Soloing, part 3: Musicality

You hit a taiko, you make music. Hooray! So what kind of music do you want to make?

There is a time when one is new to taiko where just staying on tempo is hard enough! It's a learning period most have to go through. But let's assume you're past that - because even if you're not, you probably will be at some point!

If you think of your solo as a conversation with the listener, then I want to ask you, "what do you want to say?" There are a couple of things that are harder for me to listen to:

• Striking the drum whenever the urge hits. It's like saying whatever comes to mind as soon as it comes up: "I like ice cream but my favorite band is oh look a watermelon! what time are we leaving for my shoes are gray."
• No repetition. Without patterns, the listener has a harder time finding something to identify with. Even with some cool riffs, when nothing comes back to familiar ground, it soon becomes a giant blur of notes.

So when you're practicing your solos, try thinking of these:

• Consider the song. You wouldn't want smooth jazz at a rap concert, right? Are you being fierce during a festival piece? Are you playing a lot of notes in every song you solo in? Realize the meaning behind each piece you play and understand the feel of it. Also, doing the same solo in every song limits your growth.
  
• Saying a lot with a few notes. Playing only a few notes makes you be purposeful, deliberate, and the audience will want to know when you're going to strike next. It's especially effective when used with movements that "milk" and fill up the space between notes.
• Repetition! It's worth saying that repetition can be a powerful tool for an audience. Most people like being able to recognize where you are in your solo, and by repeating a pattern or a sequence, those "a ha" moments happen.
• Sing your solo in your head. This might cut down on "striking whenever." In fact, if you have the chance, sing it out loud while you practice - if you're worried about your fellow players thinking you're weird, tell them I told you to try it. :)
• Tones. This doesn't only apply to more than one drum - think of the tones that you have available. Instead of thinking, "oh I have another surface to strike", think "what kinds of textures can I create with more than one tone?"

Finally, there are things you can do outside of practice to enhance your musical skills. Some you probably do already:

• Listen to more music! Don't just listen to what you know you like. Take a chance in genres you don't normally venture into. Try typing things like "Heavy Metal Classical" or "Crazy Percussion" into YouTube. If you stay within what's comfortable to you, you'll miss out on a lot of things that can spark new ideas.
• Analyze other soloists you like. Why do you like what they do? Is it their phrasing? How they syncopate? Is it the "message" they play? How can you incorporate those elements and make them your own?
• Skill drills. Try some of these:

1. Give yourself a limited number of notes - say, 4 per measure. Where will you place them?
2. Play as many notes as you can - but how do you make it interesting and not lose tempo?
3. Play with only one hand - lose the other bachi and see what new ideas come out.

Ultimately, what sounds good to other people is subjective, but you should consider what it is that you're giving to them. You can't please all ears, but by being aware of what you're playing, you become a better artist. Plus, it's a lot more fun! :)