Drummers; it is my belief that each drummer has been gifted with his or her own unique sound and ability. I was encouraged very early on by a singer I was working with in one of my first bands. He said not to worry if I couldn't play the same licks as some other drummer. He pointed out that there are things I could play that other drummers could not play. He didn't say this to swell up my head or to give me pride, but to make the point that each drummer brings a unique sense of musical expression to each piece of music. I spent, I think, too many years trying to sound like everybody else. I was very good at it. Our band could sound like any top 40 band on the radio at the time. That made points with the local fans, but didn't do too much for us in the over all scheme of things.

A drummer has to be sure of him or herself, we have to know the music, know our instrument, and know how to make it work with other people. If you are sure of what you want to play, not head strong, but determined, then you can work with other musicians to make good things happen for all of you. This confidence in one's own abilities can pay off in many ways. But mostly, it will show up in the sound. You can hear the difference between a drummer with a good sense of who he is and what he can contribute, from the drummer who is merely doing his best to sound like some one else. Take the time to develop your own sound, your own feel for the music, and don't let those who have a limited idea of how the drums should sound push you around. The drums are your instrument, go make some sound, and as always, Keep the Beat.

 

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