Comments on: Drummers Don’t Need to Read Music, But it Can’t Hurt http://www.musicafter50.com/2010/02/drummers-dont-need-to-read-music-but-it-cant-hurt/ Learning and playing music in your 50s, 60s and beyond Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:02:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: philly drummer-gal http://www.musicafter50.com/2010/02/drummers-dont-need-to-read-music-but-it-cant-hurt/comment-page-1/#comment-557 philly drummer-gal Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:42:56 +0000 http://www.musicafter50.com/?p=4485#comment-557 There's an interesting middle-ground somewhere between reading music "cold" and avoiding it completely. Understanding how to make sense of a chart is incredibly useful. The drummer who can focus on the form and structure of a tune becomes sensitive to keeping every one on the "same page", literally. Passion, intuition and even spectacular technique can't make up for simply knowing the changes for each tune. From a rhythmic stand point, reading music is really a very cool discovery for a drummer. All hail the chart! There’s an interesting middle-ground somewhere between reading music “cold” and avoiding it completely. Understanding how to make sense of a chart is incredibly useful. The drummer who can focus on the form and structure of a tune becomes sensitive to keeping every one on the “same page”, literally. Passion, intuition and even spectacular technique can’t make up for simply knowing the changes for each tune. From a rhythmic stand point, reading music is really a very cool discovery for a drummer. All hail the chart!

]]> By: Kat Fulton http://www.musicafter50.com/2010/02/drummers-dont-need-to-read-music-but-it-cant-hurt/comment-page-1/#comment-521 Kat Fulton Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:30:36 +0000 http://www.musicafter50.com/?p=4485#comment-521 This story just goes to show how making music is a natural, inherent part of being human. In fact, we are biologically programmed to make music, and rhythm is within us and surrounds us. I'm a classical pianist, and I improvise, but when I improvise on a drum I feel even more "connected." Thanks for sharing this post! This story just goes to show how making music is a natural, inherent part of being human. In fact, we are biologically programmed to make music, and rhythm is within us and surrounds us. I’m a classical pianist, and I improvise, but when I improvise on a drum I feel even more “connected.” Thanks for sharing this post!

]]> By: Ian MacLeod http://www.musicafter50.com/2010/02/drummers-dont-need-to-read-music-but-it-cant-hurt/comment-page-1/#comment-519 Ian MacLeod Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:36:04 +0000 http://www.musicafter50.com/?p=4485#comment-519 First, it's good to see the older musicians still at it. I also wanted to point out that a lot of us, as we get older, end up as chronic pain patients. Among other things, chronic pain can, after a time, cause a substantial loss of brain mass. Learning to read music, on the other hand, increases it! I've seen people with nerve injuries rehab themselves by playing, and in general, music can end up engaging our emotions, how we relate to our own bodies and physicality, helps with perception of lonliness (a frequent problem of age) and a lot of other things. You don't have to be a professional (I am) to love playing, or even to just listen, but the more you learn, the more you hear. My wife passed away seven months ago, and I really believe that music has made the difference in my own survival. I've played out int the woods, and learned that there doesn't seem to be any mammal that doesn't react to music (bears, mountain lions and skunks like Am and Em - so far!), and I've had friends swear their plants thrive more with the right music playing, as some books agree. Music speaks to something primal in us all, but it can also interact with some of our most sophisticated thinking. There's simply nothing like it, and I'll never put it down as long as I'm me. Ian First, it’s good to see the older musicians still at it. I also wanted to point out that a lot of us, as we get older, end up as chronic pain patients. Among other things, chronic pain can, after a time, cause a substantial loss of brain mass. Learning to read music, on the other hand, increases it! I’ve seen people with nerve injuries rehab themselves by playing, and in general, music can end up engaging our emotions, how we relate to our own bodies and physicality, helps with perception of lonliness (a frequent problem of age) and a lot of other things. You don’t have to be a professional (I am) to love playing, or even to just listen, but the more you learn, the more you hear. My wife passed away seven months ago, and I really believe that music has made the difference in my own survival. I’ve played out int the woods, and learned that there doesn’t seem to be any mammal that doesn’t react to music (bears, mountain lions and skunks like Am and Em – so far!), and I’ve had friends swear their plants thrive more with the right music playing, as some books agree.

Music speaks to something primal in us all, but it can also interact with some of our most sophisticated thinking. There’s simply nothing like it, and I’ll never put it down as long as I’m me.

Ian

]]>