Gavin Harrison here!

Hey Gavin, hope all is well!

Have you thought about making your DVDs "Rhythmic Visions" and "Rhythmic Horizons" also available to purchase digitally? Benny Greb had his last DVD available in physical and digital, and it's quite convenient. Rhythmic Horizons is sold out on Burningshed (Visions not listed) and the 2 Disc Bundle goes for very high prices on other websites. Even if not digital, are there plans to re-release these (perhaps on blu-ray?)

What ride did you use on the Cheating the Polygraph track "Sound of Muzak / So Called Friend"? Love the sound.

Next, is there a chance of Dizrhythmia playing some shows after the King Crimson tour? I understand that this is a much smaller project and it wouldn't get as much attention as your other projects but I think some intimate shows would be very nice! I understand that there were some recording/writing sessions from a couple years ago? Was all of this material released on "Too", or can we expect some more material to eventually be released?

Lastly, have you heard the new album "Planets + Persona" from Mr Barbieri? Still waiting for my copy but from I've heard so far it's very unique! Very cool mix of electronic and live instrumentation. I know you played on the previous album "Stranger Inside"... were you asked to play on this album? Just interesting to note, Richard has said the track "New Found Land" was written for PT. Here it is - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWoQf0EGDTo

Cheers,
Quinn
 
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Unfortunately, SoundOnSound moved to a new website and the article is nowhere to be found.
Hi,

SoS are still working to bring old issues online on their new website. In the meantime, they suggest using the Internet Archive aka "TheWayBackMachine" to view articles that haven't yet made it to the new site.

So I made a page of links to Gav's SOS articles from back in the day.

Hope that's of some use (and that it's OK to post this).

Cheers

Chris
 
Hi Lightbulb_Sun

Have you thought about making your DVDs "Rhythmic Visions" and "Rhythmic Horizons" also available to purchase digitally? Rhythmic Horizons is sold out on Burningshed (Visions not listed) and the 2 Disc Bundle goes for very high prices on other websites. Even if not digital, are there plans to re-release these (perhaps on blu-ray?)

No I haven't thought about making them digitally available and I don't think they would be worth it on Blu-Ray.

What ride did you use on the Cheating the Polygraph track "Sound of Muzak / So Called Friend"? Love the sound.

That is a Zildjian 21" K Dark Complex Ride. It's a beautiful cymbal.

Next, is there a chance of Dizrhythmia playing some shows after the King Crimson tour? I understand that this is a much smaller project and it wouldn't get as much attention as your other projects but I think some intimate shows would be very nice! I understand that there were some recording/writing sessions from a couple years ago? Was all of this material released on "Too", or can we expect some more material to eventually be released?

I think there's is very little chance of Dizrhythmia touring to be honest. Myself and Jakko are quite busy with King Crimson...but you never know! There are no other songs for now. "Too" took 28 years to complete - I can't imagine us working on another 28 year project.

Lastly, have you heard the new album "Planets + Persona" from Mr Barbieri?


I haven't heard the record - only one promo clip that was released and I thought it was excellent. Richard is a master of sounds and textures !

Meanwhile I have been invited to partake in this new project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChVtCgt4JLw
www.pledgemusic.com/drumfantasycamp

cheers
Gavin
 
Also, on another note:

How do you recommend one works on the chops to execute the 1 &uh 2 &uh hi-hat/ride pattern you use quite often? Typically I see it used, in your playing and others, as the bell of the ride on the downbeats and the edge filling in the other notes. What I'm asking is, how do you manage to play the three close together notes at a relatively quick speed while still getting the stick up for the accent on the downbeats? Is it a Moeller kind of technique or more of a kind of open/close technique?

Thanks again!

Hi luke_baum,

could you please explain (and maybe provide a snippet/video of Gavin with a time reference) what you mean by the this pattern?

Thanks a lot!
 
Hi Gavin.

Happy Easter!

Just a few tiny questions again. 1) Do you have a manager? If yes, why? (The reason I ask is it sounded like you have one in the interview you did for "drummers resource".)

2) When will be the day we can watch a lesson with you on drumeo? Even Todd was there...I´m sure they already asked you. :)
(Or maybe consider to go to the German pendant "onlinelessons.tv".)

3) Do you know Dave King - Drummer for a band called "The Bad Plus"? He has a youtube-series for drummers (another distraction) called "Rational Funk". I bit of adult speaking but funny though. An example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GfegGYzD1E
What is your opinion about Whiplash? :)
 
Hi Gavin,

There is a video on YouTube where you demonstrate the tuning of snare drums. You use two drum keys facing opposite each other when tuning. Do you also use two drum keys when tuning toms?
 
Greetings, Gavin!

I hope the recent practice sessions for the upcoming King Crimson tour went well. It is really good to see Bill R. rejoining but it will take some getting used to seeing him on the back line! We’ll see you guys on a couple of the US tour dates.

I have a question about the KC song “Starless”. We are practicing it for a performance this summer and it is coming along surprisingly well. I confess that I am struggling a bit with the “blowing” section towards the end (after the central section and the call and response bridge) where the tempo picks up and Mel has his fun in the KC version. The bass player and I are having a little difficulty with the count and coming together occasionally on the “one”. Any advice you can offer based on the current arrangement you have worked out with Pat and Jeremy?

Regards,
Croc
 
Hi Robert Schmidt

Do you have a manager? If yes, why? (The reason I ask is it sounded like you have one in the interview you did for "drummers resource".)


I don't have a manager - maybe I was referring to the manager of the band?

When will be the day we can watch a lesson with you on drumeo? Even Todd was there...I´m sure they already asked you. :) (Or maybe consider to go to the German pendant "onlinelessons.tv".)


I did meet with one of the guys from Drumeo in 2015 whilst I was on tour - but the logistics of finding a good time to do it and to get out to Vancouver and arrange all my equipment to be there just hasn't happened.

Do you know Dave King - Drummer for a band called "The Bad Plus"? He has a youtube-series for drummers (another distraction) called "Rational Funk".


I'm not familiar with Dave King.

What is your opinion about Whiplash? :)

I didn't really like it.

Hi Souljacker

There is a video on YouTube where you demonstrate the tuning of snare drums. You use two drum keys facing opposite each other when tuning. Do you also use two drum keys when tuning toms?

Yes absolutely - now I always tune with two keys.

Hi Croc

I have a question about the KC song “Starless”. We are practicing it for a performance this summer and it is coming along surprisingly well. I confess that I am struggling a bit with the “blowing” section towards the end (after the central section and the call and response bridge) where the tempo picks up and Mel has his fun in the KC version. The bass player and I are having a little difficulty with the count and coming together occasionally on the “one”.

It's in 13/8 (as is the slower section earlier on - after the singing part). Best of luck !

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin!

I was curious, knowing your love of jazz, if you're a fan of Stan Kenton and his Orchestra? Any particular favorite era of the band? (The albums with Mel Lewis behind the kit are phenomenal!).

On another note, I've noticed in more recent videos you've included a 22" swish knocker into your setup. Any particular reason for the change? It definitely has a bit more gusto and roar to it.

Thanks!
 
Hi DunkirkDrums

I was curious, knowing your love of jazz, if you're a fan of Stan Kenton and his Orchestra? Any particular favorite era of the band? (The albums with Mel Lewis behind the kit are phenomenal!).

I remember listening to "Sketches On Standards" quite a bit when I was young - and I believe that was Stan Levey on drums.

I've noticed in more recent videos you've included a 22" swish knocker into your setup. Any particular reason for the change?

Now that I'm playing much less 'metal' styled music - I really enjoy playing the 22" Swish Knocker - I also have one of the early Mel Lewis ones.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin.

You are a working musician - making a living out of drumming. Did you develop some general behaviors or a mindset for staying healthy so that you can do what you love for as long as possible, like f.e. drive slowly, eat well, (don´t) do sports etc. If yes, what are they?

Do you have certain insurances like occupational disability or anything?

Greetz Robert
 
Hi Robert Schmidt

You are a working musician - making a living out of drumming. Did you develop some general behaviors or a mindset for staying healthy so that you can do what you love for as long as possible, like f.e. drive slowly, eat well, (don´t) do sports etc. If yes, what are they?

Generally I try to get enough sleep and keep a healthy balance in my life between working, practising and relaxing. I try to eat well on tour (it doesn't always work out) and almost never drink alcohol. I try to walk around whatever town I find myself in and see some interesting things. It clears my mind and hopefully inspires some creative thoughts. I miss practising the drums whilst I'm on tour. I work a lot on a practise kit in the dressing room but of course it's not really the same thing. - but I get to work through a lot of ideas that I've notated recently. I don't do sports but occasionally ride a bicycle. In fact the last few Porcupine Tree tours I took a fold-up bike with me and it was great fun (and exercise).

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin, apologies if this question has been asked before:

So I as a drummer am constantly working on my sound, aiming to improving my timing and accuracy to make myself as tight as possible. I do some occasional studio work and for the sake of saving time, I've resorted to recording songs piecemeal rather than attempting single whole takes, simply because it is so much faster that way - especially if I don't know the material as well as I'd like.

So my question is, as a working drummer who whilst having an extremely high level of technical facility and many hours behind the kit, do you ever, or often, find yourself nailing the first take in the studio? Not just from a technical standpoint and "every note is correct!", but also having the right feel and emotion come through?

I would love to just sit behind the kit, do one take and know it's perfect, and then just walk away! It's one of the reasons I hate recording for my Youtube channel - people are so much less tolerant of mistakes!

On that same token, if you don't rely on an ability to nail it in one take or if you're limited on practice time prior to entering the studio, do you then recording songs in sections just to make it quicker and easier?
 
Hi Gavin,

Is there a time-frame for when we can expect the Pineapple Thief live Blu-Ray?

Also, happy birthday! :)

Cheers,
Quinn

PS: I like your shoes in the Steve Smith duet haha! Looking forward to hearing more - the kits sound great.
 
Hey Gavin!

First off, a very happy birthday to ya!

I noticed in the studio version of "The Final Thing On My Mind," it certainly sounds like you brought back the 8" EFX #1 just for the occasion. I still have and regularly play my own, it's one of my favorites. If memory serves the last time you were using that cymbal was back on the albums FOABP and Drop way back in 2007. Just wondering if you could verify my ears are correct, and any particular reason why you brought it out for that song?

Also a while back I found this interview with Colin Edwin. He gets asked about you, and to my delight explains the concept of a rhythmic illusion very well. Just thought I'd share it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aeZv3Nr-CzQ

Finally what's your ride of choice at the moment in the live setting? The 20" K has been my go-to for the past few years and I adore its bell, but I'm always looking to expand my (rhythmic) horizons.

Hope your birthday was swell!
Cheers -- Peter
 
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Hi iwearnohats

So my question is, as a working drummer who whilst having an extremely high level of technical facility and many hours behind the kit, do you ever, or often, find yourself nailing the first take in the studio? Not just from a technical standpoint and "every note is correct!", but also having the right feel and emotion come through?

It has happened that I've got it in the first take - but usually I've rehearsed it for a while before that so I can work out what I might want to play. If it's going to be filmed then you pretty much have to have it down in one take anyway (so you need to rehearse it a lot) - or you'll be looking at edits which may or may not work. On a normal session (when I'm in my home studio) I will rehearse the tune a few times - I might even spend some time working on each individual section (and record them) so I can check if I like the direction it's going in and see if the drum and cymbal sound is working for the tune.

That process might take between 5 minutes and 3 days until I think I've found the best part I can dream up. (Weeks or years later I might think of better parts - especially after I've played it live a load of times - but that's life!)

On a session in a more traditional setting (in a hired studio with other musicians) there often isn't the budget to spend so much time on the songs.

A song like "In Exile" by Pineapple Thief took at least 2 days for me to find all the parts I wanted and to build the shape of the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LTh10MHMOo

Then I'll try to hook up all the parts and start finding nice transitions from section to section. Next I'll rehearse it as a whole song. That might take a few minutes or hours before I'm ready to start recording whole takes. I'll probably do 4 whole takes that I like and then choose the one that 'feels' the best or had the best overall vibe. That one will be the master track - and I might edit in a section or fill from one of the other takes if there was something really interesting going on. Of course if there are breaks in the tune where the drums don't play - I'll stop - but generally I don't record in sections for the final thing.

HI Lightbulb_Sun

Is there a time-frame for when we can expect the Pineapple Thief live Blu-Ray?

I understand it should be ready for release in September. It's looking and sounding really good.

Hi K_HiHats

I noticed in the studio version of "The Final Thing On My Mind," it certainly sounds like you brought back the 8" EFX #1 just for the occasion. I still have and regularly play my own, it's one of my favorites. If memory serves the last time you were using that cymbal was back on the albums FOABP and Drop way back in 2007. Just wondering if you could verify my ears are correct, and any particular reason why you brought it out for that song?

Yes you're right - and I think I might have used it on more than one song.

Finally what's your ride of choice at the moment in the live setting? The 20" K has been my go-to for the past few years and I adore its bell, but I'm always looking to expand my (rhythmic) horizons.

For the past few years I've been really loving the 21" K Custom Dark Complex Ride. It's a real dark beauty !!

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin,

Thanks for sharing your process! It has helped me out in a few ways.

Much appreciated
David
 
Hi Gavin,
thanks a lot for your answer. Especially the one from iwearnohats was very interesting! If you say 2 days for the parts of "In Exile" (which came out obviously more than amazing!) how many hours (approx. per day) do you mean?

Then I have a little "hearing-experiment" for you if you have the time and mind for it. Shouldn´t take no more than 10 minutes. It covers an already discussed topic of timing and synchronism.

I want to find out the sensitivity of the ear concerning rhythm wherefore I did the following experiment: I programmed two SN-hits (same source); and a BD and a HH (different source) coming at a time. Then I put these two separately exactly above each other (offset of 0 ms) and gradually increased the offset. The question is at what space or offset can I hear two notes.

Here is my result: same source: =< 6ms / different source: =< 9 ms

The next is a simple drum rhythm. A "Polka-Beat" with BD and HH on 1 and SN and HH on 2. The tempo is 135 bpm. A few bars exactly on the beat and then the sort of "worst case scenario", where the 1 is X ms to early and the 2 comes X ms to late and again a few bars of 0 ms after that.

Results are: X = 15ms (I think I can hear it, but only because I know it) / X = 20 ms (I can hear it) / X = 30 ms (it sounds quite off).

It would be very interesting if you would come to similar or different results but of course I can´t force you to do it. :)

Greetz Robert
 
Sorry to butt in as I'm not asking Gavin a question but I'm looking forward to seeing his reply to the hearing experiment questions. Gavin's clearly a very intelligent person but I imagine even he might struggle to understand what on earth is being asked. Seems ridiculously complicated :D

Edit: just seen Gavin's reply. I obviously spoke too soon. My apologies Robert :)
 
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You´re right, Merlin5. I did not expressed the first two experiments too well:
Play (or program) two snare notes at the same time. Then gradually increase the space between them. On what space (measured in milliseconds) can you hear two notes?
Then do the same with Hihat and Bassdrum played together (the result maybe differs).
It´s about checking the sampling rate of the human ear if you will.
 
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