Monday, August 30, 2010

Electronic Drum Kits Versus Acoustic Drums


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Traditional drums were present several decades ago and it was embraced by drummers for quite some time until recent innovations were introduced. This is commonly called as the old-school drum type.

The main key of acoustic drums is that these are self-sufficient while electronic types depend on a lot of factors. Critics will usually address acoustic drums as the real drum sound while electronic types are the imitators. I guess it was the set-up during the very first days to year when electronic drum kits were slowly getting into the competition.

Drummers get to live by the craft and music that they believe in and their instrument plays a big part of their hobby, work or personal interest to drumming. Using acoustic or electronic drums weighs differently in terms of usability and benefits.

With the introduction of electronic drum kits, several problems were addressed by the high end features of the said instrument. Unlike normal drums, it is more versatile that it can play infinite acoustic and non drum sounds. You can even create your own rhythm by triggering the drum pad.Some of the benefits of having electronic drum kit are the following.

o Multiple modules can be programmed.

As I said earlier, the instrument can play lots of tracks and even song minus. Musicians and music producers find it the entire recording process much easier, simple and great with the use of electronic drums.

o Adjustable volume and mute mode.

We can't deny that are some that are annoyed by drum sounds whenever drummers practice their craft. And so, drummers will either shorten their practice period or not at all. Electronic drum types can be set to low volume or headphones to free other people from loud noises. This time you can play your instrument all day long without hearing complaints from your roommates or family members. Time to rock!

o Size does matter.

Not all drummers have the space to accommodate the ordinary drum set that is really huge. Some need to compromise their closet just to set it up in their room and studios need to rent additional space for it. Aside from the previous benefits of electronic drum kits, drummers are hooked to it because of its light weight and much smaller size. There's no need to bring the amplifier all the time. You can opt to plug it into a mixing board or P.A. module. No transport hassles this time!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Metallica - Master of puppets (one man band)

Just got a drumset a week ago and I'm loving it! It's the Alesis USB pro kit going through Addictive drums for the sound. I played all parts to Metallica's Master of Puppets solo. This vid was looong overdue, since I actually recorded everything about 3 months ago, but never got a vid from my drummer who i was gonna collab with, so I just decided to do my own drum part. Rate, comment, subscribe! yea Joe Satriani and Steve Vai signed my guitar :)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGjYq1ppOR8&hl=en

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Impulse - An Endless Sporadic - bang awning - GH3 Guitar Hero III

This piece was recorded March 2008 at Denton High School in Denton, TX, while I was the percussion instructor there. This song is just plain flat-out awesomeness. If anybody has known me for the past 2 years, they know I'm an obsessive Guitar Hero player, and that's how I discovered this piece, Impulse, by two badass musicians who call themselves An Endless Sporadic. You can check them out on MySpace, but they haven't been signed or released an official album yet. One of them works for Neversoft, the drummer Andy, and he got their song in the game Guitar Hero 3 as a bonus song. Once I heard it, I knew I had to arrange it someday. It was a challenge to get the marimbas and vibes to work in the original key, since some of the guitar parts are so low, but I don't like changing keys in my arrangements, so luckily we had two 5 octave marimbas and some mics to help on the low end. I gave my best shot at playing the crazy drumset part with a single bass drum pedal, but the real key was hiring the amazing Chris McQueen to play the guitar part. He plays with Oso Closo and Snarky Puppy (from Denton) and you should check them out too, they will rock your face off. This piece was fun to do as a percussion ensemble because in the original they used ProTools and had already added all of the small percussion instruments you'll hear, so I didn't need to add anything. I did cut out an entire chunk of the piece in the middle, because it would have been impossible to recreate all the crazy ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvuKBsKTd2o&hl=en

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Selecting the Right Configuration of a Junior Drum Set For Your Child


Image : http://www.flickr.com


If you are buying your child's first drum kit, you have probably found that a junior drum set is the best choice. The junior drum sets and other starter kits on the market today offer parents the opportunity to purchase their kids a quality set at a much lower cost than a full kit. This also allows your new drummer time to ensure they like drumming before you purchase a high priced kit that is going to only go unused. This is also a wise strategy for new drummers.

But once you settle on a junior drum kit, there are still options to consider, including the size and configuration of your child's first kit. When shopping for a starter drum kit, you'll mainly find two configurations: 3-piece junior drum sets and 5-piece junior drum sets. Both are very popular and likely appropriate for your child, but how to choose?

First, let's discuss the difference between 3-piece sets and 5-piece sets (there is such a thing as 4-piece sets, but they are much less common). A 3-piece kit refers to the main 3 pieces of the kit: base drum, snare, and single mounted tom-tom. A 5-piece drum set includes two additional pieces: a second mounted tom-tom and a floor tom-tom.

Either configuration is fine for your starting drummer, as the 3-piece and 5-piece configurations mirror the same sizes of many full size kits. Many experienced drummers play on full sized sets that have the same components as described for the 3-piece and 5-piece kit. Of course once you get into full size sets, there are a ton more set configurations and drummers tend to customize their sets even more by adding specific components to their liking.

The best advantages of a 3-piece child drum kit for your child is that it will be smaller and simpler to play and learn on. Less drums generally means less number of drum cadences to master and the faster they'll become comfortable playing on their set. These 3-piece sets are also generally less expensive than 5-piece sets.

The advantage of a 5-piece set is that it is closer to the configuration of a majority of full kits. The 5-piece configuration has become the closest thing to a standard in kit configurations, so purchasing your child a 5-piece child drum set means they'll be practicing on something closer to an actual kit, and also a kit they'll likely not grow out of quickly. It will probably cost more, take up more space, and be more advanced to learn on.

Choosing between a 3-piece set and 5-piece set should not be a big deal when purchasing a junior drum kit. Both are good choices and make great sense for your child, and most experts would recommend you let your child choose, and your pocket book as well.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Egyokeo vs. Kr0oked / For the Love of God

This was my 2nd time playing through this song. The DLC just came out today. I have a sight read on video, but I fail so you probably don't want to see it. This was Kr0oked's (aka iKr0ok) first playthrough. A sight read! You gotta check out the solo sections. Just watch Kr0oked's side (on the right), don't watch me. I'm a hack. Kr0oked is beast. You should check out iKr0ok's YouTube channel youtube.com and subscribe. He does custom charts and he's good at it. He also beat me at Knights of Cydonia tonight. Well, he beat me on every song we played, actually. But KoC is my baby, yet I still got crushed. I plan on doing FtLoG again on single player (with my "ultimate" viewing angle) once I can 5-star it. Same goes for the other 2 songs from the Virtuoso Track Pack DLC. So, stay tuned! And thanks for watching.FAQ: ---- Q: How does it work? A: Everything is explained in detail here: egyokeo.com Q: How do you do 3-note chords? A: All "two adjacent note" power chords are mapped to the top 4 pads, so with two sticks I can play any 3-note chord except GYO. But I can get that with one stick in left hand and two fingers on right hand. Q: How do you do whammy and star power? A: I use a bass drum pedal on my right foot to activate star power, and a hi-hat pedal on my left foot to control whammy depth. Q: How do you hold notes? A: My MIDI Hero software has an auto-hold feature for every note hit because it's more natural for a drummer to play that way. It's not a good feeling to mash ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAxYdd8fg90&hl=en

Friday, August 20, 2010

Indestructible 100% Expert FC - Rock Band Drums

---READ MAR--- Indestructible by Disturbed 100% Expert FC Cool song. Ryan is sending me another destroyer soon with a double bass hook up so I might be able to FC songs way easier now including: Clouds Over California Wilson idunnno Camp is alright, I'll be back on Monday. I hope when I get back I can get some good rants down. Stuff is starting to PISS ME OFF OH SHIT ATU will have fun in Denver. --------------------------------------- This was edited by NEZTECH! This man has the ultimate drum set-up, and he does GH:WT AND Rock Band FC's. Check his channel: www.youtube.com My sites: twitter.com www.youtube.com www.ustream.tv www.atuband.com Sites that sponsor me www.musicgamegear.com http www.riff-rocker.com http ;



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oETM-jWRhw&hl=en

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Travis Orbin - Cyclamen Session (Part One)

www.myspace.com A short while ago, a gentleman named Hayato Imanishi contacted me to see if I'd be interested in playing on a few of his band's tunes. It was a no-brainer, this stuff is killer! I had less than two weeks to 'Orbinate' Hayato's programmed drums and rehearse so tracking would go as smoothly as possible. We corresponded through e-mail to ensure that my parts were congruent with his vision; Hayato pays as much mind to nuances as me, it seems! He requested for me to track the drums at my buddy Taylor Larson's studio. Taylor managed to achieve some of the best drum tones I've ever heard for prog/metal music. The first tune is "Never Ending Dream." Towards the middle, it features a lengthy section in which a tom-tom ostinato is crescendoed over a passage of more than twenty bars. It was quite hard to execute, and after I flub it the video re-enters with my playing of the last few bars. I'm whacking the crap out of the toms by then, haha. Full drum set transcription: s26.photobucket.com Tempo = 140 BPM myspace.com/taylorlarsonrecording myspace.com/travisorbin



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc-3BLsP83Q&hl=en

Monday, August 16, 2010

Snare Drum - A Vital Component of Drum Set


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Snare drum, also known as the side drum, is a tubular drum. It is made out of wood or metal with skins and heads stretched over the top and bottom openings. It has a set of snares or the cords stretched over the bottom head. The bottom drumhead is called the resonance or snare head, as it provides resonance against the top drumhead.

How does such a drum work? When the top head is struck with a stick or any other form of beater, including brushes or rutes, there is a sudden increase in pressure within the instrument which causes the snares to vibrate against the bottom head and produces a short, distinctive, snap-like sound. This effect can also be disengaged whenever it is not needed.

Originally they were used as military instruments. They originated in Europe in the 15th century and 16th century where it emerged as a military instrument. Today this combination of its sound can still be found in modern European folk music. They were commonly called tabor and were used in marching bands in the Swiss military. Today, these drums are commonly used in contemporary western music.

These drums come in many different sizes, which ultimately changes the sound that the drum produces. It is used in a pipe band, a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers are unique which comes with a second set of snares on the bottom (internal) side of the top (batter) head. Some of the military side drums have this feature as well.

Here are a few different types:

1. Old Marching Snare or the (Field Drum): This is the diagonally hung snare seen in war reenactments. The heads are made of animal skin, and a rope strung back and forth between eyelets held on to each rim.

2. New Marching Snare: This is similar to any other type, but the difference is in the execution. They are known for their crispness and loudness. They are generally mounted on the front of body of a person like a table on a metal shoulder harness that extends down the chest. The stick used on these drums is also thicker and beefier.

3. Metal snare: Metal snares are what are commonly seen in drum set. They have a piercing and loud tone, which are suitable for pop music. The head is also synthetic or imitation animal skin like the other kind of drum snares.

4. Piccolo Snare: They are smaller ones. They have a higher more piercing sound than the Metal snare. They also have a loud tone, which is suitable for pop music. Its size is between 10 and 13 inches in diameter and around 3 inches deep. The construction is similar to that of a metal snare.

5. Wood Snare: this type has a clearer and the most distinctive tone. Their sounds are well associated with jazz, blues and classical music settings. They produce a more softer and subtle sound. Even the wood used in making these types is soft wood.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Charlie Zahm "The Minstrel Boy"

Celtic singer Charlie Zahm performs a set of Americana music at the Gloucester County Public Library in Mullica Hill, NJ on November 4, 2006. Charlie is playing the Irish drum, or The bodhrán (pronounced /ˈbɔrɑːn/[1] or /ˈbaʊrɑːn/; plural bodhráns or bodhráin) is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm (10" to 26") in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm (14" to 18"). The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm (3½" to 8") deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads, or other animal skins are sometimes used). The other side is open ended for one hand to be placed against the inside of the drum head to control the pitch and timbre. One or two crossbars, sometimes removable, may be inside the frame, but this is increasingly rare on modern instruments. Some professional modern bodhráns integrate mechanical tuning systems similar to those used on drums found in drum kits. It is usually with an allen wrench that the bodhrán skins are tightened or loosened depending on the atmospheric conditions. He finally recorded this song for his 2009 album By Request!!! www.charliezahm.com Folksinger Charlie Zahm is based in Pennsylvania and may be reached at www.charliezham.com for more information. Charlie plays the Irish drum on this one! THE MINSTREL BOY by Thomas Moore The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone In the ranks of death you will find him; His father's sword he hath girded on, And his wild harp slung behind him;" Land of Song!" said the warrior bard ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdA4NlJiikM&hl=en

Thursday, August 12, 2010

"Broken Opportunity" Pt. 1 Eliminate Snare Buzz?

This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on snare wires and sympathetic snare buzz. Bob proves that snare wires are crucial in creating a "signature" snare drum sound. It includes a workshop and drum set demos. This is a real eye-opener!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcHAFgafPkE&hl=en

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Queen - Was It All Worth It (1989)

TESTO ORIGINALE What is there left for me to do in this life? Did I achieve what I had set in my sights? Am I a happy man or is this sinking sand? Was it all worth it was it all worth it Yeah now hear my story let me tell you about it We bought a drum kit, blew my own trumpet Played the circuit thought we were perfect Was it all worth it Giving all my heart and soul and staying up all night Was it all worth it Living breathing rock'n'roll, a godforsaken life Was it all worth it was it all worth it all these years? Put down our money without counting the cost It didn't matter if we won if we lost Yes we were vicious, yes we could kill Yes we were hungry, yes we were brill We served a purpose like a bloody circus We were so dandy we love you madly Was it all worth it Living breathing rock'n'roll this godforsaken life Was it all worth it was it all worth it When the hurly burly's done We went to Bali, saw God and Dali So mystic, surrealistic Was it all worth it yeah yeah Giving all my heart and soul staying up all night Was it all worth it Living breathing rock'n'roll, this never ending fight Was it all worth it was it all worth it Yes, it was a worthwhile experience It was worth it TESTO TRADOTTO Cosa m'è rimasto da fare in questa vita? Ho forse raggiunto ciò che mi ero prefissato? Sono forse un uomo felice, o sono nelle sabbie mobili? Ne è valsa la pena ne è valsa la pena Yeah ora ascoltate la mia storia lasciate che ve la racconti Comprammo una batteria, suonavo la mia ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJiR_WZbPZM&hl=en

Sunday, August 8, 2010

CB Drum Sets - Important Things You Should Know


Image : http://www.flickr.com


CB Drum Sets are Affordable and Reliable. CB Educational Percussion has been making school percussion instruments for over 25 years. They are part of KMC Music that affiliates itself with many manufacturers of guitars including the Gretsch name. Support for all their products is very good and their drum sets are very affordable.

If your five year old comes to you and says they want to play drums it isn't very likely you are going to go out and purchase a full set for them. The reason is because drum kits can cost a fortune. It isn't unusual to drop $600 to over $1000 on a five pieces set and then you have to purchase the cymbals and throne separately. That would be ok if the person you were buying it for was more than a beginner or serious about making drumming a skill set.

CB makes a great set for a beginner and it does not cost an arm and a leg. The Jr XSS55 is a junior set suitable for a six to twelve year old and it comes at price most families can afford. The five piece set is prices at an amazing $300 to $350 and it can be found for even less.

This is no flimsy little set. It is built to take a beating. It comes in Black, White, Wine Red, and Dark Green. The shells are 9 ply and wrapped in fiberglass. It comes with a 16 inch bass drum with black head and the CB logo on it. The pedal is adequate and works well. The sound of the bass drum is exceptional. Also included are 8 and 10 inch toms that are mounted with heavy duty brackets. There is also a 13 inch floor tom and 12 inch snare drum.

When It comes to buying a good drum set at an affordable price keeping quality in mind you can't go wrong with CB Drums it is durable through and through and is intended to get the beginner started or a practice set. CB Drum kits have be around for years because many people trust them as beginner drum kit.

Friday, August 6, 2010

What to Consider When Shopping For a Kids Drum Set


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Learning to play a musical instrument is a skill many parents want for their kids. Whether it be the piano, violin, or anything else, learning to read, play, and appreciate music just creates a more well rounded individual. Drummers fall into this category, but many would say they are a different breed. However teaching a child to play drums at an early age can be just as a rewarding skill and help them with many other activities as they grow up.

If you are shopping for a kids drum set, there are some things you should consider. The first is that there is a clear distinction between a 'real' kids drum set and a toy drum set. Usually when you shop for a 'junior drum set' or 'starter drum set', you'll be shopping for a real instrument. Drum kit manufacturers today make smaller, simpler versions of their full sets and sell them as junior models for kids and beginners. This means the quality is very high, and they are designed for learning on a real instrument.

In fact most kids drum sets are real enough, that your child will be able to play and learn on it for many years, sound great, and even joint a band with them if desired. Usually kids drum sets are smaller, simpler configurations, for example, most are 3 piece junior drum set models so that they are easy to learn on. Once you child confirms their interest in playing drums, and becomes more proficient, they can upgrade to a full drum set.

Alternatively, you can buy a toy drum set at a toy store that truly is a 'toy'. This is ok too if your goal is just to give your child something to entertain themselves with. However keep in mind that a toy is really for enjoyment, and since it is not a real instrument, your child won't necessarily be learning to play drums. There are some fun toy drum sets on the market today, and if you have an especially small child such as a pre-school aged toddler this may be the best path for you.

The other favorable thing about kids drums sets today is that while the quality has gone up, the prices have stayed reasonable. You can often buy a kids drum set (a 'real' instrument) for around $100. Slight better kits go for $150-200. These sets are also designed to take the wear and beating that kids (especially older ones) are likely to put on them for a few years. Hopefully your ears can take it as well.

So if you are ready to buy your child a kids drum set, be sure you know the difference between a real set and a toy drum set.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

ROCK SCHOOL - Series 2 - Episode 1 (part 1 of 3)

Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day. Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement. This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987. EPISODE ONE KEYBOARDS THE ACOUSTIC PIANO WITH THE COMMUNARDS ON "BREADLINE BRITAIN" AND HERBIE HANCOCK. HISTORY OF THE SYNTHESISER TOUCH SENSITIVITY, MODULAR SYNTHS, MINI MOOG, CLIP OF JAN HAMMER AND THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA IN 1972, CLIP OF RICK WAKEMAN, POLYPHONIC SYNTHS, MELLOTRON, TONY BANKS, SYNTHS WITH MEMORY SUCH AS THE PROPHET FIVE, CLIP OF JAPAN ON THE "OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST", RACK-MOUNTED EFFECTS. HOW DOES A SYNTH WORK ? WAVEFORMS, OSCILLATORS, HOW TO CREATE A SOUND, WHAT TO PLAY - CLIP OF THOMAS DOLBY.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3lNcnSCxyE&hl=en