Blog

Make Something Different

Make Something Different

by Todd Meehan
But these patterns and routines rarely create something extraordinary. They speak only to the status quo. And maybe they produce a really great version of the status quo, maybe even a slightly better version than your friends and neighbors...but that's not why we're here.
Gratefully Discontent

Gratefully Discontent

by Todd Meehan
Questioning what you do isn't the same as hating what you do. In fact I think it means the opposite. I think it means that you care enough about what you do that you want to consider it deeply, intentionally, thoroughly.
Drums and Drones

Drums and Drones

by Guest Contributor
Drummer Brian Chase goes 'inside the the sound of a drum' with his Drums and Drones project. His guest blog post for Liquidrum gives an inside look at his creative process.
The Practice Room — Part 2: Implementation

The Practice Room — Part 2: Implementation

by Todd Meehan
But those initial moments just before the practice session commences often end up being the beginning of nothing more than a mindless routine, one you've been doing every day for who knows how many years, and one that doesn't produce the rich results we desire from our practice sessions. You're on a precipice and your decisions in that moment set the tone for what can either be a productive or unproductive slice of your day.
The Practice Room — Part 1: Planning

The Practice Room — Part 1: Planning

by Todd Meehan
And while we might think we're knocking the planning stage out of the park, most of us are probably just working off of vague ideas that swim around in our heads — nondescript, non-definitive, and therefore non-actionable. In the end, this non-approach produces something that is, well, unproductive. Or at least less productive than it could be.
Stacked and Suffocating—The Dark Side of Hustle and Grind in a Creative Life

Stacked and Suffocating—The Dark Side of Hustle and Grind in a Creative Life

by Todd Meehan
This is the world we live in as musicians and it isn't healthy. It's stifling, it's harmful, it's too much. And those of us who teach perpetuate the cycle with our students. We manage to be both a victim of our own professional existence while at the same time a culprit, or at the very least an accomplice, in the abuses waged against those studying with us.
College Auditions — Some Thoughts From the Other Side

College Auditions — Some Thoughts From the Other Side

by Todd Meehan
Ever wonder what the college, university, or conservatory professor is thinking when you audition? Check out some behind the scenes thoughts on the process.
Your Hands Are The Least Interesting Thing About You

Your Hands Are The Least Interesting Thing About You

by Todd Meehan
A couple of weeks ago an idea flashed into my brain one morning as I ate my cereal — wouldn't it be fun to put together some sort of "fast hands" c...
Concert Honesty: Life To This Point

Concert Honesty: Life To This Point

by Guest Contributor
By Josh Quillen I fail.  A lot.  It’s been the only real consistent thing in my life.  Just a constant series of trials and errors.  Oh lord and sw...
15 (or so) Questions with Josh Jones - Principal Percussionist, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

15 (or so) Questions with Josh Jones - Principal Percussionist, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

by Todd Meehan
The internet and social media can do some pretty incredible things, especially in terms of enabling connections between people and ideas that might...
Create Unapologetically. Hum in the Shower.

Create Unapologetically. Hum in the Shower.

by Guest Contributor
By Joshua Merritt I write words for a living, not music, but in many ways the gigs are the same. We both obsess over rhythm and cadence.  We care i...
Learn Your Instrument, Not Just Pieces — Part 2

Learn Your Instrument, Not Just Pieces — Part 2

by Todd Meehan
This post is offered as a follow up to my earlier post entitled “Learn Your Instrument, Not Just Pieces”. In my initial article I did what we often...