The bases for my drum ideology.
I’m sure everyone is familiar with the inner/outer circle theory. There is you in the middle, and your family in your inner most circle. Then extended family. Lifelong friends. Work colleges. Acquaintances. The finally everyone else.
Everyone around you is a drum. Everyone is a cymbal. Everyone in your family/circle, is a major part of your "kit".
So right about now I want to explain my philosophy on relationships and life, via the only medium I know how. Drums. (and a little music) Drums are circular. They look beautiful, and when you hit them, they can make a hell of a noise. Same with people. Hit them and they make a noise as well !!!
Now bear with me while I explain the flow.
1) There is you. Little old you. Smack bang on the drum stool or Drum Throne as it is also known. You exist and all around you is everyone else. Each instrument represents a person in your existence you need to make the whole gig (your life) sound and be awesome.
2) The basics. Kick drum or Bass. The Snare drum and the Hi-Hats. Here is your inner core. Your inner circle, represented by your immediate family. You’re Mum, Dad and siblings. Now it doesn’t matter who is who, but for me I find…. my dad is the Kick. The main pulse of the family. My sister is the Snare. Sharp, consistent and sometimes annoying if not tuned right. And of cause Mum. Hi-Hats. Always there to keep the tempo, no matter what. Light & angelic, but also able to cut through the noise of everything else, and make you sit up and listen.
3) Cousins. Aunt and Uncle. Sometime even in-laws. They are to me, the next most consistent group in your life. They are not always there, or around. But it is a big group. You may not see them for ages, but they are there should you need them. Kind of like a Ride cymbal. They are used / or there, for major points in your life. Like a chorus or impact moment of a song.
4) Close Friends. These people are your go to posse. They are, after all, a reliable, regular crew, and always great for sounding out advice. And you trust them with your life. This to me is like your favorite tom or crash cymbal. The one item you always use more than the others.
5) In drumming there is different array of cymbals. There are the standards as already mentioned, but then there are what are called effects cymbals. Little Splashes and Chinese crashes and in some cases a stacker or a dark large gong. These are your work mates. Your colleagues. People who you see almost every day, but in the scheme of the song, are only lightly accenting the tune, but still add depth and character to you and the music.
6) Finally, we have acquaintances, distance friends. People you’re happy to say hello to but they never made your inner circle. The percussion and electronics. People who you rarely see ( or use) in a song, but if you really needed to fill out your song structure, then, you would be in this circle. Tambourine, cowbells, chimes or even a fx- pad
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