Unless you count PED's, of course...
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Lemme' tell ya how long it had been since we played... I got a blister. Not a bad one... but I got one.
When our gig calendar first began to ebb.... a few year's ago.... I bought a pair of drummer gloves because I knew that 'blisters' could be likely. Problem is: I hate them. I HAVE worn them... but having never worn them in the past they didn't feel right to me. Probably more 'mental' than anything but I just couldn't get used to them. At this last gig I didn't wear them because I didn't bring them... hence the blister. However -
Upon teardown I found that actually yes, I had brought them... for some mysterious reason I had put them in my cymbal case instead of my stick case so I didn't notice them when setting up. But... not to worry, we have a 'bye month' coming up so I should be good to go after some rest and recuperation.
Not practicing is a bad thing. A very, very, very bad thing. I always do a few rudiments when we set up just to get loose.... a paradiddle, and to get 'feel' I try to do a smooth buzz roll. This gig Sat. I knew I was in trouble immediately when I couldn't get the paradiddle down and my smooth roll was anything BUT.
As the night wore on those rudiments and my stick control improved, (even with the blister), but never the less I was not happy at all with my performance. Which brings up a huge advantage I have over a guitar player like you, Steve. On those nights when things just aren't quite 'clicking' I can back off.. and back off considerably... and have a 'great' night... getting meter down, keeping a simple but nuanced beat going WORKS for a dummer.... whereas a guitar player, especially the LEAD guitar player... can't do that.
It's kind of 'strange' what getting old changes.... speed mostly. If I concentrate on meter and nuance I can still play some nice stuff.... but the rowdier stuff that requires more speed, even if technically much easier to play, is a challenge.
And while I'm at it: My most difficult challenge in my current band. We have a rhythm guitar player who is a good ole' country guy... never really mastered his guitar, or music period. Played solo most of his life. He has this habit of slowing and speeding up during songs... and I have to try and follow. It's tough, to say the least... because it can happen instantly, not a gradual slowing or increasing of tempo but instead he can do so suddenly and with no indication that it's coming. He's singing during this so when it catches me off guard it's ME that sounds like I've lost the beat.
I've played so long with him I have learned when he's most likely to do that BUT.. he still catches me leaning every now and then.
When our gig calendar first began to ebb.... a few year's ago.... I bought a pair of drummer gloves because I knew that 'blisters' could be likely. Problem is: I hate them. I HAVE worn them... but having never worn them in the past they didn't feel right to me. Probably more 'mental' than anything but I just couldn't get used to them. At this last gig I didn't wear them because I didn't bring them... hence the blister. However -
Upon teardown I found that actually yes, I had brought them... for some mysterious reason I had put them in my cymbal case instead of my stick case so I didn't notice them when setting up. But... not to worry, we have a 'bye month' coming up so I should be good to go after some rest and recuperation.
Not practicing is a bad thing. A very, very, very bad thing. I always do a few rudiments when we set up just to get loose.... a paradiddle, and to get 'feel' I try to do a smooth buzz roll. This gig Sat. I knew I was in trouble immediately when I couldn't get the paradiddle down and my smooth roll was anything BUT.
As the night wore on those rudiments and my stick control improved, (even with the blister), but never the less I was not happy at all with my performance. Which brings up a huge advantage I have over a guitar player like you, Steve. On those nights when things just aren't quite 'clicking' I can back off.. and back off considerably... and have a 'great' night... getting meter down, keeping a simple but nuanced beat going WORKS for a dummer.... whereas a guitar player, especially the LEAD guitar player... can't do that.
It's kind of 'strange' what getting old changes.... speed mostly. If I concentrate on meter and nuance I can still play some nice stuff.... but the rowdier stuff that requires more speed, even if technically much easier to play, is a challenge.
And while I'm at it: My most difficult challenge in my current band. We have a rhythm guitar player who is a good ole' country guy... never really mastered his guitar, or music period. Played solo most of his life. He has this habit of slowing and speeding up during songs... and I have to try and follow. It's tough, to say the least... because it can happen instantly, not a gradual slowing or increasing of tempo but instead he can do so suddenly and with no indication that it's coming. He's singing during this so when it catches me off guard it's ME that sounds like I've lost the beat.
I've played so long with him I have learned when he's most likely to do that BUT.. he still catches me leaning every now and then.
