Gavin Harrison here!

Hi s0nspark,

I am curious as to what roles you and Pat will play, as in the last situation (generally speaking) Pat held down the grooves freeing Bill to experiment over top... Any thoughts on that?

Sorry, I have no idea at this point.

Hi Mr. Hat,

I know that you prefer Waves C1 compression. What are some of the basic settings you use such as ratio, threshold, attack, etc? Do you roll off any frequencies? Do you use a gate on any of your drums?

I'm still out on tour in Europe - and all my settings are on my computer at home...so you'll have to wait for that answer.

Hi angelo,

I want to buy a microphone for my hi-hat I am undecided between a neumann tlm103, or neumann km 184 or akg c391

I've used all 3 mics and the one I would choose is the AKG CK391. It's probably cheaper than the KM184 as well.


Hi ProgFron,

I have both your DVD's and I have a question about your polyrhythmic fills.
When you're writing do you just go for it and see what works best, or do you really work a fill out in your head first?

It depends. I might have an idea of a polyrhythmic grouping just before I play it.
If I'm working on a new piece I might decide to just go for it and see what comes out.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!

I'm wondering, since you've been behind the kit for 30+ years, how you've dealt with or made improvements in the way you break down/set up your kit. I've been playing for a year, and my kit is somewhat large (no rack, you can see pictures in the link under my signature).
Every week i've got various gigs to attend, and of course the first common-sense solution is to carry along less pieces, stands, cymbals, etc...

I've got a set of cases which helps smooth things a bit, but collapsing/re-setting all the cymbal stands for each different configuration is quite tiresome...
Anyhow, i'm just seeing if you've done anything over the years to ease the burden, because i'm getting pretty exhausted.

Thanks for continuing to set a higher standard for us :)
 
Hello Gavin!!

Fantastic! wonderful, really a big realized dream, for me!!
Talk about PT live in Rome!!
Thanx master!!
I have seen you and PT for first time!! i was with Fausta, in first line :p :p

Thanx thanx thanx to you!! for your beckon!! >.<
I hope see you soon!!

Greetings from GHFC!!
 
Hi xopethx,

I'm wondering, since you've been behind the kit for 30+ years, how you've dealt with or made improvements in the way you break down/set up your kit.

I've been lucky enough to have had a drum tech do it for me for the past 15 years or so. But I do like having everything on the rack (mic stands as well) for ease of positioning and total recall-ability. I've always used a mat or carpet and marked the positions where the feet of the stands go and the bass drum spurs etc. Also I used to mark the stands with felt pens. It doesn't look great - but you can only see it up close - and I'd rather have a consistent set up. I've played the same kind of set up for more than 20 years now - so I know I'm not going to suddenly change my mind about a cymbal angle or height and therefore I can saw off excess metalwork. That also means it's easier to put the cymbal arms in the cases as un-collapsed as possible.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

All this talk of you and Pat Mastelotto playing together has got me thinking about dual drummers in a band setting.

--Have you ever had occasion to play with another drummer like this before and if so, did you like it? It seems to me some drummers love it and some really dislike it.

Also a couple of off the wall questions:

--What was the worst job you held down while trying to become a professional musician?

--What was the worst gig you did because it actually paid some money?

Thanks as always for your time!
Derek
 
Hi Gavin,

I have a couple of questions for you about Unsettled from 05Ric. First: What hi-hat cymbals are you using for this song? My ears tell me that you’re not using your usual K hi-hats – I’m curious. Second: On your Rhythmic Horizons DVD you perform your solo on the B side. At 7:53 you move to a right-hand floor tom / left-hand hi-hat / 16th note triplets kick pattern. At Unsettled at 5:07 I hear something similar but not exactly similar. Was that groove in Unsettled, to some degree, born from your solo?

Last question: Do you miss your studio? Being creative, etc., on your own time? I know I miss mine even after a few days.

Sincerely,
Jeff
 
Hello again,

Several pages back you mentioned all the variables that go into a snare's sound, and you mentioned the size of the room you're playing in. Obviously it would depend on the drum itself , but do you have any tried and true general tips for tuning your snare before hand if you know you're going to be in a big room? Like less buzz or tighter head or whatnot?

I really enjoyed your performances at Musikmesse :) Endless creativity

Thanks
 
Hi mr.beefhead,

--Have you ever had occasion to play with another drummer like this before and if so, did you like it? It seems to me some drummers love it and some really dislike it.

I did a double drummer thing with an excellent Italian drummer called Elio Rivagli. We listened carefully and tried to play compatible parts. It was an interesting thing.

Hi JeffV71,

I have a couple of questions for you about Unsettled from 05Ric. First: What hi-hat cymbals are you using for this song?

I think there were 12" Zildjian ReMix hi hats

Second: On your Rhythmic Horizons DVD you perform your solo on the B side. At 7:53 you move to a right-hand floor tom / left-hand hi-hat / 16th note triplets kick pattern. At Unsettled at 5:07 I hear something similar but not exactly similar. Was that groove in Unsettled, to some degree, born from your solo?

No, it's an idea I've had kicking around my head for some time now. "Unsettled" didn't really come out of that solo. I think that solo was recorded a couple of years before.

Do you miss your studio? Being creative, etc., on your own time?

Yes, I love being there and having the chance to create whenever I feel like it.

Hi Spuz,

but do you have any tried and true general tips for tuning your snare before hand if you know you're going to be in a big room? Like less buzz or tighter head or whatnot?

I usually tune from an instinctive level - I always have more than one snare drum with me and I usually have a lot of different size "O" rings. It depends on the sound I want for the song in question. I try to keep the pitch of the snare drum away from the pitch of the toms so I don't get too much snare buzz from sympathetic vibration.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Gavin -
Congrats on the Crimson gig!

I think you're a perfect fit to sit in Brufords chair :)

Just courious did you have to auditon or did they target you and do you think you'll have to change your approach in terms of the way you supported PT verses KC?
 
hi gavin,
i purchchased your new cd drop at the concert in vienna and now i'm addicted to it...it really grooves like hell...and i've never heard such interesting rhythms before; i can imagine it was alot of work to invent these grooves

besides this do you know manu katche? do you like his style?...i think he is an amazing drummer who has amazing groove maybe not as much as you but not far behind...;-)
 
Hi 12:5,
thanks for the comments. Yes I tried very hard to come up with those grooves for the songs on "Drop". The really hard part was to navigate all the odd time signatures and not make them sound like an assault course. Sometimes I tried to disguise the odd times signatures and sometime make them obvious - but making it all flow was very challenging. Some songs I worked on for several days trying different ideas.
It took me at least a day or two just to get a recorded performance that I was happy with.

I really like Manu Katche - he's very interesting and at the same time very musical. He finds great drum parts to play. "Fallen Angel" by Robbie Robertson is one of the many masterpieces of Manu's playing.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,
I have a couple questions regarding the tune "For Lack Of": Am I correct that the main groove alternates between 3/4 and 5/4? Only when or if time permits could you transcribe that groove or explain the sticking you use? Also for the chorus section with the ride on the upbeats; is it all in 3/4? I really enjoy how your snare accents outline the vocals in that section.
As always, thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

Clint
 
Gavin - I know this has been said many times 'round these parts but I think it is super cool that you take time to answer questions from "the masses" :) I, for one, greatly appreciate the time you take... Thank you so much!

As an aside, I just got the Rhythmic Visions DVD this week and am loving it! Also, "mrs. s0nspark" tells me I may be getting Rhythmic Horizons for Christmas... YAY! :)

Best wishes for the holidays!

ps - *fingers crossed* for a Modern Drummer cover before too long ;-)
 
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Hi Clint Hopkins,

I have a couple questions regarding the tune "For Lack Of": Am I correct that the main groove alternates between 3/4 and 5/4? Only when or if time permits could you transcribe that groove or explain the sticking you use?

It's all in 4/4. I can't transcribe it at the moment because I have no scanner with me (Maybe a transcriber reading this thread would care to do it??) Anyway here's the bass drum line in 16th's subdivisions 4/4:

|- - - x x - x - - - - - - - - - | x - x - - - - - - - - - - - - - |

here's the snare drum line

| - - - - - - - x - - - - - - - - | - - - x - - - - - - - - - - - - |

Also for the chorus section with the ride on the upbeats; is it all in 3/4?

Yes that's the basic idea but I think there's a bar of 4/4 in there too. I tried to make the snare hits compliment the vocals.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Gavin Harrison said:
I'm sure I'll have to go into it with a very open mind - and be ready to change my approach to suit the situation.
Click to expand...

Man, you're not kidding! Maybe Fripp will ask you to not play any cymbals, as he did with Bruford! :) I can't wait to hear the interesting places that project goes in!
 
Hey Gavin.
I saw you guys in Atlanta and noticed the show was being recorded but didn't hear exactly what it was for. Was it for an XM-type disc perhaps? You have been kind to share with us quite a bit of information. We all appreciate it. I was curious to know if you could share with us your preferences for panning while mixing. Do you mix your overheads hard left and right or do you prefer a narrower soundstage? Where do you place your toms in the mix etc? I realize this kind of thing is subjective and I'm sure changes depending on the situation.
Thanks a bunch.
 
Hi Mr. Hat,

I saw you guys in Atlanta and noticed the show was being recorded but didn't hear exactly what it was for.

Yes that show was recorded for potential live album material. Some other shows have been recorded too.

I was curious to know if you could share with us your preferences for panning while mixing.

Yes I pan the overheads hard left and hard right. I pan the drums from the view I have when I'm playing them. So on the records you'll hear the hi hat on the left - ride on the right and the toms (from high to low) going from left to right. Only the overheads are hard panned - everything else is panned as you would see it from the drummers perspective.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Gavin,

Congrats on the Crimson gig ! I can say that I am POSITIVE that the music created around the combined talents is likely to produce some of the most interesting music Crimson has done in many years.

Will all respect to Bruford and their past drummers, I dont think they have played with anyone that can "play around with time" as well as you do. The way you are able to subdivide time and make it feel good even when it gets very complex drops my jaw to the ground every time I hear it. Sorry for all the gushing man its just that it is very inspiring to listen to your drumming.

Oh yeah, getting to play with Tony Levin..

Priceless...
 
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