Gavin Harrison here!

Many thanks for the comments about the MD festival. I had a blast - an amazing weekend that I'll never forget. Great to meet so many fantastic drummers and hang out with them at the show (and at the bar in the hotel).
It was quite daunting to go on and perform next to all these guys - and pretty surreal in a way. I guess I could have always played better (mind you, I think that after every show) - but I know I gave it my best shot under the circumstances.

ProgFron - I don't know if all of my performance will be on the DVD.

Big_Philly - that was a "Golden Madrone" finish on the Sonor SQ2 set.

Hi gibeachhead

During the first verse of "Way Out of Here", amongst other things, it sounds like you are playing on the rims of your toms; are you? It sure sounds like it, and it is done so tastefully.

Thanks, actually it's the rim of the snare drum.

cheers
Gavin
 
I will personally pick a fight with anyone who isn't brought to tears by Gavin's polyrhythms.

He is not human, and everyone knows it.

You can't be that good at drums and still be made of human flesh and bone.

He's got to be a robot or something.

It's the only valid conclusion.

I'm thinking he has a computer that was artificially embedded into his brain to make him so good.

Just like Danny Carey apparently has a "daemon" lodged within him.


Thank you Gavin for inspiring me never to play a 4/4 groove again.

And thank you for inspiring millions of drummers round the world.

You're just so good at drums it's literally reeeeediculous.
 
Hi Gavin, how are you?

I have a couple of (maybe quite lengthy) questions about Fear of a Blank Planet and Nil Recurring. I couldn't help notice the parallels (unintentional as they may be) between those two releases and Radiohead's "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" which was released 8 months after Kid A. T
hey were both recorded in the same sessions but both have different sounds but the concepts are related, Amnesiac being an about "Kid A's" (the character) reaction to and reflection on what has happened on "Kid A" (the album). It seems to me that Fear of a Blank Planet is about the describing circumstances and what is happening to a young Person(s) but then in Nil Recurring you have a song like Normal which seems to be the young Person(s) reflecting on what is happening.
I know that Steven is a Radiohead fan and was wondering if this concept or idea was at all bearing on how you released the material from those sessions?

Going to the Musical side of things, both of the above Radiohead albums are quite different musically as are Fear of a Blank Planet and Nill Recurring (to my ears), I was wondering how you manage to maintain two Musical Mind-sets over the period of a single Session and how do they affect each other? i.e. do you find it hard to choose between two or more ways or mind-sets of doing or approaching one piece of Music? Or do you find things filter naturally and seperate themselves out?

Hope you're well,

Kev
 
Hi K.Howden

It seems to me that Fear of a Blank Planet is about the describing circumstances and what is happening to a young Person(s) but then in Nil Recurring you have a song like Normal which seems to be the young Person(s) reflecting on what is happening.
I know that Steven is a Radiohead fan and was wondering if this concept or idea was at all bearing on how you released the material from those sessions?


Not as far as I'm aware of.

Going to the Musical side of things, both of the above Radiohead albums are quite different musically as are Fear of a Blank Planet and Nill Recurring (to my ears), I was wondering how you manage to maintain two Musical Mind-sets over the period of a single Session and how do they affect each other? i.e. do you find it hard to choose between two or more ways or mind-sets of doing or approaching one piece of Music? Or do you find things filter naturally and seperate themselves out?


Personally I didn't have two mind sets and can't really hear the difference from FOABP and Nil Recurring. The songs were all recorded around the same time - it was only at the last minute that "Cheating The Polygraph" was replaced by "Way Out Of Here" and the track "Nil Recurring" almost made it onto the main album too. My approach to both sets of songs was the same. Maybe as a listener you can hear things that I can't - after working on them for so long you start to lose your mind.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hi K.Howden


Personally I didn't have two mind sets and can't really hear the difference from FOABP and Nil Recurring. The songs were all recorded around the same time - it was only at the last minute that "Cheating The Polygraph" was replaced by "Way Out Of Here" and the track "Nil Recurring" almost made it onto the main album too. My approach to both sets of songs was the same. Maybe as a listener you can hear things that I can't - after working on them for so long you start to lose your mind.

cheers
Gavin

Well the main difference I hear between the two is the intensity of the playing (not just the Drums) at a technical level. FOABP sounds a lot more measured to me, for example I hear a lot more Rhythmic Illusions and Odd-measures on Nill Recurring where as a lot of the songs sound a lot straight ahead Timing wise on FOABP. Also the Timbre and Sounds of the Guitar seem to have a different quality to them than those on FOABP.
I guess its one of those intagible things that can't really be describe adequatley with words, they both seem to have their distinctive flavours to me and I don't know why but I always see Nil Recurring as being coloured Orange and FOABP Blue as the album cover suggets (don't ask! haha) but both Albums are stunning all the same.

I guess that's the great thing about Music though, the fact that no two People will interpret the same piece of Music the same and the creator of the Music is the only person who will really know what it means.

Cheers for taking the time to reply to all these questions you recieve, its much appreciated,

Kev
 
Hello Gavin

Me and some of my classmates are planning to do a cover off Anesthetize on our scen project at school. I find the second part quite tricky at some parts. So therefore I wonder if you have any video laying around in your computer or such where we can see you playing especially part. 2 in the song. It would be a great help for me and I would really appreciate it!

Thanks! /Emil
 
Hi Gavin, 2 questions please:

1. I want to buy the EV N/D408's as they seem good for not to being in the way of close to toms cymbals, but i found only the N/D468 on the market. DO u know if there's any difference between them?
2. Do u know any GOOD notation software for Mac (apart from the super known Sibelius) that's GOOD for drum scores? Possibly with the MIDI in/out option.

Thank U in advance,
come play to Italy soon! :)
Stefano
 
Hi PTEmil

Me and some of my classmates are planning to do a cover off Anesthetize on our scen project at school. I find the second part quite tricky at some parts. So therefore I wonder if you have any video laying around in your computer or such where we can see you playing especially part. 2 in the song. It would be a great help for me and I would really appreciate it!


There is no video of me playing that song at the moment. However - I did play it at the Modern drummer Festival and it was filmed - due to be released on DVD early 2009. Also we probably will film it on the next PT DVD - which most likely will be released around spring next year. It's quite a tricky song to play.

Hi steste50

1. I want to buy the EV N/D408's as they seem good for not to being in the way of close to toms cymbals, but i found only the N/D468 on the market. DO u know if there's any difference between them?

I have had both 408 and 468 and as far as I can tell they are exactly the same. I know the 408 isn't available anymore.

2. Do u know any GOOD notation software for Mac (apart from the super known Sibelius) that's GOOD for drum scores? Possibly with the MIDI in/out option.

I believe "Finale" is good - but I haven't tried it.

cheers
Gavin
 
Hello to you all!

I'm new here, though I've been lurking around 2-3 times. This monster thread is the very reason I'm now registered:D!

Hello Gavin - maybe you've seen my e-mail, I saw your post were you said something like "post it in this forum and I check it" - so I'd like to post my very humble transcribed versions of some of your great fills on PT albums. It would be great if you comment them, and if necessary (I think so actually...) correct some of the stuff.

Thank you very much - love your playing!

Matthias


By the way (to all the forum members), I know some of the fills may already be explained and discussed in this thread, I'm going through all the pages now, but that'll need quite some time:). So in the end I'm gonna see it all. So don't get irritated or whatever...;)

Well, the attachments....
 

Attachments

  • Gavin 1.pdf
    68.3 KB · Views: 716
  • Gavin 2.pdf
    50.7 KB · Views: 548
  • Gavin 3.pdf
    66.8 KB · Views: 528
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Gavin,

Bravo on your MD performance! Despite the bad acoustics where I was sitting, it was great to have the opportunity to see you play live!

I thought the story Simon told about how he used to play with your father a while ago to be a fantastic introduction....it truly is a smaller world in music!

Anyways, my question (if you don't mind answering) is more of one around how you came to be. How did you grow up practicing? Did you ever feel like you hit a wall technically and how did you overcome the challenges that made you the drummer you are today?

Cheers,

Jesse
 
Hi Alex,
I'm glad you like the sound of my kitchen.

It can depend on the style of music but here's the set up I used on that track:

Dualit Toaster
Dualit Kettle
Leisure Sink
unknown juicer

I'd really like to get a Dualit endorsement - they have easily the best sound.

The funny thing is that my studio and kitchen are on opposite sides of the house - so I would go to the studio - put the computer in record (8 bars before I needed to play) and then run to the kitchen, put on the headphones and start to play various parts of the kitchen. Many times I would make a mistake in the first bar - and then I would have to run back to the studio (quite often forgetting to take the headphones off - so they would strangle me half way down the hallway) and go and press stop/delete on the computer. And then start over again. I must have run backwards and forwards 50 times during that recording. I don't know why I didn't take my powerbook down to the kitchen and just record it there!!!

Cheers
Gavin
Hahaha, that was just too funny to read!!
 
Gavin,

Congrats on the MDF of course. I will definitely check out the PT dvd and the MDF dvd when they come out.

I just have a question related to the rhythmic horizons dvd. In the resolving section(i believe) you talk about using the groups of 3's 5's and 7's in your fills, in just a basic 4 bar phrase. When i saw you doing it, i was like "alright not so bad" then i tried it in my jazz improv class(while trading 4s)....didnt go so well......and displacing the 1st beat and not starting the fill on 1...forget about it. How do you gain that 2nd sense of that 4 beat measure, when you are throwing around 16th note groupings in other time signatures? I just start counting those 16th note groupings and lose my place in the measure. Any tips on how to approach thinking about/playing that kind of stuff. I can kind of see playing something like that in a fill when you have bass laying down that foundation, but in complete silence...i dont know.

best regards,

mike
 
Hello Gavin

Have you ever heard The Grudge by Tool? If so, what do you think of Danny's playing, especially in the ending drum-solo?

Question to everyone including Gavin:

The last few seconds of the Grudge drum-solo, Danny pulls off a amazing tomwork. It's only toms I think, perhaps a snare. I wonder if ANYONE (as there seems to be quite alot Tool fans around here) know excatcly how that short part is played? It's only 5 seconds or something, but incredibly hard to memorize how he plays. I would really, really appreciate it if someone would make a piece of drum-notes for those 5-6 secs, or perhaps a video where it is being played really slow.

Thanks for reading!
/Emil
 
Hey!

I just saw the new Insurgentes trailer (trailer No.2). Absolutley amazing! Is it you that play the drums on the track used in the trailer?

AMAZING job at the MD festival by the way! Loved it! I was a little dissappointed with the snaredrum sound on the video..No punch at all. But of course that must have been the sound-guy messing up.. Cause I know how good your designer snare sounds!

Best regards!
 
The MD festival video sample thing of you playing sounds very nice, I'm looking to forward to seeing more videos soon.

Looking forward to new PT DVD and new SW album as well.

I also bought Rythmic Visions recently, some the time modulation+subdividing exercises are insane, especially when you do it when 7's and 9's. I really want to get my hands on your more recent DVD.
 
Hi Swiss Matthias

so I'd like to post my very humble transcribed versions of some of your great fills on PT albums. It would be great if you comment them, and if necessary (I think so actually...) correct some of the stuff.

thanks for the transcriptions they look really good.

Hi ElevenFour

How did you grow up practicing? Did you ever feel like you hit a wall technically and how did you overcome the challenges that made you the drummer you are today?


I would often hit a wall technically when I was a kid - because my 'rhythm brain' wasn't developed enough to understand the problems. Perseverance was the only way forward. It wasn't until my imagination really kicked that I started to develop my own stuff - and that was when I was around 17 - 18 years old.

Hi Zildjian232

I just have a question related to the rhythmic horizons dvd. In the resolving section(i believe) you talk about using the groups of 3's 5's and 7's in your fills, in just a basic 4 bar phrase. When i saw you doing it, i was like "alright not so bad" then i tried it in my jazz improv class(while trading 4s)....didnt go so well......and displacing the 1st beat and not starting the fill on 1...forget about it. How do you gain that 2nd sense of that 4 beat measure, when you are throwing around 16th note groupings in other time signatures? I just start counting those 16th note groupings and lose my place in the measure. Any tips on how to approach thinking about/playing that kind of stuff. I can kind of see playing something like that in a fill when you have bass laying down that foundation, but in complete silence...i dont know.

Of course it's easier to play that stuff over a bass line - because you end up using the bass line as a reference. So when you play it without a bass line you must have a very strong sense of the bar line (in whatever time signature you're playing). I find it helps to practice that kind of thing over a musical background at first so you tend to not get lost. Then try it without. Doing things like 16th note displacements in a solo a pretty dangerous - because you're easily going to lose the other musicians - unless they are aware that you're going to do that kind of thing.

How do you gain that 2nd sense of that 4 beat measure, when you are throwing around 16th note groupings in other time signatures?

Lots of practice and (as I said above) perseverance.

HI PTEmil

Have you ever heard The Grudge by Tool? If so, what do you think of Danny's playing, especially in the ending drum-solo?

Yes I know Danny and he's a great player - certainly plays some great stuff on that track. No, I don't know what he's playing at the end there.

Hi DTrocks

I just saw the new Insurgentes trailer (trailer No.2). Absolutley amazing! Is it you that play the drums on the track used in the trailer?

Yes that's me playing on that track.

AMAZING job at the MD festival by the way! Loved it! I was a little dissappointed with the snaredrum sound on the video..No punch at all. But of course that must have been the sound-guy messing up.. Cause I know how good your designer snare sounds!

Fear not - I'm remixing it right now. What you hear on the clip is the rough mix they made live during the show.

Hi Pandrex

I also bought Rythmic Visions recently, some the time modulation+subdividing exercises are insane, especially when you do it when 7's and 9's. I really want to get my hands on your more recent DVD.

Thanks - It's available via my website. www.drumset.demon.co.uk

cheers
Gavin
 
Today arrived my copy of "drop"

I must say, it's really interesting project. I like it very much.
Plus for my birthday I received a great present: "Arriving Somewhere..." DVD :)
Wow wow wow! Great again!

Just wanted to share my happiness!

Vladimer
 
thanks for the transcriptions they look really good.

Thanks Gavin!

What drove mad the most was that fill of Fear Of a Blank Planet, at 5:01. Can you tell me if I got that right? After listening to it for a million times, my ear started to hear various stuff, including some 5:2 or 7:2 stuff. I'm in doubt especially because of this one "lonely" 32nd-note tom right at the end...
 

Attachments

  • Bild 1.png
    Bild 1.png
    13.6 KB · Views: 2,390
Hey Swiss Matthias,

Here is my take on the fill you are asking about.

As always, subdivisions are subjective but I think it is close.

Hope it helps,

Terry
 

Attachments

  • Fear of a Blank Planet (501) .jpg
    Fear of a Blank Planet (501) .jpg
    46.8 KB · Views: 2,856
Back
Top