Katy Perry’s drummer Adam Marcello shares his knowledge
Amongst the fireworks, suspended dancers and inflatable cars that make up the average Katy Perry live show you might spot drummer Adam Marcello providing expert rhythm for one of the biggest pop shows in the world.
Adam has been Perry’s drummer since the start of her career, performing on David Letterman, Jay Leno, the Grammys and the Super Bowl.
He now lives in Dublin, although he hasn’t been home much as the Katy Perry World Tour was on the road for a year and a half…!
We managed to steal a generous amount of Adam’s time when he came to BIMM Dublin to give a drum Masterclass, hosted by tutor Johnny Boyle. Adam performed a terrific live demonstration of the kind of backing tracks and drum triggers he uses on stage. He showed students the latest drum tech, including Ableton Live and sample pads, saying:
“We’re at a point, technology-wise, where you can tour with only a laptop and achieve the sound of an album!”
Students asked his advice on how to break into the world of session playing. Adam was quick to champion a professional attitude, good contacts andold-fashioned skill:
“When you show up to auditions, just know it. Know your stuff… Learn how to read music better and work on the fundamentals.”
Once the work is coming in, Adam had the following advice:
“You have to take every gig. People will see you playing and they’ll call you. Take it seriously and respect it.”
Johnny praised Adam’sBIMM session and his helpful guidance:
“It was very informative and insightful into the music industry. It’s great to see such a nice guy working at such a high level in the industry.”
Student Theodora Byrne agreed:
“I thought Adam’s Masterclass was great. It’s really encouraging when someone at that level gives you the motivation and just says ‘You can do it!’”
Big thanks to Adam for bringing the stadium life to our BIMM Masterclass – hopefully his encouraging words will see some of our students joining him in the big leagues one day!
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