rubber or soft felt...
my goal is this:
warm
rich
tone
--------
To see kind of what I am talking about, click the lesson title and watch the video performance.
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