Gavin Harrison here!

Hi Master!! :)
How are you??

Last sunday evening, i had a concert, in memory of two missing boys..
one month ago..unfortunately..

Have only play three passages, we made a short sequence of three Deep Purple's songs..

But I have thought at the beginning of "Halo".. In "Arriving somewhere" Live, i understand..
Begins with that paradiddle, moving between: charleston, high tom and snare..
To then stick with Halo..
So.. wich kind of paradiddle??????
I'm not able to understand it.. :p

Godd Work Master!!

BeSt WiShEs :p

Fabio
 
Hi Fabio,I'm Angelo i'm from Sicily Acireale (CT)
and you ? For me Gavin is a big man with many humility "best drummer"
great opportunity for me
bye bye!!!
Angelo
 
hi Gavin -

I was working through a bit of "Rythmic Visions" yesterday (thanks for the incredible DVD by the way) and it's beyond challenging. I think I need to buy the book so I can see what I'm playing rather than just by ear. Like you mentioned in the DVD, the mind plays tricks on you. I seem to end up hearing a basic groove with an oddly-placed cowbell after a couple of bars :)
I'm wondering if it's easier to keep the "illusion" straight in your head if you're reading from a chart and/or playing it yourself rather than just trying to follow it all while someone else is doing the playing. I'm guessing that's the case, but so far, I've spent more time watching your DVD than actually trying to play the stuff myself.
 
Hi Angelo!!
Nice to meet you!! really..
Great!! i'm from Rome!! :)
Come stai?? :p

I'm agree with you..
Yes also for me, This BiG Man.. or Mr.Gavin :p is a security, a humm.. like a GOOD GIGANTIC :p ihihih Because he is a Drummer and a relly good person, that put in his work, every kind of passion.. and it's particular.. special.. really :)

And he is really really Humble!!!!! So much to be dedicated his time also to us!! :) :) it's really kind!!

For don't talk of his cleverness.. they would serve pages and pages of this forum.. for describe it :) :)
For explain in few words, can i say WONDERFUL, INIMITABLE, UNREACHABLE, and above all.. UNMISTAKABLE :)

At soon Angelo!! Ciao Ciao :)

Fabio
 
Hi Gavin,

I'm currently 'working' on your Rhythmic Perspectives book, and I really like the challenge.

I was wondering how you learn challeging patterns.

Do you brake it down in to more easy to play patterns and then put those together later?, or do you start with just the hands and add feet later.

As you get better it gets easier to learn yourself complex patterns, what do you think this is more credited to? Mental ability or technical ability?


Greetz, Dre
 
Hi Fabio,

But I have thought at the beginning of "Halo".. In "Arriving somewhere" Live, i understand..
Begins with that paradiddle, moving between: charleston, high tom and snare..
To then stick with Halo..
So.. wich kind of paradiddle??????


It's not a paradiddle. It is a grouping of 5 notes R L R R L played in triplets.

Hi KirkDS,

I'm wondering if it's easier to keep the "illusion" straight in your head if you're reading from a chart and/or playing it yourself rather than just trying to follow it all while someone else is doing the playing.

I find it easier to see it written down first. That way I can hear it in my head as it is written - not as the illusion it becomes.

Hi Drizzle,

I was wondering how you learn challeging patterns.
Do you brake it down in to more easy to play patterns and then put those together later?, or do you start with just the hands and add feet later.
As you get better it gets easier to learn yourself complex patterns, what do you think this is more credited to? Mental ability or technical ability?


It depends on the pattern. First I like to see it written down so I can have a clear understanding where all the notes are in the bar - and where they are in relation to each other. Then I work slowly a bit at a time. The more of this kind of thing you do the better you get at it. Quite often it's a coordination problem - so I try and figure out exactly the part that is causing the trouble - and just practice that one movement over and over until it becomes natural to me. I slowly piece it together. I try to avoid mental blocks like - "I will never be able to play this in my whole life". I enjoy the challenge.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Master!! Ok really reallY Thaanx :) now i have understood!! :)

I had not been able to notice it indeed.. :p

Thanx agaain Master!! Good WorK!!
:) :)
 
Hey Gavin

I recently read that Modern Drummer had asked you to take part on their up coming Prog issue and that you had turned them down as you "don't like the genre". I have also read quotes from Steven that he doesn't like prog either. I realize that PT doesn't consider themselves to be prog and a lot of bands hate to be pigeon-holed into a genre of any kind as they just make music with any flavor that suits them at any given time. However IMHO the "Progressive" title suits PT. For me PT is like Led Zeppelin, a band that can just plain do it all. While Led Zep was never prog they most definitely pushed into new musical areas in their time.

At any rate who really cares what the music industry wants to call your music. The important thing is that people are really starting to get excited about it and PT and yourself are getting more and more recognition everyday.

As for you getting "Prog Drummer Of The Year", literally stealing it away from Mike Portnoy ending his 12 year reign tells me that your playing is really offering something new , exciting, and yes PROGRESSIVE!!! LOL.

Anyway I'm sure that's more than enough of my 2bits.

Ciao
Daniel
 
Hi Gibbersticks,
it's amazing the way Chinese whispers work isn't it. I never said "I don't like the genre" - I said I didn't know much about it...and therefore wouldn't be a good candidate for an article about Progressive music. Far from turning my nose up at the genre - I was concerned that I couldn't contribute much. One of the suggestions for the article was that I could name my favourite top 10 Prog bands/tracks/drummers - so I got worried. I didn't grow up listening to the classic progressive stuff and probably couldn't name many bands/tracks/drummers in that style - let alone pick a top 10. To be honest I'm not even sure what really defines something as "Prog".
I play music that I like - and I try to do my best at it. If folks want to categorize it - that's really ok with me.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hey Gavin

Hi Gibbersticks,
it's amazing the way Chinese whispers work isn't it. I never said "I don't like the genre" - I said I didn't know much about it...and therefore wouldn't be a good candidate for an article about Progressive music.

I read it in a forum post on another website that was talking about an "supposed" interview with Steven Wilson how he "supposedly" didn't like Prog music and how he hated that his music was being called Prog. Then you were mentioned regarding the whole MD thing. Damn those Chinese whisperers.....who ever they are!

Well for someone who doesn't know much about it you sure have got the genre by the balls!!
LOL.

Cheers
Daniel
P.s. I hope you weren't upset by the post.
 
Hi Mr.Harrison

I'm wondering where you got or how you developed the cool cymbal technique that you use frequently in your drumming, its particularly showcased in Porcupine Tree's Mellotron Scratch around the 4:50 mark during what i believe Steve Wilson refers to as the 'Townshend Riff.' I don't know enough theory to describe what it is but it's basically using the cymbals in between the main beats. I absolutely love your use of the crash cymbal in that part particularly and overall as well of course.

thank you very much

-Benn

P.S. This has probably been asked, so sorry if it's a repeat, but do you have a favorite Porcupine Tree album, and if so what is it?
 
Hey Gavin,

Speaking of PT as something other than a standard progressive band, how do you approach odd time meters in your mind? PT's music always sounds flowing and smooth even in odd time signatures. Is it just as simple as having the riff/melody play over 2 or 4 odd time bars and thus evening it out or is it a more subtle mental approach? Two classic examples are 'The Sound of Muzak' and 'The Start of Something Beautiful' with the latter being almost hypnotic in its beauty even though it's in 9! Thanks for not always doing the cliched prog single bar riff in 7/8!

Thanks,
Derek
 
Hi WhereDoeEaglesDare?

I'm wondering where you got or how you developed the cool cymbal technique that you use frequently in your drumming, its particularly showcased in Porcupine Tree's Mellotron Scratch around the 4:50 mark

I'm not aware of that being any special technique - I'm just hitting crash cymbals in between the main beats. Simple as that.

Hi mr.beefhead,

On the track 'The Sound of Muzak' I use a concept that I call overriding. The basic rhythm is in 7/8 but I accent quarter notes on the hi hat - that makes the whole thing sound smoother and gives the illusion that it's kind of not in an odd time signature. Whenever I can - I try to make odd time signatures not sound too odd. I never count the odd times - I just sing the riff to myself and try to find a pattern that works with it.

Cheers
Gavin
 
I'm not sure if anyone has read this interview, but it really good. Gavin, you sound like a kid in a candy store! Cheers.

http://www.musicplayers.com/features/drums/2007/0707_Gavin_Harrison.php

And here is one with Steven Wilson.

http://www.musicplayers.com/features/guitars/2007/0707_Steven_Wilson.php

After reading both of these interviews and what Gavin replied to my earlier post I feel incredibly stupid for even mentioning what I had read in another forum. Obviously going to the real source for info is the ONLY way to go.
 
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Hi Sebastian Kunz,
the verse groove for Cheating the Polygraph is kind of a rhythmic illusion because of the equidistant downbeats and backbeats.

I think of it as the first example shown here. (I do play a lot of variation to this in terms of extra ghost notes and alternative bass drum patterns - but it's all based on this).

Polygraphgroove.jpg

Other folks might find it easier to read the second example (the same thing but written in a more traditional way).

Steve sings it (paying attention to the downbeats and backbeats but) as if it was 6/8 and therein lies a quite interesting rhythmic conundrum.

The rhythmic design method from verse to chorus I've used before in songs like "Start Of Something Beautiful" where the downbeats and backbeats have larger spacings in the verse - and then they get closer in the chorus (in a shorter time signature). This gives a slight illusion of excitement as if the pace has really picked up in the chorus and then slowed back down in the verse. Of course the tempo doesn't change - only the perception.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!
Can you post here or send me some pics f your drumset. I found many pics of your drumset in the net but no one in high quality.
Thank You in advance.
dejus
 
Hey, thanks for the quick answer!
With the notation I can hear it more clearly.
I'll try this one as soon as the night is over and the neighbours won't fall out of bed. :)
I should practise transcribing stuff a bit more though...
Haven't really done a transcription since I finished my studies.
Well, thanks again for the insight! See you in Dezember with PT in Cologne.
 
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