21Oct/093
How Do You See Practice? - Interview with TRX Cymbal Endorser Dave MacLeod
A friend of mine recently gained something very important to him. His first cymbal endorsement. To a musician, an endorsement isn't just a chance a for free gear. Its a sign that you've made it to a certain level. That someone, somewhere recognises your talents and sees that you have potential. So much so that they are willing to put their name behind you.
That man is Dave MacLeod and I sat down with him not only to find out how he did it but also to find out what I was doing wrong! Here's what you'll get by watching the interview:
- Dave discussing his practice space at his new home
- The techniques Dave uses to practice without disturbing his neighbours
- How Dave went from beginner to endorser
- Dave and Alex discuss their previous jobs
- The transition from proper job to professional drummer
- Dave's big question for you
- Bonus: Alex's own personal answer
So make a cup of coffee, sit down and let Dave's wisdom soak in.
Alex.
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October 21st, 2009 - 14:28
Hi guys.
Enjoyed the video and gained lots from it in terms of where to go with drumming.
Dave you said you studied music, what area of music was it that you studied in?
Also i have a question to put out there to both you guys, as i have heard this story quite a few times from drummers. When they say i practiced 7-8 hours a day…
Did you guys have part time jobs or where currently studying during this intense level of practicing, or did you have to give up and sacrafice jobs and other commitments to bring your drumming up to the professional level and find your on voice and technique in drumming.
Thanks,
Blaine.
October 21st, 2009 - 16:11
Blaine,
Great questions. I used to wonder about this too when I heard people say it.
When I was practicing at my most intense level, I was teaching drums and gigging just a couple of days a week so money was a bit tight but I had plenty of spare time to practice. I was happy. Not surprisingly my girlfriend at that time wasn’t though. You need to strike a balance between your income, your practice time and your social life.
I got a great tip from a friend of mine a few years ago. Ty spent almost a year living in Hawaii supporting himself by playing gigs on the tourist circuit. He said to me that you need to focus first on ways to pay your bills. Your practice time and original bands (ie. non-paying bands) come second.
Sit down and write out your Survival Budget: The exact amount of money you are going to need each month to live (rent, bills, food etc.) Then find a way to generate that income. Preferably using your drum kit but any method is fine. The rest of your time is yours to focus on your practice and the people in your life.
A full-time job is a big drain on your time and energy so I don’t recommend getting one if you don’t need to but you have to make sure you do something productive with your spare time. Watching “Richard and Judy” will not improve your drumming.
Time is your greatest asset, don’t squander it.
Hope this helps,
Alex
October 22nd, 2009 - 05:32
Hi Blaine
I specialised in drum kit performance but had modules about music and the music business in general: music theory, studio recording, stagecraft and presentation, law (yes, law!). - it’s all vital information if you ever become a professional musician and it’s an important part of the learning process.
Re. practice - basically what Alex said is also what I’d say. I was in full-time education and working part-time at McDonald’s when I practiced for several hours every day. My drum tutor Dan said that he used to get up at 6am so that he could practice for 2 and a half hours before going to uni at 9am - now that’s commitment, and that was the example I had to follow!
One of my tutors said something extremely important regarding practice: regularity is the key. Even if you practice for only one hour every day, as long as it’s daily, you will see improvement. The more time you set aside and the better you structure your practice sessions, the more improvement you will see!
Dave