The Voice

I think the voice is the most intimate instrument, meaning it's so innate it's not even an instrument. I guess the heart and the drone of the nervous system would be in the same category, but the voice is audible to other people and it is through voice that we communicate our children and to others.

I think this is why singing, and the other instruments that emulate the voice, the violin, the slide guitar, the flute are so emotional and can have such an impact on the heart.  The instruments I find to be the most emotional are the ones that have not been compartmentalized by frets and note categories.

That is why it must be that when I hear Derek Trucks, and other masters of the entire string, I feel like crying and actually do cry most the time. Like the voice they can get to all the hard to reach places in the heart and in the body because they command the entire range of frequency.

Talking drums, tablas and other such cosmic membranophones are worth researching. The ancient cultures knew the power of all the in between tones.

This video has inspired a really exciting nocturnal practice session. I was experimenting with harmonics on the cymbals and on the drums by holding my finger on the surfaces the same way you would get a harmonic out of a guitar string.  I can't believe I didn't think of it before.  I will post a video as soon as I get a better way to record the low end.

But for now check this guy out. The drums are every instrument.

Language and the Fifth Limb of Drumming

Gary Chester in his book The New Breed integrates the voice as the fifth limb of drumming.

My friend Charles Knoles told me "If you can hear it, then you can play it" That is the ideal, but one of the stepping stones to TRUE hearing is being able to SAY IT or SING IT first.

In tabla you always learn how to say a GROOVE or COMPOSITION before you learn how to PLAY IT.

I think this phenomenon has to do with the HUMAN method of learning through LANGUAGE. We start learning the language of our MOTHER while still in the womb so it is the most intimate and heart-centric method of expression and assimilation of knowledge that we have available to us.

That is what is so ingenious about the tabla methodology. You learn these compositions as linear monologues of text. Then what happens is that independence and poly-rhythmic ability is an effortless bi product of sustained involvement with the language of Tabla. The compositions become three dimensional and circular and naturally complex and beautiful out of the simplicity of spoken word.

SINGING, BEATBOXING, VOCALIZATION, SPOKEN WORD, TABLA anything that integrates your voice as the fifth limb is so vitally important.

Like I said before Gary Chester's THE NEW BREED is a good place to start for the western drummer.

From my heart to yours, It's an undeniable miracle to be involved in this field of rhythm and life.

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO OF MARCO MINNEMANN that has turned a scene from Monty Python's THE LIFE OF BRIAN into a drum solo. LANGUAGE IS RHYTHM.



Here is a tabla solo by Alla Rakha who is Zakir Hussain's father and tabla player for Ravi Shankar. It gives you a taste of the vocalization of tabla.



Next is a video by Mal Webb. Absolutely incredible. WOW! Check it.