Dec 17, 2020The importance of being self-sufficient as a musicianAfter many interviews for my podcast, members of the audience have asked me several times to question guests about the path towards “professionalisation”, although such a term can be questionable in such a poorly-regulated sector. The reality is that there is no one path, but rather there are people who…Musician6 min read
Nov 30, 2020Life on tour — the experience of a musician.Auditions, emails, rehearsals, flights, vans, taxis, load-in, set-up, soundcheck, dinner, gig, pack up and onto the next show. Touring is fun, but there’s more to it than travelling and playing. This is Carlos, and I am a professional musician. To be more specific, I play drums for different bands and…Drums5 min read
Published in The Startup·Aug 2, 2019Time isn’t the #1 metric for success, effort is.A 3-step strategy based on what outcome you produce, rather than what time you spend. — Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers brought up his now-famous 10,000 hour rule, whereby any individual with a hint of talent (according to him) and being at the right time at the right place, could achieve master-level skill in any competence he or she had chosen to spend 10,000 hours…Mental Clarity4 min read
Feb 8, 2019Reason’s Swiss Cheese model (1990) and its applicability to music practiceThis risk analysis and risk assessment model is commonly used in healthcare, engineering, emergency services, organizations, and mainly aviation. My dad, an amateur pilot, shared it with me and I could not unsee its relation to drums and music. The model compares human systems to multiple slices of swiss cheese…Drums2 min read
Oct 5, 2018Going to Music UniversityAfter graduating from BIMM Bristol, I have been asked several times about this topic. Here are my thoughts, get in touch to let me know what your opinion is! — Personally, Music Univiersity, same as every higher education course, will require the right mindset to get the best of it. That tarts with work ethic. You’ll have to work your arse off and keep an open mind. Unlike with other degrees, music industry is not someting you are granted entry…Education2 min read
Oct 3, 2018I went to see my drumming idol play and this is what happened.The energy in the room that he created was insane and it was awesome to go see with my dad, who introduced him to me when he was playing with Avishai Cohen back in 2008. …Music2 min read
Sep 29, 2018BOOK REVIEW: The Rise Of Superman, by Steven KotlerFirstly, thanks to James for recommending this book to me. Really appreciate how much you always cared about us the students having the right mindset and how we can trigger it. This books offers plenty on that. It touches on Flow and how top of the top athletes use it…Books2 min read
Sep 26, 2018On Moving Countries and Building ResilienceIt was 3 years ago I moved over to Bristol, UK, from a small town in the middle of Spain. Many things have changed along the way and many others have remained the same. …Resilience2 min read
Sep 18, 2018Gear Review: SnareweightsI have been using snareweights M80 and the mylar cuts for four months now and I can’t get enough of them. For me, the ultimate drum dampening system. — What’s good: Easy to fit Hard to lose as it stays in your drum unlike moongel Cuts give you the minimal dampening to get rid of those disturbing but not annoying overtones, specially on toms, whilst keeping all the tone and volume from the drum M80 gives you the flexibility…Snareweights2 min read
Sep 10, 2018It’s about being aware of your actions and your intentions, and how these match (or not).It’s about being aware of your actions and your intentions, and how these match (or not). I quite often get asked what did I get out of my three years of Uni. People would expect a massive development in my drumming or having written a lot of essays, which are not far from the truth. However, in hindsight, is about myself what I most learned. I…Self Improvement2 min read