I haven't blogged about this topic much here, but I'm going to SXSW...or at least NEAR SXSW (I don't have tickets). My main goal is to watch as many drummers and bass players as possible and to take something away from that. Listening to the music overall is kind of secondary...cause I know that I'll get bored of that quickly and want to go take a nap. Intensely watching people play tends to hold my attention more.
I have another blog going about the trip itself, but I'll likely cross post here things of specific musical-technique interest.
It's a car trip and I'll be stopping in Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, Austin, and Dallas. Memphis is essentially a musical trip in itself, and I'll be there for a day and a half. Lots of rock and soul museum stuff and probably live music too. New Orleans will also probably involve some live music. Live music possible in Houston/Dallas too.
To pass the downtime, I'm bringing a practice pad and sticks, as well as a ukulele tuned like a bass.
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Friday, March 5, 2010
Monday, November 16, 2009
Report on PASIC
PASIC was good, though I don't know if I'll ever feel the need to go again. It was interesting to see lots of different drummers and hear their approaches, but it's mostly the same thing over and over again.
The vendor area was fun, but full of more marimba and mallet stuff than I'd expected. Some cymbal companies were absent all together (I don't think I saw Istabul there, for instance). I over heard someone say that there were more retail vendors and less industry folks than usual.
Neil Peart Snakes and Arrows kit with legless stands.
I bought a Wuhan 12 inch splash for $19 that turned out to be exactly what I've been looking for. I also bought a Meinl 8 inch bell for $44...jury still out on that one. I also got the Nirvana and the Hard Rock playalong books and Turn It Up, Lay It Down Rock Edition on the recommendation of Ed Shaughnessy.
Chris Pennie, Drumset Clinic
His advice "The most important thing is to get together and play with other people." He also said to continue to learn and stay open to new ideas. Talked about how placing stickings and accents can change the feel of time. Suggested learning slow: then add feet slow, add hands w/o accents, then accents. Be creative. Try different setups, surfaces, depths.
Sergio Bellotti, Drumset Clinic
His clinic had a heavy emphasis on rudiments. Had a handout. Showed single tap, unison, buzz roll, doubles/diddles, flam, drag/ruff. Suggested that playing on the kit is more important than on a practice pad or pillow. Suggested practicing weak side lead twice as much as strong side lead. Said superimposing rudiments over recordings can be a way to stay interested in practicing. He said you should take one rudiment and work on for 2 weeks straight...eventually working to applying it to kit musically. 26 rudiments will take a year to finish. Showed a "Dr Beat" exercise of quarter note bass, triplet, 16th note, 8th note on each of other limbs. INverted doubles...2nd note is on downbeat. Linear drumming: one note at a time with no unisons.
Zoro and Daniel Glass, Drumset Clinic
I didn't take notes from their talk. It was well set up and more entertaining than some others. They traded playing a moment or two from major tunes that influenced R&B. Mostly grooves. All this in support of their book together. Zoro yells into mic too much.
Free Hearing Tests
I checked out okay, though my right ear was a little weak on the lowest test frequency.
Steve Fidyk, Drumset Master Class
This was a class on transcription. He recommended the Amazing Slow Downer or Transcribe as good software. Recommended trying to learn something from every drummer that you listen to. Funny highlight...the "Pat Boone Debbie Boone" fill.
Felix Pollard, Drumset Clinic
I remember nothing about this guy.
Tobias Ralph, Drumset Clinic
Dude played a 24 minute solo. Mentioned "broken double": a double split between two different drums. High hat fills ala Steve Gadd. Inverted paradiddles with foot substitution.
Benny Greb, Drumset Clinic
He's a funny German guy. I don't remember much about his clinic, but it was good.
Akira Jimbo, Drumset Clinic
Played a Michael Jackson medley and then a jazz medley. He plays melodically with electronic triggers in real time. A one man band kind of thing. A neat trick, but kind of boring after a while.
Ed Shaughnessy, Drumset FUNdamentals
Probably the best of the convention. Dude played in Tonight Show band forever. Had suggestions for young jazz players. Nice handout. Told some funny stories about Buddy Rich and about how he got started back in the day. Showed feathered bass and counter clockwise ride beat. Also showed how to drop parts of ride beat when speed is really fast (ding ding a ding ding and variations). "Making time versus playing along to time...more how than what." Showed how to raise brush and not just swish.
Joel Stevenett, Drumset Clinic
This guy plays music for video games. Had a huge presentation video that he played along to. Talked alot about getting work and being "the squeaky wheel".
Dean Butterworth, Drumset Clinic
I liked this guy best of the drummers I saw. He's in Good Charlotte amongst other things (plays on New Adventures of Old Christine, for instance). He was all about groove and just supporting the band. All of the drummers SAID this was the most important thing...but then they'd play a 30 minute solo that showed off everything in their toolkit. This guy walked the talk. He played 4 or 5 tunes...with no crazy solo crap. He's the kind of drummer I strive to be. Good time, good feel...interesting, but always in support of the song...not to show off.
Skip Hadden, Drumset Master Class
Was about fusion. He showed cut from Ken Burns' "Jazz". After that I got bored because he wasn't saying anything of substance, just making little jokes about the audience, so I left.
The vendor area was fun, but full of more marimba and mallet stuff than I'd expected. Some cymbal companies were absent all together (I don't think I saw Istabul there, for instance). I over heard someone say that there were more retail vendors and less industry folks than usual.
Neil Peart Snakes and Arrows kit with legless stands.
I bought a Wuhan 12 inch splash for $19 that turned out to be exactly what I've been looking for. I also bought a Meinl 8 inch bell for $44...jury still out on that one. I also got the Nirvana and the Hard Rock playalong books and Turn It Up, Lay It Down Rock Edition on the recommendation of Ed Shaughnessy.
Chris Pennie, Drumset Clinic
His advice "The most important thing is to get together and play with other people." He also said to continue to learn and stay open to new ideas. Talked about how placing stickings and accents can change the feel of time. Suggested learning slow: then add feet slow, add hands w/o accents, then accents. Be creative. Try different setups, surfaces, depths.
Sergio Bellotti, Drumset Clinic
His clinic had a heavy emphasis on rudiments. Had a handout. Showed single tap, unison, buzz roll, doubles/diddles, flam, drag/ruff. Suggested that playing on the kit is more important than on a practice pad or pillow. Suggested practicing weak side lead twice as much as strong side lead. Said superimposing rudiments over recordings can be a way to stay interested in practicing. He said you should take one rudiment and work on for 2 weeks straight...eventually working to applying it to kit musically. 26 rudiments will take a year to finish. Showed a "Dr Beat" exercise of quarter note bass, triplet, 16th note, 8th note on each of other limbs. INverted doubles...2nd note is on downbeat. Linear drumming: one note at a time with no unisons.
Zoro and Daniel Glass, Drumset Clinic
I didn't take notes from their talk. It was well set up and more entertaining than some others. They traded playing a moment or two from major tunes that influenced R&B. Mostly grooves. All this in support of their book together. Zoro yells into mic too much.
Free Hearing Tests
I checked out okay, though my right ear was a little weak on the lowest test frequency.
Steve Fidyk, Drumset Master Class
This was a class on transcription. He recommended the Amazing Slow Downer or Transcribe as good software. Recommended trying to learn something from every drummer that you listen to. Funny highlight...the "Pat Boone Debbie Boone" fill.
Felix Pollard, Drumset Clinic
I remember nothing about this guy.
Tobias Ralph, Drumset Clinic
Dude played a 24 minute solo. Mentioned "broken double": a double split between two different drums. High hat fills ala Steve Gadd. Inverted paradiddles with foot substitution.
Benny Greb, Drumset Clinic
He's a funny German guy. I don't remember much about his clinic, but it was good.
Akira Jimbo, Drumset Clinic
Played a Michael Jackson medley and then a jazz medley. He plays melodically with electronic triggers in real time. A one man band kind of thing. A neat trick, but kind of boring after a while.
Ed Shaughnessy, Drumset FUNdamentals
Probably the best of the convention. Dude played in Tonight Show band forever. Had suggestions for young jazz players. Nice handout. Told some funny stories about Buddy Rich and about how he got started back in the day. Showed feathered bass and counter clockwise ride beat. Also showed how to drop parts of ride beat when speed is really fast (ding ding a ding ding and variations). "Making time versus playing along to time...more how than what." Showed how to raise brush and not just swish.
Joel Stevenett, Drumset Clinic
This guy plays music for video games. Had a huge presentation video that he played along to. Talked alot about getting work and being "the squeaky wheel".
Dean Butterworth, Drumset Clinic
I liked this guy best of the drummers I saw. He's in Good Charlotte amongst other things (plays on New Adventures of Old Christine, for instance). He was all about groove and just supporting the band. All of the drummers SAID this was the most important thing...but then they'd play a 30 minute solo that showed off everything in their toolkit. This guy walked the talk. He played 4 or 5 tunes...with no crazy solo crap. He's the kind of drummer I strive to be. Good time, good feel...interesting, but always in support of the song...not to show off.
Skip Hadden, Drumset Master Class
Was about fusion. He showed cut from Ken Burns' "Jazz". After that I got bored because he wasn't saying anything of substance, just making little jokes about the audience, so I left.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Drummer Talk
The internet, like my life, is a place that I enjoy more when it is familiar. I like reading regular blogs, instead of broadly looking hither and yond. I like a blogger that posts every day, preferrably only a paragraph or two, but every day. I've been trying to find some regular drum reads and find, much to my dismay, that lots of the pages that are out there are updated infrequently...or not at all anymore.
I uncovered this one today, and it seems to be relatively active. I prefer blogs written by single persons, but a good site with multiple writers is okay too. This one seems to be part blog, part podcast talk show. Not ideal as I don't do podcasts, but at least it is active. They are even going to PASIC.
I'm not bringing my laptop to PASIC (mostly due to security concerns and not liking to have to haul it around), so I won't be able to live blog the event. I do plan to take copious notes, though, which will undoubtedly turn into postings here at some point.
I uncovered this one today, and it seems to be relatively active. I prefer blogs written by single persons, but a good site with multiple writers is okay too. This one seems to be part blog, part podcast talk show. Not ideal as I don't do podcasts, but at least it is active. They are even going to PASIC.
I'm not bringing my laptop to PASIC (mostly due to security concerns and not liking to have to haul it around), so I won't be able to live blog the event. I do plan to take copious notes, though, which will undoubtedly turn into postings here at some point.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
PASIC
So PASIC starts tomorrow. I'll arrive mid-day Thursday. Aside from walking around and looking at products, my plan is to attend the following sessions if they are still open and if my head doesn't explode:
Thursday, November 12
10:00 a.m.
Maria Martinez, Drumset Master Class
1:00 p.m.
Chris Pennie, Drumset Clinic
3:00 p.m.
Sergio Bellotti, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Zoro and Daniel Glass, Drumset Clinic
Friday, November 13
9:00 a.m.
Free Hearing Tests
10:00 a.m.
Steve Fidyk, Drumset Master Class
11:00 a.m.
Felix Pollard, Drumset Clinic
1:00 p.m.
Tobias Ralph, Drumset Clinic
3:00 p.m.
Benny Greb, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Akira Jimbo, Drumset Clinic
6:00 p.m.
Hall of Fame Celebration
Saturday, November 14
9:00 a.m.
Ed Shaughnessy, Drumset FUNdamentals
11:00 a.m.
Joel Stevenett, Drumset Clinic
1:00 p.m.
Dean Butterworth, Drumset Clinic
2:00 p.m.
Skip Hadden, Drumset Master Class
3:00 p.m.
Jack DeJohnette, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Virgil Donati, Drumset Clinic
Thursday, November 12
10:00 a.m.
Maria Martinez, Drumset Master Class
1:00 p.m.
Chris Pennie, Drumset Clinic
3:00 p.m.
Sergio Bellotti, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Zoro and Daniel Glass, Drumset Clinic
Friday, November 13
9:00 a.m.
Free Hearing Tests
10:00 a.m.
Steve Fidyk, Drumset Master Class
11:00 a.m.
Felix Pollard, Drumset Clinic
1:00 p.m.
Tobias Ralph, Drumset Clinic
3:00 p.m.
Benny Greb, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Akira Jimbo, Drumset Clinic
6:00 p.m.
Hall of Fame Celebration
Saturday, November 14
9:00 a.m.
Ed Shaughnessy, Drumset FUNdamentals
11:00 a.m.
Joel Stevenett, Drumset Clinic
1:00 p.m.
Dean Butterworth, Drumset Clinic
2:00 p.m.
Skip Hadden, Drumset Master Class
3:00 p.m.
Jack DeJohnette, Drumset Clinic
5:00 p.m.
Virgil Donati, Drumset Clinic
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
PASIC Plans
So I'm starting to think about my trip to PASIC, which is just two short weeks away. It is being held in Indianapolis, which may be the best possible location for me. It is within driving distance and it is a town that I know a bit and am comfortable in because I used to take business trips there about once a month for two years. I don't like travel that involves stress and confusion. Indy is easy for me so I ought to actually be able to enjoy myself.
Some make fun of Indiana, but Indy isn't a bad town. It is still trying to recover from the rust belt economic diaster of the last 30 years, but it is trying hard.
Being on a tight budget and pretty well in the know, I have chosen to stay at the hostel, which is only about 6 or 7 miles from the conference, which is being held, I'm happy to say, downtown. Today I spent some time planning the details of my bike route from the hostel to the conference. Mainly to save money on parking I'm planning to bike in to the conference each day unless the weather is crazy bad. To save money and, well, because I can. I've got my choice of a very nice bike path, The Monon, or pretty decent streets to travel in on.
I also just realized that Broadripple, the quirky/cool part of town (ala Willy Street in Madison), is only a few blocks north of the hostel and also on The Monon. Which means I'll have plenty to do in the evenings...restaurants, live music, street life, etc.
This may well prove to be the best trip I've taken in a long time. Like putting on a comfy old sweater.
I'm also pretty psyched about the swag potential. There's a HUGE list of exhibitors for the conference...and surely most of them will have a sticker or magnet or keychain or whatnot that they'd like me to haul home with me. Lots of useless shit with cool labels. Woo hoo. I better bring the large messenger bag.
Some make fun of Indiana, but Indy isn't a bad town. It is still trying to recover from the rust belt economic diaster of the last 30 years, but it is trying hard.
Being on a tight budget and pretty well in the know, I have chosen to stay at the hostel, which is only about 6 or 7 miles from the conference, which is being held, I'm happy to say, downtown. Today I spent some time planning the details of my bike route from the hostel to the conference. Mainly to save money on parking I'm planning to bike in to the conference each day unless the weather is crazy bad. To save money and, well, because I can. I've got my choice of a very nice bike path, The Monon, or pretty decent streets to travel in on.
I also just realized that Broadripple, the quirky/cool part of town (ala Willy Street in Madison), is only a few blocks north of the hostel and also on The Monon. Which means I'll have plenty to do in the evenings...restaurants, live music, street life, etc.
This may well prove to be the best trip I've taken in a long time. Like putting on a comfy old sweater.
I'm also pretty psyched about the swag potential. There's a HUGE list of exhibitors for the conference...and surely most of them will have a sticker or magnet or keychain or whatnot that they'd like me to haul home with me. Lots of useless shit with cool labels. Woo hoo. I better bring the large messenger bag.
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