Being a Drummer Caimiao Liu

When I’m on my drumline, I can sense the power of rhythm; drums show me how a consistent rhythm can guide people to work in unison. Our drumline requires the extremely cautious cooperation of nine of us at once, so it has sharpened my ability to listen to others consciously, too. Any slight inconsistency sounds very discordant in an actual performance. Therefore, every time I play, I have to pay close attention to every other musician to ensure the harmonious blend of the music.

More importantly, playing drums has taught me that no matter how free and emotional something may seem on the surface, in order to have people feel its beauty, mathematical precision and logical patterns are often necessary. Although sometimes audiences think we are merely playing some very intense yet seemingly random notes, we are utilizing our technical skills precisely to create that impression.

Drumming thus, surprisingly, makes me a better writer. Writing has always been one of my favorite hobbies; however, for years, I struggled with creative writing because while I thought I could just follow my instincts and emotions like many famous poets did, my works often turned out unclear and confusing. Playing drums, I have realized that in order to...