Gaddabout Posted July 18, 2001 Share Posted July 18, 2001 First, this is for Derek: when you play funk, play funk like you mean it. To paraphrase Herbie Hancock, funk drummers should not play funk like jazz drummers. Stick the bass and crack the snare. Keep it up, though. You've got the goods. It's great to hear the kids play something other than post-punk/industrial. I started playing drums when I was 6, but I didn't have a drum set until I was 15. Up until that time I air-drummed to the radio, playing along with Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, and all the great rock drummers of the late 70s/early 80s. By the time my parents bought me that CB-700 for Christmas, I was surprised to discover I could already play the basics. My high school drum instructor was a Blue Devil snare drummer, so I became heavily obsessed with drum corps. Around that time I went to see a Billy Cobham clinic, and my life was changed. I had never been exposed to jazz or fusion out there in the suburbs. It was a shock to see someone utilizing the same rudiments I was learning. I had divergent drum interests for awhile. I competed quite often in rudimental competitions, but every weekend it seemed like I was exposed to something new and revolutionary on the drum set. I was busy buying up everything Steve Gadd had ever recorded, and Dave Weckl had just hit the scene. There was also this killer funk-fusion group led by John Scofield, and backed by new drumming sensation Dennis Chambers, who had been hiding in P-Funk all those years. It was a great time to be a drummer. After high school I realized I had blown out my wrists from playing so much corps-style, and decided to forego drum corps and focus on a new grip and the drum set. I had never played in a band, and never really wanted to, so I started selling myself as a working drummer. I bought a lot of equipment, worked a lot, and made all of about $20. It was a blast, but it didn't pay the bills in this town, so I gave up and joined the real world. I've taken the last decade off to pursue a journalism career. I'm on better financial ground now, and am again pursuing the drums as something more than a hobby -- in a band, no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 18, 2001 Share Posted July 18, 2001 Not really sure what you're talking about? Unless you're talking about Stick, which isn't a funk song, but only has some funk in it, which is why I mentioned in it's description that it's a mix. The other funk we did was on No Mullets, the intro was funk, but the rest was funk-rock, almost had a Red Hot Chili Peppers feel. Can you clarify what you mean, and what you're playing off of? I didn't think that funk was jazzy at all... Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 24, 2001 Share Posted July 24, 2001 Top... just curious on what your playing off of that I'm not playing funk like I mean it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 24, 2001 Share Posted July 24, 2001 I'm curious as to what prompted this thread too. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/confused.gif When it comes to Funk, the one thing I learned a while back is that it all comes from the Kick...but that's if you want to be a traditionalist. I get the impression Derek is Jamming, giving it his all...looking for ways to push music to a new level, not just copy the past. Either way, I didn't hear anything wrong with his groove and still question the motivation behind this thread. We all need to work on technique, doesn't mean we don't already kick ass http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. Don't worry about it Derek http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 24, 2001 Share Posted July 24, 2001 Oh, one other thing...if you want some advice I've got plenty to give http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif, otherwise I'll just say you jam and can only get better. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Thanks! Any advice is good advice, that I can take into effect, negative or positive. That's why I'm curious about Gaddabouts opinion, I want to know what funk drumming he heard that sounds jazzy. I'm not doing standard funk, with the non stop hi-hat choking (which sounds great though, I'll probably record that type of groove in the future), I'm just kind of putting my own style to it. But maybe a certain part does sound too jazzy, and I might agree and take that in effect for the future. So any opinions or advice are good. Most of the time... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 OK, well then here's my bit of advice from listening to your drumming: I'd like to hear more crack out of your snare...throw some rimshots in there...when a groove is going and you want it to really build sometimes just cracking the rim on 2 and 4 as well as other accents can really give it that extra UMPH. My brother over does this http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif, but it can be very effective, if you've got a fast connection, check out our tune Feelin Good (16 MB) ...the mix isn't great and the drums are WAY busy but it might give you some ideas. A real pro who is the ultimate at using Rimshots in grooves is Bill Bruford...pick up almost any of his CDs and check out his snare work. Maybe this is what made Gaddabout feel like you were playing "soft" or "jazzy" but I dunno, I could definitly feel you and thought his comments kinda uncalled for. P.S. I haven't heard your tunes through a good system, only on computer speakers, that could be tricking my ears in a bad way...I'll try listening at home and see if I hear it differently. Keep jammin, I really love the stuff you guys are playing...oh and I could be wrong...just giving my opinion http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif This message has been edited by Steve LeBlanc on 07-24-2001 at 08:30 PM http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Thanks for the advice! I think I know what you mean, are you meaning when you hit down on the snare and the rim at the same time? (I'm self taught, so the only rimshot I know is the kind where you are exclusively hitting the rim, like the intro to Groove http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ) If the snare/rim combo is what your talking about, I do that sometimes, but I'm scared to death of ending my 5 year drought in breaking sticks. That sound sometimes makes my ears bleed, I am thinking about putting more crack into the snare, I had the snare mic almost right against the head on all other recordings, but I found out that it should be at least a few inches above. So I moved it up, gives a little better of a sound. I'm also going to be getting some Pure Sound EQ 16 strand snares to make the sound a little drier and crackier, and then fatten it up a little with some EQ. I'm on a dial up connection, but I can try to download it sometime soon! Thanks again for the advice! Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Hey, Derek: I am not sure where Gaddabout is coming from either. This post came out of left field. I did not however take his statement as a personal attack on your playing, but rather constructive advice. You know ... picture the kid in a dark bar playing funk and the old wise drummer comes out of the misty smoke sits at the table with the young drummer ... leans over and says ... "when you play funk ... play funk like you mean it!" Get the picture. I hope that is what he meant ... It is totally not cool to step on someone elses playing in harshness. Kinda like casting the first stone ... if you know what I mean Vern! Keep up the good grooves and just drum! DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 I didn't mean to imply Gaddabout was being mean spirited, I just thought his post was strange...I didn't mean to question his intentions. If the snare/rim combo is what your talking about, I do that sometimes, but I'm scared to death of ending my 5 year drought in breaking sticks. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about...what you were thinking of is called Cross Stick I believe. I don't think Rimshots should cause you to break sticks...my brother almost never breaks sticks and he's a pretty hard hitter (I never break sticks). It's mostly in the way you attack the drum...find the sweet spot hitting mostly drumhead and you shouldn't break sticks or be TOO loud. Don't worry about downloading the tune I posted...it's a huge file and not even the best example of what I'm talking about http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif. Anyway...I didn't mean it as a criticism as much as just something you might want to add to your repetoire. I think catching the rim on accents when done right does wonders for the pocket and I've seen a lot of great drummers do it. Bart or DJ could probably give you better advice when it comes to Rimshots. But like DJ said...just drum. P.S. I'm just curious...what size sticks do you use? 5B? If you're using anything smaller (like 5A) then I can understand your fear of breaking sticks a little more http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gifhehe This message has been edited by Steve LeBlanc on 07-25-2001 at 12:48 AM http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Yeah, I've just always considered cross sticking as meaning the same as cross over. I've always called them rimshots, because I've seen alot of people call it that, so I'm lost there. But yeah, I'm playing 5As and 5ABs mostly. I'm afraid with those 5As that I'm gonna snap them. Plus, I'm not to big on the sound of 'rimshots' because they about make my ears bleed. I already have the snares cranked so it gives a loud tinny sounding snap, then when you add in rimshots, it's fatal. I just basically stick to ghost notes for accenting, rimshots really kill the sticks. But I will try it to see how it sounds if I get somehow get a better sound around it. Thanks again! Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 That's cool...just do what sounds good to you...music is all about individuality. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Hey, Derek: I have a habit (that most people that I play for seem to really like) of playing a "gock" with every snare hit. This is a "Drum Corps" term, but applies to any form of playing. What is it? A process of stricking the drum head and the rim at precisely the same time. Your stick catches the rim with the "shank" of the stick (about 4 or 5 inches from the tip). This allows a nice "pop" when you are playing the backbeat. Hope this helps you! Thanks. DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 That's what I meant DJ! I don't know the technical terms...I was in Marching band and we had a great line but can't remember calling it a "gock," we just had different variations of Rimshots. heh, what the hell am I doing trying to give drum advice? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif...Damnit Jim! I'm a keyboard player! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Yeah, I've never heard it called a gock either, but I'm not a technical name person, so I don't really know names of half of the stuff I play. Rimshots are what I'm thinking of, right? Like on Groove's intro, where it's just hitting the rim while resting the stick on the snare head? I got that term from hearing other people call them rimshots, and from the Carter Beauford instructional video. I need to start learning names of the stuff I play... Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted July 27, 2001 Author Share Posted July 27, 2001 Dang, I completely forgot I started this thread! I think I meant to post it as a reply, and I didn't mean for it to sound like it did. Sorry Derek! You guys pretty much covered what I meant. When I listened to Derek play, the time and feel was very good, I just wanted to hear that snap on the snare -- just wanted to hear more authority in general. Maybe it's just a preference of mine, I dunno. Take it for whatever it's worth. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekDrums Posted July 27, 2001 Share Posted July 27, 2001 Ok, thanks! I knew it wasn't a personal attack, I was just curious what you meant by jazzy, I might consider the glocks during stuff to get it up there a little more, but we won't be doing funk for a while longer, we have a few blues and reggae songs planned, and a smooth jazz song, then probably some funk and progressive rock and fusion and things. Thanks again for the advice for everyone! Derek http://www.mp3.com/DustinDerek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachonene Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 i downloaded the song steve(yea i have dsl) and is greeeaaaat!!!!!awsome shit man!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 31, 2001 Share Posted July 31, 2001 Cool, thanks Tachonene! We jammed that live on New Year's day (I think, it might have been the weekend after), recorded almost flat through an old cheap 12 channel board direct to CD. I did a little mastering (and added too much reverb http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif) using Soundforge. I'm glad you liked it...FYI the bass player and guitarist are both 18 YEARS OLD! Ahhh, youth http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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