A Philosophy of Playing Drum Kit
Magical Nexus

The author describes how playing drum kit enables him to experience transcendence through being fully present with himself and others.

Gareth Dylan Smith (Author)

9781108995023, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 6 October 2022

75 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 0.5 cm, 0.14 kg

The author is a drummer with experience in a variety of musical genres and contexts, with emphasis on rock and related styles. This auto ethnographic Element presents the author's philosophy of playing drum kit. The text explains how playing drum kit matters to this musician and may resonate with others to whom making music matters in similar ways. The Element contains audio files of music in which the author plays drum kit in the ensemble settings described. There are photos of the author's drums and of him drumming. Based on June Boyce-Tillman's non-religious model of holistic spirituality and Tim Ingold's notion of correspondences, the author describes how playing drum kit enables him to experience transcendence – the magical nexus at which Materials, Construction, Values/Culture and Expression meet. Each of these domains, and the magic derived from their combination, is illustrated through examples of the author's live and recorded musical collaborations.

1. Introduction
2. Materials
3. Construction
4. Values /culture
5. Expression
6. In closing (button)
References.

Subject Areas: Individual composers & musicians, specific bands & groups [AVH], Rock & Pop music [AVGP], Western "classical" music [AVGC]