Gavin Harrison here!

Gavin, for some reason I'm remembering something about 12" Remix hats being used quite a bit on In Absentia. I may have read it here waaaay back as I've been following the thread since the day you joined. Amazing you're still here 15 years later patiently answering questions. Datz a lotta questions!
That's very possible - I remember using those 12" Remix hi hats a lot around the early 2000's.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi DeganMusic

... In that case I don't really 'hear' the polyrhythm so much as I'm playing it - I rather just feel it as a funky syncopated rhythm related to the quarter note pulse of the 4/4.

cheers
Gavin

I'd been following the 9-9-9-5 groups while trying to maintain the 16th-note rate through the beginning of Unsettled, but keeping track the 4/4 pulse instead definitely feels way easier to get it consistent, even if it takes slightly more learning to get the hang of, thanks!

Did you consider a book of, or else doing a run of transcriptions/ videos on GH05Ric - The Man Who Sold Himself? "Prize" is such a gnarly track!
 
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Hi DeganMusic

Did you consider a book of, or else doing a run of transcriptions/ videos on GH05Ric - The Man Who Sold Himself? "Prize" is such a gnarly track!

yeah that's a wild tune ! Terry Branam and myself did make a transcription book "Rhythmic Designs" of the first two GH05Ric albums (Drop and Circles) but that was made before we released the third record "The Man Who Sold Himself". Unfortuantely there are no plans to make a book of just that third record.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello Gavin, a question about tuning.
If you're presented with a set of 14" and 16" floor toms in a drum clinic for example, what would your tuning approach be? The same notes as the 15" and 18" or otherwise different?

Also, what pumps do you use for your log drums?

Thank you!
 
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If you're presented with a set of 14" and 16" floor toms in a drum clinic for example, what would your tuning approach be? The same notes as the 15" and 18" or otherwise different?
Also, what pumps do you use for your log drums?

Hi Warrenoids

I have been presented with 14" and 16" floor toms many times. I don't tune to any specific reference notes - (although I listed some in a previous post - they were only to demonstrate where my drums were at approximately) - so I'd just tune them to whatever I thought sounded good at the time.
The pumps are actually really hard to find because they are an old design (and most folks who are looking for foot pumps for an air bed can buy something much better these days). The ones I use were found on eBay in Germany many years ago.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hey Gavin,

Hope you're doing well :) quick question - is the Rhythmic Illusions book out of print? I searched on Hudson Music and I couldn't see it listed there - I guess I could probably find it elsewhere but I'd rather get it from an associated supplier!

Best regards,
Alannah
 
Hope you're doing well :) quick question - is the Rhythmic Illusions book out of print? I searched on Hudson Music and I couldn't see it listed there - I guess I could probably find it elsewhere but I'd rather get it from an associated supplier!

Hi Alannah
it's actually with Alfred Publishing. It started off as Warner Publishing.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello again Gavin, I notice you are using Sonor's basic arm cymbal holder attached to the Gibraltar arms themselves. Is this correct? And, why not use the original Gibraltar booms? Another one is, why do you use the 468 on the 12" tom live, but use the 98AMP's on everything else?
 
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I made a clock :)
It is very, very special to me Gavin
You're an incredible musician and my very favourite drummer.
I know, you hear that a lot I'm sure! Still, thank god for musicians like you, you enrich my life immeasurably
I'm hoping you come to Australia sometime. I moved here 3 years ago from South Africa where I met you, have you come to Aus before?
How you're well,
Cheers mate!

So many time puns for a dad to resist... ?
 

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Hey Gavin!

Huge fan of your work. ?

Curious about your tracking process: are you one to EQ pretty heavily on the way in (either on the console or committing to plugins), or do you track pretty clean and do your tone shaping in the box afterwords? I know Auto-Align in a huge part of your sound, but I was just curious about how brave you are with committing to sounds early on.

Thanks so much!
 
Hi Warrenoids

I notice you are using Sonor's basic arm cymbal holder attached to the Gibraltar arms themselves. Is this correct? And, why not use the original Gibraltar booms?

It was something I did a few years back when I wanted the Sonor cymbal tops to the arms. Since then I've been using the CRS cymbal tops - I just never got around to changing back the Gibraltar arms.

Another one is, why do you use the 468 on the 12" tom live, but use the 98AMP's on everything else?

Because of the proximity of my ride to the 12" tom and the fact that I sometimes lay the stick across the ride and play into it pretty hard - it was causing a very strange distortion in the 98AMP mic that was originally on that drum.

Hi Bradley Cooper

I know, you hear that a lot I'm sure! Still, thank god for musicians like you, you enrich my life immeasurably
I'm hoping you come to Australia sometime. I moved here 3 years ago from South Africa where I met you, have you come to Aus before?


thanks for the kind words. Nice clock ! Yes I've been twice to Australia with Porcupine Tree 2008 and 2010.

Hi Agsoucy

Curious about your tracking process: are you one to EQ pretty heavily on the way in (either on the console or committing to plugins), or do you track pretty clean and do your tone shaping in the box afterwords? I know Auto-Align in a huge part of your sound, but I was just curious about how brave you are with committing to sounds early on.

I used to gently eq on the way in - but now I just record flat and do all the processing after. My monitor section allows me to eq/compress/reverb whatever I want for my headphones without it getting passed on to the computer.

cheers
Gavin
 
I made a clock :)
It is very, very special to me Gavin
You're an incredible musician and my very favourite drummer.
I know, you hear that a lot I'm sure! Still, thank god for musicians like you, you enrich my life immeasurably
I'm hoping you come to Australia sometime. I moved here 3 years ago from South Africa where I met you, have you come to Aus before?
How you're well,
Cheers mate!

So many time puns for a dad to resist... ?
Not sure if you've heard the GH05Ric record "Drop", but,

Clock on the wall,
Suggests to me it's time
To be, leeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaving!


Or maybe praaaaaaaaactiiiiiiiiiicing in my case
 
Hello Gavin!
I have a question regarding double pedals, are you using the Pearl Z-Links on your Speed Cobras? I can see the resemblance, but I'm not quite sure.

With you having played double pedals for a number of years, what difference does this make?
 
Hello Gavin, I was wondering if you had any tips on activating your drop clutch so quickly. In “Anesthetize”, I notice that towards end of the first chorus of the chart in Rhythmic Composition your last hi-hat foot is on beat 2 right before you do a fill leading into the heavy section where you’re back on the double pedal. When I practice it I try to hit the drop clutch with the stick as I’m hitting the crash but never seem to get it. I have seen live that you have the drop clutch engaged before this section even happens but wondering how you did it for the studio, if it wasn’t edited in from another take. Thanks!

- Salvador
 
Hi Mr Gavin,

in Break it All the 5/8 part...is it 5 against 3?

Take care


I think i got it wrong but it almost sounds like it.

Another question...in Cheating the Polygraph is the chorus 5 against 3?...and do you keep the Bassdrum the same in the heavy section after the ambient part as in the chorus?

thx
 
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Hi Warrenoids

I have a question regarding double pedals, are you using the Pearl Z-Links on your Speed Cobras? I can see the resemblance, but I'm not quite sure.
With you having played double pedals for a number of years, what difference does this make?


It's actually made by Trick. Looks very similar. It's certainly well made and smooth. The problem is never the 'drive shaft' link or the pedals - it's my temperamental feet ! Let's put it this way - I couldn't play any better or faster with it.

Hi Salvador

I was wondering if you had any tips on activating your drop clutch so quickly. In “Anesthetize”, I notice that towards end of the first chorus of the chart in Rhythmic Composition your last hi-hat foot is on beat 2 right before you do a fill leading into the heavy section where you’re back on the double pedal. When I practice it I try to hit the drop clutch with the stick as I’m hitting the crash but never seem to get it. I have seen live that you have the drop clutch engaged before this section even happens but wondering how you did it for the studio, if it wasn’t edited in from another take.

it was many years ago that I recorded that so I don't clearly remember - but I can think of two likely answers. First is that I might have had two hi hats set up next to each other. The other is the Tama Cobra Clutch that I used a lot around that period - where you can set up for a 'sloshy' hi hat and you operate it with your foot.

Hi MattH10

Have you tried the Tama Dyna-Sync pedals?

yes I have and they were excellent - but I couldn't play any easier or better with them compared to the chain version that my feet had got used to in the previous years. It felt like I'd have to play them for quite a while to get used to the different (but equally good) feeling. I think all pedals are certainly capable of playing much better than my feet can keep up with - so in the end I just use the ones that feel right to me and that my feet are comfortable with.

Hi 12:7

in Break it All the 5/8 part...is it 5 against 3? I think i got it wrong but it almost sounds like it.

the drums are certainly playing in 5/8 and the bass sounds like it's playing groups of three - but they are not continuous threes so I don't think it could be seen as 5 against 3.

Another question...in Cheating the Polygraph is the chorus 5 against 3?...and do you keep the Bassdrum the same in the heavy section after the ambient part as in the chorus?

To my recollection there's no 5 against 3 in that tune. There is a rhythmic illusion in the section that starts around 5:45 (maybe that's what you are calling the 'heavy section'?) in that the bass drum plays a pattern in 5 along with the guitars but the hands play a straight 4/4 pattern over the top. The bass drum line in the chorus is actually different. If you're interested - there is a transcription book of 20 Porcupine Tree tunes (called Rhythmic Composition) brilliantly transcribed by Terry Branam and Cheating The Polygraph is one of them.

cheers
Gavin
 
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If you're interested - there is a transcription book of 20 Porcupine Tree tunes (called Rhythmic Composition) brilliantly transcribed by Terry Branam and Cheating The Polygraph is one of them.
@12:7

I've been working through this tune recently with Rhythmic Composition - super useful particularly for the crazy fill right at the end which I'm still practising getting it smooth on the kit ! I found the last chorus particularly challenging with where you accented the hihats, its a bit of a mind-bender ?
 
Thanks for the reply! I’m excited to try the Dyna-Syncs out next week.

Do you and Terry Branam still keep in touch? It would be amazing to get a book of transcriptions for your solo Cheating The Polygraph record and of your work on Chemical Reactions.
 
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