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 Volume 35, Number 2 • Cover photo by Will Hawkins

C O N T E N T S
40

Will Hawkins
33 GET GOOD: ELECTRONICS
Fusion great Omar Hakim, Living Colour’s Will Calhoun,
and drum ’n’ bass master KJ Sawka lay out several paths
to an electronic, drummer-led musical future.

40 KEITH HARRIS
He keeps the party jumping with one of the biggest acts in the world.
And when the stage goes dark, he’s still lighting up the industry, produc-
ing and writing platinum records and winning multiple Grammys.

52 BRENDAN BUCKLEY
Shakira’s longtime drummer is the epitome of the
super-contemporary musician: He understands all the
intricacies of electronic programming, and he has the chops
and groove to squeeze the most out of it.

60 ZACH DANZIGER
33 52
AND MARK GUILIANA
Two of the most knowledgeable and accomplished acoustic
drummers around have immersed themselves in the
world of electronics—with revelatory results.

14 MD READERS POLL
A Sneak Peek At This Year’s Nominees

15 UPDATE
Broken Social Scene’s JUSTIN PEROFF

GIMME 10!
EJ DeCoske

18
Rahav

Electronics Pioneer JIMMY BRALOWER

80 90 80 PORTRAITS
DOSH

90 WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT...?

MARVIN “BUGALU” SMITH

A SET OF PAISTE BLACK

WIN ALPHA CYMBALS SIGNED

,
BY JOEY JORDISON!

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VALUED AT OVER
Peter Salo

Page 77
EDUCATION 22 96
66 In The Studio
Making Drum Loops An Insider’s Perspective
by Vinnie Zummo

68 Strictly Technique
Chops Builders Part 10: Double Paradiddle Accent Shifter
by Bill Bachman

72 Electronic Insights
Playing With Drum Loops Choosing Tones And Tunings
by Donny Gruendler

Rick Mattingly
74 Off The Record
Chiodos’s Tanner Wayne Illuminaudio
by Michael Dawson

Cameron Smith
76 Taking Care Of Business 95 74
Drummer2Drummer An Online Network Of Service Providers
by Mike Haid

DEPARTMENTS
8 An Editor’s Overview
Plug Me In And Turn Me On!
by Billy Amendola

10 Readers’ Platform
12 Ask A Pro
2011 MD Pro Panelist Rod Morgenstein Passing Auditions

16 It’s Questionable
Mind Matters: The Drummer As Performer/Entertainer •
Gretsch Round Badge Snare
30 94
84 Showcase
88 Drum Market
92 Critique
94 Backbeats
KoSA International Workshop 2010 •
Montréal Drum Fest 2010 • Who’s Playing What

95 In Memoriam
Louie Appel

Heinz Kronberger
96 Kit Of The Month
Time Machines

EQUIPMENT
22 Product Close-Up 92
• Taye Spotlight Classic And Special Edition Fusion Kits
• TRX LTD Series Hi-Hats And Crash-Rides
• Big Bang Mic Holders
• Drumtuna Flip Digital Tuning Gauge

30 Electronic Review
Yamaha DTX950K Electronic Drumkit

78 Gearing Up
Tinted Windows/Cheap Trick’s Bun E. Carlos
Arrested Development’s David “Fingers” Haynes
M D D I G I T A L S U B S C R I B E R S ! When you
see this icon, click on a shaded box on the page to open
82 New And Notable 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!
89 Collector’s Corner
Leedy Shelly Manne Kit In Smokey Pearl Finish
 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW

Plug Me In And Turn Me On!

FOUNDER MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY

W elcome to MD’s electronic-

themed issue. Electronics
have been a very useful tool in
RONALD SPAGNARDI
1943–2003
BOARD: Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers,
Bill Bruford, Harry Cangany, Dennis
DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio,
Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, Bob Gatzen,
Danny Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner,
my drumming career and in the Paul Leim, Peter Magadini, George
work of many of my favorite PUBLISHER/CEO Marsh, Joe Morello, Rod Morgenstein,
ISABEL SPAGNARDI Andy Newmark, Neil Peart, Ed
drummers. Back in the day Shaughnessy, Steve Smith,
before drum machines really Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, Paul Wertico.
became popular, I was experi- SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
menting with triggers, rhythm LORI SPAGNARDI Patrick Berkery, David Ciauro, John
Emrich, Mike Haid, Dr. Asif Khan, Rick
boxes, and mixing and matching Mattingly, Ken Micallef, Mark Parsons,
acoustic and electronic drums. VICE PRESIDENT Martin Patmos, Jeff Potter, Will Romano,
(The shot at right is from a 1981 K EVIN W. KEARNS Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky,
Stephen Styles, Robin Tolleson, Lauren
session.) Fortunately for me, I Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells.
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
took a liking to the process,
TRACY A. KEARNS MODERN DRUMMER magazine
because it freed up time for me (ISSN 0194-4533) is published
monthly by
to concentrate more on writing EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc.,
and producing. While many ADAM J. BUDOFSKY 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
PERIODICALS MAIL POSTAGE paid at
drummers were stubborn about the new technology and afraid it would Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at additional
take over their work, I jumped right into the fire. I’ve been a fan of elec- MANAGING EDITOR mailing offices. Copyright 2011 by
MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc.
tronic drums for thirty-five years now, and although it kind of took me out MICHAEL DAWSON All rights reserved. Reproduction without the
of the loop of playing acoustic drums for a period of time, these days I permission of the publisher is prohibited.
find myself switching between them—just as a guitarist can switch from ASSOCIATE EDITOR EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ADMINIS-
acoustic to electric guitar. BILLY AMENDOLA TRATIVE OFFICES: MODERN DRUM-
MER Publications, 12 Old Bridge Road,
In this special jam-packed issue, we enlist the expertise of a number of Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Tel: (973)
top players and programmers, who provide heaps of useful tips and infor- ASSOCIATE EDITOR 239-4140. Fax: (973) 239-7139.
MICHAEL PARILLO Email: [email protected].
mation on working with triggers, drum machines, samplers, software,
looping devices, and all kinds of electronic drums and percussion. MODERN DRUMMER welcomes manu-
Cover artist and Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and drummer EDITORIAL ASSISTANT scripts and photographic material but can-
not assume responsibility for them.
Keith Harris of the Black Eyed Peas gives us an inside look at how he went SUZANNE HURRING
SUBSCRIPTIONS: US and Canada
whole-hog electronic on the band’s world tour at bandleader Will.i.am’s $34.97 per year; $56.97, two years.
specific request—and how he managed to sneak in some acoustics with- SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Other international $59.97 per year.
out ruffling any feathers. Brendan Buckley checks in from touring with SCOTT G. BIENSTOCK Single copies $5.99.

Shakira with seriously detailed descriptions of his electroacoustic arsenal. SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE:
ART DIRECTOR Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon,
Zach Danziger takes a break from writing and scoring for TV and movies
GERALD VITALE IL 61061-9920. Change of address:
to chat with fellow electro explorer Mark Guiliana. Omar Hakim, Will Allow at least six weeks for
a change. Please provide both old and
Calhoun, and KJ Sawka give us invaluable direction on how to “Get Good” ADVERTISING DIRECTOR new address. Call (800) 551-3786
at working with electronic drums in the second installment of our new BOB BERENSON or (815) 732-5283. Phone hours,
8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST,
feature series. “Finger drumming” master David Haynes talks about the or visit Subscriber Services at
gear he uses to get monster drum performances out of hand-operated ADVERTISING ASSISTANT www.moderndrummer.com.
controllers. Multi-instrumentalist Vinnie Zummo gets us closer to making LASHANDA GIBSON MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer
our own killer drum loops. And Donny Gruendler offers helpful advice on is distributed by Hal Leonard Corp.
(800) 554-0626. [email protected]
playing along to those loops once we’ve created them. DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGNER www.halleonard.com/dealers
Personally, I was very excited to take advantage of this issue’s theme in EJ DECOSKE
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
order to reconnect with one of my early electronic influences, Jimmy REPRESENTATIVE: Robert Abramson
Bralower. In the 1980s, Jimmy was renowned for his programming skills & Associates, Inc., Libby Abramson,
President, PO Box 740346, Boyton
and for mixing electronics with real-feel playing. Records that he con- MODERN DRUMMER
PRO PANEL Beach, FL 33474-0346,
tributed to—often made at the famed New York City studio the Power [email protected].
MODERN DRUMMER
Station—have sold in excess of 250 million copies. MD first profiled Jimmy PRO PANEL 2011 PRO PANEL POSTMASTER: Send address changes
in the January 1985 issue, a feature we travel back in time to revisit here, JASON BITTNER
to Modern Drummer, PO Box 274,
Oregon, IL 61061-9920.
via our Kit Of The Month column, where he details the equipment he used WILL CALHOUN
on hit after hit by artists like Hall & Oates, Madonna, and Steve Winwood. JEFF DAVIS
Canadian Publications Mail Agreement
No. 41480017 Return undeliverable
And be sure to check out Jimmy’s Gimme 10! feature, where the maestro PETER ERSKINE Canadian addresses to: PO Box 875,
shares real-world suggestions for effective and artful electronic music pro- DANIEL GLASS
Stn A, Windsor ON N9A 6P2
duction in today’s recording environment. HORACIO HERNANDEZ MEMBER: National Association Of Music
Whether you’re a veteran electronics user or you’re new to the concept, SUSIE IBARRA
Merchants, American Music Conference,
Percussive Arts Society, Music Educators
after absorbing this issue you’re sure to be left with a wealth of ideas and ALLISON MILLER National Conference, Music Magazine
information that you’ll want to apply to your own drumming. So plug in, ROD MORGENSTEIN
Publishers Association
learn, and enjoy! CHRIS PENNIE MODERN DRUMMER ONLINE:
www.moderndrummer.com
CHAD SMITH
PAUL WERTICO PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES

8 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 READERS’ PLATFORM
NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN
Thank you for the Narada Michael Walden
Update in your November issue. He
always shows his grace and humility and
total lack of overblown ego. It’s nice to
see him back on drums with Jeff Beck. It
takes me back to Wired, Inner Worlds, and
Visions Of The Emerald Beyond—some of
the greatest fusion I’ve ever had the plea-
sure to learn from!
Eli Snyder

RICHIE HAYWARD
I was crushed when I heard Richie Hayward
had passed away. He was my drumming
idol, even to the point of adopting his old
mustache/goatee look for a while. I had a
similar experience to what John Rogers
described in the December Readers’
Platform. In April of 2002, my late bass-
GENE HOGLAN playing wife, Krystal, and I had gone to
I want to thank MD for putting Gene catch Little Feat at the Lincoln Theatre in
Hoglan on the cover of the November 2010 Raleigh, North Carolina. We were in the
issue. His drumming has been a big inspira- parking lot a few hours before the show
tion and motivation for me for many when we noticed Feat bass player Kenny
years—and of course his chops and power Gradney walking by. My wife grabbed
go without saying. Plus he’s a really nice her copy of [Jimmy Herring, T Lavitz,
guy! Take care, and keep delivering the best Richie Hayward, and Kenny Gradney’s]
drum magazine out there. Endangered Species and asked him to sign
Espen Høgmo, drummer for Hangface it, and we talked for a few minutes.
We then noticed Richie sitting on the
MD is an awesome magazine! Thank you for loading dock at the back entrance. We
putting Gene Hoglan on the November walked up and timidly said hello, asking if
cover—he’s a badass drummer. Dethklok! he would also sign our CD. He said, “Y’all
Thomas Chacon, via Facebook like this, huh?” We said it was the only thing
we’d listened to for two months. He
Gene Hoglan—what a cool dude. laughed, signed it, and said he’d see us
Nice interview, MD! inside. Every time we saw Richie and Kenny
Patrice L’Amour, via Facebook throughout the night they smiled, said hi,
and even hugged us when close enough.
I was more than excited to see Gene Hoglan

Lissa Wales
on the cover of Modern Drummer. Gene is
very underrated in the drumming commu-
nity in my opinion. From his work with Dark
Angel in the ’80s and early ’90s to Death
(especially the 1993 album Individual
Thought Patterns) to Fear Factory’s latest
release, Mechanize, this guy has made him-
self known to be a great drummer, no mat-
ter what band he joins. I had the chance to
meet Gene after a Fear Factory show, and I
was really impressed with how open he was
to talk to fans and answer a couple of ques-
tions about his instructional DVD, which I We had to leave before the second set,
got as soon as it came out. Congrats, Gene! and we bumped into Richie walking to the
Andrew Hoxter bus. He said it was good to meet us and to
be very careful driving home. He hugged
STEVE JORDAN Krystal, posed for a photo, and said so long.
Thanks for the great Steve Jordan interview As we were driving home, Krystal said,
in the October 2010 issue. I’ve been a huge “Those are two of the nicest, warmest peo-
fan ever since he knocked me out on the ple I’ve ever met.” Perfectly said!
Blues Brothers’ Briefcase Full Of Blues album. John F. Golden Jr.
His understanding of the drums and of
serving the music is a great lesson to us all. HOW TO REACH US
[email protected]
Michael R. Addison
 ASK A PRO

Paul La Raia
ROD MORGENSTEIN
Passing Auditions
MODERN DRUMMER
PRO PANEL
MODERN DRUMMER
PRO PANEL

This month’s featured MD Pro Panelist, who’s as

experienced as it gets when it comes to nailing
auditions with top acts, helps set your head
straight before you go to your next big tryout.

SCENARIO 1: It’s Out Of Your Hands SCENARIO 3:

It’s the morning of a big audition. Nervous but excited, you find your mind racing, with Expect The Unexpected
songs running through your brain like a high-speed train on full throttle. You’re confi-
dent, owing to the fact that you’ve put in countless hours learning the drum parts note You’ve done your homework. You’ve learned
for note. a complex song note for note, and now you
Making sure your stick bag is equipped with the necessary tools of the trade, you nail it perfectly at the audition. You’re show-
race out the door in your Gap jeans and Izod golf-green short-sleeve shirt. Arriving at ered with accolades: “Wow, that’s exactly how
your destination, you’re led down a hall to the audition room and you come face to our last drummer played it!” And then a
face with the band members. There they are, with their skintight leather pants, snake- bombshell is dropped: “Now let’s see how
skin boots, dyed jet-black hair, sleeve tattoos, and a jewelry store’s worth of rings, creative you are. How would you play it?”
necklaces, and bracelets, giving you the once-over, checking you out. Well, odds are, After spending so much time focused on
before you even play your first note, you are probably not getting this gig. learning the song the way it was recorded,
you’re suddenly put on the spot, with all eyes
REALITY CHECK: Some bands actually live the life 24/7, and you, clearly, are not one of in the room upon you. You find yourself in a
them, as evidenced by your Gap/Izod getup. Do not take it personally. Unfortunately, predicament you hadn’t planned on. Your
passing the audition is not always just about the drumming. Certain things can be out mind goes blank. The singer counts off the
of your control when it comes to getting gigs. In this case it’s all about appearances song. When it ends, you don’t really remem-
and presentation—and your height, weight, hair color and style, and other physical ber much of what you played. Bummer.
features might play a role in the audition outcome.
I’m relating this story because it’s one of several scenarios I’ve experienced in my REALITY CHECK: As much as a band may be
professional life. I, too, have been on the “Thanks, but no thanks” end of the audition looking for the new guy to sound just like the
process on more than one occasion. old guy, they may also be searching for some-
Do not despair, however, because most auditions, in fact, are about the drumming. one to reenergize the music and the group.
The main component to getting a shot at passing the audition is preparedness. Be prepared for potential situations where
Sound like a no-brainer? It is! Do your homework. Learn all you possibly can about the you need to tap into your creative side. This
artist and the audition requirements, as much in advance as possible. If it’s a recording may involve jamming, or one of the musicians
band, listen to their CDs ad nauseum and check out their videos. If it’s a local club might play a riff and expect you to react on
band, go see them perform. Do everything you can to get inside their world. the spot with something cool.

SCENARIO 2: What Was I Thinking? THE BOTTOM LINE

Sure of what the artist is all about, you neglect to do your homework. No, The music business is relatively small. Word
you were never a fan, but hey, you know what to do. So you hit the drums hard travels. Reputations make the rounds, and a
and keep it really simple, occasionally leaving the safety of the backbeat to play good one is worth its weight in gold. Make
a basic fill, thinking all the while, I don’t wanna scare these guys off by playing too every effort to be an easygoing-on-time-
busy. And then you never hear back from them. So after the fact you decide to nonconfrontational-gets-the-job-done-
listen to their music, and you’re surprised to find that their original drummer team-playing human being.
plays all over the map, filling in every conceivable open space, like Animal from And it might seem obvious, but you
the Muppets. should practice your drums on a regular
basis. An audition can pop up when you
REALITY CHECK: Even if an artist falls into a particular genre of music, the drum- least expect it. The last thing you need is to
ming approach may not fit exactly into the mold of how most drummers play in be less than 100 percent when these spe-
that particular style. Listen to the artist’s music prior to the audition in order to cial opportunities arise.
firmly grasp the vibe and, more specifically, the drumming approach. If it’s com- Finally, remember to enjoy, and to learn
plex and busy, be prepared to play that way. On the other hand, if you walk into from, the process. With each audition you
an audition for an AC/DC cover band—or for the real AC/DC—do not, I repeat, will probably learn something new about
DO NOT, show them every cool, over-the-barline, polyrhythmic lick you’ve ever music and drumming and people and,
learned. This may impress a convention of drummers, but it will end your AC/DC quite possibly, yourself.
audition faster than you can say “four against three.”

12 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

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 U P D A T E

JUSTIN PEROFF

Norman Wong
Broken Social Scene’s drummer is
happy to share his throne, as long
as the results are great.

T oronto’s Broken Social Scene is famous

for its swirling, sometimes horn-soaked
sound and large, continually changing line-
overdubs to beats that
were laid down by
either McEntire or
up, which at times has numbered nineteen Broken Social Scene
and has featured the popular indie singers singer-guitarist Kevin
Feist, Evan Cranley of Stars, and Metric’s Drew. Peroff beefs up
Emily Haines. “A lot can happen if you leave what he describes as a
the studio for a day, or even for an after- “sloppy, nine-pints-in”
noon,” drummer Justin Peroff says with a pattern from Drew on
chuckle. “So I try to be there as often as pos- the hooky “Water In bassist Charlie Spearin, and Kevin just hav-
sible, because I want to be a part of it all.” Hell” with a snare, a pair of toms, and a kick ing a little jam,” Justin says. “They set up a
On Broken Social Scene’s most recent drum propped up by chairs and angled like 4-track late one night when nobody else
album, Forgiveness Rock Record, Peroff got a rack tom. The jittery pulses of “Art House was in the studio and started jamming, and
to indulge his interest in electronics via Director” and “Ungrateful Little Father” it turned into a song. They said, ‘Oh, John
producer John McEntire’s drum machine were played by McEntire, with Peroff adding got on the kit and played this beat.’ I said,
collection, including a vintage ’70s Electro- funky kit work during the smoothed-out ‘Cool!’ This is the only record where I’ve
Harmonix Rhythm Machine for the retro- bridge on the former and some additional shared the drum throne. But I don’t mind at
techno foundation of “Highway Slipper Jam. hi-hat on the latter. all, because I think it sounds amazing.”
And on a handful of songs Peroff provides “‘Ungrateful Little Father’ was John, Patrick Berkery

OUT NOW ON CD
SCOTT PHILLIPS On Alter Bridge’s AB III DAN SNAITH On Caribou’s Swim
For most drummers, being able to play in a hugely “I had this idea of making liquid-sounding music,”
popular group like Creed—which has sold 40 says Caribou’s drummer/leader, Dan Snaith, about
million records worldwide and scored loads of the electro indie band’s latest album, Swim. “That
number-one singles—would be reward enough. gave me a direction to head in right from the start—
Not for Scott Phillips, who also sits at the throne for an aesthetic that would tie the whole thing together.”
Alter Bridge, which recently released its third opus, Snaith, whose albums have always featured color-
AB III. “With Creed I got safer as a player,” Phillips says. “I kind of fell into fully psychedelic drum sounds, continues to come up with fresh sonic
that Top 40 mindset of keeping it really simple for the listener. With Alter touches on the new one. “It’s always been about being exploratory for me,”
Bridge our goal is to explore our instruments more. Our mindset is to he says, “finding a patch of sound or sonic territory that I haven’t tried
not worry about singles or what the label thinks. The Alter Bridge before, or an idea that nobody has looked at. It’s good to have the sensa-
approach has carried over to Creed, and it’s made my new Creed experi- tion that there’s no apparent boundary.” Though Snaith says much of his
ences so much more enjoyable.” Phillips’ playing on AB III sounds down- previous music has been influenced by experimental German bands like
right energized—and the drummer says he knows why. “We only had two Can and Faust, as well as by early electronic composers such as Morton
months to record,” he explains, “so it became a very spontaneous writing Subotnick and Karlheinz Stockhausen, for Swim he found himself thinking
and recording session. Not to say I didn’t have an idea of what I was going about hardcore dance music productions like Detroit techno and dubstep.
to play, but there was certainly an element of spontaneity in the studio “I always have my ears open for lots of different stuff,” he says. “Still, I like
that enhanced my playing.” Steven Douglas Losey to make each sound my own as much as possible.” Adam Budofsky

Also On The Shelves ON TOUR

Andrew Belle The Ladder (Dustin Ransom) /// Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua, Darek Oles The Interlochen Concert
(Peter Erskine) /// PVT Church With No Magic (Laurence Pike) /// Kneebody You Can Have Your Moment (Nate Justin Salinas with the
Wood) /// Gigi Drums Hippopotamus (Gigi Drums) /// Shawn Mullins Light You Up (Gerry Hansen) /// Word Alive /// Will Carroll
Murderdolls Women And Children Last (Joey Jordison) /// Methods Of Mayhem A Public Disservice with Death Angel /// Ryan
Announcement (Tommy Lee) /// Stone Sour Audio Secrecy (Roy Mayorga) /// Mika Yoshida Mikarimba! (Steve Shutler with Lazarus A.D. ///
Gadd) /// Steve Gadd And Friends Live At Voce (Steve Gadd) /// Molly Hatchet Justice (Shawn Beamer) /// Todd Sucherman with Styx
The Who Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 (Keith Moon) /// Gerald Albright Pushing The Envelope (Ricky /// Anthony “Tiny” Biuso
Lawson) /// Reza Khan Painted Diaries (Graham Hawthorne, Christian Vardeleon) /// George Brooks Summit Spirit with Rhino Bucket
And Spice (Steve Smith, Zakir Hussain, Swapan Chaudhuri, Ceslo Alberti) /// Orlando le Fleming From Brooklyn
With Love: Live At Freddy’s (Antonio Sanchez) /// Megadeth Rust In Peace Live (Shawn Drover) /// Street Sweeper
Social Club The Ghetto Blaster EP (Eric Gardner) /// The Devil Wears Prada Zombie EP (Daniel Williams)

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 15

 IT’S QUESTIONABLE

MIND MATTERS Overcoming Common

Mental Barriers In Music by Bernie Schallehn

The Drummer As Performer/Entertainer

I’ve been drumming with a band for the quintessential poker face—one that As you can see from these examples,
past five months, and the bandleader leaves spectators wondering whether he’s context is key when it comes to whether or
recently said I wasn’t performing deep in thought, tranquil, reserved, or not a drummer has to be a showman. Your
enough on stage. When I asked what perhaps even bored. He really doesn’t band and your role within it will help you
she meant, she said my drumming was give much away beyond the occasional determine the appropriate context.
fine but I had no personality on stage. I grin. Watts, however, is sharing the stage On to your second question: Can I help
told her that I was just concentrating, with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, two you save your job? Yes! Start by asking your
but she said my wooden appearance individuals who have defined the term bandleader what specifically she wants you
took away from the band’s look. I have rock star, so there’s little need for Charlie to do in terms of increasing your perfor-
two questions: 1. Does a drummer h a v e to do anything other than play his kit. mance quotient. I’m guessing she has an
to be a performer/entertainer? 2. Can On the opposite end of the spectrum, image in mind of what she expects. If she
you help me save my job? the Who’s Keith Moon had an innocent does detail her specific wants, the question
John M. choirboy look but bashed his drums like a you then have to answer is: Am I willing to
wild man. The Who’s live show was a meet her expectations?
The answer to your first question depends spectacle, and singer Roger Daltrey, gui- If she’s too vague in her descriptions or
largely on the context of the gig. That tarist Pete Townshend, and Moon all wants you to invent your own stage per-
being said, keep one thing in mind: Your placed a high priority on showmanship. sona, here are a few places to start.
audience comes to see you perform just as The band’s bassist, John Entwistle, was 1. Facial expressions. For starters,
much as, if not more than, to hear you the lone holdout. smile! Smile at your bandmates and espe-
play. Look at the outrageous ticket prices
that big-name artists are getting for their
concerts. With the amount you spend to
see them on stage, you could buy their
entire CD catalog. And why is that? It’s
because fans want the intimate experi-
ence of being in the same room as their
favorite artists. There’s simply no compari-
son between hearing music through
headphones or on a car stereo versus
being a part of the real-life concert experi-
ence, where the lights, the sound, and
the band’s performance come together
as one.
Let’s further examine a gig’s context
as being a factor in whether drummers
specifically need to be performers/
entertainers, using three legendary
players as examples: Ringo Starr, Charlie
Watts, and Keith Moon.
In their heyday, the Beatles wore
matching outfits and haircuts to immedi-
ately identify themselves as members of
the band. In addition, each Beatle had his
own persona. Ringo Starr would smile, flip
his mop-top hairdo around while playing
fills, and tilt his head to let his long hair
flop when hitting a song-ending cymbal
crash. Was his showmanship outrageous?
Of course not. But Ringo’s stage appear-
ance, when combined with his drumming,
absolutely constituted showmanship.
Now let’s look at Charlie Watts of the
Rolling Stones. When Watts plays on his
no-frills four-piece kit, his expression is the

16 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 Gretsch Round Badge Snare
I have a Gretsch snare drum with a round badge, which was left to
me by a friend who passed away. I love the way this drum speaks
with my kit, and I was wondering if you could tell me the date it was
created, along with its approximate value. I refinished the drum
with a gloss black glitter that I mixed, followed by three coats of
clear poly-gloss. The model number is 4157, and the serial number
is 53629.
Michael L.

“That’s a late-1960s, maybe even 1970, Gretsch Name Band snare drum,”
says drum historian Harry Cangany. “It was made just before the badges
were changed over to an octagonal shape. As is, the drum would bring
about $250 to $300. Since you like how it sounds and it has a sentimental
tie to the memory of your friend, I suggest that you keep it as is. There
are, however, restorers out there who can make it look like it just left the
factory, if that’s something that interests you.”

cially at the audience. Remember, they’ve evoked by the music. If you’re playing with books on the topic.
come to the club to be entertained. Show an expressionless look, you may want to 3. Movement. On certain songs, drama-
them you’re having a good time, and they spend time reconnecting with the core feel- tize your movements. For example, if you
will mirror your behavior. If the music is heav- ings of the music and allow them to pour out kick off a song with a flam, raise your arms
ier, experiment with some more intense of you while performing.) high over your head and make it look like the
expressions. Match what you put on your 2. Flash. For more extreme showmanship, most impassioned drum part you’ve ever
face with the feel of the song. You can also learn to twirl your sticks. Perhaps this routine performed in your life. I’m not asking you to
try moving your head in time to the music. is a bit overdone, but it still seems to be a change your overall technique but rather to
(Often, a performer’s facial expressions are an crowd pleaser when used in the appropriate create a mixed bag of stage-presence ideas
involuntary response to the emotions context. There are plenty of DVDs, CDs, and and then pull stuff out when appropriate.
Just be sure to use them sparingly, so your
moves don’t become predictable. The ele-
ment of surprise can be quite effective.
4. End with a bang. Finish your songs
with dramatic flair. If you usually rely on sim-
ple cymbal crashes or flams to close out a
tune, prep your bandmates that you’re going
to go for something different. Try long cym-
bal swells, or play a short solo. The point is to
execute something totally unexpected (to
the crowd, not to your band).
5. Image. Try changing up what you wear
for your performances. A simple black T-shirt
always works on stage, but it can be a bit
boring if you’re trying to boost the visual
impact. A slick-looking vest, a collared shirt,
or a cool hat can do a lot to bump up your
appearance.
There’s always the possibility that nothing
you do will make your bandleader satisfied
with your stage presence. It can be a bum-
mer, but perhaps it’s time to move on, which
leads to one last option: Don’t change any-
thing. I know you want to keep this gig, but
at what cost? If you’re content with the way
you’re performing, there are other bands out
there that I’m guessing would gladly take
you just as you are—no changes required.

Bernie Schallehn has been a drummer and per-

cussionist for over forty-five years. He holds a
master’s degree in counseling psychology and,
while in private practice, held the credentials of a
certified clinical mental health counselor and a
certified alcohol and substance abuse counselor.

HOW TO REACH US
[email protected]
 Rob Mazzella
GIMME
PRACTICAL ADVICE FROM
PROS WHO KNOW
10!

10 JIMMY
1 2 3
4 5 6
BRALOWER
GIMME 10!
7 8 9
Timeless tips from the drummer/programmer
who helped usher in entire genres of drummer-
GIMME 10!
controlled electro hits, from Hall & Oates and
Madonna to Peter Gabriel and Steve Winwood to
GIMME 10!
Britney Spears and R. Kelly. GIMME 10!
1 !one’s
2 idea3of a good time,GIMME
READ THE MANUAL. Not any- something to work on, it’s important to a fatter snare sound and not necessarily
IMME 10
10 important but it’s 10
get up !to speed on the effort already put 1 moving
in before you put your own spin10
2 the 3 beat later. Conversely, a
4 working
to know your gear before you
5 with 6other people. More GIMME 10!more
on it. Find higher-pitched snare is going to sound

like it to be. It’s easier to make something4 5 on6

start out as much as you can about what they’d top.
good ideas are lost by trying to get
7familiar
10 !8 with.9The idea is to capture
GIMME
inspired moments into equipment you’re
IMME not the 10
ing than!when you’re programming, so 7 8 RACK
happen spontaneously when you’re play-
9
’EM AND STACK ’EM.
Combining sounds to create new
moment, not get bogged down in it. GIMME
don’t be afraid to let or make things hap-
10!ones has been something I’ve done ever

Spend 10!
pen. Analyzing is useful to refine ideas, not since I had more than one program or
ME 10
1 !2 time 3
KNOW YOUR LIBRARY. GIMME 1 2 3 to come up with them. machine to work with. Mixing live and pro-

0 10
listening to the sounds in grammed drums can make for some inter-

It’s not about how many sounds4

your collection, and know where they’re
5 “less 6 is more” is an10
KEEP IT SIMPLE. The old axiom 1 2 3 textures. I also like to randomly
esting
4 located.
5 6 old axiom for a assign the “wrong” sounds to a groove and

ME 10!
7 to8find them.
use at 9
any given moment GIMME
you have; it’s knowing which ones to
and where 10
7 !
just
4 5 see6what happens.
reason. Creating busy grooves is easy—it’s
8 that9they don’t usually serve songs.

10groove
! happen? Find that 7 out,8 9 PLAY?
What’s the least number of notes to play to
GIMME
make your
WHAT WOULDN’T A DRUMMER
Drummers can be the most

1 2 3 mastering your technique 10 1

PRACTICE. As I see it, the idea of 2 then embellish.
3 dangerous programmers if they overthink
on any
10things
! too much, like hi-
what they would’ve played on their kit.
GIMME
4
instrument is to be able to do anything
5 6
4 5 you6hear, feel, read, or are asked to do GIMME UP.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO SCREW
10Every! great idea comes in a hat
When we visualize
articulations beat by beat, it’s trouble.
whenever you want, so that your reactions pile of bad ones. The healthy flow of Some things are just easier to physically
7 GIMME
8 are 10connected
9directly ! to what’s coming 7 8 creativity
out of your instrument. In the case of pro-
9 comes from being fearless.
You need to develop your instincts for GIMME
ing 10!you normally don’t
play in one pass. Don’t spend hours think-
about something
gramming, it’s things like knowing how to
get your ideas into the machine, making
1 come2in—and
weeding
10 they
out 3 for recognizing when
the bad ideas as fast as think about.

4 5 6 1 KNOB 2 GOES3 TO THE RIGHT.

standing10
GIMME how ! 10 Know
quantizing work for you (or not), under- you’re on to something. THE
to make things swing, and the rules so you can break
them. Do4 5 you6need to do to
7 Programming
8 9 beats is the easy
being able to make your grooves and fills SOUNDS SERVE FEEL. whatever
come out of the speakers the way you hear make it sound the way you want. There is

1 2 3
them in your head. part. Making them sound and feel right is 7 wrong—just
no right and 8 9 results. And
10 the game. A lot of people like to move have fun. If you’re not enjoying what

4 THINK.5 If6somebody brings you

LISTEN AND REACT, THEN things off the grid to get “feel.” I’ve found you’re doing, you can’t expect the listener
that I can get a laid-back sound by having to do it for you.

7 8 9 For more with Bralower, go to moderndrummer.com. And to read about the electronic gear he
18 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011 used on countless hits in the ’80s, see the Kit Of The Month column on page 96 of this issue.
 P R O D U C T C L O S E - U P

taye
SPOTLIGHT CLASSIC AND SPECIAL EDITION FUSION KITS
by Ben Meyer

aye has sweetened the pot for budget- SHORT IN STATURE, I was also skeptical at first of the
T minded drummers with a few new
additions to the entry-level Spotlight
BUT LONG ON CLASS
I unpacked the smaller Special Edition
smooth white Dynaton heads that come
stock with Spotlight drums. But they
series. It never ceases to amaze me how Fusion kit first, and I have to admit that proved to complement the sound of the
drastically improved lower-cost drums and the pieces initially reminded me of the lit- drums’ all-poplar shells quite well. The 18"
hardware have become in the past fifteen tle 4-lug toy drums you often see for sale bass drum came fitted with pre-muffled
years, and this stuff is no exception. I was at pawnshops. This impression lasted only heads and yielded a surprisingly warm
able to put two Spotlight kits—a standard- until I set up and tuned the kit and gave and full tone when heard out in front of
size Classic and a compact Special Edition the 12" mounted tom a good whack. I the kit, though I couldn’t hear those quali-
Fusion pack—through their paces in a vari- couldn’t believe how big this drum sound- ties so well while playing it.
ety of musical settings, and they came out ed. I got similarly pleasing results from the The 5x13 Special Edition snare drum
on top in almost every way. other drums in the set, and I found myself was plenty sensitive and gave a nice
not wanting to stop playing them. rimshot crack when tuned to a medium

22 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 Spotlight Classic
tension. It also produced
usable rimclick sounds. The
shallow 10" and 12" toms
gave off full tones and
sounded more like full-size
10" and 14" toms than their
diminutive dimensions
would lead you to expect. I
did have some trouble get-
ting the 4-lug 8" tom to
yield a useful sound,
though it did blend well
with the other drums once I
got it dialed in. All in all, I
would be comfortable
using these drums in any
low- to mid-volume appli-
cation or for louder jobs
where the kit is miked.
The Spotlight Special
Edition Fusion kit would be
a great choice for drum-
mers looking for portability
at a lower price point than
Taye’s higher-end compact
GoKit, without losing much
in terms of features and
sound. The company also
offers a three-piece bag
set that fits all of the drums
and hardware. FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY
a bass drum pedal.
THE CLASSIC FIVE-PIECE The 4000 series stands We were sent two kits for this review. The Spotlight Classic
Though I’m generally not fond of “stan- ($649.99 for a five-piece shell set, $999.99 with hardware)
are single braced and
features standard drum sizes, including a 14x22 bass drum, a
dard” drum sizes, due to their inherent very light, while the
51/2x14 matching snare, 9x12 and 10x13 mounted toms, and a
positioning and tuning restrictions, I was 5000 series is double
15x16 floor tom. The Spotlight Special Edition Fusion Pack
impressed with the Spotlight Classic kit’s braced and of medium
($649.99 for a five-piece shell set, $949.99 with hardware)
range of tuning flexibility, as well as with weight. All of the stands includes a 7x18 bass drum, a 5x13 snare, 51/2x8 and 6x10
some of its design features. I was able to were functional and mounted toms, and a 61/2x12 mounted “floor” tom, and it
hear these drums played by a friend dur- solid when holding the follows the successful design philosophy of Taye’s higher-end
ing a church gig where I was playing bass, Spotlight mounted toms GoKit: small, lightweight drums that set up easily, hold steady,
and both of us were surprised by how and lighter, smaller cym- and don’t sound small at all.
good they sounded, especially consider- bals. (Larger, heavier
ing their ultra-low street price. I really liked cymbals could cause them to sway or tilt if mounts, simple but stable side-mounting
the 14x22 bass drum, and the 15x16 floor the tripod is not positioned properly.) bass drum spurs, innovative two-piece
tom sounded great when tuned low and The only drawback I found in the other- bass drum claws, and adjustable bass
hit hard. The bass drum had a warm, wise solid hardware on these kits was that drum beaters top the list of player-friendly
round sound, even with the stock heads the direct-mount brackets included for details that add even more value to these
and nothing inside the drum. It reminded the toms noticeably affected the reso- already thoughtful setups.
me very much of an early-’70s Rogers nance of the drums. The toms would sing
drum I have in the same size. when I held them by their mounts with FINISHING TOUCHES
The smaller Spotlight Classic toms one hand and played them with the other. The finishes on the Spotlight kits that we
and the snare drum yielded full, resonant But they would deaden somewhat when I reviewed are something you’ll either love
tones that sounded much more “expen- attached them to the L-arms of the bass or hate. The “graphic blue” wrap of the
sive” than I expected. I did need to use drum tom mount. This is not an uncom- Spotlight Classic is subdued, and I found
Moongels to tame some of the ring. mon issue for toms without suspension that it ended up looking like a basic dark
But in my opinion that’s a good problem mounts, and Taye did try to temper this blue from the audience’s perspective. The
to have. effect by including thick grommets to iso- “graphic red” wrap on the Spotlight
late each lug and bracket from the shell. Special Edition, on the other hand, really
NOT SO HEAVY METAL HARDWARE But the sound was affected nonetheless. stood out from the stage. Both wraps fea-
We received Taye’s 4000 and 5000 series On the brighter side, the company ture pearl-type patterns, similar to those
hardware packages, which are on the includes several noteworthy hardware used on classic drums of the 1960s,
more affordable end of the company’s features on these kits that should be though with a modern twist. Spotlight kits
options. Each package included a basket- pointed out. Simple and smooth snare are also available in a more universal black
style snare stand, a straight cymbal stand, strainers, a slotted bottom nut on the hi- wrap that would fit any situation.
a boom cymbal stand, a hi-hat stand, and hat clutch, easily positioned L-arm tom tayedrums.com
•
February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 23
trx
LTD SERIES HI-HATS AND CRASH-RIDES
by Billy Brennan

T he TRX Cymbal Company’s LTD (“limit-

ed”) series was originally introduced in
2008 and features a full line of crash-ride
versatility, TRX’s LTD models are clearly
geared toward the heavy side of the musi-
cal spectrum; these bad boys wouldn’t
the bell. The face of the cymbal provided a
decent ping for riding but built up a
strange humming overtone after a few
cymbals ranging from 18" to 23", as well as rate so well in an intimate jazz setting. But hits. This unique sound was actually pretty
14" and 15" hi-hats. Company president when played in the appropriate situation, cool, but it probably wouldn’t be appreci-
David Levine says, “The LTD series was the cymbals lived up to their design. ated in musical situations that don’t pro-
developed when we started noticing that All three of the LTD crash-rides were vide enough volume to drown out the
many contemporary rock drummers were very responsive—almost overly so—and quirky tones. The three LTD crash-rides
no longer using their ride cymbals for rid- had long sustain and dense overtones worked well together, as their combined
ing in the traditional sense, but were using with plenty of wash and ring. Even with wash created a wall of sound that could
them as big crash cymbals to create a light taps on the bow, they seemed to hint stand up in any arena, while patterns
steady pulse. Since ride cymbals are gen- that they were just biding time until their played between the different bells added
erally too heavy and too flat to serve this full aggression could be unleashed. When an extra spice to the set.
purpose properly, we adapted the old- I laid into full-on crash assaults on the pol-
school concept of the combination crash- ished edges, the cymbals erupted into an HI-HATS
ride cymbal that had been used by jazz ear-splitting din. The 15" LTD hi-hats were pretty bestial.
drummers.” My favorite part of these LTDs, however, Firmly closed, they produced a real meaty
The LTD series was initially limited to was the unfinished bells. Their sharp ping chick, and when I relaxed my foot on the
18" and 20" crash-rides and 14" hi-hats, contrasted with the blanketing wash of pedal a bit, the loosely held hats gave off
but TRX has since expanded the line. We the rest of the cymbal, while having a drier an aggressive metallic bark, reminiscent of
were sent 19", 21", and 23" crash-rides and sound than what I get from the lathed the intro to Rammstein’s “Bück Dich,” off
15" hi-hats to test. bells on other models. the Sehnsucht album. Held wide open, the
Of the three sizes we tested, the 21" cymbals had the robustness necessary to
CRASH-RIDES LTD was the most versatile. In a true crash- hold their own with their crash-ride broth-
The first thing that struck me about these ride sense, it was comfortable providing ers, with a volatile hiss that could either
LTD crash-rides was their enormous size. thick waves of washy volume, but with grab attention on its own or meld seam-
The second thing that struck me, after enough articulation to allow the attack to lessly into the cacophony of an all-out
playing them, was that they were loud. cut through the overtones. The 19" was LTD barrage.
While the very name crash-rides implies similar, though its smaller size led it to
lean more toward being used CONCLUSION
A TRIO IN ONE as a traditional crash. Its high- TRX’s additions to the LTD series provide a
er-pitched roar seemed to decent range of sounds with only a few
The LTD series uses three types of finishing to
enhance the unique sonic properties of the edge, bell, slightly overpower its ride cymbals, and that’s the point. At the same
and face of the cymbal. The edges are heavily polished capabilities. The big 23" time, these models are likely an acquired
to produce bright, explosive crashes, while the bells are model was the least versatile taste best suited to heavy hitters. The
left in their naturally unpolished condition to increase of the bunch. It had a deader crash-rides we tested are priced from $375
stick articulation. The remaining portion features a more sound that led to a rumbling to $525, while the 15" hi-hats list for $550.
common lathed and hand-hammered surface, in an effort wobble when crashed and a trxcymbals.com
to provide a balancing middle ground. chunkier, muffled ride tone on
•
24 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011
big bang
MIC HOLDERS
by Michael Dawson

B ig Bang’s new Mic Holders are

designed to make the process of mik-
ing your drums quicker and easier, while
also streamlining the look of your kit by
eliminating the need for additional tripods
or clunky mounts. We were sent a com-
plete set, which consists of two of the
super-compact MHTT model for toms or
snares ($17.95), an MHC for congas or bon-
gos ($18.95), an MHHH gooseneck for the
hi-hat ($28.95), and two MHCYM goose-
necks for cymbals or snares ($32.95). All
Mic Holders feature chromed steel parts,
which blend well visually with the chrome
of most manufacturers’ hardware.

FIT AND FORM

The MHTT and MHC Holders attach to cymbal stand. Just be
one of the tension bolts on a drum, and aware that if you use a
because of their compact size they can heavy microphone
remain attached, even when the drums are (like a large-diaphragm HIT THE SPOT
packed in cases. The MHHH and MHCYM Shure KSM32), you’ll The MHCYM proved to be a great option for snare mik-
feature a semi-permanent mounting have to make additional adjust- ing. It attaches to the snare stand rather than to the drum
bracket that attaches to a vertical post of ments to its angle because the itself, so you don’t have to remove the mic if you want to
a cymbal or snare stand. The gooseneck shock mount will bend a bit swap drums. With very little adjusting, I found that the
portion of the Mic Holder connects to once the mic is attached. Over MHCYM put the mic in a perfect spot, right above the rim.
the mounting bracket via a large thumb- time, this extra pressure on the
screw, and it can be removed completely shock mount could cause it to trickier to execute but wasn’t nearly as
for easy breakdown. tear. (The rubber gasket can be removed.) involved as adjusting a standard micro-
The top portion of each Mic Holder fea- The height of the microphone is adjust- phone boom stand.
tures a rubber shock mount below a ed on all of the Mic Holders by raising or
threaded screw that connects with a stan- lowering a telescoping knurled rod. On the SETUP GIVE AND TAKE
dard mic clip. This flexible shock mount MHTT and MHC, the rod is held in place by Because of their overall compact size and
proved to be very effective in keeping the tightening a single thumbscrew; the streamlined design, Mic Holders have a
mics isolated from the rattles and sympa- MHHH and MHCYM involve a pair of short limited range for positioning. The curved
thetic vibrations that often occur when a drum-key-operated screws, which made rods of the goosenecks on the MHHH and
mic is connected directly to a drum or height adjustments on these models a bit MHCYM are of fixed lengths, so there’s not

MHC
MHTT
much option for getting a mic closer to or far-
ther away from the target instrument.
Likewise, the MHC and MHTT have a small
drumtuna
1" margin for horizontal positioning, and their
vertical range is more limited than some users
FLIP DIGITAL TUNING GAUGE
by Ian Carroll
might desire. For instance, when using the
MHTT with a Shure SM57 to mike up my snare,
I couldn’t get the microphone into my pre-
ferred position, which is about 1" to 11/2"
Y our tuning skills, or lack thereof, can
make or break the sound of any drum,
whether cheap or high end. For those of us
directly above the rim at about a 30-degree without a full-time tech, it’s nice to know
angle. Instead, I had to settle on a steeper that help with this important task can come
angle (60 degrees), with the mic about 1" in from other sources. One of the latest tools,
from the rim. I also couldn’t use the MHTT with Drumtuna’s Flip digital tuning gauge, is a
my preferred rack tom mic, a Shure Beta 56A. sleek-looking device with a cylindrical metal
That mic’s built-in stand mount caused the base attached to a circular display. If you’re
capsule to be too far away from the head to be familiar with the DrumDial or Tama’s
effective. If you use more compact drum mics, Tension Watch, the Flip is similar, just
though (like those made by Audix and Audio- with the addition of a digital LCD display—
Technica), you should be able to find a good offering the choice of a metric or imperial
position with the MHTT. readout—rather than an analog gauge.
On cymbals, the MHCYM’s biggest limitation
was that there’s no way to get the microphone APPLYING THE FLIP
directly above the bell. But I was able to move Before you use the Flip, it must first be
the mic (a Shure KSM32) far enough in from zeroed out by setting it on a hard, flat sur-
the edge that it didn’t capture the “swooshing” face and pressing the “zero” button, which
sound you can get when miking a crash too allocates that tension reading to be the zero
close to the edge. For a basic spaced-pair value. That way, the Flip’s tension readings
setup, with one mic placed 1' over the left-side will be based on a consistent zero point.
crash and a second mic placed 1' over the (Readouts are given as negative numbers.) get a uniform reading across the entire
right-side crash, the two MHCYMs worked fine, To tune a drum, place the Flip on a drum- head, and I noticed a positive difference in
especially in live situations. In the studio, how- head, 1/2" from a tension rod. Note the read- the resonance of the drum when I played it
ever, I would have liked a bit more flexibility, to ing, and then move the gauge to a similar again after fine-tuning it with the Flip.
better deal with phasing and other anomalies spot near a different lug. The goal is to Repeating this process on even a tiny 8"
that often arise when you’re recording drums. match the numerical reading displayed on tom worked quite well.
The MHHH hi-hat Mic Holder has a fixed- the LCD screen at each tension rod.
shape gooseneck that puts the mic in a perfect In my initial tests, I put a fresh head on THE BIG PICTURE
spot, about 11/2" in from the edge of the cym- my snare drum and tensioned it up in even Once I found tension settings that worked
bal, and it allows for plenty of vertical height half turns until it reached a point that was best for my tastes (the suggested settings
adjustment. It took less than a minute to get close to my normal tuning. Then I sat the didn’t give me very workable sounds), I
my hi-hat mic exactly where I like it. Likewise, Flip on the head next to one rod and found that with the Flip I could get a consis-
the MHC worked great for miking congas with attempted to tighten that rod to one of tent sound much more quickly than normal,
minimal fuss. Drumtuna’s suggested values. From there, I even after swapping out the heads. Overall,
tried to replicate this reading on the rest of the Flip, with its sleek yet simple design,
CONCLUSION the rods, starting with the one opposite the proved to be a great aid to tuning a drum.
When you’re deciding whether or not to pick one I started with. The process proved to be You still need to have basic tuning skills in
up some of these Mic Holders, first consider the a bit frustrating, as tightening one rod order to best utilize this device. (It’s best to
microphones you’re planning to use. Some affected the reading on the remaining rods. start with a drum that’s close to being in
models will work better than others, while I was able to get the drumhead tensioned tune and then use the Flip to make fine
some won’t be compatible at all. Then think consistently, but it wasn’t as quick and easy adjustments.) But the strength of the gauge
about when and where you’ll be using the Mic as I had hoped. is its portability and reliability, making it
Holders. If you do a lot of club gigs, run your Abandoning the instructions, I tried tun- ideal for drummers on the go who don’t
own sound, and often have to deal with limited ing a different drum without the help of the always have time to tune their kit prior to a
stage space, having an entire set of these on Flip. The sound was decent. From there, I gig, or for studio players who need to be
your kit could prove beneficial, even if they gauged the head tension at each rod with able to dial in a variety of drum sounds
don’t get your mics exactly where you would the Flip, observed the ballpark area of the quickly and easily during a recording ses-
want them. For home studio owners looking to readings, and then tuned the rods that sion. The price of the Flip varies, depending
minimize the number of stands used to mike up deviated from the mean reading of all the on euro-to-dollar conversion rates.
the drums, the MHCYM on the snare and MHHH rods. Using this method it was quite easy to drumtuna.com
on the hi-hat are clear winners. They’re stable,
flexible, and super-simple to use.
GIG BOX ESSENTIAL
bigbangdist.com
The Flip’s LCD display isn’t backlit, but it proved to produce a clear reading that was
• easily visible, even in a dark venue. The gauge also comes with a drum key inside a holder
on the back of the device and is packaged in a small soft bag, which makes it easy to carry
around to gigs or sessions without worrying too much about damaging it. Also included is a
guide to typical tensions for different-size drums. With only three buttons (off/on, zero, and
inch/mm), the Flip certainly wins points for being intuitive and functional right out of the box.

26 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 E L E C T R O N I C R E V I E W

Yamaha
DTX950K
ELECTRONIC
DRUMKIT
by Michael Dawson

amaha made some major overhauls to “Many prototypes were created,” Griffin sensitivity parameter of the pad can be
Y its electronic drums this past year,
most notably by replacing the flagship
says, “and part of the testing was simply
having different drummers try them out
increased for a more dynamic response.
I currently own a Yamaha DTXTREME IIS
e-kit, the DTXTREME III, with the new and let us know what they thought. kit, which has the older TP100 series rub-
DTX950K. The core of the DTX950K, the Another part was scientific, measuring ber drum pads. Those pads feel okay, but
DTX900 sound module, remains intact bounce and other factors from different there’s no comparison between them and
from the previous version, as do the pad types as well as from acoustic drums. the new XP silicone models. When you
improved PCY series cymbals. But this new When we came up with the silicone formu- play on rubber pads, you know you’re
kit features brand-new drum pads, called la, some drummers were split between lik- playing “artificial” drums, and the pads
DTX-PADs, that have a textured-silicone ing a tight feel versus a loose feel, so we produce a fair amount of stick sound, like
surface that was researched with the help decided to produce both types of pad. The what you get from a rubber practice pad.
of many Yamaha acoustic drum artists in snare has a tighter feel, and the toms feel These DTX-PADs are exponentially quieter,
an effort to provide the most realistic play- a bit looser.” with a sturdier presence and a response
ing experience possible. Yamaha created the different feels of that feels very close to that of acoustic
the DTX-PAD by injecting the silicone with drums. The difference in firmness between
RESEARCH FOR REALISM tiny air bubbles; depending on how these the XP100T toms and the XP120SD snare is
According to Yamaha electronic drum bubbles are dispersed, the pad has more minor but noticeable. It’s almost sublimi-
product specialist Tom Griffin, the objec- or less cushion. The playing sur-
tive with the DTX-PAD was “to create face is textured to resemble
a new electronic drum pad that would that of a coated Mylar drum-
THE NEW EXTREME E-KIT
provide superior feel, playability, and head, and the casing features The DTX950K ($8,699.99 list, $5,399 street) is
quietness yet allow drummers to express shock absorbers that give the Yamaha’s top-dog electronic drumset. It includes four
themselves the same way they do on pad a floating feeling, similar tom pads (two 10" XP100T rack toms and two 12" XP120T
acoustic drums.” To achieve those goals, to what you get from an floor toms), a 12" XP120SD snare pad, a 12" KP125W kick,
the company embarked on an extensive acoustic drum mounted with a three cymbals (two PCY135 three-zone crashes and one
research and development period involv- suspension system. The shock PCY155 three-zone ride), an RHH135 two-zone hi-hat, a
full-size Hex rack (the same model used by many Yamaha
ing many of its top drum artists, including absorbers were implemented
acoustic drumset artists), an SS662 snare stand, an HS750A
Zach Danziger, Ralph Humphrey, Russ mainly to reduce crosstalk
hi-hat stand, and the DTX900 sound module, which fea-
Miller, Gary Novak, Ndugu Chancler, (sounds triggered by playing
tures 1,115 drum/percussion voices and 211 melodic
Chaun Horton, and Chris Vrenna. other pads), which means the sounds taken from Yamaha’s revered Motif synthesizers.

30 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

nal, but the different feels go a long way in set 4 has a gated ’80s vibe, a la Phil Collins, Teachers and students can jam out to
making the DTX950K playing experience and preset 33 is modeled after John eighty-seven internal songs for play-along
as comfortable and familiar as possible. Bonham’s tones on “Bonzo’s Montreux.” practice (three demos, forty-four practice
The KP125W kick pad is a huge The module includes a USB flash port, so songs, and forty pad songs), and each per-
improvement over my DTX IIS kit’s slim you can load in your own sounds. Yamaha formance can be recorded within the
KP65. The new model is super-stable, has also currently offers six free downloadable module so you can listen back and evalu-
a soft but solid feel, and responds exactly kits on its website. These kits add new ate your playing. The Groove Check func-
like an acoustic drum. The three-zone samples and require DIMM memory chips tion is designed to improve timing by
crash and ride cymbal pads also feel pretty (not included) to be installed. displaying how far off your kick, snare,
close to acoustic cymbals. It was very easy The DTX900 incorporates what the hi-hat, or ride is from the click track, and
to execute bell/bow patterns on them, company calls Expanded Articulation, the Rhythm Gate function lets you know
and the improved choke function has a which essentially means that when you when you’ve strayed too far from the click,
less dramatic cutoff that tricked my ears play at different dynamic levels, different by muting voices that are played out of
into thinking that my hand was responsi- samples are triggered. And when you play time. The 1/4" aux in/sampling jack allows
ble for the rounded decay that occurred multiple notes at the same dynamic, the you to plug in your iPod or CD player, so
as my fingers tightened on the pad. module alternates between different sam- you can play along with anything in your
On my DTX IIS kit, the hi-hat controller ples so that the same sample doesn’t play music collection.
involves a stationary cymbal pad with a repeatedly. Again, this is a subtle feature,
moving clutch. The RHHH135 on the but it does a lot to make the kit sound as A HEFTY BUT WORTHWHILE
DTX950K features a moving cymbal and close to the real thing as possible. I was INVESTMENT
clutch, which make it feel more realistic particularly impressed with the improved There’s a lot you can do with the
when you switch from open to closed posi- hi-hat sounds in the DTX900, as well as DTX950K, including a bunch of things we
tions and when you pedal the cymbal with with how well the hi-hat controller react- didn’t get into in this review (sampling,
your foot. All of these player-focused modi- ed to subtle dynamic changes and minor effects processing, stacking and alternat-
fications added up to a playing experience adjustments in pedal tension. ing sounds, and so on). So even though its
that required little adjustment in the move price tag may seem well beyond what
from acoustic to electronic drums. STUDIO AND STUDY you’d normally be willing to spend for a
The DTX950K has several features that drumset, the kit is well worth the invest-
REAL DRUM SAMPLES make it an ideal instrument for the record- ment. You can improve your drumming
The bulk of the drum and cymbal sounds ing or teaching studio. For recording skills by working with the included prac-
in the DTX900 module are created from artists, the DTX900 module includes six tice tools, you can use the set on gigs
multiple samples of Yamaha’s high-end outputs, which allows you to send individ- without feeling as if you’re compromising
acoustic drumkits, including Oak Custom, ual instruments to separate tracks in a sound quality or playability, and you can
Birch Custom Absolute, Maple Custom multitrack recorder. It also has MIDI ports explore your creative side by building
Absolute, Beech Custom Absolute, for controlling external sound sources, your own loops and melodic patterns to
Recording Custom, Hipgig, and several and the USB MIDI out port turns the kit jam to. Plus, if you’re looking to get into
signature snares. Other manufacturers’ into a high-powered MIDI controller that the home studio market, you can be up
drums are included as well, along with a can play VST software instruments such as and running in no time by using the
variety of cymbals from Zildjian, Sabian, BFD2, Superior Drummer 2.0, and DTX950K either to record multiple chan-
and Paiste. All of these samples sounded Addictive Drums, or, for more experimen- nels of audio into a multitrack recorder
very similar to their sources. As with tal options, other non-drum programs. using the included sounds, or to serve
Yamaha acoustic kits, the kick drums were The DTX900 can be used as a remote con- as a high-powered MIDI controller to
my personal favorite voices. Several of the trol to handle start, stop, record, and other track drums in Cubase using your favorite
preset kits are patterned after classic functions within Cubase AI audio/MIDI drum software.
recorded drum sounds. For example, pre- recording software, which is included. dtxperience.com
 EJ DeCoske
by Ken Micallef

ver since the Moody Blues’ her first claim on an acoustic kit, Omar Hakim, KJ Sawka, and

E Graeme Edge concocted

the first electronic drum
performance on a “pop” record—
there’s no denying the mounting
encroachment of the electronic
interface in all styles of music.
MD Pro Panelist Will Calhoun are
among an ever-widening group of
contemporary drummers who are
“Procession,” from 1971’s Every Danny Carey, Sean Reinert, Hal carving their own unique path in
Good Boy Deserves Favour— Blaine, Bill Bruford, Keith Moon, electronic music making. Using
inventors and musicians alike have Nick Mason, Alex Van Halen, Tony gear both old and new, challeng-
searched for the ultimate elec- Verderosa, Bill Rieflin, Akira Jimbo, ing other musicians and them-
tronic percussion sound, and not Mike Portnoy, and many more selves, this ambitious triumvirate
always with an acoustic drumset drummers, both famous and reveals tips, techniques, and per-
as their ultimate sonic goal. While unknown, have pushed electronic haps the way forward. At least
most every drummer stakes his or drumming to the edge. their way forward.

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 33

 the proximity), the drum’s dimensions and material, and many
OMAR HAKIM Know Your Weapon other variables. He can create unheard-of electronic sets

O mar Hakim is a dedicated Roland V-Drums player (includ-

ing cymbal pads), entirely enamored of the electronic rig’s
ability to change drum thinking and methodology. A simple
recorded in totally bizarre situations, or he can replicate an
all-acoustic jazz kit.
“When playing V-Drums in a store [for the first time], you
Internet search reveals videos of Hakim drawing an incredible have no idea how deep the thing really goes,” Omar says. “It’s a
array of sounds from his V-Drums, from traversing purely elec- drummer’s synthesis system. The TD-20 brain houses 600 per-
cussion objects; it also includes an editing platform. Fifty
drumsets live in the ROM, with fifty additional user-enabled
drumsets. There might be a hundred in the new TD-20X. I’ve
programmed sets that I use on my record. I’ve tweaked and
personalized everything. At a certain point, just like keyboard
players, drummers will be able to have a laptop, a Roland sys-
tem, a sampling system—a hybrid system that does everything
in the way a keyboardist has everything on stage.”
Hakim has been playing Roland electronic drums since the
’90s, but how does a less cash-flush drummer find his place? “I
would buy smaller pieces and add a pad to my existing acoustic
kit,” Omar advises. “Start with the Octapad SPD-30, which gives
you percussion and drumset sounds, and add it to your acoustic
set. You can get a triggering device MIDI’ed to your laptop to fire
sounds. There are so many options now, and there’s no right or
wrong way to use any of this stuff.
“Drummers need to understand what they’re trying to
accomplish with an electronic kit versus an acoustic kit,” he
continues. “An electronic kit will never replace an acoustic kit.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Get to a place where you’re excited about the possibilities of a
Pearl Masterworks drums /// Zildjian cymbals /// Roland TD-20 V-Drums
completely different instrument. One day a kid will freak out
tronic terrain worthy of Daft Punk to extracting soul-satisfying the world doing things with electronic drums that we have
thuds a la Levon Helm. Throughout, the drummer displays the never thought of.”
kind of solo wizardry that makes you forget what kind of sur-
face he’s engaging.
“I’ve been playing the V-Drums since they came out,” Hakim WILL CALHOUN Drums=Not Drums
says. “I like the tracking and expressiveness of the instrument.
They record incredibly well; they really respond. But I don’t
look to any of these electronic instruments to ever feel like
“I am not a massive computer freak; I like using analog
boxes,” Will Calhoun says. “I still like to create my
sounds in a tangible way.”
drums, because none of them do. In the past, the ones that got Merging acoustic and electronic sounds organically, Calhoun
the closest were also the noisiest to play. But I treat it philo- works outside the norm. With bassist Doug Wimbish in
sophically, as a keyboard player does: When you’re playing Head>>Fake and in solo performance, Will uses electronics as
most synthesizers, they don’t feel like an acoustic piano.” a means to express genre-expanding concepts. He augments
Hakim takes advantage of the V-Drums’ vast functionality,
tweaking the internal drum sounds to create his personalized
sets. “Based on something called COSM [Composite Object
Sound Modeling], the V-Drums are very different from a sam- MODERN DRUMMER
ple playback device,” he explains. “COSM breaks out each PRO PANEL
MODERN DRUMMER
component that makes up, say, a snare drum into a separate

PRO PANEL
electronic object. You have the drumhead, the shell, the snare
tensioning, the muting of the drum, and the pitch. Each com-
ponent is an electronic object that lives in the ROM of the
device. Once there’s a digital picture of a particular drum,
then you can alter the drumhead.”
Using Roland’s onboard software, Hakim can change the
head, the head tension, the mic recording the head (along with
GET GOOD: ELECTRONICS
acoustic drums with both analog and digital gear, but he through those same effects out of whatever you’re recording
favors analog pedals for their gritty goodness. on. Start taking the effects and sounds that are used to affect
“I’m using stomp and effects boxes to shape the sounds to other types of instruments, and apply them to the drumkit.”
my liking before I do anything live,” Calhoun explains. “I use So how can the enterprising drummer dip his stick into
the electronic waters? “Stop thinking of drums as drums,”
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Calhoun practically demands. “Expand your ears and mind
Mapex Saturn drums /// Sabian cymbals /// ddrum 3 and to listen to sound first, not the instruments, tempo, or style—
ddrum AT /// Synesthesia Mandala pads /// Korg Wavedrum /// just the sounds you’re hearing. Think like a DJ, like an alto
Roland MC-505 Groovebox and SPD-S and SPD-20 pads /// saxophonist…think like a producer.
TC Electronic G-System effects/controller /// Crowther Audio
“Step away from the comfortable wood-metal kick-snare
Prunes & Custard pedal /// Ableton Live /// Looperlative LP1
stereo looper /// DigiTech JamMan looper/phrase sampler /// sound. Think about creating a new personality. Think about
Roland drum triggers /// Hart drum triggers /// Pintech cymbals affecting your sound. When you hear your instrument differ-
ently, you will play it differently. Educate yourself on how to
Ableton Live, but not as much as most. I deal more with blend with a keyboard or a turntable. That will help you
analog boxes so I can shape sound in a concrete fashion, more than you can imagine.
then on stage I have more access to knowing how the boxes “If we drummers can become familiar with the digital
work. Computers have become more reliable over time. sonic language,” Calhoun concludes, “we’ll be able to run a
But if a laptop freezes before or during a performance, touchdown on every play. When drummers have the proper
you’re stuck.” access to augment our sounds, listeners, fellow musicians,
Using the Roland SPD-20 and SPD-S, ddrum 3 and ddrum and the industry will benefit.”
AT, Korg Wavedrum, Synesthesia Mandala pad, DigiTech
JamMan, and Boss Loop Station, Calhoun also augments
his acoustic rig with whammy, delay, and distortion pedals, KJ SAWKA Smashing Electronica
tweaking them to handle drum sounds. “This comes from
my frustration with the drum market,” Will says. “Drummers
should have the same access to sounds as guitar players
C apturing the drum ’n’ bass aesthetic as exemplified in
the music of Squarepusher, Amon Tobin, and Plug, KJ
Sawka plays some of the rawest drums around. And that’s
and keyboard players. We should be able to bastardize our before he adds electronics. On acoustic drumset he creates
drum sounds. I work with classical players and drum ’n’ bass the whirs, delays, effects, and sonic dislocations of electronic
guys and incorporate both experiences into my personal music. Adding an arsenal of devices further broadens his
concepts.”
Calhoun recommends a basic course or research in sound
engineering to get your brain up to speed. Educate your
mind, and your fingers will follow. “You have to hear the fre-
quency of a source,” he says. “You need to know how much
room a hi-hat takes up in a sound page. Then take a sound
and run an XLR cable from a mic to the effects box. Output
that into your speaker, hit the drum, and see what it sounds
like. Try it without an acoustic drum. Take a snare sound
from a keyboard or a drum machine, and run it through
some effects. Start to bastardize the sound. Make it as bad-
sounding as possible, then work your way toward something
interesting. You don’t even have to use any external boxes;
any of today’s drum machines has built-in processing
for you to experiment with on board. My favorite is the
Yamaha RM1x. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
“Understand the dynamic range between the distorted
Tama Starclassic Bubinga drums /// Meinl cymbals /// Akai
sound of an electronic/alternative CD and the clean pop APC40 workstation /// Apple MacBook /// Ableton Mad Beatz
digital mix of a Madonna CD,” Will continues. “That’s how I and Ableton Live /// FXpansion Guru /// Native Instruments
started—taking a sound and completely bastardizing it. Battery and Reaktor /// Korg Electribe SX, Kaoss Pad, and Nano
Then add reverb, delay, distortion, flange—anything to controller /// DigiTech Whammy pedal /// MOTU UltraLite I/O
/// Yamaha MG 10/2 mixer /// M-Audio Trigger Finger ///
make you realize you have a new vocabulary. After you noo-
Roland V-Drums, SPD-20 pad, VH-11 V-Hi-Hat, KD-7 kick trigger,
dle around with a sample, do it with your drumkit. Take a and TMC-6 trigger-to-MIDI converter /// ddrum triggers
track of you playing drums, and loop it. Run that loop
GET GOOD: ELECTRONICS
palette, providing an atmospheric bed for his extremely vis- and turn the knob to scroll through my stored kick sounds.
ceral drumming. “I really try to re-create the drum machine You can assign anything to the controller. It starts the click,
beats of electronic music with an acoustic drumset, simulta- switches keyboard patches—anything.”
neously triggering the actual snare, kick, and hi-hat sounds,” Sawka also extends sounds, loops his drumming, even
Sawka explains from London. “I try to sound as electronic as reverses his drumming, all in the moment, all in real time.
possible. I become the machine.” Is it insane? Yes, it is! “If I want to extend a section using
Employed by Ableton to create the signature Mad Beatz Ableton,” he explains, “I’ll grab loop markers with my knobs
loops and samples package, Sawka sometimes plays his on the controller. I’ll insert loop markers on the fly from bar
acoustic set with his right hand and manipulates electronics 32 to bar 40. That will create an eight-bar loop. I can do
with his left. He kills on acoustic drums, but he’s undoubt- MIDI loops for my kick and snares on the APC40 as well. I
edly trigger-happy. have a MIDI loop-enabled button switched on. The green
“I make a huge bank of sounds, kicks, and snares,” he light shows that the loop is playing, while the loops that are
explains. “That’s what I’m triggering. Then I mix it up like ready to record are shown with a red-lighted button. I just
crazy on the fly. I have the mics on my kick and snare going hit that red button and it begins recording what I’m playing.
through my computer. I can reverse-engineer the acoustic I also have MIDI quantize on, so when I hit the red button
sounds live as well. It’s a combination of triggered sounds again it produces a perfect quantized loop. I can tweak it
and beats from my acoustic drumset, which I then put with effects or change the tempo or fade it out with a low-
through all kinds of processing.” pass filter. It’s endless and insane!
How does Sawka go from chopping and loading samples “I approach it like a band or DJ set,” Sawka adds. “I mix
to performance? “First I multitrack my acoustic drums at 80 the songs together seamlessly. My goal is to smash the crap
bpm in five- to ten-minute segments,” he says. “Then I ramp out of the audience with electronic music.”
up the bpm, 90 to 110 to 200. So I have an enormous amount
of material to chop up in Ableton’s Sampler. I chop all the Our Contributors
beats into four-bar segments. I usually record the beats in Longtime Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun is on a mission
Pro Tools. Then I take all the files and chop them into to expand the drumming-nation mindset. A Berklee School
Ableton. I’ll listen back and start putting markers at every Of Music graduate, the Grammy-winning drummer/composer
has recorded/toured with Jaco Pastorius, Pharoah Sanders, Jack
four bars, finding the best beats. Then I add compression and
DeJohnette, the Allman Brothers, Wayne Shorter, Run-DMC, and Public
EQ, getting all the volume levels correct, and I start mixing Enemy. Calhoun’s solo projects are diverse, from Housework and
like an electronic engineer. I bring the kick and snare forward Drumwave to Head>>Fake, a duo with bassist Doug Wimbish where
and push the cymbals back, like mixing to a club crowd.” sonic exploration is the goal. Calhoun is currently in talks with the
National Geographic Channel to bring his genre-busting Native Lands
Side-chain compression is an important element in repli-
project to a wider audience.
cating the brittle, often hallucinogenic atmospheres of con-
temporary electronic music. “Side-chain compression is Omar Hakim’s consummate skill with funk, jazz, and fusion has
where you turn down the threshold and raise the attack made him a star. A graduate of the New York School Of Music
And Art, Hakim rose to prominence with the jazz-rock masters
time,” Sawka explains. “You put hi-hat or cymbals into the
Weather Report on the influential albums Procession, Domino Theory,
compression chain, so when the kick drum strikes it com- Sportin’ Life, and This Is This. He went on to work with Sting, Dire Straits,
presses all the cymbals. So every time the kick drum hits, the Miles Davis, Chic, David Bowie, and Madonna. In 2000 Hakim released his
cymbals go a little quiet. That makes it sound like the kick second solo CD, The Groovesmith, and he’s now working on his third
album, We Are One. Omar can currently be heard on The Trio Of Oz with
drum is being pushed forward, but actually everything else is pianist Rachel Z, and in an adventurous bluegrass trio with Dobro master
being pushed underneath it. I do that in Ableton. What’s so Jerry Douglas and bassist Viktor Krauss.
great about Ableton is that you can combine effects and cre-
ate your own compressor sounds. And you can remix a tune Seattle native and current London resident KJ Sawka has
updated drum ’n’ bass, breakbeat, trance, and dubstep for
in twenty minutes; you can cut and import audio and import twenty-first-century ears. On his releases Synchronized
any sort of wave form or MP3. It’s very fast.” Decompression, Cyclonic Steel, and Undefined Connectivity, as well as his
In performance, Sawka controls electronics with a push work with the Australian electronic supergroup Pendulum, Sawka consis-
tently surprises, with music that reveals a true renegade soul. Inspired
of his finger on a Korg Nano controller or an Akai APC. He
by Amon Tobin, Squarepusher, Dieselboy, and Boards Of Canada, Sawka
can trigger loops, keyboard sequences, drum sounds, even creates an atmospheric, at times disturbing palette of live drum ’n’ bass
voices and effects. against programmed loops and samples, all while improvising and
“The Korg Nano controller is the size of my laptop,” KJ changing direction at will.
says. “It’s got sliders and buttons and knobs. If I need to
change the kick drum sound, I just reach my finger over
 He keeps the party jumping with one of the biggest
acts in the world. And when the stage goes dark, he’s
still lighting up the industry, producing and writing
platinum records and winning multiple Grammys.

by Stephen Styles

I
n today’s competitive musical envi- hit records by a staggering list of other top
ronment, it’s imperative to set your- acts, including Mariah Carey, Chris Brown,
self apart from the crowd with a Busta Rhymes, Kelis, Mary J. Blige, Ginuwine,
unique sound and skill set. Keith Christina Aguilera, John Legend, and Earth,
Harris’s highly evolved songwriting, Wind & Fire. His work ethic has been repaid
arrangement, sound production, and beat with a global publishing contract, industry
creation abilities make him a perfect fit in awards, and accolades from his peers.
the multi-platinum, genre-busting group Despite all his achievements, Harris
Black Eyed Peas, a band so far ahead of the remains grounded. “If none of this ever hap-
pop-music curve that it seems downright pened,” he insists, “I’d still be playing
incapable of making a wrong move. drums and making music on stage some-
BEP have established themselves as one where and at church on Sunday—because
of the most popular groups of the millenni- first and foremost I love to play. Everything
um by appealing to a diverse fan base with else is secondary. It’s not about the money,
immediately memorable hooks and a larger- and it’s not about the other rewards.”
than-life, celebratory live show. Harris’s Harris might not be in it to reap the
rhythmic command and sonic experimenta- earthly spoils, but he’s surely enjoying a
tion complement the visual and vocal great ride—and preparing for an even bigger
prowess of his bandmates at every turn, step in the journey: Keith and his fiancé,
whether the job at hand is playing a killer BEP choreographer and dancer Brandee
hip-hop beat, a four-on-the-floor dance Stephens, were engaged on New Year’s Eve
groove, or flashes of chopsy brilliance, all 2009, with nuptials scheduled for this
while intelligently and soulfully mixing and spring. In the midst of closing on a new
matching acoustic and electronic sounds on home, traveling the globe with BEP behind
a massive, ultra-sophisticated hybrid kit. the band’s latest mega-hit, The Beginning,
And somehow, despite the Peas’ seemingly and squeezing recording dates into his hec-
nonstop workload, Harris has managed to tic schedule, Harris sat down with Modern
apply his playing, writing, and producing Drummer to talk about his passion for
skills—he graduated from Berklee with a drumming, his approach to production,
degree in production and engineering—to and his future.

40 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

Will Hawkins
 MD: First off, congratulations on your Keith: I think like a vocalist when I not paying attention, I’ll miss that
Grammy wins for your last album, play. From my training and growing moment. He’ll be moving, but without
The E.N.D. up in church, I always think about those hits on the drums it won’t trans-
Keith: Thank you. I’m excited about what’s going on around me. I also late to the crowd the same way, and
the awards and the fact that we were think I’m a good guy to play with in a he’ll be shooting me that dirty look,
able to perform at the show. The band setting. Instead of thinking like, Dude, what’s up!
Grammy stage is pretty much the drums first, I tend to think of the over- My attention to detail sets me apart
biggest in the music industry, so it was all band sound and how I can enhance too. When you listen to James Brown
incredible to perform there and to be it without getting in the way. and all those old-school records, you
recognized by all of our peers in the When I’m playing BEP shows, I have realize it’s not about chopping. It’s
business. Just being nominated is a to constantly watch what’s going on about making people feel good and

Will Hawkins

dream come true. To actually sit in the up front. There’s no time to be giving the song energy. You can play
audience and hear your work named focused on trying to play what I’m just 2 and 4 with the right energy and
as the winner...it’s huge, and I feel feeling; I have to play what’s needed. have it rockin’. That’s more important
really blessed. For example, when Will.i.am is rap- to me than how many notes I can hit
MD: The Black Eyed Peas gig is unique ping, he might move his hands in a within one beat.
in a number of ways. What traits make certain rhythm that he wants to play MD: You’ve contributed production
you a good fit for the group? that matches what he’s saying. If I’m and writing to records with BEP and

42 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

other major artists, which isn’t so com- set, I began to sneak the acoustic dynamics with electronic drums,
mon for drummers. How did you tran- drums and cymbals into the kit more because every time you hit an elec-
sition from playing drums to working and more. It started out with just a tronic drum, it’s either loud or soft, but
as a writer and producer? snare and two toms. When Will didn’t there’s no natural change in pitch.
Keith: It was always one of my goals to notice or say anything, I told my tech, When you hit an acoustic drum, it
be known as a producer in addition to “Hurry up and let’s add a couple more.” responds to the way you hit it. The
being known as a drummer. In the first [laughs] Some of those songs would harder you hit it, the higher the pitch
five years with BEP, I was able to learn have been a drag to play on electronic sounds, and you can feel the drum
how to make hit records from Will.i.am pads, because the feel just isn’t the respond to the way you’re playing it.
and the rest of the guys on tour. It same. It’s even better now, because we Electronic drums have come a long
started by just being around and hang- recently added a small kick drum. My way, but the feel still doesn’t compare.
ing out. I made myself available. area on stage is really tight, so Tama MD: What kinds of adjustments do you
One of the things that help us work made me a custom kick drum. It’s have to make as you switch between
together so well is that Will can 12x18 and sounds amazing. I feel like the acoustic and electronic drums?
describe pretty much any musical idea I’ve got a real drumset now. [laughs] Keith: The biggest thing is just getting
and I can usually decipher and execute MD: What differences have you accustomed to playing on the different
it quickly. Sometimes what he’ll sing noticed in playing electronic versus surfaces. A real drumhead has a very
will sound a little weird, but that’s acoustic drums? different feel from a mesh head.
where all my classical training comes Keith: Dynamics. It’s harder to play Playing electronic drums, you don’t
into play. I might take the chords to a
song and play them backwards to get

Sayre Berman
the sound we’re looking for. People 2
respect the fact that I have the training aa
to get the job done, and they feel com- 3
4
fortable that working with me will give dd cc
them a good result. When Will needs
string or horn arrangements, some- bb
D
C
times he calls me. I’ll play the stuff on B gg
the keyboard and have someone tran- ee
gg dd
scribe it. And being a part of the cre-
1 A
ative process makes a big difference hh
ff
when we take the songs to the stage.
MD: Speaking of the stage, you’ve got ee
quite an interesting setup. How has
your kit evolved?
Keith: It’s funny how this kit came
together. My tech and I started building Drums: Tama Starclassic Bubinga Elite in Electronics:
it through trial and error until we came “indigo titanium racing stripe” finish aa. 13" Pintech VisuLite cymbal
up with what we have now. Because A. 7x13 snare with Pintech Trigger bb. 13" Pintech VisuLite hi-hats
The E.N.D. was so dance oriented and Perfect snare trigger cc. 16" Pintech VisuLite cymbal
B. 7x8 tom dd. Roland SPD-S
all the drum sounds were programmed,
C. 7x10 tom ee. Pintech 12" Concert Cast pad
I had to take a different approach. For a D. 9x12 tom ff. Pintech 12" Concert Cast kick pad
long time I’ve been using the ddrum 4 Not shown: 12x18 bass drum gg. Pintech DB 12 Dingbat trigger
brain, which has some amazing hh. Pintech K-3 Ergokik trigger
acoustic sounds. For the songs that Cymbals: Sabian Not shown: ddrum 4 SE module
1. 12" custom hi-hats
have electronic sounds, I’d sample
2. 12" HHX Legacy splash Mics: Shure Beta 98 (on toms and cym-
them from the record, put them in the 3. 16" Vault Artisan crash bals), SM57 (two on snare), SM81 (on hi-
brain, and assign them to pads. 4. 18" Vault Artisan crash hats), and SM91 (inside bass drum)
On previous tours I had a full Not shown: HHX Legacy crash
acoustic kit, with triggers, pads, and Heads: Remo coated Ambassador snare
Hardware: Tama, including Power Tower batter, clear Emperor tom batters and
accessories. When we first started
rack, Iron Cobra single and double bass clear Ambassador bottoms, and clear
preparing to tour for The E.N.D., drum pedals, Iron Cobra hi-hat stand, and Powerstroke 3 bass drum batter
Will.i.am was like, “I don’t want to see 1st Chair Ergo-Rider throne
any acoustic drums.” So it started off Sticks: Pro-Mark 3AL Keith Harris
all electronics. But as we started Autograph model
adding some of the older songs to the

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 43

 KEITH HARRIS
have to hit the head as hard; turn down Keith: The good thing is that in high up, just as a result of doing a hundred-
the threshold and you can just tap it. school and at Berklee I spent a lot of show tour. A trigger might misfire, or a
Once I got the acoustic snare and toms time working on playing polyrhythms pad might give out. Things like that
back in the kit, I had to start whaling and different coordination exercises. just come from normal wear and tear.
again like I used to. Another interesting So it was just a matter of getting my One funny thing happened when we
technique challenge came from the body used to doing all that stuff again. played the Montreux Jazz Festival. This
fact that I have to stand up to play It didn’t really take long, because my was early in the tour, before I had any
the Roland SPD pads on a couple of muscle memory was already pro- acoustic stuff in the kit. We were on
tunes. I have to play bass drum parts grammed for it. It was just a matter of stage and the power died. It wasn’t the
with my left hand and hi-hat and dusting it off and using it again. kit—it was an electrical problem. I was
snare with my right. MD: What kinds of technical chal- like, “Bet this wouldn’t have been a
MD: Did it take lots of practice to get all lenges have you had with your setup? problem if you let me have real drums
that coordination down comfortably? Keith: There are little things that pop up here.” [laughs]
MD: What’s the rehearsal process
when the group is getting ready
to tour?
Keith: We rehearsed for about two
weeks before we started this tour, to
work out all the playback stuff and get
transitions down. The first few shows
were the real rehearsals, because the
guys up front don’t really come to
rehearsal. We just tweaked things from
night to night for the first few shows
until everything was just right.
MD: How often do you get to stretch
out on this current tour?
Keith: I really don’t get to stretch
much at all now. On earlier tours,
we’d be going so hard that by the time
I stepped off the stage, my clothes
would be drenched. But my playing
now is much more laid-back because
the last two albums are so dance ori-
ented. Most nights I barely even break
a sweat. [laughs]
MD: Do you ever miss chopping out on
the drums?
Keith: Yes and no. I miss it because it’s
the ultimate form of expression for us
as drummers. It’s so much fun to be
able to sit on the drums and play
everything that comes into your mind
and be able to facilitate that. That’s the
awesome part of playing chops. I look
back on my earlier days, and I know
that I’ve proven myself and my ability
on the drums. If I need to blaze up, I
can blaze up. [laughs] But it’s not
about “battle drumming” now for me,
like it was twenty years ago. The
mature drummer in me is cool on that.
I can leave it to some of the younger
guys and let them inspire me to want to
go back and do some of that. I definitely

44 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

KEITH HARRIS
miss playing the instrument like I used engineer at Richard “Younglord” Eyed Peas’ musical director. He called
to, but my job these days is first and Frierson’s studio in Brooklyn. I’d com- me to do a one-off gig at B.B. King’s for
foremost to make people dance, so mute to Boston on the weekends, do a group called Star 69, and we stayed in
that’s what I focus on. the Felix Brown hits anywhere we contact. A short time later, Printz
MD: Let’s talk about your playing might have been booked in New called me for the Black Eyed Peas gig.
experiences before the Black Eyed England, and then head to church for MD: It must have been a grind, going
Peas. How did you build your career Sunday-morning service. I kept that up from Brooklyn to Boston every week.
from being a gigging drummer to hav- for almost three years. Keith: It definitely was. It got worse
ing one of the biggest pop gigs around? In New York I would get out as much because I ended up having to go up on
Keith: While I was in Boston, I worked as possible to open-mic events and Wednesdays to play for Bible study.
in a cover band called Felix Brown. I jam sessions. Through sitting in at a But I just did what I had to do. It’s like
was also playing keys at a church. After weekly jam session, I ended up being four hours from Brooklyn to Boston,
I moved to New York, I still had both of invited to join the house band, which and I did that twice a week for three
those gigs while also working as an led to meeting Printz Board, the Black years and was always on time and
didn’t call off. I think that’s part of the
reason why I don’t have much
patience when people say things like,
“It’s too far…I can’t do it.” I can’t really
relate to that. I think a lot of players are
too focused on getting things the easy
way, or making music so they can
make money. Don’t get me wrong, I
believe in getting paid. But I honestly
don’t remember what I was paid for
that Star 69 gig. I didn’t even ask how
much money was being offered. I did
the gig because I’m a musician and I’m
passionate about my craft. And by
doing that gig, I ended up getting this
gig with the Peas. I always felt like if I
was faithful to my craft and the things I
gave my word that I’d do, God would
honor that.
A lot of things from that period—
driving back and forth on Felix Brown
gigs, playing for the church—helped
prepare me for this gig. I learned to
control my sleep, to function and per-
form even when I was tired, to deal
with being cramped up in small spaces
with a group of people, to deal with a
lot of different personalities….
MD: What do you think are the most
important elements of being a success-
ful drummer?
Keith: You have to be really proficient
at your instrument. You have to be
able to retain a lot of music and ideas
quickly. And you have to be a cool
person. I know some killer players
whose spirit isn’t right. Most band-
leaders would rather have a guy that’s
just decent as a player but has the right
attitude than a guy who’s a great player
but has attitude problems. Even if you
have legitimate complaints, try not to
show it on the gig. Those kind of things
spread like a virus.
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 KEITH HARRIS
Another thing is keeping your dated by what someone else is doing. niche. You want to have something in
appearance together. You have to look Also, you have to be where the things your sound that’s unique to you, so
the part, which means having a youth- you want to do are happening. If you when people want that sound, they
ful disposition and not being extremely want to be a Broadway dancer, you have to come to you to get it. It’s
overweight. The music business has can’t live in Ohio. It’s okay to start important to be very proficient on your
become very visual, and that’s a part of there, but at some point you’ve got to instrument and know how to play dif-
the job now. It’s just the harsh reality. relocate to New York City. Same thing ferent styles authentically, because you
Drummers need to expand the net- in the music business. need to have the facilities to do what-
work of people they know as well. You MD: For drummers who aspire to be ever job you’re called for. But depend-
should be open to getting to know peo- session players, do you feel it’s better ing on the sound that’s needed, certain
ple who know more than you and are to be a jack of all trades or to focus on guys with a particular niche will always
better connected or doing bigger having a niche? get called if that’s their thing. For
things than you are. Don’t be intimi- Keith: I think it’s better to have a example, Questlove is known for hav-
ing that grooving pocket, so you
wouldn’t necessarily call him to do a
Dennis Chambers type of record. He’s
not known for getting on the drums to
blaze. But when people want that infa-
mous slamming hip-hop groove, they
go to him.
MD: With such a hectic touring and
producing schedule and all the success
you’ve had, how do you stay centered?
Keith: I’m a big believer in having faith
and being true to where I came from. I
have so much faith in God and myself,
and I think that’s what helped me get
to where I am. I studied music by going
to a performing arts high school and
then Berklee, and I worked hard at
developing myself and my craft—not
for the money, but because I love
music. All of the other things, like
having a nice house, are secondary
to the fact that I love to play drums.
Experiencing all of the travel and see-
ing the world, it humbles me. It keeps
me grounded because I know I can’t
take it for granted. The next guy right
down the street could easily come in
and take my gig if I’m not on top of
what I need to do or I get a big head.
I think back on all the sacrifices my
mother and family made to help me
pursue my dream. There are so many
people in my life that contributed to
my growth and gave me a boost. I feel
like if I’m not successful, I’ll be letting
them down. All of those things, and
constantly thanking God for being
able to be here, help me stay centered.
I mean, who would have thought
when I was in high school that I’d be
interviewed for the cover of Modern
Drummer? It’s awesome beyond awe-
some, and knowing that I can’t take it

48 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

KEITH HARRIS KEITH ON RECORD
for granted keeps me focused. AS DRUMMER: Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business, The E.N.D. /// Christina
My life experience isn’t about me. Aguilera Back To Basics /// Macy Gray Big /// Earth, Wind & Fire Illumination ///
Ricky Martin Life
It’s about sharing this experience with
someone else. I’ve been all over the AS PRODUCER: Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (“Imma Be,” “Meet Me Halfway,” “Ring-
world, on and off planes and buses, A-Ling”) /// Chrisette Michele I Am (“Be OK”) /// Jully Black Revival /// Michael
and we’ve been kept safe and never Jackson Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition (“The Girl Is Mine,” “P.Y.T.”) /// Busta
had any major incidents or problems. Rhymes The Big Bang (“I Love My Chick”) /// Fergie The Dutchess (“All That I Got,”
“Close To You”) /// Kelis Kelis Was Here (“Till The Wheels Fall Off”) /// Black Eyed Peas
God’s been looking out for me, and I Monkey Business (“Dum Diddly”) /// Ginuwine Back II Da Basics (“The Club”)
thank Him every day.
MD: You’re planning to get married. AS WRITER: Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (“Out Of My Head,” “Where Ya Wanna Go”),
How does your relationship impact Monkey Business (“Bend Your Back”) /// Chrisette Michele I Am (“Let’s Rock”) ///
your music making? Do you plan to Mariah Carey E=MC2 (“Heat”) /// Estelle Shine (“American Boy”) /// Chris Brown
Exclusive (“Picture Perfect”) /// Nicole Scherzinger Her Name Is Nicole (“Baby Love”)
retire from the road? /// Will.i.am Songs About Girls (“Impatient,” “Fly Girl”) /// Kelis Kelis Was Here
Keith: It’s really cool that my fiancé is a (“Weekend”) /// Mary J. Blige The Breakthrough (“About You”) /// Fergie Poseidon
dancer and we work together with soundtrack (“Won’t Let You Fall”)
BEP, because she understands the
industry. And she helps me sometimes the road. I think every musician who had so many great experiences that if
creatively. When I’m working on a beat has a desire to produce wants to even- I had to hang up my hat right now, I
or a new piece of music, if it doesn’t tually come off the road, but I still could look back on this time and be
make her dance right away, I know it’s really enjoy touring. good. But I’m looking forward to grow-
wack. We actually see each other more MD: With everything you’ve done as a ing even more. And I definitely look
when we’re out than when we’re at producer and drummer, do you have forward to building more of my credits
home, because I’m always in the stu- more dreams for the future? as a producer. My dream now is to
dio and she has other projects that she Keith: Yes, to become the next Quincy continue touring, build on my produc-
works on when we’re not traveling. I Jones! [laughs] I’ve been with the Black tion and writing work, and get set up to
definitely want to start a family some- Eyed Peas for seven years, and I love start a family.
day, but I’m cool right now being on this gig. We’re still going strong. I’ve
52 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011
Shakira’s longtime drummer
is the epitome of the super-contemporary musician:
He understands all the intricacies of electronic
programming, and he has the chops and groove
to squeeze the most out of it.

Story by Ken Micallef • Photos by Rahav

s the drummer for the record-breaking Colombian superstar

A Shakira since the late ’90s, Brendan Buckley possesses an

intelligence and a massive groove that shine on all manner of
sources. When Shakira shakes her booty to some major cumbia
throwdown, Buckley backs her with cajon, doumbek, and
Argentine bombo legüero. When she’s revisiting the Latin rock
that made her famous, Buckley goes au naturel, pounding a big,
groovy beat on his DW kit. But it’s when la senorita demands it
all that Buckley truly raises his game. By incorporating Roland
V-Drums and Octapad and various triggers and computer
brains into his acoustic kit, Buckley can match the power of
any programmer or DJ with a flick of the wrist, igniting a
variety of sounds, loops, and effects.
Besides appearing on nearly every Shakira album
since 1998’s D ó n d e E s t á n Lo s La d ro n e s ?, Buckley has
recorded with DMX, Lauryn Hill, Gloria Estefan, and
Julio Iglesias Jr., among many others. Truly a twenty-
first-century drummer, Brendan successfully blurs the
line between electronic and acoustic sounds and
feels, mirroring contemporary music’s growing con-
nection to all things electro, virtual, and computer
controlled. Here, the drummer details the tools
and approaches he uses to bring to life the myriad
cutting-edge sounds found on some of the most
effective pop music of the modern age.
 2 4

3 C 6
1 5

B F
A
D
E

MD: Shakira’s single “She Wolf” recalls

the programmed sounds of Daft Punk
or Mouse On Mars. Can you break
down the process of sampling the BRENDAN’S SHAKIRA SETUP
recorded track and applying it to your
Drums: DW clear acrylic tal recorder; Apple 13" MacBook Pro lap-
Roland V-Drums? A. 6x10 Pacific Blackout snare tops and Logic Pro 9 software; Native
Brendan: First, I get the Pro Tools B. 61/2x14 Pacific Ace snare Instruments Battery 3; Digidesign Pro Tools
sessions from the recording engineer C. 8x12 tom LE 8; Bias Peak LE 6; Furman PL-Plus C
and isolate all the programmed drum D. 12x14 floor tom power conditioner; MOTU UltraLite-mk3
E. 14x16 floor tom audio interfaces; Glyph GT 050Q hard
machine parts. With “She Wolf” I
F. 16x22 bass drum drives; Radial SW8 Auto-Switcher; MIDI
started by grabbing the numerous Solutions channel splitter; Future Sonics
kick drums, sampling them, cutting Hardware: DW Super Rack, 5000 series in-ear monitors
them up, and naming them: verse pedals, and 9000 series stands
bass drum, chorus bass drum…. Then Sticks: Vic Firth 5AB wood-tip sticks, SGWB
Cymbals: Sabian Steve Gadd wire brushes, T1 timpani mal-
I did the same with the snare drums:
1. 17" AAX Studio crash, 16" AAX Chinese, lets, and TW12 Tala Wands
pre-chorus snare, bridge snare. I did and 8" B8 Pro splash (stacked)
that with every drum and cymbal so I 2. 18" AA El Sabor crash (brilliant finish) Percussion: LP Matador bongos, cajon,
could keep track of where they go in 3. 14" HHX Groove Hats and mounted brass Cyclops tambourine;
the song arrangement. 4. 19" Vault crash (brilliant finish) Remo 9" doumbek and 9" riq; Argentine
5. 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry ride bombo legüero
Next, I put them into my software
6. 19" HHX X-Treme crash (brilliant finish)
sampler, Battery 3, on my Apple Buckley often places an 8" HH splash Heads: Remo coated Ambassador snare
MacBook Pro. When I create kits in my and a 14" El Rayo on his snares for batters, clear Emperor tom batters and
laptop, I like to name them after each special effects, and he uses a clear Ambassador bottoms, and clear
song. So for “She Wolf,” I sampled 40" Chinese gong. Powerstroke 3 bass drum batter and clear
Ambassador front head
each drum part, the kicks, claps,
Electronics: Roland Octapad SPD-30, TD-
sound effects, and reverse cymbal 20SX V-Drums kit, KD-7 kick trigger, DB-90 Accessories: PureSound snare wires and
metronome, and Edirol R-09 portable digi- Speedball beaters

54 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

swells, and put them into a one-page
RECORDINGS
drumset on my software sampler and
Volumen Cero I Can See The Brite Spot /// Fulano De Tal Individual /// Michael
named it “She Wolf Drumset.” Then Miller I Made You Up /// Pedestrian Ghostly Life /// Beto Cuevas Miedo Escénico ///
I plugged the laptop into my Roland Shakira Laundry Service, Dónde Están Los Ladrones?, MTV Unplugged, Oral Fixation
V-Drums electronic drumset and Tour (DVD), Live And Off The Record (DVD)
assigned the sounds to different trigger
FAVORITES
pads. I put the kick sound on one
The Cure The Head On The Door (Boris Williams) /// The Police Ghost In The Machine
pedal, the snare on a pad, etc. (Stewart Copeland) /// Michael Landau Live 2000 (Toss Panos) /// Led Zeppelin Led
From there I started practicing the Zeppelin II (John Bonham) /// Pat Metheny Trio 99-00 (Bill Stewart) /// Nine Inch
song with that setup and fine-tuning Nails The Fragile (Jerome Dillon, Bill Rieflin) /// Brian Blade Fellowship Perceptual
the dynamics to make sure the levels (Brian Blade) /// Tori Amos Scarlet’s Walk (Matt Chamberlain) /// Chick Corea Friends
(Steve Gadd) /// Shawn Colvin A Few Small Repairs (Shawn Pelton)
sounded realistic to my ears. If you’re
a drummer and you’re used to an
acoustic kick and snare drum being at Brendan: I’ve integrated small trigger slap, and a bunch of different snare
a certain volume, you’ll want to make pads throughout my five-piece samples, they’re all there in one spot.
the electronic drums sound that way acoustic drumset. I have two Roland The Octapad is a compact way to cover
too, so they feel exciting to play live. At pads next to my rack tom, two above a lot of sounds.
that point the band can go from a rock my floor toms, one to the left of my hi- MD: Why do you use V-Drums, as
approach to an electronic approach hat. However, there are some songs opposed to another e-kit?
because I have both options available. I with multiple snare drum samples, Brendan: The Roland KD-140 V-Kick
have all the sounds pumping out of the claps, and booms, and if I’m running feels great, which is a weird thing to
PA in the rehearsal room at a high vol- out of pads I’ll use a Roland Octapad say, but it’s true. The thud feels like a
ume, so [the band] doesn’t even notice just above the mini snare to the left of real acoustic bass drum. Their elec-
when I’m switching back and forth my hi-hat. That gives me eight more tronic hi-hat responds like a real hi-
between acoustic and electronic kits. trigger pads within a very small space. hat, and it gets all those in-between
MD: In one Shakira video you play an If I’m playing a groove and I need to hit notes. And I really like the libraries
Octapad within your acoustic setup. a rimclick, a tambourine, a boom, a inside their sound modules and the
BRENDAN BUCKLEY
way you can manipulate them. If you select a snare drum,
it will ask what type of shell you want, be it wood or metal,
what depth, what diameter, what kind of head…. The para-
meters seem endless.
MD: What software do you use in the MacBook to store
and assign samples to the Roland pads?
Brendan: After I get the Pro Tools sessions, I isolate the
drum and percussion tracks and import them into Bias
Peak, a two-track editing program that allows me to chop
up and edit the parts and name them clearly. I put together
a folder of all the edited drum sounds and load them into
the software sampler, Battery 3. That program has just one
page, with a tic-tac-toe design of rectangles. You just drag
the drum sounds into the empty boxes. You can click on
the screen with your mouse and hear the sounds as if
you’re playing the rubber pads of a drum machine. Then I
plug the laptop into my V-Drums set and assign the indi-
vidual squares to trigger pads. You just route them.
MD: How do you apply a particular sample to a specific
part of the arrangement?
Brendan: When you play the V-Drums, what you’re really
hearing is all the sounds that are stored in that black box
attached to the kit. With my current setup, I’m actually
bypassing the library in that box and using my own custom
sounds stored in Battery 3 on my laptop.
MD: Is there a virtual mixer in the laptop, or is that where
Logic or Pro Tools comes in?
Brendan: The mixer is inside Battery 3. It lets you cus-
tomize all the sounds. If you think the snare drum is too
loud, that’s where you would lower the volume or make
other adjustments. You can EQ it if there’s too much low
or high end, or you can add effects, like delays for that
reggae rimshot. You can do anything you would do with
a regular mixer.
MD: How do you create loops to play live?
Brendan: In the studio, Shakira might want to try a song
three different ways—say, an acoustic rock vibe, an elec-
tronic programming approach, and unplugged with
brushes or bongos. The engineer and I will work up differ-
ent versions. Maybe I’ll record the acoustic drums first,
then pull out my laptop, open up Logic Pro, and look for
kick samples, snare drums, and percussion sounds that I
find interesting. Then I’ll program different patterns and
add them to the main Pro Tools session. Finally, I’ll do a
version playing soft brushes and hand percussion. That
gives me three different approaches. When Shakira comes
back, we play her A, B, and C. I consider it my job to cover
all the possibilities regarding drums and percussion.
MD: How do you replicate these loops live?
Brendan: Normally I resample all the sounds I’ve used, put
them into Battery 3, and replay the electronic drum parts.
Or, if there are acoustic and electronic drums happening
simultaneously, I’ll put the loops inside a sequencing pro-
gram like Digital Performer. I’ll make a session, find the
correct bpm, line up all the loops, pick a starting point, and
push play; the click brings me in, and I start playing
BRENDAN BUCKLEY
acoustic drums over the loops. As long track to play with Shakira? catch everything.
as I have the click and the loops in my Brendan: Probably “La Tortura,” MD: What advice can you give to drum-
in-ear monitors, I can lock with them. because of the number of rhythms I mers just getting started in the world
MD: What do you do if disaster strikes have to play. In that song there’s so of electronics?
the electronics? much odd programming that I have to Brendan: If you want to experiment
Brendan: My tech and I are pretty replicate live. The coordination is with sounds and triggering, I recom-
nerdy with triple checking, and we have strange. I had to come up with a way to mend something affordable, like the
backup plans for everything. On the play where I’m playing the bass drum Roland SPD-S. It samples and has an
previous Shakira tour, with an older with my right foot and then playing it internal sound library; it will get you
setup, I remember two shows in a row with my left hand on a pad, and I’m used to the idea of having electronics
where the gear quit at the same spot. playing the snare drum with my right integrated into your acoustic kit. If you
During the song “La Tortura,” every- hand and then my left hand. That was a want to get into programming or pro-
thing just froze. Now I basically have challenge, but once I got it, it became duction, get a laptop, but I don’t think
two of everything on stage—almost a fun to play. you necessarily need that for live per-
duplicate setup—and a button that Another one is “Intuicion.” There are formance. You really have to do some
switches between the two setups. If for two different bass drum sounds, so my serious maintenance to make sure it
some reason the A system shuts down, right foot is hitting different pedals on works properly. So I’d recommend a
I push a button and it engages the B the floor, jumping back and forth. I metronome and a drum machine or a
system. I have a MIDI splitter that play these ’80s synth tom fills that are simple sampling device. Roland’s
comes out of the Octapad and Roland far off to my left side, and I switch to HandSonic pad is good too. But you
TD-20, which sends a pair of MIDI the real snare and hi-hats for the cho- can start with an SPD-S. I still use it
cables into the MOTU UltraLites, two ruses. I’m twisting at the waist 180 when I don’t want to bring all my gear.
devices that allow the Roland gear to degrees and doing yoga splits with my It does so much, and sometimes it’s
talk to the two MacBooks. legs. [laughs] I tried to simplify it, but all I need.
MD: What’s the most difficult electronic that turned out to be the only way to
 ZACH DANZIGER
And MARK GUILIANA

Paul La Raia
Two of the most knowledgeable and accomplished acoustic
drummers around have immersed themselves in the world of
electronics—with revelatory results. by Michael Dawson

T he parallels between the careers

of the New York City drummers
Zach Danziger and Mark Guiliana are
electro-groove recording with key-
boardist Jason Lindner (Now Vs. Now),
and dates with Guiliana’s own impro-
release, Plastic Temptation, Zach pulls
double duty: He lays down some
inspired live performances on the kit,
uncanny. Danziger quickly rose to visational groove project, Beat Music. and he also handled much of the post-
prominence in the mid-’90s, when he Danziger took a similar path back production, which involved dropping
was touted as the next big thing after when he left Krantz’s band and began in layers of synthetic sounds, glitchy
blowing everybody away with his dar- exploring a new musical genre that loops, and samples. Danziger is cur-
ing Weckl/Vinnie-inspired rhythmic was just taking hold in New York City rently working on another trio project,
inventions on two hugely influential nightclubs in the mid-’90s. “I was in a Mister Barrington, which features
albums with the modern fusion gui- rut musically,” Zach says. “But when Roots bassist Owen Biddle and key-
tarist Wayne Krantz, Long To Be Loose my friend [and MD contributor] Ken boardist Oli Rockberger.
and 2 Drink Minimum. Micallef gave me a compilation cas- Over the past couple of years,
About a decade later, Guiliana burst sette of some drum ’n’ bass stuff, I Danziger and Guiliana have become
onto the scene as the fresh face in went nuts for it.” The drummer even- good friends, often getting together at
Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen’s new tually put together his own group, Danziger’s downtown New York stu-
band, a drum chair previously owned Boomish, which combined elements dio to shed and share production
by modern jazz great Jeff Ballard. of jungle, drum ’n’ bass, breakbeat, ideas. They’ve even played a few gigs
Guiliana’s recorded output with hip-hop, jazz, and funk with a cheeky together, and Zach is helping to put
Cohen—2003’s Lyla, 2005’s At Home, sense of humor and a slightly absurd the finishing touches on Mark’s next
2006’s Continuo, and 2008’s Gently variety-show-style live presentation. solo album.
Disturbed—showcase not only the These days Danziger splits his time There’s a clear mutual respect
drummer’s deft improvisational skills composing and playing drums for between the two artists. “When I first
in acoustic jazz, but also the ever- major motion picture soundtracks, started checking out electronic music,
expanding aesthetic that would ulti- like Alvin And The Chipmunks, Ocean’s it was really intimidating,” Guiliana
mately lead Mark to part ways with 13, and Sex And The City, while also says. “I didn’t see a connection
Cohen in 2009 so he could pursue leaving room for noncommercial, between that and actual performing.
other interests that extended beyond experimental projects such as the col- But when I saw Zach with Boomish,
the jazz idiom. These new endeavors laborative instrumental trio Bedrock that became my bridge to understand-
included gigs with the genre-bending with keyboardist Uri Caine and bassist ing how it could be done.”
bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, a funky Tim Lefebvre. On the group’s latest For Danziger, Guiliana’s unique

60 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

approach to the drums was equally on a one-bar beat for ten minutes at a the style of [hip-hop producer]
invigorating. “Several people kept time. It’s that commitment to parts Timbaland. Me and a buddy whipped
telling me to check Mark out,” he says. that makes the genre unique. It’s more up something and handed it in with
“So I went to see him at Rockwood about the consistency of sound and full confidence that we had nailed it.
Music Hall, and I was amazed. He energy than all this drum stuff. But they didn’t like it at all. To them it
played in the way that I like to hear Zach: The stuff I really liked—and was completely wrong. What we didn’t
things. If I were to get sick or some- thought I could pull off—was known as catch from Timbaland’s beats was
thing and couldn’t make a gig, Mark hard-step drum ’n’ bass, which always that, no matter what, there needs to be
would be the first guy I would call.” had the kick somewhere around 1 and a snare on 2 and 4. We had pro-
Because of their shared infatuation 3 and the snare on 2 and 4. The snare grammed this broken-up double-time
with electronic music, we decided to would be an anvil or something, and thing, because that’s what we thought
sit down with the two kindred spirits the kick would be something ridicu- Timbaland’s style was all about, but we
during one of their hangs, to talk about lous, but the rhythms weren’t really totally avoided the backbeat. We didn’t
how their experiments with electronica broken up like they are with Aphex know. I had to go through that process
have influenced the way they think Twin or Squarepusher. That stuff is of thinking I knew what was going on
about drums and music. known as intelligent drum ’n’ bass. before I could really figure it out.
The version that was hitting the dance There’s a very fine line between
MD: Zach, you’ve explained how floors in New York had very straight authentic and not. It’s not always what
checking out drum ’n’ bass helped beats, even though the tempos were at or even how you’re playing. So much
bring you out of a musical rut back in
the ’90s. So, Mark, what was it about “There’s a difference between the guys who have
electronica that drew you in? explored electronic music and understand it and
Mark: I started playing drums because
of MTV and Nirvana, but when I dis- the guys who don’t. Learning to program drums will
covered jazz I submerged myself in help you understand the music first.” —Danziger
that. I loved how jazz allowed for so
much room to play in the spur of the 160 or 170 bpm. That’s what I enjoyed of it is the sonics. Many groove legends
moment. But when I heard electronica, the most—Ed Rush & Optical, Dillinja, have made records where your ear
something about the discipline in that and Adam F. And that’s the stuff I interprets it as if it’s not grooving. It
music was very appealing to me. It was thought I could handle playing live could have been something as simple
almost the antithesis of the freedom without falling on my face. as having too many room mics in the
in jazz. Now my goal is to bring the MD: How has studying electronica mix, or maybe they were playing on a
discipline of electronic music to every affected your approach to the drumset? strange kit that day, but it’s the same
situation I’m in, combined with the Mark: It helped me to understand the basic data. Studying electronic music
improvisational factor. The balance of concept of the grid more clearly. It was taught me that you have to think as a
those two can be very powerful. never my intention to develop a strict producer and not just as a player. Even
MD: When you first got into electronic quantized feeling in my playing, but if if you’re playing the right beat, it could
music, were you interested in learning there was a part in a song that could sound great or it could sound terrible,
how to program beats, or was it your benefit from that type of approach, I all because of these outside factors.
goal to replicate it in a live setting? was familiar enough with the concept MD: Do you think about sound first,
Zach: It took years before I would let to get close, whether my execution was before considering what you’re actually
myself even try to play this stuff live. perfect or not. going to play on the drums?
To this day, I don’t want that to be my MD: How did you figure out how to Zach: Always.
approach. I program stuff because I play the complex beds of rhythm in a Mark: Just the other day we were lis-
want it to sound artificial. I want the drum ’n’ bass track on the drumset? tening to a track that had a saxophone
drums to sound fake, and I want the Mark: I tried to find the basic underly- with way too much reverb on it. There
performance and timing to be unreal- ing groove, where the main kick and was nothing wrong with what he was
istic. Some drummers used jungle and snare beats landed. There’s so much playing, but that ’80s smooth-jazz
drum ’n’ bass as an excuse to play information in a Squarepusher tune treatment made the track less enjoy-
fusion licks. But there’s a difference that it can sound intimidating, but able for me. It was a distraction.
between the guys who have explored there’s usually something that he’s Zach: It can work the other way too.
this music and understand it and the holding on to that creates a sort of Maybe you’ve been asked to play
guys who don’t. Learning to program clave that runs throughout. I would something that sounds dated, but what
drums will help you understand the play that rhythm along with the record, you’ve recorded is a little too hip.
music first. while taking in all the other informa- Throw a little cheesy reverb on it, and
Mark: When I first saw you play this tion without trying to actually play it. all of a sudden it works. [laughs]
type of music live, it was deceptively Zach: One time I was asked to program Of course, playing the right thing is
simpler than I thought. You would sit something for an R&B track that was in paramount. But it’s usually the sound

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 61

ZACH DANZIGER AND MARK GUILIANA
that keeps drummers, some of whom tighten or loosen the snare wires. Where stick in your hand to create that tighter
are really great players, from being 100 you hit on the stick makes a big differ- feeling.
percent there. ence too. Rimshots versus non-rimshots, MD: So there’s a direct correlation
Mark: Not everyone has access to a where you’re hitting on the head… between the technique you choose to
bunch of gear to use in different situa- Mark: You can do the same thing use and the sound you want to produce.
tions, but there’s a lot of work you can with cymbals. Mark: Technique is really important to
do with just one instrument. You can Zach: And once you discover these new me, but the sound is even more impor-
make a snare have many different aes- sounds, they dictate what you’re going tant. I have my home base, but I’m
thetics, even without changing your to play next. What you’re hearing and more than willing to manipulate my
tuning. You can place a little cymbal on how the drum feels when you play it technique in order to get a certain
the drum, or you can cover the head causes your brain to make adjustments. sound. For me, the sound defines
with a towel. Mark: If you want a very short-sounding the technique.
Zach: You can play it with or without a backbeat, maybe you’ll have to compro- There’s always that check in the back
wallet muffling the head. Or you can mise your technique and squeeze the of my mind going, Don’t hurt yourself.
But if you really need to make a fist with
the stick in your hand so you can hit the
ride cymbal a certain way, you have to
do it.
Zach: Maybe by doing that you’re
increasing your chances of developing
carpal tunnel syndrome by .4 percent.
But all of the drummers I really admire
use improper technique once in a while,
or even the majority of the time. I don’t
think Elvin Jones was doing everything
correctly, and that’s a big part of why we
like what he did. Music is about an
emotional feeling, so I would some-
times rather my arm be killing me,
because that weird, uncomfortable
nature in how I’m feeling will translate
something to the listener.
Mark: I had a massive realization from
talking with [experimental jazz great]
Jim Black one day about the Moeller
technique. Jim said he didn’t know if he
really wanted that sound. At the time I
had no idea what he was talking about.
But what he said stayed with me. I even-
tually figured out that, yeah, the way
you play—your technique—creates
your sound.
Zach: I want to feel every note, and I
want to place every note myself. Sure,
I’ll use Moeller sometimes inadvertent-
ly, but I don’t think that’s the only way
to do it. Sometimes I want to hear the
struggle that comes from having to do it
the hard way. It’s a different sound.
Mark: There’s a certain advantage to
having a bit of ignorance. I’m hyper-
aware of my technique, mainly for
longevity’s sake. But it’s those gray
areas between the techniques that cre-
ate uniqueness.
MD: How do you practice these things?
Mark: I try to avoid playing licks at all
costs, because when you play a lick,
ZACH DANZIGER AND MARK GUILIANA
you’re taking something prepared and with your drum sound during the gig? putting them into categories like short
inserting it into the present, which pulls Mark: A lot of it is context. Is it a gig and long, so that in the moment I know
you away from the music at the where you have the freedom to make where to go on the instrument to find
moment. I work on basic, fundamental those kinds of decisions? Assuming it is, the right sounds. It’s more about know-
things, like time, dynamics, and getting making those choices comes down to ing what the music needs and knowing
around the drums. I don’t build phrases intention. If I throw a cymbal on a where to go to provide that. But to
on my own and bring them with me to snare, I don’t want it to be an accident. answer your question, if you’re truly
the gig. I’m doing what I can to show up Sometimes accidents are cool, like if you hearing something, it’s always okay to
empty so I can truly deal with what’s miss a cymbal and hit a music stand go for it.
happening in the music. instead. That can be exciting. But I Zach: You can only go with your own
Zach: But you have to come to the gig know what that music stand sounds like standard of what you think is appropri-
with basic vocabulary, so then you can without hitting it, because I’ve done a ate. But you’re not going to show up at a
create the sentences in real time. lot of investigating with sound at home. McDonald’s jingle session, where they
MD: How do you develop the discretion I used to take a mental inventory of all might want you to sound like Stewart
to know when it’s okay to experiment the sounds available to me on my kit, Copeland, and play totally differently.
Mark: If I’m going to play my best, I need
to be comfortable. So by doing this sort
of inventory practice, I feel confident
that I know my instrument and the kinds
of sounds I’m capable of producing.
Zach: But you also have to deal with the
way the drums behave in the room. My
studio has such a dead sound that it
makes the drums sound slow and tubby.
In another room those drums would
sound completely different, which would
make me play them differently.
A lot of guys ask me how I started
playing with that falling-down-the-
stairs approach. That started back when
I was playing the 55 Bar all the time.
That room is brittle sounding to me. The
drums don’t breathe and they sound
staccato, so whenever I played there I
would tense up. I would try to go for
something and I couldn’t make it. So I
decided to just play loose and off-kilter
so that no one could accuse me of miss-
ing it. Let me really miss it so that it
sounds intentional. That approach
became more and more a part of my
playing, but it came about because of
the sonics of that particular room.
When you find yourself playing in a
venue where your kit just doesn’t sound
like your kit anymore, you can do one of
two things. You can impose your will
and ignore it, which will most likely end
up sounding wrong. Or you can just
accept that it’s going to be a different
kind of evening. It’s still going to be
good, but you’re going to have to make
adjustments to your playing, which I
think is healthy.

For more on Zach Danziger’s latest

project, go to misterbarrington.com.
For more on Mark Guiliana, go to
markguiliana.com.
 I N T H E S T U D I O

MAKING DRUM LOOPS

An Insider’s Perspective by Vinnie Zummo

W henever I’m asked

how I got started in
creating loop and sample
1 2

projects, I’m tempted to

spin a story of how inspira-
tion struck on one
momentous day. But the
truth is a bit less exciting.
The indie company that
had released my first CD of
guitar loops, Giving Up Da’
Funk, had folded, and I 3
was looking to rerelease
the disc. Zero-G was inter-
ested, but they preferred
that I do a new project
from scratch. They asked if
I had experience creating
drum loops. It was then
that I decided I would do a
huge drum loop and sam-
ple library.
After I hung up the
phone, I realized I had no
idea how to make a drum
Tips And Tricks: 1. Record a second bass drum placed in
loop. But I’ve played
front of your main kick for extra boom. 2. Run your loops
drums as long as I’ve through a speaker pointed at a snare for a grittier vibe.
played guitar, and I’ve 3. Hire an A-list drummer like Shawn Pelton.
always liked to experiment
with sound. So I figured I synths. With those tools, I created featuring Chip Jackson; Nu Jointz; Kocktail
could come up with something. I bought N.Y.Cutz. Kollection; and my latest, Nu Jointz II
a lot of hip-hop CDs and dove deep into After that came N.Y.Cutz 2 Off Da Hook; Droppin Like Its…. I found I had a knack
the music. Equipment-wise, I had an Escape From The Planet Of The Breaks, fea- for putting loops together, and I love the
MPC60, a cheap sampler, and a few turing Shawn Pelton; Akoustik Bass Hitz, process of creating them, which is why
I’m writing this article in the first place—to 2. I’ll sometimes run a drum track
share my personal approach to creating through a speaker that’s placed inside a
loops in hopes that it will inspire you to try tom or a garbage can and record that, or
your hand in this ever-growing field. I’ll run the drum loop through a speaker
into a huge room where I have a couple of
TECHNIQUES mics placed far away. I’ll record that, com-
When I’m creating a sample library, first I press it heavily, and mix it in with the origi-
like to come up with a concept for the nal track. I also like to put the speaker
entire collection. Once I have a concept, inside an acoustic piano with the pedal
and sometimes even a title, it all starts to held down, or on top of an acoustic guitar.
unfold. It usually takes me six months to a Using natural acoustic treatments like
year to complete a project. these can go a long way toward giving a
I’ll record some of the drum loops from loop some mojo.
scratch with an acoustic kit, but I also like 3. I like to walk around New York look-
to chop up samples so I can create my ing for new sounds to record and chop up.
own hybrid sounds to use for new loops. Once I found a metal railing that sounded
Then there’s the tried-and-true hip-hop cool, so I turned on my Zoom recorder and
method of grabbing snares, kicks, and hi- tapped out a funky groove. When I got
hats from hit recordings and assembling home and listened back, the background
them into a kit in my MPC2000XL. noise was much louder than the groove,
I have a passion for making things so I ran the recording through a compres-
sound lo-fi. I’m fascinated with how you sor. The groove was now up front, but
can degrade a sample to varying degrees with the background noise pushing
to help it fit better within a track. For through occasionally. I put this on top of a
example, on my Swinging Guitar Sounds Of proper drum loop that I had made, and it
Young America album, I did a tribute to sounded wicked.
Earth, Wind & Fire called “Ewf.” The song 4. You never know what will make a
was coming along nicely, but I just loop pop. For example, I have a collection
couldn’t get the drum track to pop. The of cheapo hi-hats I’ve picked up at garage
timing was cool, but it just didn’t groove. sales. They make for unique textures in
For grins, I pulled a loop from a cheap cas- a groove and can make a loop sound
sette recording I had made of my friend old school.
Tony Verrilli playing drums. The tempo of When New York session drummer
Tony’s beat was in the ballpark of the track Shawn Pelton and I did the tracking for
I was working on, so I cut it into a loop in Escape From The Planet Of The Breaks, in
my MPC and popped it into the back- addition to bringing his sledgehammer
ground, and the whole song just came to money grooves (we did one eleven-hour
life. It was the groove and sweat of a real session that consisted of all first takes!),
drummer that this track needed. If you Shawn experimented freely with the drum
don’t have one already, I recommend get- sounds. To get some more boom, he put a
ting a handheld cassette recorder and tap- huge bass drum in front of the one he was
ing yourself every once in a while. You playing. On one track I had two guys stand
never know when those down-and-dirty in the room a distance away from the
beats may come in handy. drums and shout “Hey!” on the backbeats.
That created a cool overtone on the snare
TRICKS that we wouldn’t have gotten from an
I won’t give away all of my sampling overdub. For a psychedelic track, we
secrets, but here are a few you might recorded to 2" tape, and I had Shawn
find useful when you start making your overdub a ride cymbal. While he played,
own beats. I did the old Beatles flange trick by press-
1. If a drum loop isn’t hitting hard ing my thumb on the tape reel. That made
enough, instead of reaching for a com- a great sound, and we blended it with a
pressor, try aiming a speaker toward a second cymbal track that I recorded
snare drum, and then feed the drum track through a Leslie.
into the speaker and record the result. This The beautiful thing about creating
is a variation on an old studio trick tradi- loops is that the sky is the limit. There are
tionally used for getting stronger snare no rules, and anything goes.
sounds. Engineers often use a high-quality
speaker, but I use a tiny one and run the Vinnie Zummo, a New York
City session player, solo artist, TV
entire drum track through it. I blend in the
and film composer, and record
snare-recorded loop with the original, and producer, is the former guitarist for
then I compress both of them. This gives a singer-songwriter Joe Jackson. For
high-end edge to the groove that you more on his sample projects, visit
can’t get by just using a compressor. vinniezummo.com.

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 67

 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE

Chops Builders
Part 10: Double Paradiddle Accent Shifter
by Bill Bachman

T he standard double paradiddle has only one accent,

on the first beat. We’re going to create some musically
applicable variations by adding more accents in various
only when absolutely necessary.
Here’s another way of looking at it: Every stroke within
an accent/tap pattern will be played smoothly and
places. Not every accent combination will be represented relaxed, without squeezing the butt end of the stick
in this article. The ones I’ve included were chosen because against the palm. The exception is downstrokes, where
they will quickly manifest themselves in your playing we very briefly squeeze the stick’s butt end against the
around the drumkit, plus they make for a rich study in palm in order to stop the stick at a lower height. The key
accent/tap control. is to achieve absolute separation between the down-
To play double paradiddles, or any other rudiment or stroke and the following tap by squeezing the stick
pattern containing accents and taps, you’ll need to use against the palm and then releasing it quickly. Aside from
the four basic strokes: full, down, up, and tap. First, let’s the downstroke, every other stroke should remain
define these strokes. The full stroke is a high stroke that relaxed and flowing, so that the stick resonates within a
ends high by allowing the stick to rebound back up loose hand.
freely. (Full strokes are also often referred to as free Let’s get started with the standard double paradiddle.
strokes.) The downstroke is a high stroke that ends low. We want to make sure that these are played with clear
The upstroke is a low stroke that ends high. And the tap accents on the first beat; otherwise they will have a
stroke is a low stroke that stays low. Tap strokes should monotone sound. If the double paradiddles sound
be played as low free strokes with a relaxed flow and dynamically expressive when played on a single drum,
without squeezing the stick against the palm. then adding the different colors of the drumset will be
A downstroke or an upstroke should be used when that much more exciting. The six strokes played in the
there’s a need to play the following stroke at a new stick double paradiddle are down, tap, tap, up, tap, tap, with
height. When there’s no change in stick height for the fol- the last two taps comprising the diddle. Be sure that
lowing note, a free stroke should be played, at either a every stroke other than the initial downstroke is played
full-stroke or a tap-stroke stick height. Your goal should with relaxed hands and that the sticks flow freely.
be to play free strokes as often as possible, in order to Here are three exercises to help you develop the stan-
play as loosely as you can. You should play downstrokes dard double paradiddle.

68 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 Now that we’ve covered the standard double at first, making sure that each stroke type is
paradiddle, let’s check out some double para- played accurately. Check that every full stroke
diddle accent variations. (Note that over each rebounds freely, that every downstroke stops
beat the stroke type is defined, with an F for full with the stick clearly pointing down toward the
stroke, a D for downstroke, a T for tap stroke, or drum, and that the taps and upstrokes are
a U for upstroke.) Play the variations very slowly played with a relaxed flow within a loose hand.
STRICTLY TECHNIQUE

Practice perfect repetitions of each rudiment varia- When drummers practice only at the edge of their
tion by playing along with a metronome or recorded fastest tempos, they’re almost always doing so at the
music at an appropriate tempo. Play the variations no expense of proper technique. Plus they’re developing
faster than the top speed at which you can execute improper muscle memory, which will be hard to
them perfectly and comfortably. Stay at this tempo for unlearn later. Good luck!
as long as twenty minutes, and then bump up the Bill Bachman is an international drum clinician and a
tempo about ten beats a minute and repeat. You will freelance drumset player in Nashville. For more informa-
tion, including how to sign up for online lessons through
see better results by taking this more patient approach. Skype, visit billbachman.net.
 ELECTRONIC INSIGHTS

Playing With Drum Loops

Choosing Tones And Tunings
by Donny Gruendler

M any drummers are trained to have metronomic time,

solid technique and reading skills, and stylistic diver-
sity. Some of these players, however, overlook two very
After discovering this discrepancy, I ran back into the
tracking room and muffled my snare with an O-Ring in
order to achieve a short and staccato sound. Now both
important concepts: tone and tuning. In today’s musical snares were ringing with an 8th-note duration, so they
climate, which often involves playing along with prerecord- lined up with one another, like this:
ed loops and sequences, it’s just as important for drum-
mers to have a good sound and strong tuning skills so they
can blend into the mix of the song. A lack of a cohesive
sound can cancel out good time and solid technique by giv-
ing the impression that you’re not quite fitting in.
This article is designed to help you develop your sound
by choosing the proper tones and tunings to allow you to
blend with a loop. To illustrate these concepts, I’d like to
share a personal story, followed by a few tips I’ve learned I then asked the producer for another shot at recording
over the years. with the loop. I played the same way I had in the previous
few takes, but the last one was a keeper. This revised
A LEARNING SESSION recording is also posted on the website (Example 2). Here’s
I was on a jingle date a few years ago where I was playing what my beat looks like written in standard notation.
along with a loop rather than a click track. I felt as if my
playing was grooving and lining up with this particular
loop—until the producer asked, “Can we try it again? I
think you can get a little more dialed in with the track on
the next pass.”
What? I thought he was crazy! I was nailing this groove. TUNING
I immediately went into the control room to listen to the So what’s to be learned from this story? If the snare present
playback. As it ran, I found that yes, I was playing with the in the loop is dry and short but your snare is wide open,
loop, but it wasn’t sounding as perfect as I’d thought. The giving it a long decay time, the two voices will not blend
acoustic drum track was completely within the feel, beat well. Consequently, the listener—or producer—will per-
placement, and flavor of the loop, so what was it about ceive that you’re not lining up or grooving with the loop.
the track that still felt odd? As I listened more intently, The groove will sound sloppy, even if you’re executing it
the problem became very clear. I noticed that my back- perfectly. So in addition to focusing on playing the appro-
beat had a longer duration (snare rattle and over-ring) priate grooves and fills with the correct feel and using
than the loop’s snare sound. Listen to Example 1 on the proper beat placement (ahead of, behind, or dead on the
Education page at moderndrummer.com to hear some pulse), you must also concentrate on how the duration of
of this initial performance. the voices in your drumset match with the various ele-
Notice how my snare has a wide-open tuning and a long ments within the loop.
decay time, which doesn’t blend well with the short dura-
tion of the loop’s snare sound. If you were to notate the COMPLEMENTARY TONES AND FREQUENCIES
duration of my snare hits below the duration of the loop You don’t always need to play the exact same rhythms that
snare, it would look like the following: are in the loop. Sometimes it will be your job to come up
with something complementary. Listen to Loop 1. Instead
of concentrating on the drum pattern, focus on the loop’s
sound and tone.
What frequencies (pitches) are present in the loop? This
particular loop is full of high frequencies, but it lacks low
end. Thus it’s your job to complement the loop with lower
voices on the kit. Rather than playing the hi-hat with your

72 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

right hand, try playing the floor tom, to fill up the lower NOW WHAT?
register. This will fatten up the loop, helping the mix to Okay, we’ve discussed some very broad yet sophisticated
sound larger and fuller. Listen to Example 3 to hear how musical concepts. So how do you get started in applying
this sounds. these ideas within your own playing? Well, like all musical
concepts, it will take practice and experience to know exactly
ONE MORE EXAMPLE which approach to take for a given situation. Rather than try-
Now listen to Loop 2 and figure out what frequencies ing to immediately implement everything we’ve touched
are present. This time the loop has tons of low end, but it on—durations, tones, tunings, and frequencies—into your
lacks a lot of high frequencies. Therefore it’s wise to select first loop play-along experience, try tackling a single idea at
higher voices on the kit, such as hi-hat, cymbals, rims, and a a time. If your playing still doesn’t seem to gel with the loop,
tightly tuned snare drum. You’ll be complementing the loop try something else. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but
and making the entire groove sound gigantic. Listen to the more experience you get, the more intuitive the process
Example 4 to hear the beat I came up with for this loop. will become.

Donny Gruendler is a professional drummer, a faculty member at Musicians Institute

in Los Angeles, and the creator of Seeing Sounds and Private Lessons in Hudson Music’s
Digital Download series. He has worked with such artists as DJ Logic, John Medeski, and
Rhett Frazier Inc. You can contact him at [email protected].

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 73

 OFF THE RECORD
CHIODOS’S MUSIC KEY

TANNER WAYNE
Illuminaudio by Michael Dawson
Cameron Smith

F eaturing new frontman Brandon Bolmer and power-

house drummer Tanner Wayne, Illuminaudio show-
cases a more aggressive yet more sophisticated direction
most of ‘Caves.’ It was a good space to be in because we
were writing some of the best stuff for the record. But at
the same time, after a week of that, I had to go straight
for the Michigan-based post-hardcore band Chiodos. into drum tracking, which made it even more intense.”
Wayne, a San Diego–born drummer who cut his teeth The songs and arrangements for Illuminaudio were
touring with the hardcore groups Underminded and sculpted with the help of the famed rock/metal producer
Scary Kids Scaring Kids, reinvigorates Chiodos with pum- Machine (Lamb Of God, Every Time I Die), who put some
meling Aaron Gillespie–inspired tom beats, Meshuggah- unexpected demands on the band’s new drummer during
esque double bass riffs, and a heavy dose of Mars his three days of recording. “I hit very hard live, so Machine
Volta–style rhythmic abandon. had me play way more reserved in the studio,” Wayne says.
Much of Illuminaudio was written prior to Wayne’s “But I didn’t want to hold back or be distracted too much.
joining the band, but making the record involved much So I just calmed down a bit but still went as progressive as
more than simply copying prearranged parts. “They had I could.
written a huge chunk of songs, but we were able to create “Machine didn’t want the cymbals drowning out any-
ten songs on top of what they already had,” Tanner says. thing, so we actually went back and rerecorded every tom
“The day I flew out to play with them, we started writing hit after I was done tracking drums,” Tanner adds. “He
immediately.” had a bunch of pillows set up for me to hit instead of the
So was Wayne given free rein to design his own parts for other drums and cymbals, and there were two toms. I’d
the tracks written after he joined the group? “Sometimes never done anything like that, but we did it to get a crisp
I play with bands and there’s too much freedom, and I’ll and clear sound to work with.”
end up playing something too crazy,” he says. “I like that To capture a big, bombastic drum tone, Wayne
our guitarist Jason [Hale] is very on point with what he tracked on the same vintage-style Truth setup (14x24
wants, but he isn’t a good enough drummer to be able kick, 8x13 rack tom, and 16x16 and 16x18 floor toms)
to tell me exactly what he wants. So I could spread my that Aaron Gillespie used to record the last Underoath
wings a bit. album and several other projects, plus a heavy bell brass
“I’ve recorded CDs before and been bummed thinking snare and large Sabian crashes (“Nothing was under
about the other things I could have done,” Wayne contin- twenty inches”).
ues. “For this record I wanted to be as comfortable as pos- Here’s a rundown of some of the drumming highlights
sible so I could play as crazy as possible while still being on Illuminaudio.
able to hold it together.”
Preproduction for Illuminaudio was grueling yet very “CAVES”
effective for dialing in the parts that would eventually go After a dramatic build, the album explodes with a massive
down on disc. “I’d never done preproduction before, so I tribal tom beat. “I came up with that part a couple days
wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” Wayne explains. before we left for Jersey to record the album,” Wayne says.
“We would meet at the studio at eleven in the morning “We were trying to write something heavy, so I started
and jam until about midnight. We did that every night for playing this tom beat. Our guitarist came up with a few
a week. During that time we wrote ‘Scaremonger’ and ideas, but it all came together one day in the studio.”

74 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 Here’s the opening tom pattern. (0:00) feel that stems from the juxtaposition of steady offbeat hi-hat
hits over a funky kick pattern. (0:07)

“SCAREMONGER”
This syncopated passage features some tight double kick “This song has the most freestyle drumming on the album,”
and hi-hat hits. (1:59) Tanner says. “The beginning riff is very Mars Volta–like, and
that’s one of my favorite bands. I also had to home in on some
of Stewart Copeland’s hi-hat ideas.”
Here’s the choppy riff that kicks in at 0:17.

“LOVE IS A CAT FROM HELL”

This track features a lot of pumping double bass, which wasn’t
something Wayne was accustomed to playing prior to joining
Chiodos. “This song was 100 percent done before I joined the “HIS STORY REPEATS ITSELF”
band, so I had to play it appropriately while adding my own “This song was mostly written before I joined,” Wayne says.
style,” Tanner says. “I’d never played that much double kick “The intro is very off-timed, so it took a lot of studying for me
before. But building up that type of endurance is all about prac- to figure it out.”
tice. It’s more about doing it than it is learning how to do it.” Tanner navigates the intro’s sharp guitar stabs with pump-
Here’s the opening tom/double kick pattern (0:03). ing tom fills and snare/cymbal accents. (0:00)

When the track breaks down into a quasi-Latin feel, Wayne

gives the groove a skipping vibe by displacing his hi-hat from
the downbeat to the upbeat. (1:44) “LET US BURN ONE”
“We came up with this song the first day I played with the
band,” Wayne recalls. “I remember listening to our demo as
we were driving to practice the next day, and everyone was
excited about what the future was going to have for us. There’s
an intense drum part before the breakdown.”
“MODERN WOLF HAIR” Here’s the heavy opening groove, which features some cool
“This song has my favorite drums on the record, about halfway open/closed hi-hat figures. (0:06)
through,” Tanner says. “I came up with the beat late-night
when we were all wired on coffee. Our guitarist followed me
exactly, and we were able to really click in.” Here’s an excerpt
from that middle section, which features shifting snare/
cymbal accents and relentless double kick patterns. (2:27)

“HEY ZEUS! THE DUNGEON”

“This song opened a different style of playing for me,” Wayne
explains. “Softer and slower playing aren’t my strong points,
so I liked working out my kinks with this one.”
Here’s the polyrhythmic 6/8 groove from the verse. (0:13)

“NOTES IN CONSTELLATIONS”
This mellower track showcases Wayne’s ability to spice up
more straightforward grooves. The main beat has a cyclical
 T A K I N G C A R E O F B U S I N E S S

DRUMMER2DRUMMER
An Online Network Of Service Providers by Mike Haid

Drum industry vet Spencer Strand has come up with

a new way for multitasking players to drum up business—
whatever that business happens to be.

W hen we’re in need of a service for

our home or office, we can ran-
domly search the Internet or local phone
gest a drummer that
takes lessons, teaches,
or hangs out at the
directories hoping to find a friendly, qual- shop. Each time I
ified professional. Sometimes we trust received great service,
recommendations from friends or family helped a fellow drum-
members—but personal referrals can mer grow their busi-
lead to disastrous results if the job ends ness, and made a new
up botched. Spencer Strand, the entre- friend. What I began to
preneurial drummer behind the highly find is that this type of
acclaimed Turn It Up & Lay It Down play- drummer-to-drummer
along CD series from DrumFun.com, has referral goes on every
developed a brainstorm of an idea to day at most drum shops
help drummers connect on a personal around the country.”
and business level, with a Web-based Strand has gathered
business he calls Drummer2Drummer. an advisory board made
The concept is designed to bring togeth- up mostly of drum shop Spencer Strand
er the drumming community in a way owners from across the
that helps drummers locate, correspond nation who have united to help develop drum shops across the country.
with, and do business with fellow drum- Drummer2Drummer.com, which allows Strand spent several years doing prod-
mers who are also business owners or drummers to connect on various levels uct development for the percussion
who work in another career field, such for various reasons, with the common accessory manufacturer Rhythm Tech,
as dentists, doctors, auto mechanics, goal of building relationships and drum- fine-tuning his business skills. His indus-
lawyers, real estate agents, and plumbers. ming up business. It’s free to register for try relationships and knowledge of the
In building relationships with drum an account and to view the site’s pages. music business have taken him in many
shop owners across the country, Strand There’s a small annual fee to list your directions. “Everyone has a good idea
discovered that there are thousands of business, for which you’ll receive a per- once in a while,” Spencer says. “But not
drummers who own private businesses sonal page and a Google map with a many follow through to develop it. I’m
and maintain professional careers out- business locator on the D2D homepage. trying to maximize my success with my
side the world of music. “The D2D con- This allows interested parties to click on years of training, experience, and rela-
cept grew out of my relationship with your state and see details of your busi- tionships in the drumming industry to
Long Island Drum Center owner Frank ness, along with a link to your personal make D2D a reality.”
Colonnato,” Strand says. “Whenever I D2D page. Other features include a The key to any successful business is
needed a plumber or a mechanic, I would forum, links, classifieds, drumming news, building relationships. Strand under-
call Frank and ask if he could recommend and videos. There’s a directory of all busi- stands this and is dedicated to making
someone. Most of the time he would sug- ness advertisers as well, plus a listing of D2D a central hub for drummers to con-
nect and share their skills and their sto-
ries. He hopes for the site to become the
THE BUSINESS OF PRACTICE virtual “drum shop hang” of the future.
Through DrumFun.com, Spencer Strand has released a series If you’re a drummer with a business
of play-along CDs called Turn It Up & Lay It Down. The collec- or a professional service and you’d like
tion covers a number of genres, as well as concepts like odd to join forces with D2D, simply visit
times and double bass. The most recent volume, The Test Of Drummer2Drummer.com and get
Time, is a four-disc set featuring eighty-five play-along tunes. connected with a growing community of
It helps drummers improve their timekeeping skills via tracks fellow players who are expanding their
that begin with a full mix of a groove, including the drum- businesses by forming the largest data-
beat, then have the drums drop out, and finally have all the base of drummer-owned companies on
music drop out for a number of bars, challenging drummers
the Web.
to keep the tempo steady until the accompanying instru-
ments come back in on the 1.

76 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 WIN A SET OF PAISTE
BLACK ALPHA CYMBALS
USED AND SIGNED BY JOEY JORDISON

GRAND PRIZE:
14" Sound Edge hi-hats, 17" Rock crash,
18" Rock crash, 18" Rock China,
and 20" Metal ride.
(Joey and stands not included.)

Suggested retail value: $1,502.

With Joey’s stick and ink marks: priceless!

VISIT MODERNDRUMMER.COM TO ENTER.

WINNERS TO BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM ON FEBRUARY 11, 2011.
Consumer Disclosure: To enter online, visit www.moderndrummer.com between the dates below and look for the Paiste Joey Jordison Contest button (one entry per email address). 2. ODDS OF WINNING DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF
ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED. 3. CONTEST BEGINS DECEMBER 1, 2010, AND ENDS JANUARY 31, 2011. 4. Grand Prize Drawing: Winner will be selected by random drawing on February 11, 2011. Winner will be notified by phone or
email on or about February 15, 2011. 5. Employees, and their immediate families, of Modern Drummer, Paiste, and their affiliates are ineligible. 6. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected, and/or delayed entries. 7. Open to res-
idents of the U.S. and Canada, 18 years of age or older. Void in Quebec, Canada; Florida; and where prohibited by law. 8. One prize awarded per household per contest. 9. Grand Prize: One (1) winner will receive a 5-piece set of Joey
Jordison autographed Paiste Black Alpha cymbals, including: 20" Metal ride, 18" Rock China, 18" Rock crash, 17" Rock crash, and 14" Sound Edge hi-hats used and autographed by Joey Jordison. Approximate retail value of prize:
$1,500. Approximate retail value of contest: $1,500. 10. Sponsored by Modern Drummer Publications, Inc., 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009, 973-239-4140. 11. This game subject to the complete Official Rules. For a copy
of the complete Official Rules or the winner’s name, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Modern Drummer Publications/Paiste Joey Jordison/Official Rules/Winners List, 12 Old Bridge Rd., Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
 DRUMKIT DETAILS,
ON STAGE AND UP CLOSE

Tinted Windows/Cheap Trick’s Drums: Ludwig Legacy series in

“citrus mod broken glass” finish
Cymbals: Zildjian
1. 14" New Beat hi-hats (with four

BUN E. CARLOS A. 5x14 Bun E. Carlos

signature snare
B. 9x13 tom
sizzles in bottom cymbal)
2. 20" A Medium Thin crash
3. 18" A Medium Thin crash
Interview and photos by Sayre Berman
C. 16x16 floor tom 4. 20" A Medium crash
D. 14x24 bass drum “These A Zildjians always deliver.
“I really dig the Legacy 3-ply Sometimes I put up my K Pre-Aged
shells,” Carlos says. “The toms Dry ride in place of the Medium
sound great tuned high or low. It’s crash.”
one big sweet spot! The two toms
and the snare are tuned in fifths, Hardware: Ludwig stands,
from the floor tom up. Trick Pro 1-V bass drum pedal
“I love my 8-lug Bun E. model
snare. I’m currently using drum Heads: Remo coated Ambassador
number 36. I have number 27 for a snare and tom batters, white medi-
spare. I put on PureSound twenty- um Ludwig tom bottoms
four-strand brass wires for a little
extra wetness. Sticks: Pro-Mark Bun E. Carlos
“I own sixty-plus Ludwig sets and model with Stick Rapp grip tape
at least 150 snare drums. These are “The tape keeps the sticks in my
my favorites, hands down.” hands. Pro-Mark is selling it—highly
recommended by me!”

1 B

A
C
D

78 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

Arrested Development’s
DAVID “FINGERS” HAYNES
Interview by Michael Dawson

DIGITAL SETUP
Controller: Korg NanoPad and PadKontrol, Yamaha DTXPRESS II
Speakers: TC Electronic RH450, RS210, and RS212; Mogami cables
Computer: Apple MacBook Pro
Software: Ableton Live, Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0 and
EZdrummer software
Hard drive: Glyph PortaGig (2)
Audio interface: PreSonus FireStudio Mobile
“One of my brothers played drums, and that was what made me
interested in playing,” says the Atlanta-based drummer and drum
machine master. “But he didn’t let me play his drums. In ’86, my old-
est brother gave me a drum machine, a Yamaha RX11. I eventually
traded it for an Alesis HR-16 drum machine, and I played that for
years before I inspired one of Korg’s engineers to develop the
NanoPad. Now I use that or the PadKontrol, which has a sixteen-pad
layout like an Akai MPC.
“I started off using the drum machine conventionally, program-
ming it and all that. But I got frustrated because I wanted to play, so I
worked up techniques so that I could play it like a drumset.
“I used the HR-16’s built-in sounds for a long time, and in 2002 I
started triggering a Yamaha DTXTREME II sound module. Then in ’06
I got a MacBook Pro laptop and started using Toontrack drum soft-
ware. I love their sounds.
“This setup allows me to do a lot of session work over the Internet.
Guys send me MP3s, and I’ll record drum tracks for them. They like to
use me because they don’t have to worry about paying to rent a
great drum room for tracking. Plus they can change the sounds if
they have the same software. I give them MIDI and audio files, so
they can do whatever they want with my tracks. And what’s really
Ben Brown

great is that I can also do these sessions while I’m traveling. I just
need my drum machine, a small interface, a Glyph external hard
drive, and my computer, and I can make it happen.”

ACOUSTIC KIT
3 Although he’s made a name for himself in the
5 digital world, using his fingers to jab out funky
4 6 grooves and slick solos on drum machines and
2
MIDI controllers, Haynes is also an in-demand
acoustic drummer, with credits ranging from the
jazz/fusion guitarist Stanley Jordan to the alter-
1 B C
native hip-hop group Arrested Development.
Here’s the conventional setup David uses in
these situations.
D
A
Drums: Yamaha Absolute Maple
A. 5x13 snare
B. 8x10 tom
E
C. 10x12 tom
D. 14x14 floor tom
E. 16x22 bass drum
At times David uses a 16x16 floor tom as well.

Cymbals: Zildjian
1. 13" A Custom Mastersound hi-hats
2. 18" A Custom Projection crash
3. 17" K Custom Hybrid China
4. 20" K Custom Hybrid ride
5. 16" K crash
6. 17" K Custom Dark crash

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 79

 P O R T R A I T S

DOSH by Anthony Riscica

The one-name multi-instrumentalist, who has recorded or performed

with the indie faves Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Andrew Bird, and Devendra
Banhart, squeezes a lot of music out of a small but powerful assemblage
of electronic gear.

Kmeron
W hether Dosh is bouncing back and
forth between drums and keys at
one of his shows or rummaging through
his self-made library of drum breaks, he
pushes the limits of what can be done
with drums, keys, and a modest array
of effects.
You can say that his musical journey
started at three years old, when Dosh
(full name: Martin Dosh) started harassing
his parents for piano lessons. At six he
finally got what he wanted, and from that
point on he’s seemingly never looked
back. At sixteen he moved himself to
Massachusetts, where he studied jazz and
drums at Simon’s Rock College Of Bard.
From there it was a few years of traveling
around, watching bands, and immersing
himself in music culture. In his mid-
twenties Dosh realized that the fun and
partying he had been accustomed to
needed to cease, so he moved back home TOOLS OF THE TRADE
to Minneapolis. After some time honing Dosh says he employs a simi-
For his solo performances, Dosh plays a three-piece Ellis
his craft and working incessantly with his lar setup live and in the studio. “I
drumset (snare, floor tom, bass drum); with Andrew Bird he
newly discovered 4-track recorder, he use a small drumset, and I run its
adds a rack tom and a second floor tom. His cymbals con-
began touring with Andrew Broder’s Fog mics as well as a Rhodes key-
sist of an old 20" Zildjian A used as a ride and a cracked pair
and playing full time with the group’s board into the same mixer. A of old 15" Paiste 602s used as hi-hats. Electronics include
instrumental counterpart, Lateduster. pedal that I always use is the two Boss SP-303 Dr. Samples, an eighty-eight-key Rhodes
Since then Dosh has become a one-man Boss DD-5, which they don’t electric piano, and a Roland Juno 1 synth, which Dosh
band, releasing six solo albums on the make anymore. I think it was mostly uses for its cello preset. All instruments are run into
Anticon label (plus three on his own Dosh replaced by the DD-8. But the a Soundcraft Series 200 mixer and sent in a mono chain
Family Recordings). The latest, Tommy, DD-5 is really cool because when through a Boss DD-5 delay pedal, an Electro-Harmonix Big
finds him playing everything from pots you run drums through it and Muff fuzz box, and a Dunlop Rotovibe rotating-speaker
and pans to a 200-year-old harpsichord, as you toggle between settings, you effects pedal, and then into two Akai Head Rush loop ped-
well as sampling bits of his recorded sort of overload the feedback. So als. With Mike Lewis, Dosh also runs the sax player’s mic
archives. The instruments in combination when you toggle between, let’s into his mixer so he can loop that as well.
with the creative process make for an say, settings 1, 2, and 3, it creates
eclectic blend of sound and feel. this kind of glitchy sound. That’s some- past three or four years. It was really fun
“That’s kind of been the way I’ve done thing I’ve been doing forever.” to play live, so I decided to rerecord it for
it since I began making music,” Dosh Tommy’s tracks draw their power from the record. I like the way that sort of
explains. “I started playing drums when I the collage-like approach of their creator. cathartic ending closes the album.”
was fifteen, and around twenty-three I They’re strikingly ambient and rhythmi- Cathartic is a very apt word to describe
started recording on a 4-track, which cally playful—not traditional “drummer” the song, as the track was inspired—as was
completely changed my approach to performances in any sense. So when the the album’s title—by the loss of Dosh’s
drumming. I was obsessed with that album ends with the distinctly drummy friend and soundman Tommy Cesario.
between ’96 and ’99—and this was before finale of “Gare De Lyon,” it comes as a bit “That’s sort of the undercurrent of the
I had discovered the sampler. So by the of a shock. “A few people have said that whole thing,” Dosh explains. “The audio at
time I got my first looping recorder, I had the end, with the big drums and crashing the end is actually him talking. I searched
hundreds and hundreds of cassettes of cymbals and all that stuff, is this head- through a lot of his things while helping to
drum breaks that were recorded in differ- scratching moment,” Dosh says. “There’s pack up his place, and I wanted some
ent rooms with different microphones. So something about that tune, though. It’s audio of him because he had such a cool
I just went in and started to pillage all the a very old song I wrote that Lateduster voice. That was the only thing we found. I
tapes to find the best four-bar breaks and used to play. I’ve been playing it with just wanted it to be part of the record.”
then loop them.” [saxophonist/bassist] Mike Lewis for the

80 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 N E W A N D N O T A B L E
ALESIS DM6 USB Express Drumset
The DM6 USB Express kit has six pads, including a dual-zone snare, two
toms, an upright kick, a hi-hat, and a cymbal. The module comes with
ten preconfigured kits comprising 108 modern drum, cymbal, and per-
cussion sounds. Five custom setups can also be created. In addition to
the DM6’s internal sounds, a USB MIDI computer connection enables
studio drummers to play with drum-module software. The included
metal rack with industry-standard 11/2" tubing allows for easy add-ons
and expansion. Retail price: $599.
alesis.com

SPAUN Acrylic LED Lighted Kit

Spaun’s Acrylic LED Lighted Kit features a
multicolored lighting system that can be
operated via remote control. It has a wide
range of color options, including seven
solid colors and eighteen flashing and
strobe effects. The user is able to control
the flashing speed as well as the overall
brightness of the system.
In addition, Spaun can build the system
to be DMX compatible, which allows it to
be controlled via any DMX-compatible
PEARL PERCUSSION lighting console or DMX software program.
New Yorker Cowbells Each kit is built to individual specs, so
New Yorker cowbells were designed to repli- drummers can choose from any number
cate the signature salsa sound of the Big Apple. of customizations.
Three models, the cha-cha high-pitched ($55), spaundrums.com
cha-cha low-pitched ($59), and mambo bell
($65), were produced in collaboration with the
percussion master Marc Quinoñes (Allman BARTLETT MICROPHONES
Brothers, David Byrne, Spyro Gyra). Quinoñes’ Omnidirectional Drum Mic
own signature Timbal bell ($67) rounds out the The Bartlett Drum Mic is an affordable
New Yorker series. Each bell features one-piece miniature condenser microphone
steel construction and is engineered to be designed for the recording and sound
durable and loud enough to cut through large reinforcement of a drumkit. Featuring
Latin ensembles. an omnidirectional pickup pattern, it
pearldrum.com captures snare, toms, and cymbals
evenly. (Bartlett recommends using a
separate kick drum microphone of the
user’s choice.)
Requiring only one mixer channel, the Bartlett Drum Mic offers drummers a stream-
lined setup and a cost-effective alternative to using multiple drum mics. The mic can
handle sounds up to 130 dB without distorting and features a flat frequency response
from 40 Hz to 20 kHz. The mic comes with a permanently attached 6' XLR cable and
requires 12 to 48 volts of phantom power. List price: $189.
bartlettmics.com

MAPEX Horizon HXB Series Drums

Mapex is releasing a limited number of Horizon six-piece HXB basswood
drumsets. Mounted toms are equipped with the company’s Isolated
Tom Mounting System, which allows the shell to resonate freely. The
drums are outfitted with black hardware and are available in a black or
burgundy high-gloss finish.
The six-piece configuration includes an 18x22 bass drum; 7x8, 8x10,
and 9x12 mounted toms; a 16x16 floor tom; and a 51/2x14 snare. A com-
plete set of Mapex 500 series hardware is included with the kit, as is a
set of Mapex cymbals (10" splash, 14" hi-hats, 16" crash, 20" ride). List
price: $1,189.
mapexdrums.com

82 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 RHYTHM TRAINER iPhone Drum App
Developed by the Toronto-based drummer and educator Andy
Shoniker, the Rhythm Trainer iPhone application is a fully programma-
ble metronome and rhythmic sequencer. It offers a wide range of pro-
grammable time signatures and tempos from 30 to 350 beats per
minute, and it enables users to develop, save, and edit their rhythms. An
exclusive feature is the ability to add accents and/or rests to any subdi-
vision of a given note. The app also lets users create patterns that can-
not be played with a traditional metronome.
rhythmtrainerapp.com PLATINUM SAMPLES
Steve Ferrone MIDI
Groove Library
Platinum Samples has released the
multi-format Steve Ferrone MIDI
Groove Library, featuring more
than 660 MIDI files (over 3,200 bars
of unquantized grooves) formatted
for BFD2, BFD Eco, EZdrummer,
EZplayer, Superior Drummer 2.0,
Addictive Drums, and Cakewalk
Session Drummer, as well as for
general MIDI, allowing it to be used
with any GM-compatible drum
software or hardware.
BUMCHUM The Steve Ferrone MIDI Groove
SABIAN Silent Bass Drum Monitoring System Library includes seventeen songs
Improved B8 Pro Series Cymbals BumChum is a small, portable bass drum separated into complete song
Sabian Vault artisans are marking twenty years of the afford- monitoring device that allows drummers structures (intros, verses, choruses,
able B8 Pro series by improving the cymbals’ design to to adjust and control the feeling of the bridges, etc.), plus nine additional
include larger hammering marks as well as subtle design bottom-end thump without added vol- groove variations. The library fea-
changes to the bell. The results are said to provide a richer ume. The unit is built into a specially tures patterns in 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8,
sound. The new lineup consists of Thin, Medium, and Rock designed throne top that’s coupled with in straight and swing feels. List
models, all offered in brilliant finish and fully protected by an electronics pack. List price: £1,699 price: $40.
Sabian’s two-year warranty. (approximately $2,471). platinumsamples.com
sabian.com thebumchum.co.uk
 SHOWCASE

84 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

DRUMMERS
Learn To Read
With Sam Ulano’s
Open Your Brain Study

Call me at:
212-977-5209
127 W. 43rd Street,
Apt. 1026
New York, NY 10036
www.samulano.com
“I’ve Taught Some
Of The Best.”

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 85

 DRUM MARKET

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MODERN DRUMMER reading, and approach to playing. 39-track of Rudimental Drummers. Approved by
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISERS CD. www.mattpatuto.com Ludwig. www.nard.us.com
If you find yourself missing
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please refer to
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ing the drums. Students include platinum
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88 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

 COLLECTOR’S CORNER

LEEDY
Shelly Manne Kit In Smokey Pearl Finish
by Harry Cangany

W hat you’re looking at is a

1958 Leedy Shelly Manne
signature kit in the almost impos-
sible-to-find sparkling smokey
pearl finish. Current owner Vinny
Bellisario bought the set from his
cousin Fran Annunziata. I have
seen this finish only on a
Slingerland color sample, never
on an actual drum. So needless to say this is one rare specimen.
For a dozen years in the early twentieth century, Leedy was a
viable subsidiary of its former rival Slingerland. Leedy lugs,
strainers, and butt plates were often hung on Slingerland shells.
And the venerable Leedy name, which had been launched in
nineteenth-century Indianapolis, went to a factory in Elkhart, had unfinished interiors during this era. Shelly Manne snare
Indiana, before being transferred in the mid-1950s to the old drums, which often had solid maple shells, were the flagship of
Slingerland factory at the corner of Wayne and Belden in the Leedy Chicago line. They feature the long-used Leedy
Chicago. Broadway strainer and extension butt plate, plus a newly
Leedy Chicago built great drums, and this particular kit fea- designed lug that looks like two beavertails merged into one.
tures a 14x22 bass drum, a 9x13 rack tom, a 16x16 floor tom, and There are some 41/2"-deep Manne snares out there, and they use
a 51/2x14 matching snare. The toms and snare are outfitted with three-point Radio King strainers. The floor tom has typical push-
Slingerland Stick Saver hoops, plus Leedy’s gold oval badge. The button legs, and the bass drum has Radio King–style T-rods and
shells are made with two plies of mahogany and a center ply of claws, plus Chicago-era 3/4" inlays on the hoops.
poplar, plus maple reinforcing hoops. Leedys, like Slingerlands,
 WHAT
DO YOU

KNOW
ABOUT...?

Marvin “Bugalu”Smith
He’s a true character, with a taste for far-out clothes and flashy stick tricks. But it’s his
remarkable inventiveness and musicality that made him a favorite of jazz icons like
Sun Ra and Archie Shepp—and that keep him in demand today.

A
lthough jazz drummer Marvin portable studio and did all the mixing to laugh at me no more.’”
“Bugalu” Smith recorded and and editing at home. The quality of his Bugalu’s practice regimen seemed a bit
toured with two jazz icons, Sun work was truly remarkable—clear, warm, too obsessive to his older brother, Buster
Ra and Archie Shepp, I had and robust, the kinds of traits you find in (himself a highly regarded drummer who
never heard of him until two friends of classic analog recordings. performed with Arnett Cobb and Sun Ra,
mine, saxophonist David Schnitter and Later, while talking about the method among others), who would say, “You’re
bassist Mark Hagan, told me about dri- and purpose of his teaching, Bugalu said being crazy. You’re like a bear. You go in
ving up to a club in Newburgh, New York, to me—with urgency and a subtle pain in the house and start practicing in January
to play with him. A few weeks later, Dave, his raspy voice—“You see, I want to pass and come out in April.”
Mark, and I were slated to play at a club in on what I do to my boys so they can have As a young man, Bugalu toured Italy
Nyack, and we needed a drummer. Mark it when I’m gone. I can’t live forever, and I with saxophonist Tyree Grimm Jr. and
suggested Bugalu, who arrived at the gig don’t want it to get lost. I’d take a knife eventually settled there, staying for
with an entourage of students and was and cut it out of me and give it to some- approximately twenty years while making
decked out in outlandish garb: pointed body if I could.” Bugalu’s sincerity and frequent trips back to the States. In Italy
Chinese straw hat, black Chinese hand conviction moved me to the core; I want- he worked with Rocky Roberts, an African-
fan, black cape, and Zebra-striped jacket. I ed to know more about this man, and I American singer who was a big star there
thought, I see—this is coming out of his asked him to tell me his story. and was responsible for introducing
years with Sun Ra. Later I learned I’d been Bugalu, one of four children, grew up in American soul music to Italian audiences,
mistaken; Bugalu was dressing this way Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of a carpen- recording and performing songs in Italian.
early on. We settled down to the business ter who built the family house, which fea- While in Italy, Bugalu became a Buddhist,
of making music, and I immediately found tured a practice studio. It appears the which plays an important role in his life
him a consummate technician and an drums were a form of self-therapy for and thought.
amazing showman, twirling sticks during Bugalu, who was dyslexic and did poorly
rhythmic passages, bouncing the sticks in school. “I tried really hard to do the MD: How did you get the name Bugalu?
off the drumheads and catching them in work—summer school, tutors—but I just Bugalu: I was with Tyree in Italy and, at a
midair, all with the raw energy and inten- couldn’t get it,” he says, “and until sixth concert, peered around the curtain and
sity of the streets. grade, I cried and cried…I had the heck- saw so many beautiful women. I went
When Bugalu invited me up to the club lers on me. But after sixth grade I said, ‘I’m and told Tyree, “Man, there’s some fine
in Newburgh as a featured artist, I got to not gonna cry no more. I’m gonna learn boogaloo out there,” and showed him.
witness yet another of his talents. He one thing, and when I come back and He said, “That’s a great name for you,”
recorded the gig on a 24-track Tascam show you what it is, you all won’t be able and that’s been my name ever since.

Story by Ron Petrides • Photos by Peter Salo

90 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011
MD: How long were you with Archie who did it alone. I’m on the DVD East twenty years. Also, Buster had listening
Shepp and Sun Ra? Berlin And West Berlin, which presents two sessions with me and would make me
Bugalu: I was with Shepp from 1982 sets: The West Berlin performance, with identify a drummer in a bar or two.
through 1987 and with Sun Ra from the Sun Ra All Stars, is with Shepp, Philly MD: What did you learn from listening
around 1987 to 1992. From ’86 to ’87 I Joe, and so on, but on the other, in East to Louis Hayes?
went back and forth between the two Berlin, I’m the only drummer. Bugalu: From that record I learned the
of them. MD: With Sun Ra, how did you manage function of the drums—the time, the
MD: A noticeable feature in your perfor- by yourself to cover what several drum- nuances, and the accents. I learned how
mances is twirling, bouncing, and catch- mers did? to lay down the groove and how to let
ing the drumsticks. Bugalu: First, you needed to be able to do the left hand dance.
Bugalu: All that came about accidentally the stomp, bebop, swing, and the free MD: And from Art Blakey?
one night with Shepp. While I was playing, thing. Sometimes I just played one of Bugalu: I took the shuffle—he had the
a stick fell out of my hand, hit the tom- those things, but sometimes I would actu- best shuffle in the business. And I copied
tom, bounced up and hit me in the head, ally play time with one hand and play the his solos.
hit the tom-tom, and bounced up again. free thing with the other hand. MD: And Elvin Jones?
I was reaching over to get the stick, and it MD: Let’s talk about your gear. You use a Bugalu: He sounded different from all the
came right back in my hand. Shepp hap- small bass drum. others…more African. He messed me up,
pened to see this and said, “Man, you Bugalu: I use a 16" bass drum, which was so I had to study with him. I took lessons
gotta develop that,” so I practiced a sys- originally a floor tom that I modified. It’s a with him at Ippolito’s Drum Shop for
tem of bouncing, catching, and twirling 6-ply drum, which I like because it has twenty-five dollars back in the mid-’60s. In
the sticks. greater resonance than an 8-ply. My drum the first lesson he taught me paradiddles
I had a great time with Archie. He was has no sinkhole where the manufacturers with accents. In the second lesson he
something else. He would speak real put their emblem. I closed the hole up, so grabbed the sticks and played the ride
street, you know, but when a
woman would come in, he would
transform into perfect British.
“Life is about constant change, and
We recorded several records with
Kenny Werner on piano and Santi
it’s beautiful if you can take constant
Debriano on bass.
MD: How did Shepp express change and maintain constant balance.
what he wanted from the
drummer? I made that my system of drumming.”
Bugalu: Actually, Shepp never
rehearsed with me. He would just say, it makes my drum explode faster. My bass cymbal with the butt—incredible power.
“Let’s go.” I remember on my first night he drum is tuned to approximately a low G- Elvin had no rules and did the unexpected.
said, “Play as fast as you can, and I’ll come flat. I have an 18" bass drum with the legs When he played a fill, just when you’d
in.” Kenny Werner and Santi Debriano mounted so that it stands like a floor tom, expect him to hit the cymbal on the down-
knew what was going on, but I didn’t. which adds a wonderful dynamic color. beat, he would do something else. Elvin
Santi, Kenny, and I liked playing together, I always use UFIP Italian cymbals. I really opened me up to a more free approach.
and in the studio we talked a bit, but like the way they sound. My brother used MD: I noticed that on the Archie Shepp
Shepp didn’t say much; you had to intu- them first, long before I went to Italy. recordings the drummer is listed as
itively know what he wanted. It was the MD: Who are your main influences? Marvin Smith, and that on several web-
same with Sun Ra—you had to have Bugalu: First and foremost my brother, sites the sessions are attributed to
the right instincts. He would do things Buster. He was bad. Then Elvin, Roy “Smitty” Smith. What’s up with that?
like point up, and you would play in the Haynes, all those cats. Bugalu: Look, I recorded those sessions a
higher register on the cymbal bell. He’d MD: How did your brother shape your long time ago, and I don’t need to prove
point to the middle and you’d play on the development? nothin’. Anyone who listens to them
tom-toms; he’d point down and you’d Bugalu: He was eighteen years older than would know that’s my playing.
play on the low tom and bass drum. But me, so when I was young he had already MD: How has Buddhism impacted
that’s about it. played with Eric Dolphy, Oscar Pettiford, your music?
MD: Can you shed some light on your Benny Bailey, and so on, and had toured Bugalu: Through Buddhism I learned
years with Sun Ra? the world. He showed me how to hold the that life is about constant change, and it’s
Bugalu: My brother, Buster, was playing sticks. He held them in a different manner beautiful if you can take constant change
with Sun Ra, but I got him the gig. Sonny where the hand had more leverage and and maintain constant balance. I made
said, “We’re gonna train your brother how more control. He showed me the sticking that my system of drumming. I’m chang-
to play the charts.” You see, I was the only on paradiddles and how to feather the ing all the time, with each performance,
drummer that Sun Ra actually took some- bass drum. I was so small that I wondered with its different members, the weight of
where without having to have a million how he could play so light with such a big the bandstand…. If you maintain balance,
drummers. Usually he would have several foot. Mainly, though, I learned from just then you’re good.
drummers playing different things. He’d watching him practice.
get me in that band, and I’d play all of I remember him playing along with Guitarist/composer Ron Petrides teaches at
those songs, all the stomps, accents, all Horace Silver’s record “Sister Sadie” every the New School For Jazz And Contemporary
the big-band shit, and then you’d have day because he liked what Louis Hayes did Music. He has performed with Walter Bishop
four or five other drummers playing some on that record. I remember the smile it put Jr., Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Hart, Tony Bennett,
and Lena Horne.
random shit. But I’m the only drummer on his face, so I did the same thing—for

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 91

 Classic Excellent Good Fair Poor
RATINGS SCALE

MULTIMEDIA
BILLY MARTIN LIFE ON DRUMS by Ilya Stemkovsky THE TOTAL BLUES DRUMMER
BY SCOT LITTLE BIHLMAN
BOOK/CD LEVEL: BEGINNER TO
“Be in the moment, and take it from
INTERMEDIATE $19.99
there,” Billy Martin says during Life On
It’s hard to imagine a more informa-
Drums, his exceptional drumming
tive and fun blues drumming book
film/instructional video. More philoso-
than this one. It’s a celebration of the
phy and creative performance than
genre, from Memphis to Chicago to Texas. Bihlman
nine-stroke-roll tutorial, the DVD gives
starts with stick grip and how to tune drums for blues
the viewer a glimpse into Martin’s rhyth-
music, and finishes with advice on hauling a drumkit
mic concepts and wide-ranging musical
around. He strives to provide a sense of history as well,
interests, from Brazilian grooves to
discussing some of the masters and classic licks. He
impressionistic mallet pieces to noise-
gets into details like ghost notes, discusses blues struc-
making jams. Save for a run-through of
ture, and demonstrates some odd-time blues grooves
the “Latin Shuffle” beat, the focus here is
as well. And the CD is a good play-along for drummers
decidedly not on Medeski Martin &
of all styles. Bihlman has a very clear and thoughtful
Wood, as “illyB” speaks at length with
game plan. (Alfred) Robin Tolleson
his first drum teacher, Allen Herman,
and features his own students playing
mind-bending composed percussion ON THE BEATEN PATH:
pieces. A welcome respite from the super-chops technique showcase, Life On BEGINNING DRUMSET
Drums solidifies Martin’s outsider status and reminds us that there’s room for COURSE, LEVEL 1
all kinds. (Alfred) BY RICH LACKOWSKI
BOOK/CD LEVEL: BEGINNER $9.99
BILLY ON “THE LIFE” Here’s an interesting approach to
In the film you say that “Mistakes are fertile ground.” And you reveal learning how to play drums: starting
that you still rush because you’re excited, “and that’s just the way it is.” right off (practically) copping beats that are part of the
What can students learn from this mindset? everyday musical landscape. Lackowski aims to win
In general I think mistakes come from trying something new, something young hands and hearts with the music that inspired
you’ve never done before. And that requires a possible failure. If you’re suc- him, compiling a mix of grooves played by the likes of
cessful, then you’ve succeeded in what you set out for without knowing John Bonham, Dave Grohl, and Tré Cool between 1968
whether you could do it. If you make a “mistake,” it’s time for you to examine and 2001. What better way to learn simple syncopations
what happened. This is the point where you learn more about yourself, than playing a song like “Hard To Handle” or “Free
because it requires you to look deeper into yourself—your true self. Often Fallin’”? What better way to really grasp 8th and 16th
you end up with something better, something you never could have notes than playing “Kashmir” and “Smoke On The
dreamed up. Water”? The author follows the beats with a selection of
interchangeable drum fills. (Alfred) Robin Tolleson
The section where you play your “string of phrases” has a random but
fully realized vibe. How do you get inspired to make this sound focused?
You simply make a sound, a musical gesture. Leave some space and then fol- CARMINE APPICE
low with something else, something complementary—maybe contrasting REALISTIC ROCK FOR KIDS
and conversational. The most important thing is to leave space. This all DVD LEVEL: BEGINNER $14.99
comes from the master himself, Max Roach. It comes from some of the solo- Rock drumming legend Carmine Appice
ing I’ve heard him play live and on recordings. It also comes from many West recruits twelve-year-old drummer Pete
African master drummers. Biggiani to host this video and prove that
rock drumming is simple to grasp with some
Your association with a well-known group and the green light you enjoy basic reading skills. The material is pulled from Appice’s recent
allows what you do to be accepted. How can someone who plays in a book of the same name. The production is more Disney than
variety of bands keep his voice? Hudson Music, with candy-colored artwork and flashy video
I am not accepted just because I’m in a “well known” group. In fact, the more staging. Basics such as counting and reading rhythmic nota-
successful you appear to the public, the more people want to knock you tion, kit setup, and developing simple groove patterns evolve
into more complex beats and fills, culminating in soloing con-
down. For anyone to keep his voice or true self, I suggest not striving for suc-
cepts. Biggiani keeps solid time with a click, and then allows
cess out of insecurity. If you try to do something that no one has done before
the viewer to play along as he performs the evolving exercises
you, that is sincere to who you are. You don’t know if it will be accepted or
from the book. The fun begins when the viewer finally gets to
successful in your lifetime, but you may succeed in finding your own style.
play along with rock tracks and to solo (while reading the
That, to me, is success. onscreen charts). Overall, the package is an affordable, educa-
tional, and entertaining program for the beginner. (Alfred)
92 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011 Mike Haid
 B A C K B E A T S
he KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drum Camp, And
KOSA’S INTERNATIONAL PERCUSSION T Festival celebrated its fifteenth anniversary this past July, on the
campus of Castleton State College in the small, spectacularly beauti-
WORKSHOP CELEBRATES ITS 15TH YEAR ful village of Castleton, Vermont. Says KoSA founder and artistic
director Aldo Mazza, “We had a great time and a great crowd, and
when you get this many unbelievable artists together on one stage,
the resulting performances are electrifying and one of a kind.”
Besides Mazza, this year’s faculty included Memo Acevedo,
Marcus Santos, Bill Bachman, Dom Famularo, Paul DeLong, John
Beck, Allan Molnar, Liberty DeVitto, Jim Royle, Kiko Osorio, Jeff
Salisbury, Rick Van Horn, Glen Velez, Horacio “El Negro”
Hernandez, Michael Wimberly (with dancer LaToya Wigfall), and
John Riley, plus special guests.
For the sixth consecutive year, KoSA awarded full scholarships to
its annual event, in the form of an international contest in collabora-
Hernandez tion with Modern Drummer. The prize package included full tuition
as well as room and board. The scholarships were awarded to
Arianna Fanning (U.S.), Scott Davidson (U.S.), and Erik N.
Peterson (Canada). The KoSA scholarships were courtesy of Evans,
Mapex, and Zildjian. The event was sponsored in part by Audix,
Beatnik, Cooperman, Evans, Canadian Musician, DownBeat,
D’Addario, Dream Cymbals, Black River Music, Dynasty, Sticks ’N’
Skins, HQ, LP, Ludwig-Musser, Mapex, Mike Balter, Modern Drummer,
PAS, Pro-Mark, Regal Tip, Sabian, Shure, Drum Channel, Taye, Toca,
Vic Firth, Yamaha, and Zildjian.
For more on KoSA, visit kosamusic.com.

MONTRÉAL DRUM FEST 2010 WHO’S PLAYING WHAT Crosby

he eighteenth Montréal Drum Fest was held this past October Los Cabos Drumsticks welcomes
T 23 and 24. After the day-one kickoff of the Canadian Roland
V-Drums Contest finalists, taking the stage were Montreal’s own
Kurt Dahle (New Pornographers)
to its list of artists.
Isaac Dumont and Elie
Bertrand, followed by Bruner Kenny Aronoff is endorsing
Jeremy Taggart, Marko Ultrasone’s HFI-580 headphones. Aronoff
Djordjevic with Sveti, and
Bobby Sanabria with the Paul Crosby (Saliva) has joined the Shine Drums artist roster.
great Latin music of Quarteto
Aché. Next up were Ronald New Vater artists include Big Mike Clemons (Israel & New Breed), Lou
Bruner Jr. (who destroyed his Vecchio (Vita Chambers), Nik Hughes (Emily Osment), Dante Roberson (the
double pedal in the first few Whispers, independent), Jay Lane (Primus), Dan Johnson (Brian “Head”
minutes and had to restart his Welch), Ryan Gose (This Century), Rob Chianelli (We Are The In Crowd), Nick
blistering performance) and Pizzolato (Moving Mountains), Jazz Robertson (Jazz Robertson Trio &
then Kirk Covington with his Quintet, Yvonne Aubert Trio), Alberto Vargas (New Wine/El Rey Jesus),
CPT Kirk trio. The second day Travis Rountree (the Ready Set), Eric See (Just Kait), Caleb Clifton (Eyes Set
started with Yamaha’s Rising To Kill), Hayden Scott (the New Regime), Beau McKee (Closure In Moscow),
Star Showcase, followed by Larone “Skeeter” McMillian (Jennifer Hudson), Tyler Minsberg (the
Canada’s Simon Langlois and Mark McLean. Bertrand Dangerous Summer), Skip Erickson (the Classic Crime), Jevin Hunter
Jost Nickel performed for the first time at a (Musicians Institute/PIT), Chris Kamrada (There For Tomorrow), Tino
festival outside of his native Germany and Arteaga (Of Mice & Men), Luke Swarm (Cobra Skulls), and the entire staff of
rocked the house. Paul Wertico and his band the Drum Lab in Sacramento: Serge Lysak, Chris Brawley, Christian
played a free Midthun, and Mai-Tsaro “Stixx” Johnson.
Luzier
jam, and then
Chris Dave New Paiste artists include Anthony Burulcich (the Bravery), Bob Siebenberg
blew away the (Supertramp), Jesse Siebenberg (A Fine Frenzy), Corey Good (Modern Day
crowd with his Escape), Abraham Juarez (Gabby Villanueva), Aaron McVeigh (Foxy
forward-thinking style. Korn’s Ray Shazam), James May (Black Tusk), Gabriel Ford (Little Feat), Brandon
Luzier—just back from Japan—hit the Trahan (Impending Doom), Paul Allen (Nashville studio), Carlos Padron
stage hard, as did Marco Minnemann (Rumberos Del Callejón), Serge Lysak (the Drum Lab), Ken Tondre (Kevin
with the Swiss beatbox hero ZeDe. In a Fowler), Andrew Tkaczyk (For The Fallen Dreams), Ryan Shutler (Lazarus
surprise twist, Luzier and Minnemann A.D.), Skylar Feigel (Yeti), Brock Wettstead (Dirtfedd), Austin Schumacher
ended the festival with a high-octane (Blackbells), Wayne Peterson (Grave Maker), Joey Bumpus (Brandy, Ciara),
drum battle. Once again it was a won- Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds), Pontus Engborg (Glenn Hughes), Adam
derful weekend in Montreal. Balsam (the Most Serene Republic), Steve Ballstadt (Metro Jesus, Blue
Text and photos by Heinz Kronberger Man Group), Spencer Schoening (Said The Whale), and Glenn Milchem
(Blue Rodeo).

94 MODERN DRUMMER • February 2011

IN MEMORIAM

LOUIE APPEL
1958–2010
by Billy Ward

L ouie Appel passed away suddenly

at age fifty-one on October 17,
2010, in Las Vegas, after performing a
with them. He
always had ques-
tions about play-
show with John Eddie. It appears he ing, about tuning.
died peacefully in his sleep. He was never
I first heard about Louie when I political. He would
found out he was playing with Debbie never take anyone
Gibson when she was all the rage and else’s gig, even if

Rob Mazzella
we were all quite young. At that time, his family needed
most of us drummers in the New York the work that
area were jealous that Louie had such month. He was
a hot gig. He continued with a long what I like to call a true seeker. More Keltner and less Moonie.
and successful career, playing with a When playing the drums, he had a While Appel played with so many
diverse group of artists, including smile that to me always resembled a “name” artists, he was still seen by
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, perfect letter D. The infectious joy most of us in the New York City com-
John Eddie, Ronnie Spector, John coming from him as he played was munity at local clubs. He worked con-
Waite, ’N Sync, Phoebe Snow, Al indisputable. stantly, regardless of the pay or the
Kooper, Greg Kihn, Robert Gordon, I yearned to give back to him all size of the venue. Like a Buddhist, he
Leslie West, Peter Frampton, Tom that he continued to give to me. maintained his “practice” of playing
Verlaine, and many, many other tal- When I received a dreaded phone call his instrument, no matter the circum-
ented musicians. from my wife’s doctor that her life stances. And for such a huge man,
It’s difficult to describe Louie’s was now raging into the “end game,” Louie could play quite softly. His
playing without discussing his char- he was the first to comfort me. There drumming touch was lovely, ranging
acter as a human being. His tall and are countless drummers in New York from brutal to exquisite.
imposing figure was quickly offset by who went to Louie with their drum- Dig this: Louie Appel never
his gregarious personality and huge ming (or life) difficulties, and he smoked. He never drank. His only
heart. At a glance it would appear that always lent a compassionate ear. addiction was playing the drums. He
Louie was brash, perhaps even a Some people couldn’t get past loved playing more than most anyone
bully, but that was only his size talk- Louie’s “I tell it as I see it” way of I can think of. Without Louie Appel,
ing. His tough “fuhgetaboutit” New speaking. You had to overcome “fear there would be no New York City
Yorker persona was always in second of heights” with him—kind of like Drum Club. He hounded me to start it
place, overridden by his loving, sensi- High Anxiety. Ha! If you could step up up. He knew and loved most every
tive nature. to him as an equal, the rewards were drummer he ever met, embodying the
One thing that could turn Louie boundless. true spirit of drumming friendship.
away from some unfortunate person, Louie’s directness was all over his Rich Taninbaum of Rhythm Tech told
though, was if he sniffed that person drumming style. When the music was me about going to see Louie play in a
out as insecure enough to be a jive- rock ’n’ roll, you were going to hear teensy-tiny, crappy New York club.
talking fake-feeling name-dropping pure unadulterated passion. That boy As Rich walked in, Louie, while play-
self-promoter. You did not want to be had a lot of Keith Moon in him. Doug ing, immediately motioned for him
on Louie’s bad side for sure, because Fieger, singer for the Knack, used to to come up to the bandstand by furi-
his witty mind was so fast that he call this style of drumming “playing ously nodding his head (“Com’ere!
could lay you out verbally before you with wild Gypsy abandon.” I tend to Com’ere!”). When Rich approached,
knew what hit you. believe that as we musicians get Louie handed off one drumstick and
I always saw him as so highly older, we look for more detail or more got up and left. By doing that hand-
evolved. And he was humble. Louie shading and subtlety in our playing. off, Rich was receiving the best gift
would ask the same countless drum- Louie was always speaking to me Louie could imagine: getting to play
mers that yearned for his gigs if he about that. In the last few years, he the rest of the band’s set.
could have a lesson or a get-together wanted more sexy grooves in his style. Thank you, Louie.

February 2011 • MODERN DRUMMER 95

 KIT OF THE MONTH

Time Machines

Rick Mattingly
his month, for our electronics issue, we go back in time to 1985 with
T programmer/drummer Jimmy Bralower. His setup in the top photo is
listed from the bottom up, since that’s the chronological order of when
he got the pieces. (The shot, taken at New York City’s legendary Power
Station studio, also includes some of the facility’s outboard gear.) Back
then, it was all state-of-the-art equipment—not to mention very expen- 5
sive. Bralower tells MD, “Now they have apps for my iPod for $1.99 that 4
run circles around the old stuff. It’s really amazing where it’s gone, but
to me it’s still all about the music.” Let’s get the rest of the rundown in 3
Jimmy’s words.

1. LINNDRUM. This was my first pro- 3. MARC MX-1. The lifesaver of the
grammable drum box. It cost about day. Invented by Vince Gutman at
$3,000 back then. These days you Marc Inc., this box turned an analog 2
can get a more powerful drum signal into trigger pulses, which
machine in a box of cereal. Roger were required to run the Simmons. I
Linn designed software that was used it to twist up live drum sounds
very intuitive for musicians. I used and the sounds from the Linn.
his gear religiously, from the Linn
9000 to the MPC60 to the MPC3000, 4. BOSS DE-200. My first “sampler.”
which I still use today and is the last It’s a delay unit that had a “trigger
of the “vintage” drum machines he and hold” feature where you could 1
wrote the software for. The capture short low-bit-rate samples—
LinnDrum had loud and soft buttons a couple of seconds, tops—which
for each drum and a tuning knob for you could trigger off a button on the
snare and toms only. If you wanted front panel. I used it on the intro of
different sounds, you had to go “Bang A Gong” by the Power Station.
inside the unit and swap chips.
5. SIMMONS SDS-7. The first, or one

Rick Mattingly
2. SIMMONS SDS-5. The original. It of the first, digital/analog boxes that
had separate analog synth modules added digital sounds to the analog
for kick, snare, toms, and hi-hat, plus Simmons. Though it was tricky to
great white noise and tone bending. dial up sounds, it was a big break-
The SDS-5 had its own distinct through at the time. I first used it on
sound, and combining it with the “Out Of Touch” by Hall & Oates.
Linn opened up a whole world of
possibilities.

SIMMONS SUITCASE KIT. The flight case I had made for my SDS-5 kit—and
its stands, pedals, and miles of cable—wouldn’t even fit in my car. So much
for the compact digital lifestyle. One day when I was in L.A. I was invited to
visit the Simmons offices. They were showing me all their new gear, and I
noticed a little blue attaché case with the Simmons logo, tucked away in a
corner of the warehouse. Inside were seven little Simmons pads, with an
XLR output in the back for each one. “Does this thing really work?” I didn’t
care; I convinced them to let me have it. Turned out that if you didn’t hit a
pad just right, it might randomly trigger some other sound. Not really a deal
breaker—in those days not too many gizmos worked exactly as advertised.
And it was a dangerously delicate item: Using drumsticks to bang on a frag-
ile little box filled with soldered wires apparently wasn’t such a great idea,
and not too many of them were built. But for me it was a truckload of gear
replaced by a tiny suitcase. My cartage nightmare was over…for a minute. For more with Bralower, go to moderndrummer.com
That little case logged a lot of studio miles with me, until the next big thing and see the Gimme 10! column on page 18 of this issue.
came along and made it obsolete.

Photo Submission: Hi-res digital photos, along with descriptive text, may be emailed to [email protected]. Show “Kit Of The Month” in the subject line of the message.

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Rob Shanahan

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MONTH GET GOOD: Studio Sounds