Music Is An Old Way of Life

[Tommie Hoffman]

Percussion is the oldest form of music known to man. From the historic
drum of the human heart to the archaic animal pelt drums of our
ancestors, the primal beat of the drum stirs something ancient within
our souls which can urge us on to dance, groove, or psyche us up to
perform extraordinary feats.
The most prehistoric use of rhythm was to send our ancestors into a
trance in order to procure a vision or reach a state of poetical flow
to deliver stories of tribal lore and tales of life and to communicate
over long distances between tribes. Not much has changed over the
ages.
Although beats are now heard behind more modern and complicated
instruments and covered with sonic production qualities from recording
studios they have still maintained the same basic qualities and serve
the same basic functions, to put us into a trance and achieve a
poetical flow and to communicate over long distances. The poetical
flow now takes the form of rap or singing, and the tales of life and
"tribal lore" forms the lyrics. Long distance communication involves
sending CD's over the world. But at the beating heart of the matter
it's still the same as it was in the jungle.
So how can you use this information to create beats of your own?
Well keep in mind the basic fact that the beat is used to create a
mood and feeling in the listener which will convey the emotion of the
musicians.
The art of percussion is the art of manipulating time.
The rhythm of life is a powerful beat! Basically what you are trying
to communicate through a beat is little pieces of transmitted life. As
such, you have to capture life within you so that you can transmit it
out through your music.
The only way to do this is to get out there! Experience life! Get
yourself into as many situations as you can. Note how you feel,
observe the beating of your heart when you are excited, when you are
sad, when you are scared, when you are relaxed and happy.
Great musicians have the ability to create these same feelings in
their listeners through their music.
Take your time!
As a percussionist you form the back bone of the song. As such, the
soul that you put into your beat is going to radiate throughout the
whole song.
If the same vibe is flowing through all the musicians the music will
come out flowing and naturally. If there are disparate clashes of ego
throughout the band perhaps it is time to regroup. Strongly opposite
emotions are like to create clash within the music. Although sometimes
this clash is the basis for the greatest music!
Basically the soundest advice is to put soul and life into your beats.
These aspects radiate universally throughout the music into peoples
hearts no matter what your level of technicality is.

Make Beats on Computer Fast and Easy: http://www.sonicapro.tk/

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