Alex Van Halen

Stu_Strib said:
At least he posted Greg Bissonette!

And for Alex...ehh, nothing special. I particularly hate his custom drum era (the ones he built himself) because they sounded awful. His snare drum has to be one of the most annoying ever (exception, I forget the title, but "baby come on? come on baby finish what you started?). Cool snare part.

Hot for Teacher...ughh, not this argument again. Get a simmons pad, program it for that bass drum sound, play the opening pattern twice, then set the digital delay, then go into the double bass drum part. Its really not that hard.

Stu
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There's been many argument about this. but as for sampling a billy cobham lick and triggering it on a simmons pad, I doubt that for two reasons. Firstly, you can hear his stick click together on the into (ok, might have been picked up on the over heads but if you are tirggering, one stick is enough) there's a fill later that is almost the same as the intro, so I would say that it was the sound of his dampened 16" Roto tom. He didn't start using Simmons until the 5150 period. Also, I have seen a a couple of bootlegs of them from that tour, and although the intro wasn't note for note to the ablum, it was 90% along the same lines on both. I'd say he played it and no messing.

If you listen carefully, you can hear a grace note the high tom part in a broken triplet formation. If you think playing all that is easy, then you are mistaken or exeptional as a drummer. Then in that case, the black page, Vinnie's licks at the end of "7 days" any Mike Portnoy fill must be just a breeze to you?

Listen to the Great Gregg Bissonette TRY and copy it off the Van Halen Tribute and David Lee Roth Skyscraper tours. My opinion? Nice try Greg!

Though I love Greg Bissonette too! A different Class to Alex Van Halen in that he's more accomplished and a hell of a lot more subtle. Alex is nore BASH BASH BASH THWOLLOP, sort of thing!

Van Halen brought some great licks to the forefront of rock drumming, even some stuff on the first Album was typical of drummer's licks from later on. Like his brother, quite ahead of his time.

My only criticism, too much cymbals! Riding on a 20" crash just makes a noise. A picky point I know.

Steve
 
welshsteve said:
There's been many argument about this. but as for sampling a billy cobham lick and triggering it on a simmons pad, I doubt that for two reasons. Firstly, you can hear his stick click together on the into (ok, might have been picked up on the over heads but if you are tirggering, one stick is enough) there's a fill later that is almost the same as the intro, so I would say that it was the sound of his dampened 16" Roto tom. He didn't start using Simmons until the 5150 period. Also, I have seen a a couple of bootlegs of them from that tour, and although the intro wasn't note for note to the ablum, it was 90% along the same lines on both. I'd say he played it and no messing.

If you listen carefully, you can hear a grace note the high tom part in a broken triplet formation. If you think playing all that is easy, then you are mistaken or exeptional as a drummer. Then in that case, the black page, Vinnie's licks at the end of "7 days" any Mike Portnoy fill must be just a breeze to you?

Listen to the Great Gregg Bissonette TRY and copy it off the Van Halen Tribute and David Lee Roth Skyscraper tours. My opinion? Nice try Greg!

Though I love Greg Bissonette too! A different Class to Alex Van Halen in that he's more accomplished and a hell of a lot more subtle. Alex is nore BASH BASH BASH THWOLLOP, sort of thing!

Van Halen brought some great licks to the forefront of rock drumming, even some stuff on the first Album was typical of drummer's licks from later on. Like his brother, quite ahead of his time.

My only criticism, too much cymbals! Riding on a 20" crash just makes a noise. A picky point I know.

Steve
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I have always thought it was done w/no help from anything else. Then w/all the talk I thought maybe I was wrong.
I have played Hot for Teacher in clubs many times and I think I get it about 85% the same.
Gregg is my favorite drummer w/Alex a close third. He deffinatly plays it different. Keep in mind that on the tribute album every song was done in each persons personal style. Not note for note copies. Gregg did ghost notes on the snare which Alex never did

BTW, I actually ride on my crash because of Alex. To me it gives something different then a ride bell or hi-hats. Depends on the crash also. Try it. You may like it.
 
mikeybbdrummin said:
I have always thought it was done w/no help from anything else. Then w/all the talk I thought maybe I was wrong.
I have played Hot for Teacher in clubs many times and I think I get it about 85% the same.
Gregg is my favorite drummer w/Alex a close third. He deffinatly plays it different. Keep in mind that on the tribute album every song was done in each persons personal style. Not note for note copies. Gregg did ghost notes on the snare which Alex never did

BTW, I actually ride on my crash because of Alex. To me it gives something different then a ride bell or hi-hats. Depends on the crash also. Try it. You may like it.
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Hello again,

Yeah, I know what you mean with the riding on the crash, and I also do it occasionally. I think with AVH the thing I don't like is when he does it, he does it with a HUGE Paiste Crash (probably a 2002 or something that doesn't "envelope" when hit like a Zildjian) and with no quater-note dynamics. Thus all that can be heard that that "WSSSSSHHHH" with the kick and snare underneath. As I said, it's a picky point.

I love Bissonette's general playing on Hot For Teacher from that tribute album, especially the ghost notes on the snare, I just didn't like his adaptation of the into so much, AVH has that over him of nothing else. Just my opionion.

Stev
 
welshsteve said:
Hello again,

Yeah, I know what you mean with the riding on the crash, and I also do it occasionally. I think with AVH the thing I don't like is when he does it, he does it with a HUGE Paiste Crash (probably a 2002 or something that doesn't "envelope" when hit like a Zildjian) and with no quater-note dynamics. Thus all that can be heard that that "WSSSSSHHHH" with the kick and snare underneath. As I said, it's a picky point.

I love Bissonette's general playing on Hot For Teacher from that tribute album, especially the ghost notes on the snare, I just didn't like his adaptation of the into so much, AVH has that over him of nothing else. Just my opionion.

Stev
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I like to ride on a med Zildjian crash personaly. It just is another option for me.

I always start the song on toms and then add the double bass. Gregg starts it w/both at the same time. Then he comes into the beat w/two accents where Alex just hit a crash.
 
a few personal points......

I've always liked Alex!! Always.......he just ROCKS!!

My favorite must be the Fair Warning CD......."so this is love" just rips!!!!

Anyhow.........

Does anyone know the transcription for the fill before the guitar solo in DREAMS? Our band does it, and I just do the best "garbage can / triplet toms/bass" thing I can do ! :)

And for mikei: Van Halen will be touring in 2007 WITH DLR !!!!!! Oh yeah!
 
fusssion said:
a few personal points......

I've always liked Alex!! Always.......he just ROCKS!!

My favorite must be the Fair Warning CD......."so this is love" just rips!!!!

Anyhow.........

Does anyone know the transcription for the fill before the guitar solo in DREAMS? Our band does it, and I just do the best "garbage can / triplet toms/bass" thing I can do ! :)

And for mikei: Van Halen will be touring in 2007 WITH DLR !!!!!! Oh yeah!
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If Alex ever did a clinic that would be the first question I asked him. I have thought the same thing for ever. It almost sounds like a mistake. Great fill though.
One of my biggest influences in my playing w/out a doubt.
Fair warning; Different drumming on every song. Great stuff.
I think Sammy did great w/V.H. but Dave is the man. If Daves head can just come down to size things could last a while with that situation im sure.
 
I haven't read through all of the posts in this thread, but has anyone figured just how AVH gets that snare sound? I know he plays Ludwig and Paiste and Iron Cobra and DW pedals and has his own Regal Tip stick, but I'm not positive about his snare. I saw one photo of his kit and his snare looked to be one of those etched jobs like you'd see coming from Dunnett, but I'd be really surprised if he was playing anything other than a Black Beauty. Anybody know for sure?
 
3003player said:
I haven't read through all of the posts in this thread, but has anyone figured just how AVH gets that snare sound? I know he plays Ludwig and Paiste and Iron Cobra and DW pedals and has his own Regal Tip stick, but I'm not positive about his snare. I saw one photo of his kit and his snare looked to be one of those etched jobs like you'd see coming from Dunnett, but I'd be really surprised if he was playing anything other than a Black Beauty. Anybody know for sure?
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Not 100% sure, but I'm pretty positive he's a Supraphonic 6.5x14 player!
 
Alex inspired me to play. I used to hear VH on the radio as a kid and sit away in the garage bashing on the rubbish bins. finally when my parents could take it no longer they bought me a toy set. then i got interested in video games, and have returned 10 years later to Alex once again!
 
I noticed recently a Ludwig ad w/Alex in it. I have not seen one in years. I guess its because the tour they will be doing in the next few months. Alex has been w/Ludwig for 29 years. I would think he would still be used in ads with or w/out a tour going on.
 
very legendary drummer great kits to...... i always found it weird how he had the pipes coming off all four of his bass drums........
 
mikeybbdrummin said:
If Alex ever did a clinic that would be the first question I asked him. I have thought the same thing for ever. It almost sounds like a mistake. Great fill though.

I believe it was a "mistake." That's one of the things I love about VH. If it feels good, they will keep a track that isn't perfect. There are a bunch of "mistakes" on their first album and even some engineering problems on in their later work.
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slingerland755 said:
mikeybbdrummin said:
If Alex ever did a clinic that would be the first question I asked him. I have thought the same thing for ever. It almost sounds like a mistake. Great fill though.

I believe it was a "mistake." That's one of the things I love about VH. If it feels good, they will keep a track that isn't perfect. There are a bunch of "mistakes" on their first album and even some engineering problems on in their later work.
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If it is a "mistake", its a difficult one. And if its a "mistake" I hope he does a lot more like it.
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CaptainCharisma2 said:
hahaha,you all now that Alex sampled the bass drum from and old billy cobham lick..he recorded it,and than hits a trigger and he plays over it.hes overrated and not even that good.
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As we all know, that is from the song titled " Quadrant " on Billy Cobhams "Spectrum " album from 1974 or '75. It even sounds like Eddie took some inspiration from it as well.
 
CaptainCharisma2 said:
hahaha,you all now that Alex sampled the bass drum from and old billy cobham lick..he recorded it,and than hits a trigger and he plays over it.hes overrated and not even that good.
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Whats funny is how no one EVER says that about "Im The One" from Van Halen's first album Or "Loss of Control". Its The same double bass shuffle. Because of H.F.T. intro people now notice. And Billy I believe played ghost notes on his snare. Alex didnt. Alex played a double stroke on the ride. Billy didnt. SO its not the same. And do you know if Billy got it from someone else? And actually Alex is a good drummer. Maybe not as good as you.(LOL) Im sure your so good that you have never copied a fill or beat from any drummer right? Dont think so. So enlighten us on WHY he is not a good drummer. And dont compare to Vinnie or Thomas Lang.
 
slingerland755 said:
mikeybbdrummin said:
No doubt. I'm with you on that one.
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I just hope they do another cd. With Dave would be great. I would really like to see a video, instructional or otherwise, w/Alex playing a lot his beats and fills done over the years. I bought Neil Pearts first video 11 years ago (Test for echo) and thought it was going to be what everyone would be waiting for after 20 years of Neils playing. But it was not what I expected. Still good, but thought it was going to be all of his fills and drum beats.
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I've seen a few clinics in my day, Cindy Blackman, Billy Cobham, Mark Schulman, Mike Mangini, Chad Wackerman, Carmine Appice, Kenny Aronoff --

Drum clinics are awesome to watch, but I wish they'd tape 'em, and sell the CD at the end of the show. We have that technology now.

I see what they play, and it looks so simple, but when I don't run home and try it immediately, I lose the sound/technique/touch that they applied which made it something worth trying.

My frustration is that I've been hearing about Wackerman, Bozio, Cobham, BRich and the like since the day I picked up sticks. Wonderful to respect the past, but isn't it time to vote in some new icons? Newer than the 80's ?

No doubt the 'hot for teacher' thumping was great, and many other tunes by Def Leppard/Rush/Zeppelin/Halen/Whitesnake/Poison/Ratt/Ozzy/Yes you get the idea... Blotzer I saw the most-- but I was a teen, and don't remember a thing, except "cool solo!"

Obviously Limp Biscuit, Korn, Disturbed, Slipnot drummers like Mike Wengren and Joey Jordison turned it up a notch. And before them, David Grohl.

AVH, no doubt, great drummer. As is most EVERY drummer I've ever met!!!

Rock on...

ledfoot laurie .. myspace/zildjianette
 
I guess this thred is kinda old, but I'm new to this forum, so here goes nothin'!

AVH is one of my fave drummers. His sound is unmistakeable, and I love that his hats are always up in the mix.

I love his snare sound too.
I dig that fill he does in Drop Dead Legs..Buda, Buda, Bup Bup Buda, Buda bup bup
Bu-dup dup (that's the 'tab' version haha!)

As for the snare...
For the last several years he's been playing a Hammered Chrome Supraphonic 6.5.
I don't know if that's been exclusively or not, but I got to meet him some years ago, and that's the snare he said he was using....so of course, I got one.

He was a real cool guy and he remembered a woman I had worked with, that had been with VH on the second and third album time period.

That was late '98.
I've seen pics after '98 too and that was the snare in those pics. I do know he had that engraved/sandblasted snare too.

Actually, it may have been a painted Hammered snare that was etched or sand blasted...
Todd Trent did an artice on Alex in Classic Drummer, and there's pics of that drum, and he said what the shell was...I'll have to look it up.

Anyway, that 6.5 Hammered Chrone Supraphonic is a cool sounding drum....I had Bun E. Carlos sign the inside of the shell.
Having Al's sig in it too would be sweet!

To this day, the "1980 Invasion" W.A.C.F. concert was THE rowdiest show I have ever been to. From the first note of Romeo Delight, to the end was just..."Aaaahhhh!!!" with the crowd just going nuts.
That show was a total BLAST, and that chrome kit with the clear Octobans in front and on the side has been one of my favorite rock kits of all time.
I can clearly remember the GIANT banner someone made that said VanF**kin'Halen on it.
You could never do that today.....
 
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