Percussion Blog

New Evans Website!

2011-11-01T09:35:00.010-04:00

After many hours of creative brainstorming, design work, coding, and editing, we’re proud to announce the launch of our new website! The driving force behind the new site has been to make it as easy as possible for you to find the sound you’re looking for. We’ve also built a new video library, redesigned the artist pages, and revised the search capabilities. Here are some of the highlights:

Product Menu
The Product Menu appears when you place your mouse over the “PRODUCTS” heading in the navigation bar. From there, you can select products based on their application. From drumheads to drum keys, patches to practice pads; all are accessible from the Product Menu.

Product Selector
The new Evans Product Selector displays all products within a given category, arranged from darkest tone to brightest. You can read the descriptions of all products, see what artists use a given product, and even hear some audio samples before even clicking through to the product details page.

The refine menu at the top allows users to filter based on characteristics such as the number of plies, finish and size. Click a checkbox to filter down to products matching the selected criteria. Check multiple boxes to further refine your selection.

Artist Portal
The Artist Portal opens with 16 featured artists and tabs for new, drum set related, marching related, concert related and world related artists. Four featured artists are displayed at the top of each tab. Sort through artists alphabetically by first name or enter text to search by first or last name. An artist news feed is present on the left side of the page with endorsee updates.

Video Library
The Evans Video Library segments videos into tabs based on content. Featured and new videos are easy to find under their tabs, as are backstage interviews, lessons, how-to tutorials and the “How It’s Made” manufacturing series of videos. Related videos are shown on the right side of the page and related products below the video player.

Enjoy the new site!

Evans Sound Samples

2011-03-03T09:32:00.006-05:00

One of the most difficult things about choosing new drumheads is that fact that you can rarely "try before you buy." It's not like all of our drumheads are sitting on identical drums in a store for testing (like cymbals).

We are proud to announce the launch of our drumhead sound library! Now you can listen to samples of each of our drum set heads on identical drums, tuned to the same pitch for consistency. Each head includes three samples, each at a different dynamic in order to allow for the most accurate comparison. All samples were meticulously recorded by Bob Gatzen. The sound samples are available on each of the Player Profile pages, allowing for quick and easy comparison of drumheads within a given profile.

Recommended Listening Environment
When listening to the samples, we recommend listening with quality headphones or larger speakers (built-in laptop speakers not recommended). The samples have not been equalized, compressed or mastered and will not be as loud as commercial recordings.

Recording Process
Microphone & Drum Configurations:
Snare Drum (Maple 14x4.5")
- Shure Beta 57A at slight angle to batter head, 1" from counter hoop
- Shure KSM 137 under snare drum, facing ground

Tom (Maple 12x8")
- Shure KSM 44 approximately 12" above head surface, aligned with snare drum counter hoop

Bass Drum (Maple 22x17")
- Shure Beta 98 approximately 6" off-center, facing pedal beater impact pad
- Shure KSM 32 approximately 2" off-center, 6" from resonant head

The sound samples have not been edited, enhanced or modified from the original recording.

What does this mean for you?
Now you’ve got another perspective when it comes to checking out new drumheads. The sonic information, combined with the detailed product information will help to make the decision making process even easier so you can focus on what counts, making music!

New Album from Evans Artist Ari Hoenig

2011-02-03T09:22:00.008-05:00

About Lines of Oppression (due out in March 2011)

by Ari Hoenig

I came up with the title Lines of Oppression while on tour in Haiti. During the morning hours in Port au Prince there were lines around the block of people looking for work. Contractors would hire people on the spot if they needed laborers that day. In the lines there was always a lot of arguing, pushing and shoving going on; needless to say it was not a very pleasant scene. Sometimes people started standing in line right after work to have a better chance of being chosen to work the next day.

Lines of Oppression fits its title well, because the “line” (or melody line) of the song is rather oppressive. “Lines of Oppression” was also the name of a reggae band I loved when growing up in Philly.

The Lines of Oppression band is really a dream band of mine, and I’m grateful to have been able to put it together. This band has a particularly profound connection together and the ability to really converse when we play together. The interplay is off the hook! The music I wrote is for this band written with all the individual players in mind.

I really like the mix of written material with improvisation of this record. I’ve been thinking for a while about how to write original music that really lets the original voice of each musician sing. This is a combination I’ve been trying to find for years and I think it’s come to fruition on this record.

About the band

I met Tigran in Los Angeles when I played on his first record. He was 17. Tigran floored me with his intensity and ability. He’s a true prodigy.

Gilad I met when he studied with me at the New School. Since then, he has been a consistent collaborator of mine in my band and his. He is an amazing musician and always keeps me on my toes. The hookup we have together is so special.

Orlando started playing with me around 2007. I love his groove, the sound he brings, and his commitment to the music. He is also a retired professional cricket player so there’s that.

Chris I also met through giving lessons at the New School. He is such a strong and rhythmic player. What he brings to my music is irreplaceable.

About the songs

Lines of Oppression
I really love playing music but I absolutely hate writing it. I had the basic idea of this tune for a long time but didn’t actually try to make a song out of it for a year or so. I really didn’t try to write an oppressive line - it just came out.

Arrows and Loops
This was my attempt to write with the melody first. In the past I had usually written stuff primarily with a specific harmonic structure in mind. It’s called Arrows and Loops because of the way my hand notation looked on the page. Good for a title but very hard for the cats to sight-read.

Wedding Song
Wedding song is a pretty ballad, which was named for a young couple I met in Philadelphia who were there when we played this song for the first time. I asked the audience to suggest a title for the song and at the end of the night they came up to talk to me. They said wanted me to play this song at their wedding a few months later. Alas I never heard from them again.
There was a nice moment in the studio when we decided to put vocals on this track. Thanks to Chris’s vocal coaching, I made my singing debut here.

Ephemeral Eyes
This song is named after the stone that brings you back to life. It’s from a video game I was playing a lot at the time. Yes that’s right, named after a video game!

Rhythm
I wanted something Tigran could beat box with me. We recorded this last, after three full days in the studio. We did it at 4am and were delirious with lack of sleep.

How High the Moon
How High the Moon is Tigran’s arrangement of the standard song, which he said he wrote for me. It leads into his (outro) Higher to Hayastan. I really wanted a rockin’ end to the record so having this on it was an easy decision.

Moanin
This was probably the first jazz tune I ever played. Art Blakey has always been a big influence on me. I just heard the melody so strongly and wanted to make it sing on the drums. If you think it sounds a little weird, trust me it’s better that than me actually singing it.

Loves Feathered Nails
A pun on the saying “love never fails.” This was written with the theme in mind from Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” It’s a haunting melody and so simple.

Ari Hoenig - drums, vocals
Tigran Hamasyan - piano, vocals, beat box

Gilad Hekselman - guitar, vocals
Orlando le Fleming – bass on tracks 1,3,5,6,7,8

Chris Tordini - bass on tracks 2,9,10, vocals

Winter NAMM 2011 Recap

2011-01-19T09:13:00.011-05:00

It was an incredibly successful, enjoyable and generally busy winter NAMM show this year! We had all sorts of artists visiting the booth to hang out and sign autographs. Everyone from Steve Gorman (Black Crowes) to Chris Pennie (Coheed & Cambria), Giovanni Hidalgo to Jojo Mayer, and Peter Erskine to John Dolmayan (System of a Down) came by.

D’Addario booth, which featured individual brands including Evans Drumheads, Rico Reeds, Planet Waves Cables & Accessories and D’Addario Strings, was based around a club layout- complete with a stage full of instruments and accessories. Jojo Mayer’s drum set was showcased on the stage with his Evans G Plus coated white tom heads and Hybrid Coated snare head.

Evans artist Mark Guiliana and his group Beat Music put on a fantastic performance at the Sabian Live evening party during the show. Jojo Mayer came up to double drum with Mark Guiliana at the end of the set- quite the cool thing to witness!

Evans Drumheads was pleased to announce several new products and expansions in addition to a decrease in the price of drum set heads!

The long awaited 26” EMAD
You’ve asked for it and now you’ve got it! In addition to the 18, 20, 22 and 24” sizes, Evans Drumheads will now offer a 26” EMAD. The 26” EMAD offers a powerfully unbeatable BOOM that is sure to shake the stage.

Inked by Evans Collectible Heads
In addition to ordering custom Inked bass drum resonant heads, you can now order either a custom 12” collectible drumhead or a 12” collectible drumhead clock! Both make great gifts and/or items for your merchandise table at a show.

Inked by Evans Upgrades:
•18” and 26” sizes now available
•Use of certain drum brand logos
•Logo color options (Evans and drum brand)

VOTE: Modern Drummer Readers Poll

2011-01-17T11:29:00.003-05:00

It’s that time of year again; time to vote in the Modern Drummer Readers Poll! We’re not telling you who to vote for, but we thought you might want to know which Evans artists have been nominated to the categories. Help us show them some love and vote!

Hall of Fame:
Richie Hayward

Mainstream Rock:
Phil Rudd

Alternative:
Glenn Kotche
Chris Pennie

Metal:
Brann Dailor
Gene Hoglan

Prog:
Marco Minnemann
Aquiles Priester

R&B:
Chris Coleman

Fusion:
Billy Cobham

Up & Coming:
Ulysses Owens Jr.
Billy Rymer

Educational Book:
Intro to Polyrhythms by Ari Hoenig
Rock Solid: Drums by Liberty DeVitto and Sean J. Kennedy

Educational DVD:
Great Hands for a Lifetime by Tommy Igoe
The Infallible Reason of My Freak Drumming by Aquiles Priester

Recorded Performance:
Dethalbum II (Dethklok) with Gene Hoglan

Voting ends on February 15th!

NYC Winter Jazz Fest Recap

2011-01-07T14:04:00.013-05:00

It was a fantastic weekend for live Jazz in New York City. On January 7th and 8th, the Boom Collective presented the NYC Winter Jazzfest. Among the many musicians performing were Evans artists Mark Guiliana, Dafnis Prieto, Eric Kalb and Ari Hoenig.

Each put on fine performances with their own percussive flavor. Mark Guiliana took home award for most sets performed throughout the festival, playing with Nguyen Le, Donny McCaslin Trio and Now vs. Now over the course of both nights.

Check out some photos from the festival below:

Mark Guiliana performing with Nguyen Le at Zinc Bar

Dafnis Prieto performing with Proverb Trio at Zinc Bar

Eric Kalb performing with Charlie Hunter at Le Poisson Rouge

Mark Guiliana performing with the Donny McCaslin Trio at Kenny's Castaways

Ari Hoenig performing with Pilc/Moutin/Hoenig at Zinc Bar

The festival was sold soon after starting, with throngs of musicians and music enthusiasts piling into various venues in Greenwich Village. With Jazz music coming from both sides of the street, around the corner and down the block, there was something for everyone.

Perfecting Your Snare Drum Sound

2011-01-06T12:43:00.008-05:00

The following factors should be considered when perfecting the sound of your snare drum.

Head Choice
This is the most obvious factor that comes to mind when people consider the sound of their snare drum. It makes perfect sense that the type of head used (single ply vs. double ply, reinforced vs. unreinforced, etc.) would have a strong impact on the sound of the drum.

Visit the Evans Player Profiles to find the best snare head for you.

Snare Wires
Choice of snare wires is the most often overlooked factor in achieving a certain sound from a snare drum. There are a wide variety of options available; 12 strand through 30 strand, twisted vs. individual strands, brass vs. steel. Here are some general rules to help you in your quest for the perfect set of snare wires:

Tuning
Your choice of tuning will not only affect the overall pitch of the drum but the resonance and timbre as well. Check out Bob Gatzen’s video on tuning your snare drum: Snare Tuning

Muffling
Use of muffling such as the Min-EMAD, E-Rings and other modifiers affects not only the sustain/resonance of the drum but the overtones present in the sound of the drum. The Min-EMAD helps to suppress unwanted overtones while retaining the desired attack and tone. The variable application allows you to fine tune the amount of damping taking place. The E-Rings simply “float” on the surface of the drumhead. The rings round out the sound of the drum by minimizing high-frequency resonance. This, in turn, shortens the sustain of the drum.

Building Your Home Studio

2010-12-28T14:57:00.005-05:00

In this day and age, it’s very common to find musicians with their own home studios. Equipment is more affordable, descriptions of recording techniques are available on the internet, and there is greater motivation to be able to capture a performance.

Home studios offer the ability to track with whomever you want, whenever you want. Someone halfway across the world can send you a session file and you can lay down the drum tracks at your convenience. This is actually the direction that lots of music production is moving in. Professional session drummers are establishing their own home studios in order to reduce travel and setup time with the added convenience of tracking on your own time without any pressure.

Having a home recording setup also allows you to record your practice sessions, which can be a valuable method for improvement. As a follow up to the "Why You Should Record Yourself" post, we wanted to cover the basics of necessary gear for recording.

Putting together your own home studio can be a bit overwhelming at first, due to the wide variety of equipment available as well as the learning curve associated with making your own recordings. Here are the essential items for making a recording in order of signal flow;

Microphone > Preamp > A/D Converter > Recording Device

Before we open up this “can of worms,” it should be made clear that this is a very basic overview of the items necessary for a home studio.

Starting at the end of the flow, the recording device is what will actually store the recorded performance. This could be a standalone recording device (Such as the Zoom Handy Recorders) or even a computer with the necessary recording software.

If you’re going the route of a standalone recorder, it will likely include a mic preamp (or several) as well as the A/D converter. When researching recording devices, you will want to consider the number of microphones/tracks that you plan on recording simultaneously. This will dictate the number of necessary preamps and help you narrow down the specific recording device.

If you decide to go the computer recording route, you must first make sure that you have a capable computer. At the absolutely minimum, a machine with combined processing power of 4GHz and 2GB of RAM. When it comes to recording, more processing power and RAM is always better.

There is a wide variety of software available for computer-based recording; Everything from Pro Tools to Logic to Digital Performer and much more. The best piece of software is what works best for your needs.

To get the signal from your microphone(s) to your computer, you’ll need an interface. This is similar to the standalone recording device except that it will send the digital signal to your computer via USB or Firewire.

When it comes to microphones, the sky is the limit. At minimum, I would recommend a matched pair of condenser microphones to use as overhead microphones. This will provide a generally accurate representation of the sound of your drums and cymbals. Close mics, often dynamic microphones such as the Shure SM57 and the Beta 52a, help to capture more of the character of individual drums on your kit. Over time, and as money permits, you can add more microphones to your recording setup.

It should be noted that there are a wide variety of variables including acoustics, microphone techniques and recording methods that make all the difference in the end quality of your recording.

Happy recording!

Last Minute Gift Ideas For Your Favorite Drummer

2010-12-20T10:03:00.008-05:00

Okay, it’s crunch time. Christmas is Saturday and you’ve got to figure out what to put under the tree for your drummer friends. Lucky for you, we’ve put together this list of gift ideas in a variety of prices (we decided to give them some festive titles though…)

"REINDEER" - Keys Galore
Is your Little Drummer Boy (or girl!) always losing their drum keys? Maybe they want to be able to swap out drumheads faster than anyone around. Maybe they’re in need of a strong and sturdy key always at the ready. Check out this assortment;

Wing Nut Key
Drill Bit Key
Magnetic Head Key

"SNOWMAN" - Educational Pack
Looking for the perfect all-in-one pack to keep your percussionist warmed up during the cold winter months (and all year round!)? The Tommy Igoe Educational Pack comes with everything they need; Tommy’s Great Hands for a Lifetime Hudson Music DVD and poster, 6” RealFeel Practice Pad and signature Tommy Igoe sticks.

Tommy Igoe Educational Pack

"ELF" - Head Packs
Does your favorite drummer suffer from DHS (Dead Head Syndrome)? Help them out with a new set of tom or snare heads!

Tom Packs
G1 Coated 2-Pack

"MRS. CLAUSE" - Bass Head Pack
Looking to give the gift of Christmas in the form of the perfect bass drum sound? The EMAD System is the perfect pack to get your batterista shaking the floor.

EMAD System Pack

"SANTA" – Custom gear!
Want to give your beat maker something one of a kind? An Inked by Evans gift card will allow them to create a custom drumhead all online!

Inked by Evans Gift Card

Happy Holidays!

New Product: System Blue Tenor Heads

2010-12-13T10:27:00.013-05:00

The latest additions to the Evans line of marching drumheads are the System Blue Tenor heads, developed with the 14-time DCI champions the Blue Devils. The System Blue heads spent the past season being put to the test by the Blue Devils themselves. For the 14th year, the Blue Devils took the title of DCI World Champions and they did it with the Evans System Blue Tenor heads.

Design
The System Blue Tenor head is a 2-ply design with 7mil top-ply and 7.5mil bottom. This combination delivers tonal clarity and projection while also increasing durability and pitch stability, reducing the need for frequent tuning.

The series also utilizes Evans’ unique Sound Shaping Technology™, a damping technique that targets unwanted overtones and provides the control needed to enhance attack, projection, and note definition. The damping pattern on each head also provides a visual reference for the optimal ‘playing zone’ for each drum, offering a target for less experienced lines.

“The heads sound great. They last longer than any other head we’ve had on our drums and they look pretty cool too.” –Scott Johnson (Blue Devils)

Hear a sample of the System Blue Tenor heads "in the lot" with the Blue Devils: Blue Devils with System Blue Tenor Heads

Check out the in-depth review by Steve Weiss Music on their blog.

Why You Should Record Yourself

2010-12-08T09:44:00.003-05:00

"Perfect practice makes perfect." We’ve all heard this before. Figure out what you need to focus on, organize your practice sessions to facilitate progress and you should succeed. But when it comes to being critical about your playing, it can be tough to accurately critique yourself in the moment.

The best solution? Record yourself.

Whether you’re practicing multi-limb independence exercises on the drum set or a rudimental snare drum solo, making recordings of your playing can be one of the most valuable tools for improvement. Reviewing recordings of yourself can provide you with the most objective perspective short of having someone else listen to you play (which is also important).

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to book studio time. A decent quality digital home recording will suffice (We’ll cover this in detail in a later post). These days, the technology is readily available, and more affordable than ever.

Make recording critique a part of your practice routine. You don’t necessarily have to record everything you play, though since you’re going digital and can always erase or trim the files, you might as well capture your whole practice routine. Leaving as much of your recording setup assembled and ready to go at a moment’s notice will allow you to hit record, focus on your playing, and forget about the recording equipment. When you finish working on the performance portion of your routine, stop the recording and review.

Start at the beginning of the recording and make notes about what you like and what you want to improve. This can be quite an awakening for someone who has never listened to their own playing before. By making this a regular part of your practice routine, you gain another valuable perspective on your playing.

If you’re playing with other musicians, try recording your rehearsals and performances. This will allow you to review your performance skills with the necessary scrutiny.

Label the recordings with the date and possibly the content and save them so you have the ability to refer back to them and track your progress over time.

Evans Rocks Montreal Drum Fest 2010

2010-12-03T10:52:00.010-05:00

The 18th Montreal Drum Fest was held on October 23rd and 24th, 2010. There were some fantastic performances by a variety of Evans artists including Marko Djordjevic, Elie Bertrand, Isaac Dumont, and Marco Minnemann.

Marko Djordjevic put on an incredibly energized performance with his group Sveti. The trio displayed solid onstage communication and unity while taking some rather large transitional leaps. Marko was a whirlwind of tasteful energy behind the kit. Check out the video from their performance.

Isaac Dumont and Elie Bertrand performed as the “Pearl Explosion” portion of the festival. Both Elie and Isaac brought on some progressive heavy hitting and entertaining stick visuals. Check out Isaac’s performance video and Elie’s performance video here.

Marco Minnemann put on an impressive duo performance with human beat-box champion ZeDe. The two built off of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” improvising off of each other and developing the groove. An incredible battle of fills and beats followed and eventually lead to Minnemann playing on the stage, a microphone and pretty much anything in sight. Check out the video of their performance here.

Evans at PASIC 2010

2010-11-23T14:04:00.020-05:00

Evans Drumheads is pleased to announce its success at this year’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention.

PASIC is the world’s largest percussion event, featuring over 120 concerts, clinics, master classes, labs, workshops, panels and presentations and took place from November 10 – 13 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. The program showcases all areas of percussion, including drum set, marching, keyboard, symphonic, world, recreational, education, music technology, and much more.

The Evans booth showcased drum set replicas of setups for Peter Erskine, Jojo Mayer, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez and Jerry Gaskill. Evans also featured various artist clinics and concerts, including performances by Chris Coleman, Thomas Pridgen, Dom Famularo, Marcus Santos, Jeff Queen, and many more.

(More photos here)

Click to watch PASIC 2010 Videos

In addition, Evans debuted the Hybrid-S Marching Snare Head as well as the System Blue Tenor Head. Inspired from the design of the award-winning Hybrid batter series, the Hybrid-S (Hybrid-Soft) Marching Snare Batter features two unique fibers that, when blended together, deliver a soft and sensitive feel with superior snare response desired by the world’s top marching ensembles. The System Blue tenor head was designed in cooperation with the Blue Devils percussion staff, the head is a 2-ply design with 7mil top-ply and 7.5mil bottom. This combination delivers tonal clarity and projection while increasing durability and pitch stability, reducing the need for frequent tuning.

This year marked the arrival of the first ever Puresound Custom Pro Challenge. Contestants were to change a set of Puresound Custom Pro snare wires as fast as they could. Over $2,000 in prizes was given away to various participants and the Custom Pro Champion, Caleb Pickering, won the challenge with a final time of 24.2 seconds!

Visit our Facebook page to see more photos from PASIC 2010.

Chip Ross on Evans Timpani Head Redesign

2010-11-15T10:55:00.010-05:00

Introduction to Evans
About 10 years ago, I heard that Evans had created a timpani head that was designed to be like a tucked calf skin head; with pretension that actually had a tone. I was immediately intrigued and tried one. It sounded incredible. There was a full, long resonance and a very clear pitch right off the bat. I was sold.

A few years later, they began production on what is known as the Strata line. These are a synthetic Mylar head but lightly coated to simulate the darker tone quality of a calfskin head. I immediately liked these and they’re still my preference for Evans products. In fact, my first set of these lasted for 2 years. It was extraordinary that they sounded so good for so long

Product Issues
When I eventually had to change this set I received an order and, upon mounting the first one, I noticed a popping sound as the tension was increasing on the head. This was unusual and something I hadn't experienced before. Even after the head was fully mounted, this sound remained very noticeable every time I'd increase the tension via the pedal. Unfortunately, this symptom became a familiar and consistent sound as I mounted other heads, even of different sizes.

Then another unfortunate ingredient entered the mix; heads started failing. Or in other words, when tension was increased during mounting, the pitch would suddenly drop and the sound became extremely “false.” The head was literally coming out of the tuck. Now there was real cause for concern.

Resolving the Issues
I was impressed and extremely grateful that Evans was immediately ready, willing, and able to jump on these issues. A thorough investigation led to some conclusive results and a complete redesign of the head.

The production team learned that the “popping” sound and subsequent "failing" of the heads was due to a lack of integrity in the glue bed. The hold of the insert ring wasn't as strong as it needed to be, and the pour of the glue wasn't filling up the glue bed cavity completely.

They decided to go with a thinner insert ring (1/16" instead of 1/8"). A thinner, yet just as strong a ring, has less contact with the head in the glue bed, and would also allow for more space in the "crevasse" to be filled by the glue. Also, they've added a perforation at the bottom of the ring which creates a stronger glue hold of the ring itself. And lastly, the insert ring is positioned slightly closer to the outer wall of the "flesh hoop;” also enabling a more durable hold. After this re-build was completed, I was sent a couple of heads to test.

The initial visual inspection was impressive. I mounted the heads and the results were terrific. No pops or crackles, and the sound was beautiful, with a clear and centered pitch. I immediately called production to express how pleased I was.

Behind the Scenes
I've always felt there was an immediate and receptive line of communication with Evans, and I'm really pleased to have such an active and successful relationship with them.
After placing an order, I’d receive heads, look them over and offer my visual perspective before mounting them on the drums. If there was a structural issue that was visible or, if after mounting there were problems, I’d speak with production. They’d then revise and send a replacement right away.

It’s difficult for the average customer to be aware of the workings of the company beyond the end product. I’ve been fortunate to see that, behind the scenes, there's a great team of people at Evans who truly want the product to be at its best. They’ve been patient and have worked very hard to refine the process and address the issues. In addition, the time and money they've invested into revising their timpani head line is extensive.

I'm excited about the future of their products. Those who are purchasing from Evans can be confident they are getting the top of the line.

About the Author:
Charles Ross (Rochester Philharmonic/Eastman School Of Music/Brevard Center)
Influences: Fred Hinger, Gerald Carlyss, Cloyd Duff, David Fein, and Alan Abel
www.esm.rochester.edu/faculty/ross_charles

Maximizing Your Practice Time

2010-07-30T14:14:00.004-04:00

When I was a student at Musicians Institute I practiced anywhere from 5 to 8 hours a day (not counting classes and band rehearsals of course) 5-6 days a week. I was fortunate to have the physical stamina and mental focus to be able to keep such a rigorous practice routine throughout my stay at Musicians Institute. Nowadays I don't have the luxury of that much time to practice. Between my teaching, recording, mixing and occasionally sleeping schedule there simply isn't enough time in the day.

I find this to be a common scenario amongst working musicians and musicians that also hold part-time (or full time) jobs to support themselves. There just simply isn't enough time in the day to fit 4 or 5 hours of practice. That's ok, all is not lost!
Staying Focused
On the flip side what good is having 5, 6, 7 or 8 hours a day to practice if you can't stay focused for the entirety of your routine? Trying to maintain a practice routine after you have lost focus can be very counterproductive. It can also take the enjoyment out of playing your instrument and quite possibly music itself. The good news is that for the most part this is avoidable. Yes, we all have our "off" days but if we take a few moments to analyze our practice routine we can maximize the time we do have (to help maintain focus) and limit how "off" our "off" days are. The first step in achieving this is to simply understand our own limits. Physical and mental.
I see this a lot with my students. Student A has the ability to practice for 6 hours a day while student B loses focus after 2 or 3 hours. Student B then thinks that because he can't practice for as long as Student A that they are, in some way, not going to be able to achieve the same level of mastery of the instrument. While this may seem logical I don't believe that this is always the case. Simply put it's "quality" or "quantity". Now if you have the ability to practice 6 hours (or more) a day and stay focused I say go for it but if you don't it's not the end of the world.
Get Organized!
I find that knowing what, and for how long, I'm going to practice before I even sit behind the kit helps me to stay focused for my entire routine. A lot can be achieved with 1 or 2 hours of focused and consistent daily practice. Conversely much time can be wasted and little gained with 6 hours of unfocused practice. Consistency is the key! 1 hour a day 5 or 6 days a week is much better than 5 hours a day twice a week.
Here's what I recommend trying. Before your next practice session make a list of the things you want to work on (if you're like me that list can be quite large). Next, whittle your list down to the most important areas that you want to focus on. Maybe it's improving your time, learning a new fill concept, bass drum technique and working on 4-way coordination. Now figure out how much time you have in each day (remember consistent daily practice is the key here!) and divide that up between each individual exercise.
If I had only one hour a day to practice those 4 areas of my playing one way I may divide my time up would be:
10min - Bass Drum Technique
20min - Groove Practice
15min - Fill Concepts
15min - 4-way Coordination
That may not sound like much but if you did that every day, 6 days a week, you can really make some progress. The bottom line is that you have to develop a routine that works best for you. It won't just happen overnight but it's definitely worth spending a little brain power on. Once you develop a good routine I guarantee that your drumming will improve and that you'll have a lot more fun too!
Get Organized and be consistent!
Until the next time, keep it loud, proud,and above all make it groove!
Charlie Waymire
www.charliewaymire.com

Drum Circle by Dena Tauriello

2010-07-01T14:37:00.003-04:00

Some people believe that in music, we don’t choose our instrument, rather, the instrument chooses us. It takes much bravado to be a front person & carry a band, or enough self-importance to rip a guitar lead. Then there are drummers. As a rule, they are the consummate team players, getting more gratification from crafting the perfect groove & making a track feel great then executing a solo.It is this selfless, collaborative mindset that allows us to extend a hand to fellow drummers, offering support, advice, recommendations & referrals. We are one big community with no ego, no attitude, or exclusivity.

Thanks to this drummer mindset, I was invited to share in the experience of the New York Drum Club. Don’t be fooled by the formality of the title. This group is simply an assemblage of working drummers – all ages, genders, styles, levels, and accomplishments accepted. Mind you, there are certainly some illustrious and esteemed players in the pack, but you would never know it based upon their treatment of subordinates like myself. I look forward to our monthly lunch gatherings, as I am continually inspired, supported and guided. And I laugh really hard.

These monthly meetings serve as reminders of the greater good:"We are here to serve". Not just the musicians with whom we work or the songs being performed, but the community to which we belong. For you beginners out there – don’t be afraid to reach out to your idols or local professionals for some encouragement or helpful hints.I am confident you will not be disappointed. And to all you pros – continue to remember the selflessness demanded by our profession and the many ways we can give back and inspire. It is perhaps the finest artistry we can offer.

What makes the difference, the drums or the drummer ?

2010-06-02T16:43:00.004-04:00

What Makes the Difference: The Drums or The Drummer?

A great sounding drum set depends on the ability of the drummer, not the quality of the drum set.We have heard different drummers on the same kit,&they always sound different compared to each other, but each drummer sounds like themselves.They have a voice. We have even heard the same drummer on different drums, in different venues, with different bands and again, the drummer is identifiable.

Through years of playing, and listening back to my playing, I have discovered what I like and dislike about my drumming and am constantly striving to close the gap between what I want to sound like and what I actually sound like.A great joy in the art of music is hearing our voice among the layers of sounds created by our bands and instruments.Yet, many drummers seem to lose sight of that joy by distracting their art with concern over excessive comfort.Whether our snare head is perfectly tuned, our bass drum shell is just the right color, there are many small details that we as drummers can become fixated on,making a mountain out of a Molehill,so to speak. And,since the drum set is the most personal instrument in terms set up, sound sources,etc.,it is in our best interest to find our own balance,to be comfortable without losing sight of the music.

For me, I am glad to play on any kit in front of me, if that means I get to play music for a living.That said, striving to feel like myself at any kit has to start at the basics.
Provided the kit and hardware are in workable shape and relatively adjustable, here are my top three requirements:

Throne Height- comfort, fluidity, and balance start here.

Drum Sticks- they are the closest extension of myself and need to feel familiar to get me to my comfort zone quickly.

Drum Heads- on pretty much any class kit, a good, consistent drum head will get me the feel, response, attack, tone, durability and musical quality that can make a new kit feel like home. Drum heads are also the part of the sound I have the most control over. If the drums are out tune, I can fix it. Too loud, I can fix it. Need more thud or punch, I can fix it…with the right drum head. That is why I play Evans.They are part of my sound.

I encourage you drummers to find your sound,and find the confidence to see that your drumming voice is yours alone. Consider your audience, investigate all the possibilities your instrument provides and keep an open mind. Then, just relax, listen,and play.Make a great sound !

Felipe Torres

Small Drum Sizes

2010-05-03T15:11:00.004-04:00

Hey guys, it's a pleasure to write this blog for all of you. Hopefully, you'll find it somewhat entertaining, or at least interesting.

I'm asked often about why I play such small drums. My current set up has a 20" kick, and 10", 13" and 15" toms. I started favoring the smaller sized drums years and years ago, when I would play nothing but basements and rented out VFW halls, rooms that never had a band PA. When I watched the other bands, I never heard the drums cut through the guitars. I figured the larger drums were getting lost in all the thickness of distorted guitars, so maybe smaller drums would play in a different range and have a chance to cut through. For a while, I even used an 8" tom.

As time went on, I got comfortable with my kit set up that way, and saw no reason to change things when mics started showing up on my drums.And as for the kick, a 20" kick just sounds tight.I thought it would give the faster, more intricate stuff a better chance of being more well defined.

In the end, though, it all comes down to taste. I really like the way those sizes sound.But I admit, it didn't hurt when I could fit all that stuff quite easily into my VW Golf ! Maybe that is the real reason and I'm just trying to sound smart now.
• Justin Foley

Physically, Mentally, Sensibility

2010-03-16T09:00:00.004-04:00

You know, when I was growing and up learning to play the drums, the only thing I ever wanted,was to be the drummer in one mega-successful rock band. I had no desire to be a studio musician, jumping around between several artists, or even performing live with multiple bands. As my drumming and musical career developed over the years, I didn't have the fortune to walk into that elusive, mega-huge rock band gig. But then again, I guess, I'm fortunate to have had a long and thankfully ongoing career of playing with many different bands and artists.

So this leads me to a question that I've been asked on several occasions: "How is it different playing with HALFORD, FATES WARNING, SEBASTIAN BACH, RIOT, etc.?"

On the surface, one can say, "How different can it be? All of these bands fall into the category of being Rock/Progressive/Heavy Metal bands." Of course, there are the many different songs that I need to learn for each band. And, of course, when I'm playing with an already established artist/band, I need to learn songs which were previously recorded with another drummer. These songs could range from obscure fan favorites to huge radio hits known by even the casual radio listener. During my early years of learning (pre-recorded) songs, I always paid close attention to the beat patterns and fills and learned how to copy and re-create the parts note-for-note so that I could play them correctly. But "my process and methods that I use when learning, memorizing, and executing these drum parts" is a blog for another day.

What I want to talk about is a realization that was enlightening to me this past summer,as I had to make quick transitions between my working with various artists/bands. I always knew that (beyond the actual drumming itself) I had to adjust my playing and thinking to adapt to the different situations, but I never took the time to define and categorize how I was successfully making this happen. Recently, within a couple of months, I made my way into the studio and doing summer festivals with RIOT, more studio work with HALFORD (visit www.metalgodshop.com/ to watch the 'Winter Songs' Christmas album trailer and purchase music), to my September performance with FATES WARNING at ProgPower X in Atlanta.

With all due respect to these bands and artists, I have discovered that there are 3 elements that encompass my musical drumming approach to each of the artist/bands that I am currently working with. These elements are: Physicality, the Mental Aspect, and Sensibility.

HALFORD

Physically - This is a complete physical (hands AND feet) drumming workout for me. Rob, being the metal icon that he is, has covered the entire spectrum of metal throughout his career with Judas Priest, Fight, and Halford. And with the Halford band, the songs can range from 'Handing Out Bullets' (quick double bass and sticking patterns) to 'She' (ballad with a lighter touch). And for live performances, the Priest stuff is always challenging for me physically because I need to adapt to all the drummer's styles within the 30+ years of JP's career.

Mentally - This can change from song to song. I would say that the Halford "Crucible" songs have always been the most challenging songs to play live. Pretty cerebral stuff !

Sensibility - I need to play the up-tempo stuff with aggression, and also be able to lay back and finesse the songs which have more dynamics. This is also especially true with the Judas Priest and Fight stuff that we play live which ranges from the classic metal drumming of Scott Travis on 'Painkiller' and 'War Of Words', to the Dave Holland 'play all the hi-hat eight notes the same volume'-approach, to the style of the drummers during the 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' era where the vibe is more loose and groovy.

FATES WARNING

Physically - It's interesting - this is the only gig in which I use finger muscles in my hands rather than concentrated wrist muscles. It's a whole different drumming approach for me. I also need to mention that Mark Zonder (who played on most of the Fates stuff we cover live) is a great drummer. Since there is not a lot of quick double bass work (as opposed to other gigs), I find myself sitting a bit higher to focus when executing the many various sticking combinations and linear patterns.

Mentally - This is the hardest gig for me mentally next to my clinic material. I have to be focused 100% of the time. I cannot go on 'auto-pilot' and sit back and play. During our recent performance at ProgPower X, I came down from the kit to share an on-stage toast of Patron Tequila with the other members of FW and the founder of ProgPower. This was toward the end of our set, before playing our last couple of songs. That was a mistake! Believe it or not, with only one shot of tequila and I could definitely tell the difference. My brain was swimming, haa haa!

Sensibility - The music is progressive and involved and I always have to maintain a mature approach to this material.

SEBASTIAN BACH

Note: even though I didn't work with Sebastian this summer, I thought it would be interesting to include my thoughts:

Physically - Technically, this isn't the toughest gig for me, but I definitely play harder on Sebastian gigs than any other gig. I have been fortunate to play with Sebastian in many arenas and outdoor festivals throughout the world and the physicality of playing those huge venues really makes the Sebastian shows rock.

Mentally - The whole mental thing comes down to watching Sebastian at all times. He's all over the stage and and he can change things up at the drop of a hat. It's a true SHOW! And, with Sebastian's spontaneity, I'm always looking for ways to incorporate drumming ideas into those moments.

Sensibility - it's all about the ROCK !

RIOT

Physically - This is where I sort of made my mark as a hard rock/heavy metal/progressive drummer. My first stint with the band was for 10+ years (off-and-on) from '88 to '99. And being that I was developing my craft as a drummer, my drumming matured and evolved somewhat during those years. As I am now doing a reunion with the band, re-learning the material that I recorded 20 years ago is interesting physically because I made things tougher for myself back then, than an I do now. When creating parts for a particular section of music, I have always thought things like, "aggressive heavy low toms on the bridge", "half-time building sixteenths on the ride and hi-hat", etc.. Well, in certain sections, the sticking is a bit awkward (for no good reason) and I wonder why I choose to play things that way ? HAA !

Mentally - Nothing too extreme here. Most of the time, I'm playing parts that I created. I just need to make sure I'm focused when executing some of the more difficult sections.

Sensibility - Similar to learning Judas Priest material when playing live with Halford, I am also playing previously recorded material from the Riot catalog, which dates back to '77. That's 10 years before I joined the band. But unlike the JP material, I tend to modify and modernize the drumming of the older Riot songs. This is sort of a collective decision among the band members to update and 'metalize' the hard rock approach of the older material.
As for the my 10-year stint with the band and the reunion, the vibe is all about where I am as a drummer and my experiences. And even though we had a producer on a couple of the early recordings, I always have free reign to play whatever crazy ideas I come up with.

A final thought: It's very self-satisfying to me as a drummer (and musician) that I can successfully play with a crazy progressive metal band as well as a pop band. And as a musician, I don't think there's anything more important than possessing the ability to understand (and play) very complex music while also having the sensibilities to make the simple music feel good.

Bobby

Not Taking Your Health For Granted, by Lee Kelley. Part 2

2010-01-25T14:19:00.005-05:00

I figured it would be a good idea to give the guy I play with in town, Craig Campbell, www.myspace.com/craigcampbellmusic,a call to let him know what had gone down with the road gig and that I will be back to work in the next few weeks after fully healing. Figured it was wise to take that much time off from this gig since it was a club gig of usually about 3 to 3½ hours of playing with about a 20 minute break in the middle. I didn’t figure I could pull off that long behind the kit with just a couple weeks of healing.

Guess what happened?? Craig had decided to make a change as well, keeping the guy who was subbing for me ! That was actually more of a shocker than the first blow, but I figured my health and how it was affecting my outward treatment of others, was what contributed to this as well.
Ok,…what do I do now?? My health has knocked me out of both my main gigs. Once again, my wife said don’t worry about it, just heal and then get back out and network. That’s what I have always done if something has knocked me back…just pull up the bootstraps and head back at it. This was a bit different of a feeling though.

While the hernia was healing and my mobility was getting better, I still couldn’t shake the problems with my stamina. I was still finding myself winded over the least little things. Having to sit down on the bed after going upstairs just really baffled me, but I figured this would go away over time of healing. I also guessed the weight I had lost from inactivity or loss of appetite would come back on in time.

With reality setting in that I had NO work at this point, other feelings started to seep into my psyche. These were feelings that I normally do not have to deal with as I am a pretty “Up” person, although emotional, as most passionate, artistic people are. These were dark feelings, scared feelings, worried feelings. The kinds of thoughts you have when the carpet you have been walking on comfortably for 20 years of playing has been pulled out from under you.
Then the questions start to come to you:
“What am I going to do?”
“Will I be able to find some more work?”
“Is there more work to be found?”
“How am I going to contribute to my upcoming marriage?”
Those are just a few of the things that began to run through my mind with so much time suddenly on my hands. The scariest question that continued to pass through my mind on an almost daily basis was this…..
“IS IT OVER??”
Are my days of playing drums for a living over?? Let’s be honest, popular music has always been a kind of “Young Man’s Game.” At 40 years old, healing from a surgery and the gigs I had done, this is not an easy thought to keep out of one’s head. More to the point, that thought is SCARY AS HELL. While it is difficult to put into words how dark the thought got, just know that the worst did pass through a couple times.

These thoughts and questions began to send me into a bit of a depression on many days. As I said before, I couldn’t see the forest for the trees and had NO idea how I would walk out of these problems. Denay just stayed by my side in every way possible and then some, reminding me again and again to just enjoy the well needed break from everything and, most importantly, to enjoy our upcoming November wedding and Honeymoon cruise. I tried my best to take her advice and keep focused on all that lay ahead of us. The wedding quickly approached, turning my thoughts more positive as the days passed. Denay continually helped in holding my chin up and suspend my heavy heart to a better place.

We married in the middle of November, surrounded by a gracious bunch of family and friends. The following day we took off for our week long cruise in the Caribbean. All this positive activity in my life with my now wife really pulled me out of the darkness that I had experienced in the past month and a half. I felt GREAT ! Only got winded on one excursion on the honeymoon in which we had to run about 200 to 300 yards through woods. Other than that, my indigestion that had been with me since my early 30s was the only real discomfort I felt.

Denay and I came back home and I began to set my mind to “Getting Back In The Game” the only way I knew how, go back out to start networking and sitting in again. Basically, just letting people know I was looking to get back into playing. This sent me back to square one of playing for a living in Nashville. Not only had I been off the radar for 2 months, I had been off for so long that my formally callused hands were completely smooth. This was the first time for that since before high school when had no place to practice during summers in South Carolina.

Anyway from then though Christmas, I picked up a gig here and there. Got through the first part of December, had two wisdom teeth pulled right before Christmas. Denay and I went to visit my family for the holiday,…all without much of a problem. My weight was still lower that it had been in years, but was stable. The acid reflux I had dealt with for years was still there but seemed to be somewhat under control taking antacids after every meal, or when needed. I was still getting a little winded but it seemed to be improving with time. We came back from Christmas in the Carolinas on December 26th in time for me to have a split double shift in the downtown honky tonks the following day, 2pm-6pm at one club, and later that night from 10pm-2am at another club up the street. Showing her unyielding support, my wife decided to come hang out during these gigs.

I began the afternoon gig feeling positive but a little winded. As I’ve done for years, I just played though any sickly feelings I may have had until, about 2/3rd a way through the gig, I couldn’t fight it and had to excuse myself from the stage. Immediately upon getting in the bathroom, I got violently ill, throwing up black. This went on for about 30 minutes. I eventually gained composure enough to finish the gig, but knew I couldn’t do the second gig. The weakness was overwhelming. Got a sub for the late gig and Denay and I started heading to the truck. Going up the hill from the clubs, I got violently ill once again. Denay said, “That’s it, you are going to the doctor on Monday.” I didn’t argue as I knew I had hit the tipping point of something serious.

We got to Dr. Beckham’s office as soon as possible on Monday. He immediately noticed my weight loss and ran blood tests on me. They found me to be suffering from severe anemia along with a massive loss of blood. He said I was missing about 5 pints of blood, which is about half the blood in the human body, and the fact that I walked in of my own accord, and was sitting up talking to him, was unbelievable ! He admitted me to the hospital at once to get an IV in me to replace the massive amounts of diminished blood while also scheduling an Upper GI Endoscopy (EGD) to find out what was causing the blood loss. I lay in the hospital the rest of the day with the IV feeding me blood, my wife at the bedside the whole time.

Over the previous months, I guess my skin color had very slowly turned very white and sickly looking due to the blood loss. Because my wife and I were with each other almost all the time, we didn’t notice this extreme change. As my blood supply was being replenished, Denay began to notice the rosy color coming back into my hands and my face.

The next morning they took me down and put me under for the EGD. I awoke several hours later to Denay looking very distraught. They had found a bleeding ulcer at the bottom of my esophagus cause by years of acid reflux. That wasn’t the worst news, but, Denay said that it might be CANCEROUS!!!! Yes, she had been informed while I was out that her new husband might have esophageal cancer.

Now, I don’t know what made me feel like this, but I had a feeling of calm come over me. I looked at my wife and said, “It’s not cancerous.” I don’t know why but I just KNEW. She relaxed a little and the Doctor of Gastroenterology, Dr. Lee, was notified that I had come around.

Dr. Lee came in to give us the news. While the ulcer was massive and the cause of the internal bleeding, upon further inspection, the ulcer was NOT cancerous. She told us I would be put on prescriptions of both iron pills to help sustain my blood levels and a double dose of Nexium each day to get the acid reflux under control along with subsiding the ulcer. Denay and I breathed much more at ease knowing this was the cause of my weight loss and stamina problems and that with the correct treatment, everything will be alright. I just laid back and continued enjoying the O-positive cocktail being fed into my veins for the rest of the day until I was released.

Since then I have continued to take the medication advised by my doctors. My stamina problems went away almost at once and my weight is back up and then some, especially with my appetite completely restored. I recently had a follow-up EGD to see how the ulcer is and am happy to report that it is almost non-existant !

On the gig front, I am back in action in a great way. The new artist gig is with a new artist, Jeremy McComb. http://www.jeremymccomb.com/ . It is exciting to play with a younger, newer, more enthusiastic artist on the country music radar.

Also, Craig Campbell www.myspace.com/craigcampbellmusic called me back to play with his band. That was a nice surprise to return to the band that I had spent the better part of the past 3 years. Other work comes in on a weekly basis and things are looking more positive every single day.

Personally, my wife, Denay, and I continue to build our new life together.
Spending as much time together as possible each and everyday. I make sure to thank her on an almost daily basis for understanding what I do for a living and the crazy schedule that comes along with it. I can safely say, if it wasn’t for her love and caring support, I would absolutely not be here to write this article. She literally saved my life….without a doubt.

For years and years, music and playing was the end all, be all, of my existence. Due to the medical problems I went through, my focus has changed for the positive. While I will hopefully always be lucky enough to make my living playing music and experience the joy of creating that music, I want to give as much of myself to my family, and home life as possible, while continuing to work.

In closing, I can give a little advice to those of you who may be going through any type of trouble that may affect your health or your playing status:
First, if you think you may have health issues….pay attention to any warning signs and please get to a doctor and have them addressed. They are there to help you but you HAVE to be the one to walk in and see them.

Second, keep playing fun in your life. If you are in a gig that just makes you miserable, maybe it is time to look for a change somehow. How you change it is up to you but there is no sense in staying in an unpleasant situation. It can only drag you down along with those with who you come in contact. We ALL started playing music because it was fun….Keep it that way.

Finally, remember that those who love and support you come first. I am talking of your family and true friends. These are the people that will be with you through the good times and the tough times.

May you all have more good times than bad times. Good luck and Good Groovin’ !
Thanks,
Lee Kelley
Nashville, TN
www.myspace.com/leekelleyondrums

Not taking your health for granted--Part 1 By Lee Kelley

2009-12-02T14:35:00.007-05:00

When anyone sets out to be a musician, there is one thing that doesn’t really come to the forefront of the thought process…Personal health. Because being a musician is a somewhat taxing physical career and we just barrel through days, weeks and years of gigs, we tend to follow the mentality of “the show must go on.” Think about how many gigs you have played with a cold, flu, a muscle pulled or torn, or even worse. Sometimes your health is as such that the show cannot go on but may have to go on without you. So,what happens when you have spent years playing only to have a health issue come up that is unavoidable and has to be dealt with, even at the cost of having to step away from playing for a bit? This is what happened to me during the back half of 2008.
It all started innocently enough with a day on the lake in early August. In the latter half of the afternoon, we were hanging out with friends from my fiancée, Denay’s,job. We decided to go cliff jumping on one of the islands. Well, I decided to take a jump from the highest point of about 42 feet. Probably not one of the smartest decisions, you know? I jumped,and instead of landing straight in the water(Perpendicular), I landed at a slight angle. This felt like my lower back was slammed against a concrete floor, knocking the wind out of me in the process.
Once I came back to the water’s surface, I knew something was wrong. My back was in very intense pain and my mobility was limited due to that discomfort. I slowly got back to the boat with a little help,and someone pulling me part of the way with their jet ski. Denay and friends helped get me back on the boat and seated, but I knew this was really bad. I got our jet ski back from the friend riding, slowly got it back to the launch, got it on the trailer, towed it back to our house and unhooked the trailer….all while in extreme pain.
I made my way into the house and upstairs to lie down and wait for Denay to get home from where they were parked at the local marina. Every little movement shot pain through my back,and down my legs. I got as comfortable as possible (no easy feat) with 3 pillows to support my lower back. My fiancée got home and had some back and body medicine for me so I took the pills and sat back hoping for my back to have a bit of relief.
That relief did not come in 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours, even with extra medicine. The pain got worse and my body became stiffer, to the point of screaming at almost any movement. With a road trip for two shows with Mark Chesnutt, my main artist gig at the time, coming up the following weekend, I made the choice to call the band leader, Slim Yamaguichi, and try to set up a substitute for those shows dependant on what my doctor’s prognosis was the following day.
I made an appointment with my physician, Dr. Michael Beckham, the next morning to see him that afternoon. He decided it was a severe sprain, put me on some prescription medication and suggested that I sub out the upcoming gigs to let my back get better. With what would have amounted to roughly 42 hours on a bus (just under 2700 miles), setting up, playing a couple of 2 hour shows and tearing down Dr. Beckham strongly advised against my trying to make it. I went home, got in touch with Slim, subbed the gigs out, took some medication and prepared to just rest and let my back heal.
A couple days into this I noticed a strange development. One of my inguinal hernias that I had as an infant looked like it had ruptured. Upon another trip to Dr. Beckham, he pointed me toward Dr. John Boskind to have it examined. Sure enough,
my suspicions were correct. Luckily it wasn’t serious enough to need to be repaired right then. I went back home to rest for another week or so before having to be back on the road. I just had to make sure to not strain myself or lift anything heavy.
After a couple of weeks of working both in town, on the road and my back feeling a little better, my hernia was beginning to irritate me a little more; nothing too painful, just uncomfortable. I decided then it was time to get with Dr. Boskind about getting it put back in place. Scheduling the surgery for a month or so later, I went back to playing and continued to avoid any overly strenuous activity. I also went over this situation with Chesnutt’s band leader to arrange for a substitute in order for me to spend 2 weeks, of the recommended 4, healing from the surgery.
The last run I would make with them started on September 18th, 2008 and went for the next 14 days. In those 14 days, we would travel a total of 6,500 miles and play 6 gigs….2 in Texas, 3 in California and 1 in Washington State. During this run, my discomfort continued and I can safely say between the ridiculous amount of travel with minimal gigs, my growing frustration of working for an organization with no progressive thinking,and with no control over that, along with the pain, discomfort, medication (prescribed, over the counter and extracurricular), it didn’t make me the most pleasant person to be around, to say the least. I was looking forward to getting on with the surgery and healing process and subbed out the next two road gigs over two weeks. I also decided to take a full month off from any in town work that was a regular thing,or that came up.
The operation day came and went without much of a hitch. I then kicked back to let it heal as the pain and discomfort was quite something to deal with. Just going through the days as lightly as possible and taking the medications required by the doctor. I would only take the prescribed medications as directed and no more, trying to wean myself off of them slowly as I realized during this process how easy it would be to become addicted to the pain killers given to me. I did however notice myself getting a bit winded from simple things like walking upstairs in our house. I just figured that was due to the surgery I just went through and expected it to clear up as I healed; more on that later.
The following weekend, my second weekend off the road, Denay decided to do some painting in the kitchen and I was feeling somewhat well enough to try and do some light work. Not only in weight, but we literally had a couple of new lights to replace the old ones outside our front and back entrances. It was a pretty nice day. A warm day in October, but not too hot, I decided to give it a shot since it didn’t seem too strenuous to hang a light or two.
It began all well and good. Got about 2/3rds through the project and got extremely winded and dizzy. I sat down on the patio for a minute thinking it was just momentary, but a cold sweat broke out and Denay insisted I go inside and lie down, as I probably should not have been doing it to begin with. A couple hours later I felt better and finished that one, but figured I better call Chesnutt’s band leader to discuss my stamina concerns.
I called Slim on October 12th to discuss my issues and concerns with him, how I would be coming back on the 18th, but would still need a good bit of help getting my kit up and down. Upon this call, Slim informed me that Chesnutt and his management had decided to make a change,with me being let go. In other words, I am fired while healing from hernia surgery. As I stated before, I was not the easiest person to travel,or play with at this point, so I can’t say I blame them really.
This was, however, quite a shock as anyone can imagine. Luckily for me, my family was amazingly supportive. They have all understood the precarious and bohemian lifestyle of a musician, especially my fiancée. While I couldn’t really see the forest for the trees, so to speak, she immediately believed, without a shadow of a doubt, this change was something that should be taken for great advantage. She was right.
Denay said not to worry and take the actual 4 weeks to heal. After that time, get back to playing my local gigs, slowly get back in the loop for more road work, but most importantly, just look forward to the joy of our upcoming wedding the following month. Sounded great to me.

Part 2 next month....
www.markchesnutt.com

Evans Artist Spotlight:Tommy Igoe-Birdland Big Band

2009-06-15T11:58:00.001-04:00

NAME: Tommy Igoe

AGE: Older than Tony Royster and younger than Yoda.

CURRENT JOB(S): Music Director and leader of the Birdland Big Band. Principal Drummer and conductor of The Lion King on Broadway.

YEARS AT CURRENT POSITION: 12

THE EARLY YEARS: (some information on where you grew up, where you studied, degree(s) earned)
Grew up in Emerson New Jersey. Studied piano and drums.

ONE THING YOU ARE PRACTICING RIGHT NOW IS: One thing? There’s a lot more than one, but I guess I’ve been partial to the Linear Time Playing book lately by Gary Chaffee because it’s always a mentally stimulating challenge.

MY PLAYLIST OF “TOP (5) SONGS” WOULD INCLUDE: this is an impossible task!

Adagio for Strings
Fool in the Rain
West Side Story (all of it)
La Fiesta
Beethoven Piano Sonata

QUICK PRACTICE TIP: Relax, Breathe and videotape

WORST NON-MUSIC RELATED JOB, DESCRIBE: Meat packer at ShopRite during high school. Title says it all…

HOBBIES INCLUDE: cooking, martial arts and lusting after cars I have no business looking at. You know, like late model Lamborghinis. I can’t help myself…

Detailed Answers :WHAT EVENT, PERSON, OR MOMENT HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON YOU AS A MUSICIAN?

I had three educator/mentors who influenced me greatly during what is typically a very influential time in a young man’s life. You know, that period between 14 to 18 years old; those years can set you up for success or disaster. These three mentors, Darryl Bott, Dennis Delucia and my father, Sonny Igoe, showed me the way. By example, their obvious passion for what they did was to become the guiding light for my career. You see, they showed me the most important thing of all: That it is okay to give your all—everything you have— to music. That teaching, playing, writing, performing, all deserve everything you’ve got, every time. In fact, don’t waste your time if you aren’t going to dedicate every ounce of yourself into the art. Because, that’s what it takes to make art worthy of an audience. I thank them often as I go through my musical adventures.

MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE OR TRIP:

I went behind the Iron Curtain in 1983. My first trip overseas and it was to be probably the most amazing. I went to Poland. Not the Poland we all know now, the old Poland. The beaten down and absued by the Soviet system Poland. Everything was grey. Everything. No color. But the people… Joyous! Full of life and energy! We played a concert (The Glenn Miller Band) that contained a lot of WWII era music and they were weeping openly. Men and Women. The music we played was smuggled in during the war. The people there had a connection to the music I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. An emotional connection that formed who they were. I’ll never forgot the feeling, the privilege, of playing for that audience.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF NOT A MUSICIAN,& WHY?

Something with law enforcement. I think there is something inherently honorable about trying to keep people safe and “getting the bad guys”. I know that’s a naïve way to look at law enforcement in our complex world but I can’t help it: I still have a 5-year olds outlook on the matter. Get the bad guy and we win! One can dream…

Additional Media:

http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.PAGE?ActiveID=1142&MediaType=2&MediaId=875

Dave Mattacks Discusses Snare Drum Sounds

2009-05-28T10:56:00.006-04:00

Ask ten drummers what they’re looking for in a snare drum sound & you’ll likely get ten different answers. The usual descriptions often come up "Fat /Big" etc., but when one digs beneath the surface, especially if one has been doing this for a while,those replies can get very detailed. I think that with few exceptions,"Tone" is relatively high on everyone’s agenda & while we (hopefully) all agree that there’s no substitute for a great touch, having a basic handle on not only the ability to tune a drum well but to understand the effect different heads have is important. It’s worth spending a few minutes reading up on the different characteristics.

For me & the snare drum sound I’m after, it’s usually a 300 Opaque on the bottom & a G1 Coated or Power Center Reverse Dot on top. I’m learning that the drum is the thing that makes the different sound ; occasionally I’ll "Amplify" a snare’s tendencies with an appropriate head - for example an EC2 coated or an ST Dry on an (already)dry-sounding snare, but typically I’ll put on the heads listed above. What’s important here is consistency from head-to-head ; if you have two supposedly identical 14” batter heads that simply aren’t ( like some manufacturers) your reference point gets blurred.

It’s also really important to get decent snare wires. I use Puresound and they have a staggering array from which to chose (dry / wet – wide / narrow) so you can take that snare drum further in the direction it’s already headed. And if you haven’t "Got This" already, be very careful how you actually set the wires up. Too close to one side or the other &/or with only the slightest twist [ on the horizontal plane ] & you’re not making the most of your investment !

Finally, to re-iterate, how you strike it is probably more important than anything - & that doesn’t mean “ how hard you can hit it “ either. Good luck !

Phil Rudd-Less Is More (Cliched, but true ! )

2009-04-05T20:31:00.008-04:00

"Less Is More" You've heard that so many times, that it's become a cliche, right ? Well, I have to say that it can't be more true, in my opinion, especially when it comes to "Commercial Drumming"(that is, songs that will make it to rotation on commercial radio.) Legends like Ringo Starr, & Charlie Watts have come to personify this philosophy to most players.However, on the heavier (yet still quite commercially viable) side, the one name that personifies this for me is Phil Rudd (Full name :Phillip Hugh Norman Witschke Rudzevecuis-You try to pronounce it correctly, I can't !) of AC/DC.

I discovered AC/DC in 1979,at the age of 13, & my intense enjoyment & love of this band continues to this day. At that age, I was so "Wide Eyed& Eared" to everything that I was exposed to in that magical year. Having been playing drums for about 3 years at that point, I soaked up everything I heard & saw. While I was fascinated by the complexity, & difficulty of Neal Peart for instance(who wasn't, right ?), I was equally captivated by the "Deceptive Simplicity" of Phil Rudd.

Having been aware of the name AC/DC through advertisements in the music press of the day(Circus/Creem/Hit Parader/Rock Scene magazines,etc), & all important "Word Of Mouth" I had yet to actually hear them. I knew they were just one of many, many "Cool Bands" that it was imperative for me to discover. A guy that I was in my first band with bought(he was 2 years older than I, & had a paper route!) their then new "Highway To Hell" album. He called me one day, & was frantic on the phone saying "Steve, you've GOT TO come over as soon as you can, you MUST hear this band !! " Our next rehearsal was later that week, so as soon as I was dropped off at his house, we raced upstairs to his room, & slapped H.T.H. on his turntable.(yes, glorious vinyl, folks !) Within literally 30 seconds of hearing the title track, I was absolutely transfixed ! While I knew the pattern that Phil was playing was within my grasp, there was something about the feel & the sound that left me slack jawed ! Needless to say, we immediately attempted to add H.T.H. to our very sparse & limited repertoire of songs. Easier said than done ! After attempting about 1/4 of the song, the other two guys(2 guitars, no bass!) stopped the song & said "That doesn't sound like the album, Steve" I was frustrated by that comment, as I knew they were right ! All I could come up w/ as a retort, was "Well, I'll never be as good as that guy !! " 30 years later, that's still quite true !! HAA !

You must take into consideration that this was WAY before the internet, & all that was available was pictures in the aforementoned magazines,etc. So information on things like gear, were very hard to come by. I say that because this was also the time period that I began my almost life-long obsession w/Sonor drums & hardware. The first pic. I saw of Phil's kit was of the beautiful Oak finish "Phonic" kit that he used on the H.T.H. tour. The sizes were 22", 12"13",14"16" F.T. & 18" F.T. I have since found an almost identical kit in the same finish, but w/the sizes 24"(always my preferred B.D. size, by the way) 13",14",16"18" w/ a matching 8" snare ! If I had a 12" tom, it would be almost exact ! (Yes, I have been scouring EBAY to no avail !) One of the things I found peculiar, was the way Phil muffled his rack toms. He had Gaffer tape on each resonant head in a sort of crescent moon shape. While I personally loathe any kind of dampening on toms, I have to say that his drums sounded quite unique to me. I still feel that way when I frequently spin (there's another vinyl reference, folks !) AC/DC's older albums. A great track for Phil's then "Signature" tom sound is "Walk All OVer You" from Highway To Hell. The fills in the intro are just so....PERFECT ! The sound is of course a combination of gear/room/player, & the incredible production talents of Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who would later go on to much success w/Def Leppard, among many,many others. The kit he's using here is what was used on the "Powerage" tour the previous year, & are the same sizes, in the Mahogany finish. The muffling is curiously absent, assuming that it was deemed unnecessary for the video, since no audio was being recorded.

I got to see AC/DC for the first time in 12/81 at N.Y.'s "Madison Square Garden", whilst touring for the "For Those About To Rock...We Salute You" album from the same year. (How I missed the "Back In Black" tour the previous year, I don't know ! And, tickets were a mere $8.00, w/ Ronnie Montrose' "Gamma" opening !!)Naturally, I was glued to Phil the whole show ! The first thing I noticed was "What happened to all his toms? " Phil had removed his 12" & 14" toms, & moved the 13" tom up to the position previously held by the 12". The 16" & 18" F.T.'s were left intact. That configuration stands to this day.

Just how much Phils unique "Feel" was missed is evident on the recordings & tours he was not a part of. Phil left the band just after the recording of the "Flick Of The Switch" album from 1983. I'm still not exactly sure why that transpired. His replacement, Simon Wright(another Evans endorsee, & great guy !) was absolutely the right choice for the band at that time. While there are minor sylistic differences between Phil & Simon, the overall sound of the band was left pretty much intact. The major change in the sound of the band came upon Simon's departuare in 1989.

His replacement was Chris Slade, best known at the time as a member of "The Firm" the partnership between Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) & Paul Rodgers (Bad Co.) in 1985&'86. While I always thought of Chris as a great player, what he brought to AC/DC didn't fit, in my opinion. The commercial success of "The Razors Edge" (1990) & the subsequent document of that tour, "Live" (1992) are undeniable, but the change was too great, to my ears. That is a matter of some debate amongst AC/DC devotees, so I'll leave my opinion at that.

All was right again in 1994, when Phil returned to the fold. 3 more albums, & world tours followed w/"Ballbreaker" (1995), "Stiff Upper Lip" (2000) & the excellent "Black Ice" (2008). I began "Chasing" Phil's long time tech, Dick Jones in 2002, & I didn't let up until things finally fell into place in 2008, & Phil tried Evans Drumheads, & became an endorsee ! Phil & Dick settled on the EQ2 batter for the B.D., clear EC2, & EC Resonant for the toms, EC Reverse Dot, & Hazy 300, & PureSound "Blasters"for the snare. Speaking of the EC Rev. Dot, that was the head that sealed the deal w/Phil. He said : "This head feels no pain". Apparently, longevity of the snare batter during a show has been an ever-present issue in the past. Not anymore !The Gaffer tape on the toms is long gone, but Phil's sound is still his sound, & Evans is there w/him all the way !

A new pair of shoes part 1

2009-04-01T17:20:00.000-04:00

I remember as a kid getting a new pair of shoes. It didn't really matter what brand they were, they just seemed to make me faster. I always think about asking my Dad to time me, to see how long it would take me to run around the house. He was usually there when I got back, and he would tell me that I had topped my old record and it had to be the shoes. It's the same with fresh heads. How many of us feel that our drums are not performing properly after weeks and months of playing without changing the very target of our abuse? Drum heads are plastic and are not meant to last forever. Like sneakers, tires, underwear, toothbrushes, and the comedy of Robin Williams, old drum heads need to be thrown out and replaced. I have the great honor of hosting 20-30 drum tuning nights a year in some of the finest drum shops in the US. It's amazing to me that while the talk about batter heads is fairly well received and nods of approval are quite common, but when the subject of changing resonant heads comes up and i recommend changing resonant tom heads every third time you change the batter, I become Frankenstein's Monster and the villagers are looking for torches and wooden rakes. The fact is, all of your tone is coming from the bottom head. Typically to get a fuller and warmer sound, the bottom head will be tuned higher, to bounce the vibration from the top head back up like a trampoline. The top head being looser will vibrate slower and allow to sound to die out without losing tone. Think of Matt Chamberlain on Edie Brickel's "Mama Help Me". The general feeling is that bottom heads don't get hit, so they don't need to be changed. The bottom head being tighter is vibrating at a higher rate than the batter causing the molecular structure of the plastic to break down, thus leading to a decrease in tone. Think of it as the soles of your shoes going smooth.
New heads mean a new or updated sound and allow for greater tuning range than worn heads. I have found that I have more confidence when I present myself better than normal, this falls into my rule of a shower every Thursday, whether I need it or not.
I have been building drums and tuning professionally for over a decade and dealt with a lot of inconsistencies with heads. I can honestly say that Evans has been a huge step in being able to find a sound and duplicate it consistently. My new pair of shoes is the G Plus. The G Plus is a 12 mil head but still a single ply. I get a very warm tone that holds up for me, better than a regular 10 mil head. Since I am such a huge fan of warm, organic tom sounds, I have started using the coated G Plus on the bottom head as well. I use thin shells. Thinner shells vibrate more than thick shells and have a longer voice. Adding 12 mil heads top and bottom darkens the tone and when combined with a thin shell, lengthens the note. I have looked for a head combination for years and have gotten close with coated G1's, but The G Plus allows me to do this every time. Please take the time to check out the site and find your sound at http://evansdrumheads.com/EvansHome.Page?ActiveID=1194.
I am still that kid with the new shoes. I run around the house every time to try something new to see if I am faster. I feel better and play better with fresh heads. When you make the investment in your gear, you invest in your sound and your skill. This is a new day and there are so many ways to improve your sound with Evans drum heads. Who knows, maybe my dad will time you.
-JRT

My re-introduction to Evans

2009-04-01T11:22:00.007-04:00

My first set of drums was a Mickey Mouse “kit” that my parents bought me when I was about 7 years old. I think they were tired of me hammering on our pots and pans while they listened to their Led Zeppelin and Chicago records. I can still remember the picture of Mickey on the front bass drum head, playing a guitar and dressed up like someone from the Monkees during their heyday in the early 70’s. Man, that makes me feel old…..

Obviously, time passed, the Mickey Mouse drums found their way to the garbage after wearing out, and I joined the school band. I hammered around the percussion section while there, and got my first real kit soon after that. I now clearly remember that at that point I didn’t even realize drum heads could be changed…replaced. That they wore out after awhile.

Fast forward to 1985. While in high school, I was still heavily involved with drumming, from rock bands to musicals, and from community orchestras to drum corps to symphonic wind ensembles. I was also becoming more aware of various drum equipment available, as most drum geeks eventually do. I was using drum heads from another major drum head manufacturer at that time because that was all I knew. That brand of drum heads also seemed to be the only brand that the local music stores stocked.

When I discovered that my favorite drum hero was using Evans, I thought I would give them a try. He was using Evans Hydraulics in red, because his kit was red, so I tried them in blue, since my kit was blue! Why not? I had to special order them from my favorite local music dealer since they didn’t have them in stock, but I eventually got them.

The sound I got was what I expected out of Hydraulics; The deep “thud” that easily characterizes their signature sound due to the light coating of linseed oil between the two plies. I loved them because my drum hero used them. As far as I was concerned, I was now officially COOL because I was using some drum gear that this immortal drum god was using. Surely, I was well on my way to being a superstar too, right?

You see?? Product endorsements DO work!

I discovered, however, that the Hydraulics lost that “sound” fairly quickly. If I remember correctly, I tried blue Hydraulics one more time when a friend of mine got me a new set for my birthday. After some time however, I eventually went back to the drum heads I previously knew and was comfortable with, and kept it that way for awhile.

Although my mother wanted me to be a dentist (or something like that), I eventually went off to college in 1987 as a music business major at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. I remember my parents didn’t really understand what I was going to do with a music degree. In fact, years later, my father admitted to me that, at the time I had made my little announcement that I wanted to major in music in college, he felt he was going to be supporting me for the rest of his life…..however, they supported me in my decision, and off I went.

Fortunately, it didn’t work out that way. I was able to earn a living in the music products business and was eventually hired in 1998 as a district manager for the Yamaha Corporation of America, calling on dealer accounts throughout New England and upstate New York. See, mom? See, dad? I TOLD you I could make a living in the music business!

It was at about this time that I learned another large and respected company within the music products industry, D’Addario, had begun to branch out beyond manufacturing strings, of which the company was best known for. I was interested to discover that the company had purchased Evans, moved it from Dodge City to New York, and was now under full control of manufacturing the heads, along with employing a massive research and development effort to make them better than ever, in terms of consistency and high quality construction processes. As a drummer, this interested me greatly.

In the years prior that had passed (late 80’s to mid 90’s), I had become more aware of the sound I was trying to achieve behind my kit, as all drummers who gain a certain level of experience do. I had tried a number of different types of heads from a few different manufacturers while gigging quite steadily throughout this time period, which gave me ample opportunity to “audition” any heads I wanted to try out. I admit that Evans was, at that time, not on my radar. My previous experience with them while I was in high school made me feel there was perhaps no reason to go back. They weren’t all that heavily promoted within the dealer community at that time either, making the heads difficult to try and discuss with dealers’ sales staff members. Evans was, at least for me at that time, “out of sight, out of mind.”

In early 2001, I was calling on a dealer near Cape Cod. The store owner had just installed a new Evans display full of heads. I needed some new heads at that time, and I felt by looking at the display and the great things I had begun to hear about Evans that I would perhaps get reacquainted to them…a “re-introduction” to these heads, as it were, from the original time I had tried them back in the mid 80’s. Fortunately, this dealer had a percussion specialist who was able to answer all of my questions. After concluding my business with the dealer, I spoke with this staff member at length about what I was looking for in a drum sound. We carefully went through each drum head offering they had on their display, and after quite a bit of discussion, I decided to go with clear G2s for my tom batter heads, clear resonant heads for my tom bottoms (very important!), coated EMADs for my bass drums, and a simple coated G1 for my snare drum. Armed with my new set of heads, I got home and put them on my Yamaha Beech Custom kit that I had had for a couple of years.

I never looked back after that.

The sound and feel I experienced was tremendous. The consistency of each head was, in my opinion, as good as one could expect. I was getting plenty of cut and warmth out of the tom heads (8” to 16”), ample “crack” from the snare, and a sound from the EMAD bass drum heads that has, literally, changed the way that we now think as drummers of achieving our ultimate bass drum sounds. All heads I had tried before offered something, but also left me wanting something. These specific models of Evans heads on my kit left me wanting nothing. I had found what I was looking for.

Fast forward to 2006. After a number of years of working in the industry, I was now given the opportunity to work with D’Addario…that same respected company that was manufacturing those exceptional drum heads that I had been reintroduced to about five years earlier. I took that opportunity and, again, haven’t looked back since. Sometimes, I simply cannot believe how fortunate I have been working in this business. D’Addario simply continues the journey for me.

D’Addario has done amazing things in the world of drum head manufacturing. Without question, the bar has been raised, and, from being on “the inside,” I can tell you the future looks even brighter. I encourage all drummers out there reading this to continue to keep your eye on the future of Evans. We have many more exciting things planned…stay tuned…!

A Chance to See the World

2009-03-30T14:45:00.004-04:00

As I boarded my flight from JFK to Frankfurt last night to attend my 10th Frankfurt Music Messe, I couldn't help but reflect on the international travel I've done over the past 10 years. Compared to many, 10-years of international, or Frankfurt Music Messe attendance is not so much, but for me it is a bit of a milestone.

Over the past 10 years, I've had the chance to visit the following countries (listed somewhat geographically as to not tax my memory too much):

New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, China, South Korean, Japan, Russia, India, U.A.E., U.K., Ireland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay.

I've been slipped a "mickey" in Bangkok, Thailand; abandoned at the airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, and most recently I was in Siberia, Russia in November! I've also seen so many beautiful cities, met fantastic artists, outstanding businessmen, and great people! While the cultures of the world are fascinatingly different, the love and joy of music is universal.

As a young drummer (aspiring to be a percussionist) growing up in the corn field of Central Illinois (Sullivan, Illinois to be specific), I had aspirations of playing professionally and teaching at the university level. And, while that didn't work out as planned after graduating from Millikin University with a music business degree, and Northwestern with a masters in percussion, I couldn't have had a more wonderful and enriching professional life! After working for the Percussive Arts Society and Yamaha Corporation of America, my opportunity to do business internationally started in 1999 when I was at SABIAN. Since then with SABIAN, SKB, and now with D'Addario I continue to travel internationally.

As the wheels touched down last this morning, I couldn't help but reflect. There are more countries I'd love to travel too. What ones have I missed that you'd recommend?

New Evans Products @ Dom Famularo's Studio

2009-03-04T17:37:00.010-05:00

Greetings

On Fri. 2/13 (Friday The 13th. ! Haa !) I ventured out to Port Jefferson, N.Y. to Dom Famularo's residence. As some of you know, Dom now hosts a live, interactive online Master Class, live from the new studio on his property. The studio is essentially an "Out Building" recently erected in his back yard. Inside, it's very roomy, climate controlled, & essentially a drummers dream, as it's filled w/gear, a computer, video monitors, a camera, practice pad set ups, etc. A very comfortable, well lit place to make music!

There, I outfitted the 2 Mapex Orion kits (identical configurations of 10", 12", 14", and 16" toms, 14" snare, and 22" bass) with the newest products that Evans now has to offer. Those include the Onyx tom heads, which are two 7.5 mil plys w/ a matte, satin coating. The Onyx EMAD, which is a single ply 10 mil in the same black film & coating,along w/ the Onyx Resonant (single ply 7 mil w/ a dampening ring, & a 5" off center port) & the EC 1 Reverse Dot, which is a 14 mil single ply w/the EC (Edge Control) ring, & a perforated dot. I mated the Onyx batters w/ clear G1's on the resonant side of the 10" & 12", and the "EC Resonant" on the underside of the 14" and 16".

The EC1 R.D. was mated w/ the trusty Hazy 300 (always my choice) & a set of Puresound Blasters 20 strand snare wires...always my choice as well, for every snare I own (and I own about 20 at this point). There's something about the way the end plates are shaped...bent to bow the wires into the head more...that seems to give more response & tone. It's not a night and day difference compared to the Custom Series, but it's enough to notice, I think.

I was very curious about how the Onyx heads would sound & feel, as I usually utilize the MX White" tenor heads (2 x 7.5 mil plys) as tom batters. Not the norm I know, but anyone who knows me will tell you that I rarely go with what most players deem normal, to say the least !

Since they are both 2- 7.5 mil plys, I thought they'd be very similar, but they're really not. Comparatively, the MX White are more "Warm" in tone, overall, and with less attack. The Onyx had noticeably more brightness compared to the MX White, but not to the point where it was undesirable. However, compared to the G2 or the EC2, the ONYX are noticeably darker sounding. The matte, textured coating makes for an interesting visual, as well. Overall, these are definitely for heavier hitters, but will really work for just about any style short of jazz. After a couple of weeks with the heads, Dom commented that "The black Onyx heads on both drum sets sound fantastic. I was so amazed at the full sound with each tom. My students have been so inspired to play the kits even more than usual. They smile when they play! Again, Evans sets a high standard on innovation!"

Since it's debut, the EC Reverse Dot has been my snare batter of choice and is my absolute favorite designated snare head that I've ever tried, and that Evans has ever made! That being said, the EC1 Reverse Dot is absolutely great! The sound is similar to the EC Reverse Dot, but how it feels is the main difference that I noticed. Just like the EC1 tom batter (single ply, 14 mil) feels different from the EC2 tom batter (2- 7 mil plys), there is the same difference in feel w/ these snare batters. They're a little more firm than a G1 or even the Power Center, but they still feel like single-ply heads should...providing a little more stick rebound and more give than a 2-ply. Compared to most single-ply heads, however, users will be well rewarded w/increased durability and overtone control.

The EMAD Onyx reacted pretty much like the original EMAD, but with a little more punch and a darker sound. It's easy to immediately fall in love with the EMAD, which I did back in 2001, when it debuted. In my (and many other players) opinion, your bass drum will sound like it never did before with the installation of this amazing batter head. I installed the AF (Aramid Fiber) patch as well. It's unrivaled in durability, and adds some "Slap". I usually play in un-miced situations with a wood beater that's been cut down at an angle, so as to maximize the impact by getting the full width of the beater to strike the head. The AF patch has not let me down yet!

I always play with an un-ported resonant head, so it's hard for me to comment definitively on any sonic relevance that the matte coating produces on the Onyx Resonant. To me, it was more of an aesthetic thing. You simply rarely see a matte finish bass drum resonant head, and it just plain looks cool!

There was also a concert snare and a marching snare in the studio, as well. Those were outfitted with a Strata Staccato 1000 and an Orchestral 300 for the concert snare, and the Hybrid batter and the MX5 resonant for the marching snare.

Credit must go to two of Dom's students who were gracious enough to give of their time to help with the stripping & installation of all drums. That would be Jimmy Scott, & Jake Sommers, two seriously talented young players who you will be surely hearing more about in the future! I also must mention the contribution of Rick Drumm (D'Addario President) who helped out with the maintenance of the Orchestral & Marching snares.

So, tune into Dom's master classes to get an idea of what all these heads sound like in a "Real World" application. You are sure to learn something from all the great players that will be participating in these classes.

For the Love of the Music

2009-02-25T14:14:00.001-05:00

For the Love of the Music
D’Addario is fortunate to have a large number of associates in various jobs throughout our company that still play their instruments professionally or for personal enjoyment. Starting with CEO Jim D’Addario (guitar), President Rick Drumm (drums), Fretted/Planet Waves product manager Brian Vance (guitar), Evans product manager Mike Robinson (drums), Rico product manager Robert Polan (oboe), Custom Install manager Robert D’Addario (drums), Rob Cunningham (guitar), VP Sales & Marketing David Via (drums) are but a few of the musicians we have. They have very full time positions and responsibilities that encompass the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of D’Addario strings, Evans drumheads, Rico reeds and Planet Wave accessories yet they still play. First and foremost, they play for the love of the music. Also, because we are still active musically, we keep a deep connection to those performing and teaching the music as well as their equipment needs. We not only have the inner passion to play music, we have the desire to make better products for everyone that shares our passion.

This past year I had the opportunity to play with jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano on a number of occasions. I have attached a YouTube link to a gig we did at the Hollywood Highland Center this past June. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afdj6TuiSlM I also had the opportunity to play the Peaks Jazz Festival with a tremendously talented group of high school musicians in the Crescent Super Band. Here is the links to a couple of the tunes we performed. It was great to see the level of commitment and the love these kids have for the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N6FpemhfT8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpfS8OjOsnM

Whether you play professionally, semi-professionally or just for your own enjoyment, know that we understand your desire and passion. The musicians at D’Addario are committed to continually creating new and better products that help you realize your musical dreams.

In the EARS of the Beholder

2009-02-17T16:48:00.000-05:00

I've been visiting the popular drum forums lately and doing my best to answer questions and give some insight behind the design and function of Evans products. It's always interesting to read about the various experiences people have with products and the perceptions that develop as a result...both the good and bad.

One example that I found really intriguing had to do with our frosted (see through) coating that we use on the coated EC1, EC2, G Plus products, and our EQ1, EQ3, and EQ4 bass heads. Some players find that this coating allows the head to resonate more...that it's thinner than out white coating and therefor damps the head less. Conversely, other reports (specifically those on the drum forums) said that the frosted coating makes the heads sound more focused...that it damps the head more than the white coating does. How could people have such opposite experiences?

The truth of it is that the two coatings are nearly identical. The only difference is that the white version contains Titanium Dioxide...which gives it the "white" appearance. This difference has almost no effect on the sound of the head...you'd need a dog's ears to hear it. The reason we have the two different coatings is for a visual difference. The frost coating on the EC1 and EC2 allow the ring to show through. We received SO MANY positive comments on the look of this coating (nobody else has anything similar) that we decided to apply it to the new G Plus heads.

The irony of this phenomenon is that while many players swear by one coating vs the other...we don't actually offer two identically built products (one with the frosted and one with the white) to make that apples to apples comparison possible. Players are making the comparisons between G1 and G Plus, and G2 and EC2. It's more likely the film thickness difference of the G Plus (12mil vs 10mil) or the addition of an 'Edge Control' ring on the EC2 that causes the difference in sound. Additionally, there are numerous other variables that can affect the sound and feel...not just head selection and coatings. Subtle differences in tuning (i.e. bottom higher or lower than the top) can drastically affect a players perception of sound and feel. See Bob Gatzen's video "Sound and Feel" (below) for more on this.

In the end...how we perceive a product (see, hear, and feel it) is as crucial as how it's designed...if not more important. They can make or break the success of products in the market. Sometimes those perceptions are predictable...and sometimes not. It's understanding these perceptions that makes designing product for musicians so interesting. You can apply as much science to the process as possible (and we do try), but in the end it always comes down to a very personal experience.

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