Tips for Playing the Steel Drums
Part of the Video Series How to Play Steel Pan Drums in a Band
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Video Transcript
Tips for Playing the Steel Drums
Hi. I'm Alan Lightner with Expert Village. We're talking about playing steel pans and fitting into various musical ensembles or situations. We've talked about playing like a drummer, thinking like a drummer, thinking rhythmically, trying to get a lot out of not a whole lot of notes, trying to adjust the rhythm. By the same token, you have to remember, especially for those of us that are playing drums that are coming from playing drum set only, or drums only, that you have to remember to think melodically also. Remember that even though you're playing with sticks, you have to make sure you're thinking melodically, thinking about the notes as opposed to the attack. For those of us that are thinking rhythmically, and this, this may apply to some people and it doesn't apply to others. A lot of people that don't start out on this instrument and, for instance, they're a flute player and then they become a steel drummer, they're already thinking melodically. They need to work on thinking rhythmically. A lot of people start out playing just rhythms and, and then get all of these notes. You've got to really open your mind and think melodically. Think melodically. Try not to, in some ways, rely only on the rhythm. Thinking about expanding, thinking about the melodies, thinking about the song, thinking about being lyrical, thinking about somebody singing what you're playing. It just has something to do with the approach and I think will help you to become a better steel drummer in general. And by doing that, you'll fit much better into any musical group situation that you find yourself in.
Hi. I'm Alan Lightner with Expert Village. We're talking about playing steel pans and fitting into various musical ensembles or situations. We've talked about playing like a drummer, thinking like a drummer, thinking rhythmically, trying to get a lot out of not a whole lot of notes, trying to adjust the rhythm. By the same token, you have to remember, especially for those of us that are playing drums that are coming from playing drum set only, or drums only, that you have to remember to think melodically also. Remember that even though you're playing with sticks, you have to make sure you're thinking melodically, thinking about the notes as opposed to the attack. For those of us that are thinking rhythmically, and this, this may apply to some people and it doesn't apply to others. A lot of people that don't start out on this instrument and, for instance, they're a flute player and then they become a steel drummer, they're already thinking melodically. They need to work on thinking rhythmically. A lot of people start out playing just rhythms and, and then get all of these notes. You've got to really open your mind and think melodically. Think melodically. Try not to, in some ways, rely only on the rhythm. Thinking about expanding, thinking about the melodies, thinking about the song, thinking about being lyrical, thinking about somebody singing what you're playing. It just has something to do with the approach and I think will help you to become a better steel drummer in general. And by doing that, you'll fit much better into any musical group situation that you find yourself in.
About the Expert
Expert: Alan Mark Lightner is a master faculty member at the East Bay Center for Performing Arts where he served as the director of the steel pans and drum set departments. Read More
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