Working on those dang fundies

Creating Passionate Users has a wonderful set of posts going on becoming an expert (or at least letting your expertness out). How true the words "keep practicing the fundamentals."

After not shooting very often for over 7 years, it was kinda strange to get back into it. Looking at my new images, I realized that I had become a 'safe' shooter because of my uncertainty at remembering the basics. It was like a sax player trying to take a solo after not playing for a couple of years. Your brain thinks it knows what to do, but getting that information to the fingers... well...

When I was young (you were young?... ed), I was what you would call a 'natural drummer.' I took to the traps like a duck to water. My teachers were all amazed, and I went from beginner to busy jazz sideman inthree short years. And I almost never had to 'practice.' In college I began to study 'percussion' which included the very cool vibraphone and the tremendously boring tympani. I loved learning the vibes and even played them in a group, but I didn't practice the fundamentals of the tympani. Looking back I realize that they (tympani) are pretty cool and I blew it.

Now I am playing the drums again. I am no longer a 'natural' talent. I want to play as well as I can and that means I have to practice the fundamentals... stick control, paradiddles, flams, independance and more. Long, challenging practice sessions that are designed to increase independance, flexibility and control over the set. Oh, and keeping perfect time is in that mix as well. There are times when I want to just play, but I am focused on working out the kinks, getting some serious bass drum action going and then taking that to the music.

Photography got to be almost automatic to me, and now I am focused on building a body of work that has some depth, a style of seeing and a craft that remains solid, but not overt. I know what I want to see in the print, and continue to refine the ability to make that happen.

While I know that I am no Elvin Jones or Irving Penn, I know that I can be better next year than I am this year. Working steadily toward constant growth will hopefully pay off.

Creating Passionate Users: "The problem the Parelli's see in those trying to transition from skilled amateur to expert virtually always comes down to something from the fundamentals that they either never quite mastered, or that they forgot over time. So, perhaps that's one more thing the superior performers do better than the rest of us--they keep practicing the fundamentals. This fits with the notion that experts practice things that aren't necessarily fun, which can include both the things they still don't do well, AND the non-exciting basics."

Oh, and if you have some vibes you aren't using, you can stash 'em at my place.