Gavin Harrison here!

Hey Gavin,

Excellent show Friday night at the State Theatre!!! Sorry if this is a dumb question but on a different note, I was talking to my friend recently and he mentioned that he was able to meet you and the rest of the band back on May 19th 2007 at the Nokia Theatre in NYC. And at that meet n greet after the show he got a Drumhead signed by you and the guys that was used during practice sessions earlier that day. But he never asked if you personally played on it, though that is the assumption, but he and I are now curious.

If you cannot remember that is cool, either way he is going to get it framed and was gonna have the frame say the show date, etc and if you played on it he is going to write that down on it too.

Thanks again for a AWESOME show friday night!!!!

-B
 
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Hey Gavin;
My son and I saw you with PT at the Beacon in NYC- this was our third time and you guys just seem to get better each time, always a fantastic show with things we haven't heard before. I was surprised and happy to see Will Calhoun in the opening band- those guys really cooked- are they touring with you or do you have different openers at each show?
Is there any chance you'll be touring with 05ric?- I would love to see that.

Also, I was wondering what your feeling was on open playing- I saw you doing it on part of "Sleep Together" during the concert. I know some drummers like Carter Beauford and Billy Cobham have been very successful with it- I just can't seem to get the same feel ( although my skills come nowhere approaching yours or theirs) , I suppose it's just a matter of practice.
Thanks, looking forward to whatever you do next, enjoy the rest of the tour.
JR
 
Hi Hoofbite,

...a Drumhead signed by you and the guys that was used during practice sessions earlier that day. But he never asked if you personally played on it, though that is the assumption, but he and I are now curious.

Yes I had played on it.

Hi jr100,

I was surprised and happy to see Will Calhoun in the opening band- those guys really cooked- are they touring with you or do you have different openers at each show?

Yes they were great - I watched them from the side of the stage. That's the only date they're doing with us.

Also, I was wondering what your feeling was on open playing- I saw you doing it on part of "Sleep Together" during the concert.

I occasionally attempt it so that I can play extra things on the toms or extra ghost notes that I can't get with my left hand. But generally I can't make it feel as good as when I play the old right over left.

Glad you enjoyed the show.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin, How are you?

Im sorry if this has been asked, but...

How do you go about writing drum parts for new songs? Im in a band and i'm trying to vary my drumming a bit now, trying to add more interesting beats, using Funk styles and maybe Jazz aswell (Indie/alternative band). When i improvise along to my iPod i come up with really good stuff, but i find it hard to use those idea in my bands songs.

Thanks.
 
Hello.....Gavin,

Saw you guys last year at the Nokia. Now your playing in my back yard in Albany.
I would like to offer to take the band out for dinner before the show.

I sent Andy L. and e-mail as well.

Also will you have any of your latest recordings available for purchase at the
show? 05ric I have to get me some of that.

thanks
Tom
 
Hi Gavin:

I just watched you in Toronto, Ontario's gig last night and both my 19 year old son and I thoroughly enjoyed the music and namely as my son would put it "the sickest drummer that he has ever heard".

We both noticed that there is very little interaction between the musicans when you are playing as you seem to intuitively know where everyone is. (I guess thats what rehearsal is all about LOL)

My question to you is what do you have in your in-ear monitor mix? Do you have guitar/vocals and at bit of drums? Does it change from show to show?

Amazing concert and I immediately came home and watched the Rhythmnic Horizons DVD that I bought last night.


Cheers,

BTW, those pesky cymbal stand nuts always loosening up after playing! frustrating sometimes eh?
 
Hey Gavin,
I just caught PT's performance at the Beacon in NYC. Outstanding performance (as always). I also managed to pick up the LAST copy of Rhythmic Horizons. I enjoyed watching this DVD more than any other instructional drum video! I especially enjoyed the excersise on groupings of 5 over 7 and 7 over 5 (ba ba, ba ba ba....) That's the sort of thing I've been trying to enhance my skills with.

I do have two questions though: 2) You play the breakdown for "Halo" on the DVD on bass with a drumstick and then loop it whilst playing your kit over it. Its a quite simple pattern to understand, but I can't seem to be able to keep the 4/4 china hits over it like you do on the album version. Any suggestions?

and 2) On the equipment info section of the DVD, it says your 12X5 snare is a Designer snare, but does that mean it's a DeLite maple or an S Classix birch?

If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be so obsessed with drumming!

P.S. I've seen PT three times in here America already and you've yet to play Shallow...What Gives?
 
Damp :

The designer series was sonor's old custom drum line, which are now the SQ2. I do believe you would get a similar sound with the Delite series, seeing as they are vintage maple shells.
I have a 14" Delite and i've fallen in love with it. So much that my other hi-end snares sound rubbish in comparison.

Gavin :

Great show in Quebec, it was very cool to see the band 3 in it's entirety this time ( Even if Joey alone was amazing )...definately the best opening gig i've seen to date. You guys played a very long set!! I was stoked and really happy about it, even if alot of the people in the room looked tired at the end, meh, if we're up to me, I would have had a giant sign written "Play never enough", like in the past Dream theater show I had seen ! haha

Cheers

Emmanuel

p.s I'm really glad I picked up the next volume of "Rythmic Horizons", your concepts are very interesting...there's definately alot of work to be done on these!
 
Hi volume_3,

How do you go about writing drum parts for new songs?

It depends how much the song is already written. Maybe it's still in a skeleton form or maybe it's fully formed. Like you, I jam along and see what ideas come to me. I record them, listen back and decide what works and what doesn't (in my opinion and based on my personal taste). Sometimes if there's a producer present they may have an idea of what's working that is maybe different to mine. Maybe we discuss the options. Having experience in this line of work really helps. You might spend ages coming up with (what you believe to be ) a killer drum part and the the producer says "nah, give me something else". You have to find ways of generating lots of different ideas - even though in a session situation you might not like the parts that the producer wants you to play - you might even think the song sucks too.
Having an ability to manipulate feels and rhythms and a sense of what is right for the song (not necessarily what is a great show off drum part) is the key thing.

Hi fearofflying,

Also will you have any of your latest recordings available for purchase at the
show? 05ric I have to get me some of that.


Yes my CD with 05Ric will be there - and my DVD Rhythmic Horizons too.

Hi Drumkill,

My question to you is what do you have in your in-ear monitor mix? Do you have guitar/vocals and at bit of drums? Does it change from show to show?


Yes we all have in-ear monitor mixes. I listen to a mix of everyone's instruments. We carry our own digital monitor desk (Yamaha 02R96) so it's pretty much the same night after night. Some minor tweaks are sometimes necessary depending on the room.

Hi Damp,

I do have two questions though: 2) You play the breakdown for "Halo" on the DVD on bass with a drumstick and then loop it whilst playing your kit over it. Its a quite simple pattern to understand, but I can't seem to be able to keep the 4/4 china hits over it like you do on the album version. Any suggestions?


You tried playing 8ths and accenting every other hit?

and 2) On the equipment info section of the DVD, it says your 12X5 snare is a Designer snare, but does that mean it's a DeLite maple or an S Classix birch?

As Tyrnox mentioned "Designer" was an older model range of Sonor. I believe it's 6 ply maple with no support rings inside.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

I'm really glad PT is playing Norwich soon but it also really sucks as i'm gigging that night! I love gigging but it would have to be the only friday that month I am! ARGH!

Anyway, you seem to have immaculate gear and you obviously experiment a lot with your cymbals so I was wondering what/how you clean yours? There is a thread on drummerworld and everyone swears by certain methods that other people will swear that they are crazy for using!

I have also started experimenting with cutting down cymbals the first one of which is now a 7.5" ride cymbal. Luckily I have a friend who is a metalworker and he cuts them down to
size for me! :) I have a small selection of broken/cracked cymbals to try out I was just wondering if you had tried anything that really didn't work at all or if you had any that really surprised you? (I'll try and post pictures and some recordings of these experiments once they are done).

Also kudos on your Rhythmic Horizons DVD, it's been melting my brain for quite sometime now however I am (most) of the time able to play Halo with those accented quarter notes, it did throw me for a long time. Also is that section different on the live DVD to the original recording? By this I mean it sounds like you accent all the quarter notes on the china in the "heavy section" but in the original recording it sounds as if you accent those quarter notes then you do 2 crashes with the snare and continue on the beat whereas on the live DVD instead of carrying on the beat you seem to play the china on the off beats as if you were carrying on the accented quarter notes as you play them on the hi hat. Of course you then up it again the second time round and play all this on 2 chinas instead of the ride and a china! ARGH!

If the above doesn't make sense i'll understand as my knowledge of musical terms is not great, i've been much more of an emulator than a reader! Something I MUST change eventually!

Thanks again for being on here and answering all these questions, i'll do everything I can now to get you a damn clinic tour in the UK! Can't believe no one has asked!

Gav
 
Check out Samples from the great new CD "drop" - published by Gavin himself:

gavin harrison & 05ric

gavinharrisondrop.jpg


Great Music - great Drumming.....

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

...ahh, and there is also a new live Video of PT


Bernhard
 
Hi Bernhard,
thanks for the update.

Hi GavManB,

you obviously experiment a lot with your cymbals so I was wondering what/how you clean yours?


I never do.

I have a small selection of broken/cracked cymbals to try out I was just wondering if you had tried anything that really didn't work at all or if you had any that really surprised you?


A couple of them didn't turn out that great, but they we're broken to start with so I didn't really lose anything.

for quite sometime now however I am (most) of the time able to play Halo with those accented quarter notes, it did throw me for a long time. Also is that section different on the live DVD to the original recording?

It may well be different on the live DVD to the CD - I can't quite remember. I also play more double bass drum stuff through the 'heavy part' in the live shows that I don't think I did on the CD.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!

I was wondering, which 6" splash did you use on In Absentia?Precisely, in The sound of muzak?It is 6", isn't it? :p

Thanks and keep on grooving!
 
Hi Master!!!! How are you??

Finally, one week ago i have received the "Rhythmic Horizons" DVD !!
I'm still without words :) :)

I must see it at least once time at day :) :)

It's Faaaantaastiic!!!!!

Now, i try to study on mp3 song and PDF documents..
Really special thanx Master!! Thanx for your patience and fundamental instructions, that give us.. :) :)

Special salutes from all G.H.F.C. WE WAIT TO ROME!! :) :)

Good Work Master Gavin!! and Good concerts with P.T.

Cheers

Fabio
 
Hello.........................Gavin,
You guys sounded great last night. Great opener as well.
I purchased 05ric it is an amazing piece of work.
In the true fashion of Gavin Harrison. I just want to say to all the drummers
out there you have to get this. It is a awsome piece of work.
There are no mediocre tracks. A wonderful drumming experience.
 
Hello Gavin!

To get the gushing out of the way ... like many here I consider you to be one of the most talented and tasteful drummers ever. As much as I am in awe of your technique, I *really* love the fact that you exercise it in a musically responsible way, playing just what the song needs. Hats off... :)

I do have a question, if you don't mind...

I am in the market for a new kit after a few years away from the drums (it's been murder, I tell ya!) and am planning to start a project that will draw stylistically from jazz/fusion with pop sensibilities and the occasional heavy influence. The kit I am currently favoring would be composed like so:

20" kick
10", 8", 13" 15" mounted toms (in that order left to right, 2 up, 2 down)
13" primary snare (medium tuning)
12" secondary piccolo snare (high tuning)

I plan to tune the toms with a medium tension with single-ply coated batters ... do you think the 13" tom would service me well as a floor tom? I am concerned if I go to a 14"/16" combo for the floors that the gap between them and the 10"" rack would be to great...

Given the styles I must cover (and the fact that this will most likely be my only kit for the foreseeable future) it is kind of difficult to keep the kit on the small side and still find a good balance of sounds. What do you think?
 
Hi gavin, how're you?
I gat a question.i recently buy a Dw maple 12"x5" snare.
I've heard your designer 12x5 that you've used on RH clinic tour here in Italy.
I need some informations:
1 - have yout cutted away some snares on that drum?
2 - you've mounted an emperor coated, right?
3 - you'll keep this snare with an high pitch?

thanks a lot and i'm awaiting for Milan concert of PT!

cheers!
 
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