Q:   What is John Ferraro’s philosophy for becoming successful in the music industry and what would he tell someone just starting out?

A:  There’s a misconception among many young players that all you have to do to be successful is get with a popular band and you’ll be set for life. Only a very small number of musicians ever get that big break or earn their living that way.   For the rest of us, it’s about paying the bills and building a career.  You have to build your reputation, and improve your playing each step along the way.

Be flexible… Years ago, if someone had told me that one week I’d be playing with Barry Manillow and the next week I’d be playing a wedding I’d have said they were crazy. But, being a professional means you have to adapt to many situations.   And with each situation you glean more and more experience. The working drummer does casuals, sessions, tours, concerts, and maybe some teaching.    With each situation you must be able to change your “musical vocabulary” to suit the kind of job at hand.  You also form your reputation and expand your networking circle, which is just as important as booking the gig-- no matter how big or small.

I approach each job with the same positive attitude.  I wouldn’t play a bar mitzvah the same way I’d play with Eddie Van Halen at a rock and roll venue. I always try to fit in with the rest of the people I’m playing with.  Part of doing my job the best is to make the other musicians sound their best and to make the whole performance enjoyable for all who are listening.


Q:  As a professional drummer, does John still need to practice?

A:  Freelancing often leaves you with a lot of free time.  When you are not busy you should have a practice routine. It doesn’t have to be rigorous, and
it can be different each time, but the point is to practice EVERY day.
Even when I am on the road, I make sure to have some sticks and a practice pad in my hotel room.  Sometimes I work on rudiments, or reading drum charts, or just run thought the songs I know I’ll be playing.   Practice time is a great time to just relax and prepare, but most of all practicing forces you to improve.  In this business you have two choices:  You can be satisfied with where you are or you can improve your position.  I’m always shooting to improve my playing and I strive to stay sharp.


Q:  How does John go from touring with a band to doing studio work and back
again?

A:  Getting jobs come from knowing other musicians.   Word-of-mouth recommendations are what get me from one job to the next.  Very seldom do drummers get a call from someone they don’t know, unless it is an audition.


Q:  Does John have any advice for going on auditions?

A:  Yes!

1. Be technically prepared.  Make sure you can play different tempos from
very slow to very fast.  Check your time by taping yourself and listening to
yourself play.

2. Listen to the music of the band you’ll be auditioning for if possible.

3. Have good sounding equipment.  There is a big advantage to using your own
instruments.

4. Know the rules of the audition. Know what is expected of you.

5. Be relaxed.

6. Put yourself on the level of the person you are auditioning for. If you go in thinking “Oh this guy is the best in the world!”  You may become intimidated or nervous and won’t play was well as you normally do.

7. Have a positive attitude, but never be over-confident.

8.  Play as strong as you can but be sensitive to the other players. Make them sound good. Other players want to know how you play and how you’ll fit in and get along with the rest of the group.



Q:  How does John recommend setting up?

A:  Basic set-up might include:

(Note: There is a photo of a drum set-up diagram that can be inserted with this.  I will scan it and send it to you in another e-mail.  Your sister can pull the photo from the e-mail, I think.)

Drums

a         16X22 bass

b1       8X8 rack tom

b2       9X10 rack tom

b3       10X12 rack tom

b4       12X14 rack tom

c1       16X16 floor tom

c2       16X18 floor tom

d         6 1/2 X14 brass snare OR 8X14 wood snare


Cymbals

E         20” ride

F         18” crash

G        16” crash

H        13” crash

I          14” hihats

Q:  How does John tune his drum kits?

A:  In the studio I tune all my drums as loose as possible.  For Live playing I tune the toms tighter in situations where I need to have better response or projection.  I try to keep the top head a little tighter than the bottom on all the tom-toms.  For muffling I use some tape and paper towels, but I make sure to put the muffling away from the miking area.

I rarely use a double headed bass drum in the studio.  For Live performances I cut an 8” hole off the center and in both cases I tune fairly loose.  For bass drum muffling I prefer a packing blanket and sand bag to a pillow.

My snare drum heads are also pretty loose.  To reduce sympathetic vibrations from the snares I detune the 4 lugs around the snare bed even more.  I use the same type of muffling on the snare as I do on my Toms.