How am I practicing with two injured elbows? HINT – I have other limbs I can work with. Come hang out with me in the studio while I share my practice routine. What are YOU practicing these days?
Read moreCatherine Barnes
Drums and Comedy
What I’m Practicing While Injured
Playing-Related Injury Strikes Again!
I was feeling so happy after my band rehearsal last Saturday. Then I woke up in the wee hours of Sunday morning with intense elbow pain. Yoga helped in this case, but sometimes it doesn’t. If you’re a musician struggling with a playing-related injury, you are not alone! What kinds of solutions have been helpful for YOU?
Read moreDisorganized Drummer WIN…and next challenge
I did it! I finally brought my drums in from the car! But as I celebrated, I noticed that I’ve got another maintenance project ahead of me…and this one is a real doozy. How do YOU tackle big, scary projects that require a lot of patience, organization, and planning?
Read moreI Left My Drums in the Car for Three Weeks!
The disorganized drummer strikes again! I left my drums in the car for three weeks before rehearsing with my band on Saturday. Here’s what happened.
Read moreBeing Sexy is a Lot of Work!
Here’s a teaser for my chair dance in my solo show, “Yes, No, Maybe So.” While working on this dance with choreographer Pamela Najera, I discovered that being sexy is DIFFICULT! Is it as difficult for men to be pleasing to women as it is for women to be pleasing to men?
Read moreLies My Teacher Told Me
When I was studying music in college, a conductor gave us some advice about being a musician in “the real world.” I’ve spent years thinking about whether or not I agree with it; here’s my verdict. What’s the worst advice YOU’VE gotten from a teacher?
Read moreHow I Learned to Finish Songs
Despite years of musical training, I failed to write a song until I was in my mid-twenties, and after that, I still struggled to complete songs…until a friend gave me this advice. What helps YOU to finish songs (or other creative projects)?
Read moreNew Song – Be Like You
What better way to fix a crummy day than to come home, play some pandeiro, and sing a wistful song about the need to prove oneself to a mentor? Here’s “Be Like You,” a song from the EP I just can’t seem to finish. How does the need to prove show up in your life?
Read moreDisorganized Drummer
Executive function is the ability to plan and organize, and as a neurodiverse person, I totally suck at it! I “vlog” from my car today to share with you a particularly embarrassing instance of drummer executive DYSfunction. Is this a struggle for you, too? Tell me about it…you’re not alone!
Read moreLet the Haitians in!
I spent the summer of 2011 in Haiti, and it’s an important place to me. Today I share some resources for educating yourself about how the U.S. has caused harm in Haiti as well as some steps to take action against the deportations. There’s no excuse for what’s been going on at our Southern border – let the Haitians in!
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