Seeing The Big Picture
Understanding the Importance of Technique. By Matt Carter
I think all drummers would agree in saying their first experience behind a drum kit was an exciting and memorable one. I’m not talking about a first gig with a band or any pressured situation like that. I’m thinking more about the very first time we got to try our hand at hammering out a beat on our own. It might have been in a music store or on that old drum kit collecting dust in your friend’s garage. Regardless of the location, it was fun and for many of us, a motivating and inspiring experience. For anyone to recognize their own sense of rhythm with little regard for proper technique is often enough of a catalyst to fuel a further interest in the instrument.
In those first few minutes there is usually a small sense of accomplishment in discovering one’s ability to hold down a beat or at the very least, play something that sounds like a pattern they’ve heard before. There is definitely something in the primitive nature of drumming we can all relate to.
What a potential drummer decides to do with their new found interest will determine how their abilities will develop. This is where the question of technique comes into play. Often overlooked by drummers following the self-taught method, technique not only teaches us how to get more for less in terms of physical effort, but also teaches some of music’s most universal concepts. Beyond learning the basic mechanics of how a stick works in relation to our hands and fingers, our grip and our fulcrum, technique gives us the tools to produce exciting dynamics, increased clarity, and more importantly, how to incorporate all these music fundamentals in a relaxed and controlled fashion.
There is no substitute for good technique and there is a wealth of exercises and instructional material available for drummers of all levels and abilities looking to further their understanding of the instrument. Exploring new concepts and ideas is a great way to continue to grow as a musician no matter how long you’ve been playing. And you can bet, even the most accomplished players of our day, the ones who continue to blow our minds at festivals and clinics with ferocious fills and the softest subtleties, have all recognized the importance of technique and continue to shape and develop their own understanding of why exploring “the big picture” is some important.
