Patch Dennis C.E.P

IF ONLY

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:56:23 -0500

If only I had more time for this CEP. If only I had 6 more months to practice and evolve into this ‘machine’ I keep researching about. I spent 5 1/2 weeks in a room for 10 hours a day and maybe I only scratched the surface?…
I have been avoiding this issue for 2 weeks now, but really I should embrace it. The reason for this is that I HAVE evolved. My out-look on this context is 100% more efficient, educated and crafted than before I began. I started as a ‘player of drums’ and I am now a Player Of Drums. I am full of things to say about this project, the most important being the experience of it all, and the excitement of finally being a musician who understands what must be done.

Today I made completed the first 7 pages of my documentation. This is 1 section of my portfolio and it ties in the meeting I had with the world-leading Arup Group in London. This meeting was inspirational to me, as it taught me so much about the effect sound has on practice. I was lucky enough to meet with an accomplished acoustic engineer who guided me through the importance of acoustics in sound and outcome. If only pall practitioners were aware of these issues and how to solve them, it would open up the practice session in a whole new light.
This section of my project is entitled ‘sound in practice’ and promises to be the first of several sections to make up my final portfolio of this study, which will be on sale from the 2nd of january on www.howtopracticelikeamachineandnotsoundlikeawankyartist.com…maybe I’m joking.or not?

Ta.

Enter Stage 2

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:32:53 -0500

It has been 13 days since my last post…I am sorry for this. I have had a week off to re-kinde and reflect on my studio marathon and to prepare for the second half of project mayhem.

I have now successfully completed 6 weeks in the studio of 10 hours a day practice. This was amazingly, fantastic-ly nice. I can’t really describe how fucking great it want to play ALL the time now: feeling very anxious with a knife and fork in my hands. I feel bad for exiting the studio, but after speaking with my ‘advisor’ and thinking it all over, I figured I need more research based material to really justify this CEP. This has a broad meaning, but what I mean is that I am eager to delve deeper into the hole of what it means to master practice.I have ordered some books including ‘The art of practice’ by Howard Snell. This looks amusing, as it promises to give you ‘A great self-help guide’. I am interested to read different views on practice, to compare to the opinion I have built from my own work.

I am going to be carrying with hours of pad work, as well as extensive transcription and sight ready work, as I cannot stop this. I will be recording some technique-based videos and making a log of all my notation work to share with you lovely followers.

“Many people want to be a musician but who wants to practice?” - Well Howard, I will be telling you who.

I am back, so watch this space.

Day 25

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:24:34 -0500

I have to make one thing clear; yesterdays blog was defiantly not a pity vote or a ‘cop out’. I was simply expressing my feelings towards a hard part of my progress. I am absolutely carrying on with this, and I will be working 100% harder now I have brought some significant things to light. I am not a quitter, let alone a half way man.

On an exiting note; I am going up to London, into Arup Engineering HQ on Friday the 18th to meet with the acoustics team about studio sounds and perfect practice sounds. This will be fucking thrilling, as I am a keen admirer of good sound and how to acquire it. I will hopefully get a glimpse (and a few seconds) in their ‘Sound Lab’; one of the most silent places you can be on this earth. It is used to test sounds and acoustic vibrations to decide correct measures for such buildings as The Royal Albert Hall. FAB.
I will be putting this directly into my CEP, using the knowledge I gain to play with sounds in the practice studio and how it affects the overall process.

Have a great weekend,
P.

Day 24 - The Wall

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:50:38 -0500

It’s official; I have hit the wall. It is not a writers block, so I’m not gonna tell you that I need to go and stare at nature and get inspired by all things beautiful, oh no. It is neither a ‘wall’ hit by most athletes, pending more steroids and pasta.(sorry Dwayne).
I have hit a practice wall, which basically means I need to re-evaluate my practice method and take everything to the next level. This is not as simple as I had previously planned, as I new this point would come eventually. My CEP has opened the kind of doors that need to be stripped off the hinges for me as a evolutional player. I have taken today and tomorrow as days out of the studio to research and email various sources for assistance. This is already paying off, as I stumbled across an article with Vinnie Colaiuta in which he explains what practice is typically about for a drummer with world-wide ambition:

Enjoy the process and realize that if you have good form and you’re not doing anything really physiologically twisted, the way you do something technically should service your concept. Not the other way around. It should service your concept and so you should strive to conceptually understand why you’re doing something on the instrument and have your technique develop around that . Otherwise, quantitative skills are a measurable amount of speed and flexibility to an extent after which doesn’t serve a pragmatic purpose in situations. It could be a point of diminishing returns.

I am on board with this, I know what he is saying. I have to admit though, I am as guilty as they come for letting my concept of the drums ‘service’ my technicality. Well, I did in the first weeks of this CEP. I need to start think a lot more about my contributions to music, and how important my technique is to this factor. I feel that a practitioner MUST know the beneficial set of skills to develop for a particular discipline. I think that one way of looking at a scenario of this kind is to be singular in you’re thinking for a second.
I.e, when you don’t know how something will taste, you’re going to keep cooking it until your sure it will be stunning. If you’re doubting how it will taste, don’t serve it to the industry.
This is one way of seeing things, not the only way. There are places to take your mouldy matter; the practice room, the teacher. I know people will disagree, but you just need to by the ticket to my train of thought.

Lets get one thing straight, I want to be a session musician; a whore of a musician, a call guy for the cool guys, a contributor to music in it’s most basic form. I don’t intend on breaking the system and telling people how to practice with perfection after this project, this is not what my CEP is about. I guess when i signed up for this, I new I would hit difficulty in justifying my actions. It turns out, I am just trying to work as hard as my development lets me to please as many people as possible.

Watch this space for more breakthroughs…..

P.

Day 22

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:58:27 -0500

Bit of a breakdown today. I somehow got myself all wound up over nothing. I was frustrated with jazz, which in result made me play the worst I’ve played in this whole CEP. I don’t know why I was so heated, but I was not in a position to carry on. Luckily, it was coming to the end of the day, so I warmed down and sat in silence for a while…
This was calming, but strange. Maybe I’m finally loosing it? Moments like this make me realise the importance of keeping a practice environment free of negative emotion. If you find yourself shouting and using your instrument with anger; stop playing and walk away. I am not going to fallout with my instrument because I’m tired or hungry or weak; these things are MY issues and it has a direct consequence to my on practice and how I interpret my progress.

Lets see what tomorrow brings,

Ta.

A sexy groove with some doubles to spare.Enjoy. My favourite so...

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:03:20 -0500

A sexy groove with some doubles to spare.Enjoy. My favourite so far!

A cool little fill I made with some flams and singles. Slowed...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:22:13 -0500

A cool little fill I made with some flams and singles. Slowed down in the middle to get a good look. Always wanted to say that.

Day 21

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:17:06 -0500

Monday = worst day of the week?or just an easy way to get away with slacking?
I’ve thought a lot about this today, while slacking. I have done 4 weeks now, and I cannot remember any specific day from another. When you spend all day, everyday in a room working on an activity, it seems to all morph into one long, sweaty session. (stop thinking what I know your thinking). It makes me realise that if I didn’t keep a dairy, I would actually forget what day it is, let alone the date. I am half way through, with 4 weeks to go; is this going to be enough to get the information/experience I need?or is it too much time?I think it’s in the middle, I would have plenty to say now, without any interviews or surveys, etc. At the same time, I would happily do this for the next year. Swings and roundabouts.

Over the weekend I was introduced to a man called Marcus Gladwell. This man believes that to master an activity to the point of complete success, one must spend no less than 10,000 hours on it…Think about that for a minute, then tell me what activity you have spent 10,000 hours on.
If I were to carry on with my practice for 10 hours a day/5 days a week, I would be in the room for 4.1 years until I reached this number (including christmas day and every other ‘special day’ you may think consider). I am beginning to reading his book on this theory, and I find myself noticing things that I have myself experienced in the last weeks. I love the theory, but I cant help but wonder if it’s just another success story to make us all feel bad about not coming out of the womb with a book and a calculator?

Have i done 10,000 of drumming since I started at 8 years old?who knows. Who the fuck is counting?

Ta.

Day 19 Continued

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:40:07 -0400

I spent 4 1/2 hours working on a flam-based Latin groove today. I got about three quarters of a bar completed. I could not make the transition into the beat 1 of the next bar without slipping and screaming at my drums like its their fault and they needed to be told this by me;their master. I accepted defeat for today and after I was done getting a headache from this non-stop agony I decided to turn my attention to another piece of Latin; ‘I’m in love with a Granddad’. Those of you who have been reading this blog will know that that it, those who don’t: read it.
It was also a great test of independence, but in a more interesting fashion. I set myself up with the task of completing my pattern for the intro section to the piece; this was not as simple as I had hoped:

I was splitting 8th notes up between my left foot and my right hand on a cowbell, passing them to and from to create 2 limbs playing the quarter note at the opposite end of the beat. On top of this played the bass drum/snare drum rhythm I had started with, in a 5/8 measure; this is where it gets a little tricky. I nailed it at around 90BPM (quarter note click) and then realised my goal tempo: 140-160. You can imagine how the rest of the day went on. But i did get there. Eventually.

Now I look back, I’m so relived I have found things to challenge me in this CEP and make an hour feel like a day. Sounds mental, and it is, but its’ about time I went mental and felt relaxed about doing so…Thank you complex notation and 4-way coordination, it is in you I trust.

Day 19

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:17:40 -0400

Working on some really flam work this morning, got a lovely fill nailed and I’m about to finish a nice flam-groove then get them both online for y’all!!

A great quote of the day:

“I don’t think it serves a purpose of replacing drummers or the purpose of creating new jokes about drummers, like, “What happens if your drummer doesn’t show up or if he shows up an hour late … ” Come on! You gotta program the machine and if the thing messes up and fries a chip or something, then you’re out of luck. And it only plays what you programmed into it; it doesn’t have a mind and it can’t jam.”

Vinnie Colaiuta on programmed drum. Put that in your production-pipe and smoke it Mutt Lang.

Ta.

Day 18 - Half way

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:46:47 -0400

It is my half way post today and hasn’t it just gone incredibly quickly (huh?). I almost feel like I want to have 5 times the amount of time, as I’m only just touching the tip if the monster that is practice. It has been a good few weeks so far, with a lot still to come; including a lot more outside-the-studio work i.e Interviews, surveys, visits to studios, ensemble experiments, etc. This should open the CEP up a lot more, allowing more influence to come over my practice.

Today was a fantastic session, with some real space gained in the composition: ‘I’m In love with a Granddad’, that I started yesterday. I played a lot with the basic rhythm of the piece, trying some nice foot work to make it feel more misplaced. I have a cooky idea for the intro to the piece which idea the idea of splitting quarter notes between a cowbell and my left foot, whilst playing the main rhythm between snare and bass drum. The rhythm is in a nice 5/8 feel, so when I tried it before I left today it was sounding rather misplaced in a groovy kind of way. (The hi-hat and cowbell were taking turns to be on the down-beat/upbeat, very sexy). Love it!

Got a lovely little groove of the day, using a cowbell to spice up a groove made from doubles and a half-time paradiddle. I posted the footage online, people seem to dig it which is nice…check it out! Good half-way groove!!

Happy half-way Patch

Ta.

Video

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:19 -0400

A couple of vids done this morning, playing around the...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:59:57 -0400

A couple of vids done this morning, playing around the paradiddle theme of Wednesday.

A groove and an exercise in muscle memory.
Enjoy,
P.

Day 17

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:29:36 -0400

Made some great head way today; getting some serious speed together with the rudiments (mainly doubles as its Tuesday). I created a nice little fill, using a simple sticking of flam-taps and adding some doubles with the bass drum. I will be notating it and getting the footage up tomorrow I hope!It was a real treat to be composing some nice phrases using only basic exercises that I’d practiced to tirelessly…

I had a great Skype meeting with a composer who has given me two pieces of music to put drums to. We discussed the feel of both pieces and I pitched some ideas I had for one piece especially, titled ‘I’m In Love With A Grandad’. A great flowing tune mixing Latin, Jazz and a weird, but apparent, modern twist to it. I began transcribing the rhythms this afternoon, trying out different hand patterns over then main hits of the melody.
This was a great work out for me, and really utilised a lot I have been working on over the past weeks. I am continuing tomorrow afternoon, with the introduction of the cowbell to the grooves; bring it on!!

P.

Day 16

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:44:08 -0400

Today was a typical monday, finding it hard to get motivated after the weekend. It didn’t last long, I was smacking out singles at 180BPM by 9. I have finally found a mini-heater, which is a mighty fine addition to the studio. I am now warm as soon as i get in, and I stay that way for the rest of the day. This is a big relief, as last weeks cold spot was enough to make me get in a sleeping bag and stay there.

I am almost halfway with this project, but still feel like I have a lot left to conquer here. I wan to start getting more involved with extra research and more experience from outside the box.hmm. I wonder…
I am going to keep searching contacts and asking myself new questions to be answered throughout the remaining weeks; such as can practice make you worse rather than better?

P.

A phrase from John Riley, notation below; (for those who cant...

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:50:00 -0400

A phrase from John Riley, notation below; (for those who cant see it; its splitting singles between bass drum and snare drum whilst keeping time with left foot and triplet swing on the ride):

Good day, the focus still firmly in tact. I feel a lot more part of it now, like I am taking control of the CEP, rather than it taking me for a ride. Very anxious for the next few weeks, need to keep it all up!
Got some charts coming from the lovely Joan Cot Ros next week, very exited about this; I’ve got to create some zesty parts for them to be sent back to the master. I need to do some more work on my reading next week, maybe focusing on some Dave Weckl tracks and ripping apart his charts. I want to take it upon myself to master the reading before I return, as it saves a lot of hassle in later situations!

Going to get some interviews done this weekend, try and get some new contacts. I’m also going to start my survey on student practice, which should be extremely interesting!!…

Have a good weekend!
Ta

Day 14

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:51:23 -0400

Not so cold today, got straight into it. I was running late this morning, so I stayed until half 7 this evening. ‘Flams’ were the rudiment of the day, which were surprisingly interesting after 2 weeks of re-capping 11 years of them. I was sat on a click for about half an hour, just flam-adiddling without a care in the…well, not world, but it was relaxing.

Not much else to say today. The momentum is building this week, like I’m winding up one of those frogs for the bath. I am completely absorbed my the context, I hope I can keep this intensity going over the next few weeks that are remaining.
Another great afternoon working on John Riley stuff. I can play the exercises at around 60 BPM, giving me a climb of about 40 BPM remaining before I’m at the 100BPM target!
Below is one of the exercises; This is the bass drum/snare drum notation, to be played on top of the swing with the right hand and 2/4 on the hi-hat.

Day 13

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:47:49 -0400

Very cold, cold day today. I was shocked by how it effected my ability to think, let alone play my kit. It confronted a valid question for all practitioners; how comfortable does one have to be to practice sufficiently?physically or just mentally?…I was freezing and it blocked my train of thought, therefore making me both elements of the word ‘un-comfortable’. I have decided to get a little heater in my space, as it will make my CEP flow through winter without loosing a finger to frostbite or spending days huddled in my bass drum (I wonder if i could fit?..).

Great afternoon on bass drum/snare drum phrases for the hi-hat/ride platform. I was working on a page of 6 exercises for four hours and actually got it. me, patch, got it. I was over the moon and then some more. Really though, this is only the beginning for me, there’s dozens more pages, thousands more exercises and a sh** load more ‘musicians’ to tell me: “your not doing that right”, when really they mean: “your not doing it how I do it; therefore your wrong, now go and practice for 10 hours a day….” Im not bitter at all by the way, We’re al guilty of a bit of self-ass licking now and again; hey, I wouldn’t be on day 13 if i didn’t.

Ta

Good man richard abbot!

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:29:52 -0400

Good man richard abbot!

Day 12

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:24:51 -0400

I left the studio feeling slightly overwhelmed today, having figured out exactly what it is that needs to be done to be a ‘jazz drummer’. This came after an afternoon of quite intense playing and researching into the perfect way to comp/punctuate in jazz. I was looking at a great interview with John Riley, who was talking about ‘headspace’ :

“If you have a car that goes 60MPH and you take that car down a motorway at full speed, that car will be giving everything it has to keep going. If you have a car that goes 200MPH and you go 60 down the motorway, you will have from 61 - 200 completely free from effort. The same goes for drumming, ALWAYS leave the headspace when playing with an ensemble.”

I followed on to read some of his triplet phrase ideas and solo phrases, which were completely awesome to be honest. I now have some great things to work on before I can start providing headspace for the band. I cannot wait, which leads me to another question; where is the line between wanting to spend the hours and spending the hours because you have to?…

Sleep tight,