Hi euphoric_anomaly
I was so disappointed not to be able to see you in Portsmouth, NH, What did you like best about that town?
Unfortunately didn't see any of it - I was only there for about 8 hours and spent all of it at the drum store.
Also, did you gain most of your arm strength (mainly forearms, biceps) from drumming alone? Or do you also work out to keep in shape?
Yes only from drumming - I don't do any muscle building stuff. I ride a bicycle whenever I have time and the weather is not too bad.
Hi Rudolf Horváth
I noticed that my sense of steady beat isn't that strong. I think I am too dependant on others, when I hear something playing I can feel my timing is good. But once there are, what I call, "silent parts" I have hard time holding steady beat when there is nothing to hold on. Hope it makes sense... I mean I can play in time simpler things, but the rests can cause trouble. Especially those over few bars.
if you can hold the time better when just playing simple things - just play simple things until you get better/more confident.
I also noticed that my idea of rhythmic values (Triplets, Eights, Sixteens...) isn't perfect. I have a clue how it is placed in time, but not very clear. It takes me a little bit of time (Two or three beats) to adjust well... For example when playing from sixteens to triplets. And of course syncopated notes are extremely difficult as I tend to be drawn to the beat, for example when I try to play last sixteen note.
You need to practise to a metronome and listen carefully when changing subdivisions - switch back and forth between 8's and triplets until you can do it easily without chasing the click. You need to know how to make the adjustment - and that comes from lots of practising and listening. Be very observant.
On song 19 days you play a marimba. It is your own marimba? Have you ever practiced melodic instruments like marimba or vibraphone? Do you know any good books? I own xylophone and I sometimes feel guilty not playing it as I don't know what to practice.
I do own a marimba - but I don't have any good books to practise - when I find time I will find a teacher to show me how to play it properly.
Hi Torkerz
I was watching the below video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfKDG7rXEWM
I was wondering if you had any tips or notation of the complete exercise at the end, with the 4/4 over ride on the hi-hat? I know that the groupings are thrown together, but I would like to try and do each separate and then together but with that over ride.
I think it would be easier to see the notation as opposed to trying to work it out myself. I have been trying to work it out with the click but might need some further advice. I can play the fills fine and move between them with the trills on the feet, but when I try to throw in that poly rhythm I feel like I'm back to square 1 again... Help please!
first you need to be able to sing and clap groups of 3/16 in 4/4 without losing where the downbeat in 4.4 is. You will notice that it resolves to a quarter note after 3 beats (but that isn't where the downbeat is in 4/4). So you have to play it over three bars of 4/4 before it resolves with the 4/4 downbeat. Try writing it out and memorise the position of each note - it's really not hard. Then do the same thing with groupings of 5/16. Accent the "1" and "3" of every 5...and then write it out over five bars of 4/4 - and then to groupings of 7/16 accenting the "1" "3" & "5" of every 7 and so on. Once you've practised that a few hundred times you will find it easier to switch between the grouping at any point and not get lost in 4/4
And secondly, have you got any good tips for chart reading? I really want to buy your latest book with the 05ric tunes in it. I have the Louis Bellson sight reading books, Ted Reed's syncopation and Tommy Igoe's book, but I was wondering if you had any other tips?
I found the best thing for reading is to do it a lot - and also try transcribing simple rhythms - it's the understanding of where the syncopation lands that will help you the most.
Hi Marian Cimpian
I just saw the PT Mhz performance from 2003; a great performance! why did you had an x-hat between your snare and first floor tom? how was it mounted and how was playing it like?
I used to play a hi hat in that position back in 1986 when I was with Iggy Pop as it was helpful to play fast 8th note rock/punk music without crossing my hands. I used again with Level 42 and when I first started with Porcupine Tree. After that first PT tour I switched back to playing just one regular hi hat on my left side. It was mounted on a small cymbal stand with a hi hat clutch upside down so I could close it tight.
Secondly, in the developing of your signature snare drum did you investigate Tama's melody master (Mike Portnoy signature snare) with it's 3 positions throw off or the DW 3 positions butt end? what do you think of those kind of features?
No I didn't investigate those snare drums. The 3 position butt may be quite useful - but it's not in an easy place to access as you are playing (if you keep the throw off on your left side as most drummers do).
Hi szokematyi
What I know about tuning tells me that the pitch of a tom (drum) consists of 3 pitches. The pich of the batter head, the pitch of the bottom head plus the tone of the shell itself. But putting these rings on a head kills some of the overtones, which causes a change in tone/pitch - lowers it slightly. So do you adjust your tuning because of this? Do you tune the drum differently with and without rings?
No I don't tune differently with the rings in.
I'm interested in the pitch, and pitch relations in between the heads (bigger, or smaller pitch relations, lowered bottom or tightened batter etc.) mostly. Do you maybe tune your batter head higher a bit?
I don't tune to an exact interval - but I can tell you that the bottom head is tighter than the top on all my toms.
Plus how wide are your rings? I'm currently trying to recreate these rings, and I'm starting these with an appr. 12mm width on the 14" floor tom, and a slightly bigger 14mm width on the 16" tom. But it's only the starting point probably, I don't want to "kill" the "boingy-ness" too much. I'm guessing these sizes will be a bit big/wide. How wide are yours?
They are about an inch wide.
Hi atman
I've made a "drumming plan" that consists of two different practice routines.
I intend to alternate both during the week. That means practicing one routine on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays... the other one on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
And here is my question: do you honestly think it would be effective considering I won't be playing the same kind of material every day?
One practice routine is based one technique, subdivisions, polyrythms, stroke rolls and ruffs, paraddidles...The other one is based on book methods such as 'Rythmic Illusions', 'The Funky Beat', 'Double Bass Drum Freedom'... and so on! Any suggestions?
I believe it's good to have a plan - sticking to it is the hardest part. Practising to a metronome and improvisational sessions are very useful too.
Hi Polska
I know it's probably cost prohibitive, but any chance of bringing GH05 to the U.S.? If not, any possibility of a live DVD? Continued success with the tour!
No plans at the moment to do either - but who knows what the future might hold.
cheers
Gavin