After School Activities (ASAs) at OSC have been absent for nearly 2 whole years. One of my favorites was Concert Band. Just the chance to play the drums, presumably in preparation for a concert, Gala, performance, etc… , eases my anxiety and makes me feel accomplished. Recently, the really cool Aunt of my family invited me to come play at one of her jam sessions as they needed a drummer. She and a few of her friends would book a studio for a coupe of hours and just play. Not for any upcoming performance, not for any concert, just for pure fun. I instantly agreed and was eager to finally play live after so many years. The last time I played live with other musicians was in March 0f 2020, just days before we went into the first lockdown. My last live performance with other musicians was in December of 2019 for our school production of Oliver! After lockdown, I would listen to music in my room and play along to the tracks on my playlist.
Upon starting, I had some issues in keeping with the time of the song. I found this difficult as I normally play along to a song and match the speed. However, when playing live, the other musicians have to match the tempo of the drummer and when said tempo is constantly varying in speed, it can prove difficult.
IMG_2302 – Video of the author playing with the rest of the musicians. (video credits – Author’s Aunt)
Playing live after so long brought me back memories of playing in concert band as well as in Oliver! I value this experience as it made me realize the difference in playing to a song in my room, and actually playing live with other musicians. More so, I feel as this experience with playing live with other musicians helped me with further develop my skills not only as a drummer, a player and a musician overall. I look forward to my next jam session, not only to bash the drums with other players, but also hang out with my cool aunt.
LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
I realized that I am skilled in drumming genres of rock when playing along to an existing track. However, I need to practice more playing in a live band as I have trouble staying time, either speeding up or slowing down.
LO3 – Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience
I usually practice playing drums around 3 – 4 times per week, and in doing so, my coordination skill is kept to the best of my abilities.
LO5 – Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
Working with my aunt and her band has allowed me to really understand the chemistry needed for the band to play music effectively and in an enjoyable way.
