I once had a Skype lesson with Eamon Murray from the group Beoga. During the lesson, I asked Eamon to name some of the drummers that influenced his playing. I was a music education major in college, and drum set was part of our curriculum. My professor emphasized that it was important to be familiar with the playing of the forefathers of the drum set- Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Warren “Baby” Dodds, just to name a few. This study of influential players on this uniquely American instrument influenced how I saw other instruments. As such, I expected Eamon to respond with names like Peadar Mercier, Johnny McDonagh, Colm Murphy, or Kevin Conneff. He responded, “Have you ever
Whether it is an athlete, and artist, a musician, or a craftsman, we have all at some point been inspired by a master executing their craft well. When we are watching these individuals employ their specific skill sets, it is easy to get lost in the performance and not understand what is required to achieve a high level of excellence. In short, it is practice. Specifically, it is high-quality practice done on a regular basis. There are many factors to consider when forming a practice routine. Here are some of the factors that I discuss with my students: When to Practice and Duration My students range from young children with after-school activities to adults with family and
Here it is, my first step into the world of blogging. I need to thank Rob Curran, one of the owners of Tactical Dynamics Firearms Training (http://www.tacdynamics.com/rob-curran/). Rob and I served together in the Marine Forces Reserve Band in New Orleans, LA. After seeing my website, his first words to me were, “You need a blog, brother.” Rob pushed me musically when we played together in a jazz combo. He pushed me physically through martial arts training. (Admittedly, it was mostly him throwing me to the ground and yelling at me.) And now, he is pushing me to make this site just a bit better for my visitors and me. Thank you, Rob, and I hope that I can return the favor so
