Gavin Harrison here!

Hi Gavin,

I was wondering if you could answer a question me and a friend have. We were wondering what kind of snare you used on Mellotron Scratch on Deadwing? It doesn't sound like an acoustic snare to me, is it triggered?

Thanks,

Jonny
 
Hi Jonny,
there's two different snares on that recording. A big fat sounding one (at 4:37) that I use when the real drums first come in (Sonor black plating steel 14x5) and then when the song goes into the next section (at 5:05) I switch to a Sonor 12x5 Designer which has a much smaller tighter sound.
If you are talking about the first few minutes of the song - that is a drum machine with some effects on it.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Heyy Gavin,

It's awesome how many questions you've replied to, I really do appreciate that a lot.

But anyway, I have some random questions, I hope you dont mind

This one fill you use alot in In Absentia, it's sorta like a flam between the snare and toms but there's something different about it that I cant really figure out. You use it in Blackest Eyes at around :25. I know it's short and probably simple, but it's been buggin me that I cant totally figure out what it is. Could you explain just a little bit?

Another question... How much input do you have on the drum sound when you record in the studio with PT? Does Steven have any kind of specific pre-set sound, or does he completely leave it up to you as far as sound, or is it somewhere in the middle?

One last question... do you know if there will ever be a deadwing movie? Was it just sort-of an idea that seemed less and less possible over time and eventually just sorta evaporated?

Thanks!
Blake
 
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Hi Blake,
I just had a quick listen to Blackest Eyes. The fill at 0.25 is a flam between the tom and snare + another snare + a bass drum. It's basically a flam triplet with the last note as a bass drum grouped inside 16th notes.

Same kind of thing happens at 0.36 but where there was one bass drum before - now there's two 32nd notes.

Regarding the sound of the the recorded drums....it's up to me.

I don't know if Deadwing will ever get made as a movie. I'm Steve would love to do it - but you need some major investor to step in and finance a project like that.

Cheers
Gavin
 
hey gavin,

do you know if PT will ever be coming anywhere near the gulf coast of the us? i live in ocean springs, mississippi, a smaller town that, like everyone down here, just got done with katrina. i'd really love to see a great live performance because i haven't seen anything since the storm. ted nugent came a few weeks before, haha, and that was awesome, but no one really ever comes down here. trans-siberian orchestra came through a few times, as well as kansas. cool stuff, but i would kill to see a porcupine tree show within reasonable driving distance.

i'm really looking forward to purchasing your new dvd, and i plan on doing this very soon. is there a name for that "camo" looking color of your kit from the dvd? heh, it's very interesting.

i'm also going to be purchasing one of your books. could you maybe recommend me a specific book of yours that might deal mostly with independence and/or polyrhythmic playing? i've been struggling a bit in these fields lately. mostly the 4-way independence. a lot of it drives me crazy, but i love it! i'd love to hear (or see) some of your ideas through one of your books.

i'm looking forward to the new PT dvd. i've been watching the germany performance on google video for a while now. great stuff! i almost got to see PT at the berklee performance hall last year. i was at the percussion festival last year. if only the dates were a little closer. it would've been great!

anyway, i look forward to your response and kind words and i really hope to see you with PT this year. HOPEFULLY! you've been a very big influence to me through the last few years, and i consider you an amazing musical player. thanks for the inspiration gavin. :)

-richie
 
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Hi slavetothestix2,
unfortunately, PT won't be coming down your way soon. Our next US tour is very short, just a handful of shows on the East and West coasts. We should be back in the spring with a much longer tour - so there's always a chance we might be somewhere nearby.

The finish on my sonor kit is called "Earth Finish".

Probably the best place to start with my books is the first one "Rhythmic Illusions" - it outlines a lot of my basic concepts and ideas. The second book "Rhythmic Perspectives" builds upon the ideas from the first book. The first DVD "Rhythmic Visions" has a lot of examples from the first book - and the most recent DVD "Rhythmic Horizons" is all new stuff - although the underlying themes are built on the concepts from both books.

The PT DVD is coming along nicely and should be ready by late August/September time.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Hi again Gavin,


I've been doing some research to find what songs you have played with what artists (your studio work) in order to purchase them - but without much success. Would you be able to tell me where I should look?


Regards,
Christopher.
 
Hi Gavin!
First of all I would like to say all the basic stuff that you've probably heard a thousand times before in your life, but I just need to say that I think you're a fantastic drummer. The double bass groove in the video called futile is absolutely amazing. So are the fills, they are perfect.

I think also your kit is great. The setup is so cool and maybe you could give me some specs on the kit? Also did you design the looks yourself, because I really like the camo-paint on it.

Well take care!
 
Hi Drum-Head,
if you visit my web site http://www.drumset.demon.co.uk and click on "recordings" you'll see a list of albums that I've played on in the last 20 years.

Hi Stormrider,
the finish on that kit has been available for some time in Sonor's "artist series" snare drum range. If you visit www.sonor.de and find the artists snares you'll see it.

The kit on that clip is Sonor Designer "Earth Finish"
22x17
8x8
10x8
12x9
14x12
16x14
Cottonwood 14x6 snare drum

thanks for the kinds words!

Cheers
Gavin
 
Gavin Harrison said:
Hi Drum-Head,
if you visit my web site http://www.drumset.demon.co.uk and click on "recordings" you'll see a list of albums that I've played on in the last 20 years.

Pfeu! I suck, I looked everywhere a part from that page! I feel so silly! I'm sorry about that...

Thank you for the help.

Regards,
Christopher.
 
Hey Gavin! I'd just like to say that I got hold of In Absentia today and I'm really enjoying the music! Also, youre going to keep me really busy playing along to these songs ... I insist on memorizing the drum parts note for note before I start to play along on the set. And your playing has a lot of intricate parts going on, its a lot to memorize!

Also I think its great that I found a drummer that has both feel and tasteful technique!

I'll be buying more albums, and who knows, i think we may meet in the future...

p.s. And before I forget to ask ... how did you mount the cymbals in the cymbal song clip on your drummerworld page? i've been wondering that for a while and if you dont mind I think I want to try the idea, maybe some cool overdubs in the studio!
 
Hi aahznightsky,
glad you're enjoying "In Absentia" - you might also like the following CD "Deadwing" - it's of a similar approach.

In the "Cymbal song" the cymbals are just resting on my leg. There's no mounting at all apart from the Burma Bell towards the end. If you get chance to see the full DVD there's an explanation about how I came up with the ideas for that song - and the Drum Song. There's also a "Kitchen Sink Song" over the end credits where I multi tracked some utensils from my kitchen - just for fun.

Cheers
Gavin
 
I love that cymbal song, it's so creative. I've been trying some hand drumming with cymbals since I have seen it. Do you find it lets you get more sounds from the cymbal when you are on the kit, as you have gotten...erm.....'aquainted' with it?

Futile is great, too. I might get an album of yours, it's really good stuff. What would you recommend? I was playing out Futile in my head all day today, one of the best odd time songs I've ever heard, although Money (Pink Floyd) is pretty damn good. I like your hihat splashing, too.

Love the bass drum, too, my ideal sound. Punchy, yet defined for intricate patterns.

How do you like the Sonor (?) pedal? It looks very smooth, with lots of punch.

Great job, you have inspired me and many others I'm sure.
 
Hi Chip,
obviously there's tones and patterns that you can get from the cymbals when you play them with your hands (and resting them on your leg) that you can't get when they're mounted on a cymbal stand and you're playing them with sticks....and vice versa. I try to get as many subtle tones as I can from my cymbals.

Glad you enjoyed Futile. You might like "Deadwing" or "In Absentia" (Porcupine Tree last two CD's) there's quite a mixture of light and shade from the compositions on those records.

I love the Sonor pedals they're very smooth.

Cheers
Gavin
 
Oh, ok. I thought maybe because one has gotten a sound with their hands, they could attempt to try and recreate it with sticks.

I'll check those albums out, see if they are in my local music store. They'd want to be.

That Sonor pedal looks very smooth indeed, I imagine those beaters contribute somewhat too, they look very light, yet powerful. For the more intricate patterns, do you play heel up or down? It doesn't have the right angle when you are doing them to see.
 
oh my god , i just saw the futile video...i think i'll stop drumming :).This drumming is just so perfect and so steady.Funny thing is that gavin doesn't seem to think what he plays there!Incredible!!!Playing without thinking at all!!
 
Hi Panos,
thanks for the kind words!!

Chip,
I don't use a backrest on my seat.
My bass drum is a 22" as well.
It's a very personal thing to get your heights and angles set right. I suppose it's a constantly evolving process. I know when I've been away on tour for a long time - probably I move the height of a cymbal or change the angle of a tom or something over the weeks and months - and when I get home and play my set in my studio I realise how much I've moved during a tour.

Thanks
Gavin
 
Hi Gavin!

I saw your new web-site. It's amazing. I am sincerely glad for you. One wish if it is possible. More some information (playing drums, recording, bio ...). It,s all maybe interesting for us.
 
Gavin,

Just received your new DVD last night so glad to see you explain some of things you do with Porcupine Tree and you could not have picked a better tune, Futile is one of the very best I was praying for a transciption though..... :)

One of the things that has always struck me about your playing is your use of those bell cymbals, they add such melodic element to your playing. How did you come about the idea for them because i see you use them in all different styles of music I am assuming it was very much by design.

Looking foward to seeing you again in New York.
 
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