Welcome to PaulWertico.com!
Clinic Topics:
All or most the following topics will be discussed and demonstrated by Paul in an order that fits each individual clinic situation. Please feel free to ask questions about any of the topics that are of particular interest to you.
Basic Technique:
Getting Your Hands Together
- matched grip vs. traditional grip
- placement of hands on sticks
- the fulcrum & finger placement
- shoulder relaxation & elbow placement
- the Free Stroke
- the Moeller Method
- the circle of gravity & using the correct height hand position
- using gravity & a follow-through
- tight grip vs. loose grip
- up & down stroke vs. side to side stroke
- playing into the drum & off the drum
- velocity = volume, pitch & energy
- be aware of articulation at different dynamic levels
- listening to your sound, not just imagining it
- listening for evenness in strokes
- even bounces vs. uneven bounces
- catching the bounce
- playing on pillows, etc.
- placement of sticks on drum head and when to move them around
- using overtones
- using dead strokes
- unique strokes
- stickings within stickings
- strengthening and stretching exercises
(Getting your feet together)
- your drum seat height
- your pedals' tension
BD techniques:
- heel down vs. heel up vs. full leg vs. rocking motion vs. side to side
- combining heel up and heel down
HH techniques:
- heel down vs. rocking motion vs. bouncing motion vs. side to side
- strengthening and stretching exercises
Time:
- playing from the inside out
- internalizing your pulse
- using a metronome
- imagining an invisable grid
- building off the quarter note
- subdividing
- feeling the space between notes
- visualizing up for upbeats and down for down beats
- giving full value to all strokes, big and small
- giving full value to all rests, big and small
- skeletal rhythms
- thinking slow when playing fast & vice versa
- feeling centered
- staying inside yourself & not getting too scattered
- the importance of breathing correctly
- holding your own & not getting distracted
- building up momentum
- limb coordination and how the time is effected
- limb fighting limb
- dynamics & evenness
- elastic vs. solid vs. click track vs. sequencers
- distance & accuracy
- playing with good players
- playing with the bass, the melody, the soloist
- time vs. feel
Feel:
- consistency of sound
- basic volume & accents
- where you hit the drum head, etc.
- placement of beat
- posture
- playing from the bottom up & vice versa
- little adjustments can make a big difference
- how coordination can effect feel
- relaxed vs. tense - tight vs. loose
- keeping it vital
- staying inside the music
- staying just under your capabilities
- tension & release
- 4 feel vs. 2 feel
- circular motion vs. up & down
- the right dance for the right groove
Playing Fills:
- the purpose for the fill
- making it fit
- keeping in the style
- keeping a flow
- starting and finishing a phrase
- staying in the moment
- not getting ahead of yourself
- making the fill part of the groove
- keeping the backbeat in focus
- not rushing the previous beats
- keeping the "1" in place
- thinking into the "2" etc.
- using skeletal rhythms
- using repetition
- playing over the bar line
- anchoring points
Playing Cymbals:
- why certain cymbals are good for certain situations
- different sticks for different sounds
- building on the quarter note & the basic jazz ride pattern
- breaking up the time
- the in & out elbow method
- direct & side strokes
- double flat rides
- making the hands talk to each other
- moving your hands around the cymbal for different shades
- dynamics within the phrase
- the "Drone"
- the "Gush"
- the dead stroke (with extended forefinger)
- when to and when not to change cymbals
- crashing on the "1" & other options
Playing Brushes:
- thinking in terms of grace and beauty
- different strokes - different tempos
- what part of the brush for light or heavy playing
- the left hand (how it moves in rhythm and when not to move it)
- evenness of double strokes
- my side swish
- unique strokes
Making Music:
- your part in the overall picture
- knowing the song's form
- composing a part
- telling a story
- the drums as a translator of your ideas
- disappearing into the music
- when to lead and when to follow
- playing the music vs. playing the style
- taking chances
Developing A Fluid Sound:
- always shape your phrases, using dynamics, etc.
- don't crash on the "1" to much, so that your playing doesn't sound too compartmentalized
- "hear" yourself as part of the overall music, instead of listening to yourself "on top of" the music
- don't get too ahead of the bass player, since the drums and bass should ground the music
- make the groove as "wide" as possible by really "playing" each note, don't pull your punches
- find the right stroke length for each tempo
- shape your sound by sculpting your sound using different strokes
- be aware of the end of each note, as well as the beginning
- treat silence as an equal partner by not feeling like you always have to play something
- give rests their full value
- get in and out of the music gracefully
- relax your shoulders and arms (and legs) so that they're able to move around more freely
- get into "the dance" of the tempo and music
- think and visualize sounding like a waterfall, where all sounds naturally fall into place, nothing is forced
Soloing:
- determining the purpose of the solo
- freeform vs. playing off the melody
- earthy vs. technical vs. flashy vs. the wildman
- playing & developing an idea
- using a "clave" pattern
- theme & development
- using repetition and tension & release
- utilizing dynamics
- utilizing space
- using all parts of the kit and the head
- using humor
- utilizing different sounds and instruments
- using mathematics when trading 4s, 8s, etc.
Your Goals:
- why do we play
- what do we want out of this
- your level of commitment
- know yourself
- reality vs. dreams
- being ready when opportunity calls
- jack of all trades vs. mastering one trade
- your reading ability
- your memory & comprehension level
- live vs. studio
- your private life
- branching out (producing, programming, engineering, etc.)
- business smarts
Developing a personality on your instrument:
- being true to yourself
- wild vs. reserved
- your reflexes and your body mass
- you are what you listen to
- you are what you can & can't play
- being able to keep your personality in different circumstances
- imitating vs. interpreting your favorite players' styles
- how you look when you play
Choosing Equipment:
- having the right sound for the job
- drums, cymbals, heads, sticks, etc.