Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Dubay.
Hi Zach, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been playing since I was a young kid around the age of 3, starting on a set of drums my uncle left at our house. I was always playing along to Dave Matthews and Led Zeppelin, and starting playing in church when I was 6. I continued playing drumset through middle and high school in Rockford, Michigan, while simultaneously joining concert, jazz, and marching bands in school. I joined some local gigging groups, playing festivals, headlining venues, and recording for my band as well as other local artist in Grand Rapids.
I continued marching after high school in an independent world-class WGI group called Genesis, which I performed with for 4 consecutive years, and I was also fortunate to march the 2021 DCI season with the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps. Simultaneously, I began joining different groups once COVID eased up, and I was lucky enough to become the drummer for The Verve Pipe.
Since 2021, I’ve gotten some amazing opportunities to tour around the country, opening for AfroMan, Spin Doctors, Five For Fighting, and playing on stage with String Cheese Incident at Electric Forest. One of my main groups, Nathan Walton & the Remedy, won 2 artist choice artists in West Michigan for 2023 and subsequently got invited to play SXSW in Austin, TX.
Currently, my original group, Pocket Watch, is booking multiple tours around Michigan and the Midwest for 2024, with an upcoming album in April. Verve Pipe Tours will also be taking me around the country once again, and I’m excited for more new experiences making great music!!!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not easy at all! I’m sure every musician has many struggles; it’s definitely not an easy lifestyle. Over the years, I played with so many groups of varying members, genres, backgrounds, and audiences, and bands always have drama, whether personal or professional, working out scheduling for gigs, rehearsals, tours, recording sessions, music videos, how we want to present ourselves, etc. Being in a group really is like having another family, and you have to take everyone opinion to heart to keep the full dynamic positive.
As a full-time musician, an inconsistent show schedule can be tough to keep track of too, especially when traveling so much in state with different groups. Touring is honestly the easiest part since the band is traveling together and only focused on the shows. It definitely gets difficult when I have a lot of shows in Michigan around the state that I have to drive to with different groups.
Sometimes in the summer, I’ll have 2-4 shows a day for 3-5 days in a row; in the winter, it’ll be 1-2 a month, so making money can vary wildly, so it can be stressful at times, but I keep a consistent schedule giving lessons as well. I’m thankful that it’s worked out so far, and I’m always making more connections to have playing opportunities and ways to make money!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a drummer. I wouldn’t say I’m competent on any other instruments, so I’ve spent many hours trying to perfect my craft. I’ll always have a long way to go, but I love the creative journey and the discovery of new possibilities on the drums. I still stick to a pretty rigid practice schedule to keep up my chops and keep the creative flow going; I just love playing and getting better on my instrument!
I’ve started producing songs on garage band just to get my ideas down, and honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t do it sooner. It’s been so easy to bring ideas to my group and have them hear what’s been in my head. Writing music has definitely been one of the most fun processes that I’ve started doing recently.
I’d say the thing that separates me from everyone is my versatility. I’ve played and studied jazz since high school, been in punk, prog, and fusion bands, and played a whole lot of rock and country. Being in so many different groups had given me a lot of different color palettes to work with and, in a way, different languages to speak on the drums. I’ve had opportunities to be creative in scenarios where I was required to serve the music more simplistically, really focusing on the groove as the heart of the song, and also where I get to let loose and make the song crazy and phrenetic. And I love listening to and playing different styles, so it’s been amazing to get those opportunities!
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
The metronome app is a must. Musicians, especially drummers, HAVE to play in time, or the music just doesn’t feel right. YouTube is one of the best tools for learning and getting more ideas, but the absolute best is music. Music apps, CDs, vinyl, live music, that’s where the knowledge is, and that’s the best way I learned to play and be musical. I also get a lot from Instagram, where I see tons of drummers, and I can pull ideas from my favorite ones. I also post frequently and build my audience and connections.
Pricing:
- Lessons-$30 for 30 minutes, $65 for 60 minutes, $100 for 90 or more minutes
- Any other booking inquiries will have a specified pricing worked out by me and the bandleader or venue promoter!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zach_doobie?
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/73xJg2jm2N69wLxf/
- Other: For my original band Pocket Watch https://www.musicbypocketwatch.com/
