the conceptual playground for one of the most important muscles in drumming

Claus Hessler hat (ausgehend von dieser Roadmap) mehrere top Denkanstöße in seinem IG Kanal gepostet.

MUSICAL IMAGINATION

View this post on Instagram

Challenge accepted – I did not expect THAT amount of feedback on the last post honestly. I will explain further on all the aspects of the diagram in more detail in an extra graph and a short clip. Here’s the first one: MUSICAL IMAGINATION. Have you ever seen drummers with no technique at all but they still play amazing? And have you seen drummers with outstanding technique but they just sound random? Musical imagination is the key. It can be inspired by countless things – but the more avenues there are to it, the more likely you will not run out of motivational fuel. What is YOUR fuel? @mapexdrums @sabiancymbals_official @promarkbydaddario @evansdrumheads @gonbopsofficial #drum #drumwizdom #claushessler #drumpractice #lovetoteach #drumlove #playmore #drumfam #drumming #drumuniversity #drumlads #snaredrumfreakz #drumsdrumsdrums #music #education

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 12, 2020 at 8:18am PDT

RHYTHMIC FORM

View this post on Instagram

"RHYTHM is our business …“ What pops up in YOUR mind when you think RHYTHM? Being aware of rhythmic form and all its possible facets truly is something that needs serious consideration. But what’s really inside the box? It covers topics like subdivisions of all kinds, inversions of patterns, collapsing and expanding distances, polyrhythms, all kinds of meter and measure, groupings of whatever length and structure and (to me) also the musical forms we are maintaining and supporting – like some kind of bigger rhythm/bigger picture represented by the barlines and sequences of several bars we need to be aware of. There may even be more aspects relating to RHYTHMIC FORM … these are just some that come to my mind. #rhythm #music #musiceducation #learning #claushessler #drums #drumming #drumsdrumsdrums #playmore #drumfam #drumpractice #drumwizdom #drumuniversity #drumlads #drumlove #subdivision #meter #groupings #collapsedrudiments #expandedrudiments #polyrhythms

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 14, 2020 at 9:12am PDT

SONIC DESIGN

View this post on Instagram

SONIC DESIGN is all about the sound choices we need to make … and there’s endless room for creativity here. What was your most recent invention in terms of SOUND? Some aspects coming to my mind are the general choice of sounds – be it a cymbal, a tom, a snare etc.. It would also include the different zones of sound that each instrument has – and it yet develops different characteristics and frequencies depending on your touch. Personal setup not just includes choice of instruments, it also relates to the way you may modify them with whatever extra treat. There may even be "orchestration games“ and systems that teach you to play things you can NOT imagine. Understanding attack and decay, the length of notes and their importance with regards to how they match the input of other musicians. Ultimately, how do all these choices „blend“ and mix in your musical output? Never underestimate SOUND and SONIC DESIGN and think about what comes to your mind on this topic! #sound #sounddesign #drums #drumsdrumsdrums #drumming #claushessler #concepts #lovetoteach #drummer #drumuniversity #drumwizdom #playmore #drumfam #drumpractice #creativity #drumlove #drumlads

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 16, 2020 at 9:15am PDT

DYNAMIC SHAPE

View this post on Instagram

DYNAMICS … one of the all-time favourite issues. What comes to your mind when this topic pops up? The diagram shows some things that come to my mind … Of course you would think about ACCENT studies of all kinds and structures, GHOST-NOTE strategies and how to balance not just these two. BALANCE in itself would be a major aspect of dynamics in terms of how you blend the different levels of various instruments, hands and feet likewise. Several DYNAMIC LEVELS including crescendo and descrescendo skills would be worth mentioning, just as GEAR SELECTION. Are you making a reflected choice of gear/instruments depending on your needs and musical imagination? Also, different dynamic levels call for different TECHNIQUES to be used: The movements and choices for softer playing will obviously NOT be the ones for loud and more agressive playing. The VENUE and its specialties are important as well. You possibly don’t bring your 22“ and 24“ crashes to the club gig where people are sitting just 6 feet away from you … and finally questions of CONTEXT will be important: What kind of style/music/band/ gig are you doing? Make no mistake: Not being in control of DYNAMICS as a drummer is like having the tiger off the leash. But in turn, not using the power of dynamics will be a tiger without teeth … so think twice and „know before you go“! #dynamics #drums #drumming #drummer #volume #claushessler #playmore #drumfam #drumuniversity #drumpractice #drumconcepts #musiceducation #drumwizdom #drumlads #drumlove #drumpractice #drumsdrumsdrums

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 19, 2020 at 7:56am PDT

PHRASING OPTIONS

View this post on Instagram

PHRASING OPTIONS … this is the final icing on the cake. What comes to your mind when you think PHRASING? Here are some aspects that I consider being important in that regard. STICKING ORGANIZATION is one of the first things: Your design of right and left hand strokes can drastically influence phrasing and the possibilities connected with that. The sticking may be organized using STANDARD STROKES using no special trick, it may be a BUZZ, it may be using OPEN ROLLS/DOUBLES, it may be a CONTROLLED BUZZ in terms of my FAST 4’s. There’s also the FLAM UNIVERSE: Accented grace notes, soft main notes, both notes being accented, both notes soft, „flat flams“ in different dynamic settings or reverse flams with the grace note after the beat … there’s a wealth of options. MUTE STROKES (muffling the drum with the stick as you play – like in a „Samba Cruzado“) and finally the STYLISTIC CONTEXT will be important. THINK! #phrasing #music #education #claushessler #drums #drumming #drumsdrumsdrums #drumfam #playmore #drumlads #drumpractice #drumlove #drumuniversity #lovetoteach

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 22, 2020 at 9:38am PDT

ENEMIES

View this post on Instagram

ENEMIES getting in the way while you try to make music … what comes to your mind? Here are just the classic „four brothers“ – and many times they even join forces. The good news however is: Technique and coordination have NOTHING to do with your sense of musicality. That may be the reason why at times you see/hear drummers play beautiful things with some kind of „strange“ or questionable technique. At the same time you see/hear drummers with outstanding coordination and technique – but they don’t seem to touch you musically. So what is this telling us? 1. Never overrate technique. 2. When you catch drummers play great music with questionable technique, think twice. 3. Practice your hearing skills. 4. Stay focussed without being mentally „tense“. 5. Without some degree of coordination/independence, everything s***s. #concepts #drums #drumming #drummer #playmore #drumfam #claushessler #drumlove #drumpractice #drumlads #drumuniversity #drumwizdom #lovetoteach #coordination #technique #hearingskills #practice #music #musiceducation #stayfocussed

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 24, 2020 at 8:55am PDT

GAME ZONE vs. DRILL ZONE

View this post on Instagram

Are you trying to convert your EXERCISES to MUSIC and vice versa? The picture of the GAME ZONE and the DRILL ZONE is what I like to point out to students. Which area do you prefer? No matter what – it is all about changing back and forth constantly. Some people really love the DRILL ZONE … and may be in danger of missing the MUSIC. Some people may like the GAME ZONE … and they will never dive to the bottom of the pond. THINK! #drumwizdom #claushessler #teaching #drums #drumming #musiceducation #playmore #drumfam #drumuniversity #drumlove #drumpractice #fun #music #drumgroove #nomistakes #gowiththeflow

A post shared by CLAUS HESSLER ❌ (@claus.hessler) on Jul 26, 2020 at 8:54am PDT