Todd Sucherman here!

Hi Todd,

The DVD is great, It's something I need to watch over and over to drill it into my head, (age is a wonderful thing) but it's very informative. Thank you.

Like you advised I purchased a digital recorder (Zoom H2) to record my practice sessions. So far I have only been recording myself playing along to music minus drums and what I hear while I'm playing and what I hear recorded are two different drummers. What an eye opener. However I may be setting myself up for doom because I have many music minus drum tracks of different styles and I find myself playing one after another instead of working on one tune at a time?

I do have two questions for you:

1, Would you only work on one song at a time re: music minus drums until your happy with the way it sounds recorded?

2, Would you also record yourself practicing rudiments and solo playing?

I appreciate your feedback and any other tips.
 
2bsticks-

Thanks for getting the DVD and thanks for the kind words. They are appreciated!

Record everything. If you practice for an hour, spend an hour listening to the playback. It can be painful, laborious, but ultimately rewarding when you hear yourself improve and really play what you meant to play. Work on a track or two and spend sometime figuring out why things don't sound the way you want them to. Make the changes no matter how small, record again and listen. Repeat. This may take some time but it's worth the effort. I also answer "yes" to your second question too. Have a plan for the week and be organized. Pick a few rudiments and work on the snare drum and then application to the kit, with grooves in a musical setting. Work on 2 or 3 tracks (and maybe only one if you are really hating what you're hearing) and make daily progress.

Hope that helps.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Todd
 
Todd,

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it very much. Sounds like a great plan. It's amazing what a recording of yourself will expose. I have been playing for 40 years and never really dissected my playing this way. It is certainly an ear opener.

Have a great holiday and thanks for the gift of a little bit of your knowledge.

Pete
 
Deltadrummer---thanks a lot. That was one of the toughest gigs I've ever done. I feel I was far from my best because I (and we) were very out of our element with very little rehearsal---and by very little I mean ONE real rehearsal. I was put in the acrylic box (which I hate) and trying to hold things together between the band and orchestra was a monumental challenge. That being said, the kids were great and I think the overall spirit of the evening prevailed. It was a memorable night and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've read many notes from people who were moved to tears by the DVD of that show. Nothing worth doing comes easy, right? So thanks for being a reborn fan and I hope you make it out to a gig next time we swing through your area. Thanks for the note!

Cheers from Orlando--
Todd

Hi, Todd! I know the original of this was posted a long while ago, but I have to tell you, I still watch my One With Everything DVD, and I still think it rocks hard! It was wonderful seeing the hard work you seem to have done with the kids. (In spite of the fact that you only had that one rehearsal.) It must have been such a blast, for you (the band) and them. Thanks to you and them for the great gift of music!

And now a question: Why is it that Styx only seems to do double- or triple-billed shows in Dallas these days? I'm not complaining, but it would be lovely to see y'all play around here on a single bill. I know you used to play at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth with only the house band going before you. Surely there are enough Styx fans here in the big D to warrant an entire 2+ hour show from you guys! :)

I'll talk to you later!

~ Ciana

ETA: Even though I'm not a drummer, I may get a copy of your DVD myself! After reading everything everyone has said about it, it sounds wonderful. And I always love watching a master att work! :) Love ya, and I hope I'll see you this spring or summer.
 
Last edited:
Hi Todd,

Season's greetings.

Your DVD arrived in the post and went down well with the Xmas turkey!

A tour de force of drumming, which made me wonder what the hell I'd been doing for the last three decades on the drum kit!

Here in England, what we normally do is get a drum kit as kids and start thrashing away, missing out on the theory side that many of you guys get in the US.

That's probably why since the pioneering days of Ringo, Moon and Bonham etc in the 60s/70s, most of the leading players are now from the US or Europe.

Anyway, there's a mountain of stuff for me to learn from the on the DVD.

Applying rudiments to the kit, the double pedal section and the general enthusiam you have for the drums are all inspiring.

Tears Of Joy is pure ball-breaking drumming (I'm still getting my head ariound the 13/8 groove) and I really appreciated you expalining the Weckl fills, which have puzzled me for years.

I also finally got an iPod and downloaded Gavin Harrison's Drop album, so my house was wall to wall with heavyweight drumming over the festive period!

So best wishes for 2009, Todd.

You deserve all the success and publicity you're getting...


PS Looking forward to the MD 2008 Festival DVD. Any idea when it's out?
 
Hi Ciana,

Glad you're enjoying the DVD. As far as shows in Dallas goes, I really have no answer for you. I don't book 'em---I just show up and play. That's all I've got.

Supermac,

Thanks for getting the DVD and thanks for your positive feedback! I appreciate you compliments and I hope it entertains and inspires new ideas in you playing. As far as the MD fest DVD goes, I think they are looking for a March release. But that can always change. I'm sure they'll do plenty of pre release press on it. Thanks again!

Cheers,
Todd
 
Hey Todd!
I was watching the Tears of Joy video, and I couldn't see the model on that HHX hi-hat. What hi-hat are you using there?
 
Hi Joe,

The hi hats I used for Tears of Joy on the Methods and Mechanics DVD were 14" HHX Evolutions. I hope you decide to pick up the DVD!

Cheers,

Todd
 
Hello Todd! I got your DVD for Christmas, and I wanted to say that I thought it was awesome, Thanks for making it! I didn't know who you were until I saw here at Drummerworld that the DVD was getting a bunch of attention, but after getting and watching it, I was blown away by what a monster player you are. I also think it is extremely cool that you come here and personally answer people's questions and help other drummers get better. I hope to start trying out bits and pieces of the patterns you demonstrated as soon as possible (I just broke stuff in both arms three nights ago!). Anyway, thanks to you, I've got some awesome practice material to look forward to and "rehabilitate" with when I'm better! Hope to see more of you and your drumming in the future!
 
This thread has long been full of rave review and congrats of your ability and your DVD, and now I know why. Todd, what can I say… or what can anyone say that’ll explain or somehow communicate the quality of your DVD, ‘Methods and Mechanics’? Guys and dolls, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, if you haven’t yet, and if you’ve been procrastinating and pinching pennies and whining about the economy and how its got tough to find a gig and you’ve no more dough in your pockets… buck it up dude! Panhandle on the nearest corner, go out and sell yourself, hell… sell your sister, or do whatever it takes and go buy this DVD (ya’ can’t steal it cuz its only available on the internet… I think). After a five hour trip through the life and thoughts of this tender and fantastically talented musician, Todd Sucherman, I’m sure you’ll likely consider tossen’ the skins out the back door and instead take up the Kazoo. But don’t let this mans talent scare ya’ man. His insane humor and implausible and hard to believe ability will drive you crazy and make you wanna’ play, play, play til’ the cows come home. Not to over state my enthusiasm, but honest to God Todd… nice job man!
However I’ve one question. Where’s the PDF that’s part of the DVD? I’ve gone through the set a couple of times and haven’t found it. I’m hoping to find there transcriptions of the compound sticking exercises showing examples of how they might be strung together. I’m slow to pick up on some of this and the visual transcriptions always help me understand the timing better – how to get in and when to get out. Boy, so many grooves, so many chops… and seemingly so little time. Thanks for putting your time in this project that’ll give anyone, at any level of playing, something to strive for and long remember.
 
Matt--

Thanks for the kind words. Glad you are enjoying the dvd! Yikes---hope you are feeling better soon and have a speedy recovery. Thanks again for your feedback.

intheruff--

Thanks for the enthusiastic accolades. I really, really appreciated it! The PDFs are on either disc 1 or 2 (duh....I forget which one) and can only be viewed on your computer. From there you can print it out....simple as that! Thanks again for your kind words!

Cheers-
Todd
 
Hello Todd recently i've been kinda discouraged from playing and haven't played in a while but last night i watched the concert with styx and the contemporary youth orchestra and your drumming on that show was amazing and it was the inspiration i needed to play again and learn new things and get better.
 
kgrubb,

I'm glad seeing the Styx/CYO DVD gave you a little spark to get behind the kit. That's good news. That was a very hard, very challenging night for me trying to hold everything together--but a good memory that was captured on film. I'm happy that you got something out of it.

Don't be discouraged. Ever. You're here, reading and participating in the drum community. This isn't a contest and you are in a race with no one. Relax and remember to enjoy simply playing--and enjoy the process of improving. Have some structured/focused practice time. That's the best way to see results. Don't forget to be patient. If you have an agenda for your practice sessions it's hard to become stagnant which is something we all deal with. But having a goal, or goals, will help you get in the direction you want to go.

Not trying to drum up a sale here (or use bad puns) but I recommend my DVD "Methods and Mechanics." I worked very hard on what I had to say to do my best to inspire the viewer to get on the kit and get to work. It might help spark a new found enthusiasm in your playing way more than the Styx show.

You can check out some clips here at Drummerworld or here:
http://www.altitudedigital.com/todd-sucherman-methods-and-mechanics.html

I wish you luck (and fun) with your playing!
Cheers,
Todd
 
Hey kgrub,

GET the DVD. You will be happy you did. I'm 55 and have been playing for 40 years. I find myself at this age rejuvenated and excited about playing all over again. The DVD will really light a fire under your a%$ if you know what I mean. He explains things in great detail but at the same time he keeps in simple terms. He will show you how to apply rudiments to the kit and plays some great tracks as well. Every time I pop in the DVD I learn something new.
 
Hello Todd !! I was wondering if you could give a detailed review on the Pearl shell/sound vs. the Sonor shell/sound given even thickness model. I am definitely a Sonor guy, however the newer Pearl stuff just blows me away at how far they have come, and I have owned ALOT of Pearl as well.

I mean, none of these guys at Sonormuseum seem to understand this, nor will they accept it. I find that hilarious, to be honest.

I have one really cool friend who has his Delite set up right next to an older MMX, and I always ask him if the Sonor is leaving the Pearl in the dust. He tells me time and time again, ABSOLUTELY NOT!
 
2b--

Thanks for the back up---and the kind words are always appreciated.

Artstar--

It's hard to compare 15 to 30 year old shells to new shells. I really believe they mature as drums (and the wood) gets older. As well, my Pearl kits are custom Masterworks so they are not standard fare. But a strong fundamental tone (a trait of Phonic, Lites & Sigs) was my template for the thicker shelled Masterworks. My current road kit rivals anything I've ever played and is my favorite kit. The 8" through 12" are 8 ply and the 14" through 22" are 10 ply--and with inner and outer plies of bubinga like the old Signature Series by Sonor. In my opinion thicker shells produce a stronger fundamental tone---a stronger defined note if tuned properly. The mic has an easier time reading that information than many thin shelled drums that produce more overtones---then the mic has a harder time deciphering that note. That's when the engineer starts rolling off frequencies in the EQ. With thick shelled drums I've found over the years that most engineers have to do very little (if nothing at all) to get sounds. And then they end up sounding very natural.

I digress I suppose. It's impossible to do comparisons. Each of my Sonor kits from different lines have qualities unique to themselves--as do my Pearl kits. I'm sure the Masterworks will only improve with age. I guess my current kit is the most Sonor-y, but classic Sonor as opposed to modern Sonor. Make sense? I hope so.

Cheers!
Todd
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0569.jpg
    IMG_0569.jpg
    58.3 KB · Views: 1,830
  • IMG_0599.jpg
    IMG_0599.jpg
    79.9 KB · Views: 3,197
Todd, that's great info about the kit's shell composition and sound. I love the depth and punch of my Mapex Saturn (6-ply) but hate the lingering overtones sometimes. I could definitely see the problem when mic'ing live.

I guess for my next drum set, I'll experiment a litle thicker! And definitely with Bubinga. Awesome material.



Dominick
 
Hey Todd, thank you! I guess I was asking more about modern Sonor vs. modern Pearl.

You are one of the first to basically spell out what I tell all my drum buddies, (who won't listen to me). The thinner shells, mic'd, will have to be WAY more tamed by the sound guy or whoever, because it's gonna "distort" with ovetones much quicker and more frequently with an ANNOYING/UN-USEABLE low end. They always end up having to muffle the crap out of them, and modify the settings.

The other thing about the really thin shells, is that all that buttery super low end is usually positioned so low that once the bassist and any somewhat low end guitar come in to the mix, you floor toms and kick are more part of that, and as a result, more transparent as being "the drums".
 
Dominick--

Like everything, it's a personal opinion. But check out some thicker shelled drums if you're in the market for a new kit.

Artstar---

I really have no experience with much "modern" Sonor kits so I can't make the comparison. I used a Designer kit on the Styx '96 tour. It's the only kit I've ever unloaded and sold to a friend. It was a great kit, but not really "special" as it was thin shells, maple, just like every company was making. I do have a Pearl Masters 4 ply MMX kit which is lovely. I used that in the DVD for the small jazz kit segments. It works great in that context in my opinion. But the Masterworks really shine for the "big kit" stuff in the DVD.

Cheers-
Todd
 
Man if I walked into a concert hall and saw that kit but didn't know who the drummer was, my first thought would be " Man this cat is probably going to be a badass!"

Hey Todd have you developed any shoulder problems from hitting that monster tom?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0599.jpg
    IMG_0599.jpg
    79.9 KB · Views: 6,773
Back
Top