In commemoration of drumming legend Tony Williams’ birthday, we look back at his momentous career of innovation and exploration. Source: Tony Williams In Five Songs
Category: Percussion
Work On Your Rhythm: Learn to Play Guiro
In The Practice of Practice, I recommend learning the tumbao and clave patterns on conga, or learning any rhythm instrument. Here’s a lesson on playing the guiro, from Bobby Sanabria. He teaches not only how to play it, but where the patterns go in the clave pattern.
Evidence of Practice: Music for Brain and Booty
Snarky Puppy doing their amazing thing, on Jazz Night in America, hosted by Christian McBride. Great show. Check out all their episodes. Sarky Puppy’s discography.
Hang Up Your Hangups
How many thousands of hours of practice do you think are represented in the serious groove laid down by the master/monster musicians in this video?
International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert Osaka 2014
“Hang Up Your Hang Ups”
Herbie Hancock – piano
Roy Hargrove – trumpet
Kenny Garrett – saxophone
John Scofield – guitar
Sheila E – percussion
Terri Lyne Carrington – drums
Create (and Understand) Polyrhythms
One way to understand polyrhythms is to mess around with the Polyrhythm Beat Generator. Or check out these amazing videos.
The Great Udini: Renato Martins
Brazillian percussionist Renato Martins plays the udini, a smaller version of the udu, sometimes known as “water udus” (see the vid below to find out why “water” is in the title).
How to Play A Wooden Plank Like a Boss
To practice is human, to play, devine. We all practice something. The focus of this blog is music practice. In the coming months, I’ll be posting interesting videos of people making music, showing the fruits of long hours of practice. Little (or no) commentary from me. The music will, I hope, speak for itself. That’s what music does…
The Practice of Practice 