Teaching available: Online and In Person

Just letting everyone know I'm available to teach either via internet or in person ( with social distancing and with my trusty mask pictured below ) . Whether you're a novice, intermediate or professional drummer, I can help you reach your full potential. Contact me here or through twarren@gto.net.

The Joy of Practice

As one continues through life as a musician, two general types of players tend to emerge. The first type tend to be constantly practicing, learning new ways of dealing with their instrument. I would say often this sort of player can get into things that aren't even completely useful in a musical setting, and that's one of the major pitfalls of this sort of approach.
 The second type of player tends to either work towards some specific gig coming up ( a lot of classical musicians work this way ) or sort of keep loose on the gigs, and listen to music to "stay in the game". This is a valid approach, especially if someone has been playing for a long time, or one's style of playing doesn't necessarily require a lot of velocity, or both.
  Although I have spent most of my life fitting into the first category, about 8 years ago I found myself really not having any desire to practice. At the time, I thought I had "graduated" to this approach due to the fact I had been playing a long time. I later discovered my lack of interest in practicing had been due to clinical depression and that my life was in a shambles. As soon as my personal life improved, my desire to explore the drums, and piano, and even harmonica, blossomed to a level it hadn't been to in years. This is even in spite of the fact that in my current living situation, having access to drums and acoustic piano is limited, but even this has had the paradoxical effect of making practice even more precious and fruitful! :)

Why am I going on about this? Well, in this time of extremely limited gig opportunities, I think we all have to think of ways to keep the music in our lives, even if we're not performing. So here are some ways to think about keeping supple and close to the music.

1. Practice new, and maybe esoteric and challenging things…..
If you are a "practising" type, by all means, keep at it! You can also, however, use this opportunity to practise things that don't normally come up on gigs, and therefore you're too busy to work on them. Don't get a chance to work on modulations and odd groupings with your country band? Now's the time, baby!
2. Check out music you normally don't listen to.
This is something that can apply to both types of players I've mentioned. if you're a metal drummer, check out some Nat Cole. If you play Jazz, check out some music from a far-away culture. etc.
3. Play-a-longs!
By this, I really mean, play along to recordings. This is the closest you can get to playing a gig without playing a gig and will help keep your instincts sharp, especially if it's improvised music.
4. Check out other forms of art and story telling.
Look at art online, read book, and watch movies and dance to get an idea how artists in those forms reach their audience.
5. Mental practice!
I won't go into detail on this because I've talked about it at length before. I will mention that for folks like me that have limited access to instruments, this can be a real aid to mental wellness and a positive outlook, as well as helping us feel fresh and loose.

In conclusion, I want to state that we can all view this "pause" on performing live as an opportunity. I'm not sure if I'll come out of this period necessarily a more financially successful musician, but I certainly will be a more sensitive and skilled one, as well as a better human being!

Finally, here's a short snare/cymbal solo I recorded in my apartment recently. :)

Soundcheck

This is a short solo I improvised before doing a project for some friends in Montreal…..
Short, but (hopefully) sweet!

AVAILABILITY!

Greetings,
This is another sort of commercial, mainly for the many types of musical services I offer…

Online Lessons
I have gotten my technology together and I am offering lessons on Skype, FaceTime, Messenger, or any platform you prefer. $60 an hour. Times/days negotiable

Recording tracks
I have been recording for other people's projects, as well as a few things up my sleeve that I'll be announcing soon. Price negotiable.

Article/Book Editing
Want to get your drum-related work published? I can clean it up, make it clearer, and help you get noticed by major drum/music publications. $60 an hour.

Production
Send me your tracks, pre-production rehearsals, ideas to be arranged, etc. and I can help you make your recording the best it can be. Price negotiable.

Contact me here or at twarren@gto.net

The Worst Jazz Solo of all time

Hi all,
Here is some food for thought regarding taste and minimalism in music. I found it quite thought-provoking. I hope you do too.

Modern Drummer Article

Hey all,
Just letting you know an article I wrote on developing a modern Jazz straight 8th note concept inspired by Jon Christiansen is in the August issue of Modern Drummer. My thanks to Mike Dawson for accepting and publishing it.

 And speaking of articles, I am now doing edits and offering advice for those of you interested in getting your drum-related work published. Very reasonable rates. Contact me here or at twarren@gto.net for details.

What? More ads?

Yup. Quick commercial.
Ted Quinlan's quartet, one of the most enjoyable musician aggregations I've ever been fortunate to be a part of, is playing live to air tomorrow ( Friday July 3rd ) on JazzFM 91.1. You can find it online, on your radio, or JazzFM's Facebook page. 5-6PM EST.

                                                                          And here's a sample of some of the music we'll be playing…..

  

Check it out if you're available. :) 

If God was a Canadian, he'd be sorry!

The title is in reference to the apologetic nature of Canadians! Happy Canada Day. I am proud to be Canadian and am very grateful to be living here. I don't say that in any smug way either, because I believe that we have many of the same issues as our friends to the south, we are just fortunate to have better leadership and some of our problems are smaller. This is mainly because we have a smaller population. I sincerely hope things improve in the US, and their potential healing can be an example for us all.

Also, please check out Four On The Floor today for a special Canada Day post featuring  some of the best of this country's Jazz Drumming talent. I was very pleased to be involved, and I think it turned out great! Thanks Jon!

Here's one of the "outtakes" from my contribution to that video. Here I am playing my version of our national anthem….




And here's the Boss Brass playing "O Canada' some years ago. Maybe doing an arrangement of this song was Rob McConnell's way of making sure we got a standing ovation! :) Seriously though, Rob was a very proud Canadian.



One of my great memories of playing that chart is playing it on Canada Day.  Everyone stood up, I locked eyes with great bassist Neil Swainson in the audience from way across the tent we were in ( because he's so tall) and I tried desperately to get him to sing and him finding this incredibly funny.

Have a great and safe day everyone. Wherever you are!