Gavin Harrison here!

Ok, i have an interesting question...

I've come across some money recently and i'm thinking of buying an electronic drum set...
I would use it mostly for house practicing, because i don't have conditions for an acoustic drum set...

So i guess my question is what is your opinion on electronic drum set's? How will it influence dynamic of my playing? Will samples bore me after playing for some time?

I did this exact thing for awhile. I was living in a one bedroom upstairs apartment and I didn't have a place to practice my acoustic kit so I bought a Yamaha DTX-press from a friend of mine.

I think it's good and bad in certain ways. I think it increases your accuracy because you're striking a 6" pad instead of drum shells of varying sizes. Also, playing with triggers is a lot less forgiving when it comes to mistakes. Flams and inconsisties in your stroke velocities will become glaringly obvious on a digital kit, in a way that they might be more covered up by the resonance of the drums on an acoustic kit.

But after awhile of playing on them you do get tired of the sounds. After a few weeks of practicing on that digi kit I really just wanted to jump on a real drumkit again.
 
well, tnx for answering my question...

Well the thing is, i do have an acoustic drum set. But i keep it in my studio, on the other side of the town. I don't have time to go there every day, because of my college obligations...
But i will still play an acoustic drum set (like 2 times a week). So i'm guessing that i can combine the two, and hope for better result's...

I would still like to hear what Gavin has to say on this subject....
 
Hi stikzNskinz & technodoc

thanks for the kind comments and support.

Hi 12:5

i've a question about nil recurring...the section which starts at 3:20 right before the 7/8 overriding part...what's the timesignature?...i think 9/8 but does it change during this part or is it all in 9/8?

Yes it's all in 9/8.

by the way...steve's new album is fantastic particularly because you are drumming on it...the 5th song in 21/8 or 21/4 sounds like a really cool jam...did you just jammed along to it and recorded it?...anyway great stuff..there's not one track on this album i don't li


No it was quite structured actually.

Hi Inngwar

So i guess my question is what is your opinion on electronic drum set's? How will it influence dynamic of my playing? Will samples bore me after playing for some time?

I hate playing electronic drums - and the samples bore me silly. It's nothing like playing real drums. I think DDrum 4 came the closest - but they still made quite a lot of noise because of the real drum heads on their pads. I can see that the kits with mesh heads might be a good way to practise without bothering the neighbours. When I'm in that situation I just use a regular practise pad and a pair of KAT pedals.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin,
very nice that youre answering all our questions here!
Your drumming does mean a lot to me,its really the perfect interaction of a great technical drumming and the benefit for each song you play to.(Hope you understand me...the English lessons are over for years ;-) )

Ok,theres a little question I have....
Imagine theres only one snaredrum you could have...what would it be?

Thanks!

I wish you and your family happy holidays and merry christmas!
 
Hi Gavin!

I broke my left arm/wrist a couple of days ago. It's horrible! I'm not going to be able to play drums for a month. Do you have advise for what I could/should do while i'm unable to use my left hand?

Maybe I should practise reading or buy one of your dvds to get ideas and such? Just tell me what is a good thing to do in my situation.

Thanks in advance!
 
I see that u are on the cover of Modern Drummer and wanted to know what kind of snare u use. I've heard u play on videos and think your awesome and your set up is perfect. I too play some jazz and other types of music. I'm not in a band and have been playing for 25 years and I still need some improvement.........lol any hints I should know ?
I too have Sonors 2007 Force studio 1 double bass and a Pearl Export kit
Dan,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, thundafoot
 
Hi ItalianRicky

i recovered a old VHS of the claudio baglioni's "tour rosso"...and in this live tour claudio has a great couple on drums\percussion with you and elio rivagli on drums!
When you did the last live concert with claudio?


That was great fun working with Elio. The last tour I made with Claudio was in the summer of 2004.

Hi CareyCopelandCameron

Ok,theres a little question I have....
Imagine theres only one snaredrum you could have...what would it be?


That's a bit of a hard question. Something like a Ludwig 400 is a great all round drum. The drum I've used for 25 years (Yamaha RC 9000 1982) would also be good. There's so many great snare drums around now - I just got a 13x7 Sonor Amboina and it's fantastic.

Hi Paul Nasstrom

I broke my left arm/wrist a couple of days ago. It's horrible! I'm not going to be able to play drums for a month. Do you have advise for what I could/should do while i'm unable to use my left hand?

Sorry to hear it. This could be a good time to work on your reading and transcribing skills.

Hi thundafoot

I see that u are on the cover of Modern Drummer and wanted to know what kind of snare u use. I've heard u play on videos and think your awesome and your set up is perfect. I too play some jazz and other types of music. I'm not in a band and have been playing for 25 years and I still need some improvement.........lol any hints I should know ?

I use a few different snares. Maybe you've seen some stuff on YouTube where I use a small white snare drum? That is one of my favorite Sonor snares. 12 x5 six ply maple Designer Series. Also a larger 14x6 Cottonwood Sonor snare - sounds great too. Featured in the photos of the Modern Drummer article is a Sonor 14x5 SQ2 Maple snare that I sometimes use with that set.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!

I've been wondering about the fill you do 3:03 in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auztu_SQhY4. I can't really figure it out. I assume you are using both your feet and your hands, but in what order? I don't think it sounds like "double-hand, double-feet, double-hand etcetc.." That would sound to stiff.Could you just explain how you usually do those kinds of fill-ins? ... I'll give you a star if you even got a clue what I mean..

Ahwell, Happy holidays and thanks!
 
Gavin Harrison said:
Hi Paul Nasstrom

I broke my left arm/wrist a couple of days ago. It's horrible! I'm not going to be able to play drums for a month. Do you have advise for what I could/should do while i'm unable to use my left hand?

Sorry to hear it. This could be a good time to work on your reading and transcribing skills.

Hehe, nice advise. Any suggestions how to develop good transcribing skills? I can read to a certain degree, but transcribing is a lot tougher.
 
Hello Gavin!

I really need to work my "fills". Do you have some tips, or a book to recommend me?

Thanks in advance!

I wish you a Merry Christmas and an happy New Year !!

Bye

Alex P.

PS: I'll post the "Nil Reccuring" transcription after the holidays.
 
Hello Gavin!

I've been wondering about the fill you do 3:03 in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auztu_SQhY4. I can't really figure it out. I assume you are using both your feet and your hands, but in what order? I don't think it sounds like "double-hand, double-feet, double-hand etcetc.." That would sound to stiff.Could you just explain how you usually do those kinds of fill-ins? ... I'll give you a star if you even got a clue what I mean..

Ahwell, Happy holidays and thanks!

great question.
I hear another fill like the one trat PTEmil have talked, and it is in blackest eyes intro.
I've founded a lot of those fills in the DVD Arriving somewhere, and i wanna ask the same question, is it only a 2hands 2feets 2hands work?
 
Hey Gavin!

Thanks for taking the time to look and even answer at all those questions here :D
Anyway, the thing I want to ask is about a fill in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mipTPyAmtK0&feature=related
It's on 1:07, is there any chance you could break it down for me, please? (if thats good English :p). I saw this question bevore, but I haven't find an answer on it. I am sorry if I missed it.

Thanks a lot!

See you in London, in Octobre!

Frank

Edit: MERRY X-MASS :D
 
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Hey Gavin!

Small question, every time I play, I always feel like I'm falling into to same beat again. It feels like I'm locked to only doing one thing. When I try to do something else, it just doesn't sound right. Do you have any ideas on things that I can try doing/not doing, reading, etc. to try to expand my drumming?

Thanks so much!

Jon
 
Hi PTEmil

I've been wondering about the fill you do 3:03 in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auztu_SQhY4. I can't really figure it out. I assume you are using both your feet and your hands, but in what order? I don't think it sounds like "double-hand, double-feet, double-hand etcetc..

I'm sure it has some "double hand - double feet" in there - and and some point quadruple hand too. (I think that's basically the same answer for ItalianRicky)

Hi miha,

Any suggestions how to develop good transcribing skills? I can read to a certain degree, but transcribing is a lot tougher.

You have to learn to really focus your ears - and be able to shut other things out - other than that - start with some easy things and progress. You've just got to try it. Maybe Alex P or Terry Branam can help you more than me.

Hi Progdrummer160

Anyway, the thing I want to ask is about a fill in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mipTP...eature=related
It's on 1:07, is there any chance you could break it down for me, please?


Quite simple really. It's triplets in groups of 5 RLRRL.

Hi OriginJM

Small question, every time I play, I always feel like I'm falling into to same beat again. It feels like I'm locked to only doing one thing. When I try to do something else, it just doesn't sound right. Do you have any ideas on things that I can try doing/not doing, reading, etc. to try to expand my drumming?

How long have you been playing? Do you have a teacher? How's your reading?

cheers
Gavin
 
I've been playing for about a year now, and I started taking lessons with a teacher about 3 months ago every Friday, and it's been going strong. I guess another thing I wanted to ask that has probably been asked before here is, how old were you when you started drumming? About how long before you felt complacent with your drumming and how many teachers have you had, if any?

Also, I know I'm just another face on the internet among many others and I'm positive you receive comments like this all the time, but you are a really inspiring player to me. Being able to sit down for as long as you have and answer people's questions just shows your phenomenal personality.

Thank you!

Jon
 
Hi OriginJM

Small question, every time I play, I always feel like I'm falling into to same beat again. It feels like I'm locked to only doing one thing. When I try to do something else, it just doesn't sound right. Do you have any ideas on things that I can try doing/not doing, reading, etc. to try to expand my drumming?

How long have you been playing? Do you have a teacher? How's your reading?

cheers
Gavin

I had the same problem when I first started playing. But as I progressed and began to advance my skill & playing this was no longer an issue.
 
Hi Gavin,

Seasons Greetings.

I finally entered the 21st Century and got an iPod for Xmas.

The fiirst album I downloaded was Drop, after singularly failing to get hold of it in HMV, Amazon etc.

I've always been into odd times but it makes the stuff I learned from as a kid in the early 80s (Rush/Yes/Billy Cobham) sound as complex as Bits and Pieces by the Dave Clark Five!

The music is highly challenging but enjoyable - and the guy's got a great voice, a bit like a latter-day Scott Walker.

I just wish I could introduce a bit of 19/8 into my Newcastle bar band set!

Best wishes for 2009...
 
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