Gavin Harrison here!

Hey Gavin! Hope all is well. I have a couple questions.

There are quite a few Porcupine Tree oldies that you've played only a couple of times, like The Sky Moves Sideways, Waiting, Moon Touches Your Shoulder, Stop Swimming, etc. Any particular reason for not revisiting these songs at a later date? I know you played Signify only once during a really early gig, Steven made you listen to the song beforehand but you didn't rehearse with the band. Do you recall this? How was the performance? Are there any times when you had to play a song when you really weren't too familiar with it?

I hope I didn't take too much of your time. Thanks!

Cheers, Quinn
 
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Funny enough, I was actually quite curious about this section myself about a year ago or more and transcribed it myself back then. Below is an image of both the fill, and the rest of that section in all its illusiveness.

This is actually taken from a page I devoted completely to all the strange drum stuff Gavin comes up with, as well as some of my own ideas. It's all transcriptions of fills, polyrhythms, and cool beats.
http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/d2e607dc005bc37df75c2fc22540e744a153bf03

(P.S. That album sampler of Cheating the Polygraph has me all the more excited to get it. Can't stop listening to it.)
Cheers -- Peter

Interesting stuff - thank you for sharing! Though I feel like the actual rhythm from the song might differ a little bit from how you transcribed it. I don't have the track on me, but I feel like it speeds up toward the end; yet, the transcription shows that there is even note spacing for basically the whole fill except the one eighth note that's not dotted (in the second bar).

The rest of the polyrhythmic passage I think is about 10x easier to understand by ear than by looking at the notation, haha.
 
Hello again Gavin!
Again concerning the SQ2. First question: What are your experiences with a Bass Drum Bracket? When mounting two toms on the BD does it affect the sound of the BD? Is it better having a BD without mounting possibilities or is the sound almost the same?
Second question: Is the sound of a new drum getting better the older it gets? I took a 10'' tom from my old Pearl MMX (23 years old) to the music store, where I could compare the sound of some SQ2 shells (same new skins and same exact tuning). The sound of the SQ2's was great but not so open as with my old MMX.
Thanks a lot!
Flo
 
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Hi K_HiHats

This is actually taken from a page I devoted completely to all the strange drum stuff Gavin comes up with, as well as some of my own ideas. It's all transcriptions of fills, polyrhythms, and cool beats.
http://www.noteflight.com/scores/vie...40e744a153bf03


very nice - but the cross stems make it almost impossible to read. Do you have a way of displaying it in more conventional format?

Hi dazzler

1. What are these drums you use left beside your kit when playing with King Crimson?


these are prototype drums built for me by Sonor. I now have seven of them although I'll probably only play four along with the drumset. All 8" diameter and all double headed. The sizes I have are 8x9, 8x11, 8x13, 8x15, 8x17, 8x19, 8x21.

2. Has Stewart Copeland been an influence on you? I realized that you play some similar fills. Even though you said in an interview that you didn't listen to Britain Punk Rock I wondered about that.

Yeah I loved Stewart Copeland's drumming and I suppose (as with all drummers that you like) some of his style crept into me.

3. Could you come to Vienna on your next drum clinic tour?

I don't have any clinic tour planned at the moment - and it would depend on a shop or promoter inviting me to come to Vienna. There's lots of places I'd love to go to - but it's not that simple to organise an event like that.

Hi Lightbulb_Sun

There are quite a few Porcupine Tree oldies that you've played only a couple of times, like The Sky Moves Sideways, Waiting, Moon Touches Your Shoulder, Stop Swimming, etc. Any particular reason for not revisiting these songs at a later date?

No particular reason other than they were not part of the album that we were promoting at the time so they weren't a priority. I remember playing Waiting and Moon Touches more than a couple of times.

I know you played Signify only once during a really early gig, Steven made you listen to the song beforehand but you didn't rehearse with the band. Do you recall this?

No - I did rehearse it with the band at the rehearsals for that tour - but we only played it once.

Hi Florsky

concerning the SQ2: What are your experiences with a Bass Drum Bracket? When mounting two toms on the BD does it affect the sound of the BD? Is it better having a BD without mounting possibilities or is the sound almost the same?

I don't think I've ever mounted toms off my bass drums with my Sonor sets. Whenever I have done that (with clinics drumsets) I notice that the bass drum will make those mounted toms ring every time you hit it. Less so with the suspended bass drum mount (that sits on top of the drum and doesn't penetrate it)...if you know the one I'm talking about.

Is the sound of a new drum getting better the older it gets? I took a 10'' tom from my old Pearl MMX (23 years old) to the music store, where I could compare the sound of some SQ2 shells (same new skins and same exact tuning). The sound of the SQ2's was great but not so open as with my old MMX.

Were you holding the Pearl drum with your hand - or did you mount it onto a stand? It makes a big difference. In my experience - long sustain is not something that will be helpful in the overall mix of the drums.

cheers
Gavin
 
About CymbalShoxs

I tried to buy them from Vic's Drumshop, but it turns out, they can't sell outside the US. (I live in Hungary.) I also tried the Trick Drums website, but they have failed to respond in the last 2 months or so, maybe even longer. Ebay and Amazon contains nothing about Cymbalshox. So basically, on-line ordering Cymbalshox looks impossible for some of us.
Is there a place in London where I can buy these? I'm visiting my friends at the end of March, and I really want to come home with a few of those.

Cheers,
Matthew
 
Hi Gavin,

thanks for all the time you spend with answering our questions. I attended a clinic in Giessen last year and was fascinated by seeing you perform live. There are two questions I'd like to ask.

In some of your interviews you're stating that you're trying to play and understand the drums not only as a rhythmical instrument but that you think of them as a melodic instrument, too, like a piano or a saxophone. This is a fascinating approach, although not an easy one to grasp for someone like me who is used to hearing and playing drums in pop/rock music. Nevertheless, listening to your and 05Rics songs - which are absolutely brilliant, by the way -, I seem to get an idea of this concept. Did you have this approach early in your career or did it slowly evolve during the years?

Sometimes you're referring to a large collection or library of rhythmical ideas you've collected throughout the years. I'm wondering about how such a library could be organised so that older stuff could be found even when you only have a vague idea of what you're looking for. Do you have a special system for your library and is it digitalized?

Cheers
Tom
(Aachen, Germany)
 
Hello Gavin,

I would like to thank you for your continuous support! To get answers from your big experience is amazing and so valuable! Concerning the SQ2, I have no more questions (for the moment!).
I wish you a great time!
Flo
(Germany Stuttgart)
 
Ha Gavin!
I just saw the Vimeo Video. I am so excited to get the DVD!
I could see that you have a new cymbal holder for the 5 little friends to your left. What holder is that? Custom made?
Cheers, Flo
 
Hi szokematyi

About CymbalShoxs
I tried to buy them from Vic's Drumshop, but it turns out, they can't sell outside the US. (I live in Hungary.) I also tried the Trick Drums website, but they have failed to respond in the last 2 months or so, maybe even longer. Ebay and Amazon contains nothing about Cymbalshox. So basically, on-line ordering Cymbalshox looks impossible for some of us.
Is there a place in London where I can buy these? I'm visiting my friends at the end of March, and I really want to come home with a few of those.


thanks for the interest in them. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get a product into the market and have them appear in shops worldwide. Sorry you're unable to hold of them - I don't know if any shops in London have them either.

Hi tom_ac

In some of your interviews you're stating that you're trying to play and understand the drums not only as a rhythmical instrument but that you think of them as a melodic instrument, too, like a piano or a saxophone. This is a fascinating approach, although not an easy one to grasp for someone like me who is used to hearing and playing drums in pop/rock music. Nevertheless, listening to your and 05Rics songs - which are absolutely brilliant, by the way -, I seem to get an idea of this concept. Did you have this approach early in your career or did it slowly evolve during the years?

I think it's something that I've been feeling for about the last 20 years. It's easy - as a drummer - to get stuck into that frame of mind of just playing beats and fills and never thinking beyond that. It's only when I stopped thinking like a drummer that more unusual and melodic things started to come through.

Sometimes you're referring to a large collection or library of rhythmical ideas you've collected throughout the years. I'm wondering about how such a library could be organised so that older stuff could be found even when you only have a vague idea of what you're looking for. Do you have a special system for your library and is it digitalized?

I suppose it's all in my head (somewhere) but creativity is quite often untidy and comes in random ways. Yes I have a large collection of notation ideas and small films that I've made. Some days I look at them and rearrange my thoughts about how I might use them or develop them. The material that I liked the most has generally worked it's way into my playing anyway - the most important thing is to keep having new ideas.

Hi Florsky

I just saw the Vimeo Video. I am so excited to get the DVD!
I could see that you have a new cymbal holder for the 5 little friends to your left. What holder is that? Custom made?


I found it on Ebay and got it sent over from the States. ( "Camber Quint Chime Holder") I made a couple of small modifications to it - I had to cut the bottom part short to get it over the hi hat - and I changed the washers and installed Sonor nuts on top of the cymbal arms. So far it works well (but I don't know if it's strong enough for touring). It's nowhere near as strong and solid as the Sonor arm - but this thing is light and really cheap!!

cheers
Gavin
 
Hey Gavin!

Hope you've been well! It's been ages since I posted on here but I heard the new Steve Wilson album today and couldn't help but notice you were in the liner notes and I was curious what involvement you had in the album.

Cheers!
 
Hello Gavin, I am curious as to how much autonomy you have when you play. For example, I have enjoyed your work with people like Dave Stewart/Barbara Gaskin (Green and Blue is a very nice album for a variety of reasons) and King Crimson. The Dave Stewart material seems to be very much fully composed whereas KC at times seems much more open. Does someone like Dave Stewart tell you what to play (in general or specific terms) or does he just say "Here's the demo, find something that works"? In contrast, I read in Bill Bruford's autobiography that nobody told him what to play in KC, he was just supposed to "know".

Hi Notbob, interesting question. I can tell you how it works with Stewart / Gaskin:

I was in Gavin's studio for all of the Green and Blue drum recording sessions, so was able to discuss the drum parts with him before we recorded them. Though most of the song demos had programmed drums, we didn't stick religiously to the programmed parts; Gavin would often suggest a different kick and snare configuration, we'd talk about which passages needed ride cymbal rather than hi-hat, etc. He also replaced some of my programmed fills with hipper, more syncopated ones - however, if I insisted, he'd play the demo fill, even if it was something I suspect he'd never normally play! This flexibility is one of the reasons Gavin is such an in-demand session player, but the main reason is that he nails the drum part very quickly and plays it with amazing precision. And of course, he comes up with some great improvised stuff - I love his exuberant little mini-cymbal starbursts, they really liven up the music. He's always open to trying out different ideas - on his new album Cheating The Polygraph (highly recommended BTW) we had fun thinking up marimba parts (he owns a beautiful concert marimba).

As I recall, the only G&B demo with no programmed drums was the ballad 'Let Me Sleep Tonight'. There was no point me programming anything, because I knew Gavin would come up with a great part - he just grabbed his brushes and whipped out a perfect, sensitive and dynamic performance in one take.

Re. future collaborations, I'm currently finishing writing songs for a new Stewart / Gaskin album to be recorded later in 2015, and we're happy to report Gavin will play on the album. Details (when available) will be announced in our newsletter, which you can subcribe to at www.burningshed.com/store/davebarb/mailinglist/13/.
 
Well said quote from Gavin Harrison - this should put an immediate end to a lot of discussions...:

"It's very nice to feel appreciated but most 'awards' are just popularity contests. I don't ask people to vote for me. If I did (and rallied and campaigned around the Porcupine Tree/King Crimson fan base) maybe I might win something - but what would be the point? It would just be an ego thing. You have to get hold of your ego and not let it get the better of you - it can be very destructive and distracting. It can damage relationships and ruin your life. I've seen it happen. There's no shortage of bitter, twisted, competitive, resentful and jealous folks in the music industry. Some musicians are part of a famous band who have lots of followers on social media. If they ask their fans to go and vote via an online poll - it just becomes pointless. It might be better if it was judged by a panel of your peers - but it would still be silly. Who is to say who is best? Music is an art form - it's not a competition. Who is the best artist between Picasso, Van Gogh and Rembrandt? You might be able to tell me your preference - but there is no 'definitive best'. ”


http://www.totalmusicmagazine.com/interviews/Gavin_Harrison.htm

Oh and by the way, I'm so much looking forward to that big band album!! :)
 
Hey Gavin!

It was almost 4 years ago when I joined this forum just to ask you one question which at the time was very important to me. That question was about any and all pairs of hi hats which you've used over the course of recording with PT and 05Ric. A little more than a week later, you confirmed for me that there were only two hi hats involved, 13" K's (off of which my username is based), and 12" Re-Mix. Ever since then, I have scoured the depths of eBay for all these years, until FINALLY I was able to win a pair at a decent price in really good condition a couple Saturdays ago. Pictured below are the exact pair I now own, all thanks to you.

And so for the past week I've been sort of reliving history in a sense by playing them along to all the tracks that I know you used them on, being all of In Absentia, the Futile EP, the XM sessions, your video of "Slippin' Away," the re-recorded version of Up the Downstair with you on drums, and even though you've said you started using the 13" K's on Deadwing, the EQ of your drums on that album makes your hi hats sound closer the Re-Mix hats in reality.

In summary, it's been a really good week. I am absolutely adoring the sound of these hi hats (though they can't permanently replace my 13" K's). But since I have them now, I thought I'd take a little trip down memory lane with a few short questions regarding your use of them. What drew you to them in the first place? What made you switch to the 13" K's? (Though their sounds in my opinion are somewhat similar, so perhaps that's why.) Do you still own a pair of the Re-Mix hats? If so, do you still pull them out again from time to time? And lastly, what other Re-Mix cymbals did you own and use? (I believe I spotted a 12" Re-Mix crash in a video of you playing "Swerve" on YouTube.)

Thanks for answering as always. I'd also like to second pixelbreaker's question, as I spotted your name in the liner notes of SW's Hand. Cannot. Erase. as well and was wondering the same thing.
Cheers -- Peter
 

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Hi Mic T

I just pre-ordered the CD/DVD-V version of "Cheating the Polygraph" from Burning Shed https://www.burningshed.com/store/ga...duct/192/6399/ .
Did Jakko do the 5.1 mix? Also, do you know if it is a hi-res DVD-A, or does it only have dts/dolby listening options?


I did the 5.1 mix and it has DTS/Dolby formats. I believe there will also be a FLAC 24bit96k stereo version available very soon from Burning Shed.

Hi pixelbreaker

I heard the new Steve Wilson album today and couldn't help but notice you were in the liner notes and I was curious what involvement you had in the album.

I didn't have any involvement in that album. Maybe he just likes me?

Hi K_HiHats

It was almost 4 years ago when I joined this forum just to ask you one question which at the time was very important to me. That question was about any and all pairs of hi hats which you've used over the course of recording with PT and 05Ric. What drew you to them in the first place? What made you switch to the 13" K's? (Though their sounds in my opinion are somewhat similar, so perhaps that's why.) Do you still own a pair of the Re-Mix hats?

I really like the 12" Remix hats but they were a bit too small and quiet in a loud band situation plus I broke a few top cymbals over the years. Yes the 13"Ks have a similar sound and I really like those. Recently I've been enjoying the 14" K light hi hats and a 14" pair of Constantinople hi hats. Sadly I don't still own a pair of the Re-Mix hi hats.

What other Re-Mix cymbals did you own and use? (I believe I spotted a 12" Re-Mix crash in a video of you playing "Swerve" on YouTube.)


Yes I did have a 12" Re-Mix crash (which I no longer have) and I once had a 17" Re-MIx ride that was really nice too.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin, congrats on all the positive press for the new disc.

On your Facebook page you posted a photo with copies of the disc on your set. In the photo you've got Kerope hi-hats and a K Custom Dry Complex Ride on the set. I was somewhat surprised to see the latter, given your well-documented long-term relationship with the standard 20" K Ride. I was also curious as to whether the Keropes were 14"s or 15"s, and what your thoughts were on them compared to the other hats you've been using as of late. Were these cymbal choices specifically for "Cheating the Polygraph", or are you using them for another project?
 
HI alparrott

On your Facebook page you posted a photo with copies of the disc on your set. In the photo you've got Kerope hi-hats and a K Custom Dry Complex Ride on the set. I was somewhat surprised to see the latter, given your well-documented long-term relationship with the standard 20" K Ride. I was also curious as to whether the Keropes were 14"s or 15"s, and what your thoughts were on them compared to the other hats you've been using as of late. Were these cymbal choices specifically for "Cheating the Polygraph", or are you using them for another project?


I've been playing the K Custom Dry Complex Ride for the last couple of years and I really like it. I used it on the new album along with a pair of K Constantinople 14" hi hats. The Kerope hi hats are 14" and I just got them a few weeks ago so I'm still experimenting with them. I have quite a large collection of cymbals (including some vintage ones) so that I have a wide palate of sounds that I might choose for any given project.

for any folks who are curious - here's a video for one of the tunes from my new album "Cheating The Polygraph". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9PCreC7Lfk

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

Let me start by saying I'm absolutely astounded every time I hear your parts on Porcupine Tree records recorrecords and listen to the mighty intricacies in your pieces. I've got a question, if I may, not on technique or playing, I guess. How did you stay inspired to improve when you started off?

I've got 6 years of on and off practice and recently I've been working hard practising everyday. And with all that practice the latest result I got was my sloppy double bass dropping from 150bpm to 130bpm. Now they're just uncontrollable I have no idea why. It seems like I just lost all that I had learnt overnight. My hands are alright, but I barely have strength in my feet to play fast consecutive notes even on my strong foot. I play regularly in church but make way too many mistakes. I'm now in the military band as a trainee and everyone around has years of practice in their instrument or graduated from music college and I'm here with no experience at all being in a wind ensemble and I'm absolutely terrible at it. I have practical tests in a few weeks and if I fail I'll be relieved of my position in the band. I know that being in an environment like this, living with experienced and professional musicians should inspire me but I'm at an utter loss whenever I review my personal experience and training and see how I'm way below the standard that I should be at.

Don't get me wrong, I love music and I understand these skills don't come overnight. But I've had many nights and it just seems like I'm stuck at a road block while everyone else around me is flying past. So how did you manage to pull through periods like this? How did you maintain yourself on the road of improvement?
 
Hi ratslink

I love music and I understand these skills don't come overnight. But I've had many nights and it just seems like I'm stuck at a road block while everyone else around me is flying past. So how did you manage to pull through periods like this? How did you maintain yourself on the road of improvement?


I can tell you that I had many nights (and days) like that too. Quite often the blocks that I hit were small technical things (like not being able to play certain bass drum figures accurately against certain hand patterns etc.) so I just needed to identify what the problem was - and then figure out a tailor made solution on how to practise it. I can say that all these years I've been practising I have become pretty good at solving my own problems. You need to invent your own exercises that just focus on that one thing that is tripping you up. Other times it was just the realisation of something I was doing wrong (or occasionally right) that got me over the block. Sometimes I just needed to RELAX. I guess you first need to understand if it's a mental block or a physical one.

Cheers
Gavin

Zildjian Cymbals are running a competition to win signed copies of my new record "Cheating The Polygraph". I recorded a little video of a couple of minutes from one song on that record. It will be a fun competition (nothing too serious) and I will judge all the videos and pick the winners. Follow this link and read the instructions on what to do.
https://www.facebook.com/Zildjian/videos/10153414617424994
 
Hi Gavin,

I watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTIhYQxdQbQ&spfreload=10 and noticed that you were using a coated bass drum head. Which model is it?

I know you used a lot the clear Powerstroke 3, right?
How do you find the one in the video compared to the clear one?
I always loved the punch and warmth of a coated bass drum head especially if you mic it, it sounds like I want it to sound or like I hear it in my head...

Cheers!

Will
 
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