Issue #7___\__\__\__\__\__________/__/__/__/__/ July 97 THE TEMPO DISPATCH FREE Newsletter For Drummers and Drumming Enthusiasts Copyright Bill Powelson 1997 all rights reserved. ___/__/__/__/__/__________\__\__\__\__\___ 'IT'S ALL ABOUT DRUMS' Tips * Tricks * Hints * Ads * Freebies * Lessons * Gigs? NOW 950 SUBSCRIBERS!!! ___________________________________________________ "THE TEMPO DISPATCH" is a FREE publication *** Originating From *** BILL POWELSON'S SCHOOL OF DRUMS on the web Where the Drum Lessons are FREE! http://www.catalog.com/drummers/bphome01 E-MAIL: powelson@america.com ___________________________________________________ The focus and intent of this publication is to unite, enlighten, and entertain all the percussion enthusiasts of the Internet. If you wish to receive NO further issues, simply reply to the address at the top of this message and type "REMOVE" on the subject line or body of the message. Your address will be removed immediately. ___________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS What is in this issue? Contents: 1. Feature Article: Beating the Monster Players to that 'Dream Gig' 2. Bar Joke of the Month 3. Land of Lost URLS 4. Drumsets Wanted (Free service) 4. Advertisements ________________________________________________________ *** FEATURE ARTICLE *** For July 97 Beating the Monster Players to that 'Dream Gig' If you are a professional drummer and your current job situation is less than satisfactory, this lesson is for you. Maybe you are in a 'dead end' band going nowhere. Maybe the money you are making is too low or the quality of the music just does not meet your standards. Any number of reasons can make you want to look elsewhere for employment. What are the secrets to landing that 'Dream gig'? Defining the 'Dream gig': Before we begin, maybe we should define the so called 'Dream gig'. I am sure it means different things to different people. In short, we are talking about good money, quality music and terrific people. Your personal 'Dream gig' may be a specific job on the local level, a traveling group, a session clique or somewhere in the big leagues. The bigger the dream, the more difficult the climb (usually). Whatever your personal dream may be, the rules are essentially the same. Follow along and I will try to explain. THREE RULES: * Be the right person . . . * in the right place . . . * at the right time! We cannot get around these rules. This is what success in the music business is all about. The sad part is that lady luck may play a major part in at least some of them. However, we can focus on being the right person and once equipped with that reputation, we can only hope to manipulate the other two rules. RULE #1: First, You Must Qualify: (Be the right person) The whole thing boils down to reputation. Drummers and all musicians who strive to maintain a reputation of certain attributes seem to always excel. So, it goes without saying, if you can maintain those attributes and make them known to the right people, the climb to success will be much easier. What are these attributes? What do the best bands look for, in a drummer? * SOLID TEMPO AND PERFECT TIMING: The point is simple. Develop a reputation as a human metronome! If perfect time is synonymous with your name . . . the great gigs will follow. For useful tips on how you can greatly improve your sense of tempo and timing, see the online drum lesson, 'How To Overcome Bad Gigs, Forever'. * DEPENDABILITY: The total success of any group or band is dependant on each individual. Like a chain, one weak link can make the whole thing useless. Most successful groups are very aware of this fact and they hire accordingly. Few musicians are good enough to combine a ‘no show' reputation with success. * FLEXIBILITY: ( Or . . . YOUR ABILITY TO LISTEN WITH BOTH EARS): We all have our own musical attitudes and ideas but when you are the new kid on the block or the newest member of a band, doing things their way is usually best. Key in on your bass player, follow his lead, memorize and complement his licks. Sometimes when you are just starting with a new group, you may dislike the musical arrangements, routines and their way of doing things. Don't fight these ideas at first. Conform to the group effort, totally if possible. After you have won the total respect of the group, introducing your own ideas and changes will eventually be much easier, so be patient. This is where many of us begin to break down and fail. * TECHNIQUE: Be sure you know your note values, rolls and basic dance beat structures! Exchange ideas with other band members using terms they can understand. If they ask you to play something like 8th triplets in a certain arrangement, you should be able to do it without question. * FRIENDLY, EASYGOING NATURE: This may be the most important attribute of all. Many people compare a band with a four or five-way marriage. No band wants to hire an obstinate jerk. If you have cultivated a reputation as someone hard to get along with, the great job offers may just never become real. It is very difficult to get a group of genius musicians to even share the same room for more than five minutes, much less share the spotlight nightly. Learn to leave your ego at home if it may cost good jobs. Start doing that now and discover that the good gigs may be just around the corner. Some of the best bands are made up of 'less than genius' players who get along and work really well together. I will opt for that kind of group every time because I know that success will usually be the result. F. COMMITMENT AND LOYALTY: With most of the top flight professional bands, the replacement of a drummer is a serious and critical move. They will want to make the right decision only once and they will want to be sure of your commitment to them. They want to rest assured that you will stay in the group once they have accepted you. Again, if your previous reputation doesn't support that possibility then they will overlook your name and move to someone who will stick like glue. RULE #2: ( THE RIGHT PLACE) The right place could be anywhere in the World but if you keep your senses alerted, spotting the action is often easy before it happens, right there in your own back yard. Investigate your own locality for the band with the largest following and get to know those people if possible. Try to be on a first name basis with as many 'dream gig' band members as you can . . . and jam with them at every opportunity. If they decide they like you, your reputation and your playing; Making it to the top of their favorite drummer's list may be easier than you think. One day the regular drummer may decide to leave and you will receive a phone call. It can happen just like that! The big secret to it may be . . . RULE #3 (THE RIGHT TIME) The right time could be anytime, but just like rule #2, we can do things to increase our odds of winning. Try to remain on a first name basis with members of several bands that fall under the ‘dream gig' classification. This increases the odds that eventually, one of those jobs will open and you will be at the front of the line to grab it. ANOTHER TRICK: Forming a small brotherhood of drummers wherever you may be living is best. Get to know the key drummers, the ones with the good jobs and become best friends with them. Never hawk another drummers gig or play games of politics. Trying to shoot another drummer out of his or her position is like courting disaster. Although political games of this type can occasionally work, the result is very often less than satisfactory. Tactics such as those will usually take a toll in lost friendships and result in a spoiled or ruined reputation. You will brand yourself as a cutthroat by operating that way. The only people who want to work with a cutthroat drummer are the other cutthroat musicians. As a result you could wind up in a self-made nightmare, working with only the sleezbags and no one else. So the point here is this. Your best source of leads can often be the drummers themselves. Think about it! That rival drummer, if he likes you, is the very guy who can get you in through the back door. He will often be the first to know of upcoming changes and his own decision to leave. He will be the very one to sell your name to the rest of the group as a possible replacement and in this way you gain a friend for life and the dream gig too. That is what I would call a win-win situation. So, the harsh truth is that success is a waiting game. All we can do is build our expertise, a good reputation, good friendships and wait our own turn. Focus on the controllable factors first and the rest will take care of itself. Your chance will come when the time and place is right, if you have a reputation as being the right person. Email your comments to Bill Powelson powelson@america.com Copyright Bill Powelson 1994 all rights reserved. ________________________________________________________ |________________________________________________________| BAR JOKE OF THE MONTH A guy walks into a bar with a little yellow long-nosed, short-legged dog under his arm. "That's one ugly dog", says another patron while petting his Doberman. "Heh",says the guy, "but he's a mean little devil." "That so?", says the other patron, "I'll bet $20 my dog will whip yours in less than two minutes!" The guy agrees and they put their dogs face to face. Each gives the command to attack. In the twinkling of an eye the little yellow dog bites the Doberman in half. The Doberman's owner is crying and cussing, and screams "What kind of dog is this?" "Well" says the guy, "before I cut off his tail and painted him yellow he was an alligator." *** DRUMMER JOKE *** QUESTION: What was the last thing the drummer said before he was fired? ANS: Hey! I've got some new songs we can learn! ________________________________________________________ |________________________________________________________| *** DRUMMERS WANTED *** (FREE SERVICE) ********************** If you have knowledge of job openings anywhere in the World, let us know. Job placement announcements will always be free! _________________________________________________________ |_________________________________________________________| *** DRUMSETS WANTED *** (NEW FREE SERVICE) ********************** USED DRUM SET WANTED: (Memphis Tenn area) Preferably Pearl (white, black or silver). Cymbal quality will be a major consideration. Will pay up to $450.00 for the right drum set! Let's talk! E_MAIL: MADDOGS578@AOL.COM ________________________________________________________ |_________________*** ADVERTISEMENTS ***_________________| SPECIAL NOTICE!!! US & residents! Now you can pay by check via E-mail. Any of the drum school products or services will be on their way to you in minutes! Send an E-mail enquiry to: powelson@america.com, to get details on how to pay instantly, electronically. ----------------------------------------------------------- Place your own inexpensive ad in the Tempo Dispatch! Reach a target market of 700 avid drumming enthusiasts! (3) 80 word lines/$5.00 (US) per insertion 4th insertion FREE! ___________________________________________________ AD #1: SPECIAL!!! SPECIAL!!! SPECIAL!!! HOMESTUDY PACKAGE DEAL!!! (For Tempo Dispatch subscribers only) $30.00 US CASH, CHECK or M.O Includes *ALL* of the following . . . * The Entire Website drum course on disk (Contains 22 interactive lessons with sounds & images). * 7 individualized private E-mail drum lessons tailored to your specific needs. * E-mail Book & Biz-Op: 'Old Drums Into New Money'. * 'Information Freeway' (Biz-Op) You can make money and support the school too! $30.00 US FUNDS WILL BUY IT ALL!!! Mail check, cash or money order in US FUNDS to: Bill Powelson 107 Douglas Dr. Holly Hill, Fl. 32117 NOTE: Please include your E-mail address and mention 'DISPATCH SPECIAL', to receive this extra special offering! ___________________________________________________ AD #2: ***BEATBUG*** What is a BeatBug? The BeatBug is to drums, what your speedometer is to your automobile! Finally!!!! Visit the following URL then leave a short E-mail note asking about the BEATBUG. The BEATBUG is the miracle gadget of the 90's for all drummers! It is a high tech answer to the age old problems of tempo uncertainty. In this webpage discussion I will show you how to keep ROCK SOLID TEMPO and put an end to the tempo-wars with your band members. . .for good! Http://www.catalog.com/drummers/z.html or E-mail: powelson@america.com ___________________________________________________ AD #3 "OLD DRUMS INTO NEW MONEY" $16.00 (US) + $2.00 S&H BOOK & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: This new book is a motherload of buying and selling tips! The music dealers hate me for writing this! Turn old drumsets into fast cash and big profits! Discover how to squeeze BIG discounts from your neighborhood music store. This book contains too many secrets to mention here. Visit this quick-loading page: http://www.catalog.com/drummers/oldrums.html ___________________________________________________ AD #4: *** UNIQUE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY *** The Information Freeway $14.00 (US) $14.00 could put you into a very lucrative internet business! Take it from me, this one works! It is not a MLM! I will provide you with your own information product! You will be in business for yourself almost instantly. Learn how to do it at: http://www.catalog.com/drummers/ifreeway.html ____________________________________________________ |____________________________________________________| THE LAND OF LOST URLS 'Webpages that are buried on the bottom of the search engine dog pile.' _________________________________________________ 1. 'Nirvana' drum tabs *ARE* now available, thanks to Andrew Goddard in Australia. Check out his site at: http://www.iinet.net.au/~simnoris 2. More drum tabs may be found at . . . "Carl & Nick's Drum Tab page" at: http://members.tripod.com/~Sugarfeet/index.html Both these sites contain links to other tab pages. ________________________________________________________ |________________________________________________________| *** ANNOUNCEMENTS *** (FREE SERVICE) This is your platform! If you have a drumming related announcement to make, you can make it here, FREE! Just send an E-mail note to powelson@america.com. No Spans please! Think in terms of public service announcements. Like this . . . ___________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENT #1 *** Tempo Dispatch Archives *** If you have missed earlier issues of this newsletter, you may see/download them all online at: http://www.catalog.com/drummers/tdarc.html ___________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENT #2 TIPS! There is a huge demand for another e'zine that will focus on drumming tips & tricks from subscribers. Someone 'out there' should take up the challenge! I would add a tips section to this rag but space and time are too limited. ___________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENT #3 If you enjoy this little 'e-zine' please show your support by reading the ads and buying the products. The 'Tempo Dispatch' and free drum school will soon die without a few sales. ___________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENT #4 SPECIAL NOTICE!!! US residents! Now you can pay by check via E-mail. Any of the drum school products or services will be on their way to you in minutes! Send an E-mail enquiry to: ifrwy@mykabot.net, to get details on how to pay instantly, electronically. ____________________________________________________ END OF TEMPO DISPATCH #7 July, 97