The new normal?

As a drummer and a drum coach, I prepare a new video for my YouTube channel each week. This week’s video talks about how purposely applying constraints to our playing, such as reducing the number of elements we use, actually inspires creativity.

This notion applies far beyond the sphere of drum set playing. Constraints breed creation and new opportunities.

Some of the greatest achievements of mankind have been created when we have needed to adapt to the limited resources we have available. We get productive, and we find solutions to immediate problems. Out of this transpires creation and opportunity. The opportunity that we developed out of immediate necessity is subsequently put into good use in the future when times become easier.

One such situation can be found in the way that we have all recently had to adapt to online lessons, and online interaction in general. The constraints placed upon us in recent times have transformed what was natural for some, an option for those who are willing, and in some cases, completely unthinkable for others, into a necessity for almost all of us.

With a few teething problems ironed out relatively quickly, online lessons have seen great success here at MLC Marseille. Drum lessons, guitar lessons, bass lessons, vocal lessons, and our weekly theory classes have all continued uninterrupted during lockdown thanks to all of us becoming more productive, more creative and finding solutions.

Is this the new normal?

Well us musicians are a social bunch when it all comes to the crunch, so I strongly suspect that when this is all behind us, we will once again be overjoyed to get back together, in the same room, face to face, to continue learning musical instruments that were designed to be played to a live audience. That’s what we’re all about.

However, doors have been opened and opportunities have been created using this newly adopted technology. Both online customers and service providers have become aware of the potential, and have consequently improved user experience.

Let’s make sure we embrace this potential for what it is. Online lessons instead of face to face lessons is not the new normal. But in the face of recent constraints, our resilience born out of our love for music has created and nurtured an additional opportunity in the form of improved online interaction for all of us. In the future, we can use that new opportunity to bring music performance and music education to even more people without sacrificing our love of the social element that our art form is based upon.

THAT can be the new normal.

Another way to inspire creativity on the drum set