Now that we have prepared to practice, let's start with a question or two. What do we want to accomplish today? Is this doable in the time we have available? Do we understand what success with sounds like?

In drumming I follow the following general outline.

1. play rudiments to warm up and get in the zone. I will work on a family of rudiments: doubles, flams, or ruffs
2. lesson material that was assigned
3. work from one of my drum books focusing on a page or two
4. work with play along recordings or my transcriptions
5. more hand and feet work

I tend to mix it up over the course of an hour. I use a metronome. I plan my year advance in general terms and then get specific each week. No kidding. The photo lists years 2015 through 2018.

Happy practicing

David

We are musicians. We wake up thinking about music, we hum it all day, we practice, we hang out, we compose, jam, and gig. It's been like this for an exceptionally long time. (For me 47 years.) There never was a serious plan B. We were in early, committed and obsessed almost immediately. We sought out others like us, banded together and made music. Some good, some not, some successful, some failures. Undeterred we soldered on.

We never imagined where music would have taken us. Some of us played locally, others regionally, provincially, nationally, and for a few internationally. We've shared stages with the famous, the infamous, the hopefuls, and the hopeless. It was all good in hindsight. 

What is the source of our ambition? What continues to fuel us? Good question.

​David
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Eventually this will come to an end. The body will give out, desire may die, or more pressing responsibilities will assert themselves.

What to do?

1. Be grateful to have the time we do have.
2. Don't waste your time on trivial matters.
3. Share your music with others throughout your career. The performance context will evolve but the folks who loved you at the beginning of your musical career, still love you, they just changed venues. 
4. Be grateful you had the chance and opportunity to do something so exciting with your life. 

Why do adults advise their children to find the safe path in life. Rarely have I ever met a parent who, to my knowledge, said, "Johnny or Sally, do something heroic with your life, be courageous, get your shit together and go for it" Not too many. 

One of my former students is finishing up a short tour in Europe with her Feminist non-binary punk band. I'm impressed. Really impressed. I've know her since she was 5 years old, she was determined very early.  Parents were behind her all the way. 

What makes Willy Nelson run? Eighty six years old and still touring hard. Tomorrow night he appears at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA with Tennessee Jet. 730 PM  

Here's my best explanation. 

He loves his fans.
He loves the love.
He loves the road.
He loves his musicians.
He loves the music.

If he wasn't touring he just be an old man in a home telling everyone about when he used to be great. 

He's going out with his boots on and ass in the saddle. 


David

It was friggin' awesome. We had the best seats in the house, right at the stage. Piano left, Sax centre, drums right. Our feet resting on the stage. Place didn't look like it changed much since I last visited 40+ years ago.

James Francies has a left hand I used to dream I had but didn't. He was played left hand bass on a synth and soloed on another synth with the right. Complete independence. Except for blistering tutti breaks with both hands. Paul Bley spoke about playing a synthesizer at the Vanguard in the 1960's and never being invited back. I guess they got over it. 

Christ Potter was Chris Potter, unsurpassed skill. 

Eric Harland is truly a drummer for the new century. No spang a lang for him. Two high hat set ups plus a high hat stack. Small strange cymbal combos, four pedals behind the kit. One highlight among many was his drum ensemble work. One man, one kit sounding like drum circle of world class drummers having a party.