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I’d been struggling to put something into words until I saw an instragram post from Matt a couple of weeks ago.
Here’s the gist: Matt had just helped a friend “PR” (personal record) in the weight-room. As you do, he began drawing drum analogies.
“There's power in being consistent and making slow progress,” he said.
“It feels like you might not be moving forward because you're just doing the same set of things and just doing a little more of them. But in the background, quietly, that strength is building.”
Then, the crux: “I'm always…almost holding myself back a step [and] holding myself …accountable for for quality, not just quantity. Not just hitting some number of BPM.”
And there it was.
One of the most common questions people ask me is “when should I increase the BPM?”
And it’s not that the answer is “never”.
Indeed, there are specific instances in which you should be practicing things at a range of tempos. Or when you’ve mastered something enough slowly, and you can increase the bpm a little.
I guess the point is where you put “adding speed” on the priority list. And it’s way down the priority list. Below touch, subdivision, idea flow, unisions, and comfort with the idioms. (“Feeling natural”, as Matt puts it.)
It’s below being able to do everything you do comfortably in the practice room with a camera rolling, or a teacher watching. Or onstage.
I’ve told students “I’d rather you become an absolute ninja at groove, improvisation, and flow at 85 bpm or below”, then, and only then, start to increase the tempo.
But I’ve often worried if I was out on a limb for this. Maybe we should be pushing for speed earlier on the checklist.
That’s why I found Matt’s instagram post strangely reassuring. “Here’s at least someone else - and one of the most respected modern drummers out there - saying he holds himself back, and values quality over quantity.”
Hope you enjoy this interrogation of Matt’s musings.