[DRUM SET] Paul Wertico - Drum philosophy [2009, DVD5, ENG] (Видеоурок)

Alfred Publishing Artist Series Paul Wertico Drum Philosophy
Like many of you, as a student of the instrument I would emphasize the need to sit down and view Paul Wertico’s Drum Philosophy DVD in its entirety. Not only will you enjoy this DVD, I can assure you that you will find Paul’s insights invaluable with respect to playing the drum set in a true musical and melodic sense. Also, thanks to Alfred Publishing for their ongoing commitment to the types of instructional gems such as the one we have here in Drum Philosophy.
If you’re not old enough or just haven’t been fortunate enough to experience Paul Wertico, here is some background…
In the early 1980’s, Paul Wertico became the drummer for the legendary Pat Metheny Group, and while with them, earned an unbelievable seven Grammy Awards which included Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, and Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
After leaving the Pat Metheny Group in 2001, Paul co-led the critically acclaimed trio, Spontaneous Combustion and Earwax Control, of which a performance can be seen on the Drum Philosophy DVD. Paul also still performs with his closest mates, themselves renowned musical legends (Laurence Hobgood – Keyboards, John Moulder – Guitar, Eric Hochberg – Bass in the Paul Wertico Trio.
These are the musicians on the performing on the DVD; and they also share their thoughts on Paul Wertico’s musicality. (see Paul’s website @ paulwertico.com for a much more comprehensive anthology of his experience and the many albums to his credit.
These days, Paul Wertico is as busy as ever since recently receiving a full time appointment as Assistant Professor and Head of Jazz Studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Back to Paul Wertico Drum Philosophy… Teaching comes naturally to Paul, his calmness while explaining his musical philosophies seems to complement the looseness and tension free feel that he displays on the drum kit. His approach to drums is to produce tonal and melodic musicality; much like an artist creates layers of colors, one over the other that ultimately creates the desired feel.
Paul Wertico also has the most developed sense of hearing the music that I’ve ever observed; and he offers some great advice on the overall sound of your kit. He also explains his ability to remove himself from the song which is very important because we must always remember that being a professional musician is not all about self-indulgence, but about the listener’s perception.
In Drum Philosophy, Wertico spends ample time explaining how each performance piece was created and the type of feel he was going for. He spends quite a bit of time discussing the importance of every part of the song and what it is trying to convey. In other words, there should be no wasting of musical moments. The chapters include:
Stick Technique to get the sound you are looking for (check out Paul’s recommendation on using knitting needles instead of sticks in situations to bring out additional tones which is demonstrated in Time Impulse)
Melody on playing to the melody; which cuts right down to the type of musicality that can be achieved on the drum set.
Ghost Notes where Paul shows how he uses them to enhance overall tone and dynamics, especially on the cymbals to enhance greater speed.
Drummer advice where Paul offers solid tips on practice, and an explanation of as to how the notion of time and feel are really quite different. This also leads into a stunning performance called Time Impulse, which is a freestyle frenzy which exemplifies his ability to dig deep within and play off each of the other musicians.
Great performances with subsequent explanations & breakdowns of original tunes such as The Smuggler, Cowboys and Africans, which all the while demonstrate Paul Wertico’s philosophy of musicality, movement and melodic expression.
Paul Wertico Drum Philosophy offers a framework to playing the instrument not just as a drummer, but as a true musician. I highly recommend this DVD as it really does represent what I would consider a fresh approach to the drums from the perspective of pure musicality.
Lastly, to those graduating high school this year or next, and are considering numerous musical programs to further their education, I would strongly suggest adding to your list the Jazz Studies Program with Paul Wertico at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.