Line Out - Comments on Muscle Memory

Comment by Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:19:46 -0800

True. I would say muscle memory applies to the whole band. When watching live misic it's pretty easy to see who has spent more time in front of a mirror than in the dank confines of the jam space.

Comment by drummer 647

drummer 647 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:45:34 -0800

My right bicep sent me a postcard last week. It said, 'why did you have to put a drumstick in your hand? why couldn't it have been a dentistry tool, or a law book? thanks for the memories.'

Comment by paulus

paulus — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:05:35 -0800

The best practicing I've done has been letting myself just slam random drums at random intervals. Moonesque spurts of pounding that paid no attention to rhythm or timing. Once I could do that and make it sound good, it became a lot easier to throw fills into weird places and come out on the beat.

Comment by jon e. rock

jon e. rock — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:20:40 -0800

The comments here have the makings of an Onion article title. "Drummer responds to article about how hard it is to stick a fill." Let's see if any non-drumma responds by end of day. If they do, I guarantee it will be a bass playa.

Comment by Chris Estey

Chris Estey — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:38:16 -0800

Bass player here.

I love that Nietzsche quote Oliver Sacks uses in his new book: "We listen to music with our muscles."

Comment by Jonathan Golob

Jonathan Golob — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:44:27 -0800

Nicely done.

I really love how the motor system is put together. Layers upon layers of reflexes.

Mostly, the brain's job is to selectively shut down reflex loops in the spinal cord that actually make things happen. Hence, if you have a disease of the upper motor neurons-ALS, MS, heroin, alcoholism--you eventually become hyper reflexive.

Comment by E

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:27:36 -0800

Love this.

I hear them, but they suck. From now on I will let them suck.

Comment by E

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:29:06 -0800

I don't know if I can bird watch less though.

Comment by john

john — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:27:35 -0800

something intelligent and interesting on lineout? written by a musician? and a drummer? so most of the writers on lineout are dumber than... drummers?

there is nothing worse than a bad drummer except a good drummer who has gone bad.

practice.

Comment by C

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:29:03 -0800

Its true you really can tell which ones put in the time and which dont. And drummers... PLEASE remember to practice in all 12 keys. Starting with ba-doom pschtt of course.

Comment by Chris Estey

Chris Estey — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:08:25 -0800

I want to hear some of that Thursday night!

(And rumor has it Friday as well - ?)

: )

Comment by Rick

Rick — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:44:30 -0800

Another winner Trent.. This seems an appropriate moment to shout out to all the parents/siblings/roommates who have endured the reverberations of the drummer's imperfect isolation. We may think no one can hear us in our drum caves, but really, what teen has perfect sound dampening? My poor sister, her bedroom directly above my basement drum set (which was of course a 10-piece monument to my obsession with Rush), is the patron saint of every solid beat I've managed the throw down.

Comment by trent moorman

trent moorman — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:09:35 -0800

Agreed. I would like to apologize to all the sisters and brothers out there, and neighbors and parents and friends. I had a Rush Monument too. Given, it was jimmy-rigged with masking tape, but to me, that was the drumworld. Roto toms are a rite of passage.

Comment by E for reals

E for reals — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:41:26 -0800

@7 & 8...

ahem, get a new blog name...there are 25 other letters to choose from. thanks.