The Paradiddler » Education

Name That Tune

Omar — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:00:23 +0000

If all we had to do to enjoy drumming was to play, life would be beauteous indeed. Alas, that is not the case.

An orchestra of activities is involved to then finally sit down and ‘do your thing’. However, not every one of those activities is necessarily fun.

Several months ago I moved to a temporary location, so I had to take my drums apart for the trip. My intention was to set them up and continue playing. However, the 500-year Atlanta flood put a stop to that. At this point there was no place to put the drums until I moved to yet another location that was more drum-friendly.

Well, that occurred last month. Now I’m at the new location, and I had all my drums, cymbals, and gear spread out all over the place. I figured that this might be a good time to start fresh.

So I took everything apart.

I realized that this might be a good time to re-tune the drums, even though this is not my favorite activity. I just want to play! But admittedly, if you want to sound good, or, if you want your drums to sound good to you, then learning to tune your drums is a necessity.

There are some good sources, both on YouTube and DVD, that explain most excellently how to tune the three main drum sections: bass, toms, and snare. I’ll cite them as I explain the process I went through.

Before that, though, one thing my set needed before anything else was a good cleaning. So to spare you the boring part of this drama, the only thing I used to clean the drums were dry paper towels - not even water. I rubbed everything with paper towels to buff them as shiny as possible. They came out quite nice, if I do say so myself!

The Bass Drum

As far as this drum goes, I’ve come around a bit as far as tuning and muffling goes, but mostly regarding muffling. In the DVD review “Unburying the Beater”, we learned about letting the drums, all of them, resonate to their full potential. Most of us try to tune the toms and snare so they resonate to their full potential, and/or ensure that we feel the rebound off these drums. But we don’t necessarily translate these concepts to the bass drum. We may tend to ‘bury the beater’, as it were, and thereby choking the resonance of the drum. The beater also wants to rebound off the bass drum head just like the sticks do off of the toms and snare, but we tend not to think of it that way.

Previously, when I tuned the bass drum, I put a pillow in it and placed it against the batter head, thereby getting the fast thud-like sound I wanted. But this time I wanted to give a shot to tuning without the pillow. In doing so, I would risk it sounding too boomy, but off I went.

My batter head is the Remo PowerStroke 3, which is a very popular bass drum head. One of its aspects is that it has an inner ply about two inches in from the edge that serves as a self-muffling agent. I figured that this should be enough for my little experiment. Based on the recommendations of Mike Michalkow’s “Drumming System”, the “Drum Tuning” section, I first tuned the resonant head by tightening the lug screws finger tight, then using the drum key to go about another complete turn or so (I should’ve written that little detail down - now I’m kicking myself!). I didn’t want to go too tight so as not to choke the natural resonance of the drum (this head also has the inner ply muffling as described above).

With the resonant head facing up, I then proceeded to tap about two inches in from each lug to ensure that all taps sounded exactly the same, or at least close enough. I’ve also decided to take Mike Michalkow’s recommendation of using the ‘open tuning’ method, meaning that I don’t press down on the center of the head when doing the tapping. Since it’s very possible that you will apply different pressure to the head as you go around to each lug, the tuning may not be accurate. I feel the open tuning method is a more accurate way of tuning. Anyways, I spent as much time as necessary, without rushing, to ensure every tap sounded as close to the same as possible.

And that was just the resonant head! I applied the same tuning principals to the batter head as well. I then attached my Off-Set double bass pedal to the drum, and whoa! The drum responded with more resonance than before, without the boominess! Actually, the resonance is similar to the sound a bass drum produces in a concert hall. It’s not a tone so much that’s produced, but rather a massive movement of air, echoing away. I love its sound now, and I attribute it to taking the time to ensure the drum was tuned properly.

The Toms

I then proceeded to the toms. I decided to take a slightly different approach for these as far as tuning them as optimally as possible. I was very impressed with John Good and Neil Peart’s discussion regarding Drum Workshop’s SSC technology (TheParadiddler.com subscribers have seen the YouTube videos)*. John picked up an unfinished shell, and with a closed fist gently banged the drum. It produced a specific tone that could clearly be heard. He then proceeded to do the same thing with other shells that were exactly the same size, but whose tone got lower and lower depending on how the grain of each ply of wood was arrayed.

So I picked up the 10” tom, and with my fist I started banging on it.

Nothing.

Well, I heard the lug sockets rattling, but I couldn’t hear the tone of the drum. Maybe it was too small a drum, with too much hardware stuck on it for me to hear its tone. Same thing with the 12” tom. So I tuned them by first tightening them with my fingers as securely as I could, and then turning each lug (tension rod, whatever you like to call them) evenly until I got the tone that I expect from each tom.

Again, I spent all the time I needed to get every section of the head sounding the same so I could get the optimum sound from the drum. However, here is where there are several lines of thought. There are basically three ways to tune a tom:

resonant head tuned higher than batter head
batter head tuned higher than resonant head
both heads tuned the same

The first method is very common, and when tuned this way the tone of the drum goes down as it resonates. The second method, less common, will tend to make the tone of the drum go up as it resonates.

However, I personally don’t like the tone to go up or down. My preference is the third method. I try as much as possible to tune the drum to one note, whatever it most easily resonates to. This is difficult to achieve, especially for the novice ‘tuner’, but worth the work. Which brings me back to the 14” tom.

I went back to lightly hitting the drum with my fist, and I heard a tone! The tone I was listening for. This I thought would be the tone that I would tune the drum to. So I went back and carefully tuned the drum to the sound that I thought I heard. Well now the drum sounds fantastic. It resonates beautifully, without going up or down. This and the bass drum might be my most accurately tuned drums in my kit.

The Snare

To me this is the biggest pain to tune (actually, for me the all are, but worth the work ). I decided to go by the recommendation of Bob Gatzen in the YouTube video “Bob Gatzen – Snare Drum Tuning” (subscribers to TheParadiddler.com get the link). A must see, but basically he tunes the resonant head to the pitch of ‘A’, and the batter to the pitch of ‘C’. I just followed his recommendation for now, even though I’m not done tinkering with it. He also discusses how to install the actual snares, which is very helpful.

There is one problem I still have that I haven’t been able to figure out (or been too lazy to figure out!). My 10” tom does not cooperate well with either of my snares. I have a DW Pacific 5.5”x14” birch FS snare, and my ‘Number One’, my DW Pacific 5”x13” metal snare. With either one of these set up on the kit, whenever I hit the 10” tom the snares buzz like crazy. My temporary solution has been to use Moongel damper pads on the snare (even up to three at a time!) because I like the snare sound to pop, without much decay. So for my next tuning session, I’m going to fiddle with the tuning of the 10” tom again, and maybe putting the damper pad on it instead of the snare (or both). I’ll let you know how it goes!

All in all, tuning is all about personal preference, and somewhat of an acquired taste. I mentioned that I tried to stay away from muffling (the bass drum in particular) to try to get the most natural sound from the drum. This I have achieved (for now), and I’m happy with the sound, much more than I thought I would be. I was very skeptical that I could reduce the ‘boominess’ that seemed to be the unmuffled bass drum. But I’m liking it so far, and I thank Will Calhoun and Matt Ritter for the inspiration!

But I’m not against muffling at all. I most likely will employ some form of muffling here and there to achieve (or reduce) certain resonances. Also, once I obtain a couple of falam slam pads I’ll flip the bass drum beaters from the felt to the plastic side, and see how that sounds.

Because I spent so much time tuning my drums, to me they sound significantly better. I hope to convey that in my next cover, but my new location may have more to do with the sound than the tuning. You and I will be the judge!

If you have any suggestions and recommendations on tuning, please leave your comments here! Happy playing!⁺

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*Oh alright, here’s a link to part 1!

⁺Another excellent reference for drum tuning is Alfred Music Publishing‘s “The Drum Set Crash Course – Tuning Edition”, hosted by Russ Miller
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The Next Note

Omar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:31:31 +0000

In a previous article which appeared back in September ’09, Brute Force Learning, I came to the realization that I had to back away from the kit for a bit, and focus on technique, from many different angles.

Practically everything I know about drumming comes from air drumming, and studious observation. You could say that my ‘formal’ training began for me much later in life, instead of at the beginning. Because of this, my playing is somewhat ‘rough around the edges’, as it were. I may know the ‘what’, but not always the ‘why’. The ‘how’ may come instinctively because of observation. I’m trying now to focus on the ‘how’ and ‘why’, but I’m discovering that there are as many explanations on technique as there are drummers. Not a bad thing, but it goes to show that this thing we call drumming is a lifelong endeavor.

In addition to just practicing on the practice pad (which I still don’t do as often as I should), I’m watching many more videos of drummers, be it professional or amateur. There is a wealth of information you can gather from these drummers. Make sure to hit up on YouTube regularly and look for these gems.

For example, you could search for any of your favorite drummers and find many videos where they showcase their talents not only in solos, but in songs. Thomas Lang comes to mind. So incredibly fast, impeccable technique; something to aspire to, yes, but will I get there? Let’s just say that I’ll enjoy the journey, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long one!

Occasionally, though, you come across an incredible amateur talent that just makes your jaws drop. In the article "Musicians Helping Musicians", Jerome Flood II, Guitar Center’s 2008 Drum Off champion, was showcased. He’s an example of someone that, when you watch, you wonder how he does what he does, and it makes you want to imitate him. It makes you want to go to the kit and try out what you can figure he’s doing. Musicians helping musicians! (A link to the video of his winning performance is in the article.)

I came across the video of another one of these amateur drummers that just inspires. I’m a big fan of drum solos, and although I’m not the soloing type (at least not now), I’m always looking for what to glean. I wrote an entire series on Neil Peart’s published solos, which if you haven’t read it, I encourage you to do so. Very enlightening. In any case, Dylan Elise, 16 years old at the time, put on a ten minute solo at the Tauranga National Jazz Festival in New Zealand. His technique is very similar to Thomas Lang’s, at such a young age! So inspiring, I thought I’d post the video here so you can be shocked and awed, as I was.

However, when it comes to drumming for a song, the scene changes. In a solo, you’re pretty much free to improvise. Some drummers have a general framework that they want their solo to have, and improvise within those frames. Other drummers, within their solo, will have well-rehearsed sections, and will also have improvisational sections. As long as you remember your ‘frame’, per se, the playing can become quite instinctual, ‘in the moment’. You’re all by yourself, no other musicians to worry about.

In a song, there are several things to worry about: groove, tempo, being in sync with the other musicians, and not forgetting the drum parts of the song! Whereas in a solo you don’t really need to know exactly what you’re going to do next, in a song it always helps to always know what ‘the next note’ is.

Obviously, because music moves forward, beginning to end, each beat or note is measured. If the drummer is always thinking two, three, or four notes or more ahead, the playing will be smooth. The transitions will be easier. There will be a flow to the playing, almost effortless. When a drummer plays like this, it looks like they’re not even thinking (even though they are). It becomes more about feeling the song instead of thinking it, hence smoother play.

On the other hand, if in a song you’re just trying to play the note at hand, your playing may be a little choppy. Since the next note is suddenly upon you, your movement to play that note may come off as a little hectic. Yes, you may get through the song, but the frantic pace of ensuring you get all the notes might drain you, not allowing you to play relaxed. And that is precisely one of the things that I discovered that plagues my playing.

You can check some of my drum covers on my YouTube channel, but particularly on “I Will Follow”, “Toxicity”, and “Girl Gone Bad”, in looking back at those performances I look a little, well, tense, tentative. If you’re going to do a drum cover, or play in a band, the more far ahead you think as far as what part of the kit you’ll strike for those notes, the smoother and more relaxed you’ll play. This is something I certainly need to work on.

I have a deep respect for live performers (I have a soft spot for drummers, of course!) who can pull off remembering so much music, and playing with aplomb. When I hear some of the live performances of Yes, for example, particularly in the 70’s, with all of those epic 20+ minute songs, with all their complexities, there’s no doubt that to play that music the musicians must be thinking about ‘the next note’, and beyond. It’s one of the reasons Alan White is one of my favorite drummers. He was not only a great timekeeper, but he was rhythmic when needed; melodic when needed. There’s no question that he understands the concept of ‘the next note’ (“The Gates of Delirium” is a ‘wondrous’ example of this).

I also tend to gravitate towards drummers that are more compositional than just rhythmic. ‘Compositional’ drummers must be thinking of the next note and beyond to ensure the group of notes convey what they want to express with those notes. Strict timekeepers don’t need to remember as much if for the most part they’re playing straight fours (‘not that there’s anything wrong with that!’). One of the reasons I’m such a huge fan of Neil Peart’s style of play is that it irks him to play the same pattern more than once in a song. He may transition from one verse to another playing a certain pattern, but when the song returns to a similar transition, he plays a different pattern. And if that same motif appears yet again, he’ll play yet another pattern! That requires more than just knowing what the next note is going to be. That requires thinking verses and choruses ahead! Neil is a masterful song drummer, which is why, percussion-wise, Rush songs are very colorful - always have been.

So, coming full circle, the dismantling of my kit has allowed me to take a step back and notice certain aspects of my play I didn’t notice before (in addition to the videos). I’ll still be ‘rough around the edges’ when the kit comes back together, but at least I’ll have more ‘instruction’ to go by. In the meantime I’ll continue to admire and learn from the great drummers, the masters of ‘the next note’.

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Instructional Video – Vex Pro Touring Double Bass Pedal (Round Two)

Omar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:51:04 +0000

Way back in February of 2009, I produced a video (split in two, actually) about how to configure the Vex Pro Touring Double Bass pedal, particularly the slave pedal. You can read about the whole experience here, but suffice it to say that, well, some people wanted more!

Initially, I thought that everyone would be having the same difficulties that I was having. But as time went on, I realized that many were having different types of problems configuring their Vex pedals. There were problems with both pedals, but predominantly it was the left, or slave, that prompted most of the questions and concerns. That is why I chose to make the aforementioned videos about that part of the pedal.

Unfortunately for customers, Vex’s customer support leaves something to be desired. In their defense, I know what they’re doing. They’re determining where would their money be better spent: on advertising, or in the product? If they spend more money on advertising, then they would have to increase the price of the pedals, which they want to make accessible to as many people as possible, for as little as possible. Since they chose to invest more dollars into research and development, the quality of the product may go up, but customer/technical support is not as good as some of the other drum companies. Their pedal may be a great bargain based on a feature comparison with other pedals, but the others may have the edge support-wise.

The above then prompts end users many times to fend for themselves, trying to figure out what to do when things go awry. Fortunately, I am one who has fended for himself, and won! Anyway, what I decided to do is produce a follow-up video to the first two, which pretty much covers all the bases as far as how to configure these pedals. It is very likely that some of these concepts can be applied to many other brands and models of pedals, so from an educational or referential standpoint, all should benefit. Feel free, of course, to comment on your experiences with these and other pedals, for everyone’s benefit. I’d also love to hear if these videos have helped you solve the ‘vexing’ riddle of the Pro Touring double bass pedals.

I tried to make the video ten minutes, but there was just too much information to be presented, so again it is split in twain. These videos pretty much supersede the previous two, so you could get away with watching these new ones and not miss the other two. But it doesn’t hurt to review!

Have fun double-bassing!

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Stewart Copeland Answers Questions From The Paradiddler

Omar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:22:52 +0000

Stewart Copeland – quite the character; amazing drummer.

A while back, The Paradiddler reviewed the 2006 Modern Drummer Festival DVD, a part one and part two series of articles. The second article expounded on Stewart’s appearance in the show, which of course was very impressive. However, I found his interview to be even more appealing.

I won’t go into all the details here (you can just read part two of the review!), but one of the things I found most interesting was his explanation of why he finds he plays with more power with the traditional grip vs. matched grip. As is the common belief, more power is achieved when playing with matched grip, where traditional grip is reserved for more nuanced type play. Even as he explained it, and demonstrated it, I still found it very difficult to do (I still do). I wanted even more details, but for the moment I was content with his explanation.

Just recently, Stewart released his book, “Strange Things Happen: A Life With The Police, Polo, and Pygmies”, which has received rave reviews. Before the release of the book back in September, HarperCollins Publishers^* of the UK offered fans the opportunity to ask Stewart questions regarding the book, or whatever else they wanted to, and Stewart would answer some of the questions. Well, I asked him three questions, and he answered all of them! That is what I want to share with you.

I still had the question regarding the power of his traditional grip, so I asked:

The Paradiddler: What is it about the traditional grip that you prefer over the matched grip? How do you get more power out of it where most “power” drummers swear by the matched grip?

Stewart Copeland: My theory is that the thumb is a stronger digit than the forefinger. And the pressure is applied to the stick more directly by the thumb then by the combination of fingers that matched grip employs. My own preference though, is just about early training.

I find this to be very interesting. The last thing he says is the most significant to me: “My own preference though, is just about early training.” It’s almost always an issue of what you started out training with, which grip you learned in the beginning. Drummers who for most or all of their lives play traditional grip will find a way to maximize power using that grip, and Stewart explains exactly how that’s accomplished. So for those who insist on sticking to traditional grip, Stewart provides an important key for generating power.

Next question from The Paradiddler to Stewart Copeland:

TP: What drummers or other musicians influenced you most during your tenure with The Police? How about today?

SC: Burning Spear Live and the Clash’s first album were major guiding lights. Nowadays I’m invigorated by that flash bastard Joey Jordison in Slipknot.

Now I understand yet again reggae’s influence on The Police’s music, evidenced in a song such as “Walking On the Moon”. Burning Spear has been around for, like, forever, and even though I am not into reggae as much, I know that genre has influenced many other genres and bands, The Police and Stewart Copeland no exception. And it is difficult not to marvel at Joey Jordison’s chops, both hands and feet. Phenomenal.

Final question from The Paradiddler to Stewart Copeland:

TP: What do you find more enjoyable: composing, or playing live? And why?

SC: Composing is way more enjoyable but performing live is way more exciting.

In the above-mentioned review, Stewart did talk about his passion for composing, much more than being in a band. But his performance on the show was very lively and fun, and you could tell he was having a good time.

Speaking of passion for composing, Ben Hur Live^®, an arena production currently storming through Europe (as of this article), showcases the music of Stewart Copeland. You can go to his official web site to check for dates.

I am in awe of Stewart Copeland’s talents. Some day (hopefully) soon, I’ll be playing a drum cover to one of The Police’s songs, but I know it will be a tall order, due to the nuances that Mr. Copeland plays with. He is one of the great drummers of our time, and certainly a great composer as well!

If you want to obtain a copy of his latest book, “Strange Things Happen: A Life With The Police, Polo, and Pygmies”, click here.

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^*Many thanks to Robin Harvie at Harper Collins for facilitating the Q&A between Stewart Copeland and The Paradiddler.

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The Thing About the Neighbors

Omar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:09:25 +0000

"Rock-a-Bye Bear" by MGM

Since I love drums so much, I inevitably find instances, experiences in life that parallel, or even in the remotest sense, have something in common with drumming. The experiences may not only be related to the actual playing of the drums themselves, but also to the environments in which we play them. An experience early on in life may have an effect on our playing today.

When I was very young, my father used to work the night shift. This obviously meant that he had to sleep during the day. Unfortunately for him, he had four sons who always had the potential of making some noise: TV too loud, creaky floor, unintentional door-slamming, book dropping to the floor, etc. Unfortunately for us, he was a very light sleeper. And he was cranky. One peep out of us, one wood creaking of the floor, and all of a sudden you'd hear some screaming from the master bedroom, "Who's there? Who's there! Come here! Come here!" That caused all of us kids to get paranoid by even the slightest sound when he was sleeping.

On one occasion, I was headed for my bedroom to go to sleep, tip-toeing all the way. Right before I entered my room, the wood floor creaked just a little. I froze. All of a sudden I heard the screaming from my Dad's room, "Who's there? Who's that? Come here!" I rushed to my bed and pulled over the covers. My Dad actually got up and came to our room to see if he could tell who 'intentionally' roused him from his needed slumber, but I made as if I was fast asleep. He went away, and I dodged a bullet (or actually, his authoritative backhand).

Today, my brothers and I joke about that, and we crack up laughing when we mock how our father freaked out when he lost a minute of sleep (it's ok though, our father knows we kid about it; we even do in front of him now, and he just laughs ). It reminds me of one of the funniest cartoons ever, a classic called "Rock-a-Bye Bear" by MGM. It's about a bear (apparently a hibernating one) who hires a dog to make sure everything's quiet while he sleeps. Of course, he's yelling all of the instructions to the dog ("I hate NOISE! Can't stand NOISE!"), yells goodnight as he's stomping away, and slams the door behind him. In a little soft voice, the hired dog says, "Goodnight," only to have the bear come back screaming at the dog, "SHUT UP! QUIET! I SAID QUIET! What's the matter? You DEAF or somethin'?" Hm, reminds me a little of my Dad!

Well that episode in our lives left me and my brothers somewhat traumatized. We laugh about it now, but if anyone is sleeping in the house we're in, be it our own or visiting, even if it's a baby, we hear a noise and we freeze. It's almost comical, but we just can't be at ease, ever, if someone's asleep in the house.

But since we love music, what is the instrument of choice for someone who 'can't stand noise'? The drums, of course! How comically tragic. What's a drum lover to do?

This 'traumatization' has affected me to this day, and it's taking a lot of effort on my part to overcome it. I'm still working on it. Take, for instance, my first drum cover I posted on YouTube, "Crawl Away" by Tool. Now there were a few circumstances surrounding this cover. I was testing a camera, I was testing out the drum tuning, and I was playing the first full song on the newly acquired kit without ever having practiced it before. The synchronization of the audio with the video was not, well, in sync, and you can tell that I'm playing very tentatively. The latter could have been because I hadn't played the song before, or I had just started playing drums in earnest - finally (check my story to see what I mean). But the real reason I'll attribute my tentative playing to is what I call the 'neighbor syndrome'.

Ok, I'm pretty sure I didn't coin that phrase, but I'm applying it in this case to a drummer with neighbors, which I would say are most drummers (if you live in your own house with no neighbors close by, then you don't suffer from the 'neighbor syndrome', but keep reading anyway!). I cringe when I feel like I'm bothering someone with noise; it's just in my blood. I've tried very hard to overcome this, and I've made strides.

Just for comparison's sake, check out the latest drum cover that I recorded, Van Halen's "Girl Gone Bad". You can tell that I'm playing much more forcefully, beating those drums and slamming those cymbals. You'd figure that for a song like "Crawl Away" I'd play with at least as much force, being that Tool is at least a hard rock band. But I had not gotten over the 'neighbor syndrome' yet. Even for "Girl Gone Bad", I could've played it even harder, but by then I had gotten over most of my 'neighbor syndrome'. How did I do this?

For starters, I still don't want to bother the neighbors! So I always ensured that I never played after dark. My usual cutoff was 5:00 or 6:00pm at the latest. This enabled me to respect the right of my neighbors to have peace and quiet.

Next, I took the initiative and spoke with my neighbors and let them know what I was up to. I let them know that I played drums and recorded myself, and that I would be posting these recordings online. One neighbor actually said that she now lived next door to a celebrity! Flattering, yes - I'll take that compliment! I let them know when I would be playing (generally, not specifically). You never know if you have a neighbor who works the graveyard shift, and you don't want to intrude on their rest. Letting your neighbors know beforehand when you would be playing gives them warning so they know what to expect, and they'll more likely respect that you took the initiative.

Yet another step you can take for dealing with the 'neighbor syndrome' is to take measures to soundproof your playing room as much as possible. Where you play could influence what type of soundproofing material you use, or if you need sound absorption vs. sound blocking. Some may use corrugated foam or fiberglass rigid boards for soundproofing, but this isn't always the best solution. Audimute, whose slogan is "We Make Soundproofing Simple", has many solutions specifically tailored for drum rooms, garage bands, professional studios, and more. For example, their Absorption Sheets are, well, sheets, made of sound-absorbing materials that you can hang on the walls. They have videos with testimonials and customer profiles with applications that may give you ideas as to how you could soundproof your playing room. You can also call them at 866-505-MUTE (6883) for more specific inquiries. Of course, Audimute isn't the only company that sells this type of product, but they're a great place to start.*

Yet another option we have to combat the 'neighbor syndrome' is to have muting pads, or silencers. These can be placed on the drum heads depending on their size, and even on the cymbals. An example of this is Vic Firth's Drum Mutes. More ideal for practicing than for performance, these mute the sound of your drums (and cymbals!) so you don't drive your neighbors and family members nuts while you practice your rudiments. And unless they give you a totally unexpected sound that you like, take them off for the show!

If all else fails, you can always get electronic drums. This is the ultimate in silence: just plug in the headphones and you're good to go. They are very flexible as far as play-alongs and playing to and recording to songs and sequences. You can also program the pads to almost any sound you want, if you really want to put on a show. But these may sacrifice the feel of an acoustic kit, and for those that refuse to give in to 'the dark side', you may, if you can afford it, just incorporate the electronic triggers to your acoustic kit.

Of course, you may not care about the neighbors, you don't have 'neighbor syndrome', and you're just going to bang away to a Slipknot or Metallica cover no matter what anyone says. In that case, then maybe the above is not for you! But your life (and your neighbor's) won't be easy. But you can have your cake and eat it too. If you follow some of the suggestions herein, you and those near you will even enjoy your playing, and maybe even become fans! If you have more suggestions on how to deal with 'neighbor syndrome', by all means, they are welcome!

Oh, you didn't think I wouldn't include the "Rock-a-Bye Bear" cartoon, did you? Well here it is. It's so funny I still quote it to this day, that's how funny it is. Enjoy!

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*For a fantastic source of information on soundproofing subjects, go to SoundProofingPlus.com

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Enter the Skins, Revisited

Omar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:38:59 +0000

About a year ago, I embarked on a journey that I didn't know where it would lead.

In one of the first articles on TheParadiddler.com, "Enter the Skins", I entertained the notion that I was on a quest (well, it was more than a notion) to find me a drum set. I mentioned that at one point in my life, I had a drum set, but it was short-lived since my father grew tired of them very quickly (for the more extended version of the story, click here). I vowed someday to have a new set.

Well, many years later, I was finally in a position to buy me a kit. I did mention that I was on a strict budget, so I endeavored to find what I liked within my price range. There were a few directions I could have taken here. One, I could just buy a whole kit from a local music store. The plus there is that I could just buy it, take it home, put it together, and start playing. Also, if I had questions about the kit, I wouldn't feel so bad asking them anything about it, since I bought it there. On the minus side, usually this is not the cheapest route. Also, if you're new to playing, you may find that the kit doesn't sound like it did in the store, and you may need to invest in some education that will allow you set up the drums properly, tune them, and oh yeah: play them (something like Mike Michalkow's "Drumming System")! You may also find that those cymbals that came with the kit really don't sound very good, and you may end up buying cymbals of a different brand or quality anyway. More money spent that maybe could have been avoided.

Or you could order your kit online. You may be able to get a kit cheaper online than at the local store. You can look at the same kit and compare between different vendors, and even within different models within the same brand. The downer to this is that if you order drums, and you change your mind, it might be a pain to ship back because of their size. I know many people order drums this way, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. But imagine that the bass drum arrives damaged, or it's the wrong color, or whatever the case may be - shipping that bad boy back would be a pain in the... well, back.

There is another route you could go as well: you could buy you kit piece by piece. You would make a list of the things you want in your kit, and you would keep your eyes open for any opportunity that comes along. Your list might look like the following:

5pc kit (the shells)
ride cymbal
crash cymbal
hi-hats
bass pedal
hi-hat stand
two cymbal stands
throne
drumsticks

The above list constitutes a basic 5pc kit. You've hence listed exactly what you want, and now you look for deals regarding each piece of the kit separately. I believe that this is the buying option to pursue if you want to spend the least amount of money for good quality equipment (best bang for the buck, as they say). In fact, making a list and buying the kit piece by piece is how I bought my kit, and I'm very happy with it! There's really only one piece of my kit that I'm not crazy about, but it definitely was not a deal-breaker (you'll have to read "To Crash-Ride or Not to Crash-Ride" to figure that one out!).

To buy a kit in the aforementioned way, however, requires something that seems to be more and more scarce these days. It's patience. If you want the best deal on the equipment you really want, you might have to wait for a good deal to come up. This is especially true if you know what brands you want right off the bat. For example, as far as the drums went, I wanted a brand that my favorite artists either currently play or played in the past. This had some advantages, the main one being that I already liked the sound of those drums, and two, a recognized brand more likely will have better support (this applies to most industries and markets, by the way). Any of the following brands would work for me: DW, Tama, Ludwig, Yamaha, and Sonor. Same story with the cymbals: Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, or Paiste. These are not all-inclusive lists by any means, but it would ensure that I would focus on obtaining very good quality drums, while keeping my eyes open for a great deal.

There are also several sources where you could search for and purchase your equipment, such as:

Again, the above is not an all-inclusive list. But it's good to have options, because the more you have, the better the deals you can find. Let's also not forget private sales, which are usually found in the aforementioned Craig's List, local newspaper listings, and the like. Great deals can be found here, but you have to have a plan. You have to know what your limits are (financially speaking), what you're looking for; this will ensure you get the best price, for the gear that you prefer, and for the most part, you won't have to settle.

In the end, I got some great deals. You can see a complete description of my kit in this video. (It's one of my older videos, but it does the job!) On the kit in the video, I saved over 40% off buying from various sources, instead of just from one. I saved over 65% off the retail cost! On one of the items on my kit, I saved over 50% off of normal online prices, and over 70% off of retail - and it was brand new, not used! I think that's pretty significant, considering how tight budgets are these days. As far as the Arts go, many times it is the first cut in a budget. What to do with all these budding drummers?

I think it's important to have hobbies, distractions, activities to entertain the mind. It's very refreshing to do something you love to do (after doing the things you have to do). It gives you energy to get back and get done things that need doing. Maybe if the items we wanted were just a little cheaper, we just might take the plunge (for ourselves or for our children).

Well I'm here to help! I'm working on a publication, a how-to, if you will, on how to obtain the equipment we want, at the price we want. Many times we just want the newest, but the newest doesn't always mean the best value. Sometimes we want the cheapest in price, but that doesn't always mean a good deal. I will try to dispel the difficulties in buying the equipment we want, and show how to get them for a great price. Some of the topics that will be covered will be:

The key to finding great deals
How to pick what brands to buy
Purchasing methods, and pros and cons of each
Detailed, step by step examples that you can follow on how to buy equipment at great prices
and more!

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know everything there is to know about saving money buying drums, but I will show you exactly how I did it, so you can copy me. Most of what you'll learn can also apply to buying anything, not just drums. If any of you have experiences you want to share as far as how you got a great deal and think others may benefit, please e-mail me at omar@theparadiddler.com. I may include it in the publication and give you full credit if I do!

Ultimately, my goal is to show the readers how they can save huge amounts of cash on the equipment they want. We may have put the purchase of our drumming equipment on hold due to the economy, but with potentially so much to save, we might just be able to make that purchase after all! You don't always have to settle; there are many, many deals out there to be had. You just need to have the right tools and know where and how to look. So stay tuned to The Paradiddler! If you know of others that my benefit from this information, by all means, steer them to this article, sign up for the free newsletter, and be on the lookout for news of when the publication is to come out. Till then, have fun with what you have!

Interesting? Then pass it along!

DVD Review – Mike Michalkow’s “Drumming System”

Omar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:36:13 +0000

In deciding how we want to learn our instrument of choice, we are faced with mainly two options. One, we can take lessons from a live person, one on one. One major advantage to this method is that you get instant feedback. Whatever wrong you're doing, it can be corrected right away. Bad habits can be nipped at the bud; good habits can be engrained in our subconscious early on. A disadvantage is price. If we're talking, say, $35.00 per ½ hr per week, that adds up to a little over $150.00 per month, or $1,820.00 per year! That's just an estimate. Some charge less, some charge more. It also doesn't mean that you'd be taking lessons forever. But it does add up.

And two, you could buy instructional media, be it books, CDs, or videos. Although previously I reviewed an excellent book, "Stick Technique" by Jim McCarthy, we'll limit our discussion to videos this time, specifically DVDs. One advantage to the DVD training method is that you always have it - at anytime you want a lesson, just pop it in the player, and there you go! There are several DVDs geared to all sorts of drumming levels, from absolute beginner to intermediate, and even for those advanced drummers who just want to touch up on technique. Yet another advantage is price. Say you buy an instructional DVD for $49.95. If that's all you want, you pay nothing else! If you wanted to be fully self-taught, there are many instructional DVDs out there, and you could pick and choose which ones you want. It most likely won't add up to $1,820.00! The biggest disadvantage to instructional DVDs is the advantage a live person has - immediate feedback. You can't get that from a DVD, but you most certainly will get that from your teacher!

For many, taking lessons from a teacher might be cost prohibitive. I myself have been searching for an instructional DVD that would be all-encompassing, from drum setup, to how to practice properly, to teaching specific hand and foot techniques, drum rudiment instruction, etc. This might be too much to ask from this type of instruction, but I believe I've found what many have been looking for. It is Railroad Media's "Drumming System", by Mike Michalkow.

Now when it says "Drumming System", that's exactly what it is. This is not just a few drum lessons strung together and put on a DVD. It's a step-by-step manual geared to help anyone start playing drums. It's somewhat of an encyclopedia of drum lessons, organized by topic. You get 20 DVDs, 15 audio CDs, and five workbooks (even more details about the contents of the package in the video at the end of this review).

Many topics are covered, including:

How to practice efficiently
Drum theory and notation
Hand techniques
Foot techniques
Dynamic Drumming
How to build speed
Drum setup and tuning
and many more

The above list is very helpful especially for newbies, just starting off. Some topics that some more advanced users might appreciate are:

Live gig and studio drumming
Drum soloing

Of course, more advanced users will also benefit from another's point of view on dynamic drumming, hand and foot techniques, and how to build speed. But for the most part these drummers will already have a set way of doing things that is comfortable to them.

One thing I like about this system (among other things!) is that you can pick and choose what you want to start with. An absolute beginner might start at the first CD and just go straight through. Others (like myself) may have specific things they want to work on or get more information on, and start there. In my case, I was more interested in topics such as how to practice efficiently, hand and foot techniques, drum theory and notation, dynamic drumming, and drum setup and tuning. There's a DVD dedicated to all those subjects by themselves. And although you have a DVD dedicated to drum rudiments, I decided to watch that later rather than sooner.

In addition to the fundamentals, some of the DVDs are dedicated to specific genres of drumming. These DVDs teach about the following:

Heavy rock
Mixed rock
Grove rock
Jazz & Latin

Within those DVDs there are subsections. For example, the Groove Rock DVD teaches Blues, Funk, Reggae, and Shuffles. And within those sections, you have an introduction, and beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections. Some sections are more specific, such as the Shuffles, which are divided into the Half-Time, Jump, Texas, Purdie, and Kansas shuffles.

As I was perusing throughout the 'system' ('cause there's a lot to peruse!), I found that possibly the most useful DVD of the bunch is number 4: "Hand Techniques". Even though it's important to keep a beat with the bass drum, and we keep the hi-hat closed most of the time, it's mostly about the hands, right? What's the proper way to hold the sticks? Should I learn traditional or matched grip? How can I develop 'finger speed'? All of those issues are addressed on this DVD. I don't think we can get enough of this type of instruction. This is the foundation of drumming, along with the rudiments and drum notation. Although you could get away with not knowing rudiments and drum notation and still play well, getting the grip wrong might be painful in the long run. Mike goes into a fair amount of detail as to the proper holding of the sticks, how to determine the fulcrum, and the like. Very well done here.

The System also includes three DVDs of play-along songs. This is just to get you playing! I don't think it matters if you play them well or not, so as long as you have fun playing them. They're a way for you to practice what you're learning in the context of a song. In addition, there are 15 audio CDs that include the play-alongs with and without the metronome, and a CD just with metronome click tracks.

Workbook five of the System includes what's called the "Practice Generator". It's used in conjunction with the second DVD that talks about practicing efficiently. It is a guide on what to practice, depending on how much time each day you have for practicing. It's divided into three schedules:

Casual Practice Schedule (20 minutes)
Motivated Practice Schedule (40 minutes)
Dedicated Practice Schedule (60 minutes)

Now the above are just names. You might only have 20 minutes a day, be motivated, and practice with dedication every single day. Those are just the names for the time schedules they came up with. Call them what you like!

I do have a few gripes about this System, though. The first DVD, which is called "How to Play Drums by Ear", might be misnamed. Mike doesn't talk very much about how to play drums by ear, but more about very general, basic stuff, like how he got started, drum grips, drum positioning, simple drum beats, and the like. It should be called "Getting Started", "Getting Started on Drums", "A Primer to the Drumming System", etc. This is all fine, though - that's what the first DVD (out of 20!) should talk about, but it could have been named more specifically.

Also, the camera angle changes when Mike was speaking drove me nuts. It may have been more bearable if Mike spoke a little faster. But between camera angle switches, he took too long to get started on what he was going to say next. It made his explanations sound too scripted at times, instead of sounding naturally. I'm not talking about the multiple angles while he was playing, though. This aspect was handled exceptionally well. Many examples he gave included multiple angles of his hands, his feet, the whole kit - all when necessary.

Some may question the value of an instructional DVD because mostly you're either watching or playing the drums, not both. Although not a novel idea, the simple solution is to have a TV and DVD player (with remote control) in your line of site, in front of the drums. If either the TV or the player have a headphone jack, you can connect your headphones there which will make following along with the exercises more practical. You can get extension cords for the headphones depending how far your kit is from the TV. This suggestion will allow the student to get more of an immediate result from the DVDs.

I like the fact that as you watch Mike teach, he may expose things in your playing that you may not have noticed before. Some of your weaknesses may be exposed, or you may become privy to a habit (a bad one, usually) that you were not aware of, and now you're able to correct it. If you're a shy one, the only one who'll know will be you! I felt like Mike was genuinely interested in your playing, never talking down to you. Even though, obviously, this product was made to make a profit, I think it was done tactfully, not in your face, and there is a sincere interest in helping the student.

Sometimes we need another point of view, or a different type or style of instruction, to make us better players. Sometimes it takes an objective observer to look at our playing and show us where we can improve. It may not be someone better than us necessarily. It can be a peer, or even someone of lesser experience, but since we may not see it, it will help. Steve Smith and Neil Peart are great examples of this. Both of them sought the help of Freddie Gruber to look at their playing and show them where they could improve. Was Freddie necessarily a better player than either of them? Not really. But did he help them? Immeasurably!

Ok, I'm not saying that Mike Mikalchow is at the level of a Freddie Gruber (I'm sure he'd admit that readily!). All I'm saying is that there's value in different methods of teaching, that anyone who views these DVDs will find something they can use. In my opinion, this 'drumming system' is best suited for absolute beginners to intermediate drummers. For the former, it's a solid foundation to build on, which teaches the very basics, with the advantage that you have a library of topics to choose from, be it what you want to focus on, or just what interests you more. For the latter, it allows you to build on what you know and actually will make you an even better drummer. You will learn new drumming styles and how to execute them, and they may be easier for you since you have the basics down.

Does the course cover everything for you to be a better drummer? No. But then no course does. It is impossible for one course to cover everything a drummer needs as far as education goes. Even within the Drumming System course, at times Mike makes reference to other courses that talk more specifically about the topic at hand. For example, when talking about hand technique, he references another DVD he produced called "Moeller Method Secrets" that further discusses how to increase hand speed. Is it his own product? Yes. But he's already created a video that addresses this specific topic, so why not mention it?

Obviously, he's not the only one who talks about stick control and technique. I recommend Jim McCarthy's "Stick Technique" (referenced above) as an excellent book for learning how to better control the drumsticks for better all-around drumming. This book goes into much greater detail on this one topic than does the Drumming System. So it's good to have several educational sources and see what works best for you.

If you take the Drumming System for what it is, it is a great product. It's a complete drumming system for a complete beginner to play drums at a respectable level, with practical practice suggestions that will allow them to grow in their art. It is also for the intermediate player who can have a reference to go by, brush up on current skills, and learn new styles of play with plenty of examples. In my opinion, it's not so much for the advanced drummer except for grasping new ideas from a peer. But that's never a bad thing, so even the advanced drummer can benefit.

The regular price for the "Drumming System" is $247.00, which, compared to a year of lessons, is a bargain. Now available also is the "Drumming System Lite", which is $197.00 if you opt for the digital pdf workbooks in lieu of the spiral bound printed workbooks. All in all, you get a lot for your money. And payment plans are available as well. If you're considering, for yourself or a gift to an aspiring drummer, a teaching system that can provide a solid foundation and years of fun drumming, this just might be the place to start. A strong eight out of ten paradiddles for Mike Michalkow's "Drumming System"!

For even more information on this fantastic product, watch Mike Michalkow himself and Jared Falk of Railroad Media go into the details of the "Drumming System" package. Then click on the banner below to order.

________
Interesting? Then pass it along!

Brute Force Learning

Omar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:02:55 +0000

Those of us who are X-Men fans may recall a particular scene in "The Last Stand" where there was a competition of opposites. On the one, you had Shadowcat. She had the mutant ability to phase or move through solid objects. Very graceful in execution, seamless. On the other, you had Juggernaut. He had the mutant ability of super-human strength and invulnerability, in addition to possessing a helmet which protected him from psychic attacks. Pure brute strength. Although opposite, they at one point had a single goal: to reach Leech, the mutant that could neutralize any mutant's ability that got near him. This was the mutant who's DNA was used for the 'mutant cure.' In any case, one mutant wanted to reach him to destroy him, the other to protect him.

Their methods to reach Leech were polar opposites. While Shadowcat whisked through the walls, leaving nary a trace of her passage, Juggernaut bulldozed his way through the walls, leaving ample traces of his passage! Eventually, both reached their destination. Shadowcat was first. She finessed her way through the walls, making the necessary adjustments to be able to reach Leech first. Juggernaut was just bumbling his way through, although he did eventually get there.

So how does the above relate to drumming? Yes, I know you were wondering! Some of us may have had an interest in drums, and at a young age (or even not so young) we had older ones who saw the advantage of providing structured lessons for us. With someone monitoring our progress directly, they could see whatever bad habits we may have been developing, and corrected them on the spot. They could also steer us towards proper technique, practice routines, and the like. If we continued with this structured learning, it would be possible to learn to play with some type of, well, finesse. Some of the nuances that our mentors mastered would be passed on to us. They would possibly even teach us to read sheet music, so potentially we could play a song after maybe hearing it once, then looking at the sheet music, and then pretty much know how to play it based on the music as it is written. Shadowcat.

And then there's another group of drummers (we'll keep this at the amateur level for both examples) who either never took lessons, or started later in their lives to hit the skins (or both!). They may have been a fan of the instrument and of certain people who played them, and watched them in awe. It's possible that they were very into air drumming (see "The Emergence of Air Drumming"). Eventually, they get a drum set of their own. With all these favorite songs in their head, they start playing, and discover that, well, drumming is hard! The pro drummers, many times, either took some type of formal lessons, or went to a musical college, or the like. So they play with finesse. But this amateur may think he (or she) knows how to play, but they discover they don't know more than they do know. But they have a good idea how to play, so they try out some songs. After playing a few times, it doesn't sound bad at all! They get through the songs, beginning to end, and maybe even with good timing. It may not be totally pretty, but the job gets done. Juggernaut.

In both cases, the drummers can play the songs (the goal). But they get there via different methods. Neither one is bad; it just depends what you want to do with what you know. If you want to be worldly famous, you may want to take the route of the Shadowcat-type drummer, because that type of drummer will know better how to play certain styles, even heavy rock if necessary. The Juggernaut-type drummer may also play the same music, but they may take longer to get there. And on the way (and even when they arrive), it may not look pretty. But they get it done.

I've been scrutinizing my style of playing lately, and I've come to the realization that my style is more Juggernaut-like. I learned to play via a term I call brute force learning. Without taking any lessons, I grabbed a kit and started playing away, without any concern for reading music, rudiment knowledge, etc. Don't get me wrong: drumming is downright fun ('even if it sounds bad')! I could get to the end of songs, but only because I know what it sounds like. I may miss a few nuances, but I'll get there, and it can turn out to be a pretty good performance, if I do say so myself! But ultimately, I'm missing the nuances of Shadowcat.

We'll continue to use myself as an example. If you take a look at my YouTube channel, you'll notice several types of videos that I've produced over time. There are some promotional videos, how-to's (i.e. 'Rudiments In Action'), and drum covers.^* You're encouraged to watch them all if you like, but for the moment we'll focus on the drum covers. My first drum cover was "Crawl Away", by Tool. It's my favorite Tool song, and I had heard it several times already. I was testing out a video camera I was considering purchasing, so I decided, without practicing, to play to the song. I had never played it before, but I had heard it enough times that I thought I could play it. Plus, I had finally put my kit together, and I wanted to test it out! All in all, not bad for a first time playing a song through to the end. I was also testing the headphones, of which I determined quite hastily that I needed drummer-quality headphones (I got the Vic Firth headphones which you see in subsequent videos; they are excellent).⁺

Anyways, I was very rough around the edges. It was proof that air-drumming is not enough to play good drums - you actually have to play them to get any good! I was aware of that, of course, but this video session was what I needed to start growing as a drummer. It exposed my weaknesses, and showed me what I had to work on. It was invaluable in that sense, and I encourage anyone who has the equipment to record yourselves playing with a video camera. That way you can watch yourself play and notice what you do wrong (and right!), and turn around and just listen as well; sometimes the eyes can deceive you.

Fast-forward to my latest drum cover, "Girl Gone Bad" by Van Halen (well, after you've seen the other ones!), and there's noticeable improvement. I'm hitting the drums a little harder, I'm playing with more authority, I'm better aware of the placement of each piece of my kit - it just looks like I'm playing with more confidence. Of that I am proud, because it does show that if you play enough, you'll come around! I'm constantly trying to develop an ear for music, because I like the satisfaction of knowing that I can play a song just by hearing it a few times. But all of these videos have taught me something - I need more.

Way back when, I wrote an article called "Rudimentary, My Dear", where I talked about the importance of the drum rudiments. These drumming sessions have made me realize that I need to take a step back and start focusing on the vocabulary of drumming, the rudiments. Sure, I could play any song if I hear it enough times, and I'd be playing rudiments without even knowing it. But it's more satisfying if you know the language, the 'vocabulary', so to speak. So I've taken a somewhat drastic measure and broke down my kit (as in 'I took it apart'). The only thing I have set up currently is the practice pad on the snare stand. I want to scrutinize every aspect of my playing and how I can better it. I'll be examining my posture, how I relax, my stick technique - really fundamental stuff. Then, when I've done this for a little while, I'll start putting the kit back together little by little, at each step ensuring that I only progress, and not regress.

This move is not unprecedented. Many professional drummers, after many years of playing a certain way, take a step back and examine their style and see how they can improve. One noticeable example is Neil Peart, who after the Counterparts tour in the mid '90's determined that he took his style of play as far as he could take it, and basically re-invented himself, with the assistance of Freddie Gruber (you can read more about this in the article "Neil Peart Solo Number Two - Counterparts, 1994"). Even as recently as within this past year, Neil, under the tutelage of Peter Erskine, only played his hi-hat for a couple of months to work on his hi-hat technique. Steve Smith went through similar changes (although not as drastic, methinks). Take a look at the kit he used in the 80's vs. now - very different, but I think now he's a much better drummer.

Now am I putting myself on the same level as these drumming greats? Heck yes! Ahem, I mean, no. I'm just saying that sometimes you may need to take a step back and determine what it is you need to work on, and focus on it. Taking my kit apart was the only way I was going to focus on my fundamental play. Does this mean that if the situation comes up where my kit is needed that I won't put it together? No! Maybe I'll come to the conclusion that I really can play that song that I thought I couldn't play before, and I'll set it up again and play it (and record it!). But it just won't be the focus for now.

I'm using a couple of instructional materials to aid me in my 'rudimental discovery' section of my training. "Stick Technique", by Jim McCarthy, is an excellent book that covers the essentials of gripping your sticks properly, effective practicing methods, etc. You can read my review of the book - I highly recommend it. Another tool I'm using is Mike Michalkow's "Drumming System". This is a DVD/CD collection that is chock-full of tips and guidelines for better drumming, from hand and foot exercises and practice schedules, to sheet music lessons and learning different styles of beats, from Jazz to Rock to Latin. An absolute plethora of information that I'm still combing through. (For a review of the "Drumming System", click here).

Till now, my method of learning (and playing, actually) has been by brute force. I bulldozed my way through the songs. I may have not known exactly how the drummer played the original, but dang it, I'm getting to the end! Even if I had to knock down some walls. Does it work? Yes. Is it pretty? Not always. But maybe I'm the only one who's noticing. The crowd may still love it! But in the end, I neither want to be Shadowcat nor Juggernaut. My goal? Easy: I want to be Wolverine.
________
^*One of my drum covers, "Future Times/Rejoice" by Yes, is not on YouTube due copyright issues with YouTube. You can read about it (and view it) via this link.

⁺For more on this experience, check out "Education of The Paradiddler"

Interesting? Then pass it along!

The Emergence of Air Drumming

Omar — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:07:41 +0000

If we look around in the drumming landscape, we'll notice that air drumming is garnering a little bit of attention lately.

For example, the movie "Adventures of Power" glorifies wannabe drummers and shine the spotlight on the guilty pleasure of thinking we know what the real drummer is doing! Recently as well, DrumChannel.com hosted an air drumming contest with Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot) where you could submit via video your air drumming prowess in hopes of winning a prize for the most views.

So what's the deal? Is air drumming for real? Are those who are pretty accurate in their renditions able to seamlessly transfer their skill to the drum kit? Transfer, yes! Seamlessly, well, no. But it's a great place to start.

Much can be said about the power of visualization. There have been studies conducted that have shown that if you visualize a specific task repeatedly, you are more likely to execute it successfully (notice I said more likely - I didn't say definitely; but visualization helps!).

Here's something you can try to test for yourself if you like (or you can take my word for it and not try it, but it works!). Now, this is an example - it could be any activity you want, but this is simple enough. Say you absolutely stink at shooting free throws (if you don't know what a free throw is, then you really stink! ). Or maybe you just want to shoot a higher percentage of them to impress others on the court.

As you go to sleep at night, picture yourself (that's a moving picture) shooting free throws. Don't picture yourself missing. Picture yourself making the shot every time. Remember yourself standing at the free throw line, you're bouncing the ball, you look up at the hoop. You figure out more or less how far the hoop is. You process that you have to toss the ball at a certain arc so that it's not shot like a bullet, so that it doesn't ram the front or back of the rim. You then bring the ball up, properly holding it, so you push up and forward at the arc required for the ball to travel the allotted distance, and then swoosh!

You can visualize layups, shooting from three-point range, whatever. But the point is you make a strong visualization of success. What happens after a while? You've visualized successful free throws so much in your head that when you actually get to the free throw line, you're better prepared! Will you make the shot every time? Of course not! Not even the pros can do that. But your likelihood of success will increase because you've familiarized yourself with the process.

Back to air drumming (finally!). What has the air drummer been doing all that time? They've visualized the drum set, where the hi-hat is, snare, bass drum, cymbals - the whole kit. They most likely have watched, at least in video, their favorite drummer, what the kit looks like, and how the drummer plays. What happens when you sit that air drummer behind a real kit?

Ok, they won't be as good as the original (obviously!), but at least they have a good frame of reference. Air drumming - actually, visualization - will have been a valuable tool in learning how to play. This does not negate the fact that, if you want to play well, you have to practice. Regular practice is what will make you a better player (or a better anything). Air drumming is just a tool you can use to improve your playing, especially since you may not always have access to the real thing. Of course, if all you want to do is air drum and nothing else, then by all means, just do that, and have fun!

In my case, for many years I did not have access to a kit. So my method of learning was almost exclusively air drumming. I did other things too, like watching videos of drummers (especially my favorite ones) when I could, observing them, then just copying them. I'd then, when I had drum sticks, just bang on pillows trying to see how fast I could drum roll. Yes, I did get access to a kit for a very short time when I was a teenager, and actually, I was pretty good right off the bat! I didn't have time to develop the real skills until later, though.

The hugest disadvantage of air drumming in regards to transferring your skills to the kit is that, obviously, you're not learning a sense of feel, or rebounding. You're just bouncing off the air. You're not really hitting that tom in exactly the same area every time. There's no way to practice dynamics with air drumming. That can only be learned when you're actually hitting something! This was (and is!) one of my biggest challenges as I now do have access to a kit. Dynamics are one of the tools that makes your drumming not only about timekeeping, but about being musical. You could say that, the shells and skins are the beat, the cymbals are the voice, but the dynamics are the music.

In any case, I'm a huge fan of air drumming (the jury's out on the "Adventures of Power" movie). It was one of the biggest tools of mine to learning how to play. In addition to watching instructional videos, going to concerts, listening to drummers, practicing rudiments, etc., air drumming can be one of the tools to use to help visualize what you will be doing at the real kit.

All that being said, air drumming can be just for goofing off! This article has more of a serious slant, extolling the virtues of air drumming and how it could be used as a practice tool. But it's loads of fun. What's more fun that air drumming a song from Rush, Van Halen, or Metallica? Maybe nothing! So air drum on, drumming fans! Don't let anyone take our fun away! And after our sister, Mom, Dad, or wife (or husband!) tells us how crazy we are, we just say "Yup, you're right - ridiculous! Who air drums? Please!", we close the door, and we just keep on air drumming!

Drum on.

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Rudiments In Action – Single Stroke Roll and Single Stroke Four

Omar — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:29:27 +0000

Hello everyone! This installment of The Paradiddler features the second video in the "Rudiments In Action" series. Last time we focused on the single paradiddle. This time the focus is on the single stroke roll and the single stroke four.

The "Rudiments In Action" moniker is new for The Paradiddler. In essence, the name says what I'm doing: finding how drummers use rudiments in interesting ways in the songs we like. Yes, we can practice them, and doing so will help us become better drummers. But it's more fun when we actually hear them in action (hence the name), and even more so when we discover it when we didn't notice it before!

I figured that the only way I'm going to recognize 'rudiments in action' is to actually know what they are! Well, there're 40 of them, so I have a ways to go yet. They may not all be included in this series, but as I find them, you'll see them here.

This video features an instrumental by Rush where I found the above-mentioned rudiments, with the examples fully explained and illustrated. All comments, suggestions (praise!) are welcome; I hope you enjoy it!

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