| I started life as a percussionist, and still think of it as my instrument(s). If I needed to make a living as a player it would be with percussion. My biggest strengths in percussion are drum-set and hand drums. I'm a good "toys" player as well. My mallet chops have gone to complete shit. I still have a vibraphone, but it gets played more by people who come by the house more than by me.
I can also play guitar, bass and keys. I think this is very helpful. If there's a problem within a song I can grab a guitar off the wall and quickly learn the problem section and come up with a direction to go.
I think the reason that drummer/percussionists make good engineers and producers is because we have to react to and compliment all the other instruments. When I'm playing I usually know everybody's part in my head and I pick and choose what I play along with and what I play against. I am the same way behind the console. |