With one tweet...

(Sung to the tune of "With One Look" from "Sunset Boulevard"):

With one tweet I'll restart this site

With one tweet it will reignite

I have found encouragement

With the one tweet I just sent

I've left this blog hanging for many months now... It's joined the ranks of a million other web sites, initiated with the good intention of updating daily, gaining momentum, providing insight to others and helping with my own progress but then abandoned for no apparent reason.

For the record: Sites like that really annoy me.

 

The past few weeks I have been toying with the idea of resurrecting the Drummer Improvement Project; not just the blog, but the entire concept of really focusing on my own betterment as a musician.  This is such an important part of my life that it deserves a lot of my attention.

 

Today I casually put it out there to my fellow Twitterers (and Facebookers): "I'm thinking about resuscitating my drummer blog."

 

And guess what?  People actually cared enough to reply!  Within five minutes I had a delightful collection of encouraging responses.  Enough to convince me that this is something I should more than just think about.  Time to take action!

 

So with that... IT'S BACK ON!

 

A quick update on my progress: I began taking drum lessons the end of January. The experience has been invaluable, as I quickly realized that there are some things that a book or DVD simply cannot convey (I know... DUH!  But, what can I say, I like being stubborn and John Wayne-ing it, learning things myself). My instructor, Joey B. Banks, is incredibly talented and creative, always full of energy, highly technical, and also a working drummer who performs in many different bands.  In short: a very inspiring person.  So far, one of the biggest changes he has imparted on me is to learn traditional grip.  As of right now I am working on a lot of sticking/rudiment exercises, using both traditional and matched grip.  I still use matched grip when I perform with the band, but as I improve at traditional grip I imagine I will incorporate it into the performance.  The goal is to add more tools to my toolbox, more colors to my palette, etc.

 

Aside from the lessons, I gained some new insights from being on tour with Sunspot for several weeks this summer.  Obviously we have toured before, but this was the longest continuous stretch we have undertaken.  Playing every single day (except Mondays) for 22 shows straight, although it may not seem like much, was an excellent test of my endurance and I'm happy to report that I held out just fine.  :)  I was actually more concerned that I would lose my singing voice, which has happened on past tours, but all of my limbs and my voice stayed the course for the duration of the tour.  I'm sure many stories from the road will surface in future blog posts here.

 

That's all for now.  I'll be back soon... Hopefully with something interesting for you to read.

 

Oh- and thanks to all who replied to that one tweet!  :)