Interview Session, Yoiqball-Dua Drum; Music is a Social Life

(Indonesia)

Musik merupakan bahasa universal bagi dunia. Kita bisa saja berasal dari belahan negara yang berlainan, tetapi kalau bicara tentang musik kita pasti ada dalam pengertian tangga nada yang sama. Salah satu instrumen yang melengkapi keindahan dunia musik adalah drum. Instrumen drum sendiri merupakan, alat musik yang digandrungi para anak muda, karena terkesan macho dan enerjik. Beberapa waktu lalu saya berkesempatan untuk berbincang dengan salah satu drummer muda indonesia. 

Pemuda ini berasal dari band Dua Drum. Namanya Yoiqball, atau yang kerap disapa Iqbal. Siapa sangka diusianya yang masih terbilang muda, Iqbal sudah bermain drum, untuk sejumlah artis tanah air. Band Dua Drum juga merupakan penyiar di siaran radio streaming yang mereka ciptakan. Siaran mereka sendiri mengulas tentang dunia drum. 

Iqbal sebagai drumer, diwajibkan untuk menjaga stamina, sebab stamina bagi seorang pemain drum merupakan unsur yang vital. Jika seorang drumer tidak mempunyai stamina yang baik, maka ia akan mudah lelah. "Kalau jaga stamina biasanya tidur. Aku biasanya tidur 10-30 menit, dan waktu bangun terasa lumayan seger. Kayak ngecash baterai". 

Saat di Jakarta Iqbal, biasanya selalu berusaha untuk berolahraga, karena saat tur dia tidak bisa leluasa berolahraga. "Cuma kalau lagi tur kayak gini, olahraga itu sulit, Cuma kalau misalnya aku di Jakarta, diusahakan itu olahraga, lari, main sepeda, sama makan sehat", jelas Iqbal. Sebagai generasi milenial Iqbal juga mempunyai chanel Youtube, ini dilakukannya untuk berinteraksi dengan penggemarnya secara luas. 

"Profesiku sekarang nambah satu, jadi Youtubers. Karena sekarang 'kan jamannya jempol, Aku pengen itu gimana caranya, sekarang netizen di sosial media paham tentang apa yang aku kerjakan. Netizen kadang-kadang paham, kadang enggak, jadi haruslah aku bikin YouTube buat orang ngelihat. Kayak gimana sih kerja jadi musisi, kerja sebagai drumer. Pokoknya apapun yang kulakukan sekarang, selalu kubagikan sama orang-orang. Biar orang tahu rasanya", jelas drumer rendah hati ini. 

Sebagai drummer, Iqbal juga memperluas pergaulan secara internasional, ia bahkan berencana untuk membuat sebuah showcase dengan seorang drumer internasional. "Pengen sih, sebenarnya udah ada plan dan janjian juga beberapa drummer. Cuman masih mempersiapkan waktu, dan menggodok konsepnya. Si artis itu juga lagi tur, terus disini aku juga lagi tur. 

Sebenarnya sih, kalau punya waktu sama-sama yang emang pas, nggak ada maslah. Bisa kejadian dengan cepet kolaborasinya, cuman untuk sementara kerja dulu aja deh", pungkas Iqball. 

Dalam memainkan instrumen drum, Iqbal bukan hanya menampilan teknik bermain drum yang ciamik, tapi juga kebolehannya dalam menghibur. "Dari dulu, aku emang bercita-cita siih, bukan cuma jadi drumer doang, tapi entertainer juga. Drum itu sebenarnya media, dari drum itu bisa kemana-mana. Bisa ketemu orang, banyaklah pokoknya. Temen juga didapatkan lewat drum", jelasnya. 

Karena menurut Iqbal, edukasi untuk menjadi seorang drumer masih minim, apalagi di indonesia. "Orangtua yang mendengar cita-cita saya menjadi drumer, sempat ragu. 

Ragu karena di indonesia, tidak terlalu banyak edukasi pekerjaan selain kantoran, PNS, dll. Ya, sebenarnya sih musisi itu beda gayanya aja, kayak nggak ada penghasilan, tapi tetap berpenghasilan. 

Dari Youtube salah satunya bisa menghasilkan uang juga. Alias bisa di Monetize. Terus dari Spotify,ITunes. Itu juga sudah bisa dapet duit juga, apalagi kalau kamu dapet panggung. Terus sekarang, apalagi instagrammu dapet endorsement. 

Itu kan uang semua. Kalau mau bicarain duit. Belum lagi kalau kamu terkenal, ganteng, pas dengan brandnya. Kamu bisa dapet brand yang cocok. Dan kamu bisa dapet duit dari situ. 

Cuma kan di Indonesia edukasi tentang hal seperti ini masih kurang". Iqbal selaku drumer muda indonesia, juga mempunyai pesan bagi anak muda yang ingin mengikuti jejaknya. 

Bagi Iqbal musik itu adalah kehidupan sosial. Melalui musik kita bisa mempertajam kehidupan sosial kita didunia nyata dan bukan dunia maya. "Pesannya, yang pertama musik itu adalah sosial. Sosial bergaul, dikehidupan sehari-hari. Kalau misalnya gak bergaul, kamu gak punya teman. Dan gak punya pekerjaan. Meskipun kamu jago banget. 

Musik adalah sosial life. Kehidupan sosial musisi. Gimana caranya kamu bisa bergaul dengan manusia. Di kehidupan nyata, bukan kehidupan maya. Jadi kalau bisa selain latihan skill, selain mempertajam skill. 

Pertajam juga kehidupan sosialnya, nongkrong. Bergaul sama orang, punya atitude yang baik. Dan tidak sombong", pesan Iqbal sambil bersiap untuk bermain di konser musik Rizky Febian itu.

Menjadi diri sendiri, dan memperkuat karakter dalam permainan drum, adalah mutlak hukumnya. Tak terkecuali bagi Iqbal yang bisa bermain drum, disemua jenis genre musik. 

Jam terbangnya membuktikan bahwa ia sudah menjadi sesiion player untuk banyak musisi dan penyanyi indonesia; Afgan, Tohpati, Fadly 'Padi', Geisha, Hivii, D'Masiv, Trisum. "Semua, guru-guruku nggak pernah ngajarin, kamu harus begini atau kamu harus begitu. Enggak sih. Jadi diri sendiri aja, mengalir. Apa yang elo suka, elo mainin". 

Photo: Dokpri.Iqbal Ramadhan-Ferianto

Sebagai drumer ia juga, berpesan bahwasannya kita didunia musik itu semuanya terhubung-terkoneksi, jadi jangan sampai ada yang terputus. 

"Karena musik itu sosial life. Karena sepemahamanku musik itu terkoneksi, lingkunganya kecil banget. Jadi jangan putus koneksi itu, jangan putus sama sekali. Jangan putus. Jadi ada satu jaringan yang nggak bisa jalan disitu. Padahal harus bisa beradaptasi, siapa tahu dari jaringan itu kita bisa jadi besar", tambahnya kalem.

Dalam pergaulannya sebagai seorang drumer, Iqbal pernah mengalami suatu masa dimana, ia bisa ikut dalam rangkaian tur legenda musik indonesia, Iwan Fals. Awalnya ia tidak pernah menyangka, bahwa kejadiannya cukup mengejutkan, dan spontan. Dirinya dihubungi oleh Iwan Fals Management. 

"Waktu aku bisa ikut tur selama enam bulan sama Iwan Fals, itu ceritanya unik juga sih. Jadi, Tim Managementnya tahu aku dari instagram. Emang di instagram, aku selalu naruh kontak email. Jadi siapapun yang mau kerjasama silahkan hubungin emailku. 

Yaudah suatu hari dapet email masuk, dari Iwan Fals management. Dia cuma nanya, Bal nomer telpon berapa. Waktu itu dari Cikal-anaknya Iwan Fals (Buisnes Managernya Iwan Fals). Bapak mau ketemu. 

Aku sama sekali gak ada yang kenal satupun orang didalem situ. Mau playernya, crewnya, managementnya. Bahkan Om Iwanya sendiri gak kenal, jadi bener-bener baru. Cuman ya, ngapain nanya nomer telpon. Terus aku dikasih nomer telponya, dan ditelpon saat itu juga. 

Dia ngenalin dari Management Iwan Fals. Dia mau ngundang ke studionya, di Cimanggis. Terus aku pikir mau ngapain. Dia bilang, enggak ini bapak Iwan Fals, suka lihat Iqbal main drum. Tapi aku percaya, enggak percaya. Yaudah aku janjian, akhirnya tanggal segitu aku kerumahnya Iwan Fals. 

Beneran ternyata, itu dari pagi sampai sore ngobrol aja. Sama Om Iwan Fals. Ya kayak mimpilah, nggak pernah kebayang. Sama sekali gak kebayanglah dikepalaku, habis itu diajak ngejam. Pokoknya ngejam, dari lagu yang aku tahu, sampai lagu yang aku nggak tahu. Diajak ngejam, terus ternyata, waktu itu dia lagi audisi drumer, buat tur. Jadi waktu itu dia ada tur berapa puluh kota. Akhirnya waktu pulang dia bilang, ayo tur bareng. Oke siap. Turnya enam bulan. Cuma ga berasa.

Menutup wawancara malam itu, Iqbal menceritakan bagaimana ia menemukan chemistry bersama Yandi-partnernya dalam DuaDrum. Mereka berjibaku dalam menemukan kesatuan hati dan jiwa untuk membuat signature beat dalam band DuaDrum. 

"Jadi satu tahun, didalam studio aja berdua. Main, latihan, eksplorasi, segala macem. Puaslah pokoknya dalam satu tahun. Akhirnya kita coba rekaman, kita coba bikin video. Semuanya kita coba, sampai akhirnya mendapatkan formulasi dua drum, yang temen-temen lihat sekarang. Itu chemistry. Sebenarnya kita kayak ngelatih chemistrynya, cocok atau enggak. Karena kalau ngeband itu kan. Bukan kayak sesion. Sesion yang penting aku bisa main lagumu.Terus habis itu, kalau ngeband kan butuh chemistry, karena kita bikin lagu bareng. Apa yang disampaikan. Kalau Yandi main begini, pasti aku mainnya begitu. Ini berlaku juga buat sebaliknya. Jadi sebenarnya kita ngelatih bukan ke tekniknya sih. Tapi chemistrynya. Kita mikirnya kalau suatu saat dikafe gitu, dan kita dipanggil orang suruh main, ngejam. Spontanitas. Kita harus bisa spontan. Jadi mikirnya gitu", terang Iqbal menutup pembicaraan malam itu.

Asesoris Ferianto, 

Terima Kasih Kepada;

*Jam Tangan Kayu, by: @Hyangkala

*Gelang Tali, by: @sillyproject

*Gelang Kulit, by: @derastitch

(English)

Music is a universal language. We can be born anywhere, but we can have the same understanding when it comes to music. One of instruments that enriches the music world is drum. Drum is a popular instrument among youngsters for its masculine and energetic look. Some time ago, I got a chance to interview a young drummer from Indonesia. This guy is from Dua Drum band. His name is Yoiqball or Iqbal for short. In his young age, Iqbal had played drum for a number of Indonesian musicians. Dua Drum Band members are also broadcasters in streaming radio station they made. Their broadcasts talk about drum. 

As a drummer, Iqbal should maintain his stamina. If a drummer doesn't have good stamina, they will be easily exhausted. "In order to maintain my stamina, I sleep for 10-30 minutes, like when we're charging our phones. Waking up, I feel fresh," he explained. 

In Jakarta, Iqbal does his best to do sports as he can't do that whenever he's in a tour. "I don't really have time to do sport in tours, but I do cycling or running whenever I'm in Jakarta," Iqbal added. As a millenial, Iqbal has his own YouTube channel. He starts running his own YouTube to interact with his fans more. "I have one more profession, as a YouTuber. I do that because we're in digital era now. I want netizen understand what I'm doing. You know, sometimes netizen knows and sometimes they don't. So, that's why my YouTube channel exists. There, I show the world what is it like to be a drummer. Whatever I'm doing (as a drummer), I'll share it on my channel," he said. 

As a drummer, Iqbal expands his connection internationally. He even plans to hold a showcase with an international drummer. "I actually have a plan for that and I have agreed with some drummers, but I'm still preparing the schedule and concept. The drummer I'm planning to collaborate and I myself are in our own tours. If we have a matched schedule, it'll be smooth. We can collaborate sooner. For now, I'm focusing on my job," Iqbal said. 

When playing drum, Iqbal isn't only showing off his advanced skill. He also enteertain people. "I have this dream for a long time that besides being a drummer, I can be an entertainer. For me, drum is a media. From drum, I can travel to lots of places and meet new people. I can even get friends from playing drum," he added. 

Prayers and support from his parents and family is a great blessing for Iqbal. Their prayers and support escort Iqbal to be a renowned drummer. "My family is a music enthusiast, yet none of them can play musical instrument. So, when my mother had me, my grandfather said to her that I should play an instrument, period. So, my mother made me listen to good songs since I was in a womb. So, I only know music more than any others."

Iqbal, who acted as producer in Dua Drum's first album "Bergerak", has a unique story when he sets his foot as drummer in Jakarta. "I went to Jakarta in 2010. I was 17 and had just graduated from high school at that time. Actually, I had learned about drum from 5th grade in elementary school to 1st grade in high school. Back then in Kalimantan, there were two months holiday every year. During those two months, I learned drum in Farabi Music Course. I also had private course with Gilang Ramadhan. And then with Chrisye's drummer, Uce Haryono. I'm a huge fan. After that, Inangnoorsaid. There are a lot more. In short, I learned drum from my favorite drummers.

Before I resided in Jakarta, I almost recorded a single with my band. Sadly, our band disbanded and each member went on their ways. So, as I told you, I went to Jakarta in 2010. I didn't know what I wanted to be at that time. My path was unclear. I wasn't so sure of being a session player either. I didn't really understand what I did, why I played with various artists. I just tried to play sessions just for meeting musician friends. That's how I got a lot of friends. In 2011-2012, I had no idea who everyone was whenever I attended music events. I felt awkward. Sometimes I was like, 'Wow, what's this band? It's so cool!' I told myself I hoped I could be like them one day, but don't know when. Gradually, I found my way. I got gigs with various people until today."

Each musician has their own point of view, reasoning, and how they use their reasoning and point of view in the music world. "If we want to be able to play drum wholeheartedly, we have to like it first. Passion, I can say. I believe, passion is applicable to everything. If we don't like, if we don't have passion, we can't do things with all our hearts. For example, if I don't have passion with what I do, I won't regularly upload video on YouTube. If I do, I will do that with moans. But, because I love making contents, I do it willingly. The same goes with playing drum. Had I not like it, I might not be one," explained the drummer with Yoiqball as his stage name. 

When Iqbal decided to be a drummer, his parents opposed him at first. For Iqbal, the lack of knowledge of drummer as a job, especially in Indonesia, is vivid. "When my parents first heard I wanted to be a drummer, they were clouded with doubt. They felt the doubt as jobs outside being doctor, employee, civil servants, etc., aren't even a thing. Actually, drummer is a job like any other. It's just a different type of job. You might see a drummer as something that won't earn money, while it is. You can earn money from YouTube via video monetization, Spotify, and iTunes. You can also earn money if you have gigs. You can earn money from endorsements on Instagram, especially if you have pretty look and match the brand you're promoting. Unfortunately, things like this aren't understood in Indonesia," he described. Iqbal, as a young drummer in Indonesia, has a message for youngsters who want to follow his path. 

"The first thing is that music is social life. It's not always about how good you play an instrument. It's about how you build a connection with other people in real life, humble and have a good attitude. If you don't connect, you won't have friends. Plus, you won't have a job, even though you're skilled. So, connect with other people besides improving your skill", Iqbal said before he performed in Rizky Febian's concert.

Being oneself and deepen one's character in playing drum is a must. It's not an exception to Iqbal, who can play drum in all genres. His total hours of gig prove that he has become session player for various Indonesian musician and singers: Afgan, Tohpati, Fadly 'Padi', Geisha, Hivii, D'Masiv, Trisum, etc. "My teachers never asked me to do this or that. I'm just being myself. I play what I like," Iqbal emphasized.

In his drumming life, Iqbal had a unique moment which brought him to join Iwan Fals' music tour. The initial moment happened unexpectedly for him. He was contacted by Iwan Fals Management. "The story behind why I joined Iwan Fals' tour for six months is unique. So, I put my e-mail on my Instagram. Then, Iwan Fals management team contacted me through e-mail. The e-mail said that the management wanted to have my number. It's from Cikal---Iwan Fals' child and Business Manager. The message said, Dad (Iwan Fals) wanted to meet me. 

When I got there, I knew nobody; the players, the crews, the management, even Iwan Fals himself. So, I was wondering why they asked my number. After I gave my number, they called instantly. The caller introduced themselves as someone from Iwan Fals Management. The management invited me to Iwan Fals studio in Cimanggis. I asked them what for. Then, the caller said he's Iwan Fals and he liked my drum playing. I didn't believe him immediately. So, we made an appointment to meet at Iwan Fals' house. 

It turned out to be true. I had a conversation with Iwan Fals all day. After that, he asked me to jam together, from songs I know to songs I don't know. Apparently, he was auditioning for a drummer. At that time, he held a tour to a number of cities. Before I got home, he said, 'Let's go on tour together.' I accepted his offer. The tour was held on six months, but I didn't feel burdened at all. It all felt like dream for me."

In the end of our interview session that night, Iqbal told me how he found the chemistry between him and Yandi, his partner in DuaDrum. They did well in finding unity in making their signature beats in DuaDrum. 

"So, in one year, we're often in the studio. Just two of us. Playing, exercise, explore, anything. We felt satisfied for that. After one year, we tried recording, making video, everything until we get a formulation for DuaDrum, which you can see today. That's the result of our chemistry, because we're exploring our chemistry. You know, playing in a band isn't like in a session. In sessions, what matters most is I can play your song. In band, we need chemistry as we make songs together, we want to deliver our message or ideas. If Yandi plays like this, I play like that. Same goes the other way around. So, we're not exploring our techniques. We also think that if one day we're invited to jam in a cafe, we should be able to jam spontaneously," Iqbal said.

Accessories: Ferianto 

Thanks to:

*Wooden watch by:  @Hyangkala

*String bracelet by: @sillyproject

*Leather bracelet by: @derastitch