From The Duke

I think Listening is how you learn to be more musical, artistic, and play with good taste-you pick it up rather someone teach it to you I'm thinking. I'd asked that question a million times "How do you teach someone to play with good taste/musicality?" And I think listening is the key to discovering how to do so since none of you boneheads had a freaking answer or clue apparently LOL. Yeah I'm crazy but not stupid-I remember Tony always encouraged people to listen to jazz to pick up on it. He was right and practice/playing to it also-I miss Anthony he's a cool dude.
 
"I'd asked that question a million times "How do you teach someone to play with good taste/musicality?"
As my instructor always said, "I can teach you form and technique, but you'll have to develop style on your own." Sage words. They also apply to writing, painting, and every other art form. Style comes from patient observation, courageous exploration, and self-realization. Its intrepid birthplace lies beyond the safety of the classroom.
 
Cant remember who told me this, I was very young, maybe my grandma. She was full of wise old quips. Anyhow, "It's harder to listen than it is to talk. This is why you have 2 ears and 1 mouth."

This applies to music as well. Only in the musical instance, the drums are your mouth.
 
i had something similar said to me a good few years ago.

i filled in for a local jazz night years ago, andat the end of the night the musicans all thanked me and said i had great feel for the music, but most importantly, i L,ISTENED to the music, and for the changes/melody. to the point where the pianist (a former world-touring musician and ex-BBC orchestera member) said i was one of the best drummers he'd ever played with, and if i had been born 60 years earlier he would of taken me on the world tours as his drummer :)

felt really proud in that moment :)
 
We naturally talk about and deal with coordination all the time as drummers. Being able to process input and control the output of four different sub-systems (our limbs) is often a big enough challenge in itself. Sometimes in the practice room we're at full processing capacity trying to coordinate these four distinct sensory experiences when practicing new phrases. But when playing with others listening becomes the most important I/O signal going. You have to be able to integrate your ears as your first "limb" before you even pick up the drumsticks. When I'm in the audience, I want to be able to hear players listen to each other - to hear them be sensitive, adaptable, in-the-moment, and genuinely interested in others, which is a given is some formats and a rarity in others. Same goes for regular everyday conversations. Certainly doesn't always happen in either realm.


Chick's list is gold. Thanks for sharing this.
Who better to take advice from, but the late, great Chick Corea
 
Cant remember who told me this, I was very young, maybe my grandma. She was full of wise old quips. Anyhow, "It's harder to listen than it is to talk. This is why you have 2 ears and 1 mouth."

This applies to music as well. Only in the musical instance, the drums are your mouth.

my dads advice was more succinct..."Shut up and Listen"

saved my ass as a kid many times; made me a way better adult
 
I think just listening you "learn". I started at 8. Got on and started playing drums-and very well according to all accounts (I don't remember but a few gigs). Granted most was rock n roll, beach boys, I'd play jazz with Mom on piano or organ-I could literally play anything I heard back then (I don't remember ever even thinking about it). My Mom being a musician was a big influence at early age (and young kids absorb stuff like a vacuum)but just from what I was hearing and seeing on black and white tv I was able to play. Sad that cut short when my elder bro took over and I had a drum hiatus till I was 14, later had another hiatus. Seems like each time I came back it was more foreign and less natural. Well anyways back on topic (Jeez I'm terrible) studies have shown when people listen to music it activates broad areas of motor cortex even when you aren't moving or anything. I think your brain processes sensory information in their cortexes it has a reference of motor cortex responses that would emulated that sensory-as best as it can. So when you hear someone speak it activates those motor pathways that you would verbalize-the sensory and motor maps overlap for referenc I think. Sensory stimulation after stroke has been shown to improve motor function recovery-there is definitely some connection to support you listen and learn motor stuff.
 
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