Wong Notes The Fearless Flyers: Flight School is in Session!
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Oct 1, 2025 
Nate Smith, a Grammy-caliber drummer, shares insights on drum-part construction and the importance of dynamics in jamming. Joe Dart, a highly musical bassist, discusses how to build bass lines that enhance harmony and drive arrangements. They dive into the essence of listening during improvisation and explain their creative processes around arranging and complementing each other's parts. The conversation also touches on their band identity and the synergy of groove, melody, and texture that defines their sound.
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Arrange Parts By Function
- The Fearless Flyers arrange parts like an orchestra, assigning distinct functions to each instrument rather than everyone playing the same chord.
- Mark's guitar parts often 'glue' bass and guitar lines together to create cohesion and momentum.
Let Your Ears Drive Drum Choices
- Listen first and shape your drum parts to support melody and dynamics, laying out where needed to expose the tune.
- Line up drum accents with melodic lines using kick, snare, and hi-hat to catch the melody's motion.
Think In Functions, Not Instruments
- Treat each instrument's role as a functional element: harmony, subdivision, or rhythmic glue, not just 'guitar parts.'
- Corey plays like a keyboard plus shaker, combining harmonic outline with subdivision support.