Drum Sticks on Turkey Day

In honor of Turkey Day, eat a lot of drum sticks! Besides, the Turkey gave his life for this joke, it is the least we can do.

Double Bass Drumming with no Drumset?

You can always spot a drummer or a metal enthusiast while you are driving in the car. Not the guy pretending to be Neal Peart to the same Tom Sawyer song doing the fills, but the guy with the double finger tapping on the steering wheel. So it is safe to say double bass drumming can find it self in side of nature as well. It is just notes in the long run. But you do need two of something to tango. I often find my brain when playing on smaller kits trying to find the 2nd bass drum. We train ourselves to think in certain ways, play in certain ways, but we don't always need a Drum Set to do this. Double Bass Drumming can sneak its way into your key board while you are at work. Hence my password, it is a double bass drum beat that most people cannot do while watching me do it. Great password, except if another drummer watches you do it. Hilarious. Why else would they make cruise control on a car? So you can practice your double bass on long rides. Waiting at a restaurant after ordering is a perfect time to sharpen your skills. If you are a musician, you shouldn't care what people think and do whatever it takes to hone your craft. Larry Bird brought a basket ball with him everywhere he went, I bring my mental double bass drums with me everywhere I go. Try to find the double bass drum in everything in life. It is waiting for you!

Okay I am, back to talk about double bass drumming.

So it seems that the internet can keep the dream alive even when you cannot. I hadn't posted anything on here in a long time and it is still generating traffic. Thank you internet and everyone who continues to read my old information. New stuff to come, thank you for watching, stay tuned!

Drumming

I like to Drum, I will need to continue the blog again now that I have a job. Welcome to a musicians world, $$$ = I can play my drums! Wahoo. This is one of the most unintelligible posts I have ever had. But it is a reality for this double bass drummer.

Feet-a-diddle VS. Para diddle

So what the heck is the difference between a feet-a-diddle and a para diddle, well seeming how RLRR and LRLL are still directions it is technically still a para diddle. Why do these help with your feet though? I understand independence, the more things you can do with your feet the more your beets you can play naturally. One thing that I found, is I get a different sound when I do a RLRR pattern instead of going RLRL with my feet, doing a double pattern with your lead foot may be more consistent then ending on your weaker foot. So in an instrument such as double bass and drums, where anything goes if it is sound that can be recorded on time, why the heck not. Also if you do double taps, you don't always have to do a clean para diddle, but just end a double tap, so RL RR with the RR being a double tap. The double tap can be done with a heel toe method or just a double tap. Don't know what the exact name for it is but I call it when a punk drummer is trying to sound fast on single bass. Lotta double tapping going on. So try it out, don't just continue to think that playing everything RLRLRL is going to get you through the world. I learned the hard way, I bought a drum book that had some double bass in it, I spent about 1 minute looking through it and it reminded me to try stuff with different feet patterns. The only way you will ever find out what it does, is by actually doing it. So don't be lazy, grab the metronome and practice your diddles, but also different alternating sticking and footing patterns for double bass.

Best kind of practice?

What is the best kind of practice? There are so many different ways that you can practice the drums, and all apply to double bass drumming. Then again you can spend the next 50 years on something and still never completely master everything. It seems to me that practicing the basics are always essential, but then again, Ill take luck over skill any day. It is not uncommon for certain people to have better body and muscle structure than others which cause an unfair advantage in different areas. (unfair because I am neither short nor tall, average can be annoying at times:)) Anything can be learned by muscle memory but as in much of life, certain things come more naturally to other people. Nothing has ever come natural for me with drums,so crossing whatever works with basics, how can you go wrong? Double bass is basically opening up your feet to play like your hands do, so you can accomplish several beats and combinations you never would have been able to. Practicing off the set is good, but real life practice is the best? Cannot really say, what works for you? I often believe that some people are just more gifted, Neil Peart from Rush was self taught, Buddy Rich said he never practiced, he just played, so it seems that words are the biggest constraint. Do what works and call it what you want, as long as you are having fun and achieve what you are trying to than it doesn't matter. Double bass must be practiced to sound good and tight, I am still very sloppy with certain patterns and have spent a significant amount of time trying to perfect. If the basics were done right I shouldn't have that problem, so practice can make you worse, so don't practice the wrong things over and over again. Ha ha! Coming from experience, make sure your pedals operate the same, if not you can be slowly building up the wrong muscles to fail you.

Greatest Drum Cartoon Ever!

I don't usually just have other people's content on my blog, but for the sake of a laugh, this one has double bass and everything. I found it while drumming through Google.

http://www.cartoonsforum.com/ Check them out, its not mine.

The worlds newest bass drum technique! Right here...

I am so AMAZED and TIRED of seeing the heel toe method to be considered a new technique, it is one of the lesser known, but it is not anything new. Pretty positive one of the few drummers that actually uses it in mainstream is Lamb of God's drummer Chris Adler. For those of you who don't know, or who didn't shell out too much money to find out for themselves, the heel toe technique is finally starting to surface as a quick way to get better. Practice the right way will make you perfect.SO, you put your toe on the bass drum pedal, and drop your heal...that is where you get the first hit, then you bring your heel back up and keep your toe into the pedal, that is where you get your second hit. SO, heel down and back up, the longer the foot board, the easier it will be. This one must be practiced a lot to be clean sounding. There are several systems out there if you Google them, that will train you how to do it. You really just need to learn all the basic rudiments again to be able to utilize it. It also really really helps, which not too many of the lessons will tell you, to put a little piece of wood like about a third of an inch tall under the back leg of your drum stool. This makes the function feel much more fluid, and it also shifts your hips forward a little bit. It is not a new technique, it is an old one that has been used for several years but a few guys got smart and started selling the technique. It is an old, but practical way to add style, comfort and different dynamics to your drumming. For a good demonstration Joe Stronsick has some videos that take it outside of just playing really fast. This is not a plug, I did buy the system, but the videos on his site simply show what directions you could go with it. Ballistic Drumming Technique.

E-Interview-Ryan Haugh Drummer from "Burn the Ruin"

This E-Interview is a bit longer than my normal ones, but Mr. Haugh had a bit more to say. Check them out on Myspace, Burn the Ruin from Santa Rosa, bringing some faith into the Hardcore scene. There is plenty of death and metal core in Sonoma County but not many Christian metal bands. Ryan Haugh, the drummer and one of the creators of the band Burn The Ruin, was nice enough to take a few moments out of self promotion, practice, recording, and whats that called, the life of a up and coming musician. You can also follow them on Facebook Profile:Burn The Ruin and Twitter@BURNTHERUIN

DP-How long have you been playing drums, how long for double bass.

RH-I've been playing drums for 7 years give or take some breaks in the early stages haha. Started double bass between 5 and 6 years on and off.


DP-What do you do for endurance in double bass? what would you say is a typical practice regiment for your drumming consists of?

RH- Well when I have time or what I've done in the past at least is I have those sand weights you use for leg lifts and just strap em' on and do single note patterns for a couple minutes and then rest, then go at it again. Biking on a regular basis has helped my legs from giving out too quick too oddly enough. I say always practice with a metronome and definitely working on your consistency is the first thing you need. Then start experimenting with different patterns and rudiments , still using a metronome if you want to be more technical and mailable to various styles of metal or.."double-bassing" ha ha. Sadly I don't have the luxury of my kit always being at my pad cause I live with roommates and my kit is stuck at the practice space a lot.


DP - What was one thing that advanced you in double bass faster than anything else, what clicked in a sense that opened up your style. For me it was watching other double bassists do the loose ankle twitch foot, like you are running in place but applying pressure to just your toes, keeping the foot at a 90 degree angle.

RH - Honestly timing and consistency used to be a huge issue for me. So when I worked at a coffee shop I would spend time on my breaks just working heel down and keep an alternating pattern at various speeds till the burning was unbearable if my kit wasn't ever at home. I've watched a few Thomas Lang(sonor) and Chris Alder(mapex) drum videos and learned the swivel foot technique where you keep your toes pinned but you shift your heels with every beat to get a good momentum and timing up keep. Getting triplet rolls mixed into basic 16Th note patterns was something I always liked doing and with that I would place my right foot with my toe near the back then move up second beat of the triplet to get that nice roll out... if that makes any sense. Notation isn't my strongest area I'm more of a feel guy. You'll hear me play it in "Subject: Humanity's End on a breakdown near the end.

DP - As a local band, what do you think is holding you back from hitting mainstream, if you want to go that direction, if you don't you are just going to be playing bars.

RH - Probably the style of music we play, Metal core, Hardcore, Death metal whatever just doesn't hit MTV or the Popular tabloids obviously but we're okay with that as I'm sure most bands in our genre feel the same way. Everyone is this band loves to play for people, we love being on stage giving people something to enjoy and bring their friends to. Some of us also have a passion to use music as our ministry to lead other's towards Christ through interacting on stage and on personal levels with the fans, yeah i dropped the Jesus Freak bomb ha ha WHAT?..anyway. It's all in the music you play and how much promotion/cash money you have if you really wanna get mainstream. We play bar venues , churches, popular venues in the north , east , and south bay areas so we have a pretty wide range of fans and publicity thanks to our promoter and all the bands and small promotion companies we're good friends with. We're so thankful for the following we have right now and we're sure it'll grow. Definitely okay if we don't hit MTV or the charts, it's all good.

DP - I'm listening to the song Humanity's End on and there is a really cool melodic part, your drumming is not overplayed, how do you keep from overplaying?

RH - Thanks! Basically shut up and let your guitarist tell you what to play is how you keep from overplaying ha ha totally kidding. Because we're not solely a technical "math metal" or "shred metal" band, you know, we incorporate a lot of melody and kinda catchy rock jams to our metal it's really rough to have the drum full speed ahead with double time on every limb ha ha. It would all just sound like crap and the song itself would lose it feel and dynamic. Sometimes less is more if you want Guitar parts to be glorified if you want to achieve something that is catchy and will be something people can remember.

DP- What is the biggest show you have played?

RH - Um... Ha ha. It's a tie between the Carnifex(victory records), With Blood Comes Cleansing(victory) , and A Different Breed of Killer show we played in Modesto, Ca last year , and the My Children My Bride(solid state records), Impending Doom(facedown records), and Underneath The Gun(ferret records) show we played at the Phoenix in Petaluma, Ca. Both were amazing shows.

DP-When you first started playing your shows, did you notice a difference in your playing when practicing and when on stage? I ask because my double bass sounds best when I am by myself, when people watch it makes me a bit nervous to impress, playing shows gets you amped, so I was curious to see how you handle that, or if it is even an issue?

RH - Ha ha yeah now and then it depends. If I'm really amped about the show and there's a lot of people I tend to play much better. When there's less people and they're inchin' in on you then it's kinda weird, especially with me cause I'm anal about drum sound, I hate not being completely miked so if I'm not I get kinda self-conscious about playing, have no idea why. Practice with the band I tend to be a little more rough around the edges and it's because I'm always experimenting since I'm the unlucky one who can't practice at home.....sigh ha ha.

DP- I see you have played quite a few shows, how long did you work on your material before you hit the stage?

RH - Well for a recent example we have our newest set now, which is pretty much the whole new ep, and two songs outta that ep we've played for a while. The rest of the songs we spent a good 6 months on. 4 Months to write riffs and then compose, last to months to practice through the whole ep to have ready for shows and recording. Once the song is written we'll maybe go over it for 3 weeks to a month depending on how many days outta the week we practice, then hit it up on the stage. We've always been anal with each other about how ready a song needs to be ha ha. So far a little under a month is agreeable for everyone.

Another insight into another mind of double bass drumming. Bringing up the local scene one show at a time. Don't forget to check them out, you never know who is going to be the next masters of metal.

Who is rocking the double bass lately?

One person I would have to say who is doing a great job of not overplaying right now is Jeremy Spencer. He is the drummer for Fiver Finger Death Punch. I can't say how much his drumming just fits with the song all the way through. There are always a few beats or ways that drummers play to a song that doesn't always sit good in my stomach. All of his beats fit very well and don't overshadow the rest of the band. I guess it also helps having a killer vocalist with an amazing guitarist and the amount of experience the entire band holds. I feel comfortable in saying that this is one of the first bands in general that gives me that getup and want to kick some butt feeling that Pantera gave me. I know there are a lot of hardcore Pantera fans that would disagree, but it is more in the way that there sounds backs what they are saying, and the singer doesn't have a whiny voice. Some bands just get that you don't have to play fast to be heavy, thanks to Vinni Paul, we are aloud to have those styles today!

Is Rockband/Guitar Hero Real Drumming?

YES IT IS REAL DRUMMING, the cost is highly different though, anyone can learn the guitar version for these games, Expert+ is fun, oh yeah, for all the musicians out there, it is a video game that is for fun. Got that!

Nobody is calling themselves real musicians who play these games. I see a whole bunch of people who worked hard to get good at an instrument bash something that is actually helping the music industry and them. You will have more fans come to your show if they are exposed to more music, how is this a bad thing? As for drums go, I am a double bassist who just tried playing Guitar Hero 5 on drums, real playing required. How the heck is a 7 year old supposed to play those higher levels, well, isn't drums just pathways when it comes down to it?

You learn rhythms, which now are more accurate than the first couple of games. For guitar, yeah its just fun, but drums...I actually do have to slow it down and practice the faster songs. Can you jump on the drums and start playing Children of Bodom 100% perfect because it is showing you the notes, nope, you still have to have timing and endurance. SO, in conclusion, bright shiny colors and fake notes, actually do help your drumming. Prove me wrong, I dare you!

Yes, I do practice the real drums, too. Anything that helps, helps, so for all the skeptics and negative people who like raining on every ones parade...nobody is making you play.

Sick new pedal! I am in love...Ooooooooh, Shiny!

Not only does TRICK Percussion's dominator pedal look cool, but it is functional too. I have been waiting for someone to take the riegns in design for pedals, its been the same thing for almost the last 100 years practically, first I saw Axis, and now these. Long foot board, and more attention to resistance prevention. The beaters make sense, they are aerodynamic, want one? Ooooh, shiny!

Practice makes what perfect? LIAR!!!

Well, I guess some of us will never find out, actually most of us. I can't say how many times I see musicians who do not practice. I am guilty myself of not practicing enough, but why do we do this to ourselves? It has to be the human need for instant gratification. If we don't see what we want come out on the other side, we get frustrated and get comfortable. Practicing involves being uncomfortable and learning from the bottom up. In double bass drumming, you really have to learn all of the same rudiments with your feet as you do your hands. So push past the stuck feeling in your stomach and pay your freaking dues...I know I have to!

Bigger is Better? Big Bass Drum Versus Little Bass Drum

Bigger is better? Not always. It is obvious that a smaller drum will produce more of a bounce or pop if you will. Tighter surface area, bigger bounce. It is funny how a lot of double bass drummers aim for speed but then get 22-24" bass drums, it doesn't really make much sense unless you have triggers to compensate for the loss in thud. I saw Fear Factory in concert, Raymond Herrera (now with Arkaea), the drummer had some of the smallest bass drums I had ever seen in live concert. Considering his playing style of very fast double bass that consists of many in between rests, he gets it! You can check out a song that he used the 18's on, Fear Factory-Cyberwaste it was very fast, also 24's which I own, have to be some of the slowest drums I have ever played on. But I like playing with complications, once I have a couple more levels of drumming under my belt, and some spare cash, its time to get some small bass drums. If you really want to go fast, besides practice, there is always physics! Now you can fit your set into a VW bug!

Who is The Worst Double Bass Drummer Ever?

It always makes me laugh when people say certain people are "bad" or "crappy" drummers. When it comes down to it, if you are signed, touring, and have been around for over 5 years in the mainstream, how could you possibly be a bad drummer? Often people say Lars Ulrich from Metallica is a crappy drummer, which is a just a huge way to say that you don't understand music or double bass drumming. It takes talent even if you don't have the best timing to come up with drum parts and to not overplay double bass. The fact is people can't be fixed by recording, but the edges get rounded out and timing can be helped. I don't think anyone is a bad drummer, maybe if they are drunk I can make an exception, but otherwise I stand behind what I said. Also, if you don't like a certain musician or band, then why are you listening to it in the first place. Lot of critics, but then again, its not uncommon for people in glass houses to throw bricks. Style shouldn't be equated into talent, but then again, its how you equate talent in the first place that really matters.

Double Bass Powered Car

I can dream can't I? When driving in hectic traffic on a lovely raining day, why can't I practice my bass pedals in the car. SO I figured it out, you just need to have a car that produces energy off of playing the double bass pedals where your regular pedals would be. Or the Flintstones could have used that technology to run the cars in Bedrock. Come on inventors, alternate power source and a way to practice, I think I just came up with the best way to counter attack global warming and build endurance!

E-Interview: Metal Drummer Tim Head from Dissimulated

I was fortunate to get an E-Interview with Tim Head from Dissimulated. He is from Brentwood, CA and Dissumlated is a Progressive death metal band in the Bay Area of Northern California. He is young as is the rest of the band but talent shows no limits. They have managed to cut through the clutter of metal to a distinguished style of heavy. Check them out at their myspace page: Dissimulated. Check out the whole thing below.


DP: How long have you been playing double bass in drums and how old are you?

TH: I've been playing double bass for about 3 years now. I just turned 18 in sept.


DP: How do you practice?

TH: I practice as often as I can. Sadly my set is at our practice space so its tough to get some playing in every day. But i usually start off with some select Travis Orbin or Periphery parts. It's really interesting stuff. Helps a lot with inner dependence between my hands and feet because they have the craziest time signatures you will ever hear. I usually play parts in 5/4, 7/8, and 9/8 when practicing as well to get comfortable with the odd time signatures. I also like to play para diddle diddles on my snare and kick to work my speed and memory with my hands and feet.

DP: Who is your favorite double bass drummer and why?

TH: My favorite double bass drummer is probably Blake Richardson from Between the Buried and Me. Simply because his style in all his parts are very different and very original. Also because he is close to perfect with time and for all drummers that's one of the most important things in your playing.

DP: How do you come up with the drum parts for your band in the creation process?

TH: When I play a drum part over a riff I try to naturally think of the opposite that you would typically play. So instead of having your snare play on the down beat of everything I like to spice stuff up and put snare hits in different spots. It honestly comes very natural to me now. But I try to change it up here and there simply to stay fresh with the music. I also write a lot of drum parts off poly rhythm's. A riff might be in 4/4 for guitar and bass but I might put a ride pattern in there that's in 7/8. I also write a lot of the guitar riffs for the band so I have plenty of time to experiment at my house before practicing on the set. That's typically how I write my parts for Dissimulated.

DP: What do you think is the new direction of double bass in mainstream?

TH: I think it's growing rapidly but honestly I'm hearing to many drummers that have double bass but don't know what there doing with it yet. You really have to practice. A metronome is a drummer's best friend. I think extreme music or just metal in general is starting to become a lot more popular towards people. For one thing its great for exposure on the other hand though, you really start to see ego's, and it no longer is really about the music. I sound very cliche right now, but honestly it's the truth.

Well rounded musicians are a product of discipline an open mind, and a whole lot of practice. As you can see and hear from this band, they are definitely a contender in the metal scene. I am interested to see how this band will mold and define itself over the next couple of years. It is always great to hear from another drummer on how they skin a cat. Everyone does it differently. Thank you for reading.

You can also see Tim on YouTube here: Malice Music

E-Interview--Harsh Words drummer: Mohamed Laglilate

Mohamed Laglilate is a drummer from Morocco. I wanted to get inside the mind of a double bassist on the other side of the world. It has to be a different scene over there. I was fortunate enough to talk to Mohamed Laglilate through the power of Facebook. You can check out his band http://www.youtube.com/user/harshwordsband here doing some covers. Metal lives and breathes, its breath just smells different depending on where you go. They also have their blog here http://harsh-words.skyblog.com . Below you can see what we talked about.

DP: What is it like to be a drummer in Morocco?

ML: In morocco it is normal, there are a lot of drummers here, but if we are talking about metal drums there is not a bad amount of drummers.


DP:Where do you play in Morocco?

ML:Now just in my city, we play at 7 scene.


DP: Why do you like double bass drums in music?

ML: Every drummer of death metal uses double bass , i found it to be very hard 3 years ago, but now I like it very much.


DP: How hard or easy is it to get a show

ML: It's very hard to get a show in Morocco you find a problem of sonorisation, a local, and then there is the gear.


DP: Do a lot of people listen to metal in Morocco?

ML: Not a lot, but some people do.


DP: Are there any bands from Morocco that are popular in more than just Morocco that you know

ML: In Morocco I like 2 bands, Wanted: technical death metal and Syncopea: progressive metal


DP:In one of our past conversations you mentioned that double bass pedals are really hard to come by, why do you think that is?

ML: We don't have a drum shop here, we have yamaha but with a commande, it's very expensive.

Thank you for reading this E-interview. It just goes to show that music will go where it wants to, it can show up in any part of the world, and surprisingly because of technology can sound the same, great minds think alike!

In a country like the US, musical instruments can be found anywhere and at really affordable prices. It is more impressive to me when a band outside of the US makes an international presence. This means usually that they have had more to overcome as band than just making it work, often oppression, government influences, and what we think is a bad economy is nothing compared to what the rest of the world deals with.

Just be appreciative of what you have and if someone got it for you. The dollar is worth three times as much as the Moroccan currency. This means that the $50 bass pedal over here is probably $150 over there making it harder to just throw together a band because you liked the video game rock band. Can you imagine that $1000 double bass pedal costing $3000, yes it is very real, I don't think Americans realize the value of being able to go to your local department store, and get real functioning instruments. Rock on Harsh Words! Thank you Mohamed for the interview.

Madonna Metal, a bad thing? You be the judge...

If you got this far you were not mislead. If you have ever listened to Lacuna Coil you can recognize the same thing. Now I have to prove it so you don't hit back on your browser. If you are comfortable with yourself, you can admit that Madonna is huge and always has been. Her vocal range is actually Mezzo-Soprano which is the mid range for females but Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia is a Contralto, which is the lowest female vocal range. Usually done by witches in opera music, not exactly goth metal, but some Italian operas can be very Gothic. It humors me to listen to them and imagine Madonna being one of the vocalists. It sounds similar. Double bass? Yeah, I have to talk about double bass in every post or else it would be uncivilized. You have got to give Lacuna Coil credit for being very heavy and mainstream, and still having very tasteful double bass in it. In 20 years we can look back and say that that was a band who helped put more double bass into the mainstream, and internationally. Hope you enjoyed the reading.

Double Bass in Country Music?!?

I don't know if there is but it wouldn't be a bad idea. I think you can apply any instrument (or addition to an instrument) to any genre as long as it sounds good. Maybe I should start a country metal band, that would probably just make the country people happy and the close minded metal heads have even more angst. Those who appreciate both may have there dead dog run away from home while they were losing their job on the day of the apocolypse. That would be an interesting thing, with the more rock style of country it could be done very tastefully, but screaming in country may propose problems. Will we ever find out? If you know of anything close to that let me know, me ears are open!