by Mark Walker
For Drummers Only – Guilty Until Proven Innocent
December 10, 2009 2:07 pm in Drumset by Mark Walker
I’ve had a fantastic run playing drums with Paquito D’Rivera since 1989. We’ve played in all kinds of configurations: as a trio, quartet, quintet, large ensemble, big band and with orchestra. I’ve learned to adapt to all these different situations as a musician. No matter what style we play, I always try to listen to and blend with the entire ensemble. When it’s time to step out, I step out.
This morning, I walked into a rehearsal with Paquito and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. I found a beautiful Yamaha maple kit waiting for me, and as I was putting up my trusted Paiste cymbals, I was horrified to see someone walking toward me with Plexiglas panels.
I immediately told the person we didn’t need them. Someone from the orchestra administration came up and said: “These are for the musicians.” I was speechless. I wondered to myself, “If the baffles are for the musicians, then…what the #%@* does that make me, an animal?”
I asked her if the drums were too loud (I hadn’t played a note yet). She didn’t answer the question, but told me the orchestra had had “sound issues” with drummers in the past. I finally convinced her – and several other people – to listen first and use the baffles only as a last resort. But this was a textbook case of “guilty until proven innocent”.
I had reason on my side (I’m a professional drummer, dammit!), but the orchestra staff had had a hard time with loud drummers in the past. Even though an assumption was made on their part, they did have a point.
Fellow drummers, we did this to ourselves. Every time I read an article on recording it’s always “Try this technique, unless the drummer is not cutting it/doesn’t know how to hit/etc. In this case…” We’ve lost control of the time, the instrument and the sound. Why is it assumed that playing with intensity means playing loud? And why can’t we make a big, fat sound without having to put all kinds of crap on our drums to deaden them?
Now all you rock guys, I know what you’re thinking: YA GOTTA HIT THE DRUMS!!! Don’t get me wrong; I’m not advocating wimpy playing! Of course you have to play with intensity on any gig, but I’m talking about acoustic music here. How loud do you really need to play to get the tone and attack you want? How about tuning your drums, playing them in the right spot and having your monitor balanced so you can hear everything without resorting to earplugs?
My point is that we have to rebuild our reputation as musicians and professionals.
This means being able to blend with the group, no matter what the genre; It means being able to listen to the other musicians in the band (and not just waiting for a chance to play that ‘sick lick’ you learned); It means supporting them and making them feel comfortable; It means being able to play different styles and really enhance the VIBE of each song; It means being able to read a chart without sounding mechanical. It means being able to tune your kit and get a killer sound at ANY dynamic level.
None of these things are easy to do. But the question is: do you want to be an average drummer, or a professional musician?
Thankfully, the Plexiglas baffles never made it to the stage. Even the string players next to me left the earplugs on their music stands. Hopefully, I can convince more people to trust their ears, rather than give in to their prejudices. Let’s be musicians and make music on the drums.
Grammy Award winning drummer/composer/educator Mark Walker has performed and recorded with Paquito D’Rivera since 1989 and the group Oregon (with Ralph Towner) since 1996. He has also worked extensively with Michel Camilo, Lyle Mays, Cesar Camargo Mariano, WDR big band and many others. He is currently a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston. His new book is entitled “World Jazz Drumming” (Berklee Press /Hal Leonard). You can contact him for lessons at mwalker@berklee.edu.
I agree that many (if not most) drummers these days don’t know how to play at low volumes. My instructors spent much time making me “Play at a whisper:” I can’t even count how many times that ability has been a life saver. (I’ve seen drummers fired from a gig simply because they couldn’t play at the low volume needed for a venue…I don’t want to ever be “that drummer”).
Though on rare occasion, I do leave out earplugs for a low volume gig, I encourage everyone who considers this to do so with caution. Damage can occur before you realize it has happened. If you feel the need to lose earplugs, first try a pair with a lower noise reduction rating.
I believe it was Cindy Blackman that mentioned in an interview about playing along with a small stereo to practice low volume playing.
When you can groove along with your $19 Walmart boom box you’re getting there.
Mark,
You make a good point about dynamic control, but I can’t believe you advocate playing without ear plugs. Even at low volumes you can do damage to your ears. Get a pair of good musician’s ear plugs and don’t play without them in, if you want to keep your hearing.
Dear Pocketwade,
If you’re playing at a reasonable volume level, you don’t need plugs. I don’t see anyone else in the band using them. The moment you put the plugs in, you’re not hearing how it really sounds – you just hear what you want to hear. That’s why so many drummers have a horrible sound. They can’t hear it!
Best,
MW
Great story and well said message! Get educated, learn your place in the music and be a professional. Be a musician, not a drummer. Thanks Mark!
I always called it the “fish tank”.
The truth is: a two month old human baby can hit a drum and get a decent sound out of it. It takes a fine musician to play with touch like Mr. Walker has. Even an adult beginner on string, woodwind, or brass instruments usually sounds terrible when first learning the instruments.
Not enough drummers/percussionists practice playing soft .
WELL SAID!!!!
If your agreeing with my comment. Thanks very much I am glad you feel the same way. Paulwall1981.
We drummers get such a bad rep, becuase some say we don’t make music we just make noise. I as a player of some 20 plus years,I think that the drums are one of the most amazing instruments that anyone could be fortunate to play. Yes of coruse they are loud but they need to be to make them selfs heard through all the other instruments in the band. I feel that we drummers get tagged with being clueless when it comes to music and I for one think this trluy sad. So all you drummers, keep on drumming and let your voices and your drums be heard. We owe the world that much at least.
Amen Mark.
I’ve been in this position myself and have tried what you did in some circumstances and meekly accepted my incarceration in others. However, as a drummer who has made a very serious effort to bring the entire volume of my playing down over the years, I’m completely on side with you. Somewhere in the tidalwave of technique and “drummism” – as I call it – we forgot about timbre and sound. Other instrumentalists are taught to think about the quality of the sound they are making from almost the first day. With drummers, the issue is seldom if ever addressed at the beginning and intermediate stages, if at all.
We need to be reminded (as I was by a teacher of mine) that there is a difference between more volume and more sound. And in my own struggles with this, I found that turning my attention to creating a good sound – rather than a loud one – had ramifications for my technique, my set up, my approach and so on.
Billy Ward once said something sage: (I’ll paraphrase) essentially it was that if we aimed at making a beautiful sound, the rest (the technique, etc.) will start to take care of itself. Perhaps it’s time to revamp the way we think about and teach our instruments? We currently tend to come from a very mechanistic point of view in regard to technique – i.e. this motion/that motion, this grip/that grip. The plus to all of these suggested techniques is supposed to be “speed, power, control, dexterity” and the like. Only in rarified circles is it ever mentioned that a good technique will lead to a nice sound from the instrument. I wonder if an about face is necessary? We’ve got kids stuffing their ears full of ear plugs that effectively block them from hearing the timbre of their instruments. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be careful with our hearing. But it seems to me to be a vicious cycle: Volume up, Earplugs in, Volume up some more, Sound quality lost… Perhaps the solution is less (not no) hearing protection and to not hit the things so bloody hard?
(Coincidentally, I wonder how many cases of tendonitis/RSI/various aches and pains would vanish with this approach?)
I remember giving two final exams at Berklee, one after the other. The first student walks in, puts his isolation phones on (at least he was using Vic Firth), sits down and plays DOINK on the snare drum at fortissimo. I decided right away that I would conduct the exam from outside the room. I’m glad I did, because this guy had the most horrible tone. (He wasn’t studying with me.)
The second guy came in and played just as loud, but made such a beautiful sound that I sat right in front of him the whole time, and it didn’t hurt my ears at all.
Who would you rather listen to?
In Nashville we call it the “sneeze guard!”
I love it!
Like you I have been in that situation several times, last week in fact, and I think at least part of the issue stems from deeply ingrained predjudices within the orchestral community. Percussion is still fairly new to that ensemble, and overcoming the image (largely self inflicted) of drummers as sub standard musicians is a task we should all undertake. Predjudice is a learned behavior, and thus can be unlearned. I make it a big point to help my students understand timbre and control at all dynamic levels and what I call “self mixing” behind the kit. The more of us that are playing musically and teaching that approach, the sooner the problem will diminsh, if not disappear entirely.
Matt,
I love you’re point about “self mixing”. Taking this a step further I would add that inter-dynamics, the relationship between the volumes of all the pieces of the drum kit, is an often overlooked and vastly under appreciated subject. Sometimes it’s not the overall volume of the kit that’s too loud, but rather one piece. I’ve heard times when a drummer’s hi hats are overbearing and the kick drum is barely audible, not a pretty picture. We would do well to remember the origin of the drum set as a collection of instruments working together much like a guitar is comprised of several strings working in harmony.
Matt and Kevin,
You’re so right about the balance issue. One of my favorite musicians, guitarist Ralph Towner is a master with this. He can make any note of any chord sing.
I also like how Ian Froman addresses this topic on his video at the VF website
Cheers,
MW
I agree with you Matt. The more we tach and are taught, then the better are playing will become. Thanks for making this worth while point and also good luck in your durmming.
Mark,
First off thanks so much for the story, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the exact same situation! As drummers we definitely need to take more responsibility in playing to the appropriate dynamics for the room. Your words serve as a reminder to all of us to strive to be better musicians and not just better drummers. Keep up the good work!
Kevin