Slipknot’s Joey Jordison Now Touring with Rob Zombie
It was announced this month that Tommy Clufetos has been replaced by Slipknot member Joey Jordison as Rob Zombie’s new touring drummer. Joey has signed on to do a handful of 2010 dates/tours with Zombie including the “Gruesome Twosome” tour with Alice Cooper, and the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival with Korn. Thus far, no word has been given on the reason for the switch, or whether its permanent. ClickHERE for a full article on the matter.
Tommy Clufetos has been the touring drummer for Rob Zombie for several years, and has been featured on a few Zombie records including Educated Horses, Zombie Live, and Hellbilly Delux 2. Tommy has also played with legendary guitarist Ted Nugent (and was featured on his Full Bluntal Nugety DVD, Craveman, and Love Grenade records) and Alice Cooper (with whom he recorded the record Dirty Diamonds.) Tommy is an awesome drummer, and a showman himself. He inspires energy and intensity with his signature hand raise before every backbeat. He’s a solid, hard hitting drummer, and was an amazing part of the live Zombie foundation. Click HERE to be linked to Tommy’s website to learn more about him. Now enjoy a couple of videos of Tommy doing his thing!
The Different Types of Beaters and Their Applications
There are about a million different types of bass drum beaters out there. They come in just about every color, shape, and composition you can imagine. There are a few standard materials that the vast majority of beaters are made out of, so let’s explore the options, and take a look at the differences between them.
The most common materials used to make bass drum beaters are hardened rubber/hard plastic, felt, and wood. Other materials you may see include acrylic, foam rubber, metal, and even skateboard wheels. The type of beater I use depends on the style of music I am playing. Most of my gigs are in either the pop/alternative rock, or singer songwriter vein, so I find that hard rubber, and hard felt cover just about everything I do.
The type of beater you use (in my opinion) is determined by the amount of attack you want out of your kick drum. The harder the beater, the more attack you will get, the softer the beater, the less attack and more tone you will get. Other factors such as shape, and weight will also affect the sound, so below I have listed different types of beaters, and their features.
Hard Rubber/Plastic
Hard rubber/Plastic (I grouped these together as they are very similar) is, from what I have observed, one of the most widely used beater types. This is my favorite beater type, as it gives me an excellent balance between attack and tone. For the majority of the music I play, I like to achieve a lot of attack, and enough low end to punch through the mix, and this gives me just that. Most plastic beaters are two sided (or more) and also have a hard/pressed felt side to give the player multiple options. I will cover multiple sided beaters separately later in the post.
Felt
Felt beaters are also extremely popular, and will also give the player a decent amount of attack versus tone. For this category I will only cover hard/pressed felt, and cover all of the softer, more fluffy beaters later. This beater will give you a nice resonance with a more delicate slap. I use the felt side of my beater for softer singer songwriter stuff, or more folky music in general to give the kick drum a nice presence, but not an overpowering boom. It allows me to be more subtle, when the drums are not supposed to be up front. These beaters are also great for jazz, and country.
Wood
Wood is a less popular, but still widely acknowledged beater material. I have not had much experience playing wood beaters, but I know that they give you a huge sound, with lots of attack. They are heavy, and allow the player to kick extremely hard, while the hard wood surface gives you that powerful “slap” that most rock/metal drummers love.
Multiple Sided
These beaters are available in many different combinations, and made by many different companies. They are great for the player who needs many options available to them, because they save having to buy, and change out multiple beaters for every gig. The most common multiple sided beater is the aforementioned two sided hard plastic/felt beater. Lets focus on some less common options. Mapex makes a great three sided beater consisting of wood, plastic, and felt. This gives you the best of every world, and allows you to cover most styles of music with one beater. Pearl makes a 4 sided beater that is similar to the two sided felt/plastic beater, but also gives you a curved, and flat side for each. The curvature of the pedal surface also makes a difference in the sound.
Longhaired/Fluffy
Longhaired beaters can give you an amazing sound in the right situation. They are fantastic for jazz, and when paired with a properly tuned 18″ or 20″ kick drum, can give you that ideal “bump” you need for swing. They obviously give you almost no attack, and all tone, so tuning is especially important here. These beaters can make a great bass drum sound phenomenal, and sing the way its supposed to. They are also essential for cajon playing (if you play with an internal or external pedal) as they will not damage the plate, and give you a nice “thud.” One company that has some cool options for these beaters is Danmar (linked HERE) They also make great wood, and decorative beaters, so definitely go check out their site.
Everything Else
There are a few other options for bass drum beaters that are predominantly decorative. These beaters are mainly just for looking good, so sound can be secondary here. I’m sure that they will still give you a decent sound, as most of them are made from acrylic, metal, or foam, and will be similar to plastic, or felt. Once again Danmar Percussion makes some awesome decorative beaters, so look to them if this is your thing.
So which stick is better, wood tip or nylon tip? I recently realized that I had never honestly asked myself this question. I used to be an avid, and devout wood tip user. I had simply never wandered into the nylon tip realm, and was fine with that. My Vater 5B Wood Tips have always worked for me, and given me a great sound, so I never considered that nylon tip could be any better. Of course, as with any other product, it comes down to personal preference. People are going to play what they are comfortable playing, but this is not to say that one can’t explore the benefits of both, and make them interchangeable.
I recently booked a session, and in the conversation I was having with the producer, he requested that I bring a few pairs of nylon tip sticks. when I asked why, he said he likes the way they record better than wood tips for certain things. I went out, and purchased a few pairs of Vater 5B Nylon tips, not thinking it would make a big difference in the sound or feel of the recording. I was shocked at the difference I noticed. The stick definition was outstanding, and consistency between strokes was very easily achievable. Below I have listed a few differences between the two stick types, and a few application recommendations I have come up with over the course of using both of them for various situations.
Wood Tip
Wood tips tend to be more delicate than nylon. They give you a much warmer, and more earthy tone making them great for jazz, singer songwriter stuff, or anything else you don’t need the punch of a loud backbeat and cutting ride for. They can definitely darken up your sound for anything you want to add a more dirty, gritty vibe to. Some complaints of wood tips is that they are much more fragile than nylon. It can be annoying when tiny pieces of the tip break off, completely deadening that part of the stick. This can definitely effect your sound, and create inconsistencies between strokes. This is not to say they aren’t great for loud, heavy playing, but you will go through them much faster than nylon. If you play wood tips, try exploring the different types of wood available out there. Most sticks are available in either Hickory, and Maple woods, but other woods such as Japanese Oak, and Rosewood are used as well. Each one of these woods has a different weight, and balance structure, and will give you an entirely different sound, so explore them and see what works for you.
Nylon Tip
Nylon tips, above all, are durable. They last extremely long, which makes them great for touring, especially if your not endorsed. The tips have been known to break off, but they will not gradually chip away like a wood tip. They give you a much brighter, more tinny sound making them great for any type of rock, pop, or metal drumming. Some complaints of nylons is that they leave marks on your cymbals, and even break cymbals faster than wood tips. Some also say that they dent, and wear out heads faster (I tend to believe that this is more a result of how you hit the drum) ultimately costing you more money. Also now in the nylon tip family is the entirely synthetic drumstick. Drum stick company Ahead, has released a synthetic drumstick with a plastic tip. They are geared toward metal drumming, but having never played them, I can’t comment on them.
A Few Great Groove Demonstrations From Musician Benny Greb
This is just a video of drummer Benny Greb laying down some awesome grooves in his studio. Notice the different combinations of snare, and bass drum tones he uses together, and the kind of feel he puts into his grooves. Enjoy!
A Few Options For Preserving Your Most Precious Asset
There is no doubt that acoustic drums are extremely loud. If you want to have any kind of longevity as a musician, you absolutely need to protect your hearing. Fortunately there are many options for doing just that these days. Earplugs have evolved over time, and now come in a variety of different shapes, colors, and styles. I have listed a few of those below.
Standard Foam
Foam earplugs are probably the most tried and true of all of the models of earplugs that are available out there. They provide more than sufficient hearing protection in most musical situations. I keep a huge bag of these with me at all times, no matter what I am doing. You can get some huge boxes of these at Home Depot if your in the market for an economy pack.
Plastic with Hole
This style of plug can be great for certain things due to the level of noise that they let in. They come hollowed out in the middle, thereby only blocking a portion of the sound. This can be good for really quiet playing, or on gigs where you need to be extra conscious of dynamics.
Attached Plastic/Foam
This is just a standard set of plastic or foam plugs that is attached by a cord. It’s the same level of hearing protection, but much easier to keep track of.
Vic Firth Cans
These come either with the headphone option, or without. The headphones can be great for recording, as they block just the right amount of sound when in the studio, and are comfortable enough to wear for long sessions. These cans are fairly inexpensive, and durable, making them a solid investment for any drummer.
Custom Plugs/Monitors
If you have the money, this is the best way to protect your hearing. There are a few companies that make custom molded ear plugs, and in ear monitors. I purchased my in ears from a company called In Ear Systems. I have taken them on the road, and regularly use them for multiple artists I trigger backing tracks for, and they have always worked great for me. Their in ears come with a detachable cable feature, so you only have to buy a new cable if yours breaks, and not a whole new set of monitors. I have linked their site HEREso go check them out if you are in the market.
I recently discovered this drummer while watching R&B artist Maxwell’s performance on the Grammy’s. I first noticed the unusually dry, trashy tones he was using, and then got one glance of his setup, and had to find out who he was. As it turns out, Chris “Daddy” Dave has played and recorded with other big name artists such as Kenny Garrett, Dolly Parton, Pat Metheny, Me’shell N’Degeocello, TLC, Toni Braxton, Mos Def, Common, Maxwell, Talib Kweli, Jill Scott, Mint Condition (Janet Jackson World Tour), Yolanda Adams, Robert Hurst Trio, Donald Brown Trio, Soulful Symphony and Reginald Veal, and many others.
The only thing that compares to the uniqueness of this guys tone and playing style, is his setup. As far as I can tell the largest kit this guy uses is only 3 or 4 peices. He will use either 1 or 2 snare drums, and sometimes one tom. His drums are placed in a rather uncommon pattern around him, leaving room for all of his cymbals to be right in front of him. The only way to truly understand his playing is to see him in action so below I have placed a few videos and pictures of this innovative drummer. FollowTHIS LINK to visit Chris’ myspace if you want to learn more about him. Hope you enjoy!
Chris Playing with Maxwell at the 2010 Grammy’s
Chris with the Chris Dave Trio Playing “Nefertiti” at Charlie Wrights in London
There is no better method of exploring snare tones, than by simply being forced to get certain sounds of the drums you have on hand in a studio situation. It can be frustrating at times when you know what sound you want to achieve, but just don’t know how to get there. I have personally been into really big, floppy, fat snare tones recently. For some reason my taste has gravitated toward that sound in the past few months, and I am constantly exploring different ways of getting there. I have done a couple of posts on a vintage Ludwig marching snare that I picked up a while ago in a music shop. I had no idea how it would perform in a studio environment, or how it would sound under a mic. I recently tracked it on the new Julie the Band EP (coming out in the next month sometime) and was ecstatic with the results. This drum sounded HUGE, and had tons of body with a graceful, smooth low end, and lots of attack. I unfortunately don’t have the recording of it quite yet, but I want to give you an idea of how I achieved this sound.
I obviously used a few muffling techniques to get there. Below, I have listed a few of those techniques, plus some others that I know of, and have used before.
1) Putting a Piece of Tape on the Head:
I know you have probably heard of this or tried it many times, but I do something a little differently. I always make sure that the tape strip is touching both the head, and the rim of the drum. I find that securing the tape to the rim kills much more vibration that simply laying the tape flat on the head
2) Taping a Wrapped Quarter to the Rim
I recently learned this from a sound engineer that I recorded with. For this, you will need a strip of duct tape (which by the way I use for all of my muffling, as it sticks securely to the head) and a quarter. You first take the quarter and lay it on one end of the tape. You then wrap it once or twice so it is completely encased in tape, and smooth on both sides. Tape the quarter to the rim right on the edge so its not stuck to the head, but left free to bounce. The quarter only bounces on loud beats leaving them big and open, and making your ghost notes more tight and defined.
3) Start Taping Stuff to the Head
This is when you want those truly fat, huge sounding snare tones. In my opinion cardboard is the best thing you can tape to the head to deaden the sound. I take a small piece of cardboard and fold it, and then cover it completely in tape to make sure its secure. I usually place it at the top of the head so that I don’t hit it, but many drummers put it right in the center, and cover almost the whole drum with it. People also tape other object to the head such as wallets, and tissue paper. Below I have put a pic of my version of this, and one of renowned session musician Joey Waronker using this same technique.
Demonstration and Explanation of 6 Stroke Roll Possibilities
The 6 stroke roll is probably my favorite rudiment of all time, next to the single paradiddle. I like it not only for it’s awesome hand development/control properties, but also for it’s easy drum set application. It’s widely known that applying rudiments to the drum kit is a great method for developing creative groove and fill ideas, but some rudiments lend themselves to the kit better than others. Before I go any further, I have provided a written version of the sticking below.
I specifically like this rudiment for it’s various accent, and phrasing possibilities. You can add or take away various accents to create different ideas, and you can phrase the 6 notes as different note values over the same tempo to create changes in feel. If you gain control over these variations, you will eventually get to a point where you can mix and match them, while moving them around the kit to create endless solo and fill possibilities. I have provided a short video below demonstrating some of these concepts on a pad to give you an idea of what I am talking about. Sometime in the near future, I will do another post on this rudiment, but will demonstrate all of the ideas on a kit. Hope you enjoy!
28 Year Old Avenged Sevenfold Drummer James “The Reverend” Sullivan Found Dead
RIP The Rev
As many of you may know, Avenged Sevenfold drummer James “The Reverend” Sullivan died recently at only 28 years of age. He was reportedly found dead in his home, and so far it has been stated that he died of natural causes.
James was a fantastic drummer, and was one of the top modern metal drumming icons. This is an extremely sad occurrence, as The Rev undoubtedly had a very long musical career ahead of him. Not much info has been released about his death, but I did find some Artisan News (linked here–>) YouTube press coverage that sums up this series of events pretty well. Below I have included a few various videos of The Rev in action, to give you an idea of how great he was.
All the Pieces of My Personal Cajon Setup Revealed, and Broken Down
I recently received an inquiry about my personal cajon setup. I was asked to explain all of the pieces of my “cajon kit,” so this post will address exactly that. I must apologize for not being more prompt about this post, the last few days were unexpectedly crazy!
In the last few months, I have had to expand my cajon setup to accommodate new artists, and some bigger venues. It’s been a blast for me to tinker around with new, interesting pieces, and come up with some rather unconventional parts in order to replicate recorded sounds. Below I will take you through each piece, and tell you what exactly I use it for.
Bird’s Eye View of my (Mostly) Complete Cajon Setup
This is, for the most part, my whole cajon kit. It includes:
Meinl Cajon
Rhythm Tech Mountable Tambourine
LP Egg Shaker
Zildjian 20″ K Constantinople Flat Ride with “Poor Man’s Sizzle” (For more info on this please refer to this post)
Throne
LP Softshake
Vic Firth Brushes
Regal Tip Wood Handle Blast Sticks (With Plastic Rods)
1)Meinl Cajon
This is the centerpiece of the whole kit. This is my bass drum and snare drum tones, and throne.
2)Rhythm Tech Mountable Tambourine
This tambourine stays under my left foot on my cajon kit. I add it to certain sections of songs (usually choruses and sometimes bridges) to lift the dynamic feel of that section. It’s pivotal in separating quiet parts from loud parts, and can really bring emphasis to sections that need it. I treat it much like bouncing a hi-hat, as I typically add it only under the backbeat, or keep a quarter, or 8th note pulse with it through an entire section.
3)LP Egg Shaker
I have found a fairly unconventional way of adding an extra shaker part to certain sections, and that is by rolling an LP Egg back and forth on the ground under my right foot. I like the dynamic response and feel of an egg shaker for this purpose. I feel it brings up the volume and textural thickness of the groove just enough in most cases; however, any shaker will do as long as it’s round and sturdy enough to sustain the weight and movement of your foot on top of it. Again, I usually bring this in to add an extra texture where needed in a tune. It’s much more subtle than adding a tambourine, and can help you delicately separate certain parts from others. The result I get from this can also be achieved with the (linked here ->) Meinl Foot Cabasa which is a foot shaker of sorts.
4)Zildjian 20″ K Constantinople Flat Ride with “Poor Man’s Sizzle”
This is the newest addition to my kit. I added it to achieve the release I would normally get from a crash cymbal on a full drum set. I knew a crash would be to loud and obnoxious among all of these delicate textures, so I chose to use my 20″ flat ride which is extremely dry, and increase it’s sustain by adding my own sizzle. This gives me the perfect release at the end of sections.
These are my time keepers. These are the tools that I use to simulate my hi-hat, and ride cymbal tones (besides my throne which is just my table for everything) For the most part I use a brush in my right hand, and leave my left hand bare. I will play the front of the cajon with a brush much like I would play my hi-hats on a full kit, but I will often bring out kick drum accents with the brush as well. I leave my left hand bare to get the proper attack for a backbeat, and to help with certain bass drum accents. I will sometimes use brushes in both hands for train grooves, or any tunes with a driving 16th note feel. I use the LP Softshake for choruses, or parts of songs that I want to be the biggest. In this case I will use the shaker in my right hand, and leave my left hand bare. I only use the regal tip blast sticks when I want a different kind of attack for my backbeat or hi-hat tone.
There are a few other items I sometimes use that are not pictured here. I will occasionally put a cowbell right next to my cajon on the left side, and use that as my backbeat for tunes with a reggae, or island feel. I also use various other time keepers in my right hand such as a nut shell shaker, or a cabasa.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my personal cajon setup, and that you got some ideas to use for yourself. Please let me know of any cajon concepts that you come up with. I love incorporating new things into my setup, and learning about what others use in their playing! Below I have included a few videos of me playing cajon on various gigs, so you can see all of these tools in action. Thanks, and please let me know what you think by clicking on this post title, and commenting below it.
