Music Literacy

In the spring of my third grade year I asked my parents for a drum set. My father made it very clear that if I got a drum set that I had to learn how to play drums the right way so my parents signed me up for private drum lessons at a local music store. After meeting my first teacher he walked me to the back of the store, which is where the drum room was located. During his stride he grabbed a book from one of the shelves and after sitting me at the drum set he placed the book on a nearby music stand. It was called How to Play Rock and Roll Drums. 

Then he opened the book to the second page, which featured some quarter notes and rests played on the bass drum and the snare drum. He explained how they are counted: 1-2-3-4 and then counted me off before he had me play the exercises in the book. 

I played each figure perfectly and before I knew it the thirty minute session ended and it was time for me to go home. I was most grateful to say the least because I did really well when it came to reading music for the first time. I had been playing drums at school in a small drum corp but everything we learned was by ear so this was the first experience of learning a new language. Right away I had a good feeling about this.

Music literacy is a much argued point by many musicians for various reasons. First, there seems to be a badge of honor for being self-taught because that means you figured out how to play your instrument on your own and did so with a lot of ear training. Second, there is an argument about how being self-taught also helps your feel. Feel....the immeasurable piece of evidence that is used in musical arguments that (conveniently) can't be measured (more on that in a future blog) while these same musicians ignore the fact that some of the best performers ever are in fact musically literate.


I Am Not Self-Taught...So What? 

I studied drum set privately for 13 years so that would be the equivalent of going to school from Kindergarten through high school. I have never worked with a musician for an extensive amount of time that frowned upon the idea with many of them even going so far to express their admiration for the fact that I pursued private instruction. There are even those who asked what the focus of my studies were with the following being my answers.

My first teacher's name was Swede Meredith, an old school Jazz drummer who was determined to get me to follow in his footsteps. He started me on traditional grip and focused on teaching me how to read music and on how to play drums in a relaxed way. Aside from that he also worked with me to prepare for the annual A.F.N.A. Musical Festivals that were held once a year where we performed rated drum solos for a panel of judges. We worked together for about five years before I moved on to my second teacher.

The work I did with Swede prepared me for my second teacher whose name was Greg Alban. Greg to this day has been my greatest mentor because he had a much broader vocabulary since he wasn't set in some old school ways that are still typical of many traditional Jazz drummers. By the time I started studying with Greg I was a good reader and had decent technique so he took what I could do even further by challenging me in with modern techniques and playing styles that were current at that time period. 

However, one of the things that both Swede and Greg both emphasized to me was the importance of listening to other players. Meanwhile, our lessons focused on reading and technique while they tracked my progress on how I moved around the drum set. So you can see that when it came to listening to other drummers and learning from them on my own time I actually come from the same background as the self-taught players so that is why I have always challenged the idea that studying with a teacher somehow harms your feel as a player.  Further, how much more did I learn because I had the chance to sit in the presence of a master drummer on a weekly basis who not only tracked my progress but also played for me. (Side note: I am blessed to have never had a physical injury in my hands, arms or legs and I am most grateful to my teachers whose guidance taught me how to play with great efficiency. How is that a bad thing? I did have some back problems but the solution to that is addressed in my blog titled: http://desertdrummer.blogspot.com/2015/01/method-to-madness-talking-drum-set-up.html)

My third teacher was Jeanette Wrate and since she knew Greg and was familiar with his work she focused on getting me into World Drumming ideas along with polyrhythms. A lot of what we did was on a practice pad as we worked on various types of rhythms as well as complex meters but just like Swede and Greg, she directed me to even more drummers that I should listen to because they were doing the things she was teaching me.

At that time I was also encouraged to start transcribing music. At first I really didn't think much of the idea because I could learn any song by memory and play everything that I heard without a problem. Yet, once I took the time to sit there and write the whole drumming performance out it gave me an understanding of this particular drummer's performance that I never knew existed. Now can you also become familiar with a drummer's style by listening to them? Of course, but how can anyone claim to learn nothing from transcribing someone's musical performance unless they have actually done that and found nothing new in what they wrote out? Sorry, but you can't comment on what you don't know.


Music Education

In college I started out as a Music Major before changing my major at the end of my junior year. Therefore, I have an Associates of Arts degree from El Camino Community College in Torrance, CA and earning this degree is something I am most grateful for because I learned so much during my musical studies at ECC. Prior to entering college I had just started messing around with the guitar but the truth is, I had no idea what I was doing other than just playing some power chords here and there and learning a few basic Rock songs. That was because I had what I call a drummer's ear, meaning that I did struggle to a certain degree with figuring out chords and melodies because my ear was more in tune with the rhythmic parts of the song and not the melodies and harmonies that I heard over the groove.

I was very nervous when I sat in my Music Fundamentals class because I more or less knew nothing about melody and harmony. I was a strong reader when it came to rhythmic figures so that part of the class was a piece of cake. But, I was just as much of a beginner as everyone else when it came to learning scales and chords.

Honestly, it didn't take too long for me to catch on as I guess I was more of a musician than I realized. That and because it was something I really enjoyed because now I could sit at a piano and have some idea what I was doing. In other words, it wasn't just about taking a class and getting a grade. I was learning the skills that allowed me to get the musical ideas out of my head. Soon after I started taking this knowledge to my guitar and I could really see a difference in the music I was writing.

Music Theory classes came after this and again, the musical doors began to open even more. Sure, there are those who figure all of this out on their own and that's okay. I have no shame in saying that I needed a little bit of help and if someone has a problem with that then that's just too bad because I really don't care. Considering the fact that my music career includes songs I have written that have been featured on various television shows to songs that fans of my original bands enjoyed speak of the quality of my work. I don't care how someone gets to that point so long as they get to where they want to be as a musician.

To be fair we should all admit the fact that there are weaknesses in both points of view. I know plenty of musicians who can't do a thing unless they have a sheet of music in front of them. I also know illiterate musicians who can only play songs from memory who are unable to work in an improvised environment. Still, to each their own but if someone chooses not to learn how to play music by ear and/or can't take gigs that require some sight reading, well...it is what it is. We all have to live with our choices.


Benefits of Musical Literacy 

I have a busy schedule because of my day job, my writing background and most importantly, because of my family obligations. As a working drummer there are times when I have a lot of songs to learn with a limited amount of time. Some of these songs are known to have some tricky changes so it is smart for me to make a chart just in case I forget a song's arrangement. No shame and no apologies folks and if anyone thinks this limits my ability to groove come on down to the gig and play along with me or ask the people on the dance floor if they are having a good time. Of course it is my preference to play every song from memory but my schedule doesn't always give me enough time to study the songs enough to memorize them.

Or, there are those moments in the recording studio when I might get a demo of the song the night before and don't have a lot of time to review the song. That's when I sit down and write out a chart to take to the studio the following day and place it on the music stand before I track my part. Mind you this is an environment where I am not only being paid for my services but also tracking my parts while the person hiring me is paying for studio time. If this helps me do the job imagine the impression I left on the artist who hired me. That helps me get hired back by the artist for a later studio gig while also giving the producer and/or engineer a reason to ask for my business card in order to refer me to other artists who might be looking for a reliable drummer.

This discussion also reminds me of an article I read about drummer Phil Collins. Years ago he decided to do a solo tour where he performed Big Band versions of his classic songs. Since Big Bands are known for figures that involve lots of hits and figures played by the whole band Phil talked about how he had a hard time remembering all of the figures so he had to create notes to remind him what to play. Since he didn't read music he said it was really hard to create something that would remind him of what he had to play. Later he then admitted that it would have been better if he had taken the time in his youth to learn how to read music. I totally understood where he was coming from because I have experience playing in Big Bands and some of the charts were rather extensive so it was hard to remember the whole song. Of course I also remember times when we'd be onstage and the band leader would call out a chart and we would sight read the tune at the gig. I was simply given the tempo when the band leader counted off the band and away we went. Thank God I was able to read all of the figures because the band would sound terrible if everyone played all of the figures with me just grooving under it.

Also, there are times when I make a chart and then don't end up needing it at the gig. I find at times that I remember the figures better because I wrote them down. It's almost like those days when we had to study for a test in school. Students at times remember the material better because they took notes in class and then made note cards to help them study for the test . Then there have been studies done that show how writing things down help us remember things: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/writing-and-remembering-why-we-remember-what-we-write.html

Does anyone think the same idea would not apply to writing music?

Aside from having to learn music I can also say that music literacy helps me when I am composing music. Sometimes I am not near an instrument when an idea comes to me but thankfully I have a piece of music paper nearby. Some people like to hum their ideas into their mobile device and that's fine but in my case I get ideas for a new tribal drumming composition and once I write out one rhythm I'll end up coming up with 3-4 more ideas. Then I will go on with my day and by the time I get home I might forget some of the ideas I had but am fortunate enough to have my ideas on paper. Then I'll go into my home studio and program my ideas into my drum machine and there it is.

I also remember stories that my Music Theory teacher Dr. Wallace Bower told us about musicians who preferred to stay at home rather than go to a live Symphony as they preferred to simply read the score in the privacy of their own home. By doing this they were able to hear the music in their head and they found that to be a most enjoyable experience. Again, to each their own but I do know this experience because I have done the same thing both with my own music that I composed after all of my ideas were written down as well as music written by others.

Speaking of Music Theory classes, I am most grateful for the things I learned in these classes because they have done wonders for my songwriting. One recent composition that I am pleased with was something I wrote that I plan to put on my next CD titled "Suruuq." It incorporates various Middle Eastern rhythms that my study of world drumming has afforded me while also working with a main melody that comes from a mode that I learned from my music studies along with something else that I have wanted to work with for a long time, counterpoint! I finally got the chance to do this with this composition and it was a lot of fun. I wrote out the melody that I wanted to put a counterpoint to and then followed the various methods I learned in class. Within minutes I had the part written and once I tried it out I loved it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXgQY_TNfDU

One listen and you can hear that I did more than just play the melody at a different interval as there was in fact a scheme to my choice of notes as well as how they moved. I could have never done this if I had never gone to music school.


Concluding Thoughts

At the end of the day it comes down to comfort but over the years I have grown so tired of the labeling that goes on from both sides of the discussion. The raw and the schooled can work together if musicians can just learn to respect each other's abilities and do what is best for the group. Such a thought reminds me of Journey band mates Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. The former was a talented teen that was good enough to play on the road with Santana at age 15 with the other attending the Chicago Conservatory of Music before embarking on a successful professional career. Yet, they have worked together for several decades now and have written some of the most amazing music in Rock and Roll history, together!

I too have worked with some amazing musicians as well who also come from both sides of the discussion and have some great memories of working with these talented musicians. I think vividly of guitarist Alex Gonzalez who I worked with in Sanaiya who was as self-taught as it got yet could play his guitar like no other. Then there was Andre Marins who attended a music conservatory in Brazil who I worked with in an improvisational duo called Invocation of Improvisation. Both of these men are like brothers to me with these personal relationships coming out of our mutual respect for each other that came from working together in a musical setting. That only happened because we made the effort to work together rather than impose

It's not about one way being better than another. It's about either way being best for the person taking that path. Respecting someone's abilities regardless of where they come from is about giving someone their due because you recognize the effort they put into their craft. No one is perfect and it's nice to recognize our shortcomings rather than spin the topic in one's favor based in order to avoid discussing our own shortcomings.

I know my weaknesses as a musician and I continue to work on them. I am not afraid to admit such because I am an imperfect human being that knows that our imperfections do not take away our dignity, regardless of the way we are seen by others.


Carlos Solorzano
@csolorzano18     IG: desertdrummer
https://www.reverbnation.com/carlossolorzano 

Working with Electronics

Like many drummers I have opinions about electronic drums and drum machines. If I had to give a straight up answer on my feelings about them I would say that I am not really crazy about them because they can be sterile and unnatural. They lack the realness that comes from an acoustic drum set and/or when it comes specifically to a drum machine, it lacks the commanding presence that comes from working with a live musician.

With that being said let me further confuse my position on the issue because I have just as many reasons to like both of them as I do for disliking them because of the benefits they provide for those who use them. Like acoustic drums or any instrument for that matter they are simply a tool to express oneself. They have their good points and their bad points but at the end of the day it comes down to how one uses them.

I didn't get my first drum machine until I was in college as I bought it off of a classmate of mine. At first it was just something to mess around with when it was too late in the evening to play my drums but I soon found that there was so much more to it.

I got my first electronic set about five years ago when I traded them for an acoustic drum set I was selling. I did it mainly so I could practice at any hour of the day and so I could experiment with the various sounds they had that were not in the sound catalog of my drum machine.

Here is what I discovered about using these heavily discussed products:


The Groove 

Part of what makes a drum machine interesting is the groove it provides. Yes, let me repeat what I said: the groove it provides. Some people say machines have no feel but I beg to differ. While it certainly doesn't have a human feel it can in fact produce a good rhythmic pulse if the person using it chooses the right sounds, the right tempo and knows how to orchestrate each part in a most creative way. Don't forget that engines have a rhythm yet engines are not living things. Of course the lesson we learn from an engine is that it is a series of parts working together in harmony after being assembled and maintained by someone who knows what they are doing.

To be honest, I dislike most drum machine based grooves because of what I call a bland sound standard that most people in the industry choose to follow. However, acoustic drums are subject to the same problem because every era of music has the preferred drum sound of producers, which is nothing more than a producer trying to put their mark on an album rather then bringing out the best of the artist(s) they are working with. And to be frank, it is my opinion that a lot of drummers do not know how to tune their acoustic drums properly, which is why we've all heard too many bad sounding acoustic sets

Take for example the famous groove that the late Jeff Porcaro played on the Toto song "Rosanna." It is not only a great groove but one of the most famous grooves in music history supporting an amazing song. But, in my humble and probably lonely opinion, (here come the sharp objects) it sounds terrible! Sorry but there are times I wish producers weren't allowed to dictate the sound of an album because this great groove is just buried in what I think is a bad sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ-gfb6nUus

Once again, I don't dislike the groove nor do I dislike the song. I just prefer the sound of the groove on Porcaro's instruction video because the drums sound better! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwyO1qr0edI

The same idea applies to drum machines. I am not a big fan of hip hop as a musical genre but one of things I dislike the most is the genre's preference to what I call a very thin drum sound. I know that I am a biased drummer and all but I am also a drummer with a big sounding set so I want to hear a back beat with teeth! Sadly, I still find myself begging for the same thing in acoustic drums thanks to those thin acoustic drum sounds we hear on many recordings even though most of these drummers use expensive maple sets that are designed for maximum resonance? Seriously, why bother when all you're going to do is muffle it or do the studio thing to tame the beast? Thankfully, there are still sound engineers out there who capture the sound of the drummer rather than simply control the sound.

Music always changes and part of that is because of new instruments and technology. Think for a moment how much music changed when music manufacturers introduced the electric guitar or electric keyboards and how much it continues to change because of all of the progress made by those who build instruments and develop software. Like it or not sequencers and drum machines have helped create genres of music that couldn't exist if such pieces of art were played by live human beings. More important than that, those who have programmed some of this music have done a spectacular job in giving us great sounding music.

Take for example the late, great Ofra Haza. When I first heard her 1988 album Shaday it knocked my socks off. Her voice was amazing enough to catch anyone's attention but the musical parts behind her performances were just as amazing and it had electronics all over it. I remember sitting there speechless when I heard the first track "Im Nin'alu" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRnzTTYk7_Qand then being further taken aback when I heard the second track "Eshal" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtScTIPK3Yo These songs are both driven by drum machine beats and at that time I was a proud drummer who refused to credit anything that was programmed. That was until I heard these songs because there was no way around the fact that these songs have some serious groove to them!

Then you go forward a few years and listen to Herbie Hancock's 1994 release Dis is Da Drum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS92R6nwEy0and again, same thing. While the album did knock my socks I wasn't really surprised because Herbie Hancock is in my opinion, a musical genius and his work with electronics was already well known by so many including me as a child as I remember his classic song "Rockit" back in 1984: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHhD4PD75zY So it was no surprise to me that he would come up with something just as good if not better in the future.

Then there is the electric drum set. I will be the first to admit that many of the default settings aren't anything worth remembering but after taking some time to alter the sounds to my liking I have created multiple custom drum set settings that sound great. I have used these setting on multiple occasions in recording situations to the liking of those who brought me in to lay down some tracks. All I simply did was try to create a sound that came closest to what my acoustic drums sounded like and after a tweak here and there I was in business.

Some may ask about the feel of those drums? Well, I'm the only playing the beats so if someone likes my playing, great. If not, well then there is nothing I can do about that, even if I'm using acoustic drums. 

Coloring Songs  

While remaining on the issue of feel let's think of all of those songs that made use of both a drum machine and a live drummer. Like a good painting that features a focal point along with some background shading a drum machine used lightly before the entrance of real drums can provide a very nice experience for the listener. One of my favorite examples of that is the Natalie Grant song "Make it Matter."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee4WYNeeAJE It uses a drum machine on the verses so when the live drums kick in on the choruses it's really powerful.


Such an idea is not exclusive to popular music, which of course in Natalie Grant's case would also include Contemporary Christian music. Such an idea can also aid a spooky heavy metal song that is also meant to provide the listener with a variety of moods. No better choice to go in the opposite direction than one of Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson's solo songs "Believil" off of his album Tyranny of Souls  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxWEYxrRD3U Again, the soft verse to chorus concept sounds amazing. 

Hybrid Grooves 

Asides from dynamics between specific parts of a song one can also create complete songs with different textures thanks to a combination of programmed and live performances. One of my favorite examples of this is Michael Jackson's live performance of "Smooth Criminal" at Wembley Stadium in 1988. The studio version of the song relies heavily on electronics with the song being carried by an awesome bass line that is in fact sequenced. The studio version credits multiple drummers on the track but one can tell how much they made use of electronics and most likely some sequencing to help carry the groove. The live version of course features a live drummer on an acoustic drum set so it in fact has a different feel to it. The sequenced bass line is still used in the live performance and the song still sounds amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTXcBo86pz4

Personally, I use a lot of drum machine parts in my own music mainly out of necessity. In many ways I wish I was like Stewart Copeland or Mickey Hart who have the financial resources  to purchase and store every type of percussion instrument out there. Since I have a day job I also don't have the time to master each of these instruments so yes, having access to these sounds through the use of electronics is most beneficial to me.

When I record my music I experiment with how I want to track each part. Sometimes I program simple and repetitive parts like bell patterns and shakers but there are other times when I might add a few other sound sources as well. Then I will track other parts by playing them live on my electronic set and they usually come out pretty good because even though it's a digital signal it has a more live fell than a programmed part. To each their own but I'm okay with recording my music in this way.

The other benefit to doing it this way is that it saves me money. When I am demoing music I am free to work on these parts as I see fit. Further, using electronics allows me to get a really good feed when I track each part so I really don't have to worry about some of the challenges that come from tracking live drums. Sadly, there are times when the session just doesn't work because the artist and engineer simply have a different way of doing things and when that happens the artist is still on the hook for the cost of using the studio.

Don't get me wrong. I love recording my tribal drumming songs with live acoustic percussion instruments and have done so many times. However, as time has gone on I wasn't shy about incorporating some electronics because when it comes to being creative there should be no limits. Once we drop our pride we allow ourselves to explore and it's not just with electronics. I will hit or use anything as long as it sounds good. One of the best examples of this is when I watch Latin drummer Dafnis Prieto who uses a frying pan on his set. Such an idea sounds funny but wait to you hear what it sounds like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCk53fwwEA

Overall the rejection of electronics always reminds me of the famous exchange that Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson had with a Polish fan back in 1984 when he said that you can't use keyboards in heavy metal music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yiy8Ji0EYzo Interestingly enough, the band went on to use them in the late 80's and have used them ever since with keyboards adding so much to the band's sound.

In conclusion, it's good to see that people are more opened minded to the idea of using electronic drums or drum machines than they were back when I was much younger. If it's still not your thing then that's okay because I know exactly how you feel because I used to feel the same way and still at times don't always like what I hear when people make use of them. However, I am glad that I took the time to at least give it a chance because the more I use them the more I enjoy the experience. Further, when I have those moments when I play my acoustic drums I enjoy it that much more because electronics give me a chance to work in a different musical setting. Music is supposed to be fun and I'm glad that I enjoy working in either setting.


Carlos Solorzano
@csolorzano18    IG: desertdrummer
https://www.reverbnation.com/carlossolorzano 

Underrated But Not Under Appreciated: Jason Rullo

I remember watching a video interview of Jon Schaffer from the band Iced Earth when he stated that talent exists everywhere. I couldn't agree more because as someone who moved from the Los Angeles area to the Tucson area I can tell you that small town musicians are not necessarily less talented than those from the big city. It doesn't matter where you are from. It matters what you've put into your craft and if you have done the work you're probably a great talent.

The entertainment industry has always been about marketing because if you invest in putting something out there most people are going to do what they are told and take it all in. Sadly, there are so many artists out there who are true talents but for some reason don't get the financial backing that other artists get. So with that being said, I will take the time to discuss a drummer who I believe should be getting more praise for his drumming and that is Jason Rullo of the band Symphony X. 

A few years ago someone recommended the band to me because they knew that I like progressive rock and am always looking for something new and exciting. Then someone let me borrow a DVD of the Gigantour tour and to my surprise Symphony X was one of the featured bands on that tour so I went straight to the chapter section and loaded the first track by this band that I had been wanting to check out. That was when I heard the song "Inferno" and was totally stunned. 

"Inferno", from The Odyssey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzmZtXDI22M

At first I was taken by the entire band and wanted to hear more of what they had. That led me to You Tube and before I knew it I as on my way to Zia Records here in Tucson and went straight for the Metal section to find any Symphony X album but hopefully one with the track "Inferno" because I really liked that song. Sadly, the album The Odyssey, which features that track was not available so I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy anything just yet because I wanted to check out more of their songs before buying any other album.  

Then one of the salesman approached me and we started talking. It turned out that he was a huge Symphony X fan and then pulled out the special edition version of Iconoclast, which at that point was their latest CD.  He then said that I should buy this now and that I would not be sorry because it was absolutely amazing. Immediately I was taken by the fact that it was a double album so right away I knew there would be a lot of music on this album.  I took the salesman for his word mainly because I saw great enthusiasm for the and because I could see from what little I knew already that they were very talented and creative.

I waited for the right time to listen to it because I wanted to listen to the album in its entirety. The following day I was going for a two hour drive to Phoenix so that was the perfect opportunity for me to listen to my first Symphony X purchase. The title track blew me away with its complex structure and awesome vocal performance by Russell Allen. Then I heard track two, which is called "The End of Innocence" and I was hooked. It was both complicated yet rocked and that was when I first took notice that their drummer was a beast!

"The End of Innocence" from Iconoclast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkfdgc5vP8U

So many people talk about the talent of some of the progressive drumming greats and I would never try to take anything away from those players. But I would strongly argue that Jason Rullo belongs up there with those players because his talent is unquestioned and his band has already created a legacy of great recordings and live shows for that matter. Symphony X is not a really big group in terms of popularity so it's hard to find videos on You Tube that are professionally shot. But, I came across a great drum cam video of Jason performing the opening track on the Iconoclast tour. 

"Iconoclast" drum cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gcdeXnL4Oc


One look at that video and I could see that Jason is extremely smooth around the kit while also doing some awesome orchestrations with all of the great sounds available to him. The song itself is very complex melodically and Jason does a great job in doubling these very difficult parts. One could only imagine how talented and focused one would have to be in order to nail this song each and every night, which is reason enough to include Jason in the pantheon of the great progressive drummers.

Aside from being able to handle complex parts Jason is also great when it comes to pocket playing. Of course progressive bands are known to insert their little bits of cleverness in just about anything they write but it's nice to see them lay down some nice to grooves from time to time. This is best demonstrated in the song "Wicked" off the record The Odyssey.

"Wicked" from The Odyssey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HPaZ7qNeDk


And let's not forget that when you add metal to the fold that you have to expect a lot of double bass to one's drumming since it is typical to double a lot of the riff with the bass drum. One of my favorite tracks that shows Rullo's amazing double bass playing is the song "Heretic."

"Heretic" from Iconoclast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuGhVCCZpUs


Symphony X is also great at creating songs that have a lot of feeling. My personal favorite is "Accolade II" because it has such a deep meaning for me personally. This song features not only some solid drumming but fills that really support the emotion from Allen's vocal performance. I think it's brilliant because it is still very complex but doesn't interrupt the flow of emotion I feel when I am on the journey that only this song can take me on.

"Accolade II" from The Odyssey:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kb8SVgbzgM


I currently don't have every Symphony X album but I am working on completing my collection. The newest album titled Underworld is awesome and I know the rest that are missing from my collection will be just as awesome. I am also anxious to hear the rest of Jason's recorded work because he is a true talent and I hope to see both the band and their drummer receive the accolade that I think they properly deserve.


Carlos Solorzano
@csolorzano18
https://www.reverbnation.com/carlossolorzano

Five Facts That No One Wants to Admit About KISS

Being a KISS fan and a person who likes a good heart to heart discussion I must admit that I really enjoy the podcast called Three Sides of the Coin because these guys are not just KISS fans talking about their favorite band but also guys who aren't afraid to tackle the issues that most KISS fans prefer to avoid. They have taken heat over the years for what they have said about every member of KISS but I do appreciate the fact that they do not back off or water down their opinions for the sake of getting along with others who truly don't know what they are talking about.

I have sat there for hours listening to their show with the guys making be laugh and at times saying things that gave me an "A-HA" moment when they throw out thoughts and ideas that make perfect sense. Meanwhile, there are other media moguls who claim to be unbiased about their perceptions of KISS who then make statements that show absolute allegiance to certain former members who are obviously their friends.

In my case, I love KISS and have loved them for so long that they feel like a part of my family. Their influence on my musical development is without question while their songs have also provided the soundtrack to my life. So with that being said I speak highly of them but have also criticized a lot of what they have done, just like a member of my family. I am not afraid to offer my affection for their music as well as each member of the band or rip them apart for breaking my heart or doing something stupid. In other words, this goes deeper than blood.

With being said, this blog is kind of like a fantasy if you will. If I were to have the privilege of being on one episode of Three Sides of the Coin this would be the topic I would want to discuss. Do you hear me guys?! You never know...

So for those who listen to the show imagine that all of the intros, announcements and house cleaning bits have been completed. Then one of the guys states that it's now time to tackle today's topic with our special guest Carlos Solorzano. Then I announce that today's topic is the Five Facts That No One Wants to Admit About KISS. That's also when I immediately say that "they suck" is not allowed to be included in this discussion because this is for KISS fans only. If that doesn't apply to you then take a hike. 

Here we go...


1) Destroyer is Overrated

All of the classic KISS albums are great but for some reason Destroyer is treated like a crown jewel when in fact it's an average album. Yes, it has many classic songs that have been mainstays on the band's live set but it also has some trash like "Great Expectations" and "Sweet Pain" that showed how much cocaine Wunderkind producer Bob Ezrin must have been using at that time. 

The album is also very stiff, which of course comes with working with a producer who is also a tyrant. Of course there are all of the criticisms we hear about certain members of the band not being able to perform to Ezrin's expectations but I just don't buy it. If Peter Criss' timing was so bad why did he do such an amazing job on previous albums? Did this now seasoned professional drummer suddenly forget how to play his instrument? If Ace Frehley's solos weren't good enough how did he come up with such great solos on the first three albums along with the other classic tracks that appeared on later albums? It's obvious that Ezrin was just a dictator who was more concerned about having things done his way rather than doing what great producers really do by creating an environment that allows an artist perform thrive. One listen to Peter and Ace on "Calling Dr. Love" or "Shock Me" and you can hear the type of environment producer Eddie Kramer helped create for the band, which is why everything he ever did with the band came out great. 

Then there is Ezrin's signature horrible drum sound, which of course is something he is consistent with as the drums continued to lack any teeth on the later albums that he produced for the band (Music From the Elder & Revenge). Imagine hearing "Detroit, Rock City" with the drum sound on Rock and Roll Over. Imagine hearing of "God of Thunder" with the drum sound on Love Gun. Imagine hearing "The Oath" with the drum sound on Creatures of the Night. Or, imagine hearing "Unholy" with the drum sound on Sonic Boom or Monster. If anything, Peter Criss should feel robbed. 

A few years back we got a hold of Destroyer: Resurrected as the album was remixed with additions and levels that we had never heard before. We also got to hear "Sweet Pain" both with Ace Frehley's solo and the solo that was on the original release of the song that was done by session guitarist Dick Wagner. Was there really a difference in what we heard? None! Again, this was just Ezrin's Napoleon complex.

Of course there are those who will bring up the success of the album who will then credit Ezrin for taking the band in a new direction. Well, when it comes to KISS it doesn't matter why something sold because it just matters that it sold (air guitar strings, anyone?). If Ezrin is going to get the credit for producing a great album then salesmen like Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will say whatever they have to say to continue to sell the product. I am not saying that it's not a good album because it is but it's not their best album and I don't think it's as great as many claim it to be. But I do have a theory as to why it is so highly regarded: it was released after their blockbuster Alive! That means it was going to sell and sell in great abundance because the buying public wanted more KISS. Period. 

It's called having momentum.


2) Paul Stanley released the Best Solo Album 

Many people claim that Ace had the best of the solo albums because his was indeed a rocker. But I would argue that the weakness of that argument is that Ace's album lacks diversity and that he had way more filler songs than Paul (Ozone, What's On Your Mind, I'm in Need of Love, and Wiped Out). Gene's album was nice in that he used the opportunity to go into a different direction but none of his songs came close to the standard of some of the KISS classics he has written before or since. Peter's album is not as bad as people claim. He loves R & B and ballads and maybe that's not the same cup of tea that rock fans want to drink from but I personally like those musical genres so I do like the Catman's album.

Paul's album has no filler songs because each of them actually stand on their own. The weakest song is probably "Move On" and that song went over well live both with KISS on the Dynasty Tour and on Paul's solo outings. Each song was strong enough to be on a KISS album so in  a lot of ways, even though many people claim that it was the solo albums that broke the band apart, I could only imagine the argument that would have occurred when someone would want to toss out any of the songs Paul released on his solo album if they were in fact offered to the band.

Paul's musicianship was spectacular as the songs allowed him to stretch himself vocally and as a guitarist. The best part though was him being able to stretch himself as a songwriter. Thanks to Paul being able to have the room to do a solo album we got to hear songs like "Ain't Quite Right," "Take Me Away (Together as One)," and "Hold Me, Touch Me (Think of me When We're Apart)," which allowed us to see another side of Paul. And, we further demonstrated his songwriting prowess on his Live to Win album years later. 

Ace's album is cool but other than "Fractured Mirror" he didn't really do anything that we hadn't heard before and sadly, he has given us more of the same over the years. Peter of course, had the most help from outside musicians so it's more of him singing songs that we know were written mostly by other people. Gene just went for broke and brought in anyone and everyone to play on his album mainly so he could play Bob Ezrin for his project.

The Starchild's solo album proved that he was and still is the musical driving force of KISS because he put out a quality album without the assistance of his band members. What would have made Gene, Peter and Ace's albums better? If their filler songs were replaced with songs written by Paul Stanley.


3) Creatures of the Night is Their Masterpiece

KISS fans love to reflect on the greatness of the albums recorded by the original lineup and they are no doubt beautiful for what they are. The first album has the hunger and drive that a band shows when it's ready to conquer the world. Hotter Than Hell has its great moments but one can easily tell that it is filled with left over songs by a band that was busy touring. Dressed to Kill has a rawness to it that is catchy but one can tell that it was rushed with songs that sound more like jams than carefully crafted pop songs. Destroyer is of course, overrated but it has better hooks than its predecessor. Rock and Roll Over is powerful and is a great record to listen to in terms of recording quality but thanks to Gene there are some throw away songs. Love Gun is a classic but again, Gene brought in some fillers to take the song quality down a bit.

Years later the band now had a focus that it probably didn't have since its first album as they had to reignite their sound in order to win back their fans. That produced the greatest album they ever produced, Creatures of the Night.

First off, they had to produce this time around in order to survive. Even though the album didn't sell as well as it should have everyone could see that KISS was back on the right track. That has of course been proven over the years since many of the songs have remained in the live set list much to the delight of the KISS Army. Second, it showcased the brilliant drumming of Eric Carr. His power and tasteful performances really propelled the album and there hasn't been a drummer who has pushed the band the way he did since his passing. Aside from that, his groove on tracks like "Saint and Sinner" was both sexy & funky while his tasteful groove and fills on "I Still Love You" helped propel the emotion from what is arguable Paul's greatest recorded vocal performance. Third, even though the album was filled with session musicians Producer Michael James Jackson along with Paul and Gene really picked the right personnel for each song to ensure that they were done right with performances that would have an everlasting impact on the listener.

Unlike other KISS albums there are no fillers on this album as each song stands on its own. From the thunder one hears on the title track to "War Machine" to the anthemic "I Love it Loud," to the great dynamics on "Rock and Roll Hell" to the thunderous movements on songs like "Danger" and "Killer." This album is indeed classic KISS!

Finally, it is sonically their greatest album by far. Previous albums like Rock and Roll Over and Love Gun are still amazing to listen to because of the genius of Eddie Kramer but Creatures of the Night easily takes the cake. Michael James Jackson deserves great praise for all that he did because he he not only pushed the band to write some great songs with some outside writers but also took these great songs and made them sound great!

What a novel idea!


4) Eric Carr was Never Fully Appreciated

It was a dream come true for Paul Caravello when he became the first replacement member of KISS. That is why so many fans lived through him. At first, we would see him everywhere as the band sought to introduce him to the world. Then Ace left the band and suddenly we only saw Paul and Gene even though fans wanted to see more of Eric Carr along with whoever was playing lead guitar for the band that year.

Eric's drumming was second to none as he was nothing short of fabulous on every album or during every live performance. Sadly, it always seemed like Paul and Gene never took him seriously as a songwriter. Meanwhile, as the eighties allowed KISS the chance to show how well they could adapt to the times while it also featured many forgetful songs. This stands out most on the Hot in the Shade album. 

It was during this time when Eric came up with the beautiful ballad called "Somebody's Waiting" that would appear posthumously on his first solo album titled Rockology. How did this beautiful song not make it on the Hot in the Shade album? One reason was because they already had one ballad for the album, which of course was the hit song "Forever." But let's be honest here. It was never unheard of, especially in the eighties, to have multiple ballads on an album so why not feature Eric's beautiful song? Did Paul and Gene really think that trash like "Read My Body" and "Love's a Slap in the Face" were better songs? No wonder Bruce Kulick said that Eric was not very happy with the band during this time period because by now he had been in the band for about a decade and he was still just the drummer. I mean, God forbid Eric could have a shining moment on the album, right? God forbid that they could have possibly made a video for Eric's song like they did for "Hard Luck Woman" back in 1976 when Peter was featured as the lead vocalist.

Meanwhile, Paul had the audacity to say in his biography that Eric had stopping talking to him all together at this time and he had no idea why. Really Paul? I'm not in the band and I could totally see why.

To add insult to what I will call an emotional injury, Eric passes away with the Revenge era beginning soon after and all of the sudden KISS is a four piece band again! Now we can turn on Headbanger's Ball and there is not just Paul and Gene being interviewed but the whole band! What? Did you think we didn't want to hear from the whole band during Eric's tenure in the band?

Then came the Reunion Tour followed by the Psycho Circus album and what do they do when Peter didn't bring in any songs worth recording? They write "I Finally Found My Way to You" just so the Catman can have a lead vocal on the album. Wow! Then as the current lineup formed and recorded new material we have them doing the same thing for Eric Singer on Sonic Boom and Monster for the same reasons. What, you didn't think the fans wanted to hear Eric Carr sing lead vocals during his time with the band? And if he didn't write songs that were good enough for the album why not write one for him instead of giving us all of those throwaway tunes? Or, maybe could have been invited to sing one of those throwaway songs. 

Sounds to me like two people owe the Caravello family and KISS fans an apology for the obvious thing that they somehow knew nothing about.


5) Their Current Lineup is The Best Ever

To be honest this is not easy for me to say but we have to state what is in fact true. I saw this version of KISS perform during the Sonic Boom and End of the Road tours and to be perfectly honest they were awesome! You can prefer other drummers and lead guitarists, specific lineups or eras, but Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer are true professionals and do not have to take a back seat to anyone. But let's stop here for a moment in order to make a public service announcement:

NEWS FLASH! To the members of the KISS Army. Please be advised that the 1970's are over and have been over for over forty years. Get over it!

With that being said, if you are a fan of the classic era and insist that the band must resurrect the classic lineup in order to be the real KISS take a look at a few uncomfortable realities: First off, Peter Criss is in his seventies and retired from the music business years ago. We thank and love him for all that he left behind but many of you needed to realize long ago that he will not return to the band due to the fact that there are too many wounds between the original members and because Peter cannot physically handle the rigors of being in KISS anymore. Second, Ace Frehley also gave us much to love and cherish including much of his early solo material but he is also not what he used to be, which is best demonstrated by the fact that this guitar hero needs now two guitarists to back him up on his solos shows. One listen to Space Invader and you can hear he is sadly done! The years of substance abuse have destroyed him and unless you are in total denial you can see that his solo career is more of a cover band than KISS, even though KISS is owned and run by the two songwriters who wrote most of the classics that they are supposedly covering. Finally, even if the four original members could still physically work together it is not going to happen. There is no way Paul and Gene are going to share their well deserved ownership of the band with Peter and Ace. With that being said, we already know that Peter and Ace never liked the idea of being sidemen even when they got paid well for doing it so the business will dictate reality more than what is physically possible. That and the reality of Paul and Gene never wanting to deal with the famous baggage that their former bandmates were known to bring to the table. 

Meanwhile, there are still members of the KISS Army who want to see things differently I ask this question: Are you are willing to hand the keys to your kingdom to someone that you don't trust? If not, then get off of Paul and Gene's back.

The band KISS is now at a point where it is celebrating their entire history and Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer are doing a great job in helping the band move forward. They play all of the material from every era with great consistency even with the eyes of the haters glaring at them. They provide Paul and Gene with a professionalism that they only had a taste of during the Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick era and everyone knows that it's an absolute blessing to work with people that do not create a hostile environment. The current KISS has no substance abuse issues and other forms of destructive behavior that they had to deal with in the seventies. There are also no Vinnie Vincent issues and none of the challenges that plagued the band during the Reunion era. This current lineup can play anything from any era in any setting so why would Paul and Gene want to work again with members who are nothing like their old self when they are currently working with musicians who have the right skill and attitude? 

Sorry folks, but unless you've actually been in a working band you have no idea what I am talking about.  The common fan only knows what they see and hear but they don't know what it's like to be in that inner circle. Yes, the fan has an emotional investment in the band but they seem to forget that the band members are also people who in fact invest more into what is actually a brand than just a music group. Therefore, they have the right to run their brand the way they see fit. If the fan doesn't like it, move on. Or you can just take out the old material and relive the good old days. 

Okay...now to Michael Brandvold, Tommy Sommers, Mark Cicchini, and Lisa Martini 



Carlos Solorzano 

https://www.desertdrummer.com/

NAMM 2016: Reflecting on a Great Weekend

This past weekend I attended the NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) Show in Anaheim, CA as a guest of Soultone Cymbals. I had not attended the show since 2009 due to my performance schedule as well as other things that always seemed to pop up so I was excited to see not only all of the great music merchandise but also how much the show has changed over the years. That and I had the chance to spend a couple of days in Southern California, which is where I grew up (not the OC, but in the Carson and the Beach Cities area baby!) so I got to see members of my family along with some old friends from my younger days. 

Endorsement Companies
To start out, it was great to see Iki Levy and everyone at the Soultone Cymbals booth, which was now on a corner of a long aisle meaning that the company was in fact growing and needed more room to display their amazing cymbals. I have been with this ten year old company now for the past eight years so it's good to see how far along it has come since I one of the earliest drummers to join the roster. I also got to meet more Soultone artists from all over the world and was just great to share our musical experiences with each other while also sharing what it was like for us to use these fine cymbals. Of course every time one of those cymbals was hit many onlookers came by to see what hype was all about and once they got a closer look they could see that it wasn't hype at all but a quality product. 

Later I got to hang out with John Eberle, Betsy Palmeri and the rest of the crew from Drum Dots. I am so proud to be part of the artist roster of this amazing company that is really in the seedling phase right now yet moving forward quickly due to the fact that they make the finest dampening product on the market today. I was more than happy to help spread the word by passing out samples to those who were interested in the product and by describing how the product works to those who wanted to learn more about it. I wore a Drum Dots shirt on my first day there and it was great to see how many people took a look a the logo on my shirt and/or stopped me to talk about this new product that they keep hearing good things about.  

I also got a chance to stop by the Silverfox Drumsticks booth and chat a bit with owner Greg Scarselletti and his crew but they were swamped most of the time so I didn't get a chance to say too much. Then I also plugged my experiences with Hansenfutz Pedals to those I had a chance to speak with even though they were not in attendance. 

Old and New Friends. 
It was nice to see Erik Truelove, Aaron Emery and other local Tucson drummers from Drum and Drummer School of Percussion. I was able to connect Erik with the people from Drum Dots, which was great as it looks like his store is about to start selling the product. Erik just raved about how good they work in the studio so it was great to connect him with John and Betsy and to tell them that they should also put him on their artist roster because he is a phenomenal drummer.  

I also ran into Aaron "AJ" Gonzalez, a local Tucson bassist who I worked with in the Tony Corrales Band and other projects. We got to hang out for a bit, share the latest in what we're doing and just talk shop and what we were up to at NAMM thisyear. I also spoke briefly to another great Tucson drummer named Chip Ritter who was real busy in the Trick Drums booth but still had time for a quick handshake. 

Later I hooked up with some old buddies from the Los Angeles music scene; guitarist Michael De Larentiis from Jak Frost and musician/recording engineer Adam Cameron. We had our usual laughs and to my surprise didn't get arrested as getting us together is usually a dangerous thing. 

The best part though was seeing my old drum teacher Greg Alban, who I hadn't seen since moving to Arizona. Greg was my second private instructor but had the greatest influence on my playing. He taught me so much about having efficient motion and working with meters yet pushed me to explore music on my own in order to develop my own ear for certain sounds. He gave me a copy of his latest CD (while I hooked him up with some Drum Dots) and it totally floored me! The music was stellar and his drumming and drum sound were just amazing. Soon I'm going to have to pick his brain to see how he achieved the sounds he got. 

In the Company of Greatness
When attending the NAMM show sometimes you get lucky enough to see some of your favorite musicians. It's usually easy when they appear for a scheduled signing so that was when I got to meet Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain. I have been a fan of his drumming now for at least 30 years and it was such an honor to finally shake his hand and tell him how much his playing has meant to me and now to my son who has been drumming for a few years now. His playing is so unique for a drummer in a heavy metal band because he has a background in so many other musical styles. If you listen carefully you can hear those influences in his playing, which is why Iron Maiden has a groove that no other metal has ever had. Nicko was so cool and funny and really appreciated everything I had to say to him. 

When I first arrived to the exhibit room I ran into Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun. Immediately I asked him if I could shake his hand because he was such an influence on my playing during my college years. I told him which songs really changed my life as a musician and how I had been a fan for so many years. He was so appreciative of my comments and thanked me for all that I said. 

Later I met Latin drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez. This man is one of the biggest influences on me in terms of showing me how to create the Desert Drummer act as his orchestrations of Latin rhythms around the drum set are astounding and most importantly, beautiful! There is no one on this planet that plays the drum set like he does and thanks to him I saw what was possible on the drum set in terms of creating what I call rhythmic harmony. I thanked him for his musical gifts and told him how much his playing has meant to me over the years. He was most gracious and then gave me a big hug. 

Later I met up with Rock legend Carmine Appice. I told him that his performance on the Paul Stanley solo song "Take Me Away (Together As One)" was still one of the most amazing tracks I had ever heard so I thanked him for that performance. He too was very gracious and then let me know he had an autobiography coming out soon with the forward being written by Paul Stanley. I thanked him and then told him that I would be all over that bad boy. 

Final Thoughts
Overall, it was a great weekend. It's always good to reconnect in person with your endorsees, to meet other manufacturers of music products, to try out new things (the Trick double pedal is the most amazing bass drum pedal I have ever played) and to see some famous faces doing their thing (Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Steve Smith, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, John "JR" Robinson, Rick Latham and many others in case you were wondering).  I am hoping to attend next year but it will depend on my performance schedule. Of course musicians know that it's never bad to have gigs so either way, it should be a great weekend this time next year. 

The best part about NAMM for me was taking the group photo with Soultone Cymbals. After yelling out "Power to the Drummers" and taking the last picture of many I said goodbye to Iki and company as I prepared for my long drive home. I thanked him for all of his support and belief in my playing and how that always meant the world to me. He then offered his pleasantries as only he can because he is such an amazing person. 

Carlos Solorzano
@csolorzano18
www.reverbnation.com/carlossolorzano

Why Are Drum Solos Boring?

Lately I've been reading a lot of interviews and reading comments on You Tube where drummers themselves say that drum solos are boring! Why is this so? What are we doing wrong? As someone who does solo drum set performances and has done so for many years now I find this to be quite disappointing because I along with many other drummers who also solo frequently know that our instrument is capable of so much if we take the time to explore its possibilities. So, here's my take on how a drummer should approach a solo.

First off, yes you are a drummer but you are also a musician! However, many drummers in my opinion make a huge mistake when it comes to their musical upbringing by only understanding the language of rhythm. In other words, even if they read music, they know nothing about music theory. They can hum the riffs of the song but they know nothing about the key of the song, the scales & modes used in the melodic sections of the song nor do they understand a thing that the other instruments are doing. Meanwhile, we revere musicians like Frank Zappa and Steve Vai who know more about drums than most drummers do yet somehow don't think that the rest of us are capable of knowing just as much about the instruments that they play. This is utter nonsense!

I am a professional drummer with endorsements and other types of recognition and I am proud of what I have accomplished thus far in my drumming career even though I am not known on an international level. However, I am just as proud of the awards & grants that I have earned for my original compositions along with the fact that many of them have been featured on various television shows around the world. This knowledge of music came first from studying music at a local community college while also learning how to play the guitar, bass guitar & piano. I was also never afraid to ask other musicians how they did various things on their instruments, which in turn ended up being an even exchange of ideas as I was also glad to show them things they wanted to know about drumming. I am a decent guitarist and adequate on the bass guitar & piano but most importantly, I can write music without the assistance of other musicians translating what I hear in my head. Perhaps some of you say that you're not interested in writing music because you just want to drum in a band. That's fine but have you not considered what this knowledge will do for your drumming? Look at drummers like Phil Collins & Billy Cobham. Both of them have been recognized as two of the best drummers on the planet and have influenced so many drummers during their amazing careers but the one thing that is not discussed enough is that much of their brilliant drumming has actually occurred in songs they have written themselves! And why are their drumming styles so unique? They speak a musical language that most drummers don't know because they also understand music from a harmonic and melodic perspective, which is something you can actually hear in their drumming and in their drum sound.

Second, don't just focus on drumming gymnastics (yes, I stole that description from American Idol judges who criticize vocal runs). When I first considered the idea of doing solo drum set work the first thing I did was study drum solos and thanks to You Tube I now had access to tons of them. I mostly wanted to see what really caught my attention and why it stood out so much. I studied big band drummers, Latin drummers, rock drummers and drummers/percussionists from world genres playing other percussion instruments and to tell you the truth, it did get kind of boring. Single stroke rolls between the snare and toms, single strokes at high speeds between the hands and feet, groupings around the kit....after while I was like, really? Come on guys! To paraphrase Gene Simmons: it's like watching someone type. Sadly, as I watched more of the recommended videos of a particular drummer I noticed that in most cases it didn't how old the videos were because they're doing almost the same exact thing! Chops, chops and more chops. And, if it's not just chops it is usually the same licks over and over.

Now don't get me wrong. Chops are good and certainly have a place when it comes to a climactic moment of a solo but five minutes of it says nothing in terms of one's musicality. This is where song structure plays a key role in what you're doing. Create some sections that are in fact recognizable to the audience and don't be afraid to repeat them the same way a verse and chorus are repeated in a great song.

While I admittedly get bored watching all of the drumming gymnastics on You Tube I didn't get bored watching performances of some of my favorite songs whether they were renditions of what a musical group has done over the years or different performances that fans from all over the world have shared from the same tour. That is because these songs are great pieces of music that really says something to the listener. Why can't the same thing come from a drum solo? After all, do we not see the same thing in solo piano and guitar pieces?

Third, consider expanding your rhythmic repertoire. Speaking for myself, I am more than burned out on hearing a jazz drummer doing his ding-ding-a-ding groove during a solo. After all, I hear it enough in the songs that they play with the rest of the band so change it up a bit. This is your solo so take the stage! Same thing with rock drummers pounding their syncopated double bass grooves when they start their solos. Change it up man! That's why there is a difference between a rhythm guitar part and a guitar solo. We have to think about how we can take such an idea to our instrument.

Personally, I like playing around with world rhythms because many of those rhythms have melodic lines in them. However, if that's not your thing then work on ideas where you can create melodies around the kit that fit your preferred musical genre and most importantly, your drumming style. Then, record yourself doing it and start piecing things together and before you know it you are ready to take it to the stage.

One of the things that encouraged me to pursue my solo drum set work was when I was asked by a rock band I was performing with to do a drum solo during a two hour set. They needed to kill some stage time since they had a limited set list so they told me to just go for a good five to ten minutes! So I figured, here's a great chance to see if what I've been experimenting with sounds good. I played a Latin based drum solo that I had been working on and it was pretty cool to see a bunch of rivet head rocker fans go crazy hearing something that wasn't a regular part of their musical playlist. It was a solo over the 3:2 Son Clave where I did a Songo groove along with some traditional African drumming patterns that were common over what is called the Kpanlogo rhythm, which is the original name of the Son Clave. It gave the groove a different feel and since I took the Kpanlogo section down dynamically helped me kick the Songo out of the gates each time I went back to that section. Then I maintained the Clave with my feet when I did some soloing before going back to the first part of the...dare I say it...drumming song! Final crash, roar of the crowd, mission accomplished.

Once that happened I knew I had something so I continued experimenting with world rhythms and have been able to create several drum set solos that I have now performed at music festivals, clubs, in master class settings and even as a featured performer at the Music Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ on multiple occasions. I have a blast every time I get these opportunities not just because I have a chance to challenge myself as a solo performer but also because I get the chance to demonstrate what I call the orchestral approach to the drum set.

Of course it's a work in progress and while I've been pretty direct with my ideas on soloing please know that this is also a regular challenge for me as well. I certainly know that there have been great solo gigs and some that could've been much better. There were times when I had some really cool phrases going on over my ostinatos and times when I focused more on drumming gymnastics because the melodic ideas just weren't coming out the right way on that particular day. That's the life of the performer but that's still no excuse, which is why I try to keep various ideas on reserve in order to ensure that my performances are as musical as possible.

Finally, approach this whole soloing thing like a songwriter. Document your ideas regardless if it's from a practice session or a live performance. Try to create your ideas in different places and for a drummer, that doesn't mean that you always have to be sitting behind your drums. When you do take advantage of being in a different room. I always like to get to a gig early because I like some quiet time before it's time to perform. Since I'm usually the first one set up that allows me to take some time to jam on some new ideas. Being in a different setting allows me to feel a little different so it's amazing how that affects my playing. If it sounds good I take out my mobile device and record it. Sometimes you don't even have to be near your drums. Some of my best ideas come from sitting with my drum machine and programming various ideas to see how they sound when I add other parts. If it sounds good then I know it's something worth pursuing. 

In conclusion, I know I have some strong opinions about drum solos but that's only because I really love my instrument and want to help my drumming colleagues see more to the art of soloing.  I get great inspiration from drummers who are not afraid to break ground because they excite me about what can be done with the instrument. For me a drum solo is more than just trading fours and eights in a band setting. In most cases that's what they are giving us while we give them all the time they need to express themselves. What's up with that? I don't need someone else to create the framework for me to express myself. This is my solo so why don't you go off and have a drink or talk to that pretty lady in the front row. Then again, in their defense, maybe the other musicians have also grown tired of drumming gymnastics and prefer to see the set move forward with a better flow.

You're probably not going not going to make a living playing drum solos because our job in a group setting is to lay down the groove. That's okay because I like doing that, too because it doesn't matter what kind of music one plays as long as it's music that they enjoy. But as an artist, there are no limits. I'm always ready to create music whether it's on the drum set or on another instrument. However, nothing feels better for me than to take my instrument of choice to show the world just how amazing it really is. 

Carlos Solórzano
@csolorzano18    IG: desertdrummer
www.reverbnation.com/carlossolorzano