MUSIC – ESSENTIAL

...be careful what you practice

By Jo Sallins

When I first started taking drum lessons at the age of nine, my mother said to me, “If you want a drum set, you’ll have to earn it by taking lessons for one year. You will have to keep your grades up in school and practice daily without me having to tell you.” Mission accomplished! Six months later I came home one day to find a brand new bright red drum set in the living room.

Almost everyday for several years, my family and neighbors in Reed Village were forced to listen to me whack the snare drum, step on the hi-hat, crash the cymbals and kick that bass drum. During my 3 to 4 hours daily practice sessions, you would hear James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Kool and the Gang funk beats and some pretty good impressions of Buddy Rich. From the reactions of my friends, my parents and their friends and some very cute girls, I actually believed I was the best drummer in the world…….then came my rude awakening.

Billy Arnold, Aaron Williams, Rick Marshall, Warren Meyers and Emmett Spencer then entered on the scene. All of these incredible drummers directly and indirectly taught me some valuable lessons.

One, you are not even close to being the best drummer in the world.

Two, spend less time on your strengths and more time on your weaknesses to create balance. Three, there’s no such thing as the best drummer in the world.

So with that in mind the first change I made to my practice routine was to take that drum pad out and get back to the basics of conditioning and properly warming up my shoulders, arms, wrists and hands -- using the drum set only for practicing new beats, independent exercises, timing, reading and tricks for my live performances.

Whether I’m out playing with great musicians or at home watching them on dvd’s, I’m not just in awe of their abilities, I’m impressed with how much time they spend practicing on the little things we the audience do not see. I once read that after a full day of dance rehearsal for “THRILLER,” Michael Jackson continued into the night practicing the more difficult dance steps at least One Thousand Times!

Now, whether that’s true or false is irrelevant. What I know is that “THRILLER” the video was “mind blowing” and flawlessly executed. An epic example of time well spent in rehearsal. If I told you how much time I practiced, not knowing me, you probably wouldn’t believe me either. I shamelessly suggest going to www.cdbaby.com/cd/josallins and pick up my “MR. COOL” cd-dvd and my latest effort “ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS” cd-dvd. A picture is worth a thousand words, if you take the time to watch.

In closing, musicians and non-musicians remember that in all aspects of life, practice does indeed make perfect, so be real careful what you practice.

Until next time, “Inhale music, exhale life, it is essential.” I can be contacted by phone at: 413-262-2950 and by e-mail: josallins@comcast.net and on the web at: www.josallins.com n