Gavin Harrison here!

Hey Gavin,

I'm curious about the shows to be filmed for another dvd at 013 in October... Do you guys have any kind of a setlist planned yet or is it too far off at this point? Do you think the setlist will be significantly different than say the Arriving Somewhere tour? I've seen Porcupine Tree 4 times now, and my favorite part of any show is always the suprise of hearing songs that I didn't expect to hear.

I got the pleasure of seeing John Wesley sing Fadeaway in Philadelphia a few years ago, and I also loved hearing stuff like .3, Buying New Soul, Burning Sky, and some other songs that I wouldn't have seen coming. Might we be in for any suprises from the "up the downstair" through "stupid dream" era on this dvd, or does the band not embrace the older more psychedlic tendencies of the earlier albums as much anymore?

As always, a HUGE thank you for taking the time to answer questions!

John
 
Hello Mr. Harrison~

I had the honor of watching you play in NY last year at the Nokia theatre...

I got so blown by your performance I started studying your music closer and closer and all I wanted to say is that you are great and that your playing is amazing!!!!

I was wondering if you could tell me aswell about that White Sonor snare drum you used on your DVD rhythmic Illusions I believe, Ive always looked for it everywhere then I found about this forum and I was wondering If you could talk a little about the snare drums you use in depth if possible (shell materials , snare wires, sound projection)
Thanks in advance...

by the way I loved the videos from Musikmesse frankfurt , I keep watching em every time I can...

Kind Regards FROM MEXICO!!
A fellow drummer on the road of becoming a better musician :)
 
Hello Gavin
Having read numerous platitudes to yourself from the start of this thread, all I can say is, add one more to the list from me!! I have just finished watching PT "Arriving somewhere But not Here",( for the thousanth time), and frankly, I cannot think of a word large enough to describe my appreciation of how you personally elevate the complexity level of each piece of music that PT does!
They say that to copy someone is the ultimate compliment. Consider yourself complimented as I have made "learning to play, the Gavin way" a major focus of my own efforts behind my kit! Not to worry! I haven't lost site of the need to stay true to myself and my own interpitations!
I could go on and on but I think you get my drift! Thank you for expanding my personal horizons!
When are PT going to come to Vancouver?
 
Hi deadwing_007

I'm curious about the shows to be filmed for another dvd at 013 in October... Do you guys have any kind of a setlist planned yet or is it too far off at this point? Do you think the setlist will be significantly different than say the Arriving Somewhere tour?

Absolutely - what would be the point of filming another DVD with basically the same songs on it as the last one?

Might we be in for any suprises from the "up the downstair" through "stupid dream" era on this dvd, or does the band not embrace the older more psychedlic tendencies of the earlier albums as much anymore?


There will be some surprises.

Hi BeecMx

I was wondering if you could tell me as well about that White Sonor snare drum you used on your DVD rhythmic Illusions I believe, Ive always looked for it everywhere then I found about this forum and I was wondering If you could talk a little about the snare drums you use in depth if possible (shell materials , snare wires, sound projection)

I've already talked a lot about my snare drums - do a little search on this thread (here's a list of some of my snares http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=249912&postcount=532 ).
The white Sonor drum is a 12x5 Designer.

Hi basement rocker

When are PT going to come to Vancouver?

We have no plans to come to North America right now. Probably the next time will be when we have a new record ready (and I don't know when that'll be either). I don't think we've even played Vancouver before - so I don't know if it'll be on our touring list. You might need to travel a bit to see us.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Mr. Harrison -

I had a question about tuning. I've been using Bob Gatzen's instructional DVDs on tuning for years to teach myself, and one of his suggestions that I've always used is to use the exact same head on the top and bottom of the drum to make it easier to get the two heads to vibrate in phase with each other. And that technique has always worked well for me, but I recently switched to coated heads on the tops of my toms just to hear how it would change the sound. I know you use coated heads on the top and I think you use clear heads on the bottom. Have you ever tried using coated on the bottom as well? Do you ever have problems getting your toms in tune with the difference in heads between the resonant and batter side (your immaculate tom sound would lean me towards no, but just curious).

Thanks for the advice.
 
Hey Gavin,

a few questions again ..

1. Why dont you use the firewire card for your mackie? Does the Motu sound better to you?
2. Do you Eq on the Mixer or on the Macintosh? Or even completly no Eq's?
3. Do you hear any difference between cheap an expensive cables?
4. Saw a concert of Pocupine Tree on Tuesday .. i think it was recorded 2005/6 in Germany. I saw a white " oblong " Pad on your Bassdrum batterhead. What was this about?


Nice Greetings and thanks so much ,

B.
 
Gavin,

There is a photo on Tony's website that shows you backstage at the theater in Nashville using some kind of practice pad that appeared to have a bunch of buttons and a readout. What is that thing ?

Thanks and hope the shows are going well...
 
Hey Gavin,

a few questions again ..

1. Why dont you use the firewire card for your mackie? Does the Motu sound better to you?
2. Do you Eq on the Mixer or on the Macintosh? Or even completly no Eq's?
3. Do you hear any difference between cheap an expensive cables?
4. Saw a concert of Pocupine Tree on Tuesday .. i think it was recorded 2005/6 in Germany. I saw a white " oblong " Pad on your Bassdrum batterhead. What was this about?


Nice Greetings and thanks so much ,

B.

Maybe that I can answer a few of those questions.

Gavin doesn't use a firewirecard in his mackie because his mackie simply can't accept it. He has the "older" 8bus. The firewirecards only work in the Onyxseries (with the wonderful preamps. I can recommend these! They just sound awesome!)

A little sidenote: the firewire cards are produced by Echo Audio (who sell very good firewire interfaces like the audiofire series) and strangly enough not by mackie themselves, though they have some firewire soundcards too.

If I remember well, Gavin now uses the Apogee Rosetta 800 card to record his stuff. Mackie Onyx is pretty good but they can't beat the Apogee. Im not sure if he even has his motu in use.

I don't know about the EQ but I recall reading somewhere in this topic that he doesn't use EQ and compression much (but gavin has to clarify this)

The difference between cheap and expensive cables might not be audible in some occasions. I use a mix of them and never heared the difference myself but there are some benefits from using "expensive" cables instead of the cheap ones.

The cheap ones are build cheap which means lousy soldering work, lousy connectors (usually not neutrik), cheap wire with thin shielding. They might work fine but the expensive cables are just of much better quality. Thats what you pay for. They give you some sense of guaranty for perfect operation and performance. Cheap cables don't, so don't look strange if they blow it. Also, the use of those cables depends on the application. I use pretty cheap cables in my racks on stage, just because they are very short, hardly replugged (I connect everything on the inside of the rack, that's it. Just a stereo audio cable to the mixingdesk and a monitoring cable input, thats it. All others are fixed) and the chance that they break down, wear or give a bad signal is very small. For my keyboards and all the cables that I do reconnect on stage, I usually use better quality cables because they are more durable, give good signals over longer distances and because they are a bit thicker so that they can handle more (like people stepping on them, flightcases dropping on them, getting stucked between parts etc.)

if you are looking for good quality cables for "low" price, then just make your own. Get some neutrik connectors and good quality wire and solder your own. Most bands use custom cables, usually manufactured by the roadies.
 
Hi Gavin

I´ve seen in Tony´s pics your new SQ2. It looks impressive (i´ve always loved natural finishes).

Any changes in the kit or cymbals?.

Really Fripp refuse to tour Europe with the new KC?

Will you endorse the "Elvis sandwich"? -just joking-

Best regards.
 
Bonjour Gavin,

(Sorry if my english is not very good!)
This question is about the song "Arriving Somewhere..." :
At 8'50, what can we hear? Is it a drum machine, a sample, or something else?
Thanks for your answer and for all the things you do!
Hope to see you and PT soon.

Cheers from Paris

Alex P.
 
Hi Gavin,

there's a question about the Sound of an Force 2001.

I'm using the old series with the long tom-arms which go into the toms you know?

I'm now thinking about remove the cover, close unnessecary wholes, improve the bearing edge and put new veneer around the set and finally mount T.A.R Systems on it.
Do you think the sound could be MUCH better or do you think it's needless waste of money?

thank you very much
david
 
Hi NeuroAxis

I know you use coated heads on the top and I think you use clear heads on the bottom. Have you ever tried using coated on the bottom as well? Do you ever have problems getting your toms in tune with the difference in heads between the resonant and batter side?

I have used coated and clear heads on the bottoms and haven't had a problem getting them in tune.

Hi Trains'

1. Why dont you use the firewire card for your mackie? Does the Motu sound better to you?

I know SantiBanks has already answered some of these questions - but just to confirm - my Mackie is the old analog desk with no chance of a digital card.

2. Do you Eq on the Mixer or on the Macintosh? Or even completly no Eq's?

I do a little bit of EQ on both.

3. Do you hear any difference between cheap an expensive cables?


No

4. Saw a concert of Pocupine Tree on Tuesday .. i think it was recorded 2005/6 in Germany. I saw a white " oblong " Pad on your Bassdrum batterhead. What was this about?

It was a "moleskin" with a credit card underneath it. I was just experimenting with bass drum sounds. I've gone back to using the "Evans Black Patches".

Hi Liquid_Drummer

There is a photo on Tony's website that shows you backstage at the theater in Nashville using some kind of practice pad that appeared to have a bunch of buttons and a readout. What is that thing ?


It's a "BeatNik" practise pad by OnBoard Research. It has a built in metronome - and it measures how accurately you can play with a click.

Hi Gus

I´ve seen in Tony´s pics your new SQ2. It looks impressive (i´ve always loved natural finishes). Any changes in the kit or cymbals?.

No, it's the same sizes that I normally use. This time I'm using a Zildjian 18" Oriental Crash Of Doom - which is different from my usual cymbal setup - plus 3 prototypes "crash bells" (7" 8" 9").

Hi Alex P.

This question is about the song "Arriving Somewhere..." :
At 8'50, what can we hear? Is it a drum machine, a sample, or something else?


It's me playing the drums - but it's been processed in a computer plug-in.

Hi Kalma

there's a question about the Sound of an Force 2001.I'm using the old series with the long tom-arms which go into the toms you know?

Sorry - I don't really know anything about the "Sonor Force" series.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin -

I'm hoping you've had some experience with this sort of situation - When you were at the point where you became truly serious about being a drummer (or, a musician in general), were you involved with any other musicians in your area? You seem to be extremely self-motivated and focused when it comes to your own personal development - Did this ever make itself apparent when working with other people? I'm wondering how you deal with those types of situations.....i'm sort of in a difficult spot -

Part of me rationalizes that it's perfectly okay to just keep to yourself and focus on "getting better", but this widens the gap even further between yourself and those with differing goals, and can isolate you and make you miss out on some potentially great opportunities. Where I live, it's rare enough to find a decent musician, let alone somebody showing any level of dedication to their craft. I'm not even sure it's my location anyhow...complacency is everywhere.
So, on that same token, would you instead try and "weather the storm"? Is challenging one's self enough, or is it crucial to be in the company of other like-minded musicians?

Thanks for any input you might have, Gavin
-Chris Anderson
 
Hey Gavin,

kind of a silly question to ask you, but do you happen to know whether or not the end of Sentimental is an intentional reprise of Trains?

Also, are there any Chris Maitland fills/licks you've kept 100% identical to the studio version?
 
Hi xopethx

When you were at the point where you became truly serious about being a drummer (or, a musician in general), were you involved with any other musicians in your area?

No, I was about 6 or 7 years old when I decided that.

So, on that same token, would you instead try and "weather the storm"? Is challenging one's self enough, or is it crucial to be in the company of other like-minded musicians?


I'd say most of my development took place on my own. I've spent many times out of employment and I just hoped that it would come back. Practicing just kept me busy and interested in the meantime. How opportunities to play with great players and work arrived at my door was - and still is - a mystery.

Hi kheddar

kind of a silly question to ask you, but do you happen to know whether or not the end of Sentimental is an intentional reprise of Trains?

Yes it is.

Also, are there any Chris Maitland fills/licks you've kept 100% identical to the studio version?

I don't believe so.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hey Gavin

Were you really that young when you decided you wanted to pursue drumming as a career?? that's amazing...talk about following your dreams.
The reason I ask all of this is because lately, i feel like nobody that i'm currently playing with is on the same page, in the long-term. They don't care about practicing or learning new skills....they're like grumpy old men...unwilling to open their minds at all!
Is it futile (ha!) to wish that i could instill some natural curiosity in them? I'm actually considering moving somewhere with a larger music scene and the possibility for session work (both playing, and myself doing production work and recording other bands).. I guess i'm just wondering if you encountered this sort of thing when you were beginning to make a life out of it....

thanks very much for your insight.

ALSO - i don't know if you've done it before, but i took a cracked 18" Oriental China Trash i had lying around, and cut it down to about 12-13 inches...got it back into round using my bench-grinder, and it actually sounds really nice! More of an open "Ahhhh", with a clearer and definite musical tone. I wasn't sure how a china would turn out, doing this sort of thing :)
 
Good Morning or Afternoon Gavin:

I have ben playing for approx 27 years and have gotten heavily swayed from groove based drumming ( blues , funk, rock ) to more Prog style drumming over the past years...I guess what goes around , comes around, ef? When I started playing it was speed metal w/ lots of double kick and then I got into the Chili Peppers, Primus , Tool, Crimson...

I do more recording now than ever and also have discovered you as well as the music of Porcupine Tree.

I have also gotten into the Mount Helium ( formerly THe Apex Theory and the skills of Sammy J. Watson )

My main reason for writing is this:

My 2 year old has just started to experiment with picking up sticks ( perfect matched griip by the way...My wife and I did not help him at all) and banging on his bongo's and a 6x10 snare that I gave him.

Recently we put in your "Rhythmic Horizons" DVD And just like I was,he was transfixed on your skills and the sound!

He grooves and dances with the tunes section, however during the FBI Warning and the important info about not copying the DVD which also plugs your web page, there is a real heavy riff with tight odd meter drumming that he ABSOLUTELY enjoys.

I've looked and cannot find if this is a PT song or a collaboration. Can you help shed some light on this for me? I'd like to find a copy so that my wife and I do not have to keep playing the DVD from the very beginning to entertain him.

Keep on making incredible music and inspiring the drumming community!

All the best,

Josh Lebowitz
United States
 
Hi xopethx

Were you really that young when you decided you wanted to pursue drumming as a career??

Absolutely. My father was a professional musician and it seemed like the natural thing for me to do.

The reason I ask all of this is because lately, i feel like nobody that i'm currently playing with is on the same page, in the long-term. They don't care about practicing or learning new skills....they're like grumpy old men...unwilling to open their minds at all!
Is it futile (ha!) to wish that i could instill some natural curiosity in them? I'm actually considering moving somewhere with a larger music scene and the possibility for session work (both playing, and myself doing production work and recording other bands).. I guess i'm just wondering if you encountered this sort of thing when you were beginning to make a life out of it....


I haven't really encountered this kind of thing. I grew up in London. Maybe moving to more of a music hub - would at least put you in a place where you'd meet and play with more motivated people. I actually met some great musicians in my local music shop.

Hi drumrabbi

Recently we put in your "Rhythmic Horizons" DVD And during the FBI Warning there is a real heavy riff with tight odd meter drumming - I've looked and cannot find if this is a PT song or a collaboration. Can you help shed some light on this for me?


This not a PT piece - it's just something I composed to run over the menu at the beginning. I never developed the tune past that riff. Glad you son likes it!!

cheers
Gavin
 
Gavin:
Thank you for shedding some additional light on the menu music from the DVD.

is there any way that that is available by itself?

On another note , I've been intrigued by your playing since first hearing "Futile" on XM Radio.

I also discovered your work w/ Level 42. Mark King has been a favorite bass player of mine since I was 13.

Your versatile playing has captured the attention of my father as well. He played for approx. 17 years. so the music does run deep in the family.
i sent him home with some sampling of your music and he was blown away.

Thanks for the feedback and the inspiration.

Josh lebowitz
 
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