Technique/Concepts

Sitting In.

feeds@yuku.com (DrumDoug) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:11:47 GMT

Ever since Big Time came out, I have started playing my hi hat forward and not crossing my arms. This is fine when I am on my own kit, but it can be hard at jams when your on someone eles's kit and you can't move the hihat far enough forward because of stand issues. It's gotten to the point where I can't play with my arms crossed. I was at a master class with Carl Albrecth a few years ago and he talked about not setting anying up on your kit too out of the ordinary because...

low life brothers

feeds@yuku.com (warrier1) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:49:49 GMT

Hi Billy, when you start the song, it sounds like you are playing brushes, how did you make that change to sticks so nice, you didnt lose a beat, I snuck in a segment from your Voices dvd, where your guests were taking turns on the ride cymbal, when playing jazz, what do you look for in a ride cymbal? Thanks ttyl.

Paul

Rudiments? Help!!

feeds@yuku.com (RickK) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:10:39 GMT

Okay here is another maybe very dumb question but here goes...

Rudiments- what is the purpose for a drum set player to learn them and how are they applied...

I know Billy mentions them in his video (para diddle diddle) , I was learning them from the Vic Firth chart where 40 are listed.

I also know they are used in Drum line playing on the snare.

Stick control has rudiments in it....I am wondering if my focus on playing rudiments is taking away any...

Practice playing is helping my ability to:

feeds@yuku.com (RickK) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:17:56 GMT

I have been using Billy's concept of practice playing (as of late) and have found something that I never noticed before.

I have two sets of hi hats and my main hat on my left is my bosphorus hammer 14" then on my right side I have a remote hat with 13" K custom dark and for no other reason then I like the different sounds but usually play only my main hats.

what I have noticed and am slowly correcting is that if I am playing a beat for a while and...

Beater flops?

feeds@yuku.com (kenjit) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:25:17 GMT

Recently bought the set of Mapex Pro-M with a 20x18 inch kick drum.

It has a factory logo head with no hole on the front and I put on Evans EMAD2 on the batter side.

I never had any problem with my previous BD, but with this one, the beater flops immediately after an initial hit and gives a reversed drag effect. It...

Click Upbeat Practice

feeds@yuku.com (corneilius) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:55:14 GMT

I just read an interview with Jeff Sipe in the Sept/Oct issue of Drumhead Magazine, and he talks about a cool way to play with a metronome and internalize the beat. Instead of playing along with a metronome, have the metronome play with you. Instead of hearing the metronome play on the first note of a beat, hear it on the E, AND or Ah. Start at 40 bpm and play everything so the metronome is on the E, then move it to the AND... Practice everything so you're responsible for the downbeat -...

Random Snare Question

feeds@yuku.com (The Mad Basher) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:23 GMT

What makes a snare sound great?

I'm interested to hear your thoughts!

Madus Basherus

looking for more info on playing cymbals

feeds@yuku.com (RickK) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:04:32 GMT

I was looking for something that focuses on playing cymbals, and am having difficulty finding what I was looking for.

Not so much on stick tips (nylon or wood) but more on ride patterns that would compliment say a simple 2-4 rock beat...either on hi hat or ride or crash etc....

What about when playing say a ballad, or blues etc....

I don't find much that illustrates the cymbals, maybe I am just missing it?

Thanks for the help.

A Qualitative Discussion of Loops

feeds@yuku.com (jimmymartin) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:17:00 GMT

I've been trying to get into the creation of and incorporation of loops into my musical landscape. My desire is to get involved with creating what would be musical, creative, and possibly lucrative loops.
I have some great tools at my disposal: Digital Performer 5.1, a miked up kit, various percussion, a Roland SPD-S, Stylus RMX, Reason (old 2.5), EZ Drummer, etc.

So I have a wealth of options. I just don't feel I quite have the...

Tuning techniques and torque key?

feeds@yuku.com (Joe Hamm) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:55:00 GMT

I'm interested in thoughts on the torque drum keys. I've always tuned by feeling the tension, and by counting quarter, half, and full key turn rotations. Of course, having a great amount of patience and listening to overtones is also how I've learned to get great tones out of my drums. I've never experimented with torque keys, and I'm curious. Anyone tried...

Traditional Grip - Both Hands?

feeds@yuku.com (TTNW) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:28:23 GMT

A question for traditional grip players. I am not wanting to start a discussion as to the virtues of traditional grip vs. matched grip.

I play matched grip and so I am relying on you traditional grip players to give me, as best you can, an unbiased answer.

Whether you play both grips or prefer traditional grip, why is it that no one uses traditional grip for both hands? My understanding of the history of traditional grip is that it was born out of necessity from playing...

Jazz Mechanism

feeds@yuku.com (corneilius) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:31:16 GMT

Hey people, haven't been around in a while, between work and rehearsals, I've been a little swamped.

Anyway, one thing I was getting into was a ride cymbal exercise. Steve Smith gets into this on his US Beat DVD: I was playing Ex10 on Page 20 of the Chapin book, and realized that the left hand broken triplets made a great mechanism to keep my cymbal beat honest. I realized that I was slightly rushing on two and four, it really helped even things out - non swung grooves...

Velocity

feeds@yuku.com (The Mad Basher) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:20:42 GMT

OK. I have another question that's hard for me to ask succinctly.

I have a friend that ran sound on a tour with Johnny Rabb. He is a producer for a commercial music house in NYC and has released several albums of positive acclaim. I trust his opinions regarding recording and producing.

Recently we were talking about J. Rabb's level of excellence. My friend comment that much of JR's talent was his consistency with velocity. As a sound man, he never ran any...

Keith Carlock OMG!!!!

feeds@yuku.com (stixwallah) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:47:16 GMT

Whilst the US residents slumber, the Europeans are taking over the board haha!

Anyway, I haven't seen Keith Carlock before but heard much talking.

Blimey, what a frikkin' amazing drummer!

http://www.drummerworld.c.../keithcarlockswiss2.html

I am besotted!

three questions about counting

feeds@yuku.com (CrusherDestroyer) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:42:45 GMT

1. do you count out loud during practice, and when (how much)?

2. did your teacher ever tell you to?

3. if you are a teacher, do you tell your students to?

i just started doing it this last week, and it really screws up my breathing, so i end up just mouthing the numbers.
anyway, i've been really mulling over billy's concept of mechanisms. i've never applied it. my problem with it has been that if it is not metronomic and consistent, then it...

The Importance of Good Technique

feeds@yuku.com (curiousgeorge) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:46:39 GMT

http://www.mirror.co.uk/c...-injury-115875-21662312/

Phil Collins yesterday revealed he will never play the drums again because of a spine injury. The Genesis star says he can no longer even hold his drum sticks because sitting at a kit is too painful. Phil, 58, said: "I've got a condition that means I...

Bass Drum shuffs

feeds@yuku.com (dpdrum) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:27:15 GMT

So I've been trying to build up foot speed on the bass drum using that funky bass drum shuff beat pattern, and it seems that the
1st hit on the drum winds up beeing lighter sounding than the 2nd hit as I get faster (d-da, d-da, d-da). I'm wondering if anyone knows the best way to get both hits 'even'
in volume and power or can share their approaches to this. I'm aware that you need to start slow, but it seems like it has been taking me quite some time to master...

Tuning for the Room

feeds@yuku.com (The Mad Basher) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:52:15 GMT

Does anyone have suggestions or tips for tuning your drums at a gig?

I'm REALLY frustrated right now. I had a show last night and the bass drum was way to ringy. I want to get a nice round, open sound. In my practice space the drum sounds great. When it was running through a big PA it was problematic. The sound guy was arrogant and unhelpful so rather than battle I stuffed a t-shirt against the front head and moved on.

I know I can do better. Billy's comment about...

Consistency versus Creativity

feeds@yuku.com (Jaaye) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:27:02 GMT

Hey guys. I'm going through an interesting experience right now, and I thought I'd share.

As many of you know, I've been using an electronic system based around the Zendrum controller for my primary rig the last few years. Around this controller I have two systems: one based on a Yammie module and a bunch of effects and one based off a little BOSS drum machine (I call them EVA-1 and -2, respectively).

EVA-2 has never played quite like -1. The MIDI function...

Want technique?

feeds@yuku.com (ambadextro) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:35:52 GMT

Very beautiful stuff....

Frank Bellucci