"All My Life" drum cover

[paradiddler]

Yes, I know this song's been covered a bazillion times, but it's that good!

I played around with the visuals a little bit to make it a little, well, more visually appealing! I always need to work on some part of my playing, but this was way too fun to not record and post!

Enjoy.

The Paradiddler covering Foo Fighter's "All My Life"

[keep it simple]

I think you did well on that track. Ok, I don't like the song that much, but you captured the vibe really well. A few mistakes for sure, mainly tom fills & fast crashes, but I think you know that already. The frantic stuff is never easy to get totally crisp as a play along. Within a band vibe is a different matter. Keep it going & have fun on the way!

[paradiddler]

Simple,

Thanks very much! I'm pretty much done with trying to do it exactly as recorded (heck, even the original drummers don't do that!), so I put in a few things that, while my own, I still wanted it to sound like Taylor Hawkins. I recorded it a few times, and this was my favorite take, mistakes and all. :) It was just a lot of fun to play.

Till the next one!

[paradiddler]

Originally Posted by Tommycanuhearme

I thought it was fine, however, I would rather see you play with other musicians or just create your own solo. It allows you to be more creative.

Yes, Tommy, I can hear you! Thanks. Maybe other musicians someday, but in the meantime, it's drum covers for me. I consider them good practice, makes you focus, and they're just fun! However, I absolutely concede that playing with others allows you to play however you want, and not held to the recording.

Great stuff!

[caddywumpus]

Originally Posted by paradiddler

Thanks very much! I'm pretty much done with trying to do it exactly as recorded

The problem with that is that you don't learn anything from the song. I could play along to lots of songs and impose a 2-beat over them. It might be fun, and a bit challenging for some songs (6/8 songs...???), but I won't learn anything about how the drummer interpreted the song and developed his part from that mindset.

For example, listen to what the original ride pattern part is doing during the chorus...it's not just playing straight 8ths! What notes are the ones he's ACTUALLY playing? What notes get the accents? When is he playing the bow of the cymbal, and when is he playing the bell? How is he applying feel to it to make it groove/drive? The point of "covering" a song, to me, is to learn the part in order to get inside the mind of the drummer who played it. If I can understand where he's coming from, musically, then I've learned a new point of view about music and can draw from that in my "drummer's bag 'o tricks".

Nice job, by the way. A little stiff-looking, but it sounded good! Keep it up!

[paradiddler]

Originally Posted by caddywumpus

The problem with that is that you don't learn anything from the song. I could play along to lots of songs and impose a 2-beat over them. It might be fun, and a bit challenging for some songs (6/8 songs...???), but I won't learn anything about how the drummer interpreted the song and developed his part from that mindset.

For example, listen to what the original ride pattern part is doing during the chorus...it's not just playing straight 8ths! What notes are the ones he's ACTUALLY playing? What notes get the accents? When is he playing the bow of the cymbal, and when is he playing the bell? How is he applying feel to it to make it groove/drive? The point of "covering" a song, to me, is to learn the part in order to get inside the mind of the drummer who played it. If I can understand where he's coming from, musically, then I've learned a new point of view about music and can draw from that in my "drummer's bag 'o tricks".

Nice job, by the way. A little stiff-looking, but it sounded good! Keep it up!

Hi Caddy.

Whoa! I think I opened Pandora's Box a bit! Let me explain myself.

First off, excellent points by you. This is the type of feedback I love. When I said above that 'I'm through trying to play exactly as recorded', I didn't mean I wouldn't try! After reading it back, I don't think I should've said it that way. There's no doubt that I will always give the original drummer the benefit of the doubt as far as how the song should best be played. He (or she) toiled over it enough to know. What I meant was if I think adding something to the song (something my own, like the splash in the middle) will allow it to still sound like the original drummer, then I'll add it - otherwise, I won't.

Your ride pattern observation is right on. I knew what Taylor was doing, but when I played the song I sort of 'felt' it differently, so it sounds like I'm playing straight 8th's, even though I do hit the bell at times, but not the way it was played originally. I thought about recording the song again playing the chorus more to the original, but the truth is that it was fun the way I played it, so I left it as is. All in all, my goal actually is to get into the mind of the drummer and play how they played, and yes, add to my 'toolbox'. A lesson for the next cover!

As far as my 'stiffness' goes, that's an ongoing struggle for me, but I think I'm getting better (you should see my earlier covers - then again, maybe not!). I do need to relax more.

I wrote an article on my blog on my point of view regarding drum covers - I hope you take a look:

A Perspective on Drum Covers

Thanks again for your observations (and kudos)!

[caddywumpus]

Originally Posted by paradiddler

Whoa! I think I opened Pandora's Box a bit! Let me explain myself.

Sorry to open a box on you. I didn't mean any of that in an offensive or intrusive way. I hope you heard it all as positive feedback with a touch of perspective and constructive criticism. I read your blog, and I totally see where you're coming from. This is art...there is no "right" or "wrong", and we all see it differently. Kudos on speaking your mind!

...and the stiffness *should* go away the more you play and learn to relax, but it could take years. Maybe think about your strokes as a "whipping motion" rather than a controlled, precise stroke, and see what that does to your body language...???

Keep up the good work!

[paradiddler]

Originally Posted by caddywumpus

Sorry to open a box on you. I didn't mean any of that in an offensive or intrusive way. I hope you heard it all as positive feedback with a touch of perspective and constructive criticism. I read your blog, and I totally see where you're coming from. This is art...there is no "right" or "wrong", and we all see it differently. Kudos on speaking your mind!

...and the stiffness *should* go away the more you play and learn to relax, but it could take years. Maybe think about your strokes as a "whipping motion" rather than a controlled, precise stroke, and see what that does to your body language...???

Keep up the good work!

Hey Caddy.

It's all good! Trust me, I need the constructive criticism. No offense taken at all. I welcome your comments anytime.

Even though I've seen (or read) about the whipping motion, I don't think I ever let that concept sink into my head. So for sure I'll be working on that next.

Thanks again!

P.S. "It could take years"? Gads, I'm in trouble. :)

[paradiddler]

Hey all.

And for those interested, I posted a little background to the drum cover in question:

"All My Life" by Foo Fighters, Drum Cover

Enjoy!