This goes back to getting the gigs. In this blog, you will receive tips on how to TRUMP your competition once and for all.
This also starts with preparation, which I have covered in previous blogs, but it doesn’t hurt to repeat. That’s the key, and I’m about to show you how to do it.
Tip 1. Be Ruthless even when you fail
When I got called for a gig with THE SHOTS Band, I had a few weeks to learn a bunch of songs. Keep in mind, these band leaders are paying you to provide a service, and that service is to nail the gig. The band leader had given me all the material and MP3’s I needed to learn the material.
When I was called in for rehearsal, I BOMBED the rehearsal. And to top it off, we were two days away from the gig. I had worked on the tunes a few times and thought I had them down. Holy Cow was I wrong! Of course the band leader could have canned me right then and there. Thankfully he didn’t. So what did I end up doing you might ask. I began to feel sorry for myself. Telling myself how much of a failure I was etc. YES I DID! For about Ten minutes during the drive home.
Shortly after my little sulk, I stopped being a girl and decided that I still had two days to redeem myself and kill this gig! Which is exactly what I did. I took the next two days and did nothing but go over practicing the songs on the setlists. One by one, over and over and over doing eight to twelve hour days. And wouldn’t you know it, I nailed the gig.
AND…
Tip 2. Learn the band’s entire Catalog
I went a step further during my practice sessions before the gig. I had learned the entire catalog of songs the band had on record. If you have access to the band’s catalog, learning ALL of it will put you over and above the drummer before you and after you. That I can promise you. The reason for this is mainly due to poor work ethics among musicians. If you want to be great, think great. Which involves thinking big. Napoleon Hill refers to this as “Going The Extra Mile”. Because you just might play additional songs. And incase you’re wondering…Yes, that did happen. Do yourself a favor and put the work in. Oh and by the way, I have secured the drum throne for THE SHOTS Band ever since.
Tip 3. Kick the current Drummers off the band stand!
Ok, one more story using the same logic…
Recently, I had received a call from the leader of a band called The Polish Nannies. They needed a sub for a gig. I had received three setlists, including the access I had to the website which had other songs that were not on the gig setlist. And of course I added them to the list. This gig however we did not do any additional songs during the gig. But the kicker about this particular situation is, because of my work ethic, and of which I had no knowledge of at the time, I had kicked the current drummer out of his own band. Not that I was a better drummer, but the ethic was different. You see, preparation and detail, hence “Going The Extra Mile” sets you apart from the difters. There are “Doers”, and there are “Drifters”. Drifters barely get anything done. They procrastinate till the last minute, and they never seem to put in the extra mile for whatever reason. Again, incase you’re wondering, I also secure the Drum Chair of that band as well to this day. Success leaves clues, so don’t procrastinate and learn how to be successful.
This is what we teach in our HARDCORE DRUMMERS ACADEMY
Cheers!
Zac Treby
