Let me just preface this thread by saying that I know that this can be a sensitive topic for some people, and so I am approaching this topic with the utmost respect and humility.
Recently the mighty Pollyanna pointed me towards some great video of Hal Galper masterclasses. In one of the videos, Hal makes the point that the artist, and the artists mind is the real instrument. This really resonated with me, and I think leads to some really useful and important ideas for drummers. I wrote a post about it with the original video here:
http://haredrums.blogspot.com/2012/02/instrument-is-illusion.html
So here are my questions for you all.
1. Do you agree that the artist is the real instrument?
2. Do you think that people over prioritize the drum set as opposed to the music?
With this question, I totally respect the pursuit of a better instrument in and of itself. My question has to do with whether this pursuit ends up taking priority over the music, and whether that is appropriate. I also respect the pursuit of a better instrument as an independent hobby. I am talking exclusively about active musicians who are focused intently on getting better drums.
Just to reiterate, these questions are motivated by genuine curiosity on my part. My opinion should be pretty clear from my blog post, but I would love to hear and discuss yours.
Without overqualifying the life out of a reply - I'll simply say this: I am only an expert on me.
This question gets into issues of what is art, and what is an artist.
I'm a photographer as well. When I post my shots on my blogs and forums, or when they're published in magazines, annual reports, calendars or whatever - the two questions that inevitably come in (split almost perfectly down gender lines):
- Women: Where was that shot? Its Beautiful!
- Men: What camera did you use?
I can say without reservation, the camera doesn't matter. My knowledge of the camera matters, as it facilitates speed, and agility and comfort. But the reality is this: the camera's job is to simply get out of the way, and serve as a vehicle for me to capture and express what I see.
To me, drums are the same thing. Their job is to get out of the way, and let me express what I hear.
In my situation, I will often play on kits that are not my own - simply bringing my Pedals, sticks and cymbals - and if room / time allows, my primary snare and HH stand.
I grant you, a better sounding kit (rather: a kit that sounds more pleasing to ME) will evoke different playing from me... if the toms sound like oatmeal boxes, I'll stay off of them, as opposed to toms that sing... where I can't get enough of them - but the artistic expression doesn't come FROM the kit - no more than brushes or a pallet knife 'makes' the painter. It may influence outcome - but an artist will make art by whatever means are at his or her disposal - be it a bucket on a street corner or a professional grade kit in an arena.
What I've found in my photography, is the professional shooters gravitate towards subject selection, execution and color and have long ago left the arms race to the tweakers and the hacks.
In music, I've found the professionals gravitate towards writing good lines, execution and tone and have long ago left the arms race to the tweakers and the hacks.
Of course the instrument's role in art is over emphasized - that's how you sell more instruments to the bottom of the pyramid. There are a lot more aspiring professionals than professionals - and its (generally) the aspiring that are still in the arms race.
The artist is always the real instrument. The stuff is just stuff.
This came home to me early on in music. My first real guitar player was struggling. Working a crap job, had crap gear. He got a better job, and bought a very nice Mesa amp. In 5 minutes of strum and tweak - he sounded like him. I couldn't believe it. That also works in reverse - putting a pro on a crap guitar or drums. Pound, strum, tweak, turn .... voila. They sound like them.
I was in a store during the holidays. A couple wanted to buy a cajon for their son. So I sat on a crap LP cajon. Grabbed a tambourine, put it under my right foot, grabbed a couple of egg shakers and started grooving. That box was an awful thing - terrible tone, no bevel on the top edge, it was constructed poorly. But I made that thing rock - cracking necks as people walked by. In a few moments I identified the tonal possibilities of that POS and exploited them to make music. The couple bought one.
Its important to aspire to good gear. I get that. But the best gear gets out of the way, and lets the artist express.
-K