JOEY KRAMER - Modern Drummer Magazine

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THE WORLD’S #1 DRUM MAGAZINE May 2013

MATCHBOX TWENTY • GINGER BAKER ON FILM

ADRIAN YOUNGNO DOUBT’S

+ MUTEMATH’s DARREN KING GEARS UP

+ CRESCENT CYMBALS REVIEWED

+ STAY HOME! SWITCHING TO A HOME-BASED CAREER

+ TERENCE BLANCHARD’s KENDRICK SCOTT

TECHNIQUES

QUICK & EASY5MIKING

SOLOING 101ROCK DRUM

JOEY KRAMERROCK-HARD

AEROSMITH’S

C O N T E N T S

• PAUL DOUCETTE of Matchbox Twenty• CLAUDE COLEMAN JR. with Eagles of Death Metal• BENJAMIN COWAN of P-Funk

12 UPDATE

94 BACKBEATS Beware of Mr. Baker

8 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEWSick and Inspired by Adam Budofsky

92 CRITIQUE Featuring Taking the Reins

M D D I G I T A L S U B S C R I B E R S ! When you see thisicon, click on a shaded box on the page to open the audio player.Note: Shaded boxes appear when you first view a digitally enhanced

page, and then they fade; they will reappear when you roll over the area. Sign up online!

• CRESCENT CYMBALS An Assorted Selection• REMO Versa Drums• DYNAMICX Snare Drums• MCD PERCUSSION Optimal Sound Series Drumset• ELLIS ISLAND Drum Accessories

22 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP

Minimal Miking Techniques by Mark Parsons32 ELECTRONIC INSIGHTS

80 NEW AND NOTABLE

30 GEARING UP MuteMath’s DARREN KING

90 COLLECTOR’S CORNER Rogers Dave Clark Five Replica Kit

Volume 37, Number 5 • Cover and contents photos by Rob Shanahan

EDUCATION

EQUIPMENT

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURING

10 READERS’ PLATFORM

16 ASK A PRO Manu Katché, Benny Greb

18 IT’S QUESTIONABLE Technology Corner: Trigger Placement and Module Settings

84 SHOWCASE Featuring Drum Market

96 KIT OF THE MONTH Taking Out the Trash

95 IN MEMORIAM Spirit’s Ed Cassidy

Triplet Gear-Shifter 12-18-24 Exercise, Part 1 by Bill Bachman 66 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE

Funk Drumming Training CampPart 1: Paradiddles and 16th-Note Subdivisions by Mike Adamo

68 IN THE POCKET

Grooving With Fives A Progressive Approach to PhrasingQuintuplets on the Drumkit, Part 2 by Mike McPhee

70 ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC

Implied Brazilian Rhythms on DrumsetPart 2: Xaxado by Uka Gameiro

72 AROUND THE WORLD

Live Drum Soloing Getting Started by Paul Wandtke74 ROCK PERSPECTIVES

34 SETTING SIGHTS:ADRIAN YOUNG by Stephen Bidwell

No Doubt’s drummer keeps it fresh by seeking new challenges.

36 KENDRICK SCOTT by Ken Micallef

He’s brought measured thought, clarity of sound, and deeptechnique to the bands of Kurt Elling, Terence Blanchard,and Gretchen Parlato, and to his own group, Oracle.

60 FIND SUCCESS WITH A HOME-BASED DRUMMING CAREERJeremy Hummel shares tips on making it work withoutleaving your driveway. Plus: Case Studies with MattHalpern and Pat Mastelotto.

CULLY SYMINGTON by Will Romano

76 STUDY UP!Rich Redmond and Steve Smith riff on the educatorswho helped make them the drummers they are today.

78 UP & COMING

The natural-born thriller’s curious, powerful beats have madehim a favorite of the Afghan Whigs, Cursive, and Okkervil River.

On the Cover

46 JOEY KRAMERby Ilya Stemkovsky

He still rages with as much raw rockpower as drummers half his age. Afterall, you don’t survive forty years withAerosmith by pussyfooting around.

MODERN DRUMMER • May 20138

Anyone who’s been going longenough will tell you that they

have a love/hate relationship with win-ter NAMM, the annual music-products-industry convention held each Januaryin Anaheim, California.

Two weeks after returning homefrom this year’s event, I’m still sufferingfrom NAMMfluenza. That’s the latestcatch-all term for whatever bug youinevitably pick up when talking todozens upon dozens of people whohave to get right on top of you, like Judge Reinhold’s close-talking characterfrom Seinfeld, just to make themselves heard over the roar of a thousand drumsand guitars being simultaneously tortured. But even in my current crankybecause I’m still sick and this New York winter has gone on PLENTY long, thank you very much mood, certain NAMM episodes remain in my mind and bring me a smile.

This entire scenario happens to me every year, actually, and it’s always therecalling of conversations with drummers at NAMM that shakes me from mywhiny state. By “drummers,” I don’t necessarily mean the famous faces thatcome by the MD booth to say hey—though that’s obviously a pretty rad aspectof working at NAMM. No, what I’m talking about here is all the behind-the-scenes industry folks and would-be rock stars you meet—the drum departmentmanager from St. Louis, the manufacturer’s rep who flew out from the EastCoast, the drummer in the band from Japan who picked up and moved to L.A. with stars in her eyes and Stick Control in her backpack. It’s utterly amazinghow much these folks have in common—and how each of their paths in life is unique.

Everyone knows that being a musician is not a nine-to-five job, but few out-side of our world understand just how not nine-to-five it is. Our retailer from St.Louis—he’s got a wife, a six-year-old, and a newborn at home, works his butt offat the shop for ten hours, six days a week, and plays in a Billy Joel cover bandevery Saturday night, just to make ends meet. (He doesn’t really like Billy Joel’smusic, but a gig’s a gig.)

The company rep—he spent the ’90s on the road teching for a famous metaldrummer, nine long years unsuccessfully trying to get his invention for a newkind of bass drum pedal to market, and the past eighteen months traveling theWest Coast, helping to launch a new cymbal line.

And our drummer from Japan—her father still plays sambas in large Tokyohotels and has never completely given up his dream of touring American con-cert halls, while her mother worries that her only daughter isn’t getting enoughsleep or regular meals as she takes courses at an L.A. music school during theday and does gigs in seedy neighborhoods at night, 5,000 miles from home, allin the hopes of living out her dad’s dream.

Of course, what all these people have in common is their love of the drums,their need to support themselves or their families, and their decision that thosetwo desires are inseparable. This is heavy stuff, made all the more intense by amusic industry—heck, a music culture—that seems to be in a permanent stateof change. But soldier on they must.

And, perhaps, soldier on you must.Maybe every once in a while we should remember to raise a symbolic glass to

the working drummer. So here’s to them, and here’s to you. We’re all in thistogether, after all, and we can all use the encouragement.

Now pass me that box of tissues, please.

MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORYBOARD: Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers,Bill Bruford, Harry Cangany, DennisDeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio,Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, Bob Gatzen,Danny Gottlieb, Jim Keltner, Paul Leim,Peter Magadini, George Marsh, RodMorgenstein, Andy Newmark, Neil Peart,Ed Shaughnessy, Steve Smith, Billy Ward,Dave Weckl, Paul Wertico.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Patrick Berkery, David Ciauro, JohnEmrich, Mike Haid, Dr. Asif Khan, RickMattingly, Ken Micallef, Mark Parsons,Martin Patmos, Jeff Potter, Will Romano,Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky,Stephen Styles, Robin Tolleson, LaurenVogel Weiss, Paul Wells.

MODERN DRUMMER magazine (ISSN 0194-4533) is published monthly by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc., 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. PERIODICALS MAIL POSTAGE paid atCedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2013 by MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without thepermission of the publisher is prohibited.

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FOUNDERRONALD SPAGNARDI

1943–2003

PUBLISHER/CEO ISABEL SPAGNARDI

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LORI SPAGNARDI

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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

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MANAGING EDITOR

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MODERN DRUMMERPRO PANEL

2013 Pro PanelBenny Greb

Matt HalpernTaku Hirano

Pat MastelottoStephen Perkins

Dafnis PrietoRich Redmond

Steve SmithTodd Sucherman

Kenny Washington

2012 Pro Panel: Chris Adler,Gregg Bissonette, Terri LyneCarrington, Matt Chamberlain,Bob Gatzen, Gerald Heyward,Jim Keltner, Brian Reitzell, JimRiley, Antonio Sanchez, GilSharone, Billy Ward

MODERNDRUMMERSick and Inspired

A N E D I T O R ’ S O V E R V I E W

Jim

Esp

osito

R E A D E R S ’ P L A T F O R M

CHRIS ADLERI just want to express how much Ienjoyed reading your interview withChris Adler (March 2013). I always findhim informative and down to earth. Hishonesty about his skill level when meet-ing others who are more schooled isrefreshing and I find makes him a moreaccessible person. The fact that he’salways assessing his abilities and push-ing himself into new areas is a good les-son for any drummer. I feel he’s a greatrole model.Nick Nocera

ANOTHER FILL-IN TIPIn “How to Prepare for a Subbing Gig onShort Notice” (March), left off the list oftips is my number one: Know the intros.Once a song is under way it gets mucheasier. My cheat sheet has every intronoted by who starts (like the guitarist),how many measures before the drumscome in, whether everyone comes in

together, etc. It eliminates pre-songapprehension and having to memorizeall the starts with a set list you’re notwholly familiar with. It makes for a muchmore relaxed show.Dan Lucas

LUDWIG USAWhat a great article by Michael Dawsonon the Ludwig factory in Monroe, NorthCarolina (Spotlight, March 2013). Notonly did he provide insight into the com-pany history, his spotlight on the greatpeople that work there, with photos,really hit home. I got to meet the Ludwigfolks at NAMM this year and was treatedlike family, so their motto “Join theFamily” rings true. I have played Ludwigsmy entire life, and I’m very proud to behaving my new custom Legacy Exotic kitbuilt by the same folks you featured inthe article and made in the USA.Mark Markowitz

[email protected] TO REACH US• In March’s Electronic Review, the list price for the Roland TD-30KV kit should have been $8,999.

• In the Russ Lawton Portrait in the same issue, the photograph on page 82 was taken by Brian Jenkins.

DROPPED BEATS


UPDATE

Matchbox Twenty’s pop career beganwith a bang in 1996, with debut

album Yourself or Someone Like You reach-ing multiplatinum status. The group’s sec-ond release, 2000’s Mad Season, proved tofans and critics that success was no fluke,but after 2002’s More Than You Think YouAre, the band members took a break fromtouring and recording to work on solo pro-jects. Drummer and multi-instrumentalistPaul Doucette, for one, went on to writemusic for films and record Milk the Bee, thedebut album by his solo project, the Breakand Repair Method.

In 2007 Matchbox Twenty regrouped torecord seven new tunes for the greatest-hits package Exile on Mainstream, on whichDoucette, who’s also a principal songwriterwith the band, sang and played rhythmguitar. This left the drumming duties to thePush Stars’ Ryan MacMillan, who continuedin the timekeeping role as the group spentmost of 2008 on the road, with Doucetteplaying guitar and keys on stage.

Following another break, in 2010 thegroup gathered in Nashville to begin writ-ing and recording its fourth and latestalbum, North, which was produced by long-time associate Matt Serletic and findsDoucette back on drums. North wasreleased in September of 2012 and madeits debut at number one on the BillboardTop 200 charts.

“During the recording, we had three kitsset up at all times,” Doucette says. “Therewas a combo of various drums in the big

room, my early-’60s Ludwig kit in a smallerroom, and a super-tight Premier kit in thevocal booth. We would play live to workout each song, and once we had the basicvibe, the guys would leave and I would playto the best take. Often I would [do a pass]on each kit and then we would mix thesounds throughout track.”

The album’s first single, “She’s So Mean,”features a great little drum fill in the cho-ruses that acts as one of the hooks. “Ialways base my parts on the vocal,”Doucette explains. “In fact, most of the time I’m recording I’m only listening to the vocal.”

So what was it like for Paul to be back inthe drum chair after a few years off?“Playing drums always feels especially nat-ural with [guitarist] Kyle [Cook], [bassist]Brian [Yale], and [singer] Rob [Thomas],” hesays. “And I still play a bit when I’m workingon music for other people, so my chopswere somewhat still there. I did set aside aweek before we went into the studio toshed, though.”

Matchbox Twenty ended 2012 doingpromo tours for North and is back out onthe road this year. Once again Doucette canbe found at the front of the stage, this timeleaving the drum duties to the multitalentedAmerican Hi-Fi producer/singer/songwriter/guitarist Stacy Jones. “Stacy is a monsterplayer with great feel and timing,” Paul says.“He plays like I wish I did.” Billy Amendola

PAUL DOUCETTEMatchbox Twenty’s utility man may be on again/off againwhen it comes to the drums. Either way, the charts love him.

The factory as instrument. Paiste hasreleased a unique factory-tour video featuringdrummer Pauli “the PSM” Stanley-McKenzie ofGorillaz Sound System. Check it out in theRecent Videos section of moderndrummer.com.

Sharing what they have in common. Matt Halpern, Mike Johnston, and J.P. Bouvetare participating in the Common Thread ClinicTour. Shows confirmed as of press time includeApril 18 at Drums Etc. in Lancaster, PA; April 19at Laboratory Music in Philadelphia; April 20 atRusso Music in Asbury Park, NJ; April 22 at SamAsh in Manhattan; and April 23 at Alto Music inMiddletown, NY.

Purdie on the air. For thirty years, DJ anddrummer Barry Farrar has been the host ofPercussive Profiles, a weekly radio show dedi-cated to the greats of jazz drumming. Theshow is broadcast on KSDS Jazz 88.3 FM in SanDiego and streams on jazz88.org. Among thedrummers who have appeared on the pro-gram are Max Roach, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes,Louis Hayes, Jimmy Cobb, Lenny White, T.S.Monk, Mike Clark, Herlin Riley, Steve Smith,Willie Jones III, Bobby Thomas, AlphonseMouzon, Babatunde Lea, Akira Tana, HanBennink, Matt Wilson, Cindy Blackman, andClayton Cameron. The most recent interviewto go live is with Bernard Purdie.

NEWS

Metal Alliance Tour featuring Anthrax(Charlie Benante), High on Fire (DesKensel), Exodus (Tom Hunting), MunicipalWaste (Dave Witte), and Holy Grail (TylerMeahl) /// Rian Dawson with All Time Low/// George Kollias with Nile /// Ben Gordonwith Parkway Drive /// Mike Cox with CoalChamber /// Jon Larsen with Volbeat ///Steve Gorman with the Black Crowes ///Marc “Meggers” Eggers with theCasualties /// Mike McKee with Delta Rae/// Vicky Marques with Mariza

ON TOUR

Bri

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For more news and interviews, go to moderndrummer.com

In 2012, Claude Coleman Jr. and his bandmates inWeen were shocked and perplexed to find out via

an interview on rollingstone.com that their leadsinger, Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween), had decidedto quit the group he cofounded in order to pursue asolo career. Coleman’s response? “No worries.”

CCJ, as he’s known to friends, has been keepinghimself busy with half a dozen musical projects,including playing bass with and producing theforthcoming album by the Asbury Park punk rockband TV Tramps, who recently opened for originalDead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra’s group. “[Playingwith a number of diverse artists] is the only way Ican satisfy my desire to play different styles ofmusic,” the born-and-bred New Jerseyan explains.

Right after Ween dissolved, Coleman hit the roadwith experimental jazz/rock keyboardist Marco

Benevento, playing a short tour that ended at theTelluride Jazz Festival. Immediately after the gig,Coleman was on a plane to L.A. to rehearse withEagles of Death Metal, filling in for his buddy JoeyCastillo (former Queens of the Stone Age drummer)on a three-week tour of South Africa and Europe.

“The Eagles is a really fun gig,” a reenergizedColeman says. “We’re all really good friends andhave known each other for a long time. And on topof that, bassist Brian O’Connor is also a carpenter.”Oh, did we forget to mention that when he’s not ontour Coleman holds down a job doing finish car-pentry? “That’s why we make a good rhythm sec-tion,” Claude explains. “We know how to build fromthe bottom up. We’re craftsmen in more ways thanone.” MD isn’t sure what type of hammers CCJprefers, but we can tell you that his tools of choicewhen he’s behind the drumkit include Vater sticks,Crescent cymbals, Remo heads, and Røde mics.

Coleman admits that it’s hard to find time thesedays to work on his true labor of love, Amandla, for which he not only sings and plays nearly everyinstrument but also produces and engineers. “I really would like to focus more on Amandla andtour like crazy when the new record is done,” theambitious jack-of-all-trades says. Yet he’s not com-plaining. “My life is swinging a hammer all day,going straight to gigs, and repeating, day after day. But it’s a good life.” “Pistol” Pete Kaufmann

CLAUDE COLEMAN JR.OUT NOW

Benjamin Cowan hasbeen manning the

throne for George Clintonand Parliament Funkadelic

for only the last couple of years, but his origins withthe band run considerably deeper. “I’ve always beenthere,” he says. “I was born into it—held by [leg-endary P-Funk bassist] Bootsy Collins as a baby. I’vebeen backstage just about my whole life.”

Being the son of longtime P-Funk trumpet playerBennie Cowan, the drummer (aka Benzel or BenjaminBaltimore) was ripe to have some heady experiencesat a very early age, not the least of which came whenhe took the stage for a song at Woodstock 99.“George let me get up there and do it,” Cowan saystoday, still marveling at the occasion. “It was thebiggest moment of my life, at age fifteen. I stood up,looked out, and saw 100,000 people out there, and Ithought, If I hold my sticks real tight and just make itthrough this song…. And I made it through!”

Since then Cowan has busied himself with acquir-ing the tools necessary to play a demanding set fea-turing extended periods of deep-pocket groovespunctuated by explosive fills and solos. To broaden

his skill set, he turned to the Drum Fantasy Campwith Dave Weckl. “I’m definitely thankful for theteachings I got from Weckl and all those guys,”Cowan says. “They showed me ways to do stuff thatI want to do without using as much energy—butstill having the same intensity. That week changedmy whole drumming life.”

Cowan also points to the mentorship of funk andjazz drumming legend (and P-Funk alumnus)Dennis Chambers as a source of continuous inspira-tion. “He’s been in my life for a long time,” Benjaminsays, “and he’s helped me mentally. He told me,‘Don’t try to play what I played; try to play some-thing better than what I played.’”

Today Cowan has live stints in Europe, Japan, andAustralia under his belt and is looking forward tomore touring. “It’s kind of like a family,” he says of P-Funk, “where everybody knows every note, so yougotta watch yourself. You’re always going for thatperfect night where there’s not one mistake. I’msupremely humbled by this gig.”

Cowan uses Sonor drums, Zildjian cymbals, Evans heads, and Vic Firth sticks.Mark Pry

Now that Ween, the band he put most of his energies into for the pasttwo decades, is kaput, CCJ finds that he’s busier than ever. Go figure.

AdrenalineMob Coverta(Mike Portnoy)/// Mad SeasonAbove deluxe

edition (Barrett Martin) ///Kevin Harris Project Museum,Vol. 1 (Richie Barshay, SteveLangone) /// Charles CompoFoolish Pleasure (CamilleGainer, Mustafa Ahmed) ///Myriad 3 Tell (Ernesto Cervini)/// NEXT Collective Cover Art(Jamire Williams) /// ChesSmith & These ArchesHammered (Ches Smith) ///Alpha Rev Bloom (TabberMillard) /// Crime and the CitySolution American Twilight

(Jim White) ///AnthraxAnthems (CharlieBenante) /// BozScaggs Memphis

(Steve Jordan) /// TheReplacements Songs for Slim(Peter Anderson) /// AuthorityZero The Tipping Point (SeanSellers) /// EmptyMansionsSnakes/Vultures/Sulfate (SamFogarino) /// Sevendust BlackOut the Sun (Morgan Rose) ///Black Pus All My Relations(Brian Chippendale)

WHO’S PLAYING WHATHayden Scott (Awolnation),Jake Massucco (Four YearStrong), Dan Trapp (SensesFail), Giancarlo de Trizio(Book of Mormon tour), DanielWilliams (the Devil WearsPrada), Darius Woodley (50Cent, Cher Lloyd), RichardWouters (Civil Twilight), WillNoon (Fun), Dave Raun(Lagwagon, Me First and theGimme Gimmes), Tim Yeung(Morbid Angel), and StixZadina (Steel Panther) areplaying Remo heads.

Brian Frasier-Mooreis playing Pearl drums.

On tour, Gotye has been using a wide selection ofEarthworks mics on his drumset and percussion.

Russ Miller is playing Mapex drums.

Victor DeLorenzo (ViolentFemmes) is playing Ludwigpercussion.

BENJAMIN COWANP-Funk’s latest addition behind the kit hasalready lived a lifetime in the funk tradition.

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A S K A P R O

This month: MD PRO PANELIST

Must-HaveGear Equipment thePros Won’t LeaveHome Without

What I mostly end up taking is the usualcymbals/snare/pedal combo, in

descending order of importance. I’m not usu-ally super-picky about the pedal, but I do findmy snare and ride very important. If I had topick only one of those, though, it would bemy ride. Drums can be tuned and customized,even when you have to use instruments thatare not yours and that you’re maybe nothappy with. I can bring my own snare drumhead, for instance, which for me alwaysmeans a Remo Coated Ambassador. It’s light-weight, fits in every suitcase, and can be a life-saver. On tour I’ve had rental kits with a snarehead that looked like a three-dimensionalcard of the German Alps.

But with a cymbal, you need it to be theway you want it. So I would take my 20" MeinlSand ride. It’s very versatile and an importantpart of my setup, not only sound-wise butalso feel-wise. I can trust it dynamically, soni-cally, and in the way it allows room for theother sounds and frequencies of the kit andthe band. It has a great ride sound and alsocrashes very nicely—I can do whatever I wantwith it. It sits so perfectly in the mix, it’s trans-parent, and it has character. I don’t want toplay without it.

BENNY GREB

BACKBACK STACKSTACKThrough theThrough the

In the December 1987 issue of MD, the recent recruit to Peter Gabriel’s bandtalked about how deeply he was moved by the physicality of Sting’s drummerat the time, Omar Hakim, whom Katché had watched carefully at the AmnestyInternational Conspiracy of Hope concerts.

Manu KatchéManu: It looks so striking when Omar plays, since he’s very tall and he’s got very high cymbals. When he hits, he has a dancer’s moves.MD: Apparently you responded positively to the visual as well as the musical aspectsof his drumming. That’s important to you personally?Manu: It’s very important. What your bodyshows is very revealing. It’s a representationof you. I’m not speaking about muscles orsexuality. Whether you’re a musician, a singer,or just someone trying to get a job, you makea first impression with your body. If you’re notattractive—not sexually, but just in terms ofgraceful movements and posture—it can turn

other people off. And that’s too bad, becausethere might be deep feelings and a lot to givebeneath the surface.MD: What might a drummer do on stage thatwould be a bad thing visually?Manu: It’s bad if you’re not into your drums.Like, you’re a person, and you’re at yourdrums, but you’re not a part of them. You’rejust…a human, and drums. Whether it’s prim-itive African drums or electronics likeSimmons, if you’re really a part of them, mov-ing with the toms and cymbals, becomingone with them, it’s a beautiful thing to see,like a ballet.

Many things about the way I’m playingnow are influenced by my beginnings in per-

cussion and piano. And even when I was inschool for classical music, I was thinkingalways of dancing, instead of really concen-trating on counting the bars or reading thenotes. I spoke to my teacher about it and hesaid, “That’s very good; you’re the first one totell me that you can feel classical music bymoving your body.”

To read the entire Manu Katché feature—and all the other great material from the December 1987 issue—go to moderndrummer.com and click on the App Store link.

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I recently put together a jungle-style kit to record loops in mystudio. The bass drum is a converted floor tom. I put Pintechtriggers on the kick and rack tom and a Roland trigger on thesnare so I could blend sounds from an old Alesis D4 modulewith the acoustic drum sounds. (I also hooked up an oldRoland Octapad to the D4, via MIDI, so I could play additionalpatches.) The snare trigger seems to work fine, but the bassdrum and tom are getting a lot of double triggers. Do I nothave the triggers attached correctly? And which parametersin the module should I adjust first to get the best response?Mike

The Alesis D4 is one of the cool little boxes that came along atjust the right time (early ’90s). It was inexpensive, soundeddecent, and allowed drummers an effective way to add triggersand pads to their kit. One thing to point out is that while the D4triggers well, it doesn’t get a full velocity response by today’sstandards. It should work fine in your application, though.

Let’s start with the kick. You’re using a smaller size of drum,and you’re hitting it with a bass drum pedal, which creates a lot of force. Placed where you have it, the trigger is going to move

T E C H N O L O G Y C O R N E R

TRIGGER PLACEMENT AND MODULE SETTINGS

by John Emrich


I T ’ S Q U E S T I O N A B L E

forward and backward a few times on each strike of the head, whichcan lead to double triggering. I suggest moving the trigger to theoutside shell area, right next to the top lug and just below the collarof the head. (Place it like you did on the 10" tom.) The shell will giveyou enough vibration to generate a trigger signal, without all theextra physical movement. Another option is to use the Roland RT-10S trigger, which you have on the snare, on the bass drum. Or youcan purchase the version designed for toms, the RT-10T. Roland’sdesign isolates the trigger element against the head and controlsthe amount of back and forth on the trigger itself. (You won’t beable to use the RT-10K kick drum trigger on a converted floor tom,because it’s meant to be clamped to thicker bass drum hoops.)

Now let’s look at the trigger parameters on the D4. Keep in mindthat each input is single zone, which means one trigger per input.You won’t get separate signals for triggering sounds from the headand the rim unless you use splitter cables. (The RT-10S is designed totrigger separate sounds via the head and rim, while the Pintechs willfire only one.)

Gain is the first parameter to adjust. You want a decent signal, butnot too strong, or else you’ll end up reducing dynamic control oversofter hits.

The second parameter that you’ll address is Noise, which sets theoverall noise floor. (Other modules call this the threshold.) Any signalthat comes into the D4 at a level that’s below the noise floor will beignored. Raising this setting will help with double triggering. Makesmall adjustments so that you don’t set it too high and miss low-to-medium dynamics.

Xtalk is a very useful parameter. Not only can it help to eliminatethe false triggering that occurs when you hit an instrument next tothe one with the trigger, but the right Xtalk setting can also help getrid of double triggers.

Decay is a very important setting for your bass drum. Think of thisparameter as a gate that opens to allow signals to generate triggerevents. The setting relates to the amount of time that’s requiredbefore a second signal can trigger an event. Once you have thenoise floor and gain set correctly, adjust the decay amount to get ridof the super-fast double triggers. Again, dial it up slowly until thedouble hits are gone, but don’t set it so high that the moduleignores whatever faster rhythms you might play.

Finally, this is a great opportunity to take a look at your pedaltechnique. Make sure that when you’re playing, you’re not acciden-tally hitting the head twice with the beater. This happens a lot, butwe usually don’t hear it with acoustic drums. When you add a trig-ger, you will hear it every time. Hope this helps!

John Emrich is an expert in the field of electronic percussion.He has produced sample libraries on FXpansion’s BFD2 andEco platforms and has produced products for ModernDrummer, Platinum Samples, Cymbal Masters, Mapex, Alesis,Pearl, WaveMachine Labs, Native Instruments, Yamaha, and

Zildjian. For more info, visit johnemrich.com.

[email protected] TO REACH US

IT’S QUESTIONABLE: TECHNOLOGY CORNER

A Roland RT-10S on the snare

CRESCENT CYMBALSAn Assorted Selection

P R O D U C T C L O S E - U P

Crescent is a new brand created byCymbal Masters, a company compris-

ing the well-known drummers JeffHamilton and Stanton Moore and industryveterans Michael Vosbein and BillNorman. Prior to creating Crescent in2012, Cymbal Masters was the exclusiveU.S. distributor and brand manager forBosphorus. That’s why many of the cym-bals you see here look familiar; CymbalMasters reworked the models it helpeddesign for Bosphorus as part of the newCrescent catalog, with all pieces hand-made in Turkey using a proprietary B20bronze alloy.

According to Vosbein, Crescent cym-bals, “combine dark, complex resonancewith lightning-quick responsiveness. We refer to this as our DNA—DynamicNuanced Approach—which is an essentialelement in every cymbal we make.” MDwas sent a wide array of models to checkout, including Classic and Eon series crashes; a Primal series ride; Vintage andVanguard crashes and rides; and rides, hi-hats, and effects cymbals from theHammertone and Stanton Moore series.

CLASSIC, EON, AND PRIMAL SERIESAll Classic, Eon, and Primal models start offas the same basic cymbal—medium topaper-thin in weight, with a prominent,

round bell and average profile. What dis-tinguishes each series is the lathing.Classics are fully lathed, Eons are partiallylathed on top and fully lathed on the bot-tom, and Primals are lathed only a tiny bitaround the top edge. These differencescreate varying degrees of drynessbetween the series: Classics are the mostopen and washy, Eons have a little lesswash and more stick definition, andPrimals are the driest and most articulatecymbals in the entire Crescent catalog.

The 17" Classic crash we were sentsounded clean, warm, and breathy. It wasneither trashy nor glassy—just a solid all-around cymbal with a nice, soft feel andquick response. It didn’t open up quite asmuch as I had hoped, but it blendedseamlessly with my favorite B20 crashesfrom other brands, whether hit with sticks,brushes, or mallets.

The 16" Eon crash is paper-thin, so it hada faster response and more high-end sheenthan the Classic. This was the glassiest-sounding Turkish-made crash I’ve everplayed, and it opened up instantly, evenwith the light flick of a finger. I liked usingthis crash for playing quick accents andhyper-speed electronica ride patterns on ascaled-down jungle kit.

The unlathed 22" Primal ride is theheaviest model we reviewed, and it was

also my favorite of the entire batch. Thestick sound was dry, dark, and articulate;the crash was dark and deep with a mod-erate decay, making the cymbal better for push accents within ride patterns thanfor big, open accents; and the bell sound-ed sweet and clear. I’d use this cymbal in a wide variety of settings, from intensefunk and fusion to more delicate jazz orrock and pop. It was like blending thethick, chunky ping of Dennis Chambers’ride with the dry, throaty sound of JackDeJohnette’s cymbals—a winning combi-nation in my book.

VANGUARD AND VINTAGE SERIESThe Vanguard and Vintage lines comprisethinner cymbals that also start off asessentially the same design, but theVanguards are fully lathed and theVintages are unlathed. The Vanguards arewashier; the Vintages are drier and darker.For these two series, Vosbein says, “We’relooking for rich, low fundamental tonesunder a vowel-like stick attack with a soft,buttery feel.” The bells are smaller than onthe other series, to prevent the bell soundfrom being overpowering.

I’d go to the Vanguard line when I wantsubtler and more refined sounds. Thesecymbals (we were sent 18" and 21" crash/rides) had a very warm and even wash

by Michael Dawson


with a clean stick attack and a touch ofsizzle in the sustain. They really excelledat lower dynamics.

The Vintage series served better inmore modern jazz styles where you wanta moodier tone with a controlled wash

and more pointed attack. We checkedout 19" and 22" models and found themto be a lot of fun to play. You could reallydig into the cymbals without themwashing out, and they articulated fast,broken ride patterns very well. And,because they’re so thin, they also hadthe extra nuance you’d need to beexpressive at softer volumes.

HAMMERTONE AND STANTON MOORE SERIESJeff Hamilton’s Hammertones andStanton Moore’s signature line are carry-overs from the original models CymbalMasters designed for Bosphorus.Moore’s Fat Hats and Wide ride provedto be the most all-purpose of the cym-bals we reviewed. They’re fully lathed ontop and partially lathed on the bottom,and they’re a bit heavier than the othermodels, so they could cut through athigher volumes while retaining a highlevel of musicality. I wouldn’t be afraid totake either of these on an intimate jazzsession or a more intense funk/rockgig—they’re designed to do it all.

The Trash crash, on the other hand, isa nasty and gnarly specialty cymbal. Ithas seven huge indentations around thecircumference, which not only added a

lot of white noise to the tone but alsoshortened the sustain to be closer to thatof a China. It’s a fun cymbal with a lot ofpersonality, but not one you’d want tosmack every four bars.

The Hammertones have a steeper

profile and wider lathing than theVanguards, but they offered a similarlywarm, balanced, and sophisticated tone.The 22" Hammertone China comes withtwo rivets, so it was a bit unwieldy as acrash. But it would work great as a funkyalternate ride with a big band, organ trio,or blues group. The 20" ride had a classicjazz tonality, and the 14" hi-hats providedan effortless foot “chick.” All in all, theseare some super-sweet cymbals.crescentcymbals.com •

May 2013 • MODERN DRUMMER 23

With such discerning artists as Jeff Hamilton and StantonMoore at the helm, it’s no surprise that Crescent is offeringsome of the most refined and musical cymbals around.

Versa DrumsREMO

by Miguel Monroy

Hand drums have played an essentialrole in the lives of countless people

throughout history. In West Africa, thedjembe facilitates a time of dance, commu-nity, and peace. Even the very origin of thename djembe promotes this purpose, as itcomes from the saying “Anke djé, anke bé,”which means “everyone gather together inpeace.” In Cuba, congas and bongos areplayed on the streets by people as theysocialize, pass time, and simply enjoy life. We continue to see this use of handdrums as a form of expression, communica-tion, and community throughout the richhistory of the Americas, the Far East, India,and Europe.

As one of the world’s leading manufac-turers of percussion instruments, Remo hasmade a significant investment in under-standing and promoting not only the socialbenefits of drumming but the health bene-fits as well. Remo’s HealthRhythms initiativehas published research on how playingmusic impacts the immune system,employee burnout and turnover rates, stu-dent dropout numbers, and much more.With this initiative now woven into the coreof the company, it makes sense that Remo

would “develop products designed toencourage and enhance the use of drum-ming in recreational music making, educa-tion, medicine, and social settings,” as stat-ed in a press release about the new line ofVersa Drums.

THE ROUNDUPWe received a full set of Versa Drums forreview, including a djembe ($239), timbau($189 to $220, depending on the color),and tubano ($189). These drums can bepurchased individually or in a sample pack($585) that includes all three. The first fea-ture I noticed was the drums’ incrediblyefficient nesting capabilities. All three mod-els fit together for a total width of 13" and aheight of about 33". For music therapists,drum circle facilitators, store managers, andothers, this portability and smart use ofspace could be a huge help.

INTERCHANGEABLE HEADSAll three pieces feature Remo’s “Taper-FitDrum Coupling,” which allows an easy, self-sealing fit with the pre-tuned drumheads($59) and the optional NSL—“not soloud”—head ($79). The pre-tuned headscome in three versions: TF 10 (10 mil), TF 15(15 mil), and TF 20 (20 mil). Although eachdrum has a different body and thus differ-ent sonic characteristics, they all have thesame rim diameter and bearing edge,which allows the drumheads to be usedinterchangeably within the entire series. All

I had to do to install each head was simplypress down on the edge of the head withmy palms (using a little body weight) untilit was snug against the rim of the drum. Iremoved the head in seconds by insertingthe included metal key into one of thedrilled holes located about 1" below thehead. Given that the heads could beinstalled and removed so easily, I was curi-ous to see if they maintained their snug fitduring long periods of heavy use. I washappy to discover that they never moved.

One very nice feature of the pre-tunedheads is that they also maintained theirtone and resonance when removed fromthe drums. This allowed me to play eachhead like a frame drum. I also found myselfputting the heads on snare stands andplaying them almost like a set of congas orbongos. The shells for the drums are con-structed with Remo’s proprietary material

called Acousticon, which is made of recy-cled wood fibers. Although each drum hadits own unique sonic characteristics, allthree shared a deep, low resonance as aresult of the shell material and the pre-tuned heads.

THE SOUNDSOf the three drums, I enjoyed playing theVersa djembe the most. The TF 10 head isrecommended for this model, and I foundthat it offered the most versatility of thebunch. I was able to capture the low, deep

tones I wanted from the center ofthe head, while maintaining greatarticulation at the edge, regard-less of how fast I was playing.

I played the timbau with the TF 15 head, as recommended byRemo. This drum had a slightly

lower tone than the djembe, which I alsoreally enjoyed. The timbau was able todeliver rich clarity and articulation betweenthe center and edge of the head, but whenI played very fast patterns I noticed a slightdegradation in clarity.

The Versa tubano is the biggest drum ofthe three, and I played it with the TF 20head. It featured a very low and deep tone,almost like a bass drum. This would be theperfect drum for leading a group of playerswith a slow, thick groove for a long periodof time. The center and edge still offeredlow and high sounds, but with the leastamount of distinction between the two.

If you’re in a situation that calls for theuse of different types of hand drums andyou value the efficient use of space for stor-age and transport, the Versa Drum series ishighly recommended.remo.com

Interchangeable heads, musical tones, and a stackable design makeVersa Drums ideal for hand-drumming enthusiasts on the go.

•


For many of you, Modern Drummer wasthe first magazine you bought when you

became interested in drums and drumming.That’s certainly the case for me. I have issuesdating back to when I was seven, and as Ilook through a few, I’m reminded that theearly 1980s was a very different time when itcame to “boutique” drums. You didn’t see alot of them in the pages of MD back then.

With that in mind, here’s something tothink about: Before the age of the largedrum company—I’m talking about the latenineteenth and early twentieth centurieshere—many different manufacturers builtsmall quantities of high-quality instruments.We call that “boutique” now, but keep inmind that the word really means small shop,and a boutique company is usually run byone person who busts his or her tail to buildgreat instruments with unique sounds. Youcan see many such pieces in these pages.(And don’t get me wrong—larger companiesmake quality stuff, but I believe that the bet-ter small builders do much to help keep thebig companies on their toes.)

Dynamicx drums are designed by BlackSwamp Percussion and Drum Foundry presi-dent Eric Sooy. The first snare we checkedout is the V-tanium model, which features a61/2x14 titanium shell with an extremely slimveneer of zebrawood. The entire shell is verythin, having a total thickness of about .065".Right out of the box, I was taken by howvisually stunning this drum is, with an ele-gant yet industrial look. It has 4.5 mmstraight hoops (which are optional), and thetension-rod “ears” are attached by machinescrews. The Arch lugs and RCK throw-off areoriginal items made by Sooy, who alsoequips every drum with his own snare wires.The lugs are beautiful, as is the throw-off,which did its job perfectly.

Obviously, none of the visual stuff really

matters if the drum doesn’t sound good. I’vehad a great deal of experience with titaniumdrums, and they are often described as hav-ing the warmth of wood and the cut ofmetal. I couldn’t agree more, and this drumdidn’t fail to impress. For starters, its tuningrange was vast. Tuned down, it had anunderlying fatness that made playing withBlasticks an absolute joy. The drum also sangbeautifully at medium tension, which iswhere it stayed for most of the test period. It had a wonderful, almost woody “honk”and responded well to every ghost note.Even at high tunings, the drum never lost its

fat tone, plus it offered a pre-compressed“bark.” This is another snare that recalls thepopping tone heard on the Wallflowers’ hit“One Headlight.”

One thing to bear in mind, if you chooseto order a drum with the straight hoops, isthat the tops of the tension rods sit abovethe top of the hoop because of the way thehoops and tension-rod ears are connected.Over the course of playing the drum on athree-hour gig, I found that the elevatedrods tended to get in the way when I playedtrain beats and rimclicks and when I usedbrushes. And the drum required some repo-sitioning on the snare stand in order to getthe tops of the tension rods out of the waywhen I played rimshots. Of course, thismodel can be ordered with your choice ofhoops, plus you might have more stick con-trol than I do. Still, I had to pay a bit moreattention than usual to how the drum waspositioned. Equipped with 2.3 mm hoops,

this drum has an MSRP of $1,159. Thestraight hoops add about $100 to the street price.

The second drum in this review, a 61/2x14Exotic Veneer in “drape walnut,” quicklybecame my pick of the two. The veneer isgorgeous, and it’s laid over a maple shellthat has slightly rounded, vintage-style bear-ing edges. This model is equipped with thesame lugs and throw-off as the V-tanium butfeatures hoops made of segmented ash.

There’s one word that sums up the ExoticVeneer drum perfectly: thick. At every tuningit had a full, meaty tone that commanded

attention. The ash hoops were beautiful andallowed for rimshots that were clean and fullsounding. The rimclick was sweet and pre-sent, and the snare response was sensitive allacross the head, at every tension. The drumsounded wonderful when played with sticks,brushes, multirods, and even my hands. EricSooy is currently making segment hoops inmaple, ash, bubinga, and walnut. If you playa lot of rimshots, like I do, you might wanthoops made from a denser wood than ash,as the batter-side hoop quickly becamemarred by my merciless pounding. Thisdrum, with 2.3 mm hoops, has an MSRP of$729. The optional segment hoops addabout $150 to the street price.

If you’re shopping for a snare that’s versa-tile enough to replace two or three drumsthat you’re already using, you should defi-nitely take a look at these guys.dynamicxdrums.com

Snare DrumsDYNAMICX by Nick Amoroso

The Dynamicx V-tanium wood-veneer titanium snare provides thepop, while the Exotic Veneer maple drum with ash hoops offers athicker, meatier tone—a pairing of utmost versatility.

•

MCD Percussion is a custom companyin Philadelphia that specializes in con-

structing high-end solid- and ply-shelldrums from many types of domestic andexotic woods. We were sent a unique setupfrom the company’s flagship OSS (OptimalSound Series) line, which comprises drumsmade from different wood species in orderto best match each shell’s natural timbrewith its given size. The thickness of theshells also increases along with the diame-ter, so that larger drums have thicker shellsfor more power and low end, while smallertoms and snares are thinner to provide amore open voice. The bearing-edge profilediffers for each drum as well. The results area high-performance drumkit that combinesstrong, pure modern tones with classicsolid-shell warmth and tonality.

THE OSS CONCEPTMCD builder Michael Mastropietro beganmaking drums in the late ’90s. Over theyears he has experimented with all types ofwood, eventually discovering that certainspecies sound better than others, depend-ing on the size and type of drum beingmade. With that realization in mind, MCDdecided to create the OSS series, which

allows customers to not only order drumsin whatever size and finish they want butalso to match the type of sound they’d liketo hear from their snare, kick, and toms bycombining shells of different wood types.Do you want more snap and high end fromyour rack toms, along with super-deep andpunchy floor toms? MCD will use its exper-tise in the type of tone each wood pro-duces to get it for you.

The OSS kit we tested featured 7x8($843) and 7x10 ($786) canary rack toms,an 8x12 myrtle rack tom ($786), 14x14 and15x16 black walnut floor toms ($1,053each), an 18x22 solid maple bass drum($1,922), and a 7x14 catalpa snare ($806).Each drum is hand-painted in a stunningblack-to-orange-sparkle fade with gold-sparkle stripes. (The prices shown are for abasic burst, sparkle, or metallic paint job. A

custom finish like that on our review kitwould have an additional charge.)

OSS customers can choose whatevershell sizes, hardware, finish, and headsthey’d like. (Other wood types include bub-inga, beech, Honduran mahogany, curlyhickory, sapele, zebrawood, wenge, rose-wood, and cocobolo, among many others.)Our kit had suspension mounts on the racktoms, standard legs on the floor toms, and

basic retractable bass drum spurs. The 8" rack tom had a Remo ClearAmbassador batter and resonant, the larger drums had Clear Emperor battersand Clear Ambassador resonants, and thebass drum came with an Evans EMAD bat-ter and a solid EQ1 front head. The snarewas equipped with a standard RemoCoated Ambassador batter and a HazyAmbassador bottom.


Optimal Sound Series DrumsetMCD PERCUSSION

by Michael Dawson

Combining classic solid-shell technology with the innovativeapproach of timbre-matching wood types and shell thicknesses forpeak performance, MCD’s OSS drumset offers the perfect blendof precise, modern tones and vintage warmth and musicality.

Rob

Maz

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IN USEI very rarely use more than a basic four-piece kit these days, so it was a lot of fun toset up all five MCD toms and have a go atthem. Not only were they incredibly easyto tune, but they also had an impressivelywide tuning range. Most of the 8" toms I’ve played sound good at only one spot,which is often close to the lowest possiblepitch. The 8" MCD tom, however, could go a bit higher without choking, and itmaintained a nice, full sustain. Movingbetween the 8" and 10" drums soundedvery smooth and melodic.

The 12" myrtle tom had a bigger and fat-ter sound than I expected, but it blendedseamlessly with the 8" and 10". The 12"myrtle also proved to be a perfect bridgebetween the more open, snappier soundof the 8" and 10" drums and the super-deep, punchy sound of the black walnut

14" and 16" floor toms. After doing a side-by-side comparison with standard plymaple drums, the MCD 14" had about asmuch low end as the ply 16", plus morepunch. If you like strong, smacking floortom tones with a ton of depth, you reallycan’t beat what these solid black walnutdrums have to offer.

The 18x22 MCD kick also delivered ahuge, deep tone. It wasn’t as focused anddirect as the black walnut floor toms; it hada more open and resonant sound. Butthere was plenty of low-end oomph and atight, clean attack, so the drum soundedgreat acoustically as well as under micro-phones. I personally would have chosen adifferent set of heads for this model. TheEMAD is good for getting a punchy “mod-ern” kick sound with minimal effort, but itcan also be a bit one-dimensional andoverly clicky. I would have preferred a

warmer-sounding head, like a RemoRenaissance Powerstroke 3, in order toshift the balance of head-to-shell tones sothat the solid maple wood could be moreapparent. But that’s just my personalchoice—and one that MCD would be glad to oblige.

The 14" catalpa snare was also a greatall-around drum, providing crystal-clearsnare response and a strong, dense crackat all tunings. If you’ve never played asolid-shell drum, I suggest you do yourselfa favor and check one out. Even thoughbuilders have been steam-bending shellsfor over a century, there’s nothing dated orold-fashioned about the solid-shell drumsbeing made today. And when you factor inthe incredibly modern and musical soundsMCD has created with the OSS kit, you maynever want to go back to plywood again. mcdpercussion.com

Ellis Island is an independent brand ofaccessories produced by the skillful

craftsmen at Canopus. Ellis’s motto is“Designed to be different,” but the productsaren’t different just for the sake thereof.Rather, they’re practical, effective itemsmeant to help drummers pull the best possi-ble sound and performance out of their gear.Included for review are Vintage and Back Beatsnare wires, Bolt Tight leather tension-rodwashers, Red Lock lug locks, and Speed Starbass drum pedal bearings.

VINTAGE AND BACK BEAT WIRESEllis Island wires are preferred by many topdrummers and builders, including ChrisBrady (Brady Drums), BIll Stewart, BrianBlade, Gregg Bissonette, Tris Imboden,Carmine Appice, and Zoro. There are twobasic models—Vintage and Back Beat—andeach is available with chrome-plated orunfinished ends.

Vintage wires are designed to replicate thesnares included on drums from the 1960s,and they feature crimped .5 mm end platesand twenty loosely wound strands. We put aset of these wires on an old WFL mahoganysnare, and it proved to be a perfect match.We went with the DR option (without plat-ing), because the untreated brass end platesmatched the oxidized and slightly rusty hard-ware on this drum better than those on theshiny NP chrome-plated version. Onceinstalled, the Vintage wires proved to be veryresponsive and articulate, and they had awarm, smooth sound that was neither harshnor overly bright. It was very easy to play

seamless buzz rolls using these snares. Back Beat models have thicker end plates

(1 mm), and the wires are tightly coiled for alouder and more cutting sound. Twenty- andforty-two-strand options are available. Thetwenty-strand version comes with or withoutchrome plating; the forty-two-strand modelis available only with plating. We put a platedtwenty-strand set of Back Beats on an oldacrylic snare to see if it would sound tooaggressive on a drum that naturally has a tonof attack and not a lot of low end. While theBack Beat did deliver a bolder, crisper attack, itwas still very musical and pleasing to the ear,and the buzz was short. There was a notice-able bump in high-end presence with thesewires, which helped increase the clarity andsnap. It was another winning combination.

To test the forty-two-strand Back Beat wireset, we put it on a cheap 61/2x14 luan snare.This drum has a tendency to sound very boxywith regular wires, so we were hoping thatthe Back Beat would make it more respon-sive without adding too much buzz. It didthe trick. Obviously, you’re not going to get asuper-quick, tight sound when using double-wide snares. (Under normal tension, thewires took about a quarter of a second to set-tle back down.) But the forty-two-strand BackBeat did wonders to breathe new life intothis previously dull-sounding drum.

BOLT TIGHT AND RED LOCK TENSION AIDSBolt Tight leather tension-rod washers offer asimple solution for drummers who strugglewith their snare drums detuning over time.

Drum AccessoriesELLIS ISLAND by Michael Dawson

Vintage snare wires

Back Beat snare wires

Red Lock Bolt Tight

•

Simply sandwich the metal washers on yourtension rods between two Bolt Tights andtune as you normally do. The leather pro-vides enough cushioning and friction to prevent the rods from backing out. For thebest results, you should use these on all ofthe batter-side tension rods. In our testing,the Bolt Tight washers were a big help in preventing detuning in all but the heaviest of playing situations, and they had a sec-ondary benefit of attenuating some of thehigh metallic overtones you hear from some drums.

For extremely hard-hitting players, EllisIsland offers another product, Red Lock,which is a hexagonally shaped plastic nutthat you thread on top of the lug casingbelow the tension rod closest to the spotwhere you hit rimshots. When you tightenthe Red Lock against the casing, the rod isheld in place to prevent detuning.

I used a Red Lock nut and Bolt Tight wash-ers on one tension rod of my snare for a gigwhere I knew I would be playing full-onrimshots for forty-five minutes straight. Atthe end of the set, I checked the rods and dis-covered that the one with the Red Lock andBolt Tights hadn’t budged, while the adja-cent rod, which had only the stock metalwasher, had backed out almost all the way.

The next day I added Bolt Tight washers to the remaining batter-side tension rods on that drum, and the tuning has remainedconsistent ever since.

SPEED STAR BEARINGSSpeed Star bearings offer a simple way tosqueeze a little extra life out of your favoritebass drum pedal. Simply replace the originalspring-connector piece with the Speed Star,and you’re all set. Your pedal will definitelyfeel a touch smoother than it did before, andthe beater will accelerate faster. It’s not anight-and-day difference, but you will noticethe improvement.

The benefits of the Speed Star were mostapparent when we tried the product on aworn-out DW5000 from the ’90s. This pedalhad become clunky and unstable from yearsof abuse, but the Speed Star did much tobring its performance closer to where it waswhen I originally bought it. With the bearingsinstalled, I’d even consider using this old DWas my primary pedal, whereas before it wasrelegated to being an emergency backuponly. We also noticed smoother action on aTama Iron Cobra and a Gibraltar 9611. SpeedStar bearings can be used on most Yamahaand Pearl pedals as well.

If you’re not completely happy with the

performance of your bass drum pedal, con-sider upgrading with a Speed Star bearing.You might be surprised by how much moreyou can get out of what you already have.canopusdrums.com

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Whether you use the term “minimal,” “organic,” “old school,” or“vintage,” there’s definitely a renewed interest in capturing

that drumset-in-a-room vibe that was employed on pretty much anyrecording prior to the late 1960s, when close miking became thenorm. Early Motown music, bebop, classic rock, and more recent pro-ductions by the Black Keys and the White Stripes all feature a soniclandscape containing the raw power of the drumset considered as asingle instrument existing in a real space. In this article we’re goingto take a look at a few different ways to capture that sound with asimple setup involving one, two, or three microphones.

THE BASICSThere are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to recording, otherthan if it sounds right for the song, it is right. So take the followinginformation as a good starting point and adapt from there. The key isto experiment.

Microphones. Cool drum sounds have been captured with practi-cally every mic ever made, so there’s no need to stress if you don’thave a locker full of vintage German models. Large condensers, smallcondensers, dynamics, and ribbons are all capable of capturing musi-cal, organic drum tones. Of course, it would take a book to describeevery available microphone, so we limited ourselves to using threesimilar large-diaphragm condensers during our demos (samples areposted at moderndrummer.com), due to their ability to capture a fullrange of tones in a fairly linear fashion.

Pattern. If your mics have a choice of polar patterns, you’ll want toexperiment. Switching from a directional cardioid to a 360-degreeomni pattern, for example, will obviously allow a lot more of theroom—as well as other instruments, if applicable—to enter into theequation. Likewise, using a ribbon mic will not only add the roundedtop and warm bottom that these models are known for but will alsocapture ambience from the rear, due to the microphone’s figure-eight pattern.

Room. The space your drums are in will make a bigger difference in a minimal-miking session than in a typical close-miking situation. Bigger is usually better, especiallyconcerning ceiling height. Higher ceilings give thedrums some room to breathe before the soundreflects back down. (Ceiling reflections can createa boxy sound.)

Reflective floors and absorbent ceilings are usu-ally better than the other way around (carpetbelow and drywall above, for instance). You alsowant the drums to be at different distances frommajor reflective surfaces. For instance, the backwall could be 3' behind your throne and the ceiling 7' above your cymbals, with one side wall 9' to your left, another side wall 12' to yourright, and the far wall 20' in front of you. That willusually work better than being in the middle of acube when it comes to getting smooth, natural-sounding reverberation.

Drums. Think of the kit as one instrument.During a typical close-miked session, it doesn’t mat-ter so much if your snare is five times louder thanyour floor tom. You tune and prep each drum for its

optimum tone (instead of for volume), and then you simply bring upthe quieter parts in the mix until a proper balance is achieved. Whenyou use minimal miking, you must be sure to achieve a proper balanceas you play, because there isn’t much you can do during the mix to sig-nificantly alter any one piece (with the exception of the bass drum insome instances). Tune your kit so that everything sounds in balancewhen you play in the room.

Playing. How you strike the drums is more important than whichdrums you use. Listen to your kit while you play, either in the room oron playback. Are you bashing your cymbals to the point where thetoms are too low by comparison? Are your dark-sounding vintage hi-hats getting lost next to the slamming rimshots on your wide-openmetal snare? You can move the mics around to compensate slightlyfor some balance issues. But in reality, if it isn’t balanced when youplay it, it likely won’t be balanced in the final product.

ONE MICWhen you use a single microphone to record the entire kit (either bynecessity or artistic choice), placement will be determined by theamount of “air” you want to hear around the kit and what else isgoing on during the tracking session. The farther from the kit youplace the mic, the more ambience (room sound) you’ll get. But ifother instruments are also playing, the more bleed you’ll get too.

Another decision is whether to favor the bass drum or some otherpart of the kit. Snares, toms, and cymbals tend to radiate upward,while the kick radiates outward. Therefore, the best kick sound is typ-ically captured in front of the bass drum, while the best overall soundis usually gotten from above the kit. But you can still achieve bothwith some compromise.

For capturing the entire kit with a single mic, we chose a fairlyneutral, full-range condenser because it can pick up the extremelywide frequency range of the drumset. (If all you have is a basicdynamic vocal mic, go with it and make it work. Many records havebeen made with cheaper mics.)

You can usually get a good overall one-mic balance if you go for a

E L E C T R O N I C I N S I G H T S

MINIMAL MIKING TECHNIQUESOne-,Two-, and Three-Mic Setups for a More Natural Soundby Mark Parsons

One microphone Two microphones

symmetrical placement where the microphone is the same distance infront of the bass drum as it is off the ground. We ended up with the mic5' high and 5' in front of the resonant head of the kick, angled down alittle (30 degrees) and pointed toward the snare.

A little compression can smooth things out in terms of levels, andit’ll bring up the room ambience a bit while adding some “smack” tothe attack. Carving out the lower mids with EQ will help you keepyour kit from sounding boxy.

TWO MICSIf you have two microphones, try using one for the bass drum and oneas an overhead. This won’t give you a stereo image of the kit, but it willprovide a cleaner overall sound. It’ll also open up your processingoptions, as you can treat the two mics with different EQ and compres-sion. And in the mix you’ll have some control over the level of the kickrelative to the rest of the kit, which can be a big benefit.

We used the same mic on the kick that we originally had in front ofthe kit, only we moved it to about 12" from the front head and 16" offthe ground. We then placed a similar second mic over the center of thekit, 36" above the snare. (Experiment here, as varying this distance willraise or lower the ambience of the final drum sound.) The resultingsound was a little tighter than the one-mic track, due to the closer prox-imity of the mics to the kit.

THREE MICS: COINCIDENT PAIR AND BASS DRUMA coincident pair (X/Y) configuration has the capsules of two overheadmics placed as close together as possible and at a 90-degree angle. Thisprovides a stereo image, but since the mics are right next to one another,there’s no arrival-time difference, which mitigates phase problems. Thedownside is that a coincident pair has a limited stereo spread.

The two capsules are typically pointed toward the left and right sides of the kit. We ran a pair at the same height as the mono overhead(36" above the snare) and panned them hard left and right. We left thekick mic as it was in the two-mic setup.

The X/Y arrangement results in a realistic, but not dramatic, stereoimage, similar to listening to a drumset from several feet in front. Thistechnique works especially well for jazz and acoustic music where youwant a realistic but not hyped representation of the drumset.

THREE MICS: SPACED PAIR AND BASS DRUMAlso known as the A/B configuration, the spaced pair is a commonarrangement of overhead drum mics. The microphones are spreadevenly above the drumset at equal heights, pointing straight down.Spacing between the mics is typically in the range of 24" to 48" (wewent with around 36"), and the height can vary. We ended up goingslightly higher than before, approximately 42" above the snare.

The spaced-pair arrangement has been used on most studio drumtracks from the past thirty to forty years. The big difference with oursetup is that the overheads are responsible for capturing the entire kit(minus the bass drum), as opposed to augmenting close mics. Thisposition gives you a broader, more definite stereo spread than X/Y,resulting in a wider left-to-right image, due to subtle arrival-time differ-ences between capsules—on the order of a few milliseconds. This dif-ference is what helps your ears locate specific instruments within thesound field.

THREE MICS: ISOSCELES PAIR AND BASS DRUMThis setup is a little different but definitely worth a try, especially ifyou’re looking to catch an old-school, hard-hitting rock ’n’ roll sound.Popularized by the noted engineer/ producer Glyn Johns (Rolling Stones,the Who, Led Zeppelin), this arrangement is called isosceles because thetwo overheads form an isosceles triangle with the snare. (Note: Johns frequently ran a snare mic as well.)

The secret to the configuration is in the location of the two isoscelesmics. One mic is located directly above the snare. (A time-honored tra-dition is to use the spacing of two standard-size drumsticks—32".) Thesecond microphone is located a little above, beyond, and behind thefloor tom. Using a tape measure, place this mic the same distance fromthe center of the snare as the overhead mic. The mic should pointacross the top of the floor tom toward the snare and smaller toms,which ensures that the snare sound will reach both mics at the exactsame time, resulting in a strong, well-defined, and in-phase snaretone. This configuration allows the mics to capture the toms betterthan in other typical overhead arrangements, and you end up withone mic near the ride and the other near the hi-hats, which providesgood cymbal separation.

In the mix, the isosceles mics are panned hard left (the overhead)and hard right (the mic above and beyond the floor tom). The resultingsound has strong stereo separation, with clearly localized cymbals, abeefy snare tone, and toms that sweep dramatically from left to right.Although it’s not as popular as the more conventional overheadarrangements that we discussed previously, this configuration hasquite a bit to offer.

CONCLUSIONNot only is it much more convenient to track drums using only one,two, or three mics, but there’s also an intangible benefit to a sound thatstrikes the listener as being “real.” These minimal, organic recordingarrangements bring more of the drummer’s natural sound to the tracks.To a certain degree, what you play is what you get. As long as you’rehappy with how you play, it’s hard to beat that!

Coincident X/Y pair Spaced pair Isosceles pair

MD: When you joined No Doubt in1989, you were still fairly new to thedrums. What was your practice regi-men at the time?Adrian: I’d only been playingdrums for a year and a half when Ijoined the band. Everyone else wasalready a pretty good musician; mypassion and energy went a longway, but obviously my chops werenot up to speed. Basically we builtout a corner of the garage with car-pet and I practiced for hours andhours every day, to CDs and to ametronome. I didn’t really takemuch in the way of formal lessonsat that point, but after we recordedTragic Kingdom I took a class atFullerton Junior College so I couldlearn how to read a little bit andplay rudiments properly. I was playing with passion, but I was kind of a hack.MD: Would you say that surround-ing yourself with players who weremore advanced was a big driver foryour own development?Adrian: It was huge. I had nochoice. It propelled me to really digdeep and put in a lot of extra timeto advance my playing.MD: Did you pursue any lessonsafter the class at Fullerton?Adrian: I’ve probably taken fewerthan five private lessons ever. Thelast person I worked with in personwas Gil Sharone, but that was onlyone day. He was showing me hisapproach to some of the ska andreggae stuff. It was good becausehe had a fresh impression. He’s a

great player, so that was really helpful. I did have a lot of VHS tapes in the late 1990s that I wouldkind of refer to. I checked out theChad Smith and Will Kennedyvideos a lot.MD: If you find time to practicethese days, just for yourself, whatdo you work on?Adrian: I try to take on projects,whether it’s going into the studiowith someone or maybe as a fill-infor a live date. Doing that forces meto think outside of my instincts attimes. I think adapting to anotherStory by Stephen Bidwell • Photos by Alex Solca


Behind the larger-than-life drumming persona of Adrian Youngyou’ll find many of the same qualities shared by the rest of ushumble timekeepers. It takes a certain amount of mojo to play

sold-out arenas wearing only a Mohawk and a pair of underwear. Butit also takes hundreds of hours in the garage practicing to be able toreally sell every song to huge audiences the world over. After a NoDoubt rehearsal for a six-night stand at L.A.’s Gibson Theatre, Youngtook the time to chat with us about his development, his growingrelationship with electronics and programming, and the myriad pro-jects he finds himself involved with during his band’s downtime.

S E T T I N G S I G H T S

NO DOUBT’SADRIAN YOUNG

S E T T I N G S I G H T S

band’s style just helps me improve.MD: How does playing with other bandstake you out of your comfort zone?Adrian: There’s a certain comfort levelfrom playing with No Doubt for twenty-fiveyears that creates a pocket, instinct, andfeel that is unique to itself. There havebeen times where adapting to anotherband’s style and feeldidn’t come instantly. For example, I playedwith Bow Wow Wow for a few years, and theBurundi beat that runsthrough most of theirsongs is not only differentfrom anything that I’veever played, it’s a uniqueway to play drums forsongs that have beensuch a huge part of popu-lar culture.

In a different instance,when I subbed for MattFlynn in Maroon 5 in2010, I got the call whileon the West Coast, andthe first show was the fol-lowing night in Rochester,New York. I had to learnthe band’s whole set,most of which I was unfamiliar with, on a red-eye flight.

I feel that the goalwhen filling in is to makeit as easy on the band as possible and toplay the drum parts as similar as you can tothe way they’re used to hearing them. Inthis situation, the added fire drill createdan environment where I was happy tomake it through one song at a time. In theend, I felt very good about the way itworked out. I enjoyed playing with theband and took away many positives fromthe experience.MD: What are some other projects you’vefound yourself involved with?Adrian: Besides playing in golf tourna-ments, I’ve played some with my brother’sband, Mo Bigsley. They’re a metal bandfrom Orange County. I played on ScottWeiland’s record [Happy in Galoshes] and on Unwritten Law’s record [Here’s to the Mourning]. I also played with theVandals some.MD: Those are big shoes to fill.Adrian: I think I played with them for thefirst time in 1998, and every few yearswhen Josh Freese or Brooks Wackermanisn’t available, they'll call me and I’m like, “Ihaven’t played that fast since the last time Iplayed with you!” [laughs] It’s not some-thing I do that often, so I kind of have tobuild myself up to it. But I love doing it,because we’re really good friends and I just

have a good time playing with that band.MD: Looking back on No Doubt’s evolutionup to your latest album, Push and Shove,you’ve incorporated a lot more electronicsand programming. How do you go aboutintegrating those elements?Adrian: On Push and Shove I played moreelectronic drums than I had in the past.

We did a lot of blending of electronic andacoustic drums, and on some songs Iplayed electronic drums for a verse andthen came in with the acoustic kit on thechorus. There was way more editing on our current record than ever before. A lotof us were making up our parts in the stu-dio, whereas in the old days we’d work onthe songs for a long time before we’d go in the studio.MD: Has that presented any live setup andplaying challenges?Adrian: Yeah. Getting ready for theseupcoming shows, there was a lot of backand forth on what we could put on the[backing] track, what things are importantfor the song, and what I could play physi-cally. I have a Yamaha pad that triggers acouple of the sounds from the record, andif I feel any of the electronic parts areessential, we put them on a track.MD: So you don’t feel that you’ve taken abackseat to programming and loops?Adrian: It’s definitely become part of mylife, at least for No Doubt. It’s not my cup oftea, really, but I think it makes sense for thesongs that I’m using it for.MD: Does working with these elementsmake the record-making process any lessengaging for you?

Adrian: I would say that there were timeswhen it was less engaging, and part of thatis because with this record we wrote mostlyin the studio. There’s a lot of back and forthbetween programming and playing live kit.Does the programming sound good? Doesthe kit sound good? Maybe the program-ming is cool but I don’t like the sounds, so

should I record the programmed partsmyself? So there were a lot of different ver-sions of each song to get it right, while itused to be a simpler process.MD: There are quite a few snare sounds onthe new record. Was finding the right onesa challenge?Adrian: I wouldn’t say it was a challenge.To me, snare drums are like candy. Thereare so many flavors to choose from! There’s a ballad on the new record called“Undone,” where I used my own personalWWII-era Radio King. It’s the only song Iused that snare on, but it was appropriateand I really enjoyed playing it. On the track“Looking Hot,” I used a Black Beauty onmost of it, but on the turnaround section I used my original Orange County 7x12snare and added drum machine on top ofit. It was just a huge blend of different stuffgoing on.MD: You’re quite a golfer; have you everfound an analogy between working onyour golf game and working on drummingconcepts?Adrian: Yeah, both seem to go betterwhen I slow down. [laughs] If I had a faultwith both of them that I could work on, I’dsay I need to practice everything slower.

It doesn’t take long to realize just how much detailed analysisthis blazing leader and sideman applies to his art. And that

might be exactly why, when the time comes to create in themoment, he’s so free to surrender to his muse and just…react. Ken Micallef digs deep into the methods and mindset of one

of jazz drumming’s leading lights. Photos by Paul La Raia.


Like a handful of drummerscurrently populating what isstill referred to as the jazzscene, thirty-two-year-old

Kendrick Scott is well trained, possessesa wide knowledge of many styles, andcarries the deep fervor, skills, andinspiration to move the music forward.His third album, Conviction, is a seam-less journey through various emotionaland even spiritual states of the musicalmind. Accompanied for the secondtime by his group Oracle—now includ-ing saxophonist/bass clarinetist JohnEllis, guitarist Mike Moreno, pianistTaylor Eigsti, and bassist Joe Sanders—Scott flows and explodes, pirouettesand stings with extreme sensitivity and creativity.

The music of Conviction swells and

surges with moody intensity, the bandcoursing through ethereal funk,straight-ahead jazz, vocal R&B, dron-ing ambient washes, and wailing

Coltrane-like crescendos. Throughout,the drumming is empathetic and in the moment, whether Scott is kickinghis large secondary bass drum, strikinga mini Chinese gong, twisting tomsounds with spacey ’70s-style ProTools effects, masterfully sweepingbrushes around a snare drum à la

Kenny Washington, or navigating a Bruce Lee sample (“Styles tend toseparate man…but you need to beshapeless—be water, my friend”).

A veteran drummer who has recorded and/or toured with HerbieHancock, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling,and John Scofield and who currentlyworks with Gretchen Parlato andTerence Blanchard (where he replacedhis good friend and mentor EricHarland), Scott honed his chops indrum corps throughout grade school,attended Houston’s prestigious HighSchool for the Performing and VisualArts, then headed to the Berklee Schoolof Music. Coming out of school, he had not one but two gigs, with JoeSample and the Crusaders and withBlanchard’s group.

Scott treats his drumming andmusic—released on his World CultureMusic label via Concord—as a spiritualquest, a journey that defines his exis-tence. He writes advice to himself onhis drumsticks. He recites a personalprayer before every performance. Healways wears a tie. He never got his driver’s license while in high schoolbecause he was too busy practicing.(He remains without a license today.)And when he performs, his greatpower and technique are harnessedand delivered through an almost Zen-like approach. Liquid, flowing,shapeless—like water.

MD: You have a vision as a musician,and it comes across on your records.Your drumming flows; it seems almost effortless. Are you beyond technical concerns? You always play in the moment.Kendrick: As I get older I start to real-ize that the more I can be in themoment without preconceived emo-tions about anything, the better I canhandle situations, and my true, honest

“Before joining Terence Blanchard’s band I wasalways using references. If I played swing, I wasthinking Billy Higgins. Or Philly Joe Jones. OrZutty Singleton. That can be your downfall.”


Drums: Yamaha Phoenix in ash amber glossA. 61/2x14 Lang-Gladstone/Dunnett

Custom snare (titanium shell made by Ronn Dunnett and the rest by Morris “Arnie” Lang) or 61/2x14 Craviotto snare (solid walnut/ maple/walnut shell)

B. 8x12 tomC. 13x14 floor tomD. 14x16 floor tomE. 14x18 bass drumF. 16x22 bass drum

Heads: Remo Coated Ambassadorsnare batter and Snare Side bottom(no collar), coated Ambassador tombatters and Renaissance Diplomatbottoms, Coated Ambassador

18" bass drum batter and Powerstroke4 Yamaha-logo front head, and ClearPowerstroke 3 22" bass drum batterand Powerstroke 4 Yamaha-logo front head

Cymbals:1. 15" Zildjian K hi-hats from the ’50s

(with rivets)2. 21" Spizzichino ride3. 22" Zildjian Bounce ride (with rivets)4. 21" Zildjian Bounce ride (prototype)5. 10" Zildjian Ascending gong

Sticks: Vater Swing model (nylon tip), Super Jazz model, retractablewire brushes, T7 mallets, and Poly Flex brushes

KENDRICK’S SETUP

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self will come out. One of the thingsthat helps me with that is to recite aprayer, the prayer of Saint Francis ofAssisi. And I write that on my sticks:“Lord, make me an instrument of thypeace.” I start with the prayer, andwhen I see that on my sticks it gives meperspective into what drumming andlife are all about.

As a musician you are playing aninstrument, but you should be theinstrument. So the more I can quiet mymind, the more I can get into the head-space of being the instrument, ratherthan just playing it. The mind is weird.It’s always telling you things like, Oh,the guys are here—somebody is watch-ing, or Oh, I just made a mistake.

It was interesting to play with HerbieHancock. After our first show I wasapologizing for my mistakes and hesaid, “Man, I didn’t hear it as a mis-take, just as another opportunity foryou to do something.” I try to thinkalong those lines. If you’re too involvedwith something in the past or trying toengage the future, then you’re not inthe moment. That prayer helps me stayin the moment. Then it’s all about a

higher calling when you’re playingmusic and when you’re living your life.MD: So when you’re having a badnight, how do you overcome that?Kendrick: It’s really hard. I’ve not mas-tered it. But as I sit down to play music,I’m getting better at taming the voices,so to speak. One pixie on this shouldersays, “You suck,” and the other says,“You’re doing all right.” They’re alwaysgoing, but I try not to listen to either ofthem and just try to get deeper and

deeper within the music. The otherthings, they will figure themselves out. Even on a bad technique day Ihope to express something that peoplewill enjoy.MD: You number your sticks as well?Kendrick: Yes, I match sticks by weightand by pitch. We spend so muchmoney and time as jazz musicians try-ing to find the right ride cymbal. If I’mplaying one stick and it sounds oneway and another stick sounds another

INFLUENCESClifford Brown and Max Roach Clifford Brown and Max Roach (Max Roach) /// Fela Kuti Fela’s London Scene (Tony Allen) /// JohnColtrane A Love Supreme (Elvin Jones) /// Bill Withers Still Bill(James Gadson) /// Billy Cobham Total Eclipse (Billy Cobham) ///

Miles Davis Live at the Plugged Nickel (Tony Williams) /// A Tribe Called Quest Beats,Rhymes and Life /// Ravel Daphnis & Chloe: Pavane for a Dead Princess /// Roy HaynesWe Three (Roy Haynes) /// James Brown Make It Funky: The Big Payback (various)

RECORDINGSKendrick Scott Oracle Conviction, The Source /// Kendrick ScottReverence /// Mike Moreno Between the Lines /// Gretchen ParlatoThe Lost and Found, In a Dream /// Terence Blanchard Flow, A Taleof God’s Will /// Kurt Elling 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project

way, it doesn’t ease my spirit. It createsdysfunction in my brain.

I’m used to hearing a certain soundin my cymbals. I use higher-pitchedsticks; nylon tips help that. I play thinand dark cymbals, and the nylon tipsgive me the top, that singing sound ontop of the cymbal. And it can also giveyou the wash, though I try not to gettoo much of a wispy cymbal. I like real-ly dark and rich-sounding cymbals, notthin and wispy, not too thick or brittle.

I’m always trying to figure out howmy sticks relate to the instrument. I trynot to choke the sticks, and I try to usethe pitch of the sticks when I’m play-ing. I’m hearing the sound of the stickall the time. If you’re choking the energyof the stick, you’re not transferring itinto the instrument. That’s a part ofnumbering the sticks. Having them bethe same and of a certain weight andpitch helps me to better get to that end.MD: Do nylon-tip sticks give you moreuniformity of sound?

Kendrick: It’s weird, I think the soundis pretty uniform. I’ve just come to love it. I started with Vater Manhattan7As when I was a kid. One day I went inthe store—I was playing wood tipsthen, but then in the store I got somenylon tips without knowing it. I lovedthem. And I came to find out one of my favorite drummers, KennyWashington, has been playing nylon all of his life. I was really touched bythat. The clarity in Kenny’s cymbals is always there. For my cymbal soundit’s perfect.MD: You often speak of the concept ofgive and take.Kendrick: I apply that to the entireinstrument. I might spend a whole daywith the snare drum, just to see howmany sounds I can get from the oneinstrument: center, edge, cross-stick,dead stroke. I go through all of them,and every time I find new sounds.Those are all a give and a take.

Stravinsky said the human ear is

KENDRICK SCOTT

used to similarities more than it is differ-ences. As jazz drummers we play somuch different stuff, the core of what wedo should be similar, and then the extrathings we do will become bigger. That’sgive and take, like playing a groove reallysolidly, then changing where you play it.That can bring out so much. There’salways an ebb and flow in how you’re

playing, from playing the drums to pro-gramming a set of music.MD: You seem to use minimal motionwhen you play, but you have a ton ofenergy. You don’t flail, but you play very dynamically.Kendrick: In playing in the DCI drumcorps, I learned that the snare drum-mers were always composed and theyalways held a certain position with theirhands. While they were holding thatposition, there were benefits to stickheight and sound. It’s easier to get asound by dropping the stick than mov-ing your whole arm into the drum. Somy dynamic range can go from a smalltap to a huge motion using Moeller orthat type of approach.

My setup is based on that economy ofmotion. Most of my drums are flat; that

gives me the type of rebound I want.When I use parallel surfaces I can trans-fer the energy throughout the drumsand cymbals to where the stick canbounce off the instrument. I teach students to take the stick and touch the instrument and bring the hand back right away. When you do that, it sounds like a tape player in reverse.

You don’t hear the drum—you hear thebackwards sound. That changes yourdynamic range.

I always think of unaccented notes asan inch above the head; those are justdrops. I think of my technique as needleand thread. I want my drumming to bepowerful but transparent. All the mas-ters, like Jack DeJohnette, Connie Kay,Roy Haynes—they all have that. I wantmy sound to penetrate, but my tech-nique is the thread, loose and malleable.It holds everything together.MD: Your records are in the tradition,but you’re also moving the music for-ward. When did Connie Kay meetDennis Chambers in your drumming, asyou’ve described your style? Kendrick: When I joined TerenceBlanchard’s band. Before that I was


KENDRICK SCOTT

always using references. If I playedswing, I was thinking Billy Higgins. Or Philly Joe Jones. Or Zutty Singleton.That can be your downfall.

With Terence, I replaced Eric Harland,who I knew from high school. I grew up emulating Eric. I looked up to himlike a big brother, so I thought I knewwhat worked when joining TerenceBlanchard’s group. But when I playedEric’s stuff none of it worked, becausethe spirit wasn’t right. Terence allowedme some time to work through it. Hesaid, “Don’t listen to any more recordsfor the gig. Listen to the music.”

I had to practice: rudiments, concep-tion, and the creative aspect of discovery.It all has a trickle-down effect. Your ref-erences are the base of the pyramid, thenyou move up to the people you’re play-ing with, then to the song you’re playing,and at the top of that is the imagination.That is the peak of any art form. MD: Do your solos always reference theform, or do you also solo free?Kendrick: I try to base solos off cellswithin the tune. It might be a melodicphrase, and I will use that. I might invertit, turn it upside down, slow it down, useit as a bass motion.

Terence uses this compositional tech-nique called “If I could tell you, I would.”The most obvious way to use it is to lis-ten to Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, whichis really only four notes. If I can base awhole symphony of work on the drumsetoff four notes, if I can only think of that, Idon’t have to worry about pulling thingsout of the hat. All the music is intrinsical-ly in one idea. That really resonated with

me. So I try to play cells like that inside oftunes. I might take a soloist line thatsomebody played. And I can use myimagination to inform all of it. It can beendless. I want to use cells inside thetune to create layers and phrases.MD: Why do you always wear a tie?Kendrick: The masters were alwayssharp, from Gene Krupa to Roy Haynes. Iconsider that when I think about music. Idon’t want my music to be perfection,but I want an intrinsic thing that says, “Icare about not only my music but how Ipresent and carry myself.” You have topresent yourself a certain way. All of myidols do that.MD: What is the meter in your song“Mantra”?Kendrick: It’s in 5/4. With odd meters, Ialways try to feel them in four. I thinkthat’s key to playing any odd meter. Ifyou’re playing 4/4, you think every beat.It’s easy for us to feel half time. And ifwe’re playing in three we usually hearthe dotted 8th note. So I play and thinkof that over 4/4.

I take the same approach with all oddmeters. [Sings various odd meters whiletapping 4/4 pulse.] I’m not a math wiz,but I practiced all those partials. I showmy students how to play 5/2 with the leftfoot and 5/8 with the hands. But I’malways thinking in four. It might comefrom listening to tabla. And I alwayspractice with the metronome on 1 and 3.I want to feel the pulse that I am sup-posed to springboard from. With music,it’s not always what you play—it’s whatyou hear.


KENDRICK SCOTT

Story by Ilya StemkovskyPhotos by Rob Shanahan

Kramer recounts his tales of woe—and his rock’n’ roll triumphs—in a very personal 2009 autobi-ography, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting RockBottom at the Top. “I wrote about everythingthat happened to me up until that point in mylife,” the drummer says, “including what went onin the band, my drug addiction, alcoholism,depression and anxiety, how my father’s deathaffected me…. I wrote about it very openly andhonestly.” Through it all, somehow, Kramer’splaying has remained on the right path, and wecan learn much by analyzing his forceful style.

There’s a reason for Aerosmith’s ubiquity onclassic-rock radio. There’s a reason why somany School of Rock programs include thegroup’s material. There’s a reason why, on anygiven weekend, a local cover band is doing itsbest to nail “Sweet Emotion” or “Walk ThisWay.” Is it just Aerosmith’s dogged will andlongevity? Is it Tyler’s recent high-profile expo-sure on reality TV? Or is it that the quintet hasthe not-so-secret weapon that all iconic rockbands need—a powerful engine?

MD sat down with the rocking railroad engi-neer to discuss the key to his staying power,and to that of his notorious band.

It might be a cliché to call thedrummer the engine of a band,but no description is more apt forAerosmith’s hard-charging loco-motive, Joey Kramer. The ’Smithtrain keeps a-rollin’ because the

man still delivers the goods like ayouthful firebrand, demonstrating thekind of pure rock joy and stamina thatdrummers young and old can truly beinspired by.

Kramer and his bandmates havebeen doing the hard work of rockingfor forty-two years. And despite thefact that their career has seen its share of creative and commercialtroughs, the bad boys from Bostonhave shown no sign of slowing down, recently releasing their fifteenthstudio album, Music From AnotherDimension!, and touring the worldbehind it to ecstatic response.

You’ll find all the classic Aerosmithelements on the recording—nasty guitarriffs and searing leads from Joe Perryand Brad Whitford, rump-shaking com-mand of the low end from bassist TomHamilton, ageless vocal acrobaticsfrom Steven Tyler, and, of course, thepowerful groove of a physically andemotionally rejuvenated Kramer. “Forsome reason, the band is playing thesame way that we did in the 1970s,when we first started,” Joey says. “It’sa joy to go on stage every night, and Ihave such a good time because every-body’s playing so well.”

MD: It’s hard to believe you’ve been atthis for forty-two years.Joey: I’ve been in this band my entireadult life. I joined when I was nineteenyears old. I’ve been doing nothing else,and when you’re doing something thatlong, it’s got its ups and downs, like anypersonal relationship. But we’re proba-bly more appreciative of what we havenow than we’ve ever been. I’m justenjoying the ride; you never knowwhat’s going to happen.MD: You recently played in front of the apartment where the band livedtogether in the early ’70s. What was that experience like?Joey: We returned to 1325Commonwealth Avenue in Boston,which is where the band was born andlived for the first couple of years. Steven[Tyler] and I shared the smallest of thefour bedrooms in the back. We neverplayed inside the apartment; we juststored our gear up and down the hall-ways between gigs. To go back to see thebuilding and play was a thrill and prettycathartic for me. We played in the street

Jack Douglas on Joey KramerMAKE THOSE DRUMS CRY FOR MERCY

Jack Douglas has engineered and producedAerosmith recordings since the ’70s, including thealbums Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks,Draw the Line, Rock in a Hard Place, and Honkin’ on Bobo. He’s even been called the sixth member ofAerosmith, due to his close relationship with the band.“No one hits harder than Joey,” Douglas says. “No one.He seems set on beating his snare to death. His bassthuds a low cry for mercy every time he kicks it, and his cymbals seem ready to explodelike panes of glass as he strikes. His toms have a look, like, I hope we’re not used in thissong, and at the end of a take they look sad and beat. And he does all this damage withthe preciseness of a Swiss watch and the subtlety of a B-17 bomber. There is no otherdrummer on earth that makes me jump and makes my eyes blink when I’m within fiftyfeet of him. God bless Ludwig—they can make a snare that stands up to his punish-ment night after night.”

Douglas continues, “Joey is such an integral part of the power of Aerosmith. Thereisn’t a drummer who could take his place and have the band still sound anything likeitself. Songs are written with his character in mind, as in, ‘This is going be great whenJoey gets his hands on it!’ While recording Music From Another Dimension!, Joey wasalways ready to go the extra mile. Move the drums three times in a day? No problem—if it’s going to be cool, he’s into it. No attitude and no grief, just a smile and a greatsense of humor. And he always comes to the sessions in great shape. He gets a goodworkout in because he knows it takes stamina to work as hard as he does.

“Let me put it this way: We all agree that Joey is the guy you want next to you in afoxhole—as long as he doesn’t bring his sticks.” Billy Amendola

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“I do a lot of timekeeping, because that’s

what being a drummer in a band is all

about. I’m a feel player. I’m a street guy.

I come from a very emotional point of view.”

“I do a lot of timekeeping, because that’s

what being a drummer in a band is all

about. I’m a feel player. I’m a street guy.

I come from a very emotional point of view.”

and drew 35,000 people.MD: Aerosmith’s latest, Music From AnotherDimension!, features your first songwritingcredits since 1987’s Permanent Vacation.What made you start writing again?Joey: I’ve been writing all along, but in thisband, with five personalities, only the strongsurvive. You have at minimum the main song-writers, who are Steven and Joe Perry. And ifSteven takes a liking to something I’ve writtenand decides to work on it, that’s the maintouch, because he writes the lyrics.

At first we were going to use stuff for therecord that we had in the can, but we didn’twant to rest on our laurels. It was our firstrecord in eleven years, so we wanted newstuff. Some of my credits come from a groupeffort. Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford, [copro-ducer] Marti Frederiksen, Steven, and I wereat Marti’s studio, and we came up with ideastogether, which is not something we normallydo. The song I wrote with Marti, “Closer,” I’vehad in my hip pocket for a while. For whateverreason it just didn’t happen before. FinallySteven put some new lyrics to it and breathedlife into it, and there it is on the record. MD: The new songs are to the point and gen-erally pretty short. Most of the production wasdone by Jack Douglas, who worked with youin the ’70s. Was that his influence?Joey: You come full circle. We wanted to dosomething along the lines of [1975’s] Toys inthe Attic or [1976’s] Rocks, when we were atthe beginning of our prime. That thing comesnaturally to us. The record is new materialwith the same old Aerosmith energy from theold days. By virtue of having Jack produce, itbrought a lot of those things to the table. Oneof the most important things was the fun fac-tor. He knows how to get the best work out ofus, but he also knows how to have fun, andwhen you’re having fun doing something itusually comes out pretty good. MD: Has anything changed in your recordingprocess? Were you using click tracks?Joey: It’s a mix of click and free playing. Jack isa purveyor of ideas. If you come up withsomething off the wall, he’s the first one to tryit. And like those previous records, everyonewas in the studio playing live. It wasn’t aboutgetting the drums done and then piecing ittogether afterwards. We were in the room,playing like a band. That’s why the recordsounds like Aerosmith, because that’s what itis. And I don’t do a whole lot of playing—I doa lot of timekeeping, because that’s whatbeing a drummer in a band is all about.


MD: As if adding live percussion to classicAerosmith tunes isn’t enough, you’re also yourdad’s drum tech. How does that work?Jesse: It’s got its moments. My plate is full as faras what I’m doing during the actual show. I getthere and I set up Joey’s kit and the percussionrig. Joey and I have always had a great relation-ship, so as far as working and the father/sonthing—those two things went hand in hand andit was really smooth from day one. It works toour benefit. Joey gets the upper hand in somesituations, but sometimes I’ll suggest things tohim—it works both ways.MD: You’ve grown up with this famous dad, andnow you’re on stage playing with the band,directly involved.Jesse: Growing up, seeing them play my whole

life, I’ve always loved and respected their music, and it was the blueprint of how Iapproached everything from musical decisions to business decisions, though themajority of the music I made wasn’t rock ’n’ roll—it was a lot of hip-hop, soul, R&B,jazz, and funk. I got into hip-hop through graffiti when I was in boarding school. J Dilla changed my life. So playing-wise I came from a different place when I startedplaying percussion with Aerosmith.

It sounds like it could be easy, but…. Like Steven Tyler or Joe Perry would say,“You play drums—just hop on there and play percussion!” [laughs] MD: What if you’re playing percussion and a cymbal stand falls over? Is there athird guy to take care of that?Jesse: No! [laughs] That’s why my plate is full. I’m playing, but all eyes are on Joey. MD: What kinds of parts are you writing for the tunes that didn’t originally havepercussion on them?Jesse: Less is more with Aerosmith in terms of percussion. A sprinkle here and a sprinkle there is really all it needs to give it something special. I don’t need tooverdo it. They never had it, and I’m imagining what’s it’s like for someone in thecrowd who’s been seeing them for forty years, so I want to do it justice. In terms ofthe parts I’m writing, I’m trying to use my intuition as a musician and producer andjust feel it. I had the opportunity to tech for the incredible percussionist PabloBatista, and he dropped some knowledge on me in terms of what I should do. I was hesitant to do it, because I’m really a drummer.

I’d say I’m playing percussion on about 60 percent of the show. There’s a bit ofpressure on me because the band trusts me to play on what I feel like playing on,but some songs don’t need it. Steven Tyler really pushed for me to do the percus-sion, and his choice would be to have me up there for the whole show.MD: What are some of the highlights each night?Jesse: When Joey goes into his solo, he does this Clyde Stubblefield type of grooveand I jam along with him on the congas, just locking something in the pocket.Something as simple as that can really get the crowd going. “Lover Alot” and“Sweet Emotion” are high points. I also like “Combination” [from Rocks]. I lay downsome timbales and play my rig, which, along with congas, timbales, shakers, andtambourines, includes the 12", 13", and 16" toms from a set of Vistalites.MD: You played on a couple tunes on the new record as well.Jesse: I cowrote “Lover Alot” and play on “We All Fall Down.” I was in the studio setting up and getting sounds, because I know how to hit the drums with the samevelocity as Joey. So I played through the track a few times before Joey came in.They let me take a crack at it, and the final version has me on the second verse,when the drums kick in, and Joey on the choruses and bridge. That’s the band paying me respect in the highest form possible. MD: What’s on the horizon?Jesse: I was in a band for a long time called Destruments. And I’ve been focusingon my art career, painting and doing commissions. I collect a lot of vinyl and I cre-ate and produce beats. That’s most of what I do every day. My art and music arecreated under the name SeasOverSeas. I’ll have a new record dropping soon. I haveso many outlets—graffiti, hip-hop, acrylic canvas painting, skateboarding. If I didn’thave those, my drumming wouldn’t be what it is.

Jesse Kramer’s setup includes vintage Ludwig Vistalite toms; LP timbales, congas, andpercussion; custom-made shakers; and Zildjian DIP Z4A sticks.

Double duty is double thefun for Joey’s son, Jesse.JESSE KRAMER

Making a song feel the way it’s sup-posed to feel. I’m a feel player. I’m astreet guy. I have no formal educationas far as what I do. I come from a veryemotional point of view.MD: “LUV XX” has a cool chorus withno downbeat crash, just a rolling tompattern. Your idea?Joey: A lot of times Steven and I willwork on stuff together. He used to be adrummer, and I’ve learned an awfullot from him over the years. He’s avery musical guy, but he’s very drumoriented. It’ll usually end up what Iwant it to be, but we’ll try a lot of dif-ferent things before it comes back towhat I was initially playing, becauseyou have to be a chameleon, you haveto be open to everyone’s ideas. Ifyou’re not open-minded, it kills theprospect of what a band is all about. Ican also suggest a rhythm guitar part Ihear in my head to Joe or Brad. That’sjust how we work. And like Stevenalways says, if you don’t have a gooddrum track to begin with, you can justpack it in.MD: The chorus in “Beautiful” is ahalf-time power-ballad thing.Joey: At the beginning that chorus wasjust a big open feel, with no time. Itwasn’t too difficult to come up withthe rhythm part, though, because itjust seemed like that was supposed tohappen there.MD: “Out Go the Lights” and“Legendary Child” are classicAerosmith riff rockers with loud, heavydrums. Those tracks could have beenon Rocks.Joey: That’s stuff I’ve come up withthat I’ve used time and time again.That’s just what Joey does.MD: “Street Jesus” has a propulsivesnare pattern. Is that the first thingthat comes to mind when you initiallyhear the guitar riff?Joey: I don’t think I’ve ever playedsomething like that. It just drives thesong home.MD: “Lover Alot” has the trademarkJoey Kramer “lean into the ride bell”8th-note attack. How does it alwaysmanage to sound like only you?Joey: I don’t know. People sometimesask me how I do stuff, but I have noidea, because I just do it. My feet do it

and my hands do it. I don’t take noticeof it, and it just comes out the way thatit does. I don’t try to analyze stuff—Ijust let it be what it is.MD: In the live setting, what are youexperiencing behind the kit after somany years? Any challenges?Joey: I don’t really feel any differentnow than I did twenty-five years ago. Ihave a strict physical routine that I do.I work out and try to eat and sleep

right. I take care of myself, and that’sthe key, because most drummers whodo anything near what I do are half myage. I enjoy my playing a whole lotmore now than before. I’m a lot moreforgiving to myself—I’m a lot freer andmore accepting. I’ve changed as a per-son over the last six or so years, andit’s really reflected in my playing.MD: Is it a purely emotional thing? Oris it also physical, like the equipment

Drums: Ludwig Legacy Classic in custom red/gold finishA. 61/2x14 Joey Kramer Signature

series snare B. 9x13 tomC. 16x16 floor tomD. 16x18 floor tomE. 18x24 bass drum

Sticks: Zildjian DIP Z4A

Heads: Remo Coated Ambassador snare and tom batters and ClearAmbassador bass drum batter

Hardware: DW Airlift throne and 9000series bass drum pedal, hi-hat stand,and straight cymbal stands

Cymbals: Zildjian1. 14" A Mastersound hi-hats2. 19" A Custom crash3. 18" Armand Medium Thin crash4. 21" Z Custom Mega Bell ride5. 19" A Custom Projection crash6. 14" A Custom Rezo auxiliary hi-hats7. 20" A Custom crash

JOEY’S SETUP

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is different or the soundon stage is better? Can you point to somethingspecific?Joey: That’s a really goodquestion. I’ve never reallyasked that question ofmyself. I think it’s all withinme. Everybody is sobernow. We’re aware that alleyes are upon us because ofwho we are and what we’redoing and how old we are. Idon’t think there’s a bandout there that does what wedo, really. I’m just gratefulfor what we have and whatI have. I’m proud that wecan still be making musicand bringing as much joyto people as we do. MD: How do you keep yourself from being bored with songs you’veplayed every night for decades? Doyou think about it being a kid’s firstAerosmith concert?

Joey: I always want to give a hundredpercent. I try to keep it fresh on myown. It’s definitely a challenge, butyou have to come up with differentstuff to play here and there without

getting so far away from the song thatit’s unrecognizable. You’re playing foreverybody else, but you have to playfor yourself as well. My tech on stageis also my son, Jesse. [See sidebar on

] He’s an accomplished drum-mer himself, so he’s always watchingme, checking out what I’m doing. He’slearned a lot from me, I’m sure, buthe’s also playing percussion live withus on several songs, so we have a lot offun together. With the percussion andteching, he’s pulling double duty.MD: In terms of keeping things fresh,do you find that you’re restricted onup-tempo tunes but you can reallywork out on slower groovers like “Last Child”?Joey: I think it’s the opposite of whatyou just said. In “Last Child” you’vegot to pin it down and make thatpocket stink. You can’t be playing toomuch. And I’ve always found it easierto play fast than to play slow. If you’regetting bored or tired playing thesesongs, there’s something wrong.MD: Do you ever get looks from theother guys on stage when you’reimprovising something?Joey: Only if it doesn’t come in ontime! [laughs] Everybody is really con-

scious of the groove, because that’swhat we’re about. The consistency ofplaying—especially the drums—can’tstop. If it does, it’s no good. So what-ever you’re doing has to be within thecontext of what’s happening to beginwith. You can’t make the song trip; it’sgot to keep walking.MD: How is it hooking up with TomHamilton after all this time?Joey: Tom and I make mistakestogether. I don’t think it gets tighter

than that.MD: In terms of the identity of yourplaying style, I think of you as theshuffle king. The shuffles on “SameOld Song and Dance” [from 1974’s GetYour Wings], “Big Ten Inch Record”[Toys in the Attic], “Critical Mass”[1977’s Draw the Line], “Rock in aHard Place” [1982’s Rock in a HardPlace]—all different, all slamming.Joey: One of my favorites is “StopMessin’ Around,” from [2004’s]

Marti Frederiksen on Joey KramerAS SOLID AS EVER

Marti Frederiksen has worked with Aerosmith sincethe mid-’90s, producing the band’s 2001 album, JustPush Play. He’s also cowritten several of the group’s hitsongs over the years. “It’s always the same working withJoey,” Frederiksen tells MD. “It’s always great! Every time Igo into the studio with him, we go in alone and knock itout. Joey loves to focus and really get the right drumparts to make the song. Joey Kramer is undeniably assolid as ever on the drums.” Billy Amendola

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Honkin’ on Bobo. I don’t know if peoplethink of me that way, but as far as I seeit, it’s one of those things a good drum-mer needs to be capable of. There are atleast a dozen ways to play a shuffle, andyou have to be sensitive to whatever wayfits the song.MD: What would you say are your mostfamous drum parts, and who weresome of your inspirations coming up?Joey: The end of “Sweet Emotion” [Toysin the Attic]. Maybe “Nobody’s Fault”[Rocks], which was inspired by JohnBonham. That’s what I was listening toat the time. I don’t know a drummerwho’s not inspired by the guy. Hechanged the face of drumming single-handedly. I’m not sure anyone’s comealong and done the same thing in quitethe same way that he did. “The Crunge”is probably my favorite, and “TheWanton Song.” But a lot of guys haveinspired me. Mitch Mitchell, CliveBunker from the original Jethro Tull. A big one for me was Dino Danelli from the Young Rascals. And ClydeStubblefield from James Brown’s band.MD: The Live! Bootleg album has anearly-’70s performance of JB’s “MotherPopcorn.” You’re very funky on that.Joey: My roots are heavily implanted in rhythm and blues. James Brown wasa big influence on me. Years ago Iplayed in a band called Unique 4. Atone time they were called Chubby & the Turnpikes, and later they becameTavares. There were five guys out frontsinging, and I played in the backupband. They taught me a lot of stuff andtook me to the Sugar Shack in Bostonand the Apollo in New York to seeJames Brown.

They’d always say, “Watch the drum-mer,” because the drummer wouldaccentuate the choreography of thesingers. That’s where I got turned on tothat feeling that I realized I really liked,which was Brown and Tower of Powerand Earth, Wind & Fire. And when I metJoe Perry and Tom Hamilton and theseguys, they were all coming from theStones and Zeppelin. That, togetherwith what I was already listening to, ispretty much what I’m all about. That’sreally what I bring into the mix.MD: Lots of different flavors there.


JOEY KRAMER

Joey: Everybody has differentroots. Tom loves the Byrds andthe Beatles, and Steven lovesthe Beach Boys and the Beatlesand the Yardbirds. Joe was lis-tening to Ten Years After andJeff Beck, and Brad was into JimiHendrix. It’s a combination ofall that stuff that makes up whatthe band sounds like. And fortyyears down the line, I don’tthink any of us is comfortablebeing mentioned in the samekind of company as the bandsthat influenced us. When peo-ple talk about us in the sameway they talk about the Stonesor Led Zeppelin or the Who, Ifeel like I don’t relate to that.

I think that’s part of the rea-son why we still have the abilityto do what we do—we still seeourselves as what we were backthen, and we try to hold true tothat form. When we go up onstage, no matter what kind ofdrama is going on in our lives, itall pretty much gets forgottenwhen we do what we do. The onecommon denominator is that we alllove to play, and that’s responsible forus being the way that we are.MD: That’s a humble way to look at it, but you’ve been creating classicmusic for a long time. Otherwise, youwould have gone away after Night inthe Ruts or something in the middle

period there.Joey: I know! This band is just asmuch a miracle to me as it is to any-body else! That’s why I try to makemyself available to fans and to peoplewho are respectful and can carry on aconversation without being affectedby who I am. That’s fun, and it’s oneof the ways that I’ve changed over the

past six years. I owe that to my wife,Linda. She’s really helped me open upas a player and as a person. She mademe realize that the fans love me and Ishould be grateful for this. She turnedme on to communicating throughsocial media, and I’ve gotten a lot ofpositive response from it.MD: In terms of your heroes and their

influence on you, how has it changed over time? Do theysound different to you now? I know that as a drummer, I always think that if I get better, the gap between my abilities and my heroes’ playing will close, but it’s theopposite—the more I learn, the deeper they seem.Joey: What I love most about it is that it hasn’t changed. All the guys who I identified with—Clyde Stubblefield,Clive Bunker, Dino Danelli—it was about how it felt. And itfeels the same way to me now as it did back then. I canmaybe understand it a little better now, but it still feels thesame. If it doesn’t feel good, it doesn’t matter. You can beplaying the most complex, technically difficult figure in theworld, but if you can’t make it feel good and it doesn’tgroove and it doesn’t stink, it’s useless.

The one guy I know that has the ability to play the kindof stuff that I like to hear a drummer play, and who also

makes it feel really good, is Dennis Chambers. He and I arepretty good buddies. You can put Dennis behind a jazzband, or a salsa band, or a soul band—he’s comfortableanywhere. One of my favorite bands ever is Tower ofPower, and there are clips on YouTube of Dennis playingwith them. As much as I love David Garibaldi and how he plays with TOP bassist Rocco Prestia, Dennis did a different thing. Garibaldi is very busy and it gets a bit consuming, while Dennis is little more open. I watch guyslike that and I think: It’s really interesting that these guysare playing the same instrument I play! [laughs]MD: You’ve also gone back to Ludwig drums after a longtenure with DW.Joey: Yeah, a couple of years ago I got hipped to Ludwig’sLegacy Classics, and they’re manufacturing those drumsthe same way they did in the late ’60s and early ’70s, whichis when I was with Ludwig for a long time. And that was atime when anybody who was anybody was with them—Ringo, Bonham…. If you were a drummer and anybodyknew your name, you played Ludwig drums. I recentlybought a Ludwig kit and was so impressed that I went backwith them.MD: Let’s talk about your book.Joey: It’s an interesting story. I worked on it for four years


JOEY KRAMER

with my good friend Keith Garde.Unfortunately for me, the book wasreleased the day after Michael Jacksonpassed in 2009, and it got lost in thatmedia shuffle. But it keeps comingback to me. People are always comingup and mentioning it. The main thing I wanted to do was help out other peo-ple, because I knew there were a lot of people suffering from depressionand other things I went through. Thethread that runs through the book isthe confusion between love and abuse.All of us fight with that now and againin our lives.

Now people say, “Wow, your booksaved my life.” There’s really no shelflife for a book, so it’s still out andabout. People are bugging me to writeanother one, which I’m beginning to think about doing. The book is what it is, and it’s the real deal. If ithelps as many people as I’ve beenmade aware of, well, then my missionis accomplished.MD: It’s a different kind of thing havingpeople come up to you to discuss thatas opposed to drums and music.Joey: I’m out there doing what I do. If ithelps somebody out, that’s great. Ienjoy the rapport with the fans now.I’m just grateful for what I’ve been ableto do for the last forty years. I’m grate-ful that I’ve been sober for the lasttwenty-five years. I have gratitude forwhat I’ve been able to do in life, what I can do and what I will do, and I’mtaking advantage of it now.

I even have a new line of coffeecalled Rockin’ & Roastin’. I’ve alwaysbeen a coffee connoisseur. When I getto the gig in the afternoon, I have acouple of cups of real strong coffee,and it keeps me going until I hit thestage, at which point my body goesinto that mode that my brain is sofamiliar with. It’s unfortunate that youhave to get older before you appreciateso much of what you have, but that’sthe way it goes.MD: So, in all seriousness, what’s themore famous part in “Walk ThisWay”—the guitar riff or the drum part?Joey: I think you know the answer tothat! [laughs]


JOEY KRAMER


SUCCESSFIND

WITH AHOME-BASEDDRUMMINGCAREER

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by Jeremy Hummel

In 2004 I received a life-changingphone call. Due to no fault of my own,I was removed from a platinum-sellingband that I helped to build from theground up. What I didn’t realize at the

time was that in many ways this was ablessing in disguise. The turn of eventsstarted a new home-based career and ulti-mately allowed me to be the happiest Ihave ever been. In this article I will share mystory of how I developed a career fromhome, offer some tips on how you could dothe same, and examine the pros and consof being self-employed.

TEACHINGThe first thing I decided to do was return toteaching. People handle things differently,so I suppose I could have been dumb-

founded and felt as though I was taking astep backward, but that wasn’t the case.Before making records and touring, I’dtaught privately and really enjoyed it.

Step one was calling all of the privateteachers I knew in the area to ask howthings were going for them. Did they havefull rosters? Perhaps they had some stu-dents on a waiting list and could send themmy way to get the ball rolling. I alsoreached out to the local schools and musicstores to make them aware that I was

teaching again. I had flyers printed andposted them at the schools and stores I contacted. And I turned my full-size basement into a teaching studio. The most important element was creating an environment where drummers wouldwant to learn. This is something I continueto work on.

WHO ARE YOU? I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!It’s important to understand that when youwork from home, you’re your own business.In most cases you are also your own boss.You may even consider yourself a “brand.”So what steps must be taken to sell yourbrand? Check out The Presentation Secrets ofSteve Jobs by Carmine Gallo. This book hashelped me keep my materials simple and

effective, especially with advertising andpresenting drum clinics.

One of the key points in getting yourname out there, for any reason, is asking:Why should they care? In other words, whatare your strengths? What do you have tooffer that others don’t? If you’re making aflyer for teaching, let people know whythey should study with you. There are busi-ness cards everywhere that say “DrumLessons: Beginner to Advanced,” with onlya phone number. That is way too general.


If you don’t have many close relationshipsor responsibilities, life on the road might bejust the ticket. But if you like the comforts ofhome and need financial stability, working

from home could be the answer.

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When I first made flyers, I listed a few sell-ing points. For example, I could offer insideadvice on what it takes to be a true profes-sional musician. I had firsthand experience ingoing from the garage to playing arenas.

But you’ve got to evaluate your advertis-ing materials now and again to stay current.In 2012 I was looking to increase the numberof students I had at Dale’s Drum Shop (inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania) on Saturdays. Ialso wanted to address the fact that someparents or potential students had asked staffmembers at Dale’s why a lesson with mecost more than one with the other instruc-tors. I understood that it was not enough forthe shop employees to mention a popularband I had been with—especially for par-ents who may not have been familiar withthe band, or who didn’t even care.

So I had some new postcard-style busi-ness cards drawn up as I continued to buildmy résumé, and they included better sellingpoints on why someone might want tostudy with me. I have the same list available

on my website, in the event that someonefinds me through the Internet.

DIVERSIFY (BANDS, SESSIONS, WRITING)When you work from home and are self-employed, you might find it necessary tohave several different entities contributingto your income. I always have a few logsburning in the fire. This not only helps mepay the bills more efficiently but also pro-vides a nice balance in keeping me satisfiedon multiple levels.

Teaching has become my primary sourceof income. If I only gave lessons, however,the part of me that craves live performanceand interacting with musicians would beneglected. I have two performing groups,Into the Spin and EVE. I’m the musical direc-tor for Into the Spin LLC, and I run the corpo-ration as well. Both groups rehearse at myhome. When time allows, I still do recordingsessions and drum clinics and write articlesfor Modern Drummer.


Ibegan working from home out of neces-sity. I needed to make a living and be

able to play in my band, Periphery.In terms of recording other people’s

projects from home, I recently signed onas a Yamaha electronic kit artist, because Iwanted to be able to record without hav-ing a full-scale studio. Using an electronickit, I’m able to sell my time as a studiomusician, recording beats, songs, whateverit may be, from home. You can record rightinto your laptop and get great soundsfrom the software out there.

In terms of my educational activities, Ihad a fan base that was all over the world,and I was teaching as I was touring fromcity to city. But when I would come homefrom tour, I’d be limited to this small groupof students in my area. It just wasn’t enough. So I started teaching online via video chat,and I found that it was a great way to make ends meet and also to really build that fan-base relationship further, which was win-win for everybody. The fans were getting thisgreat experience, and they were learning. The band was attracting more dedicated fans.And I was able to supplement my income a lot better when I was home.

I had a lot of friends who wanted to do this as well and who asked for help with it. So Istarted booking lessons for them and basically became like a music-lesson bookingagent. [Managing the increasing workload] became a bit cumbersome, though, soinstead of using Facebook and Skype and email and PayPal, we set up Bandhappy.com asa centralized location for video chat, scheduling, and e-commerce. It kept growing, so it’sworked out.

And the gear required for this is really minimal. I teach all of my online lessons throughmy laptop. I have a MacBook Pro with a built-in webcam and microphone, and that’s it.You need a good Internet connection, but besides that, if you have those minimumrequirements, you can really do well.

A setup like this really makes the world a lot smaller. Today, for instance, I have twostudents in the U.K., one in Malaysia, and one in Florida. That’s all through Bandhappy.

Interview by Robin Tolleson

CASE STUDY: MATT HALPERN

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Interestingly, one day I was listening toColin Cowherd on ESPN’s The Herd. Hisinsights are always thought-provoking,whether I agree with him or not. This particu-lar morning he commented that those whoare super-successful have no balance in theirlives. He said that people always stress “bal-ance, balance, balance” to be happy. Yet, in hisview, wealthy business executives, top foot-ball coaches, star athletes, and so on tend toeat, sleep, and drink one specific thing.

While I can see some logic in Cowherd’sstatement, I think that success ultimatelydepends on how hard someone works. Forexample, I feel that just because I spend timepracticing and I enjoy performing, thatdoesn’t make me any less of a teacher. In fact,it’s quite the contrary. There are things I learnin practice and performance that I often carryinto lessons. In many instances I’ve devel-oped something through my own practicethat I stop and transcribe because my stu-dents could find it useful.

PROS AND CONSWhen I first started writing this article, Ithought it might be helpful to have columnslisting advantages and disadvantages of lifeon the road versus working from home. But Irealized that those qualities are only relativeto a person’s situation. If someone does nothave many close relationships or responsibili-ties, life on the road might be just the ticket.On the other hand, if you like the comforts ofyour own bed and bathroom, settling downwith your family, and the potential for betterfinancial stability, working from home couldbe the answer. Road life can be difficultdepending on your amenities (includingtransportation and lodging) and your finan-cial situation.

If you think that a career working fromhome might be right for you, here are somethings to consider.

Be self-motivated. You are responsibleand accountable for your successes (and fail-ures). You’ve got to have passion for whatyou’re doing. Otherwise there won’t be anyinitiative to get things done. Many peoplefind working from home enticing because noone is telling you what to do or how to do it.But that can also be the hardest part. Youmust be resourceful and creative.

Persevere. There will be periods when it’svery challenging, and you may need to goback to the drawing board. Whenever I’m in asituation where one of my entities is not suc-ceeding, I ask myself, Am I doing everythingpossible? Have I left no stone unturned? If Ianswer honestly, I find there is usually morethat I could do.

During my first few years of working fromhome, my wife and I had a toddler and anewborn, which occupied much of our time.Because my wife had a job with good bene-


Working from home, you get tobe with family. You can dash

out to do a quick errand, run to thegym, mow the yard, sweep the pool,pick up the kids, hang out with yourwife, and pretty much be on yourown daily schedule. You can’t do anyof that while you’re touring.

I was always into recording, fromWollensak tape decks to ADATs.Along the way I picked up some niceNeumann, AKG, and Earthworks micsand API, Neve, and Daking preamps.You don’t need all that, though.When I started making records in myhouse in the late ’80s/early ’90s, wehad an eight-track Fostex, a coupleof Radio Shack PZMs, one ShureSM57, and a little Mackie mixer, which was a big help. And I live with a lifetime’s collection of drums, cymbals, and percussive paraphernalia.

I’ve also had gobs of experience recording with some of the world’s greatestengineers and producers, in legendary studios. I learned a lot, but the real turningpoint for my home studio was a thing called eSession. That was started in about2002 by Gina Fant-Saez (Blue World Music Studios, Austin, Texas), who lived nearme. She had an idea, a way for individuals to find and contact any musician theywanted to work with, and she designed a method for players from all over theglobe to do sessions together. She fine-tuned it into what she called eSession.

Say you’re sitting in Taiwan and you want to use Steve Gadd and Guy Pratt onyour record—bam!—you’d have the connections through eSession. You’d be ableto work with them from the comfort of your own home studio. It was a gamechanger when she bought me Pro Tools and got me working a lot online. I alreadyhad good Pro Tools chops, since I’d engineered so many of my projects. But a stu-dio rig like a Pro Tools HD system was priced beyond my means. So Gina set me up,then used me as her guinea pig and let me work off my debt that way. By the timeshe got eSession up and running, though, social networks like MySpace andFacebook were giving the world other ways to track down their favorite players.She was just a little late.

These days you can record stuff pretty cheap; you can do it on a laptop, and in terms of setting up for recording drums at home, it’s all about the computer,right? Hit records are made from GarageBand loops. But if you want to record yourown drumkit performance, you can get Pro Tools or Logic or Ableton Live, plus ananalog-to-digital interface like the one that I use on the road, the MOTU UltraLite—all, I’m guessing, for under $1,000. That will give you a pretty darned good studioon your laptop.

You must have a good server connection. I use Dropbox or YouSendIt to tradefiles. That’s how most of the stuff goes back and forth these days. And you need away to be reachable, to email, and to interact—even if you’re just working withband buddies in different states or continents. It starts with that.

I do find that most band buddies and songwriters can’t easily work with our mul-titrack drums spread out over ten or fifteen tracks. So I usually mix things down to a stereo mix, called a stem. Usually I do the drumkit as one stem and the e-drums as a separate stereo stem, and then maybe more stems if there’s a lot of beatbox,percussion, or overdubs that might be in question—the stuff that I think they maywant to mute or adjust. But sometimes I mix it all down to stereo.

My mixes can vary drastically, since I can toss in samples and burn in effects withAudioSuite [plug-ins] and do all the glitch editing myself. So when I send a stereomix, it’s pretty true to the way I hear the drums in my head (that day), and there areplenty of records where they’ve used my stem as the final mix.

Interview by Robin Tolleson

CASE STUDY: PAT MASTELOTTOPat and his granddaughterDune confer on a final mix.

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fits, I was in charge of the kids during theday, and then I burned the midnight oil withteaching and gigs. Also, when you work fromhome, you’re often responsible for your ownhealth insurance.

When things would get challenging, forinspiration I often thought of an article I readon Ali Jackson in the September 2008 issueof Modern Drummer. Like me, Jackson hadencountered a series of events that alteredhis course. After performing with jazz vocal-ist Dee Dee Bridgewater, he moved to Japanfor a year when his wife got a fellowship toteach there. Jackson explained, “I took thattime to practice, shed, and write. I wrote a suite for three drumsets. I was also ‘Mr.Mom.’ Our oldest son was three at the time.That was tough, but we worked it out. Whenwe moved back to New York, I basically started from scratch. I played every $50 gig I could play, and I hustled.” Jackson was then hired by Wynton Marsalis to occupy the drum chair for Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Time management. This is a crucial ele-ment in being successful. It’s best to have aplan for each day. One method that worksfor me is to divide my day into hourly seg-ments. Teaching takes up my evenings. Ihave exactly six hours from the time I dropmy kids off at school until I pick them up.There’s a lot I need to cram in there—exercise, business (paperwork, phone calls,etc.), lesson planning, and my own practice,as well as any work around the house thathas to be done. If I’m not careful, the daygets away from me very quickly. I wasrecently telling a friend that if I get on thecomputer with a cup of coffee at 8:30 A.M., it could be 10 A.M. before I know it.

Prioritize. My general rule of thumb is,What needs to be taken care of now? Ialways have a thousand things that have toget done, and it can become a little over-whelming. I focus on upcoming events, con-tracts I need to send out, lessons for thatday, and so on.

Paperwork. This is by far my least favoritepart of being self-employed. When I’m doing paperwork I usually think, I would somuch rather be practicing right now. But Iremind myself that it’s better to be doingpaperwork for my own endeavors than for a job I couldn’t care less about. I have anaccountant who handles my personal busi-ness and band taxes, but the rest of it is my responsibility.

Practice time. When I began workingfrom home, I felt I really grew as a musician.The difference was having time and a drum-set that was within reach. Unless you’re play-ing in arenas with a practice kit set up in adressing room, keeping your chops up canbe a real challenge on the road.

MOVING FORWARDOnce you get your feet firmly on the ground,be open to new ideas and experiences asyou work from home. I like to think of thedifferent sources of income as branches on atree. With hard work and a little luck, hope-fully they will help feed each other.

This past year I was asked by the localhigh school band director to help with thedrum line in the marching band. While themarching world is not my specialty, Ithought it would be fun to help the kids withtheir stickings, rudiments, and overall tight-ness as a section. The experience opened thedoor to developing a weekly after-schoolprogram at both the middle school and highschool levels. This allows me to give extrahelp to those who want it, improve theirskills for future marching seasons, and makesome money by charging a group rate theycan all afford.

This year I’ll also begin to record moredrum tracks from home. Whenever I do asession elsewhere, there seems to be a goodamount of travel time involved. Recordingfrom home will be more cost effective, letme work more efficiently, and allow me tohave all of my gear at hand. The challengewill be learning more about microphoneplacement, as well as understanding soft-ware and a new computer. I’m not a “sitdown and read the manual” kind of person,but I realize that it will pay off, becausethere’s work for me in that area.

FIND YOUR HAPPINESSIf you’re entertaining the idea of workingfrom home, I hope I’ve provided some infor-mation to help you make a more informeddecision. There’s a variety of ways in whichyou can make money and find personal hap-piness. Which ones are right for you? Maybeteaching isn’t your forte, but is there anotherarea in which you could excel?

Working from home allows me to havethe best of both worlds. I wake up every day and do something I love, while beingwith my family and watching my kids growup. Does it mean I will never tour again?Who knows?

I began this article by mentioning a phonecall I received. I’ll close with another one. Notlong ago, an acquaintance phoned and wasseeking some advice. He plays drums with awell-known band in front of large crowds,yet he was unhappy with his existing agree-ment as a sideman. Since I’d been on bothsides of the fence—experiencing road lifeand home life—he wanted my opinion onwhich I preferred. I said that while there arepros and cons to both ways of life, the mostimportant thing is that when you wake up inthe morning and look in the mirror, you’rehappy with what you’re doing.


This month we’re going to challenge your hands byplaying triplets as 12th notes, 18th notes, and 24th

notes, with and without accents. (We’ll use two otherstickings in the second installment.)

First let’s define these rhythms. The 12th notes aresimply 8th-note triplets (there are twelve in a bar of 4/4).The 18th notes, or “nine-lets,” are a polyrhythm compris-ing triplets played over two quarter-note triplets (thistotals eighteen notes to the bar). The 24th notes are 16th-note triplets (sextuplets).

The four variations we’re playing in these two articleshave their inherent challenges. Each requires modifica-tions in technique, stick height, and touch. I normallyavoid metronome markings in lessons so that studentscan choose tempos that work best for them. But for thepurpose of describing the different techniques requiredhere, I’ll use 120 bpm as a reference.

While the exercise is short and seemingly simple, it willbe quite difficult to play perfectly and will program a lotof very useful technique and muscle memory that can beapplied in many different areas of drumming.

Variation 1 is played as straight single strokes. Eachstroke should be a free stroke, where the stick rebounds

on its own to the same height as where it started. Neverpick up the stick or let the back of the stick touch theinside of the hand (both are signs of extra work and ten-sion in the hands). The sticks should feel heavy and res-onate with a loud, high pitch as you dribble them.

The 12th notes should be played with an almost purewrist turn and a little help from the fingers. The 18thnotes will require more fingers, and the 24th notes willmost likely have plenty of finger control involved. (Notethat these wrist/finger ratios are not definitive formulas.Go with what’s comfortable, and remember that morewrist equals bigger strokes equals more power.) Expectthe stick heights and velocity into the drum to decreaseincrementally as the note rates increase.

Make sure that you feel the opposite (non-leading)hand land confidently on beat 3 in the bar of 18th notes,and be careful not to round off the metric changes as youtransfer from bar to bar. Also, don’t cheat by adding miniaccents to help you find the pulse. Try to make therhythms feel smooth, and lock in with the metronome.You want to dribble the sticks at a uniform height with-out losing your place in the rhythms.


S T R I C T L Y T E C H N I Q U E

12-18-24 Exercise, Part 1 by Bill Bachman

Triplet Gear-Shifter

The following variation is the same rhythmically, butnow we’re adding accents to the beginning of eachtriplet. The 12th notes will use the four basic strokes(full/free, down, tap, and up). If you separate thehands, you’ll find that each plays a repeating sequenceof “down, tap, up.” Interlaced, the alternating handsplay “down, up, tap, down, up, tap.”

The most important stroke to get right is the down-stroke. Think of my catchphrase downstrokes pointdown in order to help you remember to stop the stickpointing down and low, right next to the drumhead.Doing that sets you up to play the following tap orupstroke relaxed and at a low height for maximumdynamic contrast. Avoid hitting the accents hard. Justlet the stick’s velocity from the higher starting pointcreate the accent. All of the low notes (taps andupstrokes) should be played with relaxed hands, wherethe stick feels heavy and resonates freely.

The 18th notes will be played similarly to the 12thnotes, but since there will be less time available to stopthe stick low before initiating the following low tap,you’ll need to compromise the downstrokes and thelow stick height of the taps. With this less strict varia-tion of the downstroke, the fingers simply prevent the

stick from rebounding all the way back up and allowsome of the accent’s energy to flow into the followingtap. You may want to think of it as accents where thestick flops a little bit into the following tap.

For the 24th notes, there won’t be enough time touse the wrist to lift the stick, so you will now have tocompromise on the upstroke. To do this, use theMoeller whipping technique. Without writing a treatiseon the Moeller technique (check out my book StickTechnique for that), the essential idea is that the stick iswhipped from the forearm rather than played by thewrist. Here’s the short explanation: Pick up the forearmwhile leaving the hand and stick hanging limply, andthen throw down the forearm. This results in the handand stick rotating up, relative to the forearm, for a splitsecond before getting whipped down toward the drumat high velocity. You can also think of it as the forearmdragging the lazy hand and stick up before whippingthe stick back down toward the drum. Make sure thatthe wrist stays completely relaxed. Any tension therewill ruin the flow of the whip. After the accent, the stickwill flop into the following tap, which is why I call thiscombination the Moeller whip-and-flop technique.Here’s the exercise.


Bill Bachman is an international drum clinician and afreelance drumset player in the Dallas area. For moreinformation, including how to sign up for onlinelessons through Skype, visit billbachman.net.

I suggest that you get in many repetitions of each subdivision, using the appropriate tech-niques, before practicing the entire exercise. This routine will pay dividends for the rest ofyour drumming life. Master it, and get ready to mix up the stickings in part two!

Having a tight, solid, good-feeling groovehas always been important in drumming.

In many cases, bandleaders, singers, and other musicians value a drummer with a solid groove and a good feel more than

someone with a lot of chops. We set up the foundation for the music, so we must develop the ability to create a sturdygroove for our bandmates to play over, with a feel that makeseveryone comfortable.

A great way to develop your groove is to practice things thattake you outside your comfort zone and expand the boundariesof your playing. Try working on ideas that are more complexthan what you’ll play on the gig. This will make the grooves youplay in performance as easy and natural as breathing.

The exercises in this first article are designed to help youbreak the habit of always playing locked-in hi-hat and snarerhythms. The goal is to get comfortable with more complex,morphing funk grooves. These exercises will also help youdevelop bass drum precision, which will tighten up your overall feel.

Paradiddle exercises 1–4 focus on running the hands throughthe different inversions of the paradiddle. Phrasing paradiddlesbetween the hi-hat and snare is a great systematic way to getcomfortable with increasingly complex hand patterns.

Bass drum patterns A–H are to be played in conjunction withthe paradiddle exercises. Focus on one paradiddle inversion at atime, and apply patterns A–H on the bass drum. Practice eachparadiddle and bass drum combo twenty times before movingon to the next bass drum pattern.

For example, paradiddle 1 combined with bass drum patternA looks like this:

Paradiddle 2 combined with bass drum pattern A looks like this:

Practice these exercises with a metronome or with yourfavorite recorded music. For a looser, more laid-back feel, I like to play to anything by the Meters, with the fantastic Joseph“Zigaboo” Modeliste on drums. For a tighter, more angular feel, I like to use James Brown tunes with the great ClydeStubblefield on drums. You can also practice these exercises inconjunction with the Click Track Loops tracks included in mybook, The Breakbeat Bible.

Additionally, practice each beat at a variety of tempos(40–180 bpm). Practicing in the upper tempo range willstrengthen your chops, but be sure to start slowly and graduallywork your way up. Practicing these beats slowly will give youmore control and will help you develop your internal clock. It’salso a good idea to add quarter notes, steady 8th notes, and off-beat 8th notes (“&”) with the left foot on the hi-hat to boost the


I N T H E P O C K E T

MUSIC KEY

Part 1: Paradiddles and 16th-Note Subdivisions by Mike Adamo

Funk Drumming Training Camp

coordination value of the exercises.Don’t forget to pay attention to the accents and ghost notes

on the hi-hat and snare. These will add a lot of depth and feelto the grooves, while increasing your dynamic awareness.

In order to attain deeper levels of relaxation, focus on yourbreathing while you practice, and work on syncing your breathwith your playing. For example, when grooving at a moderatetempo, like 95 bpm, I like to breathe in for two measures, holdfor two measures, and then exhale for two measures. Do what-ever’s comfortable, which will vary depending on the tempo.Focusing on this while you practice will help you become moreaware of your breathing during gigs. I’ve found that focusedbreathing allows me to attain greater levels of relaxation and adeeper groove.

Once you feel comfortable with all the basic combinations,move on to the following bonus bass drum patterns. Theserequire a little more balance and coordination. Practice themin the same manner as before.

For an even greater bass drum workout, try the followingpatterns. Practice them in the same manner as before.

If you work these exercises into your practice routine for afew weeks, you’ll really start to notice a difference. Even ifyou’re just playing a basic “boom, bap” hip-hop groove, yourheightened awareness of 16th-note subdivisions, increasedcoordination, and deeper relaxation will make an impact onyour playing. You—and your bandmates—will feel theimprovement. Have fun, and stay funky!

Mike Adamo is the author of the criticallyacclaimed instructional book The Breakbeat Bible (Hudson Music). For more info, visitmikeadamo.com and thebreakbeatbible.com.

In this article we’ll discuss different ways ofcombining some of the exercises learned in

part one, and we’ll play them in 3/4 and 5/4time. Then we’ll move into more advancedphrasing exercises that incorporate different

sound sources.To get going, let’s play two of the 3/4 examples from the last

installment, back to back. I recommend playing these newphrases slowly until you’re able to execute them perfectly manytimes in a row.

Here are two ways to build three-bar phrases out of the two 3/4 examples we used previously. Once you master thesethree-measure phrases, work through all the other possiblecombinations and then practice randomly changing the orderwhile making sure you always know where you are in the three-measure form.

The next step would be to combine the two original patternsto form longer phrases, like five measures of 3/4. Here’s just one possibility.

Now let’s create some quintuplet patterns in 5/4. Here aretwo examples. Work with these the same way you did with the3/4 exercises.

Here are those patterns arranged into three- and five-measure phrases. Make sure to experiment and come up withyour own combinations. You could also combine differentthree- and five-measure examples to create a unique-soundingeight-measure phrase.


R O C K ’ N ’ J A Z Z C L I N I C

MUSIC KEY

A Progressive Approach to Phrasing Quintuplets on the Drumkit, Part 2by Mike McPhee

Grooving With Fives

In Example 10, we’re phrasing one of the 2/4 quintupletpatterns from part one in two measures of 3/4. In this over-the-barline groove, the snare accent shifts from beat 2 of thefirst measure to beats 1 and 3 of the second measure. I stronglyrecommend that you count as you practice this, so that you can keep track of the downbeat of each 3/4 measure. Startslowly too.

The next step is to orchestrate the right hand onto multiplesound sources. I like to use two hi-hats. In Examples 11 and 12,which are in 3/4, the hi-hat hits are phrased in groups of three.

In Examples 13 and 14, which are in 5/4, the hi-hat hits arephrased in groups of five.

The xaxado is a lively folk dance associatedwith baião rhythms, which also originated

in the Pernambuco region of Brazil in the1920s. The instruments normally used toaccompany baião were incorporated into

the xaxado and include accordion, triangle, and zabumba (bass drum).

Baião and xaxado rhythms sound similar, so you have to becareful to distinguish them. The xaxado consists of two mutedtones and one open tone on the zabumba. (In baião, the patterngoes muted, open, muted.)

In these next two examples, play the zabumba rhythms (thebottom notes) on the bass drum. Try to apply the muted andopen tones with your foot, and play the upper notes as rimclickson the snare.

Here is a beat that implies the xaxado feel. The left hand isswitching between rimclicks and regular hits on the snare.

Now add some ghost notes on the snare and 16th notes onthe hi-hat.

Here are two more beats that contain typical zabumba patterns on the bass drum.


A R O U N D T H E W O R L D

MUSIC KEY

Part 2: Xaxado by Uka Gameiro

Implied Brazilian Rhythms on Drumset

Uka Gameiro was born in Recife, Brazil. He’s the authorof the upcoming book Brazilian Pernambuco Rhythms:Implied Beats. For more info, visit ukagameiro.com.

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In this article we’ll give some insight intohow to conceive, construct, and execute a

drum solo in a live rock context. For thosewho’ve never performed a solo, it can be a veryscary idea. But when you’re starting out it’s

often best to just go for it—at least in the practice room. By let-ting go of any fears and playing freely, you’re being creative inthe moment, and these are often the times when the most inter-esting ideas spring out.

Once you’re comfortable playing free-form in the practiceroom, it’s time to start conceiving ways to build a solo withmore intention. Here’s one way to go about it.

The Beginning StageThe first step is to come up with as many licks and themes asyou can, so you can then pick and choose the best ones for yoursolo. Once you have a number of ideas at your disposal, pick outyour favorite. I often start with the simplest concept and thenbuild it into a complete solo.

Here’s a basic rhythm to start with—alternating 16th notes.

To create a theme, add some accents. I’ve decided to make atwo-bar phrase.

Now let’s combine the first two examples to make a four-bar phrase.

To make the phrase a bit more musical, we’ll add somedynamics.

Now let’s make an eight-bar phrase by orchestrating theaccents on the toms and crashes before entering with a groovethat’s based on the same accent pattern.

Building Your SoloIt’s important to think musically when developing a solo. Themore natural and logical the solo, the more it will connect withyour audience. Every new theme you introduce should makesense with the previous theme, and nothing should feelmechanical or out of place. Drum soloing is like writing asong—you want to tell a story. The audience is listening, so tell them what’s on your mind.

Set a VibeIt doesn’t really matter what theme you choose; it’s all in howyou play it. The next time you sit behind your kit to work onsoloing, think about the message and vibe that you want to con-vey. If you want to let your audience know you’re a serious play-er, then reflect that persona. The same goes for letting themknow when you’re having a good time—smile!

Throw Yourself a CurveballSometimes it helps to rearrange your kit so that you’re forced tocome up with fresh ideas. The slightest change to your setupcan be really inspiring. You’ll also become more versatile bybeing able to play on different kits. Try changing your setup


R O C K P E R S P E C T I V E S

MUSIC KEY

Getting Started by Paul Wandtke

Live Drum Soloing

every other week, and see how much fun you have. I usuallyswitch something every other show. Although my bandmatesthink I’m crazy for doing this, I enjoy the added challenge ofhaving to play my kit a little differently.

Call and ResponseNeed help making longer phrases in your solo? Try doing call-and-response exercises to generate more ideas. Make surethat each response complements the call in a musical way,even if it’s a completely different idea. After a while, you’ll beable to create longer phrases.

Know Your AudienceWhen you solo in an actual performance, your audience willlet you know if they like what you’re playing. Crowd participa-tion can affect what you play, especially during sections whenyou’re improvising. Listen to the way the crowd is reacting. If you hear nothing but crickets, move on, unless that’s the response you want in that particular section. You mayalso want to extend certain sections if the crowd is cheeringyou on.

Performance ReviewAfter you’ve played your solo, make mental notes on whatworked and what didn’t. If you’re going to be performing with the same band often, chances are you’ll be playing infront of similar types of audiences that will like the samekinds of ideas.

It also helps to record your performances and practices, viaaudio or video, so that you can review what you played andkeep track of your favorite ideas. It’s beneficial to transcribeyour ideas, as you will gain a better conceptual view of yoursolo by seeing it written in musical notation.

Outside InspirationIf you find yourself lacking the inspiration to come up withsomething new, try writing a solo that’s based on a melodyfrom one of your favorite songs. Or check out some of yourfavorite drummers to hear what they do during their solos.You could even listen to the sounds of the world around you(cars, nature, TV, and so on). When you pay attention towhat’s going on in the background, some interesting rhythmsstart to appear.

For the middle section of my solo, I’ll often replicate thesounds of a Harley Davidson, using quick single strokes, sex-tuplets, and 16th notes on the kick drum. I stumbled acrossthis idea when I heard a Harley idling near my rehearsal spotin Chicago.

There are many ways to perform a drum solo. What willdetermine your arrangements is ultimately up to you. Be cre-ative, have fun, and start with what you already know andwhat’s already around you. Happy drumming!

Paul Wandtke has toured with the alt-rock band KillHannah and has drummed in showcase acts forCarnival Cruise Lines. For more, visit paulwandtke.com.

My philosophy is that you can be creative once you get yourrudiments, reading, and coordination down. They’re a spring-board for your creativity.

Growing up in Milford, Connecticut, my first teacher wasJack Burgi. He taught me how to hold the sticks and got mestarted on reading. We worked on the Gladstone pad and lateradded the bass drum and a little crash cymbal.

When I ended up in El Paso, Texas, I studied with ByronMutnick and Ricky Malachi. They took me up a notch with coor-dination, styles, and especially listening skills, and they turnedme on to drummers to broaden my musical palette. I also stud-

ied with Larry Whiteand Henry Vega, whohelped me with classi-cal: marimba, xylo-phone, and timpani.

At Texas TechUniversity, I studiedwith Alan Shinn. Heencouraged me to bean all-around musi-cian and to listen toanything and every-thing. He gave meaccess to a wholelibrary of books andrecords. Since it was asmaller school, I hadthe great opportunityto play drums all day,every day.

I enrolled at North Texas State, and everyone knows the rep-utation of the teachers there. I studied with Ed Soph, HenryOkstel, Ron Fink, and Robert Schietroma. Ed Soph, in particular,helped me refine my touch and articulation. I had learned jazz coming through the back door, because at heart I’m anovereducated rock drummer. So I had the tendency to beheavy-handed, and he really rode me on my jazz combo chops,lightening my touch and focusing on the ride cymbal.

But my best teacher was the university itself, along with thetown of Denton, Texas, because it was such a living, breathingorganism. You learn from that environment. There were jamsessions going on twenty-four hours a day. Ninety-eight per-cent of your education comes from that creative community.

When I moved to Nashville, that city became my teacherbecause I had to learn a whole new musical language—sink orswim. Where Denton taught me how to stretch and play out-side the box, Nashville taught me how to play for the song.

A teacher is there to provide insight and experience. But thestudent must receive it with an open mind and an open heartand then take that to the practice room and, ultimately, to thebandstand. The number-one thing is for you to have a solidwork ethic and follow through.

It can be a fine line, but a teacher can also become your friend.Hopefully they’re mentoring you not just on drums, but in allareas of life.

Bill Flanagan, a great local Boston teacher, got me started in 1963, when Iwas nine years old. I studied with him until I graduated high school in ’72.He gave me an excellent foundation in reading, rudiments, swing coordi-nation, jazz concepts, odd times, and snare drum technique.

At Berklee, between 1972and ’75, Gary Chaffee wastransformative for me. He hadradical ideas and introducedme to odd groupings, alternatestickings, and unique ways ofmoving around the kit.

Alan Dawson was a masterdrumset teacher. In 1973 and’74 we focused on indepen-dence, song form, stick control,syncopation, and improvising.During that time I also spentone week at a Stan KentonBand Camp studying withPeter Erskine, and that too wasa transformative experience.Even though Peter and I are the same age (we were both eighteen at the time), he was years ahead of me in development and an excep-tional teacher.

Fred Gruber, who I studied with between 1990 and 2000, was the ulti-mate teacher in fine-tuning all the technical components of drumset play-ing, along with being grounded in the underlying swing pulse and anorganic approach.

Pete Magadini also was a great teacher, and in the late ’80s I learnedvolumes from him about polyrhythms.

In 2002 Karuna Moorthy, an excellent teacher and tavil player fromSouth India, introduced me to Indian rhythms and South Indian rhythmtheory and philosophy.

Since 2003, I’ve continued studies with Zakir Hussain, the greatest liv-ing tabla player and, in my opinion, the greatest living drummer on theplanet. Studying and playing with Zakir is pure rhythmic PhD and beyond.

My basic education philosophy is twofold. One, it’s advantageous tostudy with good teachers, simply put. On the other side, I’m constantlyanalyzing and reanalyzing my own technique and observations of myown playing and other drummers’ playing in order to improve the abilityto teach myself. At the end of the day, you have to teach yourself.

But along the way, you need expert advice and feedback about howyou’re doing. By saying I teach myself, I am not advocating never takinglessons. But you have to teach yourself through your own knowledge andpowers of observation. The challenge is, how deeply can you analyzewhat you do?

In one case, I did seek out a teacher. Because he was looking for me!Peter Erskine called and said, “Do you know Freddie Gruber? Well, he’slooking for you!” Freddie had seen my video and said, “This drummer’sgot a lot of potential, but he’s getting in his own way. I can help.” When Ifinally met him, we went up to my hotel room and within five minutes hehad given me my first lesson. Right away I could see that he knew whathe was talking about. It was about the balance point of the sticks. Ithelped me immediately.

The more I study and play, the more I’m able to teach myself. But youhave to know the difference; you have to have many perspectives tomake choices. As Freddie said, “If you don’t know the difference, what’sthe difference?”

Steve SmithRich Redmond

STUDY UP!You can learn a lot just by listening to drummers talk about their owneducational backgrounds. This month MD asks two Pro Panelists abouttheir unique paths of instruction, the teachers who’ve been the mostinfluential on them, and their personal philosophies of study.

Interviews by Jeff Potter

Paul

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“Denton taught me how tostretch and play outside thebox. Nashville taught mehow to play for the song.”

“I’m constantlyanalyzing my

own technique.At the end of theday, you have toteach yourself.”

Any proper search for truth or wisdom isfostered by a healthy appetite for

good, in-depth information, a burningneed to ask all the right questions, and theperseverance to experience a personalbreakthrough. Austin-based drummerCully Symington, who’s performed withthe Afghan Whigs, Okkervil River, Cursive,and Shearwater, among other respectedmembers of the indie-rock community, is indeed wise beyond his years. A hard-hitting style has helped Symington gainmuch momentum and attention within the

music community over the past severalyears, and the drummer’s increasinglydynamic career demonstrates a wide artistic range, a thirst for knowledge, a confidence within various band settings,and a willingness to serve the song in anyway possible.

“I try to spread out as much as I can anddo as many different projects as possible,”Symington says. “I like to play with a bunchof different bands, because it’s good to

stretch out and even be uncomfortable. It’s fun to go to the practice room andwork on certain aspects of my playing.”

Although it’s difficult to defineSymington’s work as a whole, perusing thetotality and the microscopic details of hisrecorded output, we’re struck by the abilityto present the familiar with the adventur-ous and arrive at an elusive third element—a fearless combination of the two.

Case in point: Symington’s idiosyncratichybrid of Afro-Latin, ska, and punk onZookeeper’s “Mama Jean,” which swings

but also kind of rocks. “We had tried to play that song live on numerous occasions,and I never settled on anything,” Cully says. “We recorded it at [frontman ChrisSimpson’s] house, and that was the firsttime I ever played the groove like that. We just started playing, and that’s whatturned up.”

There’s something vintage aboutSymington’s instinctual approach thatharks back to a pre-digital era, when a

musician’s individual voice was more highly valued than it generally is today.Whether it’s the blend of stick speed andheavy stomping on Zykos’s “What YouKnow” or the bouncy but pity-inspiringbackbeat of Okkervil River’s “It Is So Nice toGet Stoned” (from the Golden Opportunities2 release), the drummer adds vivid color toany song without washing out its mainmelody. In some cases, he sharpens andenriches the sonic images by laying cym-bals, keys, or even loose pieces of metal onthe skins. “Everything’s percussion,”Symington says. “I try to have a small setupbut get the most out of it.”

“Cully is a powerful rock drummer, butthere’s a surprising amount of subtlety inhis playing,” says Jonathan Meiburg, front-man of the Sub Pop–signed art-pop/rock/folk act Shearwater. “He’s such a slight-framed guy, but he generates thesetremendous sounds out of the drums. It’s like, ‘How are you doing that?’”

“Swing is integral to my songs, and Cullyis a rare example of a power drummer whohas swing,” Afghan Whigs frontman GregDulli says. “He has great meter, hits ’emreally hard, and figures out a part very easily. As a human being and as a musi-cian, Cully is as good as they come.”


U P & C O M I N G

CULLY SYMINGTONThe natural-born thriller’s curious, powerful beats have made him a favorite among indie-rock royalty.

by Will Romano

“Everything’s percussion. I try to have a small setup but get the most out of it.”

Symington in Italy recording a cover ofFrank Ocean’s “Lovecrimes” with theAfghan Whigs. Photo by Greg Dulli.

The twenty-eight-year-old’sskill and distinctive style seem tohave always walked hand in handwith his inquisitiveness and workethic. When he was just nine yearsold, Symington began takinglessons with educator and fellowAustinite Stephen Belans, a guruwith whom he still keeps contact.

“Cully has a lot of talent,”Belans says. “But all the talent he’samassed over the years is theresult of hard work. He wasn’t oneof those kids who could play any-thing effortlessly right out of the gate. Ittook sheer determination to accomplishwhat he wanted to accomplish.”

After working out his teenage aggres-sions on a Tama Rockstar kit, Symingtonlooked to expand his horizons and sent aninquiry to jazz great “Rakalam” Bob Moses,with whom he’d study in the summer of2003 in Boston. “I don’t know very manykids coming out of high school who wantto seek out a mentor, especially one thatmight be out of reach,” Belans says. “Cullytried to make contact with a few guys. Hesent letters off to Jack DeJohnette andBob Moses, and he ended up workingwith Bob for a while. Cully was always on aquest to be as good as he could be.”

“Bob Moses has been a huge influenceon the way I approach the instrument,”Symington says. “His book, Drum Wisdom,taught me how to practice. Moses reallydrove home the fact that playing drums isabout playing music. The idea is to sing amelody with a particular resolution pointin mind—for example, the 2 of the secondbar of music—and then play a groovewith it. You play the figure until it feelsnatural, and then you slowly begin toexpand your vocabulary by setting up that pattern. It’s a very unscientific way ofpracticing, but it’s helpful in finding yourown style.”

In time Symington has become nearlyindispensable in the writing and recordingprocesses of many of the projects he’sundertaken. “We were both on a session,double drumming, for Okkervil River’srecord I Am Very Far,” Belans recalls of thehighly orchestral atmosphere surroundingthe making of the album. “I’ll be honest—it was a long day, and for one song,around take fifteen or sixteen, I’m thinkingabout dinner. But Cully never lost it. Therewas never a moment when the light wason that he wasn’t in the moment.”

Tim Kasher, guitarist and vocalist of theNebraska-based emo/art rock bandCursive, says that Symington contributedheavily to the band’s 2012 concept album,I Am Gemini, a “psychodrama” diving intoissues of multiple personality disorder.“Cully was really open to getting meticu-lous with arrangements,” Kasher says. “Hereally wanted to deconstruct [the music],lay it out, and put it back together in afresh, new way. On one song, ‘The Sunand Moon,’ the verse is in 5/4, but Cullyplays in 4/4. You’ll notice that at points inthe song the snare alternates hitting onand off the 1. It took us a minute to getour heads around that.”

“I had never recorded an album likethat,” says Symington, who estimates thathe played more than 150 shows withCursive prior to tracking I Am Gemini. “Iactually used a lot of the same fills inmany of those songs, because there was a common theme to the record.”

Recording or performing with Cursiveone day, the Afghan Whigs the next day,psychedelic roots rockers Okkervil Riverthe next—sometimes quite literally—would be enough to challenge the mostfocused of minds. Symington explains thathe maintains rhythmic balance largely byfeel. “Ninety-nine percent of the time Idon’t write out the drum parts,” he says.“I’ve always had a good memory when itcomes to songs.”

Symington is adept at leaving hisimprint on a track while meeting theneeds of producers and songwriters. Thiswas never more evident than during therecording of Shearwater’s 2012 effort,

Animal Joy. When the band’s longtimedrummer/percussionist, Thor Harris, wason the road with the reunited seminal cultband Swans, Symington and JonathanMeiburg banged out demos and drumtracks in less than a week. Harris wouldrejoin Shearwater later in the productionprocess, helping to create some unexpect-ed rhythmic moments. The two drummers’tracks commingle in songs such as the dri-ving, gut-wrenching “You As You Were”and the epic, near-Asiatic “Insolence.”

“On ‘Insolence’ Cully did this weirdthing where he was hitting the snare withbrushes that looked like they weredesigned by a Neanderthal,” Meiburgrecalls. “We had a huge amount of com-pression on the snare, and that’s why youget that rattling sound [makes flutteringnoise]. When we were playing back [thedrum performances] to hear which oneworked best, we accidentally left both ofthem on. The decay on the reverb workedsuch that Thor’s part and Cully’s lockedtogether. Thor was playing where Cullywasn’t, and vice versa. I remember beingknocked out by that. We ended up usingCully’s very dry, upfront, strange rattlingsound and, for the choruses, Thor’sgroove. I think Danny [Reisch, producer]overdubbed a ride cymbal toward theend. So you have this kind of six-armed-drummer invention, but it doesn’t soundlike it.”

Throughout the process of makingAnimal Joy, Meiburg remained open tomany influences, mirroring Symington’smusical journey. The Frankenstein-esquetracks demonstrate how well Symington’sdrumming slips into modern recordingsettings, and how vital a presence thedrummer has become to Meiburg’s exper-imental production environment. Still, itall comes down to the song. “A lot oftimes I’ll never go back and listen to musicI’ve recorded,” Cully says. “There are per-formances I’m proud of, but for me it’smore about amazing tunes. I think it’s coolif, at the end of the day, I can say, ‘I’m gladI got a chance to play on that song.’”

TOOLS OF THE TRADESymington plays a C&C Custom kitfeaturing a 14x24 bass drum, a 10x14rack tom, and 16x16 and 16x18 floortoms (sometimes one or the other),with a 61/2x14 Ludwig Black Beautysnare. He uses 17" hi-hats (usually aZildjian K on top and Z Customunderneath), a 22" Istanbul Agopcrash, and either a 24" Paiste GiantBeat or Istanbul Agop Xist ride. Cullyemploys a variety of Remo heads,including Coated Emperor tom bat-ters and Coated Ambassador bot-toms and Powerstroke bass drumbatters. His sticks of choice arewood-tip Vater 5Bs.

KEEPING SHARPWhen Symington is off theroad, he uses Ted Reed’sProgressive Steps to Syncopationfor the Modern Drummer, GaryChester’s The New Breed, andJohn Ramsay’s The Drummer’sComplete Vocabulary as Taughtby Alan Dawson as staples of his practice sessions.


NOTABLENEWand

Available in 51/2x14 and 61/2x14 sizes, these all-birch drums feature a flat-black lac-quer finish and a 2-ply shell that’s said to offer a round, throaty tone in high and lowtunings alike. The limited edition snares come standard with Concept series dual-turret lugs, a MAG throw-off system with a three-position butt plate, True Tonesnare wires, and True Pitch tension rods. List price: $363.99.dwdrums.com

PDP Birch Snare Drums

Horacio Hernandez Signature series cowbells are finished in plated copper and feature atwo-face design that offers the option of striking the bell directly facing in or on the side.The two-position bracket mounts on a 3/8" post and swivels to ensure that wing nutsdon’t get in the way when stacking multiple bells and accessories on one post. The cow-bells attach using Pearl’s MUH-20 snare accessory mount, MUH-10T tenor accessorymount, or PCS-11 bass drum accessory mount. List prices range from $53 to $72.pearldrum.com

PEARL Horacio Hernandez Cowbells

Available in seven metallic colors, Freestyle Colorsound djembes are 12" tall with a 7" synthetic head. Made from a lightweight synthetic shell material, the drums areavailable in blue, green, red, orange, yellow, indigo, and violet. Freestyle Colorsounddjembes are sold individually (list price: $59) or in a multicolored set of seven ($385).tocapercussion.com

TOCA PERCUSSION Freestyle Colorsound Djembes

The TD-4KP V-Drums kit is a portable andcompact electronic drumset that includes akick pad, a snare pad, three tom pads, threecymbal pads (crash, ride, and hi-hat), and anFD-8 hi-hat controller pedal. The 71/2" snareand tom pads feature a cushioned rubbersurface that’s said to provide a sensitive,accurate response and natural playing feel.The integrated stand folds up for transportand storage.

The included TD-4 percussion sound mod-ule delivers drum and percussion sounds thatcan be edited and also includes ambienceeffects and Coach and Quick Rec/Quick Playfunctions. An optional CB-TDP carrying caseincludes a shoulder strap and detachablepouches for the FD-8 and a bass drum pedal,plus pockets for a kick beater, drumsticks,and other accessories. An optional PDX-6/8 isalso available for a mesh-head feel and dual-triggering capability.rolandus.com

ROLAND Portable V-Drums


The Split-Ring Soft series tambourine has a solid poplarshell and thirty-eight German silver, phosphorousbronze, or R-1 brass jingle pairs. This model is light-weight and is said to have a rich sound with articulateprojection.

The Triple Row Recording tambourine features amahogany grip and comes in 8" and 10" diameters, withtwenty-one or twenty-seven jingle pairs. This articulate,fast-speaking tambourine is ideal for studio work.ronvaughn.net

RON VAUGHN Split-Ring Soft andTriple Row Recording Tambourines

Nickelback’s Daniel Adair’s B-52 drumsticks emphasize extra length andfeature a heavy taper with an acorn tip. The stick measures 161/4x.590.

The 16x.555 Session model is built for balance and finesse and featuresa fast, sloping taper with a compact tip.regaltip.com

REGAL TIP Daniel Adair B-52 and Session Drumsticks

The digital DrumDial tuner is saidto achieve consistent, precise,numeric tuning of any drum bymeasuring the tension of the head.The unit comes with a hard-shellcarrying case, a drum key, a tuningguide, and a one-year warranty.List price: $129.95.bigbangdist.com

BIG BANG DrumDialDigital Drum Tuner

Meinl’s 171/8x81/2 doumbek is constructed of solid fiberglasswith a gold finish and a crosshatched shell texture. Thedrum is said to produce a resonant and clear sound.

The new Make Your Own cajon and bongo cajon kitsinclude all of the parts needed, along with an instructionmanual and a list of the tools necessary for assembly. Thefinish can be customized by adding oil, lacquer, wax, orpaint, bringing a personal design to the instruments. meinlpercussion.com

MEINL Doumbek and “Make YourOwn” Cajon and Bongo Cajon Kits

Each made-to-order Helion series snare features a 6 mm birch shell ofany depth and diameter, a custom-designed wrap finish, vintage-styletube lugs, an SR strainer, Evans Genera and Hazy 300 drumheads, andPureSound twenty-strand wires. Options include wood hoops, powdercoating, and a Trick GS007 strainer. Prices start at $470.

Supernova’s Single Aperture and Double Aperture models can beconstructed with different woods, ply shells, and stave choices. Theapertures formed in the drums create a quick air release that providesvolume and a dark, woody tone.supernovadrums.com

SUPERNOVA Helion Series and Aperture Shells

Dixson’s poly-filled nylon bass drumlift has black hook-and-loop fastenersattached to the pedal plate and aBumpon roll pad positioned wherethe drum rests on the lift. The bottomis made of a nonskid vinyl materialand includes hook-and-loop fastenersto prevent movement on carpet. Anadditional pad is included for smalldrums. The bass drum lift is made inthe USA and lists for $39.90.bassdrumlift.com

DIXSON Bass Drum Lift

The Black Widow Drum Web is amat that utilizes hook-and-loopfasteners to anchor pedals andimmobilize the drumset. The light-weight, durable nylon cloth foldsinto a 12x15 case. The Web isdesigned to accommodate a widevariety of acoustic, electronic, andhybrid drumkits and is distributedexclusively by Kelley Percussion.blackwidowdrumweb.com

BLACK WIDOW Drum Web

Cowpaddy electronic drum triggers are made ofrubber-coated polyethylene foam and are said tohave excellent bounce and response. The 35 mmpiezo sensor element located in the 21/4"-thickfoam allows the trigger to be hit on either side. TheCowpaddy is 6x33/4, the Dual Cowpaddy is 6x8, andthe Cowpaddy Cowabongo is 6x13. Cowpaddys fiton any rod or arm up to 1/2" in diameter. The inputconnection is a 1/4" jack, and a stereo Y cable isincluded with the Dual and Cowabongo models.thecowpaddy.wix.com/products

COWPADDY Electronic Drum Triggers


S H O W C A S E


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ATTENTION,DRUMMERS!

Classes start in April—join now!


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ing like these books and CDs, and noother teacher can make this claim. I CAN!

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Drummers: Just Out!

I’m a big fan of vintage Rogers drums,and I was at the right age to watch the

British Invasion from its onset in Februaryof 1964. After the Beatles, the second greatband to fly west from Heathrow to NewYork City to appear on The Ed Sullivan Showwas a quintet that specialized in what wasknown as the Tottenham Sound. Led by itsdrummer, the band was known as theDave Clark Five, or the DC5.

Clark sat behind a five-piece red-sparkleset, while most of his contemporariesplayed only four drums. When I saw him ontelevision, I noticed a couple of interestingthings right away. First, I could see a logothat started with an R, but I couldn’t readthe name. I also couldn’t see the tom arms,but the toms looked backward—Clarkplayed with a 13" tom on the left and a 12" drum on the right.

We’ve since learned that Clark’s set wasmade by Ajax in the U.K., using Ajax shellsand Rogers hardware. That outfit also featured fragile drawn-brass lugs. Later,Clark played sets with sturdier beavertaillugs. He had two single Swiv-O-Matic holders mounted near the back bass drum hoop, so the tom arms were hiddenfrom front view.

Clark sat high behind the kit, which alsofeatured a 20" bass drum, a 16" floor tom,and a matching 5x14 Powertone snare. Heused two Rogers swan-leg cymbal standsand a matching hi-hat stand.

Having just restored a red-sparklePremier kit to look like Keith Moon’s classicsetup with the Who, I decided to tackle aDC5 replica. In the two Rogers catalogsthat came out closest to 1964, there weresets with two mounted toms, but neitherwas exactly like Dave’s. One of the kits,from the 1964 catalog, used a hex rod that held a three-part Swiv-O unit for thetoms, and the other, in the 1967 catalog,introduced the Dave Clark Londoner 5,which had a sturdy double-tom holder.There are plenty of Londoner 5s out there. I didn’t want to re-create either of thosetwo drumsets.

I needed an original Rogers red-sparklebass drum drilled for two Swiv-Os. Thisoption was not advertised, but you can’talways trust what was printed in the cata-logs. I had all the other drums, from theCleveland time period (before April 1966),in the right sizes and in the correct glitter/sparkle finish. This is where the Drum Farmcomes into the picture. Owner Bobby

Chiasson just happened to have the exactbass drum that I needed.

The next thing I had to do was to go seemy pals at Andresen Signs in Indianapolis,with a picture of the original logo bassdrum head so they could re-create it. Theynailed it.

Clark used long tom arms and tilted hisdrums considerably. The single tom armsare much sturdier than the first tom-holdersystem that Rogers used, called the TopHat. I often wonder whether Clark chosethe two separate tom holders after seeinghow the 1964 double-tom system shookand bounced, or whether he just experi-mented with what Rogers offered. In anycase, Rogers’ holders were years ahead ofthose made by competitors.

The completed replica kit is 100 percentoriginal, except for the heads, and it soundsand looks wonderful. The Tottenham ladswere inducted into the Rock and Roll Hallof Fame a few years back, and togetherthey released a lot of great songs, gavemany classic performances, and createdlasting memories for their fans. The replicaset here is a little bit of a tribute to thatgreat band.


RogersDave Clark Five Replica Kit by Harry Cangany

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MANU KATCHÉ MANU KATCHÉFew drummers play with more tasteand conviction than Manu Katché.Setting up the groove on opener“Running After Years,” the drummer,famous for his work with Peter Gabrieland Sting, among others, uses distinctand strong tones. Next up, he kicks off“Bliss” with ringing toms, matching

the sparse melody played on organ and sax. And with a current ofbeats and electronic beds, skins, and choice splashes, “Walking byYour Side” is as busy as Katché ever gets. When Tore Brunborg’ssax solo starts, Katché switches to a flowing drum ’n’ bass groove(with no bassist)—a remarkably well-executed counterpoint.

Throughout, Manu never seems hurried, whether he’s playingexpansive melodies on “Slowing the Tides” or perfectly catchingall the horn kicks on the swinging “Short Ride.” And whether he’slaying down slick acoustic funk under Nils Petter Molvaer’sprocessed horns on “Beats & Bounce” or going for it over thevamp of “Loose,” his primary allegiance is always to his composi-tions and to the music. (ECM) Robin Tolleson

DREW SCHULTZBACK TO CLASSBack to Class is a modern lesson inold-school soul and funk, drawingfrom the textbooks of Motown,Tower of Power, Stax, and the churchof the holy ghost stroke. The churn-ing, bubbling funk of “Told You So”has the mark of Garibaldi, as does

the instrumental “Slouch Potato,” featuring Drew Schultz’squartet, the Funk Machine. In addition to composing all of thematerial, Schultz plays it just right, pumping quarter notes onthe chorus of “Try,” leaning into a soul shuffle on “Long GoneLove,” and nailing a tight rimclick on the Gil Scott-Heron–like“Welcome Home Heartache.” Bassist James Jamerson Jr. lightsup “Jamo” (think Herbie Hancock’s “Hang Up Your Hang Ups”)along with guitarist Dennis Coffey and saxophonist LennyPickett. Finally, Schultz’s interviews with the legendary FunkBrothers sound like scripture—blessed are those who can lay it down. (Pax Productions) Robin Tolleson

TERRI LYNE CARRINGTONMONEY JUNGLE: PROVOCATIVE IN BLUEThe fiftieth anniversary of MoneyJungle, the album Duke Ellingtonrecorded with drummer Max Roachand bassist Charles Mingus, brings aworthy tribute from Terri LyneCarrington. It’s an ambitious work—the original has an edge and a musi-cal rawness, as well as sophistication

and social commentary. Carrington captures Max’s flow on the hard-swinging opening track and the gentle “Fleurette Africain” (featuringtrumpeter Clark Terry), while elsewhere she updates the groove.“Backward Country Boy Blues,” released on the 1987 reissue of theoriginal album, morphs to acoustic funk, alternating 6/4 and 4/4, withLizz Wright vocalizing and pianist Gerald Clayton riffing. “Wig Wise”becomes crisp Latin funk with dynamic shifts, adding Nir Felder’scountry-and-Eastern guitar. “A Little Max” takes a jazz salsa trip withhelping hands from percussionist Arturo Stable, and on the slowblues “Switch Blade” Carrington bounds from one side of the beat tothe other with amazing control. (Concord) Robin Tolleson

HANDS ON’SEMBLE CINCO SOBRE TRES—FÜNF ÜBER DREISome percussion groups might err on the side of the clinical, technical, or avant-garde, but the Hands On’Semblemakes sure that everything grooves. The group’s new album features world percussionist Pete Lockett and mridan-gam master Poovalur Sriji as guests, a recipe guaranteed to bring rhythmic deliciousness. “Half Past Kandam” fea-tures Lockett’s classical Indian revelry alongside On’Semble stalwarts Randy Gloss, Andrew Grueschow, and AustinWrinkle, with the melody sometimes in the bells, other times in the drums. Lockett’s “Super Moon” is fun in 10/8 withelectric bass for fuel, and Sriji’s “Sweet 17” features playful call and response in 17/8. Drawing from numerous drum-ming traditions, the ensemble builds a rousing groove in 22/8 on Gloss’s “Peeling the Onion” and then deconstructs,extends, and elaborates. “X-Mas in Goa” begins as a soulful pandeiro solo, with berimbau adding low-end support. It’sfascinating and exhilarating to hear such great players work this fusion out. (handsonsemble.com) Robin Tolleson

YORON ISRAEL & HIGH STANDARDSVISIONS: THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDERWith Yoron Israel, you’re guaranteed exem-plary taste and deep swing, no matter whatthe groove. Here the drummer leads asuperb unit, including saxophonist LanceBryant, pianist Laszlo Gardony, and bassist

Ron Mahdi, through a set of Stevie Wonder tunes. The quartet man-ages to subtly imprint a personal stamp. While expanding the jazzharmonies, the players wisely avoid meddling with the essential glo-rious tunefulness of Wonder’s handiwork. Retrofitting pop songswith alternate meters can become gimmicky, but Israel’s breezy useof 3/4 on “Creepin’” seems natural, and the unlikely application of7/4 on “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” gives the extensively cov-ered standard a surprisingly fluid and effective freshness. Whetherlathering his lush, gorgeous brushwork on a beautiful rendition of“All in Love Is Fair” or stretching out with an aggressive chops-ladensolo played over piano accompaniment on “Contusion,” Israel is aclassy interpreter. (Ronja Music Company) Jeff Potter

TAKING THE REINSDRUMMER/LEADERS MAKING THEIR MARK

^

MULTIMEDIA

DANIEL HUMAIRSWEET & SOURJust for fun, make yourself get up anddance to this music. Sweet & Sour isfree jazz at its most cinematic andhuman. Daniel Humair’s breathtakingplaying ranges from brushstrokes,gentle nudging, and long tones on

“Ground Zero” to the full-on staccato-ish drumkit chaos on“Care 4,” leapfrogging the beat with Vincent Peirani’s swing-ing accordion before Emile Parisien’s sax dislodges the time.Peirani’s biting 6/8 “7A3” is all about incredible groupdynamics. “T2T3” captures some truly ominous emissions—there’s forward movement but not strict time. Humair andbassist Jérôme Regard can play the lights out of a traditionalbebop groove like “Debsh” but more often decline to lock inas usually expected. They keep in close contact, but it’s moreabout knowing which road the other is taking, leaning andjabbing and implying. (Laborie) Robin Tolleson

BILLY MARTIN’S WICKED KNEE HEELS OVER HEADWicked Knee channels the spirit of New Orleans through the experimentation of New York’s “down-town” scene in a rollicking, skewed hipster funhouse of street beats, jazz, and funk. Spontaneity isMartin’s mantra. There are winning originals, and you’ve gotta love a band that covers both KingOliver and the White Stripes. Trumpeter Steven Bernstein and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes gleefullytwist their tones, while Marcus Rojas once again comes across as the world’s funkiest tuba toter.Martin coaxes a nouveau-N’awlins multi-timbre groove from every corner of the skins, and there’s noboundary between beat and fill, just a juicy, danceable wave. The track that lingers longest is Martin’sown “Muffaletta,” starting with an irresistible street beat that builds on a brass riff. It loops in yourhead, resulting in all-day high stepping. (Amulet) Jeff Potter

NEIL PEART: TAKING CENTER STAGE—A LIFETIMEOF LIVE PERFORMANCE BY JOE BERGAMINIBOOK LEVEL: ALL $29.99It’s obvious that drummer/author/educator Joe Bergamini has ahealthy obsession with Neil Peart’sdrumming. Once Bergamini com-pleted his dream-come-true project,coproducing the Taking CenterStage DVD (during which he workedclosely with Peart), it was the logical

next step to create a book to chronicle the making of the DVD and todig deeper into the material on the three-disc set.

Bergamini gives a thoughtful chronological overview of the ever-evolving Rush tours and recordings, including info on each drumsetused (with Peart’s own comments about his gear from the tour pro-grams), kit diagrams, analysis of each drum track featured in thebook, painstakingly accurate transcriptions, and countless photos.The 208-page tome is educational, entertaining, and informative, andit creatively complements the DVD set. It’s a must-have package forfans of the legendary Rush drummer, offering a revealing glimpse ofPeart’s progressive playground. (Hudson Music) Mike Haid

RATINGS SCALE Classic Excellent Good Fair Poor

ON THE BEATEN PATH: JAZZBY RICH LACKOWSKI AND JOHN O’REILLY JR.BOOK/DVD LEVEL: BEGINNER TOADVANCED $19.99On the Beaten Path: Jazz provides a styl-istic overview by breaking down signa-ture licks and grooves from a dozengreat players. Authors Lackowski andO’Reilly begin with some enticing

three-against-four patterns and an intricate tom/rim beat fromBill Stewart, then spotlight Jeff Hamilton’s ride cymbal work andexamine Jack DeJohnette’s broken 8th-note feel and over-the-bar swing on Keith Jarrett’s “The Masquerade Is Over.” Lookingfurther back, the authors discuss Tony Williams’ groundbreak-ing playing with Miles Davis and attempt to explain how ElvinJones made his triplet-based patterns swing so hard. They alsodiagram Philly Joe Jones’ brushwork (helpful) and his beautifuleight-bar intro to “Locomotion,” unravel Max Roach’s compingon “Ko-Ko,” Art Blakey’s press rolls, Joe Morello’s odd-meterplaying (“Blue Rondo à la Turk” and “Take Five”), Gene Krupa’sfiery solo on “Bernie’s Tune,” and Papa Jo Jones’ tuning tricks on“Cubano Chant.” Thoughtful and insightful, though admittedlyincomplete on its own, this book should open some doors aswell as inspire drummers to dig deeper. (Alfred) Robin Tolleson

OTHER RECENT DRUMMER-LEDS TO CHECK OUTGary Umberto Scapellati Cosmic Ritual/// Jae Sinnett Still Standing /// DarrynFarrugia Seeds /// Mahlis-PanosProject Protoleia /// Scott McLemoreRemote Location /// Sean NoonanA Gambler’s Hand /// Curtis NowosadThe Skeptic & the Cynic /// Will Guthrie

Sticks, Stones & Breaking Bones /// McCormick PercussionGroup Concerti for Piano With Percussion Orchestra /// Pete Escovedo Live From Stern Grove Festival /// BarryRomberg’s Random Access Crab People /// Claudio ScolariSynthesis /// Neil Tufano Pastime /// Leo Ciesa Coat of Arms/// Tim Solook Comfortable Blues /// Jerry LeakeProminence /// Brian Kelley Trio Ready


Beware of Mr. Baker

It’s not entirely clear what possessed theformer model, boxer, and music video

director Jay Bulger to fly to South Africa and begin shooting a documentary bymoving in with Ginger Baker, one of themost cantankerous figures in all of musichistory. And why would Baker even agree tosuch a thing? After all, a story about histumultuous life would require him to beforthcoming about drumming, drugs, ex-bandmates, ex-wives, triumphs, andtragedies—to actually behave. Intentionsaside, the final product, Beware of Mr. Baker,released by Snag Films in early 2013 andthe winner of a Grand Jury Award at the2012 South by Southwest Film Festival, is byturns revealing, informative, hilarious, and abit sad. It paints Baker as a world-class musi-cian and illuminates how his influence as an unrivaled drummer has reached acrossgenres and eras. And fear not: Throughoutthe film, as throughout his career, GingerBaker most certainly does not behave. “Ican’t imagine what [Baker’s playing] wouldsound like if he wasn’t who he is,” Bulgertells Modern Drummer.

Baker has been the subject of muchanalysis since he appeared on the 1960sEnglish R&B scene with Alexis Korner and

Graham Bond. In Beware, Ginger says, “It’s agift from God. You either have it or youhaven’t. I’ve got it.” Asked exactly what it is,Baker responds, “Time.” Though he eventu-ally struck gold with Cream, Baker nonethe-less regarded himself as a jazz drummer.(Max Roach was an early favorite.) Bulger

tells MD that “money” wasmost likely the factor behindBaker’s changing his focus fromjazz to rock. African music wasimportant too, as you can hearin the tom patterns on Creamclassics such as “Sunshine ofYour Love” and “White Room.”After Cream’s breakup, Bakertraveled to Nigeria, immersinghimself in the culture and col-laborating with the king ofAfrobeat, Fela Kuti, long beforePaul Simon exposed the mass-es to “world” music.

But labels don’t apply here. “Idon’t put music in boxes,” Ginger says inthe movie. “Especially my music.” Indeed,he has always bristled when Cream is men-tioned as originators of heavy metal.

Beware includes sound bites from fellowdrumming stars, including Neil Peart, NickMason, Simon Kirke, Bill Ward, and ChadSmith, who credit Baker with everythingfrom performing the first rock drum solo tobeing the very reason they began playing.Praise is universal, as is the acknowledge-ment that Baker is a difficult chap. “This isthe price you pay for musical perfection,”

Public Image Ltd’sJohnny Lydon says.

The film’s gold-minefootage includes Bakerwith Cream, Blind Faith,and Fela, plus fascinatingclips of the short-livedGinger Baker’s Air Force,drum battles with ArtBlakey, and later projectsMasters of Reality andDJQ20, all of which illus-trate the drummer’sexpressiveness far betterthan his heated out-bursts do. (Beware’s infa-mous opening scene

shows Baker angrily confronting Bulgerabout interviewing bandmates he “fled”from, then smacking the director in the face with his cane, breaking his nose.)Bulger uses stylish, impressionistic anima-tion where no early-years footage exists,and there are clips of Baker duetting

with his son, Kofi, an accomplished drum-mer himself.

Drugs and financial issues are covered aswell, though perhaps most depressing areshots of Ginger’s kit set up in a room at hispresent-day home, dusty from neglect. Aconcerned Bulger asks Baker if he mighthave to go back to playing the drums again.Baker’s brazen response: “Why are we talk-ing about this shit?”

“Ginger has always played to pay thebills,” Bulger tells MD, “but he’s never com-promised. He’s not going to do one of thoserock fantasy camps.” Perhaps it’s just notimportant to him to keep playing, or maybeyears of substance abuse and intense inter-personal relationships have finally takentheir toll. “What’s the payoff in being com-pulsive?” Eric Clapton says in the movie. “Ican’t make a diagnosis for Ginger. Rarifiedsituations have allowed me to see certainsides of him. But do I know Ginger? I didn’ttake the effort or the risk to become a partof his life for any length of time. I’ve alwayspulled back when it started to get scary orthreatening or difficult.”

But play his drums again Baker does, andthe film concludes triumphantly with recentclips of him on stage with a band in front ofa packed house, the audience knowingthey’re seeing one of the greats. Baker, onthe north side of seventy, seems happy tobe there and sounds fresh and inspired,unwilling to let go of the music just yet.When you consider the events that unfoldin Beware of Mr. Baker, you find it’s an unex-pected miracle indeed. Ilya Stemkovsky

Madman or genius? A new documentary paints avivid picture of Cream’s Ginger Baker while makinga persuasive argument in both directions.

In the late 1960s, thegeneration gap was so

wide that the Who wassinging “I hope I diebefore I get old” andactivists were warning“Don’t trust anyone overthirty.” That’s just one

reason why the jazz-influenced psychedelicrock band Spirit stood out when it debutedin 1967: The group was made up of fourBaby Boomers plus Ed Cassidy, a drummerdecades older than his bandmates.

Cassidy, who passed away on December6, 2012, at age eighty-nine, was born in 1923in Illinois. After serving in the U.S. Navy dur-ing World War II, he worked within manystyles of music, from a stint with the SanFrancisco Opera to gigs with jazz greats likeChet Baker. In the ’60s he started playingrock ’n’ roll, and in 1964 he formed the bandRising Sons with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder.

In 1965 Cassidy began gigging with hisfourteen-year-old guitar-prodigy stepson,Randy California (née Randy Wolfe), and by1967 the pair had formed Spirit. Cassidy was

forty-four at the time—ancientin the counterculture rock world.He turned that into a positive,though, and used his twentyyears of experience in the musicindustry (something no otherrock musician at the time couldclaim) to show his much younger bandmates the ropes.

In a New York Times interview afterCassidy’s death, Bob Irwin, who helped reissue Spirit’s catalog on SundazedRecords, said early sessions with the bandwere “kind of like a jazz history lesson,” withCassidy at the helm. “Ed always encouragedthem to color outside the box, to takechances on stage, to play to the best of and beyond their abilities,” Irwin added.

Cassidy clearly had a flair for marketing,realizing in the ’60s that a good gimmickcould help an average band stand outamong the crowd. With his trademarkshaved head—he was nicknamed “Mr.Skin”—Ed dressed all in black and set up hishuge drums in an unusual configuration,with an oversize bass drum angled at both

sides of his kit. He also played up his rela-tionship with his stepson, naming Spirit’s1968 album The Family That Plays Together.

By 1971 Cassidy and California were theonly remaining original members of theband. They continued performing as Spiritwith various sidemen (even after Cassidydivorced California’s mother, Bernice Pearl).But when California tragically drowned in1997, Spirit was officially over. After that,Cassidy dabbled in acting, including a minorrole in the soap opera General Hospital, buthe was always most proud of his drummingaccomplishments. As he boasted to thismagazine in an unpublished 1996 interview,“There’s nobody else playing rock drums atage seventy-three.” From drumming toimage making, Ed Cassidy was an original.Philip Varriale

ED CASSIDYSPIRIT’S

I N M E M O R I A M

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DOUBLE BASS FILLSof Atoms for Peace

JOEYWARONKER

“My backyard percussion ensemblestarted with a garbage can,” says

Richard Mastry of St. Petersburg, Florida. “Ithen mounted a 22" bass drum head andsome legs. I added two smaller bucketdrums, with 14" and 16" heads, and hard-ware. Inside these three drums are LEDlights operated via foot switches.

“The next addition was an old washtub Ihad been using as a bass fiddle. I cameacross a bunch of galvanized conduit and

found that the pipes could be tuned by cutting each a different length. I made aframe to mount the pipes, and the lid to thegarbage can became a gong after the han-dle was removed. The base from a parakeetstand is multifunctional, sounding like acowbell when hit straight on and like a boxing-ring bell when hit from the side.

“The real prize is a 28" spinner some poordriver lost on the side of the road. Mountedon a piece of pipe, it rotates on its bearings

like the Wheel of Fortune, with an unmuted,ringing tone. When hit with a mallet, itpeals a wonderful clang. I can’t reach theold Oldsmobile hubcap mounted nine feetabove, but it looks cool as the headpiece.

“All this, along with a couple of pot topsfrom the Garage Sale Store, makes up avery fun percussion ensemble that’s usedby all at my regular jams, held monthly tothe surprising delight of my neighbors.”

TAKING OUT THE TRASHTAKING OUT THE TRASH

Ale

x So

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JOEY KRAMER - Modern Drummer Magazine

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