Gavin Harrison here!

Hi Angelo,

Hi Gavin,Have you tried to use a Neumann U 47 Fet like additional microphone in kick drum? What do you think about?.
I am trying to study the double pedal, I could use the book syncopation?
or which other book? I am using the book of Bobby Rondinelli: “The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming”, but I would want to know to use the feet like the hands, roll, ruff, paradiddle, and many more.

yes I have tried a Neumann u47 just in front of the front skin of the bass drum. It sounds great. I don't know which books to study for double bass drumming. I'm not really a double bass drum player - so I'm not a good person to ask. If you want to use your feet - like your hands - then I'd probably suggest studying a snare drum book.

Hi scottkahn

Thanks for the interview!!

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin !

I took some time to listen to your new project and Im impressed ! I cant wait till its out in the stores. I like it very much so far !
Is 05ric using a chapmanstick? The site says extended range bass but it looks like some kind of chapmanstick (it also sounds like one. Tony Levin uses the stick a lot aswell as Adrian Belew from King Crimson)

I know you like the music from pat metheny a lot. I was wondering if you are into jazz drumming yourself and have done some jazz projects in the past (if so, which ones? Im very curious about that and love to hear it !). If not, is it something you want to do someday?

Thanks
Santi
 
Gavin,
Is release still sheduled for sometime august? In that case, makes me a nice b-day present for me...

Maybe the jazz guys don't ask as you are more known as a rock drummer then a jazz one... If you ever find yourself in a jazz setting, let us all know here ! Im sure many are interested (well at least I am...)

I was reading the interview (couple of posts back) and noticed that you are doing session work from pretty young on and later on getting your own drum studio etc. Id like to have my own drum and production studio in a couple of years and maybe do session work too. Any tips for this?
Thanks again,
Santi
 
Hello Gavin,

Question about the sound and tone of your SQ2 drums. I have a set of DW's that are quite the resonating drums and they sound great, but they ring WAY to much. I know you place rings on the resonant head on the inside of the tom, but do you put anything on the batter head, at least the batter's underside to decrease the ring?

Thanks,
Rob
 
Hi crookedrook,
I don't use any dampening other than the "internal" O ring on the 14" floor tom.
I have - in the past - with other drums reverted to loops of Gaffa tape (duck tape?).

Now that I'm using the Safe-Hoops on all my toms - I have made some O rings that would rest on the top head and just under the inverted rim - but I haven't found that necessary so far.

With the SQ2 there is the Sonor acoustic dampening system (I can't remember the exact name) - this was a feature from the Designer drums. It means that you can have more (or less) of the vibration passed through to the hardware with the adjustment of a knob. I utilise that a bit.

cheers
Gavin
 
hi gavin. its called "acoustigate" glad you are a pat metheny fan! there are not enough of us around. offramp is an incredible album!
i have never been able to figure out what dan gottelieb is doing in the drum break of the track "eighteen" and probably never will.....
dont laugh lol
 
Hi Gavin,

I've heard a lot about these S-Hoops lately. Just for clarification, are you now using them on the tops and bottoms of the toms (snare drums too)? What prompted you to give them a try on the rest of your toms? Lastly, is there a definite difference in sound on the playback (after tracking)?

Thanks
Jeff
 
Hi JeffV71,
I'm using the S-Hoops on the tops of the toms and top and bottom of the snare.
I originally got curious about them after reading a review in Drummer magazine. They seem to make sense to me - and because I'm someone who likes using "O" rings I though it would be a great way to stop them flying off mid tune. Carrying on that idea I thought it would be good to try them on the toms too. They do subtly change the sound of the drum (for the better in my opinion) and they have a rigidity to them like die cast but without the tone sucking weight.
Plus, of course, it's impossible to damage your bearing edges once they're on.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!

I'm pretty new here, but i have a few questions for you -

In the song "So Called Friend", during the 2nd chorus (3:20 into the song) you play an amazing piece where you bounce around between your ride bell and chimes, at least that's what it sounds like... is this just straight 16th notes? or do you play a pattern

also, i recall seeing something about which snare wires you prefer (Puresounds, i know) , but could you specify which ones? I have my eye on the Custom 14" 16-strand set...

Thanks very much, and thank you for being such an amazing inspiration!

PS - your project with Carlo Fimiani sounds amazing!!! i love this kind of music, and i bet it was a blast for you to play!
 
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Hi xopethx

In the song "So Called Friend", during the 2nd chorus (3:20 into the song) you play an amazing piece where you bounce around between your ride bell and chimes, at least that's what it sounds like... is this just straight 16th notes? or do you play a pattern

also, i recall seeing something about which snare wires you prefer (Puresounds, i know) , but could you specify which ones?

PS - your project with Carlo Fimiani sounds amazing!!! i love this kind of music, and i bet it was a blast for you to play!

I think it's just combinations of singles and doubles. (The doubles always being in the right hand part on the ride bell). The left hand jumps from the bells to the snare drum.
The Puresound snares that I use are Custom P-1412 (and then I strip them down to 8 strands in the middle).

Yes I enjoyed making the session for Carlo - I think it came out pretty well.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Glad to hear that PT is coming to my home town Cincinnati, Ohio. Can't wait...our lead guitarist is the PT Team Leader for this area.

Thanks, Rob
 
For those of you in America/Mexico/Canada who may be interested in seeing Porcupine Tree - here's our new tour list:

Wed 03 Oct - ORLANDO, FL, HOUSE OF BLUES
Sat 06 Oct - MEXICO CITY, METROPOLITAN THEATER
Tue 09 Oct - ASHEVILLE, ORANGE PEEL
Thu 11 Oct - RALEIGH, NC, LINCOLN THEATER
Fri 12 Oct - WASHINGTON, DC, STATE THEATER
Sat 13 Oct - NEW YORK, NY, BEACON THEATER
Mon 15 Oct - QUEBEC, SALLE ALBERT - ROUSSEAU
Tue 16 Oct - TORONTO, ON, PHOENIX
Thu 18 Oct - ALBANY, THE EGG
Fri 19 Oct - HARTFORD, CT, WEBSTER THEATER
Mon 22 Oct - CLEVELAND, OH, HOB
Tue 23 Oct - CINCINNATI, OH, BOGART'S
Wed 24 Oct - KANSAS CITY, MO, BEAMOUNT
Fri 26 Oct - NEW ORLEANS, LA, VOODOO FEST
Sat 27 Oct - HOUSTON, TX, MERIDIAN
Sun 28 Oct - DALLAS, TX, HOUSE OF BLUES
Mon 29 Oct - ATLANTA, GA, ROXY

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin

After seeing PT in Bristol earlier this year, my wife has bought me tickets for the show at Kentish Town forum on 9th November.

On 8th November, I'll be seeing Chad Smith and Steve White do a clinic at The Point in Cardiff bay, so three diverse, but great drummers in two days.

Not that I mind travelling, but I wonder whether there could be any plans afoot that would give us Welsh PT fans a show that's a bit closer to home? Perhaps the Point in Cardiff, Newport Centre or something similar? Would love to see you and the guys on home ground.

Thanks for the inspiration.

All the best to you and the band.
 
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I will definitely be at the NY show! I just saw you guys in May in Philly, and you were awesome! It would be awesome to meet you this time, but I know you guys are very busy! Can't wait, and reading this just made my day!!!!
-Josh
 
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Gavin,

Tue 23 Oct - CINCINNATI, OH, BOGART'S

Cant wait to see you play live. Me and Steve Katsikas of Little Atlas will be in attendence..

If you dont know about Little Atlas perhaps you should take a listen. You might like it. Prog in the sence of early Genesis etc...


You can listen to their last release called wanderlust on www.10trecords.com.
 
Gavin,

I have been using S-hoops for a while now on my snare and love em to death. They are made and were 1st sold in my hometown at mom's music. Cool guy too.
 
Dear Gavin,

I always had a question ive been wanting to ask a successful drummer like yourself in the music industry. What do you think were the main components that got you where you are today? and how did you break into it? I've got my heart set on being a studio musician and am doing everything in my power to make it there. I've been practicing 2 - 3 hours a day, playing all the gigs i can get and trying to gain as much knownledge of music whether its in drumming, recording, music theory etc. But is there a trick or luck invovled with your success? or was it just going out there and doing the best you could? or did a certain group you played with take you for the ride to playing as a session drummer? Any help would be much appericated.

Cheers, Ethan.
 
Hi emmerson,

What do you think were the main components that got you where you are today? and how did you break into it?

Determination. In many ways I always felt like I was still waiting to 'break into' the music business - and in some ways I still do. I think the golden age of being a session musician has long gone. The days of musicians getting 5-6 sessions a week in big studios are really gone. More likely is that someone will ask you to play on one or two tracks on their 'self funded' CD recorded at a home studio...if you're lucky enough to get asked.
Being in the right place at the right time always helps - but meeting and playing with a lot of different musicians will broaden your chances. You really need to know the producers and artists who might give you a break.

Good luck.

Cheers
Gavin
 
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