I’m always on the lookout for feel-good news stories, especially where drums or drumming are involved, and I came across this video by Shane Woodford, News Director at Radio NL, about a young man from Kamloops.

As a former television news cameraman, I can say the reason this talented boy made the news, is because the weekend news crews don’t have hard news stories like the reporters during the week So they are always looking for colourfull stories and this certainly meets that criteria.

The kid lays it down pretty good. But if you listen to it a few times you will note that he is playing mostly the same groove over and over. Which to the novice shows that a simple drum groove played well with a few fills thrown in can sound very impressive and it doesn’t take very long to learn that. This young man has it covered very well. I would think he has had some lessons along the way.

VIDEO

As I often tell my students, the two components of learning drums are:

  1. Learn the groove and,
  2. Practice it over and over and over until it becomes as comfortable as brushing your teeth.

Now if you were able to put in an hour a day, five days a week, that’s only 20 hours in a month. That isn’t much time and you would have an impressive, well-executed drumming groove.

As this young man shows, you have to be able to let yourself go in public and do your thing. When you put in your time “in the workshed” as we sometimes say, it becomes a no-brainer to show off your talent because you’ve paid your dues in the shed.

I have some students who can master whatever I give them technically but what I can’t teach them is “soul”, which is the ability to move the audience, to take them with you into a world of rhythm and feeling. That is something you need to find within yourself. Or as musicians say to each other, “He or she has great chops.”

This video shows the reason why learning to play drums is exciting, fun and good for the soul. It takes your mind off your troubles, it can bring on feelings of euphoria, it’s a great way to practice hand-eye coordination, and it’s a fun way to lose weight… in fact, it’s a good workout for your body, mind, and soul.

So why wait? Get out there and learn to play drums.

Cheers,
Barry

Barry Casson c.s.c.
Phone 250-721-2113
Email bcasson@speakfilm.com
barrycasson.com/drum-boy