In January of 2009, TheParadiddler.com covered Sabian Live at NAMM, via DrumChannel.com (I would have loved to have been there, but since I couldn’t, thanks Drum Channel!).  Both the performances and backstage interviews were covered (as best as could be done).  One of the artists that dropped by was Walfredo Reyes.  No, not Jr. – Sr.

It was very interesting to hear from him and his son Danny what it was like at dinner time at the Reyes household (you can read all about it in the article).  It was a very musical environment, the result being a fine ‘batch’ of musicians!  Little did I know that covering this event online was a foreshadowing of things to come offline.

Almost a year and a half later (more specifically, May 27^th, 2010), Ken Stanton Music in Stone Mountain, GA hosts a drum clinic by none other than Walfredo Reyes, Jr. The family circle is complete! 

The location was familiar enough.  TheParadiddler.com also covered Will Calhoun’s clinic there, and it was a sensational experience.  It’s not a huge store, which allows for close proximity to the drummer, and a more personal experience.

I was not familiar with Walfredo before the clinic, but I knew he was very well known in the drumming community, having played with many big time artists, such as:

• Santana
• Gloria Estefan
• Toni Braxton
• Lindsey Buckingham
• Christina Aguilera
• Ricky Martin
• Smokey Robinson
• Steve Winwood

…oh my goodness, and on and on and on.  That’s just the short list.  A session drummer like this must have a wealth of experience to impart, so I knew I it would behoove me to attend.  I didn’t go alone this time, however.  My partner in crime came with me, my son Devin (the star of the Off-Set pedal review).

We arrived about 40 minutes early or so.  I like to take a ‘lay of the land’ so I can know where the good camera shot angles are (plus I like to sit in the front row ).  I like to mess around with the gear, not just the drums.  I didn’t get too much of a chance to set up right away though, because when I walked in, Walfredo was already practicing at the kit!

The gear he was playing on was a beautiful Mapex Meridian Maple kit (I’m going to say the finish was transparent cherry red), with Sabian cymbals and an assortment of ergonomically placed percussion gear (LP bongos, blocks, cowbells, and the like).

Walfredo was practicing with brushes, then with sticks.  His playing was very controlled and fast, easily flowing over the whole kit.  It’s not that I was surprised, but I was definitely impressed.  He made all the fills look incredibly easy.

In addition to practicing by himself, he had a couple of other musicians he was going to play with that evening: Gabriel Monticello on bass, and Myron Feltner on keyboards, two local musicians.  The thing to note is that Walfredo had never jammed with these two at all – it would all be spontaneous, improvised.

While the musicians were discussing which direction to take the improvisation, Walfredo demonstrated a few of the more famous drum licks of all time:

• the beginning of “Rock With You”
• thunderous drum fill in “In the Air Tonight”
• Jeff Porcaro on Toto’s “Rosanna”

After practicing, Walfredo got up and greeted some of those already there, myself and my son included.  Wally (as he referred to himself) was very friendly and down to earth, very approachable.  After the pleasantries Wally went off to prepare for the actual clinic, so that left my son and I to peruse the store.

Sometime after 7pm, Wally re-enters the scene to a most receptive crowd and starts explaining in detail what to expect from the clinic.

He mentioned that he had just recently flown in from Hong Kong, and had just met the two musicians he’d be playing with.  He’s very keen on being creative, not being structured when not necessary (although structure is very important too – more on that later).  He went on to talk about how music is the ‘universal language’, that even though we may speak different languages, we can all groove to any style of music and ‘get it’, no matter where we’re from.  And speaking of where we’re from, he made it a point to stress how grateful we should be in this country that we can so easily go to a local music store and have a wealth of instruments and gadgets to choose from, and people willing to give us lessons.  He had been to parts of the world where none of this was available, and anyone interested in percussion would have to fabricate their own sticks.  Of course, these sticks would not last for any length of time.  Some of those players had such great groove, but could not play for more than a few minutes.  So Wally ended up giving out some actual drumsticks so they could at least play for ten minutes straight.  Again, we need to appreciate the availability of the instruments here (and the accessibility of music stores, and artists themselves!).

Wally stated that he was going to start playing himself, and then later have the other two musicians join in.  He was going to display different styles, from rock, to Latin, Afro-Cuban rhythms – Wally called it the “Wally World Travel Agency”, and boy were we in for a ride!

He started his solo with just his hands and fingers, to something like a world beat, an amazing groove.  He then conspicuously incorporated brushes while never losing the beat.  He steadily maintained the beat while cleverly alternating between the snare and toms (snares down, by the way).

The Latin beat was ever present, especially when playing the bongos on his left.  The ‘woodblock’ and cowbell were prominently played as well.  While not skipping a beat, his snares went up and he switched to the regular sticks, and that’s when it got crazy!

Now Wally was playing very fast 32^nd’s (who knows, maybe faster ).  As he varied the tempo, he incorporated the cowbell with a steady beat.  It was ever present, even while he was alternating beats between the snare and toms.  It was an excellent application of a Latin-type structure in a solo setting.

By this time Wally was on a rampage of dizzying fills, double bass onslaughts, and his arms flailing away all over the place (organized chaos, you could say).

After that fantastic opening, Wally went on to explain some of the origins of the different parts of the kit, particularly the cymbals, which as currently configured on drum kits are really Turkish in origin.  The drum kit itself relative to other instruments is a recent development, as in within the last 100 years or so (whereas other instruments have been in existence for centuries, and even drums themselves as individual instruments for as long as humans can remember).

Next was a demonstration of how Wally uses the drum kit to essentially play two parts – the part of the drummer, and of the percussionist.  Different parts of the kit could mimic the percussive counterparts, for example:

• hi-hat --> shaker
• snare drum with snares down, and toms --> timbales
• cross-sticking --> woodblock

A drummer in his kit could also incorporate the actual percussive instruments, like the cowbell, woodblock (clave), timbales (or mini-timbales), bongos, etc.  Here’s Wally’s kit from behind, where you can pick out the different percussive instruments incorporated into the kit.

With this ‘practical’ percussive kit, Wally demonstrated the samba beat.  He made it sound like a percussionist more than a drum kit player, but then that was the point.  The drum kit player can be both the percussionist and the kit player (even simultaneously!), while the percussionist is just that.  Of course, that’s not a knock on the percussionist, but it’s a specialty.  The kit allows for more flexibility.  Wally also talked about the ‘bossa nova’ and described it as samba played on a drum kit with jazz.

Wally told a story about when he played with Santana and that for some reason (I don’t remember why) the percussionist was not there.  So Wally had to improvise the percussion while still holding down the beat with the kit.  Having at least a fundamental knowledge of both the kit and percussion allows for more flexibility (and more gigs!), as has been the case with Wally.

Subsequently, Wally started playing a ‘percussion’ solo, which then slowly morphed into a whole kit solo.  It was amazing how the transition was so fluent that you hardly noticed it until he was playing on everything.  Great example of using ‘what you got’.

Wally mentioned that he considers himself a ‘rhythmist’.  This makes perfect sense because if you look at drumming from a ‘rhythmist’ point of view, your view expands to other percussive instruments beyond the kit.  I think that, after seeing this clinic, Wally is the ultimate ‘rhythmist’!

He went on to mention something that I hadn’t thought of before, but it’s very true:  ‘Acoustic drums are a reflection of what you put in it.’  You can get a lot of different sounds from an acoustic kit (like getting percussion-like sounds out of the kit, as previously mentioned).  Just using the sticks, he struck different spots around the entire kit, and there were so many different sounds generated, very melodic.  When you buy an electronic kit, you’re buying specific sounds; you’re playing samples.  And even though there have been a lot of developments over the years in percussion and electronics, the mainstay, the acoustic drum kit, has always been the foundation.  It’s always there, always needed.

Wally then proceeded to start the next jam with the keyboardist, and then the bass player came in afterwards.

After this jam, Wally demonstrated the dynamic range that the drums have, particularly with brushes.  He demonstrated the ‘abanico’, which is the Spanish word for ‘fan’ (as in the device that keeps you cool).  It’s like a buzz roll incorporated into a beat.

But one of the coolest things Wally displayed was how to make the drums talk.  He made each drum a different member of the family:  the kid, the mother, and the father.  I call it the ‘Ice Cream Bit’.  The kid was asking for ice cream, but the mother had reservations about it.  The father emphatically said “no!”  The father was the floor tom, while the mother a higher pitched tom, and the kid higher still.  It was hilarious.  It was very similar to what Marco Minnemann displayed in his drum clinic when he drummed to “What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?” from the Monty Python movie “Life of Brian”.  Both examples displayed how versatile the drum kit is and how it can convey a wealth of moods.  Outstanding.  This led to another Latin-type jam with the other two players.

Wally then went on to discuss the flexibility that is needed to play to different audiences.  You may have great chops, but if your audience is a group of older folks expecting swing, then don’t play rock!  Someone once told Wally, “Do not disturb the groove!”  If your audience is more a dance-type audience, then play that kind of groove.  If your audience is all drummers (say, at a drum clinic), then all bets are off and just go crazy – do it all.  That’s what the audience expects!

He then went on to say that it is good to be open to different genres of music because it can have a positive effect on your growth as a musician.  He mentioned a funny story about when he was younger and he liked Alice Cooper, but when his father saw “that” he said, “I don’t think so!”  Then later Wally’s son is liking Slipknot and Wally said that every song is like Halloween!  How the tide turns.  But later his son presented him with a very melodic song, and Wally was surprised to find that it was Slipknot!  So basically he’s saying that it’s good to have an open mind as far as what effect different genres of music can have on our playing.  Of course, he then went into a little reggae jam (sweet!).

There were questions from the audience as well, so one of the questions asked was who were other drummers that influenced him (besides his father, which is an obvious one).  It was interesting that he not only mentioned drummers that influenced his drumming (Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Ringo Starr, John Bonham), but musical genres, such as salsa.  Growing up in Puerto Rico, you can’t help but be surrounded by salsa, and that genre had a big influence in his playing.  It shows in how Wally masterfully incorporates percussion into the drum set.

On that note, as far as influences go, Wally said that ‘if you want fresh rhythms, dig deep into the old rhythms’.  Many of today’s rhythms are based on different genres of the past, and one would be surprised to find out how diverse and complex some of the older music is, especially in genres like salsa.  A plethora of knowledge to say the least.

Wally started drumming at the age of 12, but it was not on a kit.  He was ‘forced’ to use just sticks and a practice pad for a full year before he got his kit.  This really helped him get the fundamentals down.  Nowadays he doesn’t go anywhere without his iPhone and a metronome.  You know what they say, ‘timing is everything’!  Playing to songs and to a click is essential in learning how to maintain a solid tempo when playing in a band.

Wally told a story about playing with Steve Winwood, and that he was told that a certain song was to be played at 87bpm (I believe the song was “Higher Love”).  Sometimes towards the end of a show the band’s adrenaline is pretty high, especially after a receptive crowd.  This could be problematic in the sense that the band may tend to speed up the tempo.  It’s the drummer’s responsibility ultimately (not exclusively) to maintain that tempo.  Even if the band complains later, you can tell them, “You guys said 87bpm, so I stuck to it!”

After the Q&A session, Wally finalized with a freestyle and funk-like jam, and an all out solo to top it all off.

After the drumming and the thunderous applause, Wally stuck around for a long time talking to those in attendance, taking pictures, signing autographs, and answering questions.  Very accessible, humble, a class act.

In conclusion, for me it was an unexpected pleasant surprise.  In the article “Beyond the Drum Kit”, I mentioned that even though I, like Wally, grew up surrounded by Caribbean music such as merengue, bachata, and salsa, I simply was not interested very much in percussion.  My interest was solely on the drum kit side.  Wally has completely changed that for me.

I see now that you can have the best of both worlds.  You can be a kit player and tastefully incorporate percussion, and still look and sound like a power drummer.  There are so many ways to express yourself, so many different tempos, so many different genres, that one is capable of playing if we just open our minds to the possibilities that drum kit percussion provides.

As far as Walfredo Reyes, Jr. goes, he’s made a major impression on me.  I was floored by his ‘controlled chaos’, his total control when he played his dizzying array of fills, both hands and feet.  He played with such power, but displayed an incredible sense of dynamics and grace, making the drums virtually speak.  The fact that he has so masterfully incorporated percussion into the kit solidifies his place, in The Paradiddler’s eyes, as a premier percussionist, a premier rhythmist, of our time.  He taught me how to incorporate percussion into the drum kit in a way that’s, well, just dang cool! I think when I grow up (drummingly speaking), I want to be Walfredo Reyes, Jr.




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]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/06/13/drum-clinic-walfredo-reyes-jr/feed/ 2 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/25/all-my-life-foo-fighters-drum-cover/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/25/all-my-life-foo-fighters-drum-cover/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 03:01:09 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1650

Welcome to a ‘drum cover’ edition of The Paradiddler!  This time around we’ll discuss my cover of Foo Fighter’s “All My Life”.

A lot of time had gone by between covers.  I had my drums put away, so I did a lot of thinking, mostly about how I wasn’t playing!

Anyway, I started to make a list of the songs I wanted to cover (eventually).  Playing covers, for me, strikes a balance of learning from the pros and making practicing (and playing!) fun.

It was fun to come up with this list because it makes you start preparing in your head how you’re going to play certain parts.  Will you play it as originally recorded, or will you add a certain flavor to make it your own?  Sometimes that decision may not occur during the planning stages, but during the performance itself.

But let me digress a bit.  After I made my list, I decided that I would play “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, by Nirvana.  I chose it more for the energy and passion that Dave Grohl exhibited when playing it, and because it’s fairly simple to play since the drum phrasing doesn’t change throughout the song.  But that simplicity is deceiving.

When I sat down to play this song, for some reason my timing was all over the place!  It’s my favorite Nirvana song, the energy is off the charts, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

So while I was dealing with this frustration, I scrolled through my ‘set list’ and I found the Foo Fighters’ “All My Life”.  Another favorite of mine (plus another Dave Grohl connection), I decided to sit down and just play to it, and it felt good right away!  It felt very natural right off the bat, and it was loads of fun to play.  So I decided then and there that I would publish this cover instead.

My goal is to try to play to the original as close as possible while incorporating a few subtle changes.  I like to think of those changes as how the drummer might play the song on another night of a tour.  Even though he changes it up, it still sounds like him.  I’m just another night on the tour.  (See “A Perspective on Drum Covers”)

The main differences between my cover and the original is the splash in the middle of the song (at the end of the second verse), and during the chorus I played the ride cymbal with straight eighth notes, instead of accenting with the bell of the ride.  There are other differences both in playing and with the video effects, just to change it up and make it a little more interesting.  I’ll let you figure them out!

Something I did differently this time around also is to publish the video before writing the accompanying article (I usually do both simultaneously).  I posted the video on a couple of drumming forums so people could see my take on the song, and give me some feedback on my playing.  I got some very good feedback, and I may do it this way going forward.  I’ll include the links here so you can also benefit from the observations.  Of course, you the reader can chime in as well!

• Drummerworld.com thread
• FreeDrumLessons.com thread

So that’s the scoop!  Like I said before, if you have comments, suggestions, kudos , leave them here.  Happy drumming!
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]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/25/all-my-life-foo-fighters-drum-cover/feed/ 0 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/18/name-that-tune/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/18/name-that-tune/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 07:00:23 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1606

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:

1. resonant head tuned higher than batter head
2. batter head tuned higher than resonant head
3. 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!⁺

_________
*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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]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/05/18/name-that-tune/feed/ 1 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/04/04/the-paradiddler-wish-list-for-rush-next-tour/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/04/04/the-paradiddler-wish-list-for-rush-next-tour/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:09:26 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1586

Rush fans are a unique bunch.  There are so many idiosyncrasies attributed to them, too numerous to mention here (and beyond the scope of this article).  But what is within the scope of this article is that Rush fans seem to think they know what songs Rush should play on the next tour.

In different forums related to Rush, you’ll see fans put up entire set lists sometimes; others, just particular songs they’d like to see.  Some are songs we know Rush will never play live, but it’s always fun to dream.

Now before I continue, I have to make the obvious known that I too am a Rush fan.  Although, you wouldn’t know it by looking at me.  Even in my younger years, I never made obvious my taste for music, unless I was talking about it.  I never wore Rush t-shirts, I didn’t have a poster of Neil Peart on the wall, I didn’t brag about Neil Peart being the best drummer in the world (ok, maybe a little – but not that much!).  I pretty much kept to myself except with those I knew were also fans, or at least could carry on a decent conversation about music.  I made it a point early in life that these guys, just like any other human being, go to the bathroom, catch colds, get hungry, need sleep – all the things that make everyone the same.  I never worshipped them, but I did, and do, greatly admire their musical prowess, so the emphasis has always been on that.

I also realize that not everyone who visits TheParadiddler.com, or even some of those subscribed to the newsletter, is a Rush fan.  But I hope you’ll indulge me, just this once, as I deviate a little from the complete emphasis on the drums and more towards an ensemble, if you will.  That ‘ensemble’ being Rush, which of course who’s drummer is my favorite of all, Mr. Neil Peart.

So back to the lecture at hand.  Yes, even I, The Paradiddler, have a wish list for Rush’s next tour.  What Rush fan doesn’t?  But, instead of just listing them, I’m going to explain why they should play them.  It’s not a huge list either, just songs that I think would make the concert ‘complete’, at least for me.

I do admit that Rush has a knack for putting together an incredible set list for each tour.  If you watch the documentary “The Boys in Brazil”, which is the second DVD in the Rush in Rio 2-DVD set, Geddy explains the process of putting together a set list for the tour.  It’s a painstaking process!  They have so much material to cover, that in each tour some record (or records) get overlooked entirely, while others get a lot of attention.  A good example of this is their latest Snakes and Arrows tour.  While records such as Counterparts and Presto got no play at all, it almost seemed like a Permanent Waves II tour, because they played so much material from that record (even pulling out “Entre Nous”, which was never played live before!).  But as usual, the set list worked.  It was a great show, with a great song selection.

But what prompted me to do this listing?  After the Snakes and Arrows tour, I started thinking about what I would love to see Rush play in a subsequent tour.  Purely subjective, of course, but I know that if they played my requests, I know everybody would approve.  I decided that I’d hold off mentioning anything until I heard any news of Rush touring again.

Well, just recently Alex Lifeson told The Globe and Mail the following:

“We were off for a year and a half, and now it’s just pouring. Everything is totally crazy and there’s not a minute left in the day. We’ve got these half-dozen songs, and we’ll probably go in the studio and work on a couple of them and see how it goes, perhaps release something – and I say perhaps – and then we plan on being on the road in the middle of June. Ideally, we’d like to showcase a couple of these songs on the tour, come off tour in mid-October, go back in the studio and continue writing, then record through late this year and early next year, and then release the album in the spring of 2011 on a slightly more substantial tour. This [year’s] tour will probably be about 45 dates. Most likely summer, 2011, would be more like 70.”

This is exciting news indeed!  I would love to be totally surprised by a song (or songs!) I’ve never heard.  If that’s the case, and if Rush is going on tour soon, well, it’s time I reveal my wish list!

Before I go into my list, I’ll admit that I realize this could all just be an exercise in self indulgence, that of course I’d love Rush to play what I want, but like I said, it’s fun to dream!

My list is not long.  I’ll leave it up to Rush (like if I have a choice) to determine which new songs to play.  These are the ones they’re most passionate about, since they are the newest, so I won’t go there.  I got burned a couple of times trying to predict what song they’d play from their latest release.  For example, when I saw them on the Roll the Bones tour back in December of 1991, I for sure thought they’d play “Face Up”, because I thought it was a hip song, but they didn’t play it.  After reflecting on it, I think they made the right choice.  For the Counterparts tour (which I missed – grrr), I thought they would play “Cut to the Chase” for sure, but they didn’t play that one either.  I’m still wondering why they didn’t play that one, because it just rocks. Neil even sounds like John Bonham on that one, but anyway, a great song.  So the bottom line is I won’t even recommend what new songs to play (once a CD comes out, that is).

And of course, there are some songs that must be played on every tour.  “Tom Sawyer” is the prime example.  That song will forever be tied to Rush, so I don’t think they can avoid it.  It’s ok though, I never get tired of hearing it anyway!

So here goes:  What I’d like Rush to play on their next tour, in no particular order (unless otherwise stated).

This might be Rush’s most underrated song.  It is so epic, so grand in scope.  The theme of the song prances at a quickened pace; the lyrics play to the mood of the chords and vocals with uncanny precision.  It makes me want to go to New York and London!  Some of my favorite lines in all of Rock are in this song, sung so perfectly within the context of the mood of the song:

Pavements may teem
With intense energy,
But the city is calm
In this violent sea

Lyrically, it’s a masterpiece.  It stands the test of time.  And I think the music captures what the lyrics are portraying.  I just love it.

For those who’ve heard the song, the beginning begs for this song to be the opener of a Rush concert.  We got a snippet of it on the Exit… Stage Left DVD, where the beginning of “The Camera Eye” is used to intro the DVD (VHS at the time of release).  Geddy and Neil talk a little about entertaining and the ‘electricity’ of the live show.  The song starts off slowly, then builds up in intensity, more and more, and then just explodes into the scene with power. The whole crowd could be kept in the dark until the moment the band crashes into the song after the rising crescendo.  Lights blaring, the crowd roaring in approving applause – I could just see the whole thing.  Rush could use the song as a ‘warm-up’, per se, and play the whole ten minutes, which they could then go into their pleasantries, as they are apt to do.

So this song is my pick for the opening song.  Of course, anywhere in the set they play it would be fine by me!  Now tell me, is there another better song to start the show?

Let’s keep the ‘bring out a song never played live’ gig going!

I’m not sure this song was ever played live.  On the Snakes and Arrows tour (what I like to call the Permanent Waves II tour), they played “Entre Nous”, which was never played live.  That’s a song I never expected to see live, but it was beautifully performed.  It almost seemed like they played it like they’d never play it again.  For me, it had a sense of finality to it.

I actually think “Different Strings” is a better song.  It is ‘complicatedly simple’, or ‘simply complicated’ – take your pick.  I think it’s a wonderfully crafted song, and somewhat thought-provoking.  I think Dream Theater covered this song for a time.  I think the song would lend itself to be played live, be it how it was originally recorded, or as an acoustic break, a la “Resist”. In any case, lighters and cell phone lights would be on full display during this one!

Ok, seriously, it is time.  This song must come back to the set list.  Ok, I’m not one to make demands, but I can already hear the ominous brooding of this song demanding to be played again.  I love playing this song on the drums (hm, I think I’ll cover it someday soon!).  It displays several moods:  foreboding, tension in the air, suspense, urgency, and a triumphant finale.  And strangely enough, I’ve never bothered to think about or inquire what this song is about!

In any case, my feeling is that it’s a favorite among Rush fans, and I’m not sure it has been played since the Permanent Waves tour.  Looks like this song is getting the “Between the Wheels” treatment:  played for one tour and then dropped.  But it was brought back after Rush realized how good a song it was.  I hope they do the same for “Jacob’s Ladder”.

Looks like the Permanent Waves spell will continue!  At least if I get my way. 

It can be said of many Rush songs that they are ahead of their time.  They could easily have appeared on a future album, or whose lyrics transcend time.  “Losing It” is one of those songs.

This is one of my all time favorite Rush songs.  Lyrically it speaks to many of us that may hit a wall in life, be it physically or mentally, and find it insurmountably difficult to overcome those walls.  Or, as extolled in the article “Cheering Them On”, many dream about what they’d like to be, but for whatever reasons never achieve it.

In addition to being a wondrous song lyrically, it is also thus musically.  The mood portrayed by the music complements the words perfectly, something resembling a wistful longing.  The violin exponentially adds to the ambiance of the song, giving it an almost orchestral presence.  Simply beautiful.

I think Rush opened ‘Pandora’s Box’, as it were, by bringing to a set list a song that was never played live (“Entre Nous” on the Snakes and Arrows tour).  Now they’re gonna have to do it again!    “Losing It” is a prime candidate.  The grandness of the song lends itself to a live setting.

As far as the violin goes, I think technology has come along enough for them to be able to trigger it when and where they need it.  They’ve been doing stuff like that forever, so it shouldn’t be a problem (sure, easy for a fan to say!).

In this fan’s eyes (and ears), the best song on Power Windows (1985 release) is “Territories”.  However, when said record came out, the songs I liked the most were “The Big Money”, “Manhattan Project”, and “Marathon”.

Unfortunately, I missed the subsequent tour (I was living in Phoenix, AZ at the time, but that’s a story for another day).  If I had gone, I would have known why I think “Territories” is such a great song.  It was meant to be played live.

I didn’t discover this until I saw my first Rush concert in December of 1988, during the Hold Your Fire tour, and later when I saw the A Show of Hands VHS.  The song exhibits various ambient changes, and the music fits so well with the theme of the song.  Some of Neil’s most creative drumming is in this song as well, especially during the chorus.  The song has a triumphant conclusion, an apt ending to the animated documentary.  Just a very well constructed song that I would personally love to see live.

Where’s my instrumental?  Many years had passed after “YYZ” until Rush recorded their next instrumental (ten years!), but “Where’s My Thing? (Part IV of the “Gangster of Boats” Trilogy)” delivered.

I love the jazzy riff it implies, with the power of a rock beat.  The many dynamics of the song make it incredibly interesting to listen to.  All three contribute technical virtuosity to what I think to this day is one of their best instrumentals.

But when I saw it live, it went to a whole other level.  If any Rush song was meant to be played live, it’s this one.  It has a grandness to it when played in a concert hall, the chords making powerful statements of sound, especially during it’s ‘chorus’ parts.  Not only that, but during the Roll the Bones tour they played an extended intro to the song, an ethereal suspense which ended with Alex’s piercing chords to mark the beginning of the actual song.  I was blown away.

So what happened?  They made another instrumental (“Leave That Thing Alone!”) on their next album, and yet another instrumental (“Limbo”) on the next album after that!  So “Where’s My Thing?” fell by the wayside, so to speak, even though I think it’s better than the subsequent two.

So it’s time to bring back this great instrumental.  The ‘thing’s’ right here, so leave it alone!

This one’s just a feel good song.  For some reason unbeknownst to me, it reminds me specifically of walking the streets of Montréal or Toronto.  In any case, it’s a lovely song, very fitting as the last song on Counterparts.

In fact, that’s why I think it should go somewhere in the encore.  It’s also somewhat of a triumphant sounding song, which makes it fitting at the end.  Again, yet another song not played live before, but like I said, Pandora’s Box has been opened!

When the ‘Fear’ trilogy concluded with “The Enemy Within” on Grace Under Pressure back in 1984, we thought that would be the end of it.  Rush went backwards, actually starting with part three (“Witch Hunt” from Moving Pictures), then part two (“The Weapon” from Signals), then ‘concluding’ with “The Enemy Within”, part one.  They play all three parts live on the Grace Under Pressure Tour DVD, and it’s fantastically done.  “The Weapon” especially showcases why Neil is one of the best drummers around (you’ll have to see it for yourself!).

After that tour, “Witch Hunt” was played most of the three, even as recently as the Snakes and Arrows tour.  But ‘fear’ doesn’t sleep...

On Vapor Trails, part four of ‘Fear’ appears:  “Freeze”.  This song may have gone under the radar as far as great Rush songs go, but it certainly belongs in that category.  It is a complex song, with several mood and dynamics changes.  I see it as an undiscovered gem.

When I saw that “Freeze” was part four of ‘Fear’, I thought ‘Fear’ was coming back for the Vapor Trails tour.  It would have been nice to see Neil tackle “The Weapon” again.  But to my surprise, they didn’t play it!

So here’s another chance.  Now that the ‘Fear’ anthology has come full circle (can’t call it a trilogy anymore), it’s time for Rush to conquer their ‘fear’!

When a new Rush CD comes out, I try to guess which songs will be selected for the tour.  There are always misses (see above).  Sometimes I’m left wondering why the song wasn’t selected, because I thought it was that good.  When Rush released Vapor Trails, I was sure that “Nocturne” would be selected.

This is a great song!  It’s kind of different from other Rush songs in a sense:  the trebly bass riff, the wailing background vocal - it’s like the band went off on a tangent on this one (a good tangent!).  Neil’s drumming sounds youthful as well.

I could see this song being played on rock stations because to me it sounds radio friendly.  Again, it surprised me that it was not selected for the tour, because it’s such a unique song, even by Rush standards.  I think it would sound fantastic live.

So where in the concert should “Nocturne” be played?  Easy:  as prelude to the ‘Fear’ anthology.  Perfect.

Could it be time for Rush to consider playing another ‘side-long’ again?  I would guess that almost all Rush fans would love to see them play “Hemispheres” in its entirety.  Hemispheres is a favorite of many Rush fans, and this would surely please.  But I see a couple of difficulties with this choice (even though, again, I’d love to see it!).

One, Geddy’s voice is lower now than in yesteryear.  It is very rare that a singer who’s been around for decades that can still sing in the same register as when they were young.  Jon Anderson of Yes is a rare example of this, even though he may struggle a bit to still reach those higher notes.

This song would be one of the most, if not the most challenging of the older songs for Geddy to pull off live.  There are many notes sung in higher registers that, if Geddy were to sing them, he may need to sing alternate lower notes (like singing harmony).  Or, a la “2112” on the Test for Echo tour, the band could play the entire piece a key lower, allowing Geddy to reach those higher notes, which wouldn’t be so high at the lower key.  (They did this with “Circumstances”, which appears on the Hemispheres record, on the Snakes and Arrows tour).  But if they go that route, that presents another potentially big problem.

Alex’s opening chord played at the introduction of the “Hemispheres” suite is arguably his most famous chord.  It’s so unique, it’s practically patented by him (the suspended F-sharp chord).  As far as I know, it wasn’t used again (at least in a very recognizable kind of way) until the beginning of “Far Cry” on Snakes and Arrows, almost 30 years later!  If they play Hemispheres tuned down, that recognizable chord cannot be used.  Alex would have to come up with another chord that’s just as impactful.  Does that chord exist at a lower key?

These are the issues Rush would be faced with if they go with this piece.  If anyone can figure it out, it would be these guys.  I’m hoping!

And that, folks, is The Paradiddler’s wish list for Rush’s next tour.  I’m sure you have your favorites you’d like to see.  Please let everyone know here!  Or you can tell me how crazy I am, whatever.  In any case, let all know what you think!

By the way, I do have a couple of other items on my list that are so good (again, at least I think so!), that I won’t reveal them here.  I have special plans for those, and if they come to fruition, trust me, you’ll find out in due time.

In the meantime, have fun with my list, and yours!

Interesting? Then pass it along!

]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/04/04/the-paradiddler-wish-list-for-rush-next-tour/feed/ 3 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/26/passion-for-our-favorite-drummer/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/26/passion-for-our-favorite-drummer/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:21:39 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1577

My, how we love our drummers of choice.

At different stages in our lives, we cling to our favorites for different reasons.  When we were really young, say, five or six, we might have really liked the drummer of our big brother’s (or sister’s) favorite band.  As we got a little older, we made up our own minds and either stayed with that one, or started liking someone else.  This time, though, we might like the drummer because of the actual drumming, not because of the band as a whole.

For example, when I was very young, my favorite drummer was Peter Criss.  Was he a great drummer?  I think it instead more likely that he fit (perfectly!) what Kiss needed him to be more than that he was a great drummer.  There were other drummers around that time (we’re talking the ‘70’s in this case) that could run circles around Mr. Criss as far as technique goes, such as Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd, and of course, Buddy Rich.  But that didn’t matter to me – Peter Criss was ‘the best’!  And I was passionate about it, even at a young age.

Fast forward a few years and I was introduced to Neil Peart, and he became to me what I now call my ‘reference drummer’:  my base, my foundation, my main inspiration.  That remains the case to this day, even though I am greatly inspired by many other drummers, for diverse reasons.

And so it is that through the years, we change, and so do our preferences.  As far as our favorite drummers go, there are as many reasons to have a favorite drummer as there are drummers.  I’ve seen, however, that some take their passion a little too far.

Ok, I’m not talking violence.  It’s a lot of fun to banter about who our favorite drummer is, or who we think is ‘the best’ (even though I think there’s no such thing).  That kind of debate is rampant in sports, and it’s never-ending.  I’ve been to several drum forums where threads have been opened such as ‘Who’s the best drummer?’, or threads that are started about specific drummers.  In the latter, you see all kinds of posts.  Typical are:

• debates comparing the drummer in question to another drummer
• why the drummer in question isn’t good at all
• why the drummer in question is the best

The ‘end is listless’.  You might be able to guess the age of some of the posters.  If you see really short posts saying things like “Mike Portnoy is no doubt the best drummer on the planet!”, you may assume that that’s a younger poster (hm, ‘no doubt’?).  Sometimes others will go into long spiels extolling why this drummer is better than that one, and even have polls comparing, say, Mike Portnoy vs. Danny Carey, or Dave Weckl vs. Vinnie Colaiuta, etc.  Pretty interesting to say the least, because those who’ve followed these drummers closely get very specific as to the technique of these players, and the result is an education on the drummers in question that we may not see elsewhere.

I personally consider any ‘vs.’ debate to be futile.  There are just too many variables to consider when comparing drummers.  I think of all musicians, drummers are the most different from each other.  It is very unlikely that two drummers will have the exact same influences, so in addition to their innate ability, they’ll adapt their unique ability to try to imitate what their favorite drummer plays.  What results is a completely unique drummer, shaped by their aforementioned ‘reference’ (or references), their musical taste, their talent, and their drive to reach whatever musical goals they have.

Not only that, but the drum kit is the most configurable of all instruments.  Consider some of the variables:

• number of shells
• snare preference
• tom positioning
• cymbal placement
• throne height

And that’s only the beginning!  How many stick sizes are there, head thicknesses and materials, pedal configurations – gads, my head’s spinning (think I’ll stop now).  The point is, even if two people are the same age, go to the same music classes, and listen to the same music – they’ll still be two different drummers.

So really, how comparable are drummers?  There are certainly ones that can do certain things better than others, but that does not necessarily mean that one is better than the other in a general sense.

Let’s take a case in point.  This is my opinion; you’ll have yours, but this is how I see it.  I have a short list of favorite drummers.  On it are Neil Peart (if you’ve followed my blog that’s obvious) and Thomas Lang.  I’m very familiar with Neil’s work (as evidenced, for example, by my rating of his solos), but only recently (relatively speaking) have I been exposed to Thomas’ playing.  But I’ve seen enough of his playing that, well, he’s at least one of the best drummers in the world.  (If you’re subscribed to The Paradiddler’s newsletter, you would have received a sample of this.  )

These two drummers couldn’t be more different.  To me, Neil Peart is about composition; Thomas Lang is about technique.  Does Neil have technique?  Of course, but Thomas has more.  Can Thomas compose a good drum piece?  Certainly, but I think Neil is more creative that way.

As far as composing drum parts, Neil is a master.  If you haven’t already, I recommend spending a few hours watching Neil’s DVD “A Work In Progress”, where he breaks down in verbose detail how he composed the drum parts to every song on Rush’s Test for Echo. Sure there’s technicality explained and demonstrated (even some exploration solo footage), but this is textbook Neil:  drumming to suit the song, not the drummer.  To me, that’s what makes a drummer shine.

As far as technique goes, Thomas Lang’s best selling “Creative Control” and “Creative Coordination” DVDs demonstrate Thomas’ absolute mastery of the kit.  His drumming is so fluid and effortless, hands and feet.  I watch in awe every time I see this guy play.

So I don’t consider either of these drummers better than the other.  They both have tremendous talents to display, and no matter what genre of music we prefer, they certainly can give us a lesson or two on how to play.

Sometimes a great drummer (even a legendary one!) will get criticized when compared to someone’s favorite.  I’ve read on certain posts that Neil is a boring drummer, with not much technicality, and that the solos are boring.  When I read posts like that, I tend to think that the poster is missing the point.  Sometimes the drummer simply won’t display certain technical chops because the solo or song doesn’t call for it.  It’s very likely that when he practices, he’ll play certain rudiments and patterns for practicing’s sake.  If something interesting comes up that he can use in a song or solo, it’s in.  If the pataflafla doesn’t fit in the solo or song, it’s out, even if he knows how to play it.

Sometimes (actually, almost every time), it’s in the eye (or ear) of the beholder.  What are you looking for in a drummer?  What excites you?  Many drummers cite Tré Cool (Green Day) and Travis Barker (Blink 182) as their favorite drummer, and sometimes passionately exclaim that they are the best.  Like I said, the best doesn’t exist, so don’t bother!  They are the ‘best’, though, because they personify what the beholder expects to see and hear in a drummer.  In some way, these drummers inspire their drumming fans in a specific way, hence the adulations.

Sometimes the age of the drummer (meaning the pro drummer) is a factor too, and at what developmental stage they are in their career that inspires certain fans.  When you’re young, who you thought was the best may stick with you as you get older, even though you may consider others just as good later on.  I started to notice Neil Peart when he was a young drummer and he became my favorite, so the same thing may happen to any youngster who notices a drummer when they’re young.  A young person can have the same passion for the drumming of a young Neil Peart just the same as a young person towards a young Tré Cool or Travis Barker.

Drummers of the caliber of a Neil Peart, Steve Smith, and others, tend to not stay with the same style throughout their career.  These drummers evolve, one reason being is that they get restless when they take a certain style to it’s limit based on their ability, or just being bored playing the same style, and wanting to move on to something else.  Neil Peart’s current style of play may not appeal to a generation used to speeds as exhibited by Thomas Lang, Marco Minnemann and others, even though they may recognize him as a drumming legend.  I strongly recommend watching Rush’s live DVD Grace Under Pressure Tour, which was recorded in 1984.  There you will see Neil display an incredible amount of speed, power, creativity, and limb independence (check out particularly “The Weapon” – the ‘Professor on the drum kit’ indeed!).

Drummers like Neil and Steve Smith move on.  As good as Neil was in 1984, it might be boring if he still played like that.  Steve Smith ‘scratched that itch’ when he finished playing rock with Journey, to go back to his more jazzy roots.  Even as good as he is in this genre, he’s been messing with Indian rhythms as of late, just to challenge himself.  These are the types of drummers that appeal to me.

At the opposite side of the spectrum, you have drummers that tend to sound and play the same throughout their career, such as Joey Kramer (Aerosmith) and Tico Torres (Bon Jovi).  To me, these drummers sound the same throughout the tenure of the band they play in.  That’s not to say that they’re bad drummers.  It’s even possible that some cite them as favorites.  They play what’s required for the music they play, and ultimately, especially if you play in a band, that is what’s most important.

So what’s the bottom line?  This:  ‘best’ is in the eye of the beholder.  If you think Travis Barker is the best drummer in the world, and he inspires you, then more power to you.  If you think that Phil Rudd is the best drummer because he lays down a fat four and gets out of the way, then more power to you too.  If you think “Gadd is in the details”, then good for you too!

As for me, I’m staying out of the ‘this drummer vs. that drummer’ debate.  They all have something to offer.  Fortunately, drummers don’t mind having their ideas stolen (for the most part).  So let’s study our favorites, forget about who’s best, and just enjoy the performances and individuality of these great drummers.

Interesting? Then pass it along!

]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/26/passion-for-our-favorite-drummer/feed/ 0 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/07/drum-clinic-marco-minnemann/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/07/drum-clinic-marco-minnemann/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:40:03 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1546

When I received the e-mail from Ken Stanton Music saying that Marco Minnemann was going to put on a drum clinic at their superstore in Marietta (Atlanta), GA on March 2nd (2010), I immediately started making plans to be there.  But it may not have been the case otherwise.

Until recently, I knew very little about Marco.  I had seen his name mentioned at times, but never enough for me to notice (so many drummers, so little time!).  But recently, DrumChannel.com had both Marco and Derek Roddy (Serpents Rise and Hate Eternal) together for a chat and drumming session, and I was blown away by both drummers.  It may be because I'm not into 'blast beat'-type music that I've not heard much of these guys, but there's no denying the incredible talent these drummers possess.  It takes an incredible amount of technique and energy to play what they play, but the duo solos they performed displayed an incredible array of power, finesse, creativity, and melody.  Here's a link to the rebroadcast of that show.  Put it on your calendar and watch it, because not only are they extraordinary drummers, but they have very refreshing insights as far as their approach to drumming that drummers of all styles can learn from.

So after watching that show, I decided that I may need to pay a little more attention to Mr. Minnemann!  Then comes the news that he's putting on a drum clinic locally and, well, a perfect storm of sorts. I started making preparations to cover the event.

I made contact with Jeremy Truitt, Drum Dept. Manager at Ken Stanton music, to come by the store and talk about the particulars of the event.  He was most helpful, showing me where the stage was going to be, audience location, even showing different spots where I could get some great camera angles for some unique shots.  This was gonna be good!

So the day comes, and now I’m really into the event.  I’m very much looking forward to seeing an incredible display of chops, and learning whatever I can.  With much anticipation, I head on down to the store.  I wanted to get there pretty early so I could situate myself, get a ‘lay of the land’, so to speak, make sure I had a good seat, and see where I could take some great photos.

The clinic was cancelled.

Winter decided to dump a snow storm to the Atlanta area, and for the safety of the drummers and all who would attend, it was decided that the show would be a no-go.  The guys at the store were obviously very disappointed, and rightly so.  It is not often that a world-class drummer can be in the area to put on a drum clinic.

But all was not lost!  Fortunately, that was not the only clinic that Marco had scheduled.  The Atlanta Institute of Music (AIM) had also scheduled a drum clinic on March 4^th.  No snow storm scheduled for that day!  It was a little further out, but that didn’t matter – I would be there.

I suspected that the vibe for this venue would be different than at the store, and I was correct.  When I attended Will Calhoun’s drum clinic, there were drummers there of course, but there were also people of all ages, very young kids included.  But AIM had more of a classroom, college-type feel.  Most in attendance were young adults, with a few older cats sprinkled around here and there.  I didn’t prepare so much for this event since I wasn’t planning on coming, so I was more like a spectator like everyone else, instead of a ‘reporter’.  The campus halls were boringly decored, but fortunately the action is in the classroom, and AIM teaches classes in drumming, guitar, bass, and recording.

I arrived about an hour early, again to make sure that I at least got a good seat.  There was definitely a buzz in the atmosphere waiting for the clinic to begin.  These guys knew who they were there to see, and they were excited.  There was lots of talk about cracked cymbals, trying to get drumming endorsements, recent and upcoming gigs - a real drummer’s event.

There was a sound check going on while we were waiting, and if it was any indication of what the show was going to be like, we were in for a real treat.  The drums sounded just fantastic (even being on the other side of the door).  The bass drum was very boomy, but it sounded so full and rich.  When the drummer played double bass drum fills and combinations all over the kit, the boom of the bass drums blended in with the combinations and produced very powerful and clean, piercing sound.  Now I couldn’t wait to hear what these drums sounded like while in the same room!

I think artists are good at sneaking by people because as we were all waiting outside the door, an inconspicuous Marco and a companion whizzed right by us, almost without us knowing it!  By the time we did notice, he was gone.  Guess it was time to get ready for the show!  After that little episode, all were invited to enter the performance hall.

First thing you notice as you enter the hall is Marco’s drum kit.  It was a beautiful 7-pc DW Gold Glass FinishPly^TM Collector’s Series kit, with Zildjian cymbals and DW hardware.  In addition, Marco had an additional snare (which I believe was also a DW) to the left, and another suspended tom to the left of that (ok, a 9-pc kit).  Just a beautiful setup.

After everyone coming in finished going gaga over the kit, those in attendance started settling into their seats.  I was fortunate enough to get a front row seat stage right, which was a great view.  Marco did not aim the bass drum directly to the audience, as is typically done, but instead faced himself straight to the audience, and positioned the bass drum to his right (similar to the positioning when playing two bass drums).  This allowed for an excellent view of both his hand and foot technique.

After being seated for a little while, Mr. Minnemann was introduced and out he came to the stage.  Very humble to his applause, he looks just like any other guy (he is tall, though!), very unassuming.  You’d never know he’s a famous anything.  But once sitting behind the kit, look out.

After thanking those in attendance and mentioning what he was going to do for the night (songs, solos, Q&A, etc.), he started playing to one of his songs.  Since I hadn’t followed Marco before this, I didn’t know the names of several of the songs he played to (nor did he introduce them).  But it didn’t matter, because he was playing masterfully right off the bat.  The sound of his drums were so clearly defined, and incredibly powerful and full-sounding.  Although there was amplification set up for the drums, it was clear that he was hitting them hard and with authority, but with pinpoint accuracy.  He absolutely didn’t miss a beat; his timing was flawless.

During the first song, the knob on one of the stands keeping a splash cymbal in place slowly started to give, but mid-song Marco adjusted it while not missing a single beat in the song!  It was a great display of concentration (and persistence!).  This first song had quite a jazzy flavor to it, but it was played with a lot of power.  I don’t remember hearing jazz, or what to my ears appeared to be jazz, played that way.

He went right into the next song (amidst a roaring applause of approval from the audience), and this one was a more ‘straight at you’, more aggressive type piece.  Although it did have its jazzy fills interspersed within, it definitely had more of a rock feel.  The combinations and patterns he played were dizzying, but at the same time it was never exaggerated.  As fast and as many fills he incorporated into the song, it was never too much.  It seemed to all fit seamlessly into the song, without being overdone.  This takes a great mastery of composition to accomplish, and Marco was exceptional.

The third piece was even more aggressive, starting as a straight-four rock piece, with lots of ‘double bass onslaught’ fills thrown in.  This was the shortest song of the set.

The fourth song was more melodic, almost electronic-sounding, robotic-like.  I was amazed at how different his drums sounded in this piece just by the patterns he was implementing.  It eventually went into a very fast tempo.  He was just all over the kit at this point, as he entered into the first solo of the night.

Marco showed incredible interplay between the drums, with a prodigious display of independence.  But throughout the initial songs and this solo, what impressed me was the force with which he played.  So much power, yet it didn’t seem like he was over-exerting himself to play that way.  The notes were even, and the dynamics he employed gave such life and a personality to the solo that it was a song within itself.  Instead of just displaying chops or fast rudiments, he combined these elements plus an incredible knack for composition that, as lengthy as the solo was, it was never boring.  But through it all, it was hair-raisingly powerful, and the audience hooted and applauded many times over.

With all that going on, many times Marco employed his stick-twirling techniques that left your jaw dropped.  Because as all of the previously described was going on, on occasion he’d dazzle with his flawless stick-twirling.  And it wasn’t just the twirling in the air – the sticks would strike the cymbals and drums while twirling.  He dropped his stick once, but he recovered so quickly that it almost seemed like it was part of the act!  He smiled many times throughout the playing (including when he dropped the stick), and it was great to see how much fun he was having.  No doubt the audience was having a blast as well.

There were several styles exhibited during the solo as well, from funky grooves, to complex jazz patterns, to straight out double bass combinations with every part of the kit.  Eventually the solo featured a very specific part of the kit – the cymbals.  A solo of cymbals ensued, showcasing the various pitches of each cymbal, and even the different sounds that each cymbal could produce, based on how the cymbal was struck.  He then performed some stick-twirling tricks with the hi-hat which was just awe-inspiring (difficult to describe!).

There were many, many favorite parts to this solo for me, but near or at the top would be the ending.  Marco crescendoed with a dizzying array of speed and dexterity, face-bashing power combinations, to all of a sudden slam to a halt and play “La cucaracha” on the toms.  It was such amazing and unexpected comic relief that everyone was just laughing, it was so hilarious.  He’d play the first part of that song, then go back to an incredibly fast power combination of fills and patterns, then slam to a halt again and play the second bar of “La cucaracha”.  Then he again played yet another powerful combination of complex fills and patterns, then slammed to a halt again to repeat the first bar of “La cucaracha”.  And that’s how that solo ended, with thunderous applause to follow.  Definitely one of my all-time favorite solos.

Marco then grabbed the microphone and started discussing some of his approach to playing, and his main point was that he doesn’t like repeating things very much, that he likes to be very creative and try new things, and challenge himself.  There was a certain cartoon project he was involved in where he was discussing with a colleague how to come up with something new, some type of pattern that never repeats.  Marco had an idea already brewing, so he proceeded to play a pattern which seemingly had no rhyme or rhythm.  Then he asked his colleague to repeat the pattern.  Obviously, he objected, because there was no apparent pattern.  Then Marco went on to tell the colleague that in fact the pattern was played exactly to the lyrics sung to “We Will Rock You” by Queen:

Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo' face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place

Now the colleague could play it immediately!  A seemingly random pattern was now associated with a familiar rhyme, and now the pattern made total sense.  Marco went on to show the audience another example, “Tom Sawyer” by Rush:

A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride
Today's Tom Sawyer
Mean mean pride

So Marco figured out a way to create a pattern that doesn’t repeat, but made total sense.  So how could he apply this another way?  What if the words were not sung, but just spoken?  Could a drum pattern be, well, “patterned”, after that?  Marco came across a section of the Monty Python movie “Life of Brian” called “What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us?”  To our delight, a screen came down in the performance hall, and while the dialog of that scene was going on, Marco drummed a solo precisely to the dialog!  It was one of the most creative things I’ve ever seen done on drums.  Each character seemed to have a corresponding drum or combination of drums and cymbals.  A rumbling of drums would sound when all in the scene would mumble, and it was just hilarious.  Marco said that it took him about four days to figure out all of the spoken parts, first transcribing them to guitar and keyboards, and then to the drums.  Masterful.

He then went on to discuss independence, and started by playing a five pattern on one hand, while playing a nine pattern on the other.  Playing them simultaneously made for a sympathetic pattern that made sense.  He then went on to play a different pattern on each limb, and when played together it also made perfect sense!  This he says is how he comes up with patterns he ends up using later on.  If the pattern doesn’t work (meaning it sounds like crap ), he discards it.  Otherwise, he keeps it.

Next he played a double paradiddle using his feet on the two hi-hats in the kit, one on each side.  While that was going, he played a solo over it.  Independence indeed!

Next were some questions from the audience that Marco fielded.  Here’s the gist of them:

Q:  ‘What’s your favorite rudiment?’
A:  ‘Probably the 5-stroke roll’

Marco went on to demonstrate how versatile this rudiment is, and played over a 4/4, at different modulations, and different accentuations.  I never thought of the 5-stroke roll that way before!

Q:  ‘What’s your favorite genre of music?’
A:  ‘All kinds’

Marco emphasized specific bands more than different genres, and that these bands fell into all types of genre categories.  He likes music from Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, The Police, etc.  These helped with his playing because he liked them.  To him, it’s all about playing the right note.  “Whatever you like, you’ll learn it,” Marco said.

Q:  ‘What’s your musical background as far as family influences?’
A:  ‘Was one of the first in my family to play an instrument’

Even though his father was heavily into music, he did not play an instrument, but was very encouraging to his son.  Hearing metal music was what inspired Marco to pursue the music business.  His first gig was when he was about 12 or 13 years old, which he chickened out of.  But when he did actually get to play, he loved the response of the audience, and there was no turning back.  Even at the clinic Marco looked so excited to be playing to an audience and being very appreciative of it.

He always wanted to do his own thing and be as creative as possible, even regarding his kit setup.  That’s why, for example, the toms on his bass drum go 10”, 12”, 8”, instead of the typical 8”, 10”, and 12”.  This allows him more melodic possibilities for certain patterns he likes to play (I got this information out of him after the show with a little one-on-one time ).

It’s interesting that, as good a drummer as he is, when creating music Marco usually adds the drums last. He also plays guitar and keyboards, and after these parts are down is when he adds the drums.  To him this method allows him to be as creative as possible.

After these questions, Marco played a couple of his speed metal-type songs, “Diminished to b” and “Epitaph”.  It’s amazing to see what energy and endurance is required to play such songs.  “Epitaph” was more of a request from the audience, and I’m not sure Marco was planning on playing it.  He hadn’t played it in a while, but he did have it on his music player.  So off he went!  There was a section in the middle of the song where he seemed to forget what to play, but while he was thinking he just played some other pattern.  You could tell on his face when he remembered what to play, and it was smooth sailing till the end of the song.  That’s how a pro handles forgetting a drum part!

After these two songs, Marco fielded a few more questions:

Q:  ‘Where do you get all that energy from?’
A:  ‘I play every day’.

To Marco it’s a matter of dedicating a certain amount of time to practice.  This keeps your body in playing shape, especially if you play such demanding pieces as “Epitaph” night after night.

Q:  ‘How did you develop the foot speed you have?’
A:  ‘By practicing 16^ths and 32^nds, and rudiments’

Again, it’s a matter of practicing.  Once you reach a certain level, you can push yourself by just practicing faster.  Practicing rudiments with the feet also help with developing foot speed.

What was interesting is that Marco doesn’t consider himself a blast beat expert, even though he plays like one!  He basically heard it, and tried to imitate it in his style.  So it’s good to develop a musical ear to pick up on how to play certain songs or patterns.  This allows us to be more creative, until we actually learn the specifics on how to play these patterns, or make up patterns of our own that work for us.

Q:  ‘Who are your favorite drummers?’
A:  ‘John Bonham, Buddy Rich, Stewart Copeland, Vinnie Colaiuta, others’

Having these drummers as in influence allows for playing virtually any style that requires a drum kit.  In order to prove this, Marco finished the clinic with one last song, a Buddy Rich jazz tune called “Time Check”.  He played this song in a way I’ve never seen before, something I liken to ‘hard rock jazz’.  He played it with such power, but you could hear all the jazz nuances.  I’ve seen Buddy Rich (well, not in person) play this song, and I think these two drummers played it as good as it can be played.  An awe-inspiring, powerful way to conclude the clinic.

There’s a new drummer in my short list of favorite drummers, and that’s Marco Minnemann.  He sort of embodies what I like about my other favorite drummers:  the speed of Thomas Lang, his dominance over different genres, such as rock and jazz (Steve Smith), the power of John Bonham, and the creativity of Neil Peart.  That may be saying a lot, but these are the drummers that were around before him, so he had their styles and influences to draw from.  What we have is a multi-talented drum kit player who knows how to ‘overplay’ without overplaying, so to speak.  He’s very fast when he needs to be, has impeccable timing, has complete control over his kit, is extremely creative, and is just a downright humble guy.  And he loves to share how he plays with others – he holds nothing back.

If you’re fortunate enough to have Mr. Minnemann put on a drum clinic in your area, you do not want to miss it.  As much as I’ve written about here, it is nothing compared to seeing this world class drummer in action.  Hopefully he’ll come around my area again.  If so, I’ll be there!

Interesting? Then pass it along!

]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/03/07/drum-clinic-marco-minnemann/feed/ 0 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/16/product-review-off-set-double-bass-drum-pedal/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/16/product-review-off-set-double-bass-drum-pedal/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:13:56 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1508

Double bass drummers have it good.  I’m not talking about players that use a double bass pedal on a single bass drum, but those that use two bass drums.  Why so?

The bass drum, for obvious reasons, is the most visually pronounced drum of the kit.  Since the resonant head faces the audience, many single bass drum drummers place a logo there for all to see, making it even more pronounced.

That being the case, the drummer wants that drum to be facing straight to the audience.  It just looks cool!  But this leads to a slight disadvantage.

The drummer is automatically slightly off center.  (For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll be referring to right-handed double pedal players, but the mirror-opposite applies to lefties as well).  Since the bass drum is facing straight ahead, the drummer has to veer slightly towards the left to make sure the right foot (and leg) is at the proper angle for bass drum play.  This presents a slight ergonomic challenge, particularly if the drummer has more hardware on their right side.  Whereas the higher toms are more readily accessible (since you’re practically facing them), more ‘contorting’ is required to reach the lower toms, and possibly cymbals as well.

Back to the double bass drum player (again, two bass drums, not one drum with the double pedal).  If you notice, this drummer is perfectly centered for drumming.  He (or she) is facing directly ahead.  The two bass drums are conveniently placed at an angle comfortable for the drummer’s legs and feet.  The snare drum is directly in front of them, and toms right ahead.  Since they’re more centrally situated, they can more easily reach both sides of their kit without too much ‘contorting’, as it were, especially referring to the lower toms.

This does not necessarily mean that the double pedal drummer, or even the single pedal, single bass drummer is not comfortable, per se.  It simply means that by necessity the drummer is off center, and it results in more adjustments needed as far as optimum posturing for effectively reaching every part of the kit, particularly the right side.

In the DVD review of Matt Ritter’s “Unburying the Beater”, it was discussed that Matt had come up with a solution for this slightly ‘off center’ issue:  forget the notion that the bass drum is the center of the kit.  In doing so, he went on to explain the ideal posture and positioning behind your kit.  He mentioned that you, the drummer, should face your audience.  When you sit on the throne, the angle that your legs comfortably position themselves in, resulting in something like an equilateral triangular stance, are where the bass drum and hi-hat stand should go (where the feet comfortably end up).

There’s more detail regarding this that Mr. Ritter goes into, but the bottom line is that setting up your kit this way makes you play in a more center-like stance.

However, although the above takes care of your positioning, you still have the issue of playing slightly off center in relation to the kit.  The more equipment you have on your right side, the more difficult it may be to comfortably reach them.  This is an inherent disadvantage of the single bass drum setup.

So the question then becomes:  is there a way for the single bass drum, double pedal player to enjoy the same benefits that the double bass drum player enjoys, as far as playing ‘on center’, as it were?  The answer is yes: enter the Off-Set double bass pedal.

The premise of the Off-Set double pedal is that the drummer of the single bass drum kit should be centered behind the kit just like the double bass drum player is.  The typical double bass pedal has both beaters on the right side, which displaces the drummer to the left.  The Off-Set double pedal has both beaters in the middle, with the left and right pedal on either side of the bass drum, mimicking the double bass drum setup.  This allows the drummer to sit squarely behind the kit, with the bass drum and snare right in front.

This now also makes for a shift to the left of the kit (or a shift to the right of the drummer, however you want to look at it), which means the drummer now has easier access to the right side of the kit (less contorting).

For comparison’s sake, let’s compare the Vex Pro Touring Double Bass Pedal (of “Instructional Video – Vex Pro Touring Double Bass Pedal (Round Two)” fame), a typically designed double bass pedal, to the Off-Set double bass pedal.  Here’s a picture of them together:

Notice the obvious difference of the position of the beaters.  The Vex pedal represents the typical double pedal configuration; the Off-Set pedal mimics a double bass configuration.  Now we’ll look at both pedals installed on the bass drum:

Now we’re starting to see how the typical pedal off-centers the drummer to the left, while the Off-Set pedal places both pedals on either side of the bass drum, keeping the drummer centered.

The next two pics will show the drummer’s legs from behind, with the Vex pedals installed, and then with the Off-Set pedals:

From this angle, you can see that for the typical double pedal, the drummer’s feet, and hence the rest of his body, is forced to play off-center (the bass drum being ‘pushed’ to the right).  With the Off-Set pedal, however, the drummer’s feet are on either side of the bass drum, hence they’re squarely behind it – on center!

The following picture illustrates what I call the ‘baseball effect’:

In baseball it is widely accepted that the best teams are the ones that are the best down the center:  center fielder, shortstop/second baseman, pitcher, and catcher.  If your best players are at these positions, your team has a better chance of winning more games than not.

The same is true for drumming!  The picture above shows the bass drum (center field), the two toms (shortstop and second base), the snare (the catcher), and the throne, which represents you, the drummer, as the pitcher.  A beautiful thing when it’s all in a row!  If you are centered as a drummer, with a proper equilateral stance, with your equipment evenly surrounding you, you will be a better player, because you’re positioned to play better.  The typical double pedal shifts the drummer to the left, making for off-center playing, and not the optimum positioning.

Now let’s look at a drummer^* in action with the two pedals, and compare the stances.  Here are two pics with the drummer playing with the Vex pedals, and then with the Off-Set pedals:

In both pics, the drummer is playing his ride cymbal.  In the Vex setup, he’s positioned more towards the left, so to reach the cymbal he has to accommodate for the distance.  But in the Off-Set setup, it’s simply a matter of the position of the arm; the torso stays in place.  Also the right-mounted tom and the floor tom are more easily accessible.

The latter point may be better illustrated with a top view of both setups.  Take a look at the following pics:

The drummer is playing his floor tom.  With Vex pedals, it is more of a reach to play the floor tom because more turning is required to reach them.  But with the Off-Set pedals, less turning is required to reach the floor tom.  If you have yet another floor tom, then reaching them with the typical double pedal configuration starts to be a strain; but with the Off-Set pedals centering you behind your kit, it is more easily reached.

Of course, it is all a matter of positioning.  The drummer with the typical double pedal will set up his kit (if he’s properly versed) in a way that is optimum for them.  But if the same drummer used the Off-Set pedal, then they would be perfectly centered, and arranging the kit becomes easier, ergonomically speaking.  Equipment on both sides of the kit is equally reachable.  You are now the center of your drum kit, instead of one of the pieces of the kit (usually the bass drum).  That alone, plus the feeling of complete balance, might be the most important aspect of effective and efficient drum play.

Ok, so we’ve extolled the practical aspects of the Off-Set double pedal, but how about the pedal itself?  In a word:  fantastic!

This is a professional quality pedal, with quality components, and made to last.  Right out of the box I could see that the foot boards were huge— 3.5”x12.5”— one of the largest, if not the largest in the industry.  This allows for any style of play, be it heel up, or heel down, or a combination.  The spring-loaded anti-skid spurs and anti-skid pads on both pedal base and center beater housing ensures that the pedals and center housing will remain solidly in place throughout the playing session.

Since this is not your typical pedal, it is strongly recommended that you follow the instructions included in the box to assemble and adjust the pedals.  You don’t want to take these out of the box for the first time right at your next gig, or you may get a little frustrated!  Better play with the configuration beforehand.  It’s not complicated, just different.

And speaking of configuring, there are so many ways to configure the pedals that it’s ridiculous.  I had mentioned in the aforementioned Vex instructional video that for the typical double bass pedal, you will never get both pedals to feel exactly the same.  Virtually the same, possibly; exactly the same, no.  However, the Off-Set pedals are bi-laterally symmetrical, meaning both sides can be configured exactly the same.

Both pedals have exactly the same components for adjustability:

• Radius adjustable drive wheel - the only pedal in the  industry on which the diameter of the drive wheel can be infinitely adjusted from 1.5” to 3” with only a drum key
• Fully adjustable concentric double chain drive
• Quad drive springs for increased response and sensitivity
• Completely independently adjustable beater holders with 1” lateral adjustment each
• Independently height-adjustable pedal boards
• Center-mounting hoop clamp which eliminates all lateral torque on the bass drum hoop
• Eliminates hip displacement and joint stresses caused by traditional placement of the standard pedals
• Extremely ergonomic drum-centering design

The above lists the main features (plus a couple more) that allow each pedal to be configured exactly how you want for each foot.  With so much configurability, you can:

• Configure each pedal to be exactly the same
• Configure one pedal to feel heavier than the other
• Configure one pedal to be faster than the other
• Move one pedal closer or farther away from you than the other
• Move one or both pedals farther away from the central housing
• Adjust the height of a pedal totally independent of the beater
• Adjust the distance of the beater from the bass drum head totally independent of the pedal
• Angle each pedal according to the exact orientation of your foot

I could not do so much configuring with any other pedal I’ve seen.  I did try at first to attach the pedals without reading the instructions first.  I attached the pedal, but it definitely didn’t feel right.  So I resigned myself to follow the included instructions, and it actually was fun discovering all the different configurations.  After a little tweaking, I tried playing them again, and at first it was a little weird because I wasn’t used to being (and feeling!) so centered.  It was very comfortable, and the pedals are so responsive.  I beat away at them for a bit, and then decided to adjust the springs for a little more resistance (there are two springs per pedal, and the knobs are big for easy adjusting), and I was flying.  I’ve tried out several pedals, but these not only felt at least as good as any I’ve played with before (or tested out), but the feeling of playing in the middle, whether psychological, or physiological, or both, made me play with more confidence.

As far as the sound of the bass drum itself, it is interesting to note that neither beater will hit the bass drum head exactly in the middle.  Although that might sound like a negative, it really isn’t since both beaters are hitting the head symmetrically in relation to each other, so they both will sound exactly the same, the way it should be!

Now I’m a fan of double bass play, so I’m very excited about this pedal.  However, I realize that there are drummers that are just not double bass players, and probably never will be.  Off-Set also has available a single pedal model, both for righty and lefty drummers, that have the same characteristics of the double pedal.  Again, they allow you to be centered and provide for optimum comfort and accessibility to your whole kit.

There’s a lot more information at the Off-Set web site that is of great interest that you will want to look up, such as:

• The history of how the idea came to Charles Fisher, creator of the Off-Set pedal
• Additional photos and details on the solid construction and patented design of the pedals
• The medical benefits of the Off-Set pedal vs. the typical double pedal
• Other double pedal models and related products, including, for example, different sized drive rods

The pedals currently can be had for $329.99, factory direct from Off-Set.  There are several top of the line double pedals by other manufacturers that sell for over twice as much.  But so far, my feeling is that this pedal trumps them all.  Because it’s not just the quality of the pedals physically (which these are as good as any), but it’s the unique bi-lateral symmetric design, virtually unlimited configuration possibilities, and the ability to play fully centered and balanced behind your kit that make this pedal a winner in the pedal industry.  I very rarely, if ever, give a perfect ten out of ten paradiddles for a product, but the Off-Set double pedal comes very, very close.

_____________
^*A very special thanks to my son Devin for doing a fine job as the model drummer
Interesting? Then pass it along!

]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/16/product-review-off-set-double-bass-drum-pedal/feed/ 4 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/02/blogging-your-passion/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/02/blogging-your-passion/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:01:34 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1478

I’m going on a little tangent, if you will (well, not entirely).

As readers of this blog have guessed, I love drums!  It’s been my favorite instrument for forever, and I derive a lot of pleasure not only playing them, but writing about them as well.

However, the drums are not always the neighborly pastime.  In the article “The Thing About the Neighbors”, it was discussed how to have your cake and eat it too, per se, as far as playing the loudest instrument while maintaining the peace with those next door (or even across the street).  Even after going through the exercise of ensuring you’re as quiet as possible, however, it may not always be possible to ‘keep the peace’, as it were.  You’re still going to make noise, and at times it may even be annoying, even when compromises have been made.

So what to do?  How was I going to be able to enjoy playing drums in a way that would not encroach on my neighbor’s right to peace and quiet?

At about the same time I was contemplating getting a drum set, I was also contemplating what things I was good at, or at least that I liked.  Of course, playing drums was one.  I realized, though, that I also like writing.  I’m no novelist (hmm, or am I? ), but I always found that I could run my mouth on and on about a subject if I liked it enough.  I started to look on the Internet for outlets for those who had a penchant for the written word, and I came across the concept of blogging, which I had not seen before.  This was it!  I could write about drumming when I couldn’t play, and that way I could always be engaged in the subject that most interested me.  I didn’t have to play everyday, and still the passion for drumming would continue to kindle.

Hence TheParadiddler.com was born – perfect!  I could write about drums when I couldn’t play, and that would keep me inspired so when I actually did play, it was more fun!  It just made the playing experience more complete, at least for me.

At about this time as well, I came across a couple of gentlemen in the blogging industry that are highly regarded as the best at knowing not only how to have a successful blog as far as getting attention to it (no use having a web site if you’re the only one who sees it!), but also how to profit from it as well!  This really appealed to me, since I figured, if I’m going to spend time on this, and I could also profit in some way where everyone would find something they want (a win-win situation for all), why not pursue that?

The gentlemen I’m referring to are Gideon Shalwick and Yaro Starak, from BecomeABlogger.com.  I didn’t know how fun blogging could be until I came in contact with these guys, and it’s been an incredible run so far.

My message is this:  if there’s anything at all that you like, or love, or love to talk about, or drive people nuts because you won’t shut up about it, then blogging is for you!   BecomeABlogger.com will show you how to capitalize on your passion, and potentially create an ever increasing income stream.  I have goals financially, as many do.  I haven’t reached them yet, but if it wasn’t for this program, I couldn’t even dream of it.

The following are some things that you can profitably blog about:

• Your favorite instrument of choice (obviously)
  • Playing
  • Teaching
  • Events
• Sports
  • Stats
  • Player profiles
  • Local news
• Gardening
  • Vegetable growing
  • Flowers
  • Pest control
• Finance
  • Stock Market
  • Personal
  • Retirement investing
• Audio/Videophile
  • HDTV
  • Home theater
  • Car audio
• Photography
  • Studio
  • Vacation
  • Scenery
• Anything at all that you like or know something about

And on and on and on.  The ‘end is listless’.  If you like something, even a little, you can blog about it, and even make money too!

I think it’s at least worth a look; there’s absolutely no obligation, but I’m sure your interest will be peaked enough to find out how blogging can make a difference financially in your life.  Below is an invitation from BecomeABlogger.com.  I highly recommend you check it out.  If you’re reading this from the newsletter, then please forward the e-mail to anyone you think may be interested in making money through blogging.  If you know someone that just won’t shut up, then definitely forward them the e-mail!    If you’re reading this at TheParadiddler.com, invite others to check this page out as well.  It will be time well spent – I promise!

Here’s the invitation:

Yaro Starak and Gideon Shalwick from BecomeABlogger.com are re-opening their Become A Blogger Premium video training program.

This course is by far the most popular video blog training program out there, with over 2,000 people having already participated during the last two times the course was offered.

On February 4th you will have a chance to try their program for $1, so add that date to your calendar.

In the meantime, if you haven't already, be sure to download the immensely popular report -

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]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/02/02/blogging-your-passion/feed/ 0 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/01/26/dvd-review-unburying-the-beater/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/01/26/dvd-review-unburying-the-beater/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:59:04 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1448

Resonance.  Through it we hear what the tone of our drums sound like.  Sure, at times we tend to mute certain drums in our kits to limit excessive ringing or overtones, but for the most part resonance is how we hear the tone, or note, of our drums.

To ensure we get the desired sounds, or tone, from each of our drums, we learn about dynamics, rebound, tuning, and the like.  We don’t force the stick to stay on the head of the drum, but instead we learn how to work with the bounce of the stick off the drum head.  We tune our drums a certain way, the snare and the toms, to get a particular sounding note, or a particular resonance.  Then natural rebounding takes over, and the drums resonate and sound how we want.

But for some reason, these principles are not always applied to the bass drum.  Many drummers, particularly in Rock, tend to ‘bury the beater’, as it were, and leave the beater pushed against the bass drum head between notes.  As many of these drummers play the ‘heel up’ method (more on that method later), the bass drum is not allowed to resonate, but instead is limited to a quick ‘thud’, and then it gets ‘out of the way’.  Quite the opposite of how we play the rest of the drums in the kit!  In addition to the beater being pushed against the head, in many instances a pillow or other muffling device is placed inside the drum against the batter head to further impede resonance.

In previous articles, I’ve spoken about how I feel about the sound that I like from the bass drum.  In “Great Snares of Rock” (ironically!), I talk about the sound of Simon Kirke’s bass drum sound on the song “All Right Now” by Free.  Among other things, I mentioned the following:  “You can hear the smack of the beater create the full, rich bass drum sound with fast decay.  I like bass drums that are thick and fast, and get out of the way.  But even though the bass drum here had a tinge of boominess, it fit the overall sound just right.”  I tend not to like a bass drum that sounds too boomy.  I do like a full, rich sound, a fast thud, and as I mention, then quickly gets out of the way.

However, my feeling on this is starting to change just a bit.  A while back, I attended a drum clinic by Will Calhoun, where he stated that he doesn’t use muffling very much.  There was not muffling on the bass drum except what little came standard with the Remo Powerstroke bass drum head.  He mentioned that he likes the drums to resonate, without being impeded by muffling.  This went against what I believed, to a certain extent, but his bass drum sound was excellent, so I didn’t question it.  I stored that little tidbit of information in the back of my mind (we’ll get back to this ‘tidbit’ later).

Fast forward to the present.  As drummers we’re always looking for ways to improve our technique.  It’s a lifetime endeavor.  Sometimes we stick with our habits, for good or ill.  Other times we’re wowed by a great drummer, and try to imitate their chops.  And yet other times, we come across a teacher or instructional video that later we identify as a turning point in our playing, or at minimum makes us question our technique enough to make significant adjustments.  In this case, the latter has occurred.  I came across an excellent DVD that describes a fresh approach to bass drum technique that, if applied, can positively affect our bass drum playing, and help us to really get that rich, deep bass drum sound that many drummers look for.  The DVD is “Unburying the Beater”, by Matt Ritter.

Matt has an extensive bio, where you can read all about him.  Here are some highlights:

• Graduated from the University of Hartford, where he studied music in the university’s Hartt School of Music
• Worked as a production assistant at DCI Music Video, where he was involved in the production of videos featuring Steve Gadd, Max Roach, Omar Hakim, Neil Peart, and others
• Studied with the legendary author/teacher Jim Chapin
• Extensive professional drumming experience in genres such as jazz, rock, and musical theatre
• Honored in 2003 with an invitation to the Vic Firth educational team
• Is one of the leading drumset instructors in New York City, where he has been teaching lessons since 1996

“Unburying the Beater” is more than just a limited amount of techniques that one particular drummer uses for bass drum play.  It is more like a system, a philosophy, an approach, per se.  It centers around the notion that the bass drum, just like the rest of the drums in the kit, should be allowed to resonate and achieve it’s full, rich-sounding resonant potential without being hindered by the beater being ‘buried’ into the head, hence the name “Unburying the Beater”.  The methods taught here, when applied, allow the beater to naturally rebound off the head, like it wants to do anyway due to the laws of physics(!).  It involves using the whole leg, not just the foot, to achieve a method of bass drum play that will exploit the natural resonance of the bass drum.

In the video, Matt explains that, as a young drummer, there was much material around regarding bass drum rhythms, but not so much as far as the physical movements required to execute those rhythms.  After many years of investigation and trial and error, he has now developed the instructional DVD for bass drum playing that he wished he had when he started out.  New drummers will have a strong foundation for learning to play the bass drum more effectively.  Experienced drummers can enhance their current bass drum skills, and add new tools to their repertoire.

Questions Drummers Ask

It was a little entertaining when Matt went into what questions drummers would ask each other if they struck up a conversation.  One question would be, “Do you play traditional or matched grip?”  Well, I’ve gone into detail on that subject (you can read about it here).  The second question, which is more germane to our topic at hand, is, “Do you play heel up or heel down?”  This question relates to the position of the foot on the bass drum pedal.  It is a critical question because it is directly related to the methods expounded on in “Unburying the Beater”.  Matt then goes on to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

As you can see from the picture above, with this method, the heel is down, and the foot is resting on the drum pedal.  The beater is about one or two inches away from the batter head of the bass drum.  This is what the foot and pedal look like between notes.  Here are some details about this method as presented by Matt:

Heel Down Method… Advantages

• Easy to play softly and with control
• Allows beater to rebound cleanly, allowing bass drum to resonate naturally

This method is used a lot in jazz when the drummer wants to ‘feather’ the bass drum, in that they just barely strike the drum.  This type of control can be achieved by using the heel down method.

The second advantage listed above is what Matt really considers the main advantage of this method.  The whole point of “Unburying the Beater” is to allow the bass drum to resonate.  Since the weight of the foot on the pedal is minimal when the heel is down, the beater will more easily rebound, and stay off.

Heel Down Method… Disadvantages

• Challenging to play really fast
• Foot is not free to move around; in a fixed position, so adjustments are more difficult to make based on tempo
• Can’t use different parts of foot to play the pedal:  toes, ball of foot, or full surface
• Too strenuous to make powerful sound; can’t use thigh muscles

Matt goes into extensive detail on these points, the bottom line being that if your foot is fixed, there’s very limited flexibility as far as adapting to the different styles and speeds of the songs you want to play.  If you only play heel down, there isn’t going to be much room for improvement.  In addition, if you want to play combinations, like double strokes and triplets, and faster tempos, it can’t be done for a sustained length of time – the limited muscles used with this method will give out.

As we can see from the above picture, the heel up method involves raising the heel, so that the ball of the foot and toes are set on the pedal.  Because the weight of the whole leg is now in play, instead of just the foot as in the heel down method, the beater is pushed into the batter head.  There it remains between notes.  The following are some details regarding this method, as Matt describes them:

Heel Up Method… Advantages

• Because the heel is not anchored, a more forceful stroke is possible
• Freedom to alter the angle of the foot or pedal to use whatever part of the foot is suitable for what’s being played

The above is why this method is used mostly by rock drummers, where force is required (or expected!).  Faster playing is possible as well, since the foot is free to move and accommodate the different speeds and patterns.  However, there are also disadvantages.

Heel Up Method… Disadvantages

• Bass drum sound is muted, less resonance, since beater is held against the batter head
• The beater, due to physics, wants to rebound, so a flamish-type note is produced
• Calf muscle is constantly engaged

Again, Matt goes into great detail regarding these issues, but the second point deserves a further mention.  Many, many drum teachers instruct their students to let their sticks rebound off the drum head, because that’s what it naturally wants to do – why resist nature?  Well, that’s what many drummers do with the bass drum!  The poor guy also wants to resonate, like the rest of the shells, but we don’t let it!  It may be acceptable to get a muted sound from the bass drum, if that’s specifically what we want.  But the bass drum will probably sound best if we let the rebound occur.

So after many years of studying the different methods, mining information from many drummers, and tweaking his own approach to bass drum play, Matt came up with this formula:

As mentioned earlier, the “Unburying the Beater” method is a combination of the advantages of both the heel up and heel down method.  It’s an entire methodology that, when applied, not only helps you play the bass drum better, but also improves your drumming in general.

The DVD goes into detail regarding how to implement the “Unburying the Beater” method.  I would classify it as a three-step process:

1. Your posture and position behind the kit
2. The placement of all the components of the kit
3. The actual exercises of the “Unburying the Beater” method

The following are pictures that illustrate the above:

Matt explains how to position your foot relative to your knee.  Allowing the knee to be slightly behind the foot allows for greater flexibility.

Seat height is also very important.  Matt goes on to show why having your hip one to two inches above the knee is the optimal height for bass drum play.

Fundamental to good drumming is balance, and being completely centered.  Sitting in somewhat of an equilateral tripod stance will allow you to have the utmost balance, as well as being centered.  This is why most drum thrones and cymbal stands are made with three legs.

In addition, Matt explains how to determine what the sweet spot is for your particular pedal.  This is a very important component of the “Unburying the Beater” method.

This is one of the topics that struck a chord with me.  Drummers who use only one bass drum tend to face that drum straight to the audience, making that the center of the kit.  What Matt teaches instead is, the drummer is what should be facing the center of the kit, with the bass drum to the side.  If the bass drum is the center, then the drummer is automatically off center.  This tends to lead to a little more contorting than necessary to reach the lower toms.  Instead, as shown in the picture above, put the bass drum to the side, and the hi-hit to the other side.  Then your snare and toms should be placed right in front of you, the toms being mounted on a stand (as you’ll see in his kit).  This will allow you to still be completely centered and have the utmost flexibility.

Matt then goes on to fill in the rest of his kit; here’s his:

You’ll notice that Matt is facing towards the center of his kit, where his snare and toms are, and the bass drum is to the side.  Matt goes into all the details as to why this is the optimum positioning of one’s self and your kit.

And of course, there are the actual “Unburying the Beater” exercises.  For as much detail as we’ve discussed so far, the nuts and bolts start here.  Matt goes on to explain the actual exercises that will with practice and time allow you to have more control over your bass drum play than ever.  He demonstrates the actual motion involved, and then how that motion translates into single strokes, multiple strokes, double strokes, and more.

The different speeds at which the examples are explained are illustrated, as above, so you can see the method in motion, as it were.  This way you can more easily reproduce the exercises.  Various tempos are displayed, and you are encouraged to try faster speeds to develop control over the motions presented.

Some of the techniques that Matt goes into in great detail are:

• Fast multiple strokes
• Double strokes
• “Bonham Triplets”
• Toe/Ball double strokes
• The Slide
• and much more

After showing these specific exercises, Matt dedicates a good chunk of the instruction displaying these techniques in action.  With multiple camera angles and a popular counting method, Matt shows the practical application of the “Unburying the Beater” principles that he teaches.  So you not only get the exercises, you get to see how you can use them in the songs you like to play, and even incorporate them in your practice routine.

In addition to all the above, Matt also has a troubleshooting section where concerns are addressed regarding the application of this technique, and a frequently asked questions section where he answers some very common questions that have come up regarding the “Unburying the Beater” method.

This instructional DVD is very well done, a professional job.  You can tell by everything Matt says that he was very studious in putting together all the material and presenting it in a way that is very understandable to the audience, without sounding dogmatic.  His friendly manner is very inviting, and it seems that he is genuinely interested in your betterment as a drummer.  You can tell that he absolutely practices what he preaches, and of every nuance of the method he’s teaching, he misses not one.  I like his sincerity in admitting that he hasn’t necessarily invented this method, but has culled all the information from various teachers, and from his own experience, and now finally can present this method in a formal manner that hasn’t been done before.  He gives credit to those before him that have helped him with his drumming, and this method of playing the bass drum (coincidentally, he also credits Will Calhoun, mentioned earlier).

As much as has been included here about the DVD, we’ve only scratched the surface.  There’s so much content and instruction in the DVD that many viewings will be necessary to get the full benefit, and you will refer to it over and over for sure.  It’s jam-packed with over two hours of instruction.

If there’s anything I would have liked to see that wasn’t included, is more coverage regarding how to implement this technique with double bass.  In saying that, however, he does mention double bass players and briefly mentions (in the FAQ as well) how they can use the “Unburying the Beater” method for double bass play, but doesn’t delve into it as much as I would have liked.  I have double bass pedals, always have had, so I would have liked to see more.

Even though he presented many practical examples of this method, I would have liked to have seen him play a song like Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times”, which Matt references and is a classic example of this method in action.  Multiple camera angles, on the whole kit (maybe from behind), and on the bass pedal, would have been a good example in action.

As much as resonance is important, I actually didn’t like Matt’s bass drum sound too much!  It was a little boomy for me, more like a big floor tom.  But as I mentioned earlier, I’m starting to re-think my own bass drum sound, all because of this DVD.

Beforehand, and still to this point really, I like a thick, fast bass drum sound.  I don’t like it to ‘boom’ too long after it is struck.  But after seeing Matt’s “Unburying the Beater” method, I think the problem may not be the bass drum, but me!  I think I may have been exposed as being a little lazy.  This DVD has not only made me rethink the sound of my bass drum, but of every drum in my kit.  Particularly for the bass drum, now I have to analyze if the sound I’m not liking from it is a result of poor tuning, and not enough experimentation.  Am I putting the pillow inside the drum because I can’t tune it optimally, or rather, don’t want to spend the time tuning it correctly?

That may be the case, but then again, it can also be that I’ve tried tuning the bass drum and never got the sound I wanted (still too boomy), so in the pillow went.  Even with the pillow inside, with the “Unburying the Beater” method, I might be able to have the best of both worlds:  a thick, fast thud with a rich, resonating tone that only the bass drum can produce.  Well, I have some work to do!

To me, this DVD is somewhat of a revelation, an approach to the bass drum that I never thought of before.  It’s absolutely a fresh take that is worth the price:  only $24.95.  For less than the cost of one drum lesson, you can fundamentally change your bass drum play, for the better.  A very strong nine out of ten paradiddles for “Unburying the Beater”.  A must for every drummer’s catalog.

For more information regarding Matt Ritter, and ordering the “Unburying the Beater” DVD, click here.
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]]> http://theparadiddler.com/2010/01/26/dvd-review-unburying-the-beater/feed/ 0 http://theparadiddler.com/2010/01/16/sabian-live-at-namm-2010/ http://theparadiddler.com/2010/01/16/sabian-live-at-namm-2010/#comments Sun, 17 Jan 2010 02:09:13 +0000 Omar http://theparadiddler.com/?p=1410

NAMM is one of the busiest times of the year for the music industry.  Every January, the largest music products trade show in the world hits Anaheim, CA, and droves of enthusiasts go to check out the various products, or show off products of their own.  Then there are others who go for the music.  And at The Paradiddler, the focus is drums.

Once again, I did not have the opportunity to attend in person (maybe next year?).  Fortunately, we have sites like DrumChannel.com that streams the event.  It’s Sabian’s yearly “Sabian Live”, with live entertainment from some of the best drummers that use Sabian cymbals.  I, for one, use Sabian cymbals myself, and I’m very happy with them.  Of course, the pros make them sound phenomenal.

Similar to last year, DrumChannel.com had various camera angles during the show that you could switch between (five to be exact), with the fifth one reserved for the backstage interviews.  In reviewing DrumChannel.com’s Sabian Live 2009, I tried to glean from the interviews what I could while at the same time watching the live performances.  That was a tall order!  I missed some really great stuff on both sides, so I took a different slant this time.  I decided to be more of a photographer, taking video stills from the live stream of the musical performances, and presenting them here for your viewing pleasure.  Alas, I could not get the whole show (more on that later).

The event was co-hosted by Dom Famularo, drumming ambassador to the world, and Dream Theater’s own Mike Portnoy.  Dom reminds me of Terry Bozzio, in the sense that they’re both so enthusiastic about drumming that it’s infectious.  You can’t not like drums when you’re around those guys.  And that’s just from watching them online!  The only thing wrong with Mike Portnoy was that he didn’t play.  Well, he was there to host and MC, so we’ll let it slip (this time).

Musical guests for Sabian Live were:

• Little Kids Rock – students from the organization dedicated to putting music back in schools
• Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats
• Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, David Torn and Pat Mastelotto
• Steve Ferrone with The Master Volume All-Stars featuring Steve Postell, Leland Sklar, Kevin Ricard and other celebrities

Here are some highlights from the performances.

Here’s the scoop on this fine organization, taken from LittleKidsRock.org:  “Since 2002, Little Kids Rock has been dedicated to putting music back in schools. We provide students with free musical instruments and instruction that focuses on their favorite popular music styles, including rock, blues, rap and hip-hop. So far, over 1,200 schools in more than 23 cities nationwide have benefited from a Little Kids Rock program, and the response from kids, parents and teachers has been phenomenal.”

The kids at NAMM put on a pretty good show.  They played two songs:  “Aces High” from Iron Maiden(!) and “La Grange” by ZZ Top.  Ok, I don’t even remember if I’ve ever heard “Aces High”, but these kids’ rendition of it was very well performed.  I’ll have to give it up to the bass player, though:  anyone (especially a kid) who can play bass like Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris is fine in my book!

Their rendition of “La Grange” was a little fast for my taste, but they got through it well enough.  I think that’s a song that has to be enjoyed at the original speed, but that’s just me!

Here’s a pic from their performance:

I had not the chance to see any of this band’s performances until tonight.  This was a real treat, because this group was fantastic.

I like Chad’s playing in Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I like his performances outside of that band more than inside.  In the 2008 Buddy Rich Memorial concert review (2^nd article), I talked about Chad’s excellent performance in the show, one of the best of the night.  I think his performance with the Meatbats was even better.  It seems like he plays more liberated when outside of RHCP.  That’s not a bad thing, however.  When you’re in a band, it’s always about the song, and the best songs are those where the musicians put the song first before themselves.  But with the Bombastic Meatbats, it’s more about jamming, and boy did they jam.

It was a very spirited set, six songs in all.  At least, that’s what I counted.  One of the songs sounded like a medley of three.  Chad introduced the second song called “Oops I Spilled My Beer.”  I’m positive many in attendance could relate J.  The Bombastic Meatbats to me were the best part of Sabian Live.

Here are some pics from the performance.

If Terry Bozzio’s going to be on the bill, you know you’re in for, well, complexity. This night was no exception.  I should have timed the first song, because it took forever! It was a brooding, dark, menacing piece.  The next day during DC at NAMM Terry mentioned that it was all improvised, and that for a lot of the performance he could not hear at all at least one of the other musicians.  It sounded all in unison to me, which was very impressive.  It seemed more like a progressive rock piece, kind of self-indulgent (in a good way though!).  Tony Levin’s playing was just sick – it amazes me how he’s flailing away on his ‘bass’ and creates such beautiful melodies.

Unfortunately, it was at this point that the Drum Channel feed dropped for the longest time.  But I did catch some pics of the performance, so here they are.

Well, it was getting very late at this point, and the feed from Drum Channel was a little shaky, but I did get a few pics from this performance.  I have to say that this was my least favorite part of the show, even though the drumming was very good.  Steve had a very nice pocket going.  He swears like a trooper, though!  The song selection was not my cup of tea, but I like anything live!

Here are a few pics from this performance:

And that was the show!

As far as the sound goes, it was much, much better this time around than last year, so Drum Channel got that right this time.  Chad Smith’s drums sounded just fantastic.  Like I said, that was my favorite part of the show.

In a future article, I’ll put out pics from some of the interviewing that went on backstage during the performances.  It’s very difficult to cover everything from afar (hm, I’ll have to assemble a team for the next one!).  In any case, it was a good time, with very good performances.  I believe Drum Channel will be posting these performances on their site in the near future, so watch out for those.

And that’s a wrap!

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