Wednesday April 25th, 2007

Rachels recital was tonight. It went fine. I think i'm just to tired from everything to really enjoy it right now. I'm ready for things to slow down for a bit. Relax a little. So I think for the next week or so i'm just gonna take a break from playing for a bit and just relax. Father don't let me get used to it, but let me just rest until the appointed time that I am to go back at it. Amen.

Tuesday April 24th, 2007

I actually took today off. Tomorrow is rachels recital at CP, and i'm just honestly kind of tired from it all, so yes. I think a break is well in order.

Saturday April 21st, 2007

Yay for rehearsal and recital in the same day! I'm so thankful though, really, for Rachels hearing to be today. I think its going ot be good, and were going to get through it, and then i'll move on to play at the next thing. Its crazy how you just start to think about it like a job - play here, move on and play at the next thing, then so on and etc.

Wes

Thursday April 19th, 2007

Just late night practice again. Probably rehearsed for about 3 hours today. Intense man. Intense

Wednesday April 18th, 2007

Non stop practice this week it looks like. I'm getting ot the point of playing where I'm going to be ready to take a short break from it after all of this is over. Pray about what i've learned and see where the Lord wants to direct me in all of this. I'm excited about my future.

Tuesday April 17th, 2007

Time flies so fast when you're busy. When you are always going and never stop to look at the things around you. I wonder what i'm missing. I think the Lord is growing me up a lot through this though. Its good. I'm excited to see the end result.

Monday April 16th, 2007

The end of the year is drawing near. All the recitals are within sight of being finished. I've never felt so overworked in all my life. It's good though, I feel like i've grown a lot. I've learned A TON about playing back and letting the other musicians take the front. Its hard though - I really like playing passionately in worship, but I wonder how it effects other peoples worship experience. Something to pray about I suppose.

Thursday April 12th, 2007

No new stuff to work on from lessons - we havent really had a lesson in a while just because of scheduling stuff, but I've been practicing in my own time working on rudiments and still practicing a lot so its good. Awesome.

Wednesday April 11th, 2007

Just good ole practice today. Working on some more technique stuff - i can see myself coming along its good.

Tuesday April 10th, 2007

Worked out on the practice pad today. I'm so stiff. Its taking a really long time to get warmed up everytime. I think i'm just over working myself or something, or maybe my body is just getting used ot the idea of playing so much - it is definitely more than usual. Its good though - i can see myself improving. My feel of groove is really growing as well. awesome.

Monday April 9th, 2007

Have been seeing improvement in my feet - but i've been noticing some unusual wrist pain. Wondering if its from playing too much? Or just from playing to much with wrong technique? I'm not sure its totally possible to practice to much, but it does have me curious. Oh well, just trying to warm up well and stuff to present it.

Saturday April 7th, 2007

yay back to back rehearsals. haha i tell you. rehearsal all afternoon, then church saturday night, then again on sundar morning, this is awesome!

Thursday April 5th, 2007

Just more practice today. I'm really focusing on foot technique right now - i've really noticed myself over playing when I can't hear my bassdrum, and I don't want that to be the case. I want to be able to keep consistant technique without overplaying. It'll come.

Wednesday April 4th, 2007

Oh glorious day. nothing like 3 and 4 hour rehearsals a night. This is pretty much going to be my life for a while I think. Its good though, it gets me behind the kit a lot and I can see improvement in myself and in my foot technique which is good. I can see myself improving, and though I'm really tired and stressed out right now, I'm still excited about getting to play so much. Sometimes band rehearsal is more fun than spending an hour alone in the practice room. But yes. Awesome.

I dropped my stick.

I played on performance seminar today - felt really good about it thought i was doing a good job, then right on the end man.. dropped my stick. haha. I got back up and finished my piece - the last few bars of it. I didn't let it kill me, I just laughed about it, haha, haha man good times. I thanked God for it when I sat down - haha just keeps me humble. It was good though, over all I think it went well though. Awesome.

Wes

April 2nd 2007

Practice today was scary. My arms were really tense, and I was having trouble playing the end of my piece - it really freaked me out. I went outside for about an hour and a half and just worked out on my practice pad to try and work out hte soreness and the tensness - it took a very long time but I think I finally worked it out. I then played my solo again and it went much better - just still kind of nervous about tomorrow - but I think Ill do fine.

Wes

Saturday March 31st 2007

Practiced today mainly just on the solo - had rehearsal for several hours for someones senior recital - it really took it out of me man, haha. It was good though - I'm praying that it goes well for us on Tuesday.

Friday March 30th 2007

Short practice today, just working through the solo. Trying to keep it fresh for Tuesday. Got a lot of rehearsals for different senior recitals - I way over committed myself - I really hope I never do this again.

Thursday March 29th 2007

Played my solo for Dave today in my lesson - He really encouraged me a lot - he felt better about it than I did, haha. I'm gonna keep at it - things are getting really busy right now and I'm fearful for my ability to really keep up with everything and to do well on top of all the other things htat have to be done - but alas, God is faithful and He will get me through.

Wednesday March 28th 2007

Again just working on the solo, have to show it to Dave. I'm really excited about it - the end is a little shaky and I'm just realy hoping to get it together before Tuesday.

Tuesday March 27th 2007

So today in practice I just mostly worked on my solo - its really come together. The accented 8ths excercises are coming along better as well - just working on being able to accent better with my left hand. The 52 is good, steady at 200 bpm and climbing. Awesome!

Monday March 26th 2007

Todays practice is one of the most disciplined practice times i've had in a long time - definitely an answer to prayer. I think the time crunch in my life is probably whats motivating me to really get down to business and to really not goof off so much in my practice times.

Im having trouble with the accented 8ths on the kit, my right hand lead stuff is fine, but the left hand lead doubles stuff is really killing me because i'm having trouble control the dynamics correctly. Its something i'm working on, hopefully by the grace of God it will come together quickly.

wes

Sunday March 25th 2007

Practice wasnt so hot today - I think i'm just to stressed out currently - I kept at it though, I hope it pays off in the end. I feel like i did the worst on my solo that I have since i started it - thats probably not true but its how I feel. Father help me to do well with this stuff and to get through it - these next few weeks are going to be incredibly trying I know. Help me to lean on your strength.

Wes

Saturday March 24th 2007

Practice today was really fun.
Admittedly I didnt really work on the stuff I should have mostly, but I just had a good time playing drums - and I think you need that every now and again. The impending business of the rest of my semester though does have me freaked out - im' not sure how i'm ever going ot get through it. God be with me as I try to get everything done.

Wes

Monday April 23rd, 2007

Shane recital was today. Good times. I really enjoyed playing with him. I really just tried to lay back and let him take it. It was a blast, and i had so much fun playing in that. I think, I hope there will be oppurtunities for us to play together more in the future. He's a blast to play with.

Thursday March 22nd 2007

Lesson today went really well I thought - I feel like I was finally really prepared for a lesson - lol, I don't usualyl feel prepared for most of mine. Dave helped me understand the rhythms i wasnt getting in my solo, and they make sene in my head now. Hes got me working on the accented 8ths exercises with added bass drum rhythms in it as well - its mentally challenging more than anyhting, I like it.

Awesome

Wednesday March 21st 2007

Practice today was good, just warmed up with the 52 at 200, I can really see a noticable improvement in my speed and agility - awesome! Worked on my solo, I can pretty well get through it all the way through with the exceptions of a few parts that are still hanging me up. Everything else seems to be coming together pretty nicely - Awesome!

Tuesday March 20th 2007

Practice tonight was alright. My right arm started hurting when I was doing the 52, don't know what thats about. I worked briefly on the rest of my stuff, i've gotta be up at 5 in the morning and I need some rest. God have mercy on me, and help me to make up for it tomorrow some how.

Wes

Monday March 19th 2007

Practice tonight was good.

I spent time warming up with the 52 at 200 bpm. then went through the accented 8ths at 150 then 180 bpm, then started working on putting them on the kit at 150bpm. After that I worked on my latin solo for performance seminar, having some trouble spots but hopefully i'll have it worked out by thursday. awesome! God is good.

Wes

Friday March 16th 2007

School was open today!

Right on time too, it was cold outside today.

I can't believe how much better control of my hands I feel like I have - practice went really well. I really was getting a lot done on my solo, and I'm getting really close to working the whole way throuhg it right now - how exciting!

Wes

Thursday March 15th 2007

School closed again today. sigh.

Never the less though, I got back out with my snare and practiced away. I spent some of the time goofing off and working on stuff tha tprobably won't ever prove useful, haha, but it was fun!

Wednesday March 14th 2007

School was closed again today.

Thats kind of aggrevating, but I just practiced for a couple hours out in the lot again. I'm really getting better at the accented 8ths exercise - I was pushing it up to aorund 185 today - my left hand traditional style is having a hard time pulling off the accents at faster speeds, but hopefully I'll get it together soon.

Saturday April 14th, 2007

Rehearsal again, followed by playing at centerpoint. I've never rehearsed so much in my life.

Tuesday March 13th 2007

Practiced out in the 'lot' again today. School was locked so I couldn't get inside to practice on a kit. Just worked on the accented 8ths some more - I'm finally starting to get it - i've got it worked up to 150bpm right now, and hopefully faster than that soon. Spent a couple hours out in the lot today, and it was a great practice time.

Monday March 12th 2007

Practiced in the parking lot today! It was the first beautiful day that we've had in a very long time so I took my snare drum outside and probably practiced for about 2.5 hours! I worked on the accented 8ths routines and some other hand exercises - some of hte most fun ive had playing in a very very long time.

Friday March 9th 2007

Worked on my Solo today, doing better with it - excited to see where it is at the end of Spring break. Working on accented 8ths, still have no clue - its a struggle for me right now, but Im going to keep at it. Awesome.

Thursday March 8th 2007

Lesson today was good, Dave gave me a lot of cool stuff to work on over spring break - this exercise Accented 8ths is really challenging me mentally and control-wise as well, I'm intimidated but also excited to have something that really challenges me like this. I hope that spring break will be a really good time to practice.

wes

Wednesday March 7th 2007

Practice time today was productive I feel, just working on the stuff dave has me doing right now - not doing so hot on the solo, I really need to spend more time on it more than anything, but everything else is coming along pretty well.

Wes

Tuesday March 6th 2007

Blah. I feel absolutely horrible. Tonights practice may or may not have been productive. I didn't practice an hour.. i feel horrible.

I ran through my solo a few times, did the 52 match grip, though i did see some improvement, and then called it a night. I need to rest or i'm not going ot make it through the rest of the week.

Wes

Monday March 5th 2007

Im quickly learning how poor my technique with my left hand match grip is. Trying to do the 52 match is near impossible at this point.. its very frustrating. The temptation is to go traditional since i know I can do it, but I have ot fight that urge.

The solo is comin along alright, just having to figure out the rhythms measure by measure.

Wes

Sunday March 4th 2007

Practice today was rough.

I was doing the 52 exercise with my left hand match, and i quickly realized how much my left hand still totally sucks. So thats frustrating, and I guess just something Im' going to have to really work at getting up to par.

As for the solo, its coming along pretty well I feel. Its challenging my reading chops which is good, but frustrating at times also.

Awesome.

Wes

Saturday March 3rd 2007

Todays practice was a lot of fun. I started getting really tired toward the end though - i think its probably because of the diet.

I'm working on a lot of new cool foot stuff, trying to find new ways to do the interdepence stuff to take a one step farther, so thats pretty awesome.

Working on Latin fantasy, its coming by practice and persistance, so .. yay! lol

Wes

Monday February 19th 2007

Practice tonight was ...well... it consisted mostly of a single pattern played over and over again until it made since in my brain. I think i've finally got it though!! WOO HOO!!! haha. Now lets just see if i can put 8ths and 16ths over it and keep it together - that is for tomorrows practice!

Wes

P.s. - God rocks.

Thursday February 15th, 2007

I actually got in some practice time today, twice. I usually don't get to practice at all on thursdays, what with the show and all. Its good times.

I've been getting in multiple practices a day a lot the past few days, its been really good, and I've just been having a good time playing drums. Good stuff. I really see myself improving every time I sit down behind the kit - its just such a cool thing, and God is being so faithful in blessing my practice times.

Wes

Wednesday, February 14th 2007

so practice today was just kinda ..bleh.

You know, one of those days where you really just are only practicing because you have too, not because you want too. Yeah.. that was my today.

Things didn't go as well in the studio as I had hoped.. Everything sounded really good in practice, but then I just didn't feel like I was pulling it off in the studio. I had this really awesome groove worked up and everything.. I'm just not sure its going to sound good on the final recording. Sigh. Hard days come I guess - I suppose this is just part of it and something I need to learn/experience on my own.

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

Wes

Monday February 12th 2007

Practice today was awesome.

I got to practice over lunch which was cool so my evening was freed up - awesome.

I'm really enjoying the stuff i'm working on right now. The duple feel stuff still just isn't setting in my mind - but its getting better all the time. The 4-way book is coming along too. The wilcoxson stuff in general is going good. I'm really going leaps and bounds with that stuff. It just makes sense in my mind mostly...cept the duple feel stuff. lol

I'm really impressed at how much easier this stuff seems to be coming after having taken a week off from it. I'm really debating trying to take weeks off from it from time to time that i can do so without it effecting me academically - just, you know, retreating with the Lord for a week and not worrying about trying to become the best drummer ever or anything like that. Its just awesome to see God blessing what I'm doing, and its soo very encouraging.

Awesome

Sunday February 11th 2007

Practice tonight was awesome.
Its been a long time since i've practiced - what with retreat and all. I decided to basically take the week off, with a spontaneous jam session in there somewhere between thursday and saturday.

I was really excited about playing again, and about getting back to work on the things that I have been working on. Its awesome to be behind the kit again. God is really blessing me a lot in my playing.

Awesome
Wes

Wednesday January 31st 2007

Practice tonight was highly productive - thank you Jesus. (seriously, not in the blasphemy way)

I just really asked that He would make this time really productive, and He really did. I feel that given the way I feel tonight, and with how tired I am, I got A LOT done which is awesome. I still don't feel 100% about my lesson tomorrow, but I feel better knowing I've gotten a chance to go through all of my stuff.

Awesome.

Tuesday January 30th 2007

Practice tonight was concise.

I really just, on such a tight schedule tonight, had no choice but to really get in here, work on my rep, and get out. Its amazing how much work you can get done when you have too - lol. It was good though, ti really kept me from digressing into playing heat, which is good and has been a struggle for me - so praise the Father for blessing me with attentiveness in my practice time. Awesome.

Wes

Monday January 29th 2007

Practice today was cool. I actually had a chance to jump in the drum room for a bit before ensemble practice today which was pretty cool.

I worked through all of my stuff today. The duple feel bass drum pattern is cool, and its fun, i'm just really having to work on not letting it turn into 8th notes, but still keeping that 3 feel.

The 4-way stuff was better today - i didn't let myself get brain fried like before, and it seemed to come along a little better. So awesome.

Wes

Thursday January 25th 2007

So practice tonight was phenomenal!!

I came up with a really awesome solo idea, just some really cool grooves and fills. I'd really like to write my next solo for performance seminar, I think I could really do something great and very cool to play as well as listen too. Practice tonight was just a blast, it really really was. Hopin me and Dave can work out an agreement in my lesson tomorrow, lol.

Wes

Wednesday January 24th 2007

Practice tonight was really cool!

I worked some on the latin fantasy solo, but honestly, I'm just not enjoying it. I mean its cool and all, but it just doesn't really inspire me very much, lol.

But while working on the wilcoxson stuff I came across a really cool groove that I really hope to be able to develop into something cool, and work up to something usuable.

Practice is cool, and I can really see myself improving. Thank you lord, I know you have been blessing my practice times.

Wes

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007

Practice again was really good tonight.

I've basically surrendered to not working in the 4-way coordination book for the moment. Its just frustrated me to the point of just leaving it alone for a while.

I'm enjoying hte wilcoxson book a lot at the moment, and I feel like i'm making good progress.

Thats all for now.

Wes

Monday, January 22nd 2007

Tonights practice wasn't as productive as I would have liked.

I guess my rep is coming along nicely all things considered, but I'm just realy having a hard time concentrating. Like i'll work on something, and then just, i don't know, its like it just digresses down in to playing heat. This is a big point of frustration for me right now.

Pray for me that my practice times would be more productive, and that I could concentrate more.

Wes

Sunday Jan. 21st 2007

Practice tonight was fun and good.
Finally getting the more advanced 6/8 pattern, which is very exciting. It sooooo hard.

I'm working on the latin solo - thats a challenge too - im glad i'm being stretched. Its awesome.

I practiced for about an hour and a half or so. Just really a good time. I feel like the Lord is really blessing my practice times. ITs awesome.

Wes

Monday, January 15th, 2007

Man practice was a blast today!! I can't believe how fast my hands are getting! I'm pulling off stuff that I once only dreamed about - its so very exciting, and God is totally blessing my practice time.

I began in teh wilcoxson book again today, and i went through all of the 6/8 solos that are in the beginning of the book with relative ease, its really coming easily for me. I still can't do the more complicated 6/8 groove, but after i nail this i'm going to start working on it.

the 4 way book is still a challenge for me, i'm not even past the second page yet, lol. I'll get it though, it'll come together for me I know it.

aWESome.

Wes

Sunday, January 14th, 2007

I practiced today for a little over an hour in the drum room - and i wil say its probably the most fun playin Ive had in a while. My hands are getting so fast, and controlled. I'm really developing alot of dexterity and ease of motion around the kit at faster speeds. A lot of my rudiment work is really starting to come together for me now while i'm trying ot apply it to the drumset.

I began working on teh Wilcoxson stuff today, the simple 3 beat, dum chic chic, is coming pretty easily to me, but the dum chicdumchic thing i just can't play over yet. I worked some in the 4 way book as well, but man, this stuff is really really kicking my butt - i think with enough practice i'll be able to get through it, but right now its kind of discouraging.

Wes