MasterMind Drummer
Newsletter #19
April 29th, 2024
Make sure you’re playing with intention.
Welcome back Daniel,
This week I wanted to discuss playing with Intention. Something I see lacking in a lot of players, and is (in my opinion), the difference between good and great.
This was one of the 7 key points I discussed at my MasterMind Drummer Clinic two weeks ago. I performed the song ‘Highway To Funk‘, from my band Black Comet, as a way to demonstrate this.
It’s also something I go over with all my students, too. So if they walk in and attempt something ‘half pie’, I say ‘No, stop, shake it off. Sit up, reset, and do it again.’
So, what do I mean when I say Intention?
Well, before I give you my definition, how about we look at the formal definition –
Intention : A desire or plan to accomplish something
That’s actually a fantastic definition, but I take it further than that.
What I say is, in short, it means that you’re present, focused, have strong form, and are playing with true conviction. To me, that is what intention is.
Whether it’s something dynamic, technical, feel-based… whatever it is, if you truly want to elevate your playing and go to the next level, you must play it with intention.
So, let’s put this in the context of something here. Let’s talk about intention when dealing with dynamics. Just as an example.
Week 1 of my 30-Day MasterMind Drummer Coaching Program, focuses on a ‘Mechanics and Dynamics’ reset.
As drummers, we tend to take for granted what is actually going on mechanically. We tend to look at things macro, and miss out on all the amazing details going on, so what I do is I introduce you to what the hands are doing on the micro, break down the individual movements, and teach you exactly how to work on them.
A Mechanical and Dynamic RESET
It’s a purge of ALL the bad habits you’ve possibly accrued over the years, bad habits that are most likely holding you back.
I think it’s important to understand, too, that correct mechanics and quality dynamics are NOT something that just comes through the window on a nice, warm, and sunny day, they are something that
A. You need to first be aware of, and
B. Practice with intention.
I had a student visit the other day (and I know he’ll be reading this), and I asked to see his doubles. They were sounding great, he had definitely been working on them, BUT, there was one thing missing… intention.
I said to him, “ok, now, do them again, but this time I want you to have more intention behind them. So, reset your body, be present, and really listen to each stroke”.
He made the necessary adjustments, started his doubles again, and man, instantly, they sounded different. Much cleaner, much more dynamically correct, and much stronger too.
I could hear his intention.
Nice one Reo!!! (He’ll be reading this)
This real-time jump came purely from just becoming aware of where he was and what he was doing, and not just going into autopilot with reps, reps, reps.
And don’t get me wrong, I love reps, reps, reps. Reps will ALWAYS get you there, but reps with intention, man, that will speed the process up dramatically.
Back to what I was saying… There are a few factors that contribute to intention, but a lot of it, in my opinion, comes down to your dynamic awareness and control.
So listening to each stroke, and if you’re dealing with something dynamic, then you are separating those dynamics as far apart as you possibly can.
Now, let me make it clear too, when I say dynamics, I do not mean can you play jazz? Or can you play ‘mouse-quiet’. No. I’m talking about dynamic control within what you’re playing. Within a single groove or phrase. Within your style.
So, the control of your loudest stroke, right up against your quietest stroke, and within the same pattern or groove.
I should probably interject at this point, too, and play devil’s advocate a little bit, and acknowledge straight off the bat, that you DO NOT need to explore either of these concepts in order to make it.
“What??? But you were just saying…”
Hold up!!! Hear me out.
You do not NEED to work on these, of course not. That’s up to you. You’re an adult. You do you, man!
BUT! I can tell you now, I 100% guarantee that if you DO work on these two things, you will become an infinitely better player.
#resultsguaranteed
But guess what, I hate to break it to you, (as I do every week), working on these is tough. Very tough. They are what I like to call the ‘slow-burn, long-term’ concepts. It’s VERY dry.
But, from my experience, and after 40yrs on this fine planet, I’ve found that in life, most of the great things on offer, come from long, painful, and usually boring arduous work.
I often talk about how, because the bar for entering drumming is so low, these things can often get overlooked and bypassed. And they may not actually ever come up in your journey.
But guess what… That’s totally OK!
I’m not saying anyone has to do anything here.
This is the only instrument where you can completely skip over very valuable fundamentals, and still move forward as a player in some shape or form.
Think about it, that could never happen with a string or wind instrument.
But drums are a very easy buy-in, meaning most people can be playing ‘rock beat 101’ within 30 mins of their first lesson.
BOOM! “Now you can play in a band. Off ya go!”
And this actually does happen, too. They are off! Their journey has begun!
But like I say, you could never do this with the guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, or any other instrument. With them, you need to lock in scales, chords, shapes, muscle memory, all of it! It takes much longer, and learning the instrument properly first, is a requirement.
Now, in terms of drums, this is a good AND bad thing.
It’s good because it means more people can get into drumming pretty easily, which is great. We need more people drumming to support a healthy and thriving industry.
But, it’s bad too, because skipping over these fundamentals can lead to some bad habits formed early on, and that never get addressed.
But these are your things to consider and think over, whether it’s worth exploring or not.
Anyway, back to dynamics and intention.
So, essentially, the way that I teach them, is that I take the student through a series of individual movements that make up what we do with our hands, and then we spend time practicing the dynamics that are built within those movements.
For world-class results, these dynamics must be practiced with extreme intention.
So what I mean is, I want you to really lean in on the accented strokes, and then back off as much as you can possibly muster, on the low-dynamic strokes.
Then? Well, you must do this a lot. And I mean, A LOT!
I remember very vividly, a big jump I made in my playing, (as an already developed player), was a 44 min routine I came up with, that I did every morning, for 3 months straight.
I’d get up at 4:30, walk down to my coffee roastery, make a coffee, put on a podcast, and just go.
I trusted the process, showed up daily, and did the work.
The impact this had on my playing, and on my intention, was off the charts. I’d say it’s one of the biggest jumps I’ve had, and really helped me dial in my ‘voice’, alongside it, too.
So, what I’d suggest here, to help speed up your progress on the kit, is that when you sit down on the pad, or the drums, you
A. Focus in.
B. Sit up straight.
C. Make sure you are present.
D. Play with true conviction, and
E. Over exaggerate your dynamics.
Make sure you’re playing with intention.
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What I wanted to end this weeks Newsletter with, was something a little bit different…
Over the weekend I received a very thoughtful review of my MasterMind Drummer Clinic I held two weeks ago, by an attendee.
They took the time to share their thoughts with me, so I thought I’d share them here with you, too.
But, before I do that, just an FYI, I’m in the process of locking in venues and dates for Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch, as well as, Melbourne, Sydney, and Byron Bay.
So keep an eye out for that. More on that soon.
Stay Hungry, see you next week.
Stan
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The Stan Bicknell MasterMind Drummer Clinic, April 17th, 2024 – By Levi Magee.
Well, it’s been just over a week since I attended Stans drum clinic at Totara street…and what can I say?
• I’ve practiced my drums more in the last week since I can remember.
• I wake up excited to schedule in more practice time and have started setting new goals to achieve within my playing capabilities.
• My passion for Drums has been ignited and everyday I’m motivated to continue my path to becoming a better player on and off the kit.
To say the clinic exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. It totally shattered my expectations, and I can say that without any exaggeration!
It was the catalyst to something I’ve been craving for such a long time, and I’m so thankful for Stan for opening his personal space and willingly sharing some of his key trade secrets and philosophies that have carried him throughout his drumming career.
It started off at 5pm on a Wednesday afternoon, a few mates from Whakatane and I rocked up to the venue before anyone else. We were instantly welcomed by the mesmerizing sound of Stans explosive rimshots, that echoed throughout the walls of the Totara Street venue.
I knew immediately I had made the right decision to come along that night. We tried to sneak in early to watch Stan soundcheck but had to wait until about 5.20pm, when the doors would be opened.
I was the first to enter the clinic, once security let us through. I marched straight in, being eager to secure a seat as close to the kit as possible… Then a few steps in, and I was warmly greeted by Stan himself, and chatted for a good 5 minutes in front of his merch stand.
This impressed me, as it instantly added a personal note to the clinic and set the tone for what was to then come.
The room was well laid out, and each seat had a plush set pair of earplugs. “You will need these! ‘’ Stan said with a smile.
A beautiful blue KDrums kit was laid out on a large platform in the middle of the room, surrounded by a beautiful selection of Istanbul Agop Cymbals. Other drum gear was also out in front of the stage for people to check out throughout the session.
This was another box ticked off for me – I’m a big gear head when it comes to drums, and being able to check out Stans gear up close, without being told to step away, was greatly appreciated.
Before long, the room was packed, and the clinic had started.
The thunderous sound of the kick drum hit me in the chest, as Stan belted out a track from The New Caledonia.
I really enjoyed the format of the clinic. Stan took us through an in-depth timeline of his drumming career to date, by explaining 7-key principles that were pertinent throughout each segment of his drumming journey, followed by a song he would play that embodied those core messages.
The workshop was concluded with a lengthy Q&A session, where every question was answered, and a selection of quality prizes were gifted to individuals throughout.
We had an absolute blast! Hanging on to the edge of our seats for the duration of the clinic.
One thing I admired was Stans humility in what he shared throughout the session; he was literally an open book to us all.
People weren’t in a hurry to leave. We found ourselves chatting among fellow drummers alike for some time, then brooded over the merch stand where we purchased various items and continued chatting before nabbing a quick photo with Stan before heading home.
I really take my hat off to Stan for that night, he made each person feel welcome and engaged in solid conversations with everyone who approached him, and treated us all with respect and his 100% undivided attention.
We all left feeling pumped up and excited for the next one!
So, concluding my thoughts on Stans recent clinic, it was a 100% success.
I highly recommend all fellow drummers to come along next time at have a listen to what Stan has to offer. Weather you are a beginner or pro, it doesn’t matter. We all took something home that night which inspired us to be a better person, on and off the kit!
