From the Editor’s Desk
I’ve started a video series in conjunction with Memphis Drum Shop; “Five Minute Lessons with George Lawrence”. Each video is a five minute or so lesson on how to play a groove, a fill, a rudiment, a pattern, etc. The concept came from drummers asking me “How did you play that ?”, referring to some short lick I played, and how I showed it to them. These are on the MemphisDrumShop.com site with links to YouTube, and on this NSMD website and DrumSellers.com. I initially shot eight of them which are being posted every Saturday, and shop owner Jim Pettit says we are going to do more with not particular stopping point. These are mostly intermediate level lessons but I will be shooting some beginner and advanced videos too.
I have to tell you that I have never liked how I looked or how my voice sounded on videos. I got nervous. I have never had stage fright, never been nervous talking about drumming to a hall full of drummers, never minded being video’d while playing a gig, but if you put me in front of a camera with no audience I got anxious. Well after shooting these first eight videos and realizing that I was just talking about what I do when I teach private lessons, I rather liked what I saw (except that I needed to lose weight – and I did – ten pounds). I’m not going to be nervous when shooting these videos anymore. It helps that the guys in the recording studio at the drum shop are such pros. The videos have gotten a lot of views and a lot of response from viewers. I’m hoping that they will help sell my books that I’ve written. More on that later.