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Printed From: JazzMusicArchives.com
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Forum Name: Music and Musicians Exchange
Forum Description: Talk with and get feedback from other musicians on the site
URL: http://www.JazzMusicArchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18437
Printed Date: 21 Nov 2024 at 5:51pm
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Topic: Instruments

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Subject: Instruments
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2018 at 6:26am

Hi guys,

what instruments do you play? (if any), who are your biggest influences? How long have you been playing? do you gig? and what instrument would you love to play but never got round to? ect..

I play the drums and have done for the last 10 years or so now. Would probably say that my biggest influences musically would be Baby Dodds, Zutty Singleton, Chad Smith and Casey Cooper. if i could play anything it would probably be Piano. I've dabbled in guitar and a few other string instruments but not to the scale i have with drums. any fellow drummers on here? :)

Replies:

Posted By: js
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2018 at 8:53am

I moved this to the Musicians Exchange.

I play keyboards and dabble on a host of other instruments. I have been playing for over 40 years and I play professionally, local gigs only.

My influences on electric piano would include: Herbie Hancock, Brian Auger, Chick Corea and George Duke.

On Hammond organ: Jimmy Smith, Jon Lord, Greg Rollie, Jimmy McGriff, Groove Holmes and Larry Young.

On Electronics: Sun Ra and Herbie Hancock.

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 1:22am

Okay thanks.

Very nice I really like Herbie Hancock, the rest of them i will give a listen.

do you find you like gigging? its something i want to properly get into when I'm a little bit older and have more experience with my instrument.

Posted By: js
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 5:49am

^ Generally I like it okay, it depends on the band and the music, the more creative the gig is, the more fun it is. I've played in bands more for the money because in the past this has been part of how I make my living, and those gigs, which sometimes can get up to four or more hours long, can get a bit tedious sometimes.

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 6:48am

That's fair enough then. I think gigging it something i will consider. have you ever gone in to teaching?

I'm a strong firm believer that you can never fully learn everything there is to know about your instrument we learn new style/techniques everyday but i do believe that teaching is a good starting point. However i also strongly believe that if you are taught too much you loose the ability to play with feeling and by ear.

^ this being said is why i love jazz so much especially the earlier music as there wasn't any rules or teaching it was all feel. I've tried for years to copy drummers such as Zutty and Baby and it very hard and i think they wouldn't want me to copy them note for note as they'd probably want me to feel the music and go from there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IMMeEWD-2A

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 6:53am

That is a great little video that just shows the difference in today's playing and back then granted its a lot tighter today but i still think its amazing. Unfortunately no one my age is really interested in musicians like this anymore.

Posted By: js
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 7:20am

Teaching is how I make my living, a lot of my students are in the very early stages of their learning, so they definitely need a teacher, especially those that are very young.

I like a lot of early jazz too and do agree that some of the energy went out of jazz over the years. You can still find modern players who can play with that kind of spirit, but those players may not be the norm anymore.

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 7:29am

Well that's the problem with music, is essentially what is classed as 'mainstream' and whats not! unfortunately jazz and most early jazz is not anymore.

if you don't mind me asking, is your teaching style to teach students to play by ear or to through note reading or both? or just depending on the student in question?

Posted By: js
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 7:49am

I work with a lot of young people who may not be particularly talented, they need to learn how to read music.

Those students who are really into this, they can usually pick out things by ear on their own.

Posted By: Mellotronjazz
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2018 at 7:52am

Good to know! Must be great doing what you loving for a job. thanks :)