WHAT A BAND LOOK FOR IN A DRUMMER

Learn What Bands Look For In A Drummer

I am a firm believer that some of the best drummers in the world will never be discovered. This is because they are lacking certain qualities that bandleaders are looking for. Usually a bandleader will try out a drummer for a single practice or gig, and only call them back if they make a good first impression. Here, in no particular order, are 10 things you can do to make that better first impression:

1. Don't be late!

When you are late for a gig you get labeled as unreliable. If you are ever late or are going to be late, make certain you call the leader and explain the circumstances, and apologize for the inconvenience you are causing other affected parties. When you are late you are wasting valuable set-up, sound check, and practice time. The easiest way to ensure you are on time is to plan to be 30 minutes early.

2. Know the music

Listen and learn all the music for the gig you are playing at. If you are playing all original and un-recorded music than you should listen to the artists previous recordings and get a feel for what style of drumming they like.

3. KISS - "Keep it simple stupid."

Don't think that you need to show everyone how fast you can move around the kit. Most leaders are more concerned with "groove". If the song has no groove it becomes very hard to listen to for the crowd and even harder for the other musicians to play with.

4. Attitude

Always express how happy and excited you are to play with whomever you are playing with. If the leader thinks that playing with him is a burden to you he will not call you anymore. Get to know your fellow musicians who you are sharing the stage with. Even if you don't like some of them you must be nice. You want to build a good relationship with everyone.

5. Playing with a click

You must know how to play with a click. You don't want to have to stop in the middle of the song because the drummer can't keep the beat. I do not recommend playing every song with a click. When you are comfortable playing with a click then you can focus more on groove and not be worried about staying on time with the click.

6. Playing what they want

Sometimes you will have to play a groove that you think doesn't suit the song. You might be playing a groove that the leader tells you he doesn't like and asks you to play something else. Instead of throwing your sticks at him and telling him where to put them I recommend just playing the song the way they want it. You can play whatever you want when you go home at the end of the night with your paycheck. You can also pay the rent the too.

7. Monster Kit

I am a big kit type of guy, but it doesn't always work with every circumstance. Don't plan on taking up the whole stage with your huge ass kit. If you know that there is a big stage with lots of channels for mics and lots of room for other musicians than fly at it. However, if there is limited space then bring a smaller kit. The sound guys will love you more too.

8. Sensitivity

Don't play so loud! This is a mistake that too many drummers make. If the leader cannot hear his guitar or vocal and his monitor is cranked then there is a problem. Listen to the sound in the room and then you can make a decision about how you are going to play or what type of sticks you are going to use. It works both ways, I have been told to play quieter and I have also been told to play louder. Of course I like it way more when they say "LOUDER!", but don't get your hopes up...You should be able to play the drums with dynamics.

9. Memory

If you cannot remember all of the 2/4 bars, 7/8 bars, and 15/16 bars along with all the other parts that leaders want to add to their songs - you must write it down. There is nothing worse than going through a part of a song in practice if you just forget it when it comes time to play it in front of a crowd. If you do, your only hope is that you have an understanding leader. I hate the nasty looks from the head honcho after I miss a important part.

10. Play for fun, not for money

Everyone has to make a living, and I am not saying to just play every gig for free. However, that cannot be the only motivation for you playing the gig. If a leader senses that you are just in it for the money he is not going to want you back. Only ask for the check right when you are about to leave. Do not ask for payment prior to playing the gig.

Follow these guidelines and you're sure to have improved success in seeking regular gigs. With any luck you'll form some great relationships along the way. Good luck!

HOW TO PRACTICE SINGING: 10 WAYS

How Singing Practice Works

The old expression practice makes perfect certainly applies when it comes to singing.

Developing good singing techniques during your practice sessions will enable you to carry such develop skills into your performance.
Learning to sing takes considerable time, effort, and especially dedication. Devoting such time to expanding your singing abilities is a necessary requirement.
Not only repeating your chosen singing materials, but also rehearsing things like breathing exercises, mouth shapes, and various scales will help you perfect and hone in your singing voice.
As you develop these critical skills, they will play a major role in the foundation of great tone, pitch, clarity, and projection.
Make sure to set goals from the very start of your practice times. Commit to learning and doing what is necessary to nurture a great singing voice.

The Top 10 Ways To Practice Singing

If you are looking to get the most out of your practice sessions when singing, please consider some of the following suggestions below:

1. Your Location is Key. Before you begin any kind of singing practice session, you will want to locate an area of the house where you can have privacy and will not bother others.
Make sure you give yourself some space to move around and that’s open enough to carry the sound throughout the room. No dead space if you can help it.

2. Warm-up first. Always take the time to warm up your vocal apparatus. This includes stretching your body to relieve any tension, and of course warming up the vocal cords by including hunting exercises and practicing scales.
You should spend at least 10 to 15 minutes warming up prior to each singing practice session in order to prepare the body and vocal cords for their workout.

3. Use a mirror. Find a mirror in your bedroom, bathroom or closet and stare into it. Notice your posture, your breathing, and the position of your head.
It is important to pay close attention to the mechanics of your body when singing. Using a mirror can be a great way to monitor such things as your posture and the positioning of your mouth, making adjustments accordingly.

4. Connect your emotions. During practice, take the time to think about the premise of the song your singing. What is the feeling that is being created? Now ask yourself how you would express those feelings, and put them into your song while singing. Close your eyes and as you sing feel the words and the sounds, allowing yourself to connect to them.

5. Lie down while singing. Locate an empty space on the floor. Gently lie down on your back, arms to their sides, with your back flat on the floor. Keep your body parts aligned. Begin singing randomly, noticing the movements of your breath and diaphragm.
After giving you this a few minutes practice, try standing up now, close your eyes and imagine that you are in the same position you were while lying on the floor. This is the kind of posture we are looking for what we are singing. Your body will be perfectly straight allowing airflow without any restriction.

6. Break your songs down. When tackling a song, rather than rehearsing the entire song from start to finish. Why not break the song into parts, thus focusing on trouble areas first. As you work through each problem area, you can gently blend all the pieces together in harmony.

7. Learn the messa divoce technique. In Italian this means the placing of your voice. It’s basically a simple technique in which you take a single pitch all the way up to a crescendo. Then down into a diminuendo. You begin singing quiet and then work up to louder volume, and then quiet again all the time using the same pitch.

8. Get your timing right. Get yourself a metronome. Better yet, there are many apps you can choose from that are free.
Even if your pitch and tone are perfect, when your timing is out is very noticeable. Timing is a very important aspect of your singing practice sessions.
Especially when articulating and pronouncing words according to the tempo of the song similar to how it was written. You must stay in time.

9. Record your sessions. There are some fantastic personal recording studio mics on the market. But if you’re on a free budget, we recommend just using the microphone on your smartphone.
The idea is to enable you to review your practice sessions. Taking note of such things as your pitch, your tempo, your tone, and other areas you wish to improve on.
If you want to take it a step further, you can even video record yourself with a camcorder or your cell phone. This way you can even get a look at your posture and see if you can make adjustments in that area as well.

10. Hit more notes per breath. Being able to sustain notes for longer periods of time are the very foundations of the great singing voice. With that being said try the following exercise.
Take the deepest breath you can comfortably take and hold. Slowly control your exhalation using your diaphragm and muscles.
Move up and down a scale in order to incorporate supporting muscles while moving through the various registers.
Focus on the proper resistance of airflow while maintaining good pitch and a strong volume. Time yourself is necessary and continue to challenge yourself.