I Love Drum Machines

Two weeks ago, my favorite human on the planet, best friend, companion, confidant, and beloved wife lay injured, tied to her bunk in a pitching boat in stormy conditions. We had a broken sail, our main drive for the boat, and were at least two days away from medical help. I was stressed to say the least, wondering what the extent of the injury was, and indeed, whether my beloved would walk again.

Fast forward to today. With the help of our friend Jeff, I got the sail changed to a spare we had on board, we got a medical exam right here on the boat, moved into a flat for four days, and by and by Elisabeth has gotten better. She is walking quite upright, we rented a car and toured the island, we go for walks around the city and waterfront, and today, she took the big step and got her stand up paddleboard in the water, and together, we paddled around Irrikiriki Island. She is still delicate, but it’s all going to be fine.

So then, this allows a little discussion about drum machines and others. They are a great tool, like a metronome only more musical. They make practice less dreary. They are, however NOT for public performance. I love electronic keyboards. Indeed, I have two, a Korg Wavestation and a Roland D50. As a performance instrument, played by a PERSON with a nice touch, they are very versatile, with the many samples and synthesized sounds and timbres. Coupled with a computer, the keyboard is an amazing tool for composing. All great stuff for what they are great for.

But when the local drummer is replaced by the drum machine, or the local bass player is replaced by the computer playing the keyboard, or even when the real keyboard player is replaced by the clown with a keyboard, a computer and drum machine, I weep. At a recent anchorage, we heard the announcement that Susie, the great musician, is coming and is going to play at the local watering hole. Susie turned to have a keyboard, computer and drum machine. It was like Susie was singing Kareoke, but without the nice instrumentation and arrangement of the original Motown. The keyboard can do only so much. But, ok, at worst, it was boring.

The really sad story is that here in the islands of Vanuatu, Fiji, Bora Bora, we have looked for and failed to find the local musicians playing their drums, ukuleles, etc. What we are finding is the guy with the keyboard, the computer, and the drum machine. This substitutes for a band. Worse yet, it is now the means by which local Traditional dancing is done, except in the really remote villages where the dancers still rely on the boom box and a CD of a drummer probably long past.

I should name two quite notable exceptions. In Niafu, Tonga, the local dancers danced to a live band. We bought their CD. The band had a banjo, a single string home made bass, two guitars, a ukulele, and everyone sang. It was wonderful.

In Vuda Point on Sundays, a band, a real electric R&B band with two guitars, a bass, drummer (beloved real drummer) and a keyboard player, no computer would play all day for about six hours. They were amazing, super arrangements, song selection, great vocals, keyboard, guitar, and bass solos. It was all there and really special.

So.last night, the local waterfront bar had their Friday night music. It was lots of really nice island type songs, a little reggae, rock and roll, etc. But, it was no band. It was the guy with the keyboard, computer and drum machine, and the drum machine with its very square and stiff “boom, chuckka boom, chukka boom” was all you heard. Over and over. And this is the new norm – even here in the islands where the soul of the beat runs deep.

Globalization? Maybe. Regardless, I miss the real thing. Hey! I know I’m whinging, but after the past two weeks, I think I’m allowed one. And doesn’t she look good on that board?