When you listen to music, what is the first thing you notice?
Is it the guitar, the singing, or could it possibly be the beat?
And what is creating the beat? Drums of course.
The GCN caught up with two highly skilled and experienced local drummers on Thursday.
Larry Rose and Marcio De Brito have recently opened The Drum Pad Drumming School, in Symhurst.
The duo has a wealth of drumming experience between them, both in playing professionally and teaching, and they have taught thousands of students.
Larry has been playing professionally for about 35 years and has been teaching drumming at the National School of the Arts for approximately 17 years.
He has hit the skins for big bands like Hotline and Cinema, and is currently in the band Clint and Co.
“During most of that time I have been teaching to supplement my income,” he said.
Larry started playing the drums at the age of three and has never done anything else.
Marcio, a former pupil of Larry’s, has been teaching formally and informally for 10 years, and started drumming at the age of 14.
He is a graduate of the National School of the Arts and his professional playing career has comprised mainly freelance drumming.
He has played with Mean Mr Mustard and Lloyd Cele, as well as in theatres, and often works as a session musician.
Both drummers have all the necessary teaching qualifications and love to share their passion and skill with people wanting to learn drumming.
“We are also still students of drumming ourselves,” said Marcio.
“The more you drum, the more you see you have much more to learn.”
Larry echoed these sentiments and said that, as your level of playing gets higher, you feel that you can always play better, and this takes hard work and practise.
Larry still practices for about two hours a day, to advance his skills.
Marcio added that being a good drummer is slow progress; it is not done in leaps and bounds.
He said that becoming a good drummer also depends on how often you practise.
“If you practise for five hours one day of the week, you are wasting your time,” he explained.
“But, if you are practising every day for an hour, or even 10 minutes, you will succeed.
“You should always go into your practise sessions with a goal in mind and try to achieve something.”
Larry added that you must feel comfortable, then things will become easier.
“It is fantastic to be able to play drums and get paid for it,” Larry said.
“Drumming has taken me around the world many times.”
Marcio said that they are keen to impart their knowledge to others and “pass on the baton” so to speak.
At the drumming school their syllabus is made up of Rock School (where you have the option of doing formal examinations and getting certificates), Trinity, and the duo’s own curriculum.
They can design courses tailored-made to their students and adopt a well-balanced approach.
The school also uses good equipment to teach their students, namely Roland Electronics, Spaun drums, Zildjian cymbals and Vic Firth sticks and pads.
The school is open from Monday to Friday, in the afternoons, and on Saturday mornings.
For more information visit www.marciodebrito.com or call Larry on 082 889 1846.
