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Fran Merante Student - Tom Geisler - Instinctual Drumming

2,751 views · Published 7 December 2008 · 4:48 · Indexed 8 November 2026

Channel: funky2714 · 2008 · Music

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One of the greatest lessons I learned as a drummer was learning how NOT to get in the way of my musical instincts. Or another way to say that would be to NOT let my head get in the way of my hands. We program ourselves with all of these "drumming exercises" and when we sit to play a tune, all too often we are thinking about where and how we can force these exercises or "cool licks" upon the music. It is NOT OFTEN ENOUGH that we allow the music to take us where it wants to go and react to it instinctively. We need to let what we know be pulled out of us by the music and not force upon the music what we think is going to make US sound good rather than make the song sound good. Using a tune from the Dave Weckl Ultimate Play Along Package Level 1 Volume 2, Tom's focus for this lesson was to LISTEN and react accordingly.  Notice with this approach how he plays through the solo section completely reacting to the intensity of the soloist and supporting the soloist, never getting in his way. Tom still had his moments to pull off some nice licks but these licks were pulled from him by the music and not forced on the music and as a result, his licks never got in the way and were always in a great spot. You will also notice that even during the verses and choruses, he always let the melody be in the forefront and focused on the feel and groove rather than how many notes and drums and cymbals he could fit into the groove. JOB WELL DONE TOM!!!

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