Kenstanton Music

Steven Walker, one of our amazing drum instructors at the Woodstock Ken Stanton Music location, gave a very inspiring drum clinic on Saturday July 16, 2011, at 2:00 pm. His tips on “How to Be A Working Drummer” provided insight to excited students and local drummers trying to break out in the scene. Walker then demonstrated the styles of drumming he uses most in professional work, typically involving more straight-forward time-keeping as opposed to more creative movements. He showed us more creative aspects of drumming when he covered Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” and David Bowie’s “Fame.”

The importance of networking to build a reputation in the industry came from a question a guy in the audience asked. Steven thanked him for his question and further discussed hanging out to establish a camaraderie with local clubs owners and others in the industry. The point he most drove home was that every opportunity accepted leads to others as does turning down a job. Every time you close one door, you close several that would have come from that experience.

Walker explained the difference between a “cover band” and a “tribute band” – a tribute band tries to pay tribute by playing the original song note for note while the cover band performs arrangements and takes creative liberties while maintaining the integrity of the original songs.

A great tip from the clinic: Search the phrase “drumless tracks” online when trying to find music without the recorded drum parts.

We all thank Steven Walker for his dedication to his craft and hope more people feel inspired to dust off their drums and quell their fears of playing gigs - for money.

Read excerpts from Steven Walker’s handout to clinic attendees on becoming a successful working drummer:

The Function of the Drummer:

As a musical time facilitator:

• The most important job within the band for the drummer is to help his fellow musicians feel the time-flow. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, but is most often through the hi-hat pattern and the playing of the snare on beats 2 & 4. Equally as important is the drummer’s responsibility to make the feel or “groove” understood by the ensemble. This is accomplished through tempo maintenance and a thorough understanding of the style being performed. Both of these responsibilities are developed over life-long study and listening.

• It is important to understand that the role of the drummer can shift when moving from one playing style to another. In all styles, the role of the time-keeper is most important, though the aesthetic responsibilities can change dramatically from style to style. For instance, in rock/pop styles a drummer’s role may be limited to just playing beats, while in Latin or jazz styles a drummer may be called upon to play much more in order to support the ensemble.

As a musical time illustrator:

• Musical time can be illustrated in a number of ways, as can the various feels and styles. It is important for the drummer to know and understand what the band needs in terms of rhythmic reinforcement and how to deliver that information. The appropriate set-up (fill) on the drums can aid the band in interpreting the various rhythmic figures they have in their music. Set-ups must be stylistically appropriate and rhythmically confident.

Tools of the Trade:

• In order to work in a variety of styles and situations, you’ll need a variety of sounds, which is to say you’ll need different drums and cymbals for different musical situations. True enough, some snare drums and cymbals will cover a very wide range of styles, but some styles or music directors (band leaders) will want a certain sound. You will either need to already own that sound or be able to manipulate something you own to achieve the sound required by your employer. It is not uncommon for a musician to not be rehired (or worse – fired!) for not being able to produce the correct sound on demand.

• In general, the drum kit you own will probably be sufficient for the majority of gigs for which you will be called. Through appropriate tuning and drumhead selection, you can radically alter the sound of a drum kit. Certain size drums will always be better suited for a particular style (i.e. small drums for jazz, large drums for rock), but knowing how to get the most out of your instrument will be critical. There are plenty of examples where jazz has been played on large drums and rock on small drums…but the drummers in those instances knew how to tune their drums for an appropriate sound.

• Selecting cymbals for your kit is truly a matter of preference and taste. That being said, there are cymbals that will always sound more “rock-like” or more “jazz-like.” It’s important to know which cymbal is which and which cymbals bridge the gap.

• Having sturdy, well-maintained hardware and pedals is a must. Make sure your cymbal stands don’t rattle and that they have the required felt washers and sleeves. Make sure your pedals (hi-hat and bass drum) don’t squeak or make any unnecessary noise. Also, you’ll need a 4’ x 6’ (5’ x 8’ is even better) rug. A rubber-backed rug will keep your gear from sliding across the floor of that hotel ballroom you’re rocking.

• In order to be able to make all of the current sounds, you’ll need a variety of playing implements: sticks (of various sizes for different volumes and textures), brushes (they’re not just for jazz anymore!), bundle sticks (for that in-between stick and brush vibe), and a pair of mallets of some sort. Several products are available that combine a stick and felt mallet. These work well for cymbal roles and playing on the toms.

Developing a Vocabulary:

• Your ability to effectively communicate with your fellow musicians will be a large determining factor in your continued/future employment. You must be able to get your musical points across, so knowing musical jargon (i.e. words like tempo, dynamics, form, and some amount of theory) will help greatly.

• Of course, you have to be able to communicate your ideas verbally with your fellow musicians, but equally important, if not more so, is your instrument vocabulary – the things you can “say” with your instrument. In order to develop your musical vocabulary, you will have to expose your ears to wide and varied sources of music. You will need to take yourself out of your listening comfort zone and explore other styles. Start with recommendations from friends and teachers. Also, the Internet is an amazing resource with sites like Pandora, Rhapsody, and YouTube bringing you an unimaginable amount of material.

• Until you have listened long enough to a particular style, its nuances will not become evident to you. You will just be playing patterns with no sense of how the patterns relate to the larger musical picture. It’s like learning Spanish in high school and then going to Mexico – you may know some words and phrases, but you’re unlikely to convince anyone you’re a native speaker. The only way to develop the appropriate “accent” is to listen, listen, LISTEN!

For more information on drum lessons with Steven Walker, please contact the Woodstock Ken Stanton Music store at 770-516-0804.