Gavin Harrison here!

moncholo said:
Thanks, man!
Any good "brush playing" albums to recommend?
Click to expand...

Well, I can't really think of whole albums played prominently with brushes, you might wanna ask Gavin on that one.

Here's a couple of links you might find useful, though.

Link One.

Link Two.

Link Three.

Link Four.

I don't know, just different styles and techniques. With Erskine's videos, Steve and Jeff's short turorials and playing, and some of the other pop and modern grooves, you're very much set for some long hours of Brush practice.

Oh, and don't miss this little fun solo!
 
I have some other questions.

1. In "Remember me lover" at around 3:00 moving from the refrain to a kinda Bridge or B-part you are doin a crazy fill over the toms, but backwards.

How do you coordinate that? What is the sticking?

2. When thinking about the old drummer of porcupine tree, what comes in your head? Did you copy some of the things from him,
or fills, Maybe you can say somethin in generell about Chris.

3. When thinkin about "Drive the hearse" (which is an incredibly beautiful song ( !!!! )), how do you start thinkin ( or feelin ) about what you wanna express in that song.
How is the progress about what you wanna express in that song or another.

Thanks Gavin!
 
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Hi Florian

Just curious as to what your mix is in your IEMs when you play live. Do you mix more of your set or more of the other PT fellas?

I try to have an even balance of everyone. It's hard to make a good mix when your own instrument is making so much noise to start with. If you're playing keyboards it would be a different story.

Hi y0avz

I saw your performance on the modern drummer festival (which was great btw),and after
watching and hearing some of your fills it brings me to the question..How do you know where the one is, do you count along during the fill, or is it an instinct kind of thing..

I always know where 'one' is. When I play a fill I relate it to the pulse and the time signature.

Hi lperry

You recently said that Half Light is surprisingly difficult to play on drums. Is that because it's hard to keep the sparse slow tempo flowing, or are you referring to something else?

Yes it's hard to keep a slow sparse tempo - and play just quarter notes on the ride whilst playing the other stuff between the bass drum and snare drum.

Hi daniele

I've listen a beautiful album Of Nik Kershaw "The works", and Jeff Porcaro e Vinnie Colaiuta, in this album, reminded me of you. It was one of your influences?

Yes I remember listening to that record back in the '80s and really liking it.

Hi moncholo

My question is regarding your drumming on Black Dahlia. Your grooves on that song are just so laid back and played with wonderful feel and sound.
Did you play all of the song with brushes in one take?
During the verses, are you riding 16ths on the snare with your right hand and 8th notes with your left foot on the hihat?

Yes I think I played it one take - I had to prepare a stick to be right next to the ride cymbal so I could grab it really quick at the change over point. I don't think there's any hi hat foot stuff going on in the verses at all.

I'm just getting into playing with brushes. What album/s should i check out that have some nice playing with brushes?

I always liked the way Steve Gadd and Jeff Hamilton played brushes. They seem to make great musical sense to my ears.

Hi crystalfunky

In "Remember me lover" at around 3:00 moving from the refrain to a kinda Bridge or B-part you are doin a crazy fill over the toms, but backwards.
How do you coordinate that? What is the sticking?

How do you mean "backwards"? It just goes up the toms RLRLRLR

2. When thinking about the old drummer of porcupine tree, what comes in your head? Did you copy some of the things from him, or fills

I had to learn a lot of the old songs that Chris had played on. So I took the parts that he'd created and tried to play them in my own way. He's a mighty fine drummer!

3. When thinkin about "Drive the hearse" (which is an incredibly beautiful song ( !!!! )), how do you start thinkin ( or feelin ) about what you wanna express in that song.

I just listen to it and try to play it as musically sympathetic as I can.

Cheers
Gavin
 
hey
i wanna ask you what do u think of Dave Weckl techniques and do u think he is the number one drummer in the jazz world ?
and have u considered playing in some fusion jazz bands ?
 
Swiss Matthias said:
To jazz musicians Dave Weckl is not even a jazz musician really.
And since there aren't any number ones anyway, I don't think one
of the greats himself will suggest one.
Click to expand...

Well My friend.. I think you better educate Your self musically :)

There's a top a ten in the jazz drum world ..
And dave weck isl Not a jazz musician ?? How come ???
 
Moonloop said:
Well My friend.. I think you better educate Your self musically :)

There's a top a ten in the jazz drum world ..
And dave weck isl Not a jazz musician ?? How come ???
Click to expand...

It's impossible to truly quantize a professional's skill, there may be a top ten taking into account a group of voters; but once the basics are fulfilled, the rest is purely subjective, the best player for one might not have a nice groove for another.
I am afraid it is your comment that's very ignorant and unmusical, as well as very out of place.


Fox.
 
Swiss Matthias said:
To jazz musicians Dave Weckl is not even a jazz musician really.
And since there aren't any number ones anyway, I don't think one
of the greats himself will suggest one.
Click to expand...


Check out Dave playing jazz with the Chick Corea Accoustic Band from late 80s.

Some great playing...
 
supermac said:
Check out Dave playing jazz with the Chick Corea Accoustic Band from late 80s.

Some great playing...
Click to expand...

Check out Vinnie Colaiuta's playing with Chick's Acoustic Band in the mid 90ies (he replaced Weckl. Antonio Sanchez from the Pat Metheny Group replaced Colaiuta in the acoustic band).
Maybe, you'll understand what Swiss means :) He's talking about the difference between a drummer and a musician. Weckl is a jazz/fusion drummer which doesn't make him a musician perse…
 
just curious...on the sequenced stuff like on the intro's to "what happens now" and "sentimental" are those your percussion ideas or are you just reacting to richard's ? (assuming he came up with them.)
 
dtl said:
just curious...on the sequenced stuff like on the intro's to "what happens now" and "sentimental" are those your percussion ideas or are you just reacting to richard's ? (assuming he came up with them.)
Click to expand...

Those parts are actually not sequenced, they are just a loop of Gavin's playing put through various filters (sentimental) or just a part played on an african drum (djembe I believe for What Happens Now).
 
Hi Moonloop

i wanna ask you what do u think of Dave Weckl techniques and do u think he is the number one drummer in the jazz world ?

Dave has an amazing technique - but I don't put drummers in any kind of order.

and have u considered playing in some fusion jazz bands ?

I used to play in local fusion bands back in the 80's. I don't get asked anymore. I did however play some jazz/fusion/funk on Ed Pooles' last two CDs - there some audio clips here http://www.myspace.com/edpoole

Hi tobiashula

One Question about the PT shows:
Does the click/the samples (f.e. the drums on "Sentimental") come from Richard's MacBook? Because there is a kind of sequencer on his desktop all the time.

no it comes off a computer operated by my drum tech Jason. The same computer also handles all the films.

Hi dtl

just curious...on the sequenced stuff like on the intro's to "what happens now" and "sentimental" are those your percussion ideas or are you just reacting to richard's ? (assuming he came up with them.)

as Austin DV said - they are loops of me playing. "Sentimental" is put through a filter - and "What Happens Now" is just a Remo soundshape (with a spring attached to it) played with a pencil - and doubled in stereo.

cheers
Gavin
 
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Hey Gavin,

I've been doing some pretty intense soul searching lately. Much of it has to do with want I want to do with my life. I want to pursue drumming in some type of format for my career and a lot of the advice that I've been getting has suggested that I need to be a well rounded percussionist in order to be successful. But some elements of percussion (mallet instruments) have never really appealed to me. I want to be a drum set player. Should I take the advice from others and learn to play a little of everything or get really good at one thing?
 
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