Today I want to address something that I think is at war with us as musicians. I am of course talking about the battle between being a chameleon vs having your own identity. I think you all know how I feel by now about the chops vs groove argument. If not, Groove is king, but Chops are also important. I like the way Jimmy Chamberlin illustrated the point by saying the chops are paintbrushes to paint the painting, but it’s not “The Painting.” Improving ones facility and chops in combination with great grooves and creativity and individuality all come together to help you express your musical voice. There is a real push today however in this musical culture, especially in the production and management elites to pump out commercially viable cut-and-paste, cookie cutter grooves that simply serve the basic groove function and little more.
Technology is partially to blame, as it has become very easy to manipulate everything from the computer, so much so that a great deal of the human element has been removed. Technology in and of itself is not bad, in fact quite liberating, but it has also been a major factor in the drummer being removed from the core of the music making process. Gone are the days of the band sitting around in the band room for hours together, bouncing ideas back and forth to come up with a new tune. Today, the few drummers fortunate enough to get session work, often have complete songs including basic sampled drum tracks sent to them. In the words of the great Freddie Gruber, “If it doesn’t breathe, it’s not alive.”
The other side of this coin is the corporate mindset that has indoctrinated the music industry. I choose my words carefully here, as being a full time professional drummer, I don’t wish to criticize people that make a living with music or their pursuit of making it both profitable and sustainable. There is a dark side to this approach though, as it tends to shun creativity in lieu of the illusion of “the magic formula.” By extension, for drummers, this means your musical identity is in the cross-hairs at all times. Musical chameleons are the only ones really working in studios today, and even they are not guaranteed tomorrow with drum sample libraries and cut and paste loops and fills so readily available.
To dive in, a drumming chameleon is a drummer that sounds like a thousand other pocket studio drummers. They hold no identifiable signature musical trait or tendency. Nothing stands out nor seems out of place. They play as rigidly and perfectly as the cut and paste drum loops, no risks ever taken, no liberties, no accents. They could be any one of a sea of thousands of other drummers following the well laid industry path. I applaud their restraint, selflessness, and maturity. But then I have to ask myself, what does your drum part say? How are you using your gift? How are you contributing to that song? And ultimately, could anyone else have played that part?
To further my feelings on this, Jimmy Chamberlin spoke about a review he read about his M-Audio Drum Loop Library (The Jimmy Chamberlin collection). The reviewer said that the loop library was great. His only issue was that it sounded like Jimmy Chamberlin. That is kind of funny by itself, but really stop and think about that. Drummers like John Bonham, Jimmy Chamberlin, Neil Peart, and Carter Beauford have no place in the incorporated song factory world. But there is a flip side ladies and gentlemen. A great reckoning. And it is called live music.
That’s right sports fans, Live Music! This is where the musical identity tables turn. Suddenly, those chops, soul, and energy really mean something! Where you can connect with everyone on that musical wavelength and with groove and chops used correctly, you can make the Earth itself shake and make the songs live and breathe! Suddenly that studio slick drummer that is just perfectly executing the minimal needs to set the groove for the song kind of falls flat. Live, there has to be something more. I don’t really mean it needs more chops or extra fills. I mean, it needs dynamics, it needs soul, it needs a movement. Your drums need to capture the emotion of the song. Chameleons just don’t cut it here. You can no longer pretend.
The audience and your band need you more than ever! Everything you have! Your passion, your timing, your groove, your soul, your chops, your energy! The audience and your band need a reason to dance! A reason to freak out, cry, scream, sing, hug someone, beat their chest, wave their hands, and everything else. It’s you and them, and in that moment, there is no Record Label CEO or Studio Executive that can sell them an experience. Music is not a song, album, words, background noise, arrangements of notes, or a retail product to be consumed. Music is the human experience in audible form. Shared between you and your audience, bridging your life and experiences to theirs in a single moment, together. You can scoff at my philosophical drivel if your ego can’t concede, but I promise you, that is the real deal. Don’t hide away, don’t hold back, don’t drink the cool-aid, or surrender your identity. Give them both freakin barrels!
Once again, I am not encouraging you to just blow chops all over everything, or not serve the song. I am saying, serve the song completely by not dumbing it down (and actually diminishing the song) to please the executives (or lazy sound engineers – including me sometimes), keeping your ego in check, and finding the sweet spot of compromise between keeping it simple (grooving) and letting your voice be heard! You will know when it’s right when everyone, including your band is locked in that moment and feeling it. I believe that everyone has something unique unto themselves to offer. You have the music in you and the world needs your voice, not just another recording industry approved clone! Always work hard to keep improving, but never be ashamed of who you are!
– Chris McKinney