Anyone ever compete in the GC drum off?

412drummer

Senior Member
I have watched one by accident locally and seen a bunch of vids so I wondered if anyone here ever competed. If so what was the experience like for you?
 
I did and will do again this year horrible experience for me. Kit sounds horrible, crappy cymbals, nothing adjusted right and I freeze. Can't do jack, I shake , forget everything (stage fright?)
But I keep on trying. Maybe one day , I'll figure what to do do I can relax and do my thing .
 
It was weird. I never get nervous when I play in a band or even studio sessions where I'm totally cold and have to read a hard chart. But last year's GC thing, I gave it a shot and spent a good 2 hours a day working up my chops and composing a 3-minute, musical, interesting solo. Well... I drew last so I got to watch all the other guys do their thing. I got everything adjusted; nice Starclassic B/B kit with A Customs, so I was right at home. I opted to use their pedal and not mine... big mistake. I start playing and I basically black out and went into "default Vinnie Colaiuta lick mode", drop my stick after 30 seconds and I STILL WON!!! Frankly some of the competitors were just bad and one of them gave up after about a minute. However, a really good paying gig popped up the next week and I didn't compete again. I might try again this year. What it did for me, is it forced me to practice harder than usual and work on things I can't do well. Hopefully this year, I'll do better.

I have to be honest. The last several winners of the big prize, really didn't blow me away. Good chops but they had both owned the SPD-30 and had extensive practice using it, which it think it unfair to those who don't own one or know how to use it. They both used the thing extensively in their solos. Obviously they are looking for guys who can use the SPD-30 in their routine and have crazy stick tricks and showmanship. That's just not me.
 
Thanks. I have been thinking about it myself. I kinda feel like off what I saw at mine that I could do alright minus the showmanship. I have energy and can do some stick flips but nothing crazy. It seemed a lot of the judging was on the crowd and showmanship at ours which I did not dig.
 
Good chops but they had both owned the SPD-30 and had extensive practice using it, which it think it unfair to those who don't own one or know how to use it. They both used the thing extensively in their solos. Obviously they are looking for guys who can use the SPD-30 in their routine and have crazy stick tricks and showmanship. That's just not me.

The showmanship - I think it was called stage presence or personality on the judging form - is a legit part of the overall score, so some animation on the part of the drummer is better than looking overly intense or too focused. There is a little bit of entertainment aspect to the contest, but the drumming itself still comprises most of the score.

It's been about 3 years since I last judged the drum-off, and they weren't allowing electronics at that time. I'm kind of surprised that they are though, as it teally has nothing to do with drumming itself. If they want to have a V-drum-off for those who can exploit the features of those devices, that would be appropriate, but should be separate..

While I agree that the modern drummer is smart to integrate electronics into their musical toolkit for better success in the real world, that's not what the drum-off is about. It's a drumming contest, pure and simple. The next step might include playing along to a track... and then it's just a live YouTube drum cover contest. Someday that may be a valid thing too, but it's not a drum-off.

Bermuda
 
Back in 1989 I did one. I won one of those during the weeknight ones, and then they had a store 'finals' to see who would go on to represent that store against the other stores, but I didn't win that one. I was all chops and no showmanship then, and the guy who won was very entertaining - I walked away thinking "Why didn't I come up with that?" It wasn't hard to be entertaining, I just didn't do it. But I did get to meet Bissonette, Grombacher, and the guy playing for Jethro Tull at the time.

I realized that it's such a different thing from playing with and for a band that I decided to never do another one. There's so much grooving that needs to be done, I don't have time to be an entertaining soloist - there's no money in it ;)

Like jazz.


Kidding....kidding.....
 
The next step might include playing along to a track... and then it's just a live YouTube drum cover contest. Someday that may be a valid thing too, but it's not a drum-off.

Bermuda

I participated in their "King of the Blues" guitar thing, which meant playing along to "blues" tracks that some country producer had put together. It was horrible, no dynamics, no interplay, no blues at all. I won the first night and got 2nd in the finals to a guy who did the SRV boot walk and some other showy things.

A friend of mine won the local store drumoff finals several years back on pure playing ability but lost out in the regionals. He came back for a few more trying complicated multi-time independence things (which lost people), and some more groove oriented things (which lost out to a guy who played half the solo with a towel over his face and lots of stick tricks).

The thing I've noticed, and it's not such a bad thing for any drummer, is that the cats who are successful are the ones who engage the crowd. Pace, dynamics, phrasing, and yes showmanship. It's like when you are playing and you see the crowd get up and dance and they're clapping their hands, so you milk the groove a little deeper cause you're digging the response, and you get more folks on the floor, and so on. There's nothing wrong with playing to the audience. They're going to be the ones paying the bills after the contests are over. Being able to get a rise out any audience (and you have to note what they respond to and adjust accordingly) is part of being an entertainer. Which is ultimately what we get paid to do.
 
I have to be honest. The last several winners of the big prize, really didn't blow me away. Good chops but they had both owned the SPD-30 and had extensive practice using it, which it think it unfair to those who don't own one or know how to use it. They both used the thing extensively in their solos. Obviously they are looking for guys who can use the SPD-30 in their routine and have crazy stick tricks and showmanship. That's just not me.

I've noticed in the last several years, the winners have all obviously studied the previous year winners, and basically attempt to do the same types of things.

The criteria is not just chops and skill, but audience reaction. And certain things seems to get better audience reactions than others. The winners seem to able to key in on what got the best reaction the prior year, and incorporate it.

Which is not take anything away from the winners soloing ability. But it's become far less entertaining to watch, knowing the solos have become more based on formula rather than each player showing who they are.

I've never entered myself. I've worked for GC for a time (which disqualified me), and I've worked for their competitors many times (meaning, I wouldn't want to support them at the time). Other years, well, it just didn't interest me that much. I've always been more interested in being a band than soloing myself. But I have attended many drum offs at different points.
 
All the previous winners and even the semi-finalists have impressed me, even if their style wasn't necessarily what I was into.
 
Thanks for all the input. Yeah I have to agree most of the winners are really talented, along with a lot of the people who don't win. I just was not impressed with the people I saw at the one I walked into randomly. I still agree that it seems to be showmanship was a big part of the judging.
 
I'm thinking of entering. What do you think of this plan? I'm thinking of lighting myself on fire while standing on my head on the throne, playing behind my back, doing a blast beat with the sticks in between my toes, traditional grip, and working the pedals with my hands. Should work.
 
I'm thinking of entering. What do you think of this plan? I'm thinking of lighting myself on fire while standing on my head on the throne, playing behind my back, doing a blast beat with the sticks in between my toes, traditional grip, and working the pedals with my hands. Should work.

Pfffft....traditional grip.

That's just silly.

And it was all looking so good right up 'til that but.
 
I'm thinking of entering. What do you think of this plan? I'm thinking of lighting myself on fire while standing on my head on the throne, playing behind my back, doing a blast beat with the sticks in between my toes, traditional grip, and working the pedals with my hands. Should work.
Only if you use the SPD-30 thing...so there, work it into your routine! ;) That whole thing seems like a Roland/GC corporate marketing team. Why not have a GC drum-off, and a e-drum off...two separate events? It just seems like a marketing ploy.
 
I'm thinking of entering. What do you think of this plan? I'm thinking of lighting myself on fire while standing on my head on the throne, playing behind my back, doing a blast beat with the sticks in between my toes, traditional grip, and working the pedals with my hands. Should work.

Throw on a cape and we have a winner...
 
I do agree that showmanship is a big part of the competition but watching more of the guys who made it lots of them are really good. I still am debating on entering even if its just to have some fun.
 
I'm signed up myself this year. I've done it the past three years. It's a lot of work learning things that I don't usually concentrate on the rest of the year. I suppose it's making me a better drummer, but again I spend alot of energy worrying about my solo ideas, if they'll look stupid, weak, etc. I signup with the caveat that I'll pull out if I don't feel like I'm ready. This year it's been challenging getting ready for it because I still don't have a lot of the skills that seem to perpetuate in this competition - stick tricks, double bass anything, and clave. The clave isn't that difficult, just a matter of putting in X amount of hours practice (and paying the $$$ for one). And after watching a video here of one guy doing it, it looks like not just the clave, but more a combination of clave and bass drum. So it's something I could start now on and have ready in what, 35 days before the Sept 24 date (I won't say which store :)).

It's a great hang out either way though.

Steph
 
Some new drummers love talking about the guys that do all of the crazy solo stuff, but I have much more respect for a solid drummer playing with a good band. I honestly don't care to hear a lot of drum solos, guitar solos, etc. I like hearing a good band. I'm not knocking the drum-off, I thought last year's winner was very good, but I would rather hear how these guys play with others. No doubt most do fine, but that appeals to me more than soloing. I haven't had any interest playing in something like this. I could see how it could drive you to stepping up your drumming though. If it does that for you, cool, then it was good for you.
 
Hey Larry, here's your baseline for blues drummer antics. Jump to around 4:50 for the drum solo. http://youtu.be/PWYbjFg6k6A I've not seen anyone do this in GC but it might be interesting. No lighter fluid necessary.

I don't have the personality for that. You have to be a hot dog to do that stuff. Not putting him down, I wish I had the stones to do that. It went a little long. Very happy to support everyone else, let the ones who crave it get the spotlight.
 
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