Derek Roddy here!

Derek,
I have to type this down to fully grasp it:
One of your 6-string guitars is tuned lower than my downtuning 7-string (A standard)... haha. (My other 2 7-strings are standard tuned.)

Hahaha.....yeah!
I'll post the other "steel" tuning for ya later....got to write it down from the warehouse wall. LoL.

D
 
Arky, you got any tunes you've written that needs drums?

D
Oops - I didn't notice your post! Geez, can I trust my eyes? ;-)
Well yes... I'm working on some stuff for quite some time. Basically the songs are written but I'm terribly slow at recording them (a surplus of analog gear -> lots of sound options, and also my perfectionism are counter productive). The style is 'gothic/romantic doom' - nothing technical (slow, melancholic, female vocals).

Why are you asking? Do you know somebody who could help, haha?
(I'm doing music for 21 yrs now, but I've always been quite isolated - no bands, no gigs, just doing my own stuff. But a ton of gear in my homestudio instead. I don't know one metal drummer in my area in person, what a shame.)
 
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I'm always looking for cool music to play on....or, to work with serious people creating music.......If you have some tracks you'd think I'd dig.....send em on!

D
 
Derek,
that's unbelievable!!
Hope I'll pass the 'dig it' test ;-) I'll check/prepare some stuff and send it to you via PM.
Wow... really. You're da man, man.
(PS: There really shouldn't be any problems with songs in the 90-130 bpm range, haha.)

UPDATE
Derek, your DVD is awesome! Also very cool you have Johnny Rabb appear on your DVD, haha. Your DVD (and George's) provides excellent material to draw upon for months & years (rather: a lifetime). The "Extra" section is great also, it's cool you're shedding some light on your hobby (snakes). Thank you for making this DVD!
 
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Derek,
I'm 17 years old and i've been drumming for 3 years now. I play only one bass, but i end up spraining my ankles when i try to speed things up. i noticed that you blast beat with one foot sometimes. I know it'll take a while, but could you help me on how to start developing that kind of flexibility?
i love your approach to the drums as an instrument. thanks :D
and i'll try to find some stuff that you would like. i've been learning jazz, but i also want to branch out at the same time :)
 
Derek, your DVD is awesome! Also very cool you have Johnny Rabb appear on your DVD, haha. Your DVD (and George's) provides excellent material to draw upon for months & years (rather: a lifetime). The "Extra" section is great also, it's cool you're shedding some light on your hobby (snakes). Thank you for making this DVD!

Cheers brotha, glad you dig it. Hopefully, you'll get what you need from it.


Derek,
I'm 17 years old and i've been drumming for 3 years now. I play only one bass, but i end up spraining my ankles when i try to speed things up. i noticed that you blast beat with one foot sometimes. I know it'll take a while, but could you help me on how to start developing that kind of flexibility?
i love your approach to the drums as an instrument. thanks :D
and i'll try to find some stuff that you would like. i've been learning jazz, but i also want to branch out at the same time :)

Thanks man....

The best exercise I've found for building speed.....is actually an endurance exercise.
Simply play a single stroke roll between one hand and one foot.....for as long as you can.
There are four combinations to play.

RH/RF
LH/LF
RH/LF
LH/RF

These are good because.... they work each hand and foot separately, something I feel that is very important for playing clean and precise.
Also, because you are exercising the feet and hands together in the same exercise...makes for a good time management exercise as well.

D
 
Hello Mr Derek,
I have been doin double bass drumming for almost 2 years now...but even now i can hardy play above 140 bpm....and my left foot is very weak compared to the right....i'm trying my best to develop the flatfoot technique...but can't get enough speed!
Can you please help me out..
Thank you.
 
Hello Mr Derek,
I have been doin double bass drumming for almost 2 years now...but even now i can hardy play above 140 bpm....and my left foot is very weak compared to the right....i'm trying my best to develop the flatfoot technique...but can't get enough speed!
Can you please help me out..
Thank you.

I'd say...play more often with your left foot. haha.
Seriously though....play more with your left foot.

You are only as quick as your weakest foot so, that means, more time is needed to develop said weaker foot. The only way to do that is to use it more often....not learning a "illusive technique".

Play on a left handed kit for a couple of months....you'll be blown away at how much control you will get in a short time period.

Cheers,
D
 
Hi!
I'll start out by saying that I think you're a great drummer, you seem really great technique wise, and musically, and you can explain exactly what you're doing!

I have a few questions for you though. The first one is:

How do i practice without getting bored out of my mind?
I saw some of your videos a while back on youtube, the ones where you do 16, 12, 8, 4... on hands and feet, and then the right hand left foot (rh-lf-rh-lf) videos and I try to practice those fairly regularly. Lately, however, I haven't had access to a double pedal very much and going back to working my right foot a bunch has really shown me how weak my left foot is. I've tried your "weak foot buster" but its a little too dry for me to really focus for a long time, so do you have any tips on how to spice up working the weaker foot?

The second question is:

How do you set up your toms?

This might have already been addressed in the thread (if so sorry!) but Ive seen you use both a "traditional" set up, and then one where you switch you 10 and 12 (i think those are the sizes) so the 12 comes first. Lately Ive been thinking about trying this and I was curious as to why you did, where you first heard or came up with the idea, and the benefits and drawbacks of it. Do you prefer playing in that set up or is it just for creativity's sake?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi!
I'll start out by saying that I think you're a great drummer, you seem really great technique wise, and musically, and you can explain exactly what you're doing!

I have a few questions for you though. The first one is:

How do i practice without getting bored out of my mind?
I saw some of your videos a while back on youtube, the ones where you do 16, 12, 8, 4... on hands and feet, and then the right hand left foot (rh-lf-rh-lf) videos and I try to practice those fairly regularly. Lately, however, I haven't had access to a double pedal very much and going back to working my right foot a bunch has really shown me how weak my left foot is. I've tried your "weak foot buster" but its a little too dry for me to really focus for a long time, so do you have any tips on how to spice up working the weaker foot?

The second question is:

How do you set up your toms?

This might have already been addressed in the thread (if so sorry!) but Ive seen you use both a "traditional" set up, and then one where you switch you 10 and 12 (i think those are the sizes) so the 12 comes first. Lately Ive been thinking about trying this and I was curious as to why you did, where you first heard or came up with the idea, and the benefits and drawbacks of it. Do you prefer playing in that set up or is it just for creativity's sake?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Jon...Thanks for the props.
I hear ya on the "bored" part but, you have to keep the end goal in focus because our left foot doesn't care if you're "bored". Haha. If you don't put aside the time to work on it...even though it's boring...it will never get where you want it.
There is no right or wrong way but, the most effective way I've found to develop weaker limbs is.... to simply use them more.
Anything you can play with your weaker limb...you should be playing with it. Ride/hi hat patterns, kick drum phrasing...anything you can execute with your weaker side.....DO!

As far as my set up...I do that because I'm bored!!! Hahaha.

Seriously though, it depends on what I'm trying to work on.
When I was using the 12, 10 set up...I was focusing on playing left handed (because that's my weaker hand). So, with the 14 next to my main hi hat....I could play 10, 12, 14 leading from the left.
This not only worked on the actual notes leading left handed but, also hit the "motion" part of the exercise moving from left to right. It's one thing to play left handed on one surface...it's another to do it...moving from drum to drum.

I like to kill to birds with one stone in regards to "exercises". That's why I change the drums around a good bit. Opens up the "muscle memory" part of drumming.

Hope that helps,
D
 
Wow, the real Derek Roddy on the forums! cool!

The first time I heard you play it wasn't your insane speed that caught my eye (mainly 'cos it's too fast to see) but it was your taste and phrasing. Really awesome man!

I'm sorry to hear about the DT thing, it makes sense now you explained it. I did wonder why they showed a bunch of such high calibre drummers sitting thinking then ALL the Mangini footage they just drooled over him the whole time. It was obvious who they wanted, I think it was a bit insulting to ask a group of the worlds best to come audition infront of the world when it was just a Marketing ploy to get them publicity and try to make every like Mangini taking over Portnoy more.

I bet in hindsight it seems obvious it was going to happen?

Nevermind, keep on destroyin'

Tastefully.
 
cover-a.jpg


Serpents Rise suggest downloading all the songs, THEN....listening to the entire recording.
The work is intended to be seamless....and, taken in as one body of music.

We hope you enjoy....and, interpret.

http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/HereComesTheSheildBearer.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/FacedWithStrife.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/TheConversation.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/HorseAndRider.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/IntoTheFurther.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/DyerConsequence.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/EmbraceSolution.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/TheUnderliningFury.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/TheyComeTheyGo.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/TheSoulObsidian.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/FeedingTheSpiritEater.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/BornToDestroyThemAll.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/MarvelousIncompetense.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/ResistantToTemptation.m4a
http://www.derekroddy.com/Dereks_Link_Folder/TakeMeToMedian.m4a


Serpents Rise....as you can hear....is an instrumental entity.

Serpents Rise contributors...

Derek Roddy: Drums, Percussion, Guitars, Bass, Voices, sounds
Chip Staples: Percussion, Voices
Evan Kline: Percussion
Gabe Amato: Bass solo and Vibes on "Into The Further"
Mike Moreano: Guitar Solo on "Faced With Strife"

Musical Concept: Derek Roddy
Songs written and performed by: Derek Roddy
Logo Design: Derek Roddy/ R. Scott Johnson
Layout: Miguel Elasmar [email protected]
Engineered, Recorded and Mixed by: Derek Roddy @ Aspidities Room Recording Studio
Mastered by: Jeremy Staska @ Studio 13

Cheers to:
Meinl Cymbals, DW Drums, Axis Pedals, Vater Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, Shure Microphones, LeveL Rack Systems, Presonus, Jackson Guitars, Spector Basses, Fender Basses, Boss Pedals, Marshall Amps, Engl Amps, Scott Johnson and ETV Lowcountry TV, Steven Hires, Chris McAvoy, Todd (God) Tuner, Jayson Moore, Nicko McBrain and Rock and Roll Ribs, Jason Bittner, Jeff Lee and all at Resurrection Drums, Studio 13 (Jeremy Staska), all my snake buddies...Tom Keogan, Ben Siegel, Austin Curtis, Jay Eaton, Cindy and, all at http://www.kingsnake.com.
My family: Halle Roddy, Randy and Rosemary Roddy, Randy Roddy Jr, Larry Herzog,, All drummers everywhere!
http://www.derekroddy.com Forum members and YOU!!!!

Thanks for giving Serpents Rise a listen,
Derek Roddy
 
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Holy...

Thanks so much Derek!


(also I hate to be that guy, but you spelled shield bearer incorrectly)
 
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