Quotable Bob Moses

A few stand-alone quotes from Drum Wisdom by Bob Moses:

[T]ake one idea and expand it., instead of playing a lot of ideas. The greatest musicians are those who can take one idea and make the most of it.

[O]ur goal is to groove. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the only goal. Creativity is not a goal; creativity is. Everybody is creative, but not everybody grooves.

There should be a musical idea behind everything you practice, just as there should be a musical idea behind everything you play. […] Music includes melody, harmony, and rhythm. Having just the drumistic things without having the rest of music is certainly incomplete.

What types of things do I hear internally in my mind? What I think about- the internal hearing- is always the simplest possible idea.

[W]hen it gets to the second chorus and one of the lead instruments starts playing an improvised solo, I am still internally hearing the original melody and almost ignoring what the soloist is playing. Many times a drummer will try to duplicate the ideas, abstractions or extensions of the soloist, but that is not your job. Your job is to be aligned with the structure and provide a cushion for the soloist to work off.

Trying to play with the soloist is like two people trying to get into the same end of a canoe- it’s going to tip over.

Re: “independence”: Instead of playing two rhythms- one on the ride and the other on the snare drum- think and play only one rhythm. When I play, even though I have one hand on the cymbal, I’m still playing only one rhythm- not two against each other.

I believe that you should be able to sing everything you play on the drums.

I am happy to help you with any of the materials on the site, and with anything else drumming related— contact me for private lessons, online world wide, or in person in Portland, Oregon. All levels of players, and all people, are welcome.

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