Gavin Harrison here! [Archive] - DRUMMERWORLD OFFICIAL DISCUSSION FORUM

Secio

01-19-2006, 05:59 PM

Gavin is a great drummer and he's one of my favourites ever.
He has an incredibly musical drumming, full of colours and effects. Listen Porcupine Tree's "In Absentia" (a good album), there's a song called "The Sound of Muzak" where he plays a beautiful 7/4. His technique is great but he play only for the song, he don't need to show how much he's speedy or loud. You can hear a great Gavin in PT songs like "Futile" or "Orchidia".
Gavin has written two books, "Rhytmic Illusions" and "Rhitmic Perspectives", based on time displacement and subdivisions. I don't have these books, but I have the DVD "Rhytmics Visions" where he show about concepts written in his methods....that's AMAZING to see...but really hard to play!

Tom Miller

02-09-2006, 03:04 AM

Just got his "Rhythmic Visions" DVD. I think I have a new favorite drummer. I hope Porcupine Tree comes out with a concert DVD soon. There's an MPEG of them live floating around on the 'net but I haven't been able to track it down yet.

max77

03-05-2006, 06:17 AM

PT is one of my favorite bands and I love Gavin's playing. Tasty stuff! I haven't been able to find out much at all about him or his setup. I've been to his website but it's pretty barren on details. I'd love to know his cymbal (Zildjian) setup details.
Here it is : http://zildjian.com/en-US/products/configurator/default.ad2?artistID=2858

It's my favorite drummer , favorite band ... I love all the beats he makes ...
My inspiration , My idol.

Panos_from_greece!

03-05-2006, 03:02 PM

he's my favourite drummer and my idol too!!His drumming is just superb!!He plays for the music, very versatile , fantastik technique (no overdose in porcupine tree songs) and the guy is a musician except for being a perfect drummer.The only thing that dissapoints me is that his drumming is still untouchable by me!!I just cant do the licks he does!!Listen to orchidia! Man the guy is ruling there.Wedding nails too...and many other songs!I hope porcupine tree realeases some live dvd in order to see him playing on camera.Just amazing!

jonny

03-07-2006, 04:28 AM

I love his drumming. Somehow manages to play perfectly for the song all of the time, with an amazing touch, whilst at the same time giving his parts a techincal and challenging edge. And he has a very subtle and musical double bass use. And his kit always sounds great recorded - Sonor and Zildjain.

Check out these links. One is from the DRUM! website. The other is a PT live show. Gavin's messing about with his parts live, and they're awesome.

http://www.drummagazine.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1170&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=138242861598716315

Sonor

03-08-2006, 05:22 PM

I hadn't been playing drums in about 12 years, but listening to this guy play just brought it all back and now, I'm playing again. I absolutely love the way he plays the drums. Very tasteful and classy.

The guy is brilliant. Love his work.

Gavin Harrison

03-13-2006, 09:34 PM

Hi folks,
thanks for the kind words about my drumming. It's very encouraging to know people are enjoying it.

best wishes
Gavin

finnhiggins

03-14-2006, 12:35 AM

Hah!

Awesome.

Gavin, love your playing, love your books. I've been trying to get my head around all the stuff in the books for about the last three years and I'm still nowhere near feeling like I've got any kind of a comprehensive handle on the stuff. The amount of time you must have spent working on this material blows my mind.

jonny

03-14-2006, 02:53 AM

Hey Gavin!

Awesome to have you here. I've read your posts on House of Drumming. It's cool you take the time to hang with us mortal drummers.

I'm loving Deadwing. It's mindblowing playing. I love your use of double bass, perfect. And each songs grooves so well.

Do you ever play/perform clinics around London when not gigging with PT?

Bernhard

03-14-2006, 01:07 PM

Hi friends, yes it checked out - and it's Gavin of course - great.

Great drummer - as we all know. Check him out and if somethings not clear with Rhythmic Visions ....don't hesitate to ask here.

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gavin_Harrison.html

From Gavin:

Hi Bernhard,
yes it's really me!!!
I've finished a new DVD - I'd love to give you a preview clip for your site when it's time.
I've mainly been touring and recording with Porcupine Tree the last 3-4 years. Now it's time to write a new record - so we're busy working on ideas.

All the best - I love your site !!!

cheers
Gavin

NUTHA JASON

03-14-2006, 02:49 PM

hi gavin.
saw you in this clip from jonny:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...42861598716315
AND WAS BLOWN AWAY. killer sound, style and licks.

so i'm now intrigued. what are you going to be focussing on in your new DVD? can you give us a synopsis? and when is it comming out?

j

Gavin Harrison

03-14-2006, 03:45 PM

Hi Jason,
thanks for the compliment - I followed the link but there was nothing there. I imagine it was the PT in Germany show? I know it’s been on google video a lot.
I've spent a couple of years (on and off) working on the new DVD. (I guess it's a labour of love?)
The first DVD "Rhythmic Visions" was basically the outline of the Rhythmic Illusions book. The new DVD is all new stuff - and there's lots of it. I play 5 new tunes, lots of lessons (with printable PDF's of the lessons) play along mp3's, a midi file of one of the original tunes. There’s 3 pieces where I do a split screen into 9 different parts. All the tunes and lessons relate to each other so there's a common method running throughout. There’s even subtitles in Italian and German!!!

Hi Jonny,
glad you like the double bass - I’ve never thought of myself as a double bass player. I don’t make many drum clinics, and most of my work in London is sessions - so I guess I need to get out more! Thanks anyway.

Cheers
Gavin

CarterB_Junkie

03-15-2006, 04:42 PM

Hello Gavin !

Cool to have you on this board !

Your playing with PT is just perfect : groove, ideas, taste, chops, great sound !

I remember hearing Blackest eyes for the firt time and when the drums kick in : who is this guy ?
Saw you live last year in Paris Le Bataclan and your playing was great and more busy than in the studio, which I like !

Couple of questions : Do you know when the Porcupine Tree live DVD will be ready ?
I can't wait !

A common question but : Who were your heroes when you started playing ? Your main influences ?

Any recent players that caught your ears ? What do you think of Carter Beauford ? Danny Carey ?

Do you care that some metal drummers play tunes at 250/280BPM ? Do you care about metal at all ?

Ok I'll stop now !

Good luck on the next record, I ll buy it on its realease date !

Gavin Harrison

03-15-2006, 06:10 PM

Hey CarterB_Junkie,
thanks for the kind words!

>Couple of questions : Do you know when the Porcupine Tree live DVD will be ready ?
I can't wait !

We're hoping later this summer. Still editing all the footage at the moment.

>A common question but : Who were your heroes when you started playing ? Your main influences ?

I listened to a lot of drummers: Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, Stewart Copeland, Simon Phillips, Billy Cobham, Steve Jansen.

>Any recent players that caught your ears ? What do you think of Carter Beauford ? Danny Carey ?

Recently I've been listening to Tomas Haake, Morgen Agren. Carter and Danny are great too.

>Do you care that some metal drummers play tunes at 250/280BPM ?

Only that they might catch on fire at that speed!!! Really, I've never been interested in speed. I don't like to think of the drums as an 'Olympic event'.

>Do you care about metal at all ?

I've really been enjoying Meshuggah - and had the chance to meet Tomas - and see a gig on their last tour of the US.

Cheers
Gavin

T-1000

03-15-2006, 06:19 PM

Gavin, can you play along to two different songs in different tempo's (ie. 125 BPM and 143 BPM?) I know you're quite the ace at this independence/co-ordination buisness, so I was wandering...

Gavin Harrison

03-15-2006, 08:16 PM

Hey T-1000,
that's quite an interesting question. The basic answer is no. I can't play in 125bpm and 143bpm at the same time.
Although it's not impossible - it's just a question of polyrhythmic mathematics.

For instance it would be quite easy to play in 100bpm and 75bpm - that would sound as 4 against 3. A rhythm I'm sure no drummer would struggle with.

A tempo of 100bpm and 125bpm together gives you a polyrhythm of 4 against 5 and if you take the 75bpm and the 125bpm and put them together it would produce the polyrhythm of 3 against 5.

100bpm together with 66.666bpm gives you 4 against 3.

All these are quite easily playable.

However, if you want to try something a little harder - mix the 75bpm together with 66.666bpm and you will get 9 against 8.

If you're interested in getting into this kind of stuff - I go through some of it in my books.
Rhythmic Illusions (Chapter 10) "Rhythmic Scales & Polyrhythmic Groupings"
Rhythmic Perspectives (Chapter 4) "Polyrhythmic Theory"

cheers
Gavin

Sonor

03-15-2006, 10:16 PM

Wow!!! Un'freaking'believable!! Great to have you around, Mr. Harrison...a real honor. (here I am talking like I've been here for along time...).

I'd just like to thank you for bringing drums back into my life. I switched instruments about 12 yeas ago, until one day a co-worker dropped In Absentia onto my desk, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums. Listening to your playing was truly inspirational and, much to my wife's discontent, drums are very much a part of my life again (just bought a new Sonor kit!) I love the way you play everything, and although I'm not a big fan of double base, I think you use just the right amount at the right time(s). Everytime I listen to Porcupine Tree I want to get behind the drums and play.

Had the pleasure of seeing your band live in October, and although I absolutely loved the show, I was disapointed I didn't get to see you play 'The Creator has a Mastertape'. I know you can't please everyone, but it so happens that's my favorite drum track from PT! Would have loved to see how you play that one.

Now a question!! What is your favorite PT tune to play live?
Also, I know you did some live work for Eros Ramazzotti; did you do any studio work for him as well? If so, which album(s)?

T-1000

03-15-2006, 10:20 PM

Whoa, thanks for replying Gav.

I'll check out your books (and your cd's - I've not yet heard any 'Porcupine Tree, ignorant fool that I am. It sounds compelling stuff).

Meantime, I see you're a fellow Meshuggah-rer (and Londoner). Can you fathom out the intangible chaos that is 1:11 into 'Glint's Colide' off 'Nothing'. Tomas is doing some kerrazy offbeat china hits on top of an already complex and odd-timed groove. Definately creates an uncomfortable 'shifting' feeling...

finnhiggins

03-15-2006, 10:33 PM

Gavin, I do have a bit of a book-related question.

In the intro to both your books you talk about various aspects of your practice methodology including recording yourself and listening back against the click with the audio slowed down, etc. This is great advice, and really useful when it comes to realising how horribly worthless some of the unisons I play are in places!

Now, question: Have you done any specific exercises or worked on any particular routine to improve these sorts of things from a general, technical perspective? Or do you just learn a lot of different patterns and do the whole record/check/improve routine on each one?

I'd love to know, since your co-ordination inside these kinds of patterns is extremely clean and tight and it seems to really help your control of time and groove. Similarly, do you ever work on this kind of material with a specific eye to deliberately placing things slightly out of metronomic time for a "feel thing"?

Apologies if any of this is discussed on your DVD, I've yet to get that far...

finnhiggins

03-15-2006, 11:44 PM

Meantime, I see you're a fellow Meshuggah-rer (and Londoner). Can you fathom out the intangible chaos that is 1:11 into 'Glint's Colide' off 'Nothing'. Tomas is doing some kerrazy offbeat china hits on top of an already complex and odd-timed groove. Definately creates an uncomfortable 'shifting' feeling...

Not wanting to preempt Gavin, but this might save him some time if he's not in the mood for transcribing. That groove is actually much simpler than it sounds, it's just got some clever trademarked Meshuggah tricks to confuse and mislead you going on.

The key groove is actually relatively simple. It's in 7/8, and the bass/snare pattern looks like this:

1e+a2e+a3e+a4e
sn: O O
bd: O O O

Now, here's the clever bit. The section in question is, despite appearances, actually in 4/4 over four bars (listen to the guitar!) so you have sixteen beats to play with. In 8th notes...

16 beats = 32 8th notes.

Now, the 7/8 pattern above is repeated four times in the bar, so that gives us:

7 8th notes x 4 = 28 8th notes.

So we have four 8th notes (or two beats) left over. So what do they do with those? Simple: They put one quarter note bass drum at the start of the pattern, and one quarter note snare drum at the end.

To see the whole pattern the bass drum and snare drum are playing, check out the first line in the attached PDF file.

Now, we haven't looked at the cymbals yet, and there's a good reason. The cymbals are actually NOT any kind of polyrhythmic pattern at all, they're also in 7/8 and they directly synch up to the bass drum and snare drum pattern. If you add the cymbals into the 7/8 pattern it looks like this:

1e+a2e+a3e+a4e
cym: X X X X x
sn: O O
bd: O O O

(the small x is a ghost note)

As you can see this is syncopated off the bass drum and snare drum hits, and like the bass and snare hits is mostly phrased in dotted 8th notes. This makes it sound like it is travelling accross the guitar part, but the drum part itself is actually fairly static.

Now to complete the part you put all that together in the same way, but with:

* A big china cymbal crash on the "1" of the pattern (with the quarter note bass drum)
* An extra small china crash on the "e" right after the last quarter note snare drum hit in the last bar.

The whole thing looks like the second line in the attached PDF. X-circles are big chinas, the ordinary Xs have accents for the normal notes and no accents on the ghost notes. All the bass drum and snare drum strokes should be considered accented.

Make sense?

Sorry for the thread hi-jack, but I had a listen to the groove and thought it was pretty cool.. I'll probably learn it later today.

Edit: Oh, and the section ends with a slight change: the last bass drum note is on 16th note later, with a china cymbal, and the groove stops on that hit.

T-1000

03-16-2006, 01:06 AM

Thanks man...what a genius!? You should get paid for this finns, I haven't yet figured out if what you have written is correct, but you sure sound convincing...

Right, at the risk of abusing your talents, do you have a clue what Chris Pennie is doing from 0:46 - 1:05 in the song 'Van Damsel' on 'Miss Machine'. The concept seems similar, but I can't decipher the time signature for the life of me. It's like a jazzy, syncopated snare/bass pattern with a seemingly non-repetitive china beat superimposed. And now there is extreme speed to contend with as well...

Come on finns, you know it'll only make you a better transciber...

(ps. seriously though, don't feel pressured into doing it, I'm grateful enough for your previous transciption)

I swear, when (yes 'when', not 'if') we make it big; I'm buying you a (slightly larger than average-sized) house...

Gavin Harrison

03-16-2006, 01:28 AM

Hi folks,

Sonor - Glad you're back on the drums (apologies to your wife!!!) Thanks for the nice words about In Absentia. I don't think of myself as a double bass player - I've never really liked playing 16s on them. But I love trying to find little moments that I could slip in here and there (especially useful in a fill).
Sorry we didn't play "Creator" but I really need three hi hats to play it. When I recorded it I had an extra hi hat on my right (with a mini hi hat half open on top of it - actually two 8" splash cymbals) as well as my hi hat on my left. We did play it on the first couple of tours of In Absentia...but we dropped it and I don't carry the extra hats with me these days.

My favourite PT song to play? I guess at the moment it's "Start Of Something Beautiful".
I did one tour of Germany with Eros Ramazzotti - and I believe there's a live 3-4 ep from that tour. I played on one of his singles - but I don't remember the name of it.

T-1000 - I think finnhiggins has answered the question very nicely. I really do love this type of rhythmic design that Tomas does with Fredrik. His solo album (with Morgen Agren on drums) just blows my mind. I can't stop listening to it.

finnhiggins - thanks for transcribing that piece - I'm going to work on it tomorrow. Have done any other Meshuggah/Thordendal drum transcriptions?
To answer your question. I did do an intensive period of that self analysing recording thing - and it's hard not to get depressed by one's own short comings. But I heard improvement over a short time and so I stuck with it. I don't put everything I do through the "anal-iser" because I recognised the problems I was having were related to independence - and dependance. Finding out what needed to go where in any given pattern. When things really needed to be together ( sometimes it was lining up the hi hat and bass drum EXACTLY together) and other times was when some notes had to fit EXACTLY in between other notes. One exercise that really helped me a LOT was the first exercise in the Gary Chester's New Breed book. Where you play 16s on two hi hats simultaneously (without flamming) and then play the written melody lines on the bass drum....and pay VERY CLOSE attention to not flamming with the bass drum and hi hats. It’s quite hard actually.
I would do about an hour of that per day - and when I stopped and just played a groove everything felt really better. So I carried on doing it more and more just repeating each bar over and over until it felt as tight as it could be before I moved on.

Cheers
Gavin

finnhiggins

03-16-2006, 01:29 AM

I might give it a shot tomorrow - I do have other things to do that I actually get paid for, and if I don't hurry up I will miss a deadline.

And in the interests of politeness maybe we should stop messing up Gavin's nice thread. I'll go start a "Nightmare transcription scraps" thread and post what I did below in it. That way anybody else to wants to help doesn't have to be a fan of Gavin to actually find it ;)

finnhiggins

03-16-2006, 01:35 AM

finnhiggins - thanks for transcribing that piece - I'm going to work on it tomorrow. Have done any other Meshuggah/Thordendal drum transcriptions?

Not a serious amount, to be honest - just enough to know a few of the regular tricks, and most of it is messy scraps on paper. I'm in the middle of working through the solo section in the middle of Soul Burn at the moment, the guitarist of my band absolutely loathes Meshuggah so the bassist and I are learning it to annoy him with at rehearsals.

I'll post it when I'm done.

To answer your question. I did do an intensive period of that self analysing recording thing - and it's hard not to get depressed by one's own short comings. But I heard improvement over a short time and so I stuck with it. I don't put everything I do through the "anal-iser" because I recognised the problems I was having were related to independence - and dependance. Finding out what needed to go where in any given pattern. When things really needed to be together ( sometimes it was lining up the hi hat and bass drum EXACTLY together) and other times was when some notes had to fit EXACTLY in between other notes. One exercise that really helped me a LOT was the first exercise in the Gary Chester's New Breed book. Where you play 16s on two hi hats simultaneously (without flamming) and then play the written melody lines on the bass drum....and pay VERY CLOSE attention to not flamming with the bass drum and hi hats. It’s quite hard actually.
I would do about an hour of that per day - and when I stopped and just played a groove everything felt really better. So I carried on doing it more and more just repeating each bar over and over until it felt as tight as it could be before I moved on.

Thanks heaps for that. Funny enough I've actually been doing the same exercise lately, although I've either been doing both hands on the same hi-hat (I've only got one) or one hand on hats and the other on ride. I've found that has helped a fair bit, along with another bunch of exercises I came up with to work on precise unisons (they're basically flam exercises with the flamming deliberately avoided!), but I was very keen to hear what your approach was.

Thanks heaps for those two books, by the way. They're excellent work, and they do a great job of making some seriously mind-bending stuff quite easily comprehensible. I really like your A-status and B-status terminology for the displacement stuff in Rhythmic Ilusions, it makes life so much simpler.

Gavin Harrison

03-16-2006, 01:10 PM

Hi Sticktrick,
glad you liked the DVD.
I used to record myself on a little 4 track cassette "portastudio" and it had a pitch wheel which governed the tape speed. So when I recorded myself I would have the pitch wheel all the way up so that the tape was running at double speed. Then when I listened back I could turn the pitch wheel all the way down and it would be REALLY slow (I think a quarter of it's original speed).
When it's that slow you can hear errors much larger and easier than when it's played back at normal speed. It's like an aural microscope. It's good for showing you if your "internal sync" is out. Things that are meant to be lining up together like the hi hat and bass drum or hi hat and snare drum for instance. Then I would record a click (or even a sequenced track like some Scritti Politti tune) and record myself playing along with it. After - I could slow the tape down and apply the same kind of listening procedure as before. It's what I call "relative sync". Most educational - and depressing at the same time. No pain - no gain. The funny thing is that I've just recorded a "Masterclass lesson" on this exact subject for the cover mount CD on "Rhythm UK" magazine.

The Vinnie Colaiuta track is indeed quite simple 16th note displacement. You need to write it out and play it slowly with a click. Rhythmic illusions work because we associate so strongly the sound of a bass drum on the "1" and snare drum on "2 & 4". When you hear that rhythm laid out in that way - but NOT starting on a downbeat your mind fools you into shifting your perception about where the downbeat has gone.

My books are full of this kind of rhythmic mind play.

Cheers
Gavin

Stu_Strib

03-16-2006, 01:32 PM

Is the cymbal configuration correct on the Zildjian site? If so, I guess there's more proof that Ks and Constantinoples can and do sound good in harder music!

Sticktrick

03-16-2006, 01:39 PM

Hey Gavin!

Thanks for the answer - real helpful!

I just orderd your book. Really look forward to check that stuff out. I studied with Ralph Humphrey for one year, so I should be familiar with the concepts of "rhyrhmic illusions". Lets see, where it will take me...

The recording thing is real good to improve ones groove I guess. I will get deeply into it in the future. As I said, I did that kind of stuff before, but I always had trouble analyzing it after recording. Slowing it down will really help. It is actually such a simple thning to do, I feel stupid that I didn`t have the idea earlier....

I have one more good idea on the subject: I use a Roland TD-12 for the recording because you can just use DI of a minidisc. Using an electronic set is helpfull, because you can choose really short sounds with a fast attack - that way it becomes very obvious if instruments don`t line up the way they should.

Greets!

Gavin Harrison

03-16-2006, 03:40 PM

Hi Stu,
Yes the Zildjian config is correct in a way. It doesn't show all the other alternatives that I have and use. The ride that I use on heavier stuff is a late 1940's Avedis ride with a really nice bell. I use a K Ride 20" when I play live with Porcupine Tree, and the Constantinople in the studio in lighter music. They're really beautiful cymbals the Constantinoples I don't don't want to play them too hard.

Cheers
Gavin

Stu_Strib

03-16-2006, 03:48 PM

So what do you use in place of the Constantinoples in that Germany concert? I always get guys asking me if Constantinoples are too fragile. I only have a ride, so I can't comment on the crashes.

Also, I just moved here to the UK from the States, and I never heard of your band over there. Do you have a pretty good following Stateside, or is that something you are trying to break into more?

Gavin Harrison

03-16-2006, 05:17 PM

Hi Stu,
on the German concert I would have been using a K 20" ride
the main crashes would be
A Custom Projection crash 18"
K dark crash 15"
K custom dark crash 18"

The Constantinople crashes are beautiful but I certainly would not use them live with PT. I'd be too worried about cracking them!!!

cheers
Gavin

Sonor

03-21-2006, 05:10 PM

Tom Miller

03-21-2006, 05:34 PM

Hello Gavin! Just like Sonor said, it is great to have you around! Your drumming is an inspiration and I epecially love the way you sometimes end fills with two cymbal crashes instead of the usual one. Beautiful one-two punch! Keep up the great work and I hope to catch you live and in person here in the States one day soon!

Sonor

03-21-2006, 06:47 PM

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers..._Harrison.html

Hi Bernhard, don't mean to nag but that link doesn't work for me.

Bernhard

03-21-2006, 06:52 PM

Complete link is:

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gavin_Harrison.html

B.

Sonor

03-21-2006, 09:05 PM

Cool. I've been there many times, but wanted to make sure it worked for anyone else wanting to check it out. Sure they could take the long way but some may not even bother wich would be a shame.

brittc89

03-22-2006, 07:46 AM

Also, I just moved here to the UK from the States, and I never heard of your band over there. Do you have a pretty good following Stateside, or is that something you are trying to break into more?
I have known about Porcupine Tree for about 8 months after I heard the single Shallow. I didnt know the depth of the band though till I bought the album. I love Deadwing. Killer album. Great drums, if I dont suck up myself. I love to play to The Start of Something. Great stuff. I was pretty sure I read in Modern Drummer, that you said the song was kind of written around that initial beat. Am I write, or am I thinking of something else? Anyways, its awesome to have you here at DW.

Secio

03-22-2006, 08:58 AM

Hi Gavin! Big fan here!

I love your drumming with PT and Franco Battiato, simple to hear but not to play!

I've seen you also in tour with Claudio Baglioni (two drummers on stage, you and Elio Rivagli) - absolutely great!

PS. Cool the GHFC avatar....!!

Gavin Harrison

03-22-2006, 09:10 AM

Hi Tom,
thanks for the kind words!!

brittc89
Yes you're right that song started with that verse drum groove. I enjoy playing it too - although it's quite hard to make it feel right.

Secio
Wow, I haven't worked with Franco in a long time - but I really liked his approach to music - and he was always a real gentleman. I had a good time in France recording "L'imboscata". Playing with Elio in a two drummer situation was very interesting. Elio is a master of understatement and made it so easy to play with. We had a great time.

Cheers
Gavin

ZDrums24

03-30-2006, 04:18 AM

Heres my question, and its probably the simplest yet:
What is that little black piece of equipment on the left side with all the splashes/chimes? I like the idea of one peice to hold all those cymbals, but I have never seen one, nor can I seem to find one.

Gavin Harrison

03-30-2006, 11:46 AM

Hi ZDrums24,
It's a custom piece that a friend of mine made. I designed it because it was a real problem to get 5 little cymbals all close together like that using standard cymbal boom arms. It looked a mess too.
So far the new arm has held up for 15 years now!!!

I think Pearl make something similar to it with a bar and little extensions and also Sabian do something for Jack DeJohnette

Cheers
Gavin

jonny

04-01-2006, 03:37 PM

Hi Gavin,

Hopefully you won't mind answering my question. I think it's so cool that you come on here and spend time chatting with us.

I was wondering firstly what you think of Chris Maitland, the previous PT drummer? I really enjoy his playing and his style. How do you approach his parts? Do you like to replicate them quite exactly, or do you prefer to add in your own touches? I always like to hear two drummers' different takes on the same song.

Cheers,

Jonny

Gavin Harrison

04-01-2006, 09:20 PM

e7z

04-05-2006, 10:20 AM

Greetings Gavin! I am a drummer from Moscow (Russia) and I your big admirer. PT - one of my favourite groups, in many respects due to your plaing drums. I have site www.playdrums.ru. It in Russian, and I would like ask you about small interview for your Russian fans whom in Russia much, it is especial among the Russian drummers.

P.S. Sorry fof my English!

e7z

04-05-2006, 10:22 AM

OH, sorry. e7z is I'm, and my name is Smirnov Alexandr.

Gavin Harrison

04-05-2006, 03:47 PM

Hi Smirnov
OK, email me some questions for an interview. Check your PM (personal messages) here at Drummerworld.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

04-06-2006, 11:07 AM

Hi Gavin. Thanks for the answer. I shall prepare my questions and I shall send them to you on e-mail.

Sasha.

gaspesien

04-10-2006, 03:20 PM

This site is improving my life everyday! I didn`t know PT until today and i am SPEECHLESS! That is the drumming style that gets my blood flowin`. I hold you in high respect, and i`m pretty sure that your fan base is going to expand within my relatives.

I too never really play the songs exactly the same, voluntarily and because i learned playing in jam sessions and filling the seat in a lot of different bands. I tought it was something i had to fix if i ever wanted to go pro, now i know a pro that do the same in the same music style( PT at least), great!!

Gavin Harrison

04-13-2006, 12:43 PM

Hi gaspesien,
thanks for the kind words - glad you're hearing some PT.
I think my reasons for trying to play a little bit different every night is in two parts.
1. I want to evolve as a player and keep pushing myself.
2. I think I would go CRAZY if I played the same fills every night.

I suppose it's down to the fact that I'm rhythmically curious - and I have quite a restless nature.

Cheers
Gavin

Rhythmic Disciple

04-18-2006, 07:05 PM

Hi Gavin,

Just checking in from the other end of the M4!

Am I right in thinking that you played with Artful Dodger a few years back? I remember seeing several live performances on TOTP and some other shows. I believe I saw the track they performed with Lifford.

Whilst that type of thing isn't something I'd usually go for, I remember being intrigued due to the interesting drumming.

Thanks.

Chris

Gavin Harrison

04-19-2006, 12:36 AM

Hi Chris,
yes I did play with Artful Dodger - I think it was 2000/2001.
Great fun - I only used a bass drum, (10") snare, and (8") hi hat. I took a couple of toms but never hit them.
We did a few TV shows and that was pretty much it. A short lived gig.

Cheers
Gavin

Rhythmic Disciple

04-19-2006, 01:01 PM

Thanks Gavin.

That's right! You used something like a 20" or 18" bass drum, a tiny snare and even smaller hi hat!!! I remember it now, it was back in your Pearl days?

...oh, and don't forget the splashes too!

You're obviously someone who is happy to experiment and think 'outside the box' to achieve the required sound for a particular gig. How did you approach that? Did the artists have any input or was it something they left to your imagination?

I remember watching it, then promptly altering my set-up in the spare room!!! LOL

Nice one...

mjrtoo

04-19-2006, 04:59 PM

Hi Jonny,
yes Chris is a great drummer. We have quite different styles and probably come from different musical backgrounds. Obviously I listened to his drum parts when I joined the band and tried to work out which parts were crucial to the song's composition, and which parts I could take liberties with and do my own thing. I'm a player who likes to play different every night (even if it's only subtleties that only I notice some nights). That way the parts and the fills are always evolving and mutating - including the parts that I composed for the last two PT albums. I put this down to my jazz upbringing.
I don't know what Chris's early influences were, but (from what the other band members have told me) he liked to play exactly the same parts and fills every night. Nothing wrong or right with either approach - it's just two different ways from two different drummers.

If you're very familiar with the back catalogue stuff - you'll get to hear how I approach the older songs when our live DVD is released soon.

cheers
Gavin

I would just like to say that I appreciate all the little nuances you have added to the back catalog. While Chris is no slouch, your Jazz background has really added a nice feel to these classic tunes, the ghost notes, cymbal work etc really keep the original 'intent' of the rhythm, but at the same time making them something new and exciting.

I am NOT a drummer, nor do I have any real skill in any instrument. But, the drums and the drum/bass interaction is my favorite part of music and PT is absolutely the master of this. I can only imagine that having a bassist like Colin makes your job much more fun!

Thanks for all your hard work!

ps: I just enjoy the hell out of watching your DVD, even though I don't play the drums, I just find your concepts totally facinating!

BuffaloKev

04-19-2006, 05:21 PM

Gavin-

Hi there. Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer all of these questions. It's great to read your insights.

A quick "thank you" to you and the rest of Porcupine Tree for restoring my faith in music. I think "In Absentia" and "Deadwing" are nothing less than spectacular, and I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for you guys!

Quick comment/question: The boys in *Rush* seem to have very HIGH praise for you guys lately. I've read numerous interviews with Alex Lifeson, where he mentions his appreciation for your music. And Neil Peart as well - very recently in fact (in a "Drummer" interview), he explicitly cited your drumming as being "creative" and "inspiring". I was just wondering what your opinion was/is on Rush, and if there might be some possibility of PT collaborating with them at some point. Much as I enjoy seeing you guys headline your own shows, I think a Rush/PT double bill would be a fantastic pairing. The Internet rumor mill has been rumbling for some time now................can you comment??

Thanks for your time, and especially for your incredible music/drumming.

Kevin (Buffalo, NY)

Gavin Harrison

04-19-2006, 06:29 PM

Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your kind comments about PT. Neil Peart has been very supportive and I really appreciate that, because when someone of his stature speaks...people tend to listen. We would of course LOVE to do a support slot with Rush if it ever got offered to us. I'm sure it would do us a load of good.

Hi Johnny, I'm glad you're enjoying my DVD - the new one is almost ready. I promised Bernhard that he would know about it (and hopefully host a preview clip or two) as soon as it's ready.

Cheers
Gavin

Bill MacEachern

04-19-2006, 07:19 PM

Hi Gavin,

I just wanted to add my voice to those who praise your work. I had given up on meaningful music until I stumbled upon PT a year ago. Since then I've seen you on tour in Montreal early last year and in Ottawa in late 2005. I even hooked my 58-yr-old dad onto your music and he came with us to the Ottawa show. He's a musician and commented that you really smoked that night. I'm pumped for the new DVD as well as the re-release of Stupid Dream. I've seen your DVD (a friend bought it at the Ottawa show) and even though I've been drumming for 15+ years, I still sit there slack-jawed trying to absorb the concepts you so effortlessly exhibit.

Keep up the good work.

A fan,

Bill

TPic

04-21-2006, 04:06 PM

Gavin,

"The Drum Pad" in Chicago has you listed on their website as "Coming in 2006" on their "clinics" page. Is there any other info about this that you can share at this time?

Tom
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Gavin Harrison

04-21-2006, 04:38 PM

Hi Tom,
Yes I'm hoping it's going to happen in the last week of June. I guess The Drum Pad will make an official announcement about the exact date in due course.

Cheers
Gavin

ponza91

04-21-2006, 07:27 PM

Hi Gavin,

Just to say that i'm a little poor french bass player...Unfortunately, i don't speak english very well.
When i saw you the first time during a PT show you blown me away, i love your drumming and i think you deserve more "celebrity". Your DVD is really very interesting even it's not for beginners, it helps improve me as a bass player. I try to spread the word here in france and hope you'll become famous among the drummers community.

A short question for the end.
Do you prepare an other solo album ?

Alex

Gavin Harrison

04-21-2006, 11:18 PM

Hi Alex,
thanks for the kind message - glad you enjoy the DVD.

I haven't prepared another solo album - it's been a very long time since the first one, and I keep thinking about doing a new one. I've been quite busy in the last 3 years and any spare time I had I put into making the new DVD.

Thanks
Gavin

Your English is much better than my bass playing!!!

Sol Good

04-22-2006, 12:53 AM

Hi Gavin,

Congratulations on your recent work with PT - your playing is very inspiring

What's in the rack to your left? I'm guessing it's to do with your monitor mix - or is that down to the monitor engineer on stage? Also, I've heard that you play to a click (via in-ears) to sync with sequences and video - is that for the entire set? Do you keep the tempos the same as the album, or change them (think Blackest Eyes is a tad slower live than on the album)?

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!

Gavin Harrison

04-22-2006, 12:41 PM

Thanks Sol Good,
my rack on the left mainly contains monitoring stuff. We do carry our own monitor desk (Yamaha o2R96) and that connects to my little mixer so I can tweaked things as I'm playing.

Some of the songs have video - so I play to a click to sync it all together for those songs. The tempos are exactly the same as the album in those cases. It's funny - I read on a forum that people thought a couple of the songs (Blackest Eyes bieng one of them) were faster some nights and then slower other nights. I didn't have the heart to tell them that they were the same tempo every night. I guess that's people's perception.

cheers
Gavin

ponza91

04-23-2006, 06:38 PM

Hi Gavin,

Your sense of humour is equal to your drumming abilities !!!

My drummer is also a fan but he doesn't understand english, so i ask you his question.
What do you recommend to play for rehearsals ? What songs should we play ? In fact, we're trying to play some PT songs but the drumming is a bit too difficult.

Thank you so much.
Alex

Gavin Harrison

04-23-2006, 09:37 PM

Anchein Vouivra

04-25-2006, 03:10 PM

Greetings Gavin !
I just bought the reedition of Up the Downstairs on vinyl and I'm listening to it right now. Must be now my second favourite PT album after The Sky Moves Sideways.
It's said by Steven that drums were suppose to be kept simple.......well they could be simple but your fluidity and finesse always amazed me, it's even more obvious when you keep a simple rythme. Same thing with your playing on Dislocated Day, damn simple rythm but how the hell could we sound like your perfection.
Your drumming is also very inspiring on the two latest PT albums, but I do confess that I prefer the type of music that was done in the early days, specially when it's added by some new drum section of yours. I also do have a lot of respect for Chris Maitland who brought a lot of power and energy to heavy parts (thinking about Russia on Ice).

I've seen you live in Pratteln at the Z7 (Switzerland) about one year ago. I really appriciated the whole show, but specially when you got your own space and did some real tricky stuff on the bells. I also remember meeting Colin Edwin and guitar guest 2 days after at the Vicor-Emanuelle galeria in Milano, that was some kind of luck !!!

Anyway I play in a Post-prog-psychedelic-stoner-folk Rock band (lol we are pretty eclectic), and we do listen a lot to Porcupine Tree. The drum'n'bass section has become some our highest reference, so thank you again and hope to do your opening once (some kind of dream) hum !!!

TPic

04-25-2006, 04:46 PM

Hi Alex,
thanks for the message. Yes most PT songs have some degree of difficulty to them. Somehow there's nearly always some tricky rhythmic passage to negotiate...but songs like "Wedding Nails" "Lazarus" "Deadwing" aren't too complex. Maybe start there.

Cheers
Gavin

Gavin,

"Shesmovedon" is another fairly straight forward one. I'm currently working on that, as Wes is coming up for a party at my place in a couple of weeks, and we're hoping to get him to sit in on a couple of P'Tree songs with us.

You mention in a previous post your "jazz upbringing". I don't think I've ever read anywhere how you got your start. Do you have any kind of formal training, or is it pretty much self taught?

Tom
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Gavin Harrison

04-25-2006, 11:55 PM

TPic,
If Wes is coming over to play Shesmovedon - tell him not to "murder it" or "sing it like a girl" (in joke).

My Dad kind of got me going on the drums (he was a professional jazz trumpet player but could play a bit of drums). I drummed along to some of his record collection - that's probably the time that most of it seeped in. Then I had formal lessons from aged 11 until 16 (learning to hold the sticks and read notation). After that I had some lessons with an ex-berklee guy and the rest was just following my own nose.

Hi Anchein Vouivra,
thanks for the kind message - I'm glad you liked the new drums on "Up The Downstairs".
Good luck with your band!!!

Cheers
Gavin

Crena

04-26-2006, 04:45 PM

Hi Gavin,

I almost flipped out when I saw this post (which lead to my registry on the Drummerworld forum)! I can honestly say that you support me as THE role model these days, by providing so many new ways to approach the drums and the drumming. And I have learned a lot throught this post thanks to your generous advice. Thank you very much!
... Not forgetting the excellent show in London with PT on the "In absentia" tour, which was awesome!!!

Something that has not been brought up in this thread is the sound of your drums. I read about your work in studio on your website, but you never mentioned your approach on the sound of the drums in practical terms?

I'm curious to know the dimensions and what kind of wood you have in the shells of your Sonor Designer drums (?) used on the "In absentia" and "Deadwing" recordings? What is your choice of drumheads on the whole kit? Of particular interest is the bassdrum and snare: How do you manage to get that rich, full bassdrum sound as well as that crisp snare? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance and keep up the good work!
I can't wait to see you with PT on Sweden Rock Festival in june!!!

Cheers!

/Erik

Gavin Harrison

04-26-2006, 08:11 PM

Hi Erik,
thanks for the message!!

My Sonor drums that I've used in the Europe for the last 3 years are Designer Maple shells.
8x8, 10x8, 12x9, and floor toms 14x12, 16x14 and a 22x17 bass drum in Earth finish.

Heads in the studio and live are coated emperors on the tops of the toms and either clear ambassadors on the bottoms or coated diplomats on the bottoms.

In the studio I would use a coated pinstripe or a CS Dot on the snare top. Live I use an EmperorX - it’s a bit heavy but the only one that will see me through the whole show without pitting too badly. Probably I can use the EmperorX for 2-3 shows maximum before I have to change it.

The bass drum has a powerstroke 3 clear on it and inside the drum it's about a 1/3 full of heavy pillows. Yep I like a dead bass drum. I noticed that live it's really hard to get a good punchy bass drum to come through a PA unless it's really dead, because most venue PA's will extend the note of the kick making it really un-usefully long. In fact PT's sound engineer gates the length of the bass drum to make it really short. Sometimes I ask him to turn the gate off and suddenly it sounds like an 808 sample with long sustain.
Also the bass drum is MUCH easier to play a double pedal on when it’s got a pillow pressed up against it. Acoustically it’s a bit of a 80’s Jeff Porcaro sound but when it’s amplified it sounds good to me.

The only strange thing I do with a snare drum is I normally put 12 strand puresound snares on it - but I cut down the outside strands so there’s just 8 left in the middle. It sounds better and feels better to play - just my preference.
For the last couple of tours I used the Sonor black steel 14x5 snare and it was consistently good in different rooms. I normally carry a few other snares but this one just sounded great so I used it every night.

Hope that answers your question.

cheers
Gavin

Crena

04-27-2006, 01:31 AM

Thanks for the fast and very thorough reply, Gavin!

As odd as it may seem I have exactly the same shell sizes on my good old maple Sonor Hilite kit, except for a 20x17 bass drum! My most rewarding experience so far, in terms of a rock sound in studio, has been when the kit was equipped with clear emperors on top and clear diplomats on the bottom. I've never tried the coated ones though, but I'm sure it makes a positive difference. Does it make the tom sound richer/warmer with more overtones but a shorter decay perhaps? In any case I MUST give your choice of heads a try! Thanks for that!

As for snare I have never really tried out the coated pinstripes as I have been scared of a ringing tone similar to toms (except for one occasion when I accidently put on a clear pinstripe w terrible result) - Do you use any additional external damping on the snare or tune it exceptionally low? I just might need to try the fine Sonor black steel artist snare out after all!

Thanks again!

Btw any chance you might do a clinic during your passage through Sweden with PT?

/Erik

Gavin Harrison

04-27-2006, 02:00 PM

Hi Erik,
I guess ever drummer has a sound in their head that is an 'ideal' drum sound for them in a certain musical situation. In the 70's and early 80's I thought Evans Hydraulics' were the sound I wanted. Then I moved onto pinstripes and then clear emperor's and then coated emperors as my skin of choice for the toms.
The clear emperors were a little bit eq'd for my liking. That is to say that it felt like some of the middle was missing and it was just mainly top end and bottom end. On their own they sounded great but in a track they went a bit transparent. This is typical of a graphic 'U' shape. If you dial in lots of top and lots of bottom - all you're effectively doing is dropping out the middle - and it's the middle that makes it in a mix. I find this VERY true for the bass drum too.

On my snare I use a very slim "O" ring. In fact I've made about 6 or 7 "O" rings that are all less than 1" wide and I try different permutations of them (sometimes two together) until I get the amount of dampening that I want.

I have no plans to make a drum cinic in Sweden at the moment - sorry.

Cheers
Gavin

Crena

04-27-2006, 07:06 PM

Again, thanks for your quick clarifying comment on this! You definitely hit the spot when you describe the sound of clear emperors... I have yet to find the PERFECT combination of heads but I'm sure your advice will prove worthwhile! :-)

Please excuse me if I'm acting proactive on the edge of manic here! If not too much to ask I have only one more question about your choice of cymbals that has not previously been discussed in this post. That being said, I know for sure you have more important things on your mind than answering my basic questions. Sorry, but here I go again... ;-)

On several PT tracks I hear you occasionally play short patterns on bright bell sounding cymbals or similar while maintaining groove or as minor fills? To serve as a recent example, there is a two stroke figure at 1:34 in the song "Synesthesia" (among many others)!

I've tried to play similar patterns to some songs in my band's repertoire, but I never seem to get the right sound out of my regular cymbal setup. The closest thing is when I softly hit the bell on my small 6" A custom splash...

If I am to guess - I suppose you're using a number of different small splashes to achieve this? Whether this assumtion is correct or not, I would be most interested to hear your opinions on the matter as well as your choice of splashes (or what it is) you're using to accomplish this? I hope you understand what I am referring to.

Thanks again for all of your informative replies!!!

All the best! /Erik

Gavin Harrison

04-27-2006, 09:12 PM

Hi Erik,
many people have asked me about those little bell cymbals. They are in fact home made out of old broken 16" Zildjian crash cymbals that I had in my garage.
So I cut 5 of them down. The biggest one is just over 6" and the smallest is just under 5". The smallest one is actually made from a broken splash cymbal.
Then I got a friend of mine to make me a little bar to mount them on. Simple as that.

Cheers
Gavin

LinearDrummer

05-01-2006, 08:16 PM

Hi Gavin

I was at my drum shop looking for some new DVDs and you were highly recomended...unfortunately I've never really heard of you before so its kinda hard for me to just shell out $$$ unless I know what some of your specialties are....

Anywayz can you touch on some of the things you cover in your DVD...the clip on the site doesn't really tell me much....

Are you covering beat displacements like the way Weckl plays the beat backwards cause thats something I want to start developing.....

Gavin Harrison

05-01-2006, 11:14 PM

Hi LinearDrummer,
Yes that clip isn't particularly representative of what the whole DVD is about.
A lot of the DVD lessons are based on the concepts from my first book "Rhythmic Illusions".
If you like beat displacement and rhythmic manipulation - you might like this DVD.
There's some musical performances on there too - which have some relevance to the lessons. Plus some on screen notation and alternative audio mixes that you can select from the DVD remote handset - so that you can hear mixes of the drums and music - or just the drums with a click.

Good luck playing backwards or forwards!!!!

Cheers
Gavin

gaspesien

05-02-2006, 05:40 AM

Hi there

I just went through you're DVD, and my brain overtemped! Those are some hardcore concept for me, highly interesting to develop time control.

Cheers for a freakin' high quality product, really inspiring, i'll get to work now!

Bernhard

05-02-2006, 05:15 PM

Yes, I must update the Gavin Harrison Page.

...and just put up a new video-sample

Swerve....

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/gavinharrisonswerve.html

Great!!

Bernhard

Sonor

05-02-2006, 05:31 PM

Thanks, Bernhard! Great stuff!

LinearDrummer

05-02-2006, 07:41 PM

Bernhard -

Thanks for the new clip....
This site just continues to open my eyes up to talented drummers that I would have never thought to listen to before....

Galvin -

Now thats some good stuff right there....exactly the kind of techniques I want to develop...
I will purchase your DVD and check out your concepts....maybe even steal a couple of licks - LOL....

Very nice drumming.....

CarterB_Junkie

05-03-2006, 06:14 PM

Hi Gavin !

Let's just say that the performance of PT you put on last November Paris' Le Bataclan is starting to fade away in my memory and the remedy is more ... cowbell ... euh no ... the remedy is the next PT live DVD to watch/listen your playing in all your glory !
So sorry to ask this again but do you have a more precise release date for the PT live DVD from the mastermind Steven Wilson ?
Any plans for the Next PT record ?
What are the grooves you wish you had played/created ?

And what about Iggy Pop, I know you toured with him, is he really crazy or is it just an act ?
Thx and Keep Up The Goood Work !!!

Gavin Harrison

05-03-2006, 07:36 PM

Hi CarterB_Junkie,
we still don't have a precise date for release of the DVD - I'm hoping it will be within 8 weeks.
I didn't understand - what's "from the mastermind of Steve Wilson" got to do with it?
The next PT record will probably be recorded this winter and hopefully released next spring - but I honestly don't know for sure.

Iggy Pop was great. He's a really nice guy - no it's not an act - it's a frenzy he gets into during his amazing performances. I really enjoyed watching him every night from behind the kit. VERY entertaining.

Cheers
Gavin

Hemiloa

05-03-2006, 10:30 PM

Great video's from Gavin. Really looking forward to picking up the DvD.

And on a side note, that new video - "Swerve" - has the same name as my WoW character.

e7z

05-05-2006, 10:38 PM

Greetings Gavin!
I have closely read section Recording drums on your site, but at me some questions if you will allow have appeared.
1. Please, tell more in detail, you use what equipment in studio: a mixer, compressors, monitors, a configuration of a computer, etc.
2. What you use adjustments(options) of a mixer, compressors, and other equipment?
3. You use digital(computer) click, or rhithm-mashine while recording?
4. How you place microphones for recording (especially snare, kick, hi-hat and overheads)?
5. How there is a process of record of a song? You play a track entirely, and then readjust parts which have not liked you, or play separate fragments, and then make from them a song on computer?
6. How acoustic preparation of your studio was
was spent (i mean walls, floor, etc.)?

Thanks

Gavin Harrison

05-05-2006, 11:42 PM

Hi e7z,
I'll try to answer your questions.
I use these microphones
Audix D6 at the from hole of the bass drum - no eq - about 2 inches away from the skin
Audix i5 on the snare top - little bit of 12khz boost eq - about 2 inches away from the skin
Shure SM57 for under snare - reverse phase - no eq
Electro Voice ND408 on the toms - no eq
2 Royer 122 ribbon mics as stereo overheads - reverse phase - no eq
AKG ck391 on the hi hat - low frequencies cut eq
2 Scheops CMC5 as stereo room mics.

They are connected to the desk and then into the Apogee Rosetta 192 digital converters - and into Logic Pro 7 software on my Mac G5.

Sometimes I use the Waves C1 compressor on the snare top and sometimes on the overheads. Sometimes I use the Space Designer reverb which is part of Logic Pro software.

I try to record the whole song in one performance. Maybe I will make 3 whole performances that I like and cut from one to another - but try to keep as much of one performance as possible. I don't like to record in little pieces and then assemble - because I can hear that it's not continuos.

Cheers
Gavin

Shane G

05-06-2006, 12:22 AM

Gavin,

No questions, but Id just like to mention that Im a fan of your work w/Porcupine Tree.

I was at the Houston Tx. show, and purchased XMii there, which didnt leave my CD player for months.

I think its really cool that you take time to answer the questions here.

Take care,
Shane

cvighals

05-06-2006, 04:03 PM

Hi Gavin!

Just want to tell you that your playing is absolutely ace and that you are my biggest hero!!
And you are a really nice to spend some of your time to answer us our questions!
I discovered you and your fabulous playing through the music of Porcupine Tree, and now im going kind of crazy buying everything you have played on. Next on the list is the Stefano Panunzi record "Timelines".

I have a question about a song on the "Stop" album with Sam Brown!
There is a song on it called "Ball and Chain" and i noticed that in the booklet there is nothing saying that there is percussion on that track, but it sounds almost impossible to play that in one take. So I wander if it is in one take or if there is any overdubs? If it is overdubbed I wander how you think when you come up with these fantastic percussive ideas.

Love your playing!!

Drummer Karl

05-06-2006, 04:25 PM

Hey Gavin!

Very nice to meet you here, I`ve seen your vids some hours ago...Gavin, you are awesome.
I`m sure you`ll be a big influence!! Your feeling is amazing and your sense...mhhh, love these dynamics!
and you play this very straight, just great!!! :)
and I have a question for you:

how do you get this sensible soft snare drum sound? How do you tune it??
and how can I get this sensible sound without so much snare wires sound while playing on the toms??

thanks alot,

Karl

Gavin Harrison

05-06-2006, 11:54 PM

Hi cvighals,
yes - "Ball & Chain" by Sam Brown - that was all done in one take with no overdubs. I played the rims of the toms plus the cowbells and the metal crasher thing.
Originally the song had a completely different feel - but one day Sam walked into the rehearsal room as I was playing that kind of pattern - and just stared singing the verse of Ball & Chain over it. We all liked it - and rearranged it over that groove.
I really like "Your Love Is All" from that album. She was such great fun to work with.

Hi Karl,
I find that if my snare is buzzing when I play the toms - it's usually just one tom (the one in front of me) where the pitch is very similar. If you turn your snares off and listen to the pitch of the snare drum - and then compare it with the offending tom - you should find they are in the same pitch zone, so you must decide if you want to raise the pitch of the snare or the tom. It doesn't matter - as long as they are significantly different.
I also cut down my snare wires from 12 strands to 8. Cutting the outside 4 off.

Cheers
Gavin

Drummer Karl

05-07-2006, 12:01 AM

Hi Karl,
I find that if my snare is buzzing when I play the toms - it's usually just one tom (the one in front of me) where the pitch is very similar. If you turn your snares off and listen to the pitch of the snare drum - and then compare it with the offending tom - you should find they are in the same pitch zone, so you must decide if you want to raise the pitch of the snare or the tom. It doesn't matter - as long as they are significantly different.
I also cut down my snare wires from 12 strands to 8. Cutting the outside 4 off.

Cheers
Gavin

hi, thanks alot for these tips!! I will try to change my pitch of the snare drum maybe. I find it very cool when the snare wires sound while playing a tom (especially in jazz) but it is veeery extreme when I play my drums...and what sound will you get if you cut snare wires off? a thinner "ringier" sound?

thanks alot for your help!!

Karl

e7z

05-10-2006, 11:05 PM

Hi Gav!

Neil Peart has told in the interview

"I like what Gavin Harrison is doing with Porcupine Tree, and on his instructional DVDs. His playing and his thinking are interesting, musical, and inspiring".

You are familiar with Neil personally? What do you think of him, how about the drummer, and about his manner of drumming? It seems to me, that his style is a little... clumsy. He too strongly places elbows in the sides, for example. How you think?

Thanks,
Sasha

Bernhard

05-10-2006, 11:42 PM

Hi Sasha

I think I must come in here:

Please don't expect from Gavin, that he publish every private opinion about other drummers here in the public. Hope you understand. It's great, that he participates and answers every technical question, but this I understand goes too far...

Ok?!!

Bernhard

GRUNTERSDAD

05-10-2006, 11:55 PM

That is great. Love the overhead shots showing both hands and feet, Thanks Bernard and Gavin.

e7z

05-11-2006, 01:44 PM

Hi Bernhard!

I'm sorry. It's my mistake.

brookz

05-14-2006, 11:36 PM

hey Gavin...

i was wandering, what bassdrum pedals are you using ?

- Brookz

Gavin Harrison

05-15-2006, 12:15 AM

Hi Brookz,
I've been playing Axis Longboards for a few years now. Slightly different feel from other pedals I've used - but I could instantly play things on them I was only dreaming of before. After that - there was no going back.
I didn't get on well with the Sonic Hammers - so I use the 2 way Pearl beaters.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

05-15-2006, 11:57 AM

Hey Gav, Axis...
It's big surprise for me. Axis is very fast pedals. To tell the truth, I thought you play on pedals Sonor, well or Pearl. There is I was mistaken.

PS Please, write the personal message with the answer to my question about Neil Peart.

Thanks, Sasha

Gavin Harrison

05-15-2006, 03:48 PM

e7z,
I have the Sonor pedals too - and they're great - it's just that my feet had already got used to the Axis - and as I said - the Axis have a particular feel and my feet seem to be pretty stubborn about changing pedals.

Regarding your Neil Peart questions.
I admire Neil greatly for the way he plays - the fact that he was such a pioneer in progressive music and that he has incredible amounts of enthusiasm and energy towards the drumset.
He may not be as fast as some of the kids today - but I don't think he's trying to compete with them anyway...and I'm completely unimpressed by how fast someone can play.
He is very musical and thoughtful in his approach to the instrument and I believe has his own voice on the drums. Something that very few people ever achieve.
I do know Neil personally - and he's the perfect gentleman too.

Thanks
Gavin

LinearDrummer

05-15-2006, 06:39 PM

e7z,
IRegarding your Neil Peart questions.
He may not be as fast as some of the kids today - but I don't think he's trying to compete with them anyway...and I'm completely unimpressed by how fast someone can play.
He is very musical and thoughtful in his approach to the instrument and I believe has his own voice on the drums. Something that very few people ever achieve.

Well said!

After watchin the DVD one suggestion for the next one...
Please feel free to show us your playin on the outro...you were doin some killer licks at the end but didn't give any visuals - man that sucks....LOL....

I need to see to better comprehend.......

Afrolicious

05-15-2006, 10:22 PM

Hey Gavin, I'm a big fan of yours, you're amazing. I feel so bad that I couldn't manage to see PT when you where in Frankfurt. I hope you liked it here and will come back someday soon.

Gavin Harrison

05-15-2006, 11:06 PM

Hi Afrolicious,

There's a chance we might be back in the Autumn. Check www.porcupinetree.com later in the year.

Thanks
Gavin

DrumDemon25

05-16-2006, 07:19 AM

Hello Gavin!

Love your books!!! I have'nt gotten your dvd, but I'm sure it is amazing. I saw someone asked you about meshuggah. Thomas is an amazing drummer. My question is.. have you ever heard of The Dillinger Escape plan? I've talked to Chris a couple of times and he loves your books!!

Thank You

DrumDemon

Gavin Harrison

05-16-2006, 12:47 PM

Hi DrumDemon25,

I do know of The Dillinger Escape Plan but unfortunately I haven't got round to actually listening to any of their stuff. People have told me good things about them.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

05-17-2006, 04:19 PM

I have desire to get Clavia Ddrum 4 modul, but I have doubts in such purchase. Whether there is a sense to record, using Ddrum and what triggers are better for buying? I want to construct small studio for record of own projects. Could You consult me on this question. Thanks.

Gavin Harrison

05-18-2006, 03:33 PM

Hi e7z,
I have a ddrum4 - but don't use it much. I think it's fantastic - but for the last few years I've just be concentrating on acoustic drums. Also it's one of the few 'modules' that you can get your own sounds into - although it's not easy. Forget trying to trigger an external module through midi as there is always a delay.
The ddrum triggers are also very good and work very well with the ddrum4 module.

cheers
Gavin

DR.WHOO

05-18-2006, 03:57 PM

Hi folks,
thanks for the kind words about my drumming. It's very encouraging to know people are enjoying it.

best wishes
Gavin
Nice to meet you man...
great playing ...nice job with porcupine..

T

Gavin Harrison

05-23-2006, 05:44 PM

Thanks guys,

here's a little sneak preview of the upcoming Porcupine Tree live DVD.

http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree (scroll down - also you might need to pause the music coming from the player at the top of the page).

it has been filmed on HD cameras but you'll only see a pretty squashed and compressed version here.

Cheers
Gavin

Bernhard

05-23-2006, 06:58 PM

Just great!!

Love it

Bernhard

Sonor

05-23-2006, 07:02 PM

Great vid, can't wait.

The shopping cart will be full this summer...PT DVD, instructional DVD and books!

Thanks for the preview, Gavin. I just can't understand why PT isn't bigger on this side of the pond.

jonny

05-23-2006, 07:50 PM

Awesome video Gavin. Looking forward to the dvd.

Is the setlist mainly Deadwing/In Absentia stuff?

Cheers,

jonny

Gavin Harrison

05-23-2006, 08:08 PM

Jonny,
there's quite a mixture of old and new - but I would say a majority of it is from the Deadwing/In Absentia era.

Cheers
Gavin

Gavin Harrison

05-24-2006, 01:28 PM

Hi Guys,
here's another Porcupine Tree clip. In fact both of them are here...

http://www.studiomlive.com/

Cheers
Gavin

Sonor

05-25-2006, 04:40 PM

Great clips. I'll say it again: I love the way you use double base. I know everyone has their own taste but to me this is how they should be played. Really wish I could be in Chicago at the end of June!!

John Wesley compliments you guys very well. Has the band ever talked about him being a permanent member?

Gavin Harrison

05-25-2006, 06:14 PM

Hi Sonor

"Has the band ever talked about him being a permanent member?"

No his hair is too funny to be a permanent member!!!!

Thanks for the double bass comment. I've never thought of myself as someone who can play double bass. I just mess around with it.

cheers
Gavin

Mediocrefunkybeat

05-26-2006, 03:20 AM

Gavin I thoroughly enjoyed that video of 'Blackest Eyes'. I was actually discussing Porcupine Tree with a guitarist friend of mine yesterday, the name just popped up into the conversation. I can't say I'm a particular follower of your work, but after seeing that video I may have just changed my mind. I'm sorely tempted to check out that DVD when it comes out, great work. I really like your use of effects cymbals particularly. Beautiful little flourishes, exactly what they're designed for.

Afrolicious

05-26-2006, 12:05 PM

No his hair is too funny to be a permanent member!!!!

Hey, no hair related discriminations while I'm around.

Still, a great band and great playing you got there. A German drum magazine had a noted out version of "Sound of Muzak" and I'm still trying to figure it out. I should practise more, but hey, I can finally play the first bar correctly!

Sonor

05-26-2006, 05:45 PM

I've never thought of myself as someone who can play double bass. I just mess around with it.

I enjoy listening to your use of doublebass rather than the way you play it, if that makes any sense. I'm not a huge DB fan but I think it has its place and, like all of your playing, you always seem to find the right time (and amount) to use it.

I recently saw Marco Minemann and Billy Cobham, and from seeing your videos all you pros make it look so easy. How much time do you spend practicing now, and how much did you spend during your most intense period as I'm sure you had more time then than now?

Gavin Harrison

05-26-2006, 08:07 PM

Hi Sonor,
when I'm at home in my studio - I try to practise anywhere from 20 mins to 3 hours per day. It depends if I've got any good ideas that I want to explore and develop.
In my most intense period (15 years ago) - I use to practise 6 hours a day.

Cheers
Gavin

batmike

05-28-2006, 07:52 PM

!!!!!

Dany carey, Thomas Haake, carter Beauford and YOU, are my best influence when I play drums...

amazing groove, amazing kit ( enjoy sonor !!! ), will you make another dums DVD ?

Colin and you are one of the best "bass-drums" duet ;-) ( sorry for my writting, I'm french )

Gavin Harrison

05-28-2006, 10:11 PM

Thanks Batmike!!

My new DVD should be ready in about 2 weeks. I hope to post a video from it soon - here at Drummerworld thanks to Bernhard's help.

Cheers
Gavin

mr.beefhead

05-31-2006, 10:03 PM

Hi Gavin,

I had the good fortune to see Porcupine Tree live twice last year. I love your playing, technical, but with feel and groove, you walk a fine line and make it look easy! As a former jazz drummer, I enjoy your solo album 'Sanity and Gravity' immensely (pick it up if you can, everyone), do you think you will ever do another solo record? I'd love to hear it. Thanks and keep up the inspiring work!

Derek

Gavin Harrison

06-01-2006, 01:26 PM

Thanks Derek,
Glad you enjoyed "Sanity & Gravity". For anyone who's curious there's some samples of it at

www.myspace.com/gavharrison (It's nothing like Porcupine Tree's music)

I have thought about making another record for quite some time - but I've been too busy to get around to it. Maybe next year?

Cheers
Gavin

Mediocrefunkybeat

06-01-2006, 01:28 PM

Just had a quick listen to 'Witness' on your Myspace. Have you been listening to Jean Michel Jarre recently? Sounded very influenced by him. Great stuff of course. Would like to see more like this definately!

Gavin Harrison

06-01-2006, 02:57 PM

Hi Mediocrefunkybeat,

Can't say I have ever listened to Jean Michel Jarre. That (Witness) track kind of came out of the "Dizrhythmia" style. Dizrhythmia was a band I had in the late 80's along with Jakko Jakszyk (Guitar) Danny Thompson (Double Bass) and Pandit Dinesh (Tabla).
It was a mixture of Indian and jazz music - and we had quite a few Indian performers appearing on it.

Cheers
Gavin

Mediocrefunkybeat

06-01-2006, 03:04 PM

That's interesting. Very interesting indeed, I'm definately going to go and have a look over at the Indian-Jazz fusion scene and see what's what. You have some really great ideas on those songs and they sound great.

LinearDrummer

06-06-2006, 01:59 AM

Hi Gavin
I've got another question for you about beat displacement....

I'm messing around a little with very simplistic beats and no matter which way I shift it -
ultimately my ears want to process it in its natural form and it just sounds like someone skipped the click pulse on me....

So my question is do you hear the same beat as it shifts and play some kind of mathimatical game with the space between shifts or do you hear the new displaced beat in its true form against the click....

Hope I explained that right....

Gavin Harrison

06-06-2006, 12:18 PM

Hi LinearDrummer,
It makes me laugh when I start to hear the displacement 'in it's natural form' (which I refer to as the B STATUS in my Rhythmic Illusions book). That shows that A. the illusion is going to work - and B. how strong that rhythm is, that it would pull me into hearing it as an illusion.

It's a very interesting mind game. If you play the displacement REALLY slow against a click I'm sure you can hear it as intended - as a new rhythm - that's just all off the beat. You have to remember the rhythm like that. DON'T get fooled and start hearing it the other way round.
You should always keep your mind in the 'A STATUS'....otherwise you'll end up with some strange (depending how far out you've displaced something) mathematical calculation to make at the end of it to bring yourself back round onto the beat again.

I found it very helpful to see the displaced beat written out - and to see where all the beats really sit with each other. If you've only seen the DVD - you should maybe get a peek at the book.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

06-08-2006, 07:42 PM

Hi Gav!

I think, that the most important that brains could be switched with A STATUS on B STATUS. Is easy enough to learn exercises, and correctly to play them. And here to switch brains, to feel a straight line beat and displasement beat simultaneously, it much difficult. Isn't it?

meandhimcallitus

06-22-2006, 12:18 PM

Hi Gavin,

I've been following your work for almost 2 years now and find it absoultely amazing. And your DVD/books/music are def. A class.

I was just wondering what your thoughts are on Chris Pennie from The Dillinger Escape Plan? I hear his a big fan of yours and has been working on your books lately.

And what are your Top 5 favorite drumming books of all time that you've worked through?

I hope am not throwing alot at you hahaha... Just answer when you can

Stay Fresh,

Chris

Gavin Harrison

06-22-2006, 07:27 PM

Hi Chris,
thanks for the message and the kind words.
I must confess that I don't have any "Dillinger Escape Plan" records - although a friend of mine played me some and I thought Chris Pennie sounded great. It seemed quite complex stuff and I'd probably need a long time to listen to it carefully and study it.

Top 5 drum books?

In no particular order
Ted Reed's Syncopation (and the systems that you can apply to it).
Gary Chester's New Breed (similar idea about applying systems over ostinatos)
Gary Chaffee's Patterns Books
Fred Albright's Contemporary Studies for Snare Drum
Future Sounds - David Garibaldi

Cheers
Gavin

Drum-Head

06-23-2006, 12:21 AM

Mr. Harrison,

I've been listening to your drumming for some time now (Porcupine Tree) and I must say really love your style and the way you play for the music - always tastefull. I just can't get enough of the verse groove on Sound of Muzak!!

I'm having a hard time trying to find some other material of yours to get a little "collection" of your playing, also to maybe play along to your grooves and hopefully grasp some things... With a bit of luck I'll manage to take care of that issue.

All that just to thank you for spending some of your time with us and sharing your knowlegde on this forum. Thanks a lot!

All the best,
Christopher J. Adams.

P.S. Can't wait for that PT live Dvd!!

finnhiggins

06-23-2006, 04:27 AM

Hi Chris,
thanks for the message and the kind words.
I must confess that I don't have any "Dillinger Escape Plan" records - although a friend of mine played me some and I thought Chris Pennie sounded great. It seemed quite complex stuff and I'd probably need a long time to listen to it carefully and study it.

Hey Gavin,

If you want a relatively listenable intro to DEP then I can only recommend the "Irony is a Dead Scene" EP with Mike Patton on vocals. It's a bit more melodic and accessible than the bulk of the rest of their stuff, and I think it's downright hilarious and musically brilliant.

After that I'd recommend Calculating Infinity, which is very cool if you can get into the vibe of it all. I'm not sure I'd recommend anything else unless that one absolutely blows your mind, though...

e7z

06-23-2006, 11:14 AM

Hi Gavin!

May I ask you one more question? I wonder about your favorit players on guitar and vocal.

Sasha.

PS I think that vocal is music instrument too.

Gavin Harrison

06-23-2006, 12:37 PM

Hi Drum-Head,
thanks for the message. Glad you like the Sound Of Muzak groove. It's great fun to play. I break it down and demonstrate it on my new DVD.

PT live DVD should be coming out August/September time.

Hi Finnhiggins,
thanks for the advise about DEP - I'll try to track some down next time I'm out in a record store.

Hi e7z,
Guitar players that I like would include - Pat Metheny - Allan Holdsworth - Eric Gale - Johnny Guitar Watson and many more. As far as singers are concerned I really like a lot of people including - Stevie Wonder - Peter Gabriel - Paul Carrack - Gary Clark

cheers
Gavin

e7z

06-23-2006, 08:36 PM

And what about Steven Wilson :)))

e7z

06-23-2006, 08:48 PM

You know, my faforite song on DEADWING is Lazarus. Whad do you tell about this song? Have you midi files and drums transcriptions of songs from Deadwing and In Absentia. Very much it would be desirable to play these songs. Please. )))

meandhimcallitus

06-23-2006, 08:53 PM

hi Gavin,

I was just wondering if you have a clinic coming to Georgia sometime soon.

And if you do, pls do it in Atlanta Pro Percussion, like Stanton Moore, we apperciate it more than those people in Guitar Center. Plus APP has a whole huge room just for clinics.
Stay Fresh,

Chris

e7z

06-23-2006, 09:05 PM

Gav, tell please, back vocals on DEADWING is only S. Willson?

Gavin Harrison

06-23-2006, 09:20 PM

Hi meandhimcallitus,
I'd love to play a clinic in Georgia - but there's no plans to at the moment.

I'm just about to make a clinic in Chicago next week - my first in the USA.

e7z
I think Michael Akerfeldt does some background vocals on Deadwing. I was there when he recorded his guitar solo - and he was great.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

06-23-2006, 09:30 PM

Dear Gavin! Why you do not answer to all questions. It means, that to you some of them are not pleasant?

e7z

06-23-2006, 09:36 PM

And, how I understand from your answer, you do not know absolutely for certain who recorded back-vocals on this album?

Gavin Harrison

06-23-2006, 10:18 PM

e7z,
if you have the Deadwing CD then you'll find the answers in the booklet about backing vocals etc.

I don't have midi files or drum transcriptions for Deadwing or In Absentia.

Cheers
Gavin

e7z

06-24-2006, 07:21 AM

Sorry, Gavin, but my Deadwing CD have not booklet. It's Russia. Here often it is possible.

Bernhard

06-27-2006, 11:47 AM

Just posted some first Videosamples from the new DVD - Rhythmic Horizons - just appeared today - check it out - great drumming, great ideas!!

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gavin_Harrison.html

Enjoy

Bernhard

finnhiggins

06-27-2006, 12:10 PM

Awesome! Do I sense the Thomas Haake influence making a showing there with the china-riding stuff, Gavin?

This DVD I think I may well need to get, that was really great...

Mediocrefunkybeat

06-27-2006, 12:14 PM

Those Sonors sound absolutely phenomenal. Damn the torpedoes, one day or another a Designer Series I will have. The cymbal song was also bloody brilliant. Some really great musical phrasing ideas. Great, great work. Liking your 8-strand snare wires too. Different tastes but it sounds great.

Gavin Harrison

06-27-2006, 06:37 PM

Thanks guys,
glad you liked it.

Yes Tomas Haake is a great inspiration to me.

Many thanks to Bernhard for hosting these clips!!!!

All the best
Gavin

meandhimcallitus

06-28-2006, 11:00 AM

Hey Gavin,

I was just wondering how long you practiced drums as a child and how long you practiced them now? Like hrs.

And i was just wondering what your practice routine (sp?) consits of?

God Bless,

Chris

Gavin Harrison

06-28-2006, 05:26 PM

Hi meandhimcallitus,
When I'm not touring I tend to play the drums everyday if I can. Maybe a couple of hours - it depends if I have any inspiring ideas I want to explore.
I tend not to practise technique as such - because I find my mind goes to sleep. I prefer to think of an idea first - and then try to play it. If I can't play it - THEN I work on the technique necessary to perform it.

I went through a period of practising 6 hours a day in the early 1990's. I had the 'practise bug' and I just really wanted to develop a lot of ideas.

I miss practising when I'm on tour - because there's very little opportunity to do so.

Cheers
Gavin

Drum-Head

06-28-2006, 06:34 PM

I tend not to practise technique as such - because I find my mind goes to sleep. I prefer to think of an idea first - and then try to play it. If I can't play it - THEN I work on the technique necessary to perform it.

Gavin,

What do you mean by your mind goes to sleep? Could you please explain that a bit? And when you say you think of the idea first then the technique, is that something you have always followed or are you speaking as of now?

Thank you for your time,
Christopher.

Gavin Harrison

06-28-2006, 06:51 PM

Hi Drum-Head,
what I mean is that whilst I'm sitting there playing rolls and rudiments - my mind is dormant. It's not creative - and after I've played rudiments for an hour - I get on the drums and can't think what to play. I'm not saying that you shouldn't practise rudiments - of course not - but for me I needed to stimulate my brain for creative ideas.
Now if I want to practise rudiments I do so on a pad whilst watching TV. Your muscles need exercising of course - but so does the big fat muscle in my head....and when I play the drums - it's my head that has the ideas and not the muscles in my arms and legs...otherwise I just play a load of pre-rehearsed licks.

Cheers
Gavin

Drum-Head

06-28-2006, 07:29 PM

cvighals

06-29-2006, 03:38 PM

Hi Gavin!

Congrats on your newly fresh updated website, Looks great!!
Also I can`t really explain how much Im looking forward to recieving "Rhytmic Horizons" in the mail.

Lately I`ve tried to get into the displacement business. I just wondered: when you go from playing a beat, to displacing it, Do you ever count the pulse or do you just feel it?
I find that playing the simplest form of the "Rockbeat" 2 and fours.. haha.. I start to think it the other way around.
When I play to a click, I can pull it off, but without the clicktrack I get tricked by my own illusion. Any tricks to help keep the pulse, or is it just practice, practice, practice?

By the way "So Called Friend" is a killer song, and your drumming on the Rockpalast version of this song is STUNNING!
Any chance that track will be included on th PT live dvd or is that a secret?

You`re the best!
Keep it Coming!

TitanSound

06-29-2006, 04:15 PM

Just a quick note to say that you are fantastic drummer indeed Mr Harrison. Just seen the 2 latest videos put up in the video section and think the cymbal song is mental!

Keep it up!

Gavin Harrison

06-30-2006, 01:36 AM

Hi cvighals,
thanks for your message - regarding youir question about displacement - yes there is an element of "practise practise practise" I just play them really slowly and learn them as a new rhythm. I never put myself in a position where I fool myself into hearing the illusion.

It's easier with a click - but important to also try it without a click. It's good brain food!!!

So Called Friend - may be on the new DVD - I don't know the exact track list at the moment. I like playing that song but it's very hard work to perform it.

Thanks Titansound,
glad you enjoyed the clips.

Cheers
Gavin

jonny

06-30-2006, 03:29 PM

Hi Gavin,

I was wondering if you could answer a question me and a friend have. We were wondering what kind of snare you used on Mellotron Scratch on Deadwing? It doesn't sound like an acoustic snare to me, is it triggered?

Thanks,

Jonny

Gavin Harrison

06-30-2006, 04:28 PM

Hi Jonny,
there's two different snares on that recording. A big fat sounding one (at 4:37) that I use when the real drums first come in (Sonor black plating steel 14x5) and then when the song goes into the next section (at 5:05) I switch to a Sonor 12x5 Designer which has a much smaller tighter sound.
If you are talking about the first few minutes of the song - that is a drum machine with some effects on it.

Cheers
Gavin

rat crap

07-02-2006, 11:43 PM

Heyy Gavin,

It's awesome how many questions you've replied to, I really do appreciate that a lot.

But anyway, I have some random questions, I hope you dont mind

This one fill you use alot in In Absentia, it's sorta like a flam between the snare and toms but there's something different about it that I cant really figure out. You use it in Blackest Eyes at around :25. I know it's short and probably simple, but it's been buggin me that I cant totally figure out what it is. Could you explain just a little bit?

Another question... How much input do you have on the drum sound when you record in the studio with PT? Does Steven have any kind of specific pre-set sound, or does he completely leave it up to you as far as sound, or is it somewhere in the middle?

One last question... do you know if there will ever be a deadwing movie? Was it just sort-of an idea that seemed less and less possible over time and eventually just sorta evaporated?

Thanks!
Blake

Gavin Harrison

07-03-2006, 06:09 PM

Hi Blake,
I just had a quick listen to Blackest Eyes. The fill at 0.25 is a flam between the tom and snare + another snare + a bass drum. It's basically a flam triplet with the last note as a bass drum grouped inside 16th notes.

Same kind of thing happens at 0.36 but where there was one bass drum before - now there's two 32nd notes.

Regarding the sound of the the recorded drums....it's up to me.

I don't know if Deadwing will ever get made as a movie. I'm Steve would love to do it - but you need some major investor to step in and finance a project like that.

Cheers
Gavin

slavetothestix2

07-05-2006, 07:57 PM

hey gavin,

do you know if PT will ever be coming anywhere near the gulf coast of the us? i live in ocean springs, mississippi, a smaller town that, like everyone down here, just got done with katrina. i'd really love to see a great live performance because i haven't seen anything since the storm. ted nugent came a few weeks before, haha, and that was awesome, but no one really ever comes down here. trans-siberian orchestra came through a few times, as well as kansas. cool stuff, but i would kill to see a porcupine tree show within reasonable driving distance.

i'm really looking forward to purchasing your new dvd, and i plan on doing this very soon. is there a name for that "camo" looking color of your kit from the dvd? heh, it's very interesting.

i'm also going to be purchasing one of your books. could you maybe recommend me a specific book of yours that might deal mostly with independence and/or polyrhythmic playing? i've been struggling a bit in these fields lately. mostly the 4-way independence. a lot of it drives me crazy, but i love it! i'd love to hear (or see) some of your ideas through one of your books.

i'm looking forward to the new PT dvd. i've been watching the germany performance on google video for a while now. great stuff! i almost got to see PT at the berklee performance hall last year. i was at the percussion festival last year. if only the dates were a little closer. it would've been great!

anyway, i look forward to your response and kind words and i really hope to see you with PT this year. HOPEFULLY! you've been a very big influence to me through the last few years, and i consider you an amazing musical player. thanks for the inspiration gavin. :)

-richie

Gavin Harrison

07-06-2006, 12:45 PM

Hi slavetothestix2,
unfortunately, PT won't be coming down your way soon. Our next US tour is very short, just a handful of shows on the East and West coasts. We should be back in the spring with a much longer tour - so there's always a chance we might be somewhere nearby.

The finish on my sonor kit is called "Earth Finish".

Probably the best place to start with my books is the first one "Rhythmic Illusions" - it outlines a lot of my basic concepts and ideas. The second book "Rhythmic Perspectives" builds upon the ideas from the first book. The first DVD "Rhythmic Visions" has a lot of examples from the first book - and the most recent DVD "Rhythmic Horizons" is all new stuff - although the underlying themes are built on the concepts from both books.

The PT DVD is coming along nicely and should be ready by late August/September time.

Cheers
Gavin

Drum-Head

07-06-2006, 02:24 PM

Hi again Gavin,

I've been doing some research to find what songs you have played with what artists (your studio work) in order to purchase them - but without much success. Would you be able to tell me where I should look?

Regards,
Christopher.

Stormrider

07-06-2006, 02:40 PM

Hi Gavin!
First of all I would like to say all the basic stuff that you've probably heard a thousand times before in your life, but I just need to say that I think you're a fantastic drummer. The double bass groove in the video called futile is absolutely amazing. So are the fills, they are perfect.

I think also your kit is great. The setup is so cool and maybe you could give me some specs on the kit? Also did you design the looks yourself, because I really like the camo-paint on it.

Well take care!

Gavin Harrison

07-06-2006, 03:52 PM

Hi Drum-Head,
if you visit my web site http://www.drumset.demon.co.uk and click on "recordings" you'll see a list of albums that I've played on in the last 20 years.

Hi Stormrider,
the finish on that kit has been available for some time in Sonor's "artist series" snare drum range. If you visit www.sonor.de and find the artists snares you'll see it.

The kit on that clip is Sonor Designer "Earth Finish"
22x17
8x8
10x8
12x9
14x12
16x14
Cottonwood 14x6 snare drum

thanks for the kinds words!

Cheers
Gavin

Drum-Head

07-06-2006, 05:22 PM

Hi Drum-Head,
if you visit my web site http://www.drumset.demon.co.uk and click on "recordings" you'll see a list of albums that I've played on in the last 20 years.

Pfeu! I suck, I looked everywhere a part from that page! I feel so silly! I'm sorry about that...

Thank you for the help.

Regards,
Christopher.

aahznightsky

07-08-2006, 02:39 AM

Hey Gavin! I'd just like to say that I got hold of In Absentia today and I'm really enjoying the music! Also, youre going to keep me really busy playing along to these songs ... I insist on memorizing the drum parts note for note before I start to play along on the set. And your playing has a lot of intricate parts going on, its a lot to memorize!

Also I think its great that I found a drummer that has both feel and tasteful technique!

I'll be buying more albums, and who knows, i think we may meet in the future...

p.s. And before I forget to ask ... how did you mount the cymbals in the cymbal song clip on your drummerworld page? i've been wondering that for a while and if you dont mind I think I want to try the idea, maybe some cool overdubs in the studio!

Gavin Harrison

07-08-2006, 01:48 PM

Hi aahznightsky,
glad you're enjoying "In Absentia" - you might also like the following CD "Deadwing" - it's of a similar approach.

In the "Cymbal song" the cymbals are just resting on my leg. There's no mounting at all apart from the Burma Bell towards the end. If you get chance to see the full DVD there's an explanation about how I came up with the ideas for that song - and the Drum Song. There's also a "Kitchen Sink Song" over the end credits where I multi tracked some utensils from my kitchen - just for fun.

Cheers
Gavin