Mike Alba's Muscle Memory Workout Program (Module 2)

MADP Module 2, Batch 3: From left-right: Weng Saavedra, Lawrence Alba, Master Michael Alba, Ed Catalan, and Anthony Dio

Michael Alba's Muscle Memory Workout Program Module 1, which I took up and finished late 2010, has been significant to my drumming and musicianship, as Filipino drumming master Mike Alba have shown me and my peers the right path to a much better drumming performance (as documented on my Module 1 testimony, posted a year and a half ago).  Like I said, this was among the best investments I've ever made for my drumming.  Everything I learned here, I will be carrying with me all throughout my drumming life and my professional career as a working musician.

A couple of months ago, I just finished the Module 2 Program, which took every drumming and musical aspect notches higher and further challenged our drumming, in terms of technique, performance & creativity.  The way I see it, Module 2 is a super-sized version of Module 1, which pushed me and my peers to our limits.  In no particular order...

Module 2 pushed me to become a more well-rounded and versatile drummer.  Various musical styles were covered, from hard rock to smooth-swinging jazz, from pop to contemporary fusion, from funk to improvisational, odd-metered, and world music-inspired pieces...  There's always something to be learned from every genre, and all these greatly helped us in understanding and appreciating different styles.  Versatility is an important factor in becoming an effective musician especially in a session/mainstream setting.  So learning various styles do pay off.  Plus Sir Mike's selection of tasteful yet challenging play-along pieces are worth reviewing.

Module 2 simulates real-life career situations, and it pushed me to manage my time and practice habits.  Every Module 2 homework consists of at least 3 challenging play-along tracks and a couple of creativity exercises which challenged us to create our own original parts.  So it was also an exercise on time management, as we juggled our woodshedding hours with our nightly gigs, day jobs, school, quality time with loved ones, and whatever routine or schedule we're going through our everyday lives.  And with how Sir Mike gave out our assignments, he's like a musical director handing out the pieces we needed to play, and we only had a few days to nail down everything!  So it was like a real-life session scene, where we're expected to be on top of our game, learn new materials fast and effectively, and be able to come out with drum parts which will work for the music.

Module 2 pushed me to work harder on my sight reading.  For me, the Module 2 Applied Sight Reading (ASR) Exercises are like Module 1 ASR Exercises, but on steroids!  With its various mixes of notes, rests, and figures (in particular, plenty of triplets, sixteenths and thirty-second notes, and don't forget the infamous fermata), these are guaranteed to be incredibly challenging, even for drummers who are already used to sight reading.  But once mastered, or at least be able to go through it, it will greatly help with our sight reading skills, plus our speed, endurance, articulation, and dynamics.  Well, I'm still not the fastest sight reader, but thanks to the Module 2 ASR exercises (plus the more challenging play-along charts), my reading skills improved.

Module 2 pushed me to review my drumming techniques.  From the way I hit a snare drum backbeat to the style of footwork I use for my bass drum technique, Sir Mike showed us the right way to proper technique in order for us to play better and execute our parts more convincingly.  Like I said about Module 1, Sir Mike's still the Quality Control guy in Module 2.  Besides showing us and reminding us about the proper hand and foot techniques, he still made sure that our execution is a musical statement.  The dynamics, the proper volume, the effective way to hit every drum and cymbal...  Sir Mike wants us not only to play better, but also to sound better.

Module 2 pushed me to further respect and appreciate the drumming gods.  It's not that I do not revere the likes of Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, John Robinson, David Garibaldi, Will Kennedy, Vinnie Colaiuta, and all these amazing drummers (I love and worship them all!).  In Module 2, we learned how to play their classic drum parts correctly and with conviction.  So our respect, admiration, and fascination for these legends grew deeper.

Module 2 pushed me to become more creative.  With the thousands of amazing drum licks and chops already invented and played over the years, are we still capable of creating a new, original drum part?  The answer is YES, and Sir Mike's system made our creative juices flow, as we orchestrated our original fill-ins during the Module 2 sessions.  Plus, whether we love soloing or not (I don't consider myself a good drum soloist, and I often dread playing drum solos), there were several activities in Module 2 which challenged us to perform effective drum solos, which should still be a musical statement instead of just scattered pieces of notes, chops, and licks.

I can go on and talk more about Module 2.  But of course, I don't want to give away too much information (for the sake of future Module 2 students).  The bottom line is, Module 2 is big boy stuff. It will push you hard.  It will challenge you.  It will inspire you.  And it can even frustrate you (in a constructive way).  But at the end of the day, as long as you persevere, remain patient, and work hard on practicing and honing your craft, going through Module 2 is a very rewarding experience.

Thank you very much Michael Alba for being a wonderful and inspiring mentor.  You did it again, Sir Mike!  You are a blessing to me and my peers.  Thank you for your passion, generosity and positive spirit.  To my Module 2 Batch 3 classmates - Lawrence Nolan, Weng Saavedra, and Ed Catalan: It was an amazing Module 2 adventure with you guys.  Thanks for the friendship and support!  To Doc Jigs Asinas, Module 2 Batch 3 misses you!  To Kent Pedraja of KNR Studio in Cubao, Quezon City, thank you very much for the excellent venue for our graduation day and drumshed session!  To fellow Mike Alba Drum Program graduates Ruben Tecson, Christian Enriquez, Nigel Norris, and Otep Conception, thank you very much for all the help, brotherhood, enthusiasm and laughter during our Module 2 Graduation Day!

Best wishes to all our drumming and musical endeavors!  God bless Mike Alba Drum Program!

Photos courtesy of Ruben Tecson (copyright; posted with permission).

Mike Alba's Muscle Memory Workout Program (Module 1)

From L-R: Anthony Dio, Lawrence Nolan, Dr. Jigs Asinas, Paulo Garganta, Dom Banguis, & Sir Michael Alba.

The last six weeks have been very significant in my drumming and musical life.  I enrolled at Module 1 of Muscle Memory Workout Program of Michael Alba, one of the best drummers in the Philippines.  I just finished the program last Tuesday, and I have to say, this is among the best investments I've ever made for my drumming.  Everything I learned here, I will be carrying with me all throughout my drumming life and my professional career as a working musician.

Prior to enrolling in this program, my need for improving my drumming has grown greatly & I've been yearning for some musical inspiration.  I always see myself as an endless apprentice to the art of drumming, and I always wanted to grow and develop as an artist & take my craft to the next level.  And specifically, I also needed to improve my technique.  Just when I was searching for some education and inspiration, Mike Alba and his Muscle Memory Workout Program came in.  It was a blessing & a matter of right timing.

Batch 2.

What is the Muscle Memory Workout Program?  It is a 10-session drum curriculum designed by Mike Alba.  One session is two and a half hours long.  The workshop consists of five students per batch (five, because it's the most number of drummers Sir Mike can accommodate in his home studio in Quezon City).  The main topics covered in this drum workshop include endurance exercises, workout exercises on groove and rudiments, applied sight reading, music dictation, and developing drum charts and musical roadmaps.

I don't want to give away too much information regarding what was covered throughout Mike Alba's program (for the sake of Sir Mike's future students).  But here's what I can share.  Everything I learned in Mike Alba's program is totally practical and useful to me as a working pro.  Though I still need to continuously practice the exercises and sharpen my technique and note-reading, I instantly felt a huge difference in my playing.  In fact, just after Day 1 of the 10-day program, I can already feel and hear the difference.  And it's cool that my bandmates even noticed it.  On one gig, they were like, "Hey, there's something new here!", and "I can hear those sixteenth notes much better now!"  I'm still a work in progress, but I sure owe it to Sir Mike.

Mike Alba's modified Virgil Donati workout indeed does wonders to a drummer's hands.  Like Sir Mike, this has already become part of my pre-performance or pre-practice warm-up routine.  Sir Mike recommends that we do it at least once a day.  We can do it twice a day, and we'll get much better.   And we can do it three times a day, and we'll become invincible!  As long as this becomes part of our daily drumming routine, the results are guaranteed.  It's a great muscle memory workout for the fingers, hands, wrists, and arms, and it's a great help for our endurance, control, technique, dynamics, and articulation.

I'm already quite familiar with some of the most commonly used rudiments, such as singles, doubles, and paradiddles.  But when Sir Mike presented us his workout on rudiments, it was an added dimension for me.  First, since the rudiments were on paper, it was also a sight reading exercise, so it's a muscle memory workout for the eye.  And second, Sir Mike focused on some of the rudiments which are commonly applied on the drumkit, and he also shared some interesting ideas on how we can integrate it with our grooves and fills.  With practice and patience, these rudiments can serve as additional vocabulary in our drumming arsenal.

Admittedly, I'm a slow sight reader, and the last time I actually sight-read drum charts on a regular basis was way back during my college days with the DLSU Pops Orchestra.  Sir Mike's applied sight reading exercises are a huge help.  For me, it was like a review and a rediscovery.  This also serves as a coordination workout between the eyes and the limbs.  The sight reading pieces were written by Sir Mike, and in the program, it is played on the snare drum or practice pad.  One cool thing about this is he used some of the most commonly used figures on session work, such as eighth, sixteenth and triplet note combinations.  So this serves as another muscle memory workout for the eyes.  Sir Mike also encourages us to be melodic by trying to sing these figures & play it around the drumkit instead of just on the snare drum or pad.  Again, these can be used as additional tools in our drumming vocabulary.  Plus, Sir Mike helped me in becoming more confident with my reading skills.

My favorite part of the class is what I like to call the groove session.  This is where we listen to songs (for the program, Sir Mike has selected a repertoire of actual recordings coming from different styles and eras), then develop musical roadmaps, write drum charts, and play along to those recordings on the drumkit.  For me, this is the most musical part of the class.  Though it's my favorite part, it can be the most grueling.  Our assignments of charting the songs, learning it, and playing along with it is not as simple as it sounds.  Several songs may seem simple to play, but it's not as easy as it sounds.  Sir Mike wants to make sure that we nail it right, for these are valuable skills required for session work.  For me, these exercises also serve as training tools for our listening skills, our attention to detail, our musicality, and our discipline.  As a pro, I've been covering songs for years.  But now, Sir Mike's methods help me enhance these skills, which are essential for pro drummers who do session work or in pop/mainstream settings.  The groove sessions also taught us and reminded us of the value of respecting the music, plus we get to further appreciate the great drummers who played on the recordings.

Every class ends with a Drumometer session, where each of us plays on a pad with a gadget that records the number of single strokes we play in one minute.  At first, I wasn't really interested in developing my speed to extreme levels.  But what I appreciate about the Drumometer is it's a great practice tool that can monitor our progress.  And it's not only about speed.  It also puts a great deal on control, endurance, and technique, which are factors in developing greater speed.  And hence, the Drumometer can be tool that can help our hands become much better.

Other than the specific activities and lessons I mentioned, there are plenty more things that we have learned from Sir Mike.  Finally, I learned how to play the brushes effectively (which is one of the favorite things I've learned from Sir Mike, since brushes have been a long mystery and frustration of mine).  I also learned a few new tricks and licks around the drumkit.  It's also cool that Sir Mike is very observant of our playing, whether on the drumkit or on a practice pad.  Sir Mike is a patient and a very motivating mentor.  He also makes it a point to correct our bad habits, and he does it in a professional and constructive manner.  In my case, I've already adjusted some of my bad habits, and I'm still in the process of strengthening my left hand and my technique.  Even if the program's over, it's still a continuous learning process.  Mike Alba's program sure makes us spend more quality time on the woodshed.

I admit, it can be quite intimidating to play along to a track in the presence of one of the best drummers in the Philippines observing you nearby.  But he's a really cool teacher, and he's very easy to get along with.  There were moments too when Sir Mike gets to share his stories, such as his experiences as a pro, as a student at the Los Angeles Music Academy, and some of the famous drummers he met.  Even all these talks and his sharing of knowledge and wisdom are inspiring.

One factor that I appreciate regarding Sir Mike's program is the fact that he is very particular with quality.  We may have all the technique in the world.  But if it doesn't sound musical and if it doesn't feel great, it won't matter at all.  Sir Mike is like a quality control guy.  He wants to make sure that we're not just technically solid, but we'll also be sounding and feeling great too.  And quality means a lot on session work, which I realized and learned later on.  It seems that Sir Mike's program is highly geared towards drummers who are in the session scene or in a mainstream setting.  Hence, his program is highly recommended for drummers who aspire to have a fruitful career towards that direction.  Though it's not limited to that; anybody who simply wants to improve or enhance their skills will greatly benefit with Sir Mike's program.

Another thing I appreciate so much in Mike Alba's program is the fact that we are a class of five students.  Most drum lessons (or any other musical instrument) are traditionally one-on-one sessions.  What's great about having classmates is first, it's great to meet new friends and extend the drumming camaraderie.  Second, I get to appreciate my classmates' drumming.  We may have similarities and differences in regards to musical backgrounds, preferences & tastes, among many things.  We have our strengths and weaknesses as well.  But it's cool that we are all on the same boat.  Each of us still wants to push on and improve with our craft, which is why we're studying with Mike Alba.  It's also understood that being in a class is not about competition, which takes us to my next point.  Third, we get to gauge each other in terms of improvement.  It's like for example, when I notice my classmates already improving on their rudiments or sight reading or their Donati workout routine, I tell myself, "I better catch up!"  It's like a subconscious way of encouraging myself.  And on the other end, if some classmates are catching up or having some difficulty, the rest of us would express our encouragement.  It's not about outdoing each other.  To be in Mike Alba's classes is a brotherhood, where my respect and admiration for each of my classmates have grown as the sessions passed.

The apprentice & the master.

Our graduation day last Tuesday, December 7, was the icing on the cake.  At the final day of the program, we played our individual applied sight-reading pieces, grooved along to our special graduation day play-along track, and had a final music dictation test.  It's also cool that after all that, Sir Mike handed each of us a special Certificate of Completion.  We had a pot luck feast afterwards, and I even got to blow a candle on a chocolate cake, since it was my birthday a couple of days earlier.  And of course, during our merienda, it was more drum and music talk & sharing.  Ah, the drumming community!

Thank you very much, Sir Mike Alba.  You're a blessing to all of us.  Just when I needed improvement and inspiration, you came along like an answered prayer.  You're an awesome world-class musician and an inspiring mentor, and I'll always cherish the times spent & all the lessons I learned from you.  Continue to be an inspiration to me and to everyone.  And to my Batch 2 classmates --- Lawrence Nolan (my seatmate & our Drumometer king), Paulo Garganta (all the way from Batangas; thanks again for the coffee & all the talk on the road), Dom Banguis ("speak softly; carry a BIG stick" --- wow those are HUGE warm-up drumsticks!), and Dr. Jigs Asinas (the heavy metal guy & the most "well-compensated" among us; one of the most humble and down-to-earth dudes I've ever met) --- it's my pleasure to meet you and be classmates with you guys.  I admire and respect all of you, and studying & learning is a blast when it's spent with good people like you.  Great drumming!  Cheers to Sir Mike!  Cheers to all of us!

And so, that's all for Module 1.  Module 2, which will be set sometime next year, is in the works.  And the work in progress goes on...

*Photos courtesy of Sir Mike Alba & Dr. Jigs Asinas.