The Grand Master Buddy Rich

Every one can give there opinions all day long about who the best drummers are,and most will tell you it's Buddy-especailly the people who have experienced his show. I have not seen him live,but I can get somewhat of an experience through the videos and just to see the video is more than amazing!

The opinions on him about him just being a big band drummer or a repetitive drummer are out there because people are not learning more about what kind(s!) of music Buddy played. And people are not listening to what he said. He said that there is no style(or,there are no rock or jazz drummers-there are only drummers) and that if you can play,then you can play any type of music.
 
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From a 1956 Voice of America Radio Interview w/Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa

Conover: Well, how do you feel about the idea of drums used almost as a melody instrument rather than just a rhythmic instrument?

Buddy: Well, it would be very nice if you could play a melody on it. But primarily, the drummer's supposed to sit back there and swing the band. Am I right?

Gene: Yeah. If you're going to start with melody you'll need some tympani, I think.

Buddy: (Laughs). And some tunable tom-toms.

Both: (Laugh).

Gene: That's right.

Buddy: I think the drummer should sit back there and play some drums, and never mind about the tunes. Just get up there and wail behind whoever is sitting up there playing the solo. And this is what is lacking, definitely lacking in music today.


Here's the whole thing for your reading pleasure:
http://www.drummerman.net/buddy.html
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And also a recent find on YouTube....funny stuff....1980 Interview on Johnny Carson Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnDXBUaCQg
 
I did not read through this whole thread but I thought I would throw in an short funny of him.

While Buddy Rich was being prepped for surgery, the nurse asked him if he had any allergies. He said no, but then quickly corrected himself and said "Oh yeah, I am allergic to one thing, country music."

Frank Zappa was the one who paid for his surgery, Rich at the time was in trouble from the IRS.
 
I just happened to be viewing a couple of Buddy's videos from his DW page and it's amazing to me how much space there is between his floor tom and the snare drum / ride tom.

It never really struck me before when I watched him play, but it's crazy how far away it is, especially when he starts cross sticking over to the floor tom, working the left hand both over and under his right arm. It makes me wonder if he needed that much room to manuever or if he felt that it made the arm movements more impressive or showy because they're exaggerated by the distance he covers between the drums.
 
Questions about BUDDY RICH

Can anyone fill me in on some info about Buddy's gear?

What heads did he like? (and what would be a a modern replacement if it didn't exist?)

What size were his drums?

What kind of cymbals he preferred?

Thanks!

Mike
 
BPM/Buddy RIch

Anyone know what he could have played as WFD?
 
Re: Questions about BUDDY RICH

Basic stuff for fans of Buddy...

Caveat:
Like any drummer, Buddy occasionally used "other" equipment, for example when he flew in for an appearance on the "Tonight Show". So, the equipment I'll list is what he used personally in his bands, most of the time. Same goes for "tuning"... Buddy wasn't the type to sit at the drums for hours with a drum key, (and didn't need to) so of course, you may find some recordings with slightly different tunings than listed here.

----------------- Drums

Buddy played a variety of drums, of course, over his career of nearly 70 years. Typically though, they were what we'd think of as "vintage" today... meaning fewer or single plies of thicker maple. He mostly used a 14" X 24" bass drum, although both early and late in his career, he used a 26" bass drum. Mounted tom was a 9" X 13", along with two 16" X 16" floor toms.

----------------- "Tuning" or "Tensioning", as he liked to call it

Beginning in the 1950's until the end of his life, Buddy preferred Remo white-coated "Diplomat" heads on all of the drums. (and yes, they used to be available as bass drun heads too.) These heads are (thankfully!) still available today, so he would probably still use them. The nearest "equivalent" would be the Remo "Ambassodor" heads. Buddy was instrumental in many of Remo's developments, asking for thinner heads for example. (hence the "Diplomat" and "Diplomat M5"... even thinner) He also asked Remo Belli for a way to make his bass drum heads last a little longer, (He used a wood beater) and hence the "dot" was created.

Tom and bass drum tensioning was the same. "Bottom" or "reso"-side heads were tighter, (Musically, when the heads were new, the reso heads were nearly the same pitch, but as the top heads "sink in" (see below) they could be as much as a minor third higher in pitch) Snare drum bottom head was a Remo clear "Diplomat" snare side head, also tensioned tighter than the top head. (musically, a 4th to a 6th higher in pitch) The APPROXIMATE top head (or "batter" side) pitch of Buddy's drums was usually:

Snare: A to C (Bottom head E to F)
9" X 13" D
16" X 16" (#1) G
16" X 16" (#2) C (very loose)
Bass Drum A

In their "new head" configuration, the drums sound bright and crisp, with the large halls Buddy typically played in providing depth and natural "reverb". Buddy would sometimes let the drums "sink in", meaning that over a week or two, the pitches above would (uniformlly) go down in pitch from a step to a minor third. In this range, they start to sound "loose" and "papery". When using "Ambassodor" heads, they don't stretch as much, so the change isn't as extreme.

----------------- Cymbals

He preferred "A. Zildjian" cymbals, (thinner than most people would expect) and they nearly always included the same setup:

Ride cymbals in the 20" to 22" size, from light to medium (brief period in the 1980's when he used much thicker (higher-pitched) rides

Mostly 14" (Light "New Beat" type) hi-hats, but sometimes, 13"

One 18" thin crash (on his left side)

One 18" med-thin crash (on his right side)

Usually a 6" thin splash, but sometimes an 8" thin splash

At the end of his career, he added a (22" "Swish Knocker") China-type cymbal

Still a versatile setup today... Suitable for a wide range of styles.
 
Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

In Buddy Rich's DVD they show old black and white photos of Buddy playing just two bass drums! I'm dieing to hear a peace of this audio if it excised?
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

I don't know if any recordings exist, but I'm willing to bet it would sound just like Buddy Rich playing two bass drums.
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Interesting story behind this. As we all know, Louis Bellson, performs on a kit that features two kick drums. This was a new idea at the time and Louis was doing some really nice patterns on the double kick. Some of Louis fans irritated BR by bringing up how good he was. According to Mel Torme, who was friends with BR, Buddy commented that "Louis better learn to play one bass drum before he screws around with two". At that time Buddy and Mel were opening together at the (I think)Paramount Theater in NYC. Right before Torme was to go on Buddy kicked off a real flag waver, fast tempo tune. During the song, he left his kit and went to the front of the stage where he had just two bass drums - nothing else. Torme said that BR played " the damnedest drum solo" he'd ever heard. With just his feet!! Typical Buddy.
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Interesting story behind this. As we all know, Louis Bellson, performs on a kit that features two kick drums. This was a new idea at the time and Louis was doing some really nice patterns on the double kick. Some of Louis fans irritated BR by bringing up how good he was. According to Mel Torme, who was friends with BR, Buddy commented that "Louis better learn to play one bass drum before he screws around with two". At that time Buddy and Mel were opening together at the (I think)Paramount Theater in NYC. Right before Torme was to go on Buddy kicked off a real flag waver, fast tempo tune. During the song, he left his kit and went to the front of the stage where he had just two bass drums - nothing else. Torme said that BR played " the damnedest drum solo" he'd ever heard. With just his feet!! Typical Buddy.

Just his feet, no sticks? I would've liked to see that.
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Yes, Old Doc has it right. It was at the Paramount, by the way. I would be highly doubtful that any recordings exist, or if they do, they are in someones private vault and will never make it out (although, if said person decided to let them out, they would undoubtedly make a good deal of money). That would have been quite a thing to see..
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Thank you for the great replies. Very interesting info.
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Interesting story behind this. As we all know, Louis Bellson, performs on a kit that features two kick drums. This was a new idea at the time and Louis was doing some really nice patterns on the double kick. Some of Louis fans irritated BR by bringing up how good he was. According to Mel Torme, who was friends with BR, Buddy commented that "Louis better learn to play one bass drum before he screws around with two". At that time Buddy and Mel were opening together at the (I think)Paramount Theater in NYC. Right before Torme was to go on Buddy kicked off a real flag waver, fast tempo tune. During the song, he left his kit and went to the front of the stage where he had just two bass drums - nothing else. Torme said that BR played " the damnedest drum solo" he'd ever heard. With just his feet!! Typical Buddy.

great story! I personally thought Buddys hands, not his feet were his greatness. If you were to isolate his footwork, it did'nt seem like anything special. Would I be right in saying that?
 
Re: Buddy Rich "Double Bass"

Interesting story behind this. As we all know, Louis Bellson, performs on a kit that features two kick drums. This was a new idea at the time and Louis was doing some really nice patterns on the double kick. Some of Louis fans irritated BR by bringing up how good he was. According to Mel Torme, who was friends with BR, Buddy commented that "Louis better learn to play one bass drum before he screws around with two". At that time Buddy and Mel were opening together at the (I think)Paramount Theater in NYC. Right before Torme was to go on Buddy kicked off a real flag waver, fast tempo tune. During the song, he left his kit and went to the front of the stage where he had just two bass drums - nothing else. Torme said that BR played " the damnedest drum solo" he'd ever heard. With just his feet!! Typical Buddy.

Actually, I believe Buddy did this as a solo at a JATP gig. Blew the house down too.

"Take that Louis!" ;-)
 
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