Looking For a Mentor

[Jim Richman]

My advise- from being in a similar experiences (sans the finger thing) would be to

a) stop looking for the "fusion crowd". Yes... it's LA. There's lots of fusion going on, but at a very pro level with some very pro players (not at all trying to suggest that you aren't or won't ever be that sort of player). You're going to have a hard time finding work if you're only looking at one style of music. That being said:

b) theory, theory, theory. If you're wanting to eventually be a "fusion" drummer, then you know (or should know) the meaning behind fusion, which back in the day when it first came about was a mix of "jazz" and something else (rock n' roll, afro-Cuban, etc). Get your self a real book, learn the song forms for the standard, grab up the Chapin book or John Riley's books, some classic Miles and Coltrane records to start with (then eventually you can bump yourself up to the Mahavishnu and Weather Report), and maybe even a cheap little keyboard... start training your ears (seems like the best thing to do considering your situation) to hear intervals and the scales, keys, and eventually move on to meter and all that stuff... you've gotta understand the language, dig?

c) there's only so much advise that you can look for, and there's only so much help people will be willing or able to help you out. The only person that's going to get you to where you want to be is YOU, man. So be smart- stop using that damaged hand, work on the other limbs, the theory, listen to, study and enjoy your favorite music... once you're up to par again get out there, throw yourself in some playing situations and get some gigs under your belt. The only person that will ever hold you back is yourself. TRUST ME... at the end of the day, you're only going to get out of it what you put into it- it's a simple and ageless theory, but it's true mate.

I recommend throwing out your drum books. They have not gotten you to where you want to be. As far as theory, get a keyboard and start putting together chords. Get some pop song books and work thru the chords.

Drum books will only keep you playing in circles.

You want to play that impossible jazz fusion song? Put it in your car CD player on repeat for a few weeks. Screw dealing with notes. They are not gonna make you learn the song any better----sure, they will get you to go thru the motions quicker. But why the hell do you want to visualize notes when you play? I thought it was about listening and playing. That what it is truly all about. Play what you hear. If you don't hear it, you must repeat it in your head or CD player till you have no choice.

[YamahaPlayer]

I disagree about the books. They are only tools, and have to be used properly to realize their full potential.

You can play with an axe and logs all day, and still never learn to split wood proper. But it's not the axe's fault.


Find an instructor that challenges you, can spot your weakness's and exploit them. And play out, as much as possible.

[rpc]

Digging the advice so far. Still wondering which area of LA to live in to try to meet people. I have to find a permanent place soon anyway, so I've been looking at apt's in Santa Monica. It's expensive out there, though, and I'm not sure how close it is to this area's music center and to a good instructor.

[DSOP]

Digging the advice so far. Still wondering which area of LA to live in to try to meet people. I have to find a permanent place soon anyway, so I've been looking at apt's in Santa Monica. It's expensive out there, though, and I'm not sure how close it is to this area's music center and to a good instructor.

Santa Monica is going to be very expensive, so you'll probably end up living with roommates out there. It's a nice town though.

There isn't any specific area that caters to any specific type of music. Most of the gigs for "original" bands happen near Hollywood and West Hollywood (although pretty much all of those gigs don't pay performers), and you can find cheaper rent in those areas. Most of the guys you'll want to study with live in the valley, and the rent there is much cheaper. You'll also be closer to the Baked Potato, Vitello's, Charlie O's, etc.

As far as finding a fusion band or fusion "scene", chances are slim, but you could always start your own.

[rpc]

That's good news. I've been leaning toward the valley anyway. I had to go out there for work the other day and thought it seemed like a universe apart from the place in West LA where I was staying when I first got here.

Do you know the names of any instructors up there?

[YamahaPlayer]

Oh... the Valley...

Hmm Steve Holmes?

[whitehousec]

Have you considered another instrumentalist as a mentor and not a drummer?

I've gone back to university in Glasgow this year to study Jazz and my biggest mentors so far have been one of tutors who's a trombone player and Saxophonist Tommy Smith who is the head of the course....they provide advice and encouragement in ways drummers can't. Which are often much more beneficial to aid the music rather than my physical playing of the instrument.

Of course my principal study teacher gives me masses of mentoring, but more from a drumistic stand point. To me, to play the music, these other guys have been better.

Just my 2 cents....

[DSOP]

Do you know the names of any instructors up there?

You should be able to get names and numbers from the Musicians' Union. I know Steve Hass teaches in North Hollywood: http://stevehass.net/drum-academy-lessons.html
Chad Wackerman used to be in the valley too: http://www.chadwackerman.com/lessons.html
I think Kenny Aronoff lives in North Hollywood: http://www.kennyaronoff.com/lessons/
Tom Brechtlein teaches: http://tombrechtlein.com/lessons.html

[deseipel]

I suggest learn music. That's where most drummers get their ideas from---not necessarily other drummers. Learn songs, learn a lot of them, and play onstage with live musicians, they play better than most dead ones. you've been doing it long enough. Take some time and really study tunes.

OT: I wish more drummers got ideas from music vs. "here's a song/lick I wrote that's has a cyclical 6/8 + 12/16, followed by a superimpostion of 3/4 over polyrhythms of 5:2, I heard a lawnmower outside in traffic and it inspired me to write this" Bullshit I say, they put the cart before the horse. if you're writing drum parts to showcase your uber-skills, you're doing it wrong. There are exceptions, but they're rare imo. I digress.




I agree with Jim, learn songs and if you can hum the melody while playing, great.

[rpc]

Do you know the names of any instructors up there?

You should be able to get names and numbers from the Musicians' Union. I know Steve Hass teaches in North Hollywood: http://stevehass.net/drum-academy-lessons.html
Chad Wackerman used to be in the valley too: http://www.chadwackerman.com/lessons.html
I think Kenny Aronoff lives in North Hollywood: http://www.kennyaronoff.com/lessons/
Tom Brechtlein teaches: http://tombrechtlein.com/lessons.html

This is great. I'd love to study with any of these guys.

The only thing is that I'm looking for someone who'll take me on as a "project" of sorts. I had wanted to go to LAMA originally, but I could never afford it. I just want to go through that teeth-cutting, metamorphosis phase on the instrument, because I still haven't, for various (personal) reasons. So I wouldn't be comfortable doing lessons over Skype every few weeks. I really want to dive in.

As an aside, how (where) do people who live in apartments typically practice? I've thought about renting a storage unit somewhere and using that as my woodshed.