selig wrote: ↑09 Apr 2024
Drumline for me was about the thrill of a large group in perfect (or close!) sync, the power of ‘many’ making the sound of ‘one’. I will admit I don’t watch drumline/drum corps videos myself, so it was more about the powerful experience for me than the actual music being presented.
It actually taught me a lot about getting in sync musically, since the level of precision is so high for percussion instruments (especially since you have multiple players playing the exact same thing). I believe my own sense of timing improved, as well as my ability to “play well with others” musically speaking because of the years I spent playing snare in a drum line.
But I hear you - for me it’s “give me Ringo, Charlie, Bonham, and Nick Mason” (and these days I’d include Matt Chamberlain for good measure).
I had a smaller-scale experience of this through samba reggae drumming (with carnival drums).
I held the caixa.
The leader taught us a lot through the experience. We delivered in schools and as part of a teambuilding initiative with practitioners. He immediately pointed out who would be the "troublemakers" and explained how team dynamics manifest in the activity (and hopefully, vice versa).
It taught me a lot of discipline and humility.
We learned to value the "simpler" instruments like triangles (I've always valued them).
But the sync was hypnotic.
When playing in live jams, I feel its influence directing how I relate with other musicians.