Gavin Harrison
DRUMMERWORLD PRO DRUMMER
Hi NeuroAxis,
From watching your videos you seem to use a combination of French and German grips, and I'm trying to develop a style that changes back and forth between these two depending on the application. Do you work on grip a lot or is it more something that just comes naturally? Are there certain situations where you know that one style will sound better than the other?
Any grip changing I do is purely instinctive - I know I do move from one to the other and there's probably a lot of in between too. I just do what feels right for the touch/volume I need at that point.
Hi trysthedrummer
Are you looking forward to Drummer Live this year Gavin?Will you be doing any signings?
I think it should be good fun. I'm only going to be there on Sunday as I'm just about to leave for Austria and do a PT festival. I believe I will be do a signing session with Jojo at the Sonor stand around 12:30?
Hi Joe P
Hey Gavin. I wanted to ask, what is that tune that you play on the intro to the A-side of Rhythmic Horizons?
It's just a little riff I wrote for that into.
Hi hauk,
When Steven writes a song, how does the recording process go? I assume he sends you a scratch track with him playing guitar and bass and singing, maybe with a drum machine playing the basic part he has in his head? Then you record your part as do Colin and Richard and Steve gets them all, records his final cuts, and mixes it? Or am I way off?
That's how some of the compositions go.
Do you happen to have the main marimba pattern in 19 Days written out anywhere? I'd love to learn that.
How did you decide to put that complex polyrhythm into What Happens Now? It fits perfectly, but I can't imagine what led you to try it as part of the composition. The same goes for other examples; are there any specific things you tend to pick up on that spark an idea for a polyrhythm in the song?
Whilst in a writing session we got to the point in "What Happens Now" where we felt it needed to take off in a different direction - so I suggested that polyrhythm and the way the others should play to it. On other occasions polyrhythmic ideas come to me based on a rhythm I can hear in someone else's part.
Finally, this probably sounds like quite an odd question, but would you ever consider writing an ensemble for concert percussionists?
It's an interesting idea but I don't think I'd have the time to do it.
Hi JamStew,
Do you think it is helpful to play these figures like this or is it better to practise them in their 'unchanged' form
I think any sticking is helpful - especially in odd groups such as these.
Hi jdzzz,
I'd like to know whether counting really is that important.
I think it is when you're practicing - but I try not to do it when I perform.
Cheers
Gavin
From watching your videos you seem to use a combination of French and German grips, and I'm trying to develop a style that changes back and forth between these two depending on the application. Do you work on grip a lot or is it more something that just comes naturally? Are there certain situations where you know that one style will sound better than the other?
Any grip changing I do is purely instinctive - I know I do move from one to the other and there's probably a lot of in between too. I just do what feels right for the touch/volume I need at that point.
Hi trysthedrummer
Are you looking forward to Drummer Live this year Gavin?Will you be doing any signings?
I think it should be good fun. I'm only going to be there on Sunday as I'm just about to leave for Austria and do a PT festival. I believe I will be do a signing session with Jojo at the Sonor stand around 12:30?
Hi Joe P
Hey Gavin. I wanted to ask, what is that tune that you play on the intro to the A-side of Rhythmic Horizons?
It's just a little riff I wrote for that into.
Hi hauk,
When Steven writes a song, how does the recording process go? I assume he sends you a scratch track with him playing guitar and bass and singing, maybe with a drum machine playing the basic part he has in his head? Then you record your part as do Colin and Richard and Steve gets them all, records his final cuts, and mixes it? Or am I way off?
That's how some of the compositions go.
Do you happen to have the main marimba pattern in 19 Days written out anywhere? I'd love to learn that.
How did you decide to put that complex polyrhythm into What Happens Now? It fits perfectly, but I can't imagine what led you to try it as part of the composition. The same goes for other examples; are there any specific things you tend to pick up on that spark an idea for a polyrhythm in the song?
Whilst in a writing session we got to the point in "What Happens Now" where we felt it needed to take off in a different direction - so I suggested that polyrhythm and the way the others should play to it. On other occasions polyrhythmic ideas come to me based on a rhythm I can hear in someone else's part.
Finally, this probably sounds like quite an odd question, but would you ever consider writing an ensemble for concert percussionists?
It's an interesting idea but I don't think I'd have the time to do it.
Hi JamStew,
Do you think it is helpful to play these figures like this or is it better to practise them in their 'unchanged' form
I think any sticking is helpful - especially in odd groups such as these.
Hi jdzzz,
I'd like to know whether counting really is that important.
I think it is when you're practicing - but I try not to do it when I perform.
Cheers
Gavin