Assimilating drum parts

drummingman

Gold Member
I started a thread awhile back about remembering ones own created drum parts for original songs. I'd like to revisit that topic in this new thread.

It takes me forever for some reason to remember my drum parts. I do write eveything down note for note so I can always read it until I commit it to memory. I do wonder, on average, how long it takes most people to commit complex drum parts to memory? Does anyone know what strategies people like Vinnie Colaiuta, Mike Portnoy, or Dave Weckel use to quickly and efficiently commit complex drum parts to memory in as short a time as possible?

What I have been doing is breaking everything down into 3 or 4 ir 6 bar phrases and repeating the phrase over and over. I do this all the way through the whole song. Then after that I go back and run the whole song from start to finish. I do all this very slowly and Im reading all the notes as I do it. So far this has been the best strategy I've found when practicing by myself with no other music to be able to get the parts in my head. But it still seems like it does not stay in there as well as I would like. So Im always looking for better ways of getting things to stay in my memory to where I don't have to read it while Im playing a song.
 
Many times, you'll see that they are reading when playing, so they must charts or some notes on the stand.

Another benefit that they might have that many of us don't is that they are usually working with one group at a time (either for a tour or a studio session). So they have a few weeks (or months) to learn and internalize the parts with the group, and if they are touring, they are playing it everyday for the duration of the tour.
 
When the band is working on original songs, always have an audio recorder running, because so many good ideas can get forgotten. It also settles arguments about what was eventually decided for a particular song. Otherwise you're all going to reinvent the same wheel over and over.

After that, record a performance of the band playing the whole song at he correct speed, form, etc. Use that recording to practice with, and to write some kind of chart. Put a few lyrics cues on your chart - it will be easier to rehearse with the rest of the band. Record your practice sessions too, in case you Improvise an interesting new idea and can't remember what you did.

I'm a slow memorizer, so having a chart helps me visualize the song. Practising each section over and over is an excellent idea, before you run longer sequences and eventually the whole song. I also play recordings while I'm driving, so I gradually 'absorb' the song.
 
Painters, sculptors, musicians, bonzai plant sculptors, iron welders, etc all spend hours creating pieces that others will like and collect. They should indeed be compensated for their work.
 
My Dad was a symphony violinist. I grew up listening to clusters of notes from different pieces. Over and over, the same cluster. Then a longer phrase that included those notes. Back to the cluster. Over and over. Finally, the entire piece would be played.

We had a Summer cottage on a small island near Vancouver, BC. One of our neighbors was Ernie Watts. He was married to a Canadian woman at the time.

I can attest to the amount of personal practice he put in. Amazing player, and very giving with his time and knowledge.

One of the things I got from Ernie was recognizing the difference between practice, practice-playing, and playing. For the latter he said to forget the individual notes, and play.
 
I've always played by ear, so memorizing has been extremely easy for me, sight-reading is my weak area, and I could honestly tell you that I cannot read sheet music if it's not piano. Muscle memory has been my saving grace.
 
I've always played by ear, so memorizing has been extremely easy for me, sight-reading is my weak area, and I could honestly tell you that I cannot read sheet music if it's not piano. Muscle memory has been my saving grace.

Pretty much the same for me. I can read music, but never formally write it. On top of that I will record practice and live sessions and review them often. I also like to start simple and build on parts. I've found that live environments are usually the best for finding inspiration, it works for me. Usually my parts in originals will be in final form within a month or so, though there have been exceptions. Occasionally I'll learn something new and incorporate it in older material. Now I'm not a "technical" drummer, but I think I do a decent job playing to the material.
 
Being able to write rhythms in standard notation is very helpful...one of the few things my public education in music gave me.

When it comes to pure memorization, I tend to see a shape...a landscape...that I then follow....something I used to think was odd but have found that others do as well.

When Im out on the edge where all my attention is on the creation, I rely on recording media and review of the recording...
 
I never had to write anything down to remember original parts. MY crutch is to remember how I felt when hashing out the songs my band member introduce me to. Once I grasp the feel, it's ingrained in me until I mess up haha. Though I see the importance of reading and writing out parts. Often I try to fit in a fill or a lick and it just doesnt work because I'm not aware of how it should be played within the time I'm in. Thats where reading and writing come into play.

It's never a waste to write down drum parts.
 
I record our practices, especially the parts where we are working on new material, so I can figure out/remember what I've done that works well.

Once I have the parts figured out, I record another practice where we are playing the song, jamming on it as we all get comfortable with it. I throw that version on a CD and play it every time I drive to or from work (or wherever) til I have it pretty well memorized.

At this point, I also might decide to do something different, something that I've just "heard" for the first time while listening to it for the umpteenth time. So I do find it really helpful to listen to the practice/jamming.

Programming note: I've been away for awhile -- it's great to be back and trying to absorb all the information and ideas here! Nobody knows me or anything, I tend to lurk, but I've been away from it for a few months and I've missed you bunch of nutters. Thanks for being here for a relative newbie. Cheers!
 
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