STEWART COPELAND

Interesting comments about the effect of amplification on modern drumming styles --

http://www.reverendhortonheat.com/rev_u ... _02_02.php

So, forum drummers, do modern drummers fail to "mix" themselves? Lack a sense of dynamics? Play too loud?


S.S.

I was having this debate with a close friend in the industry the other day. Have you noticed how many older musicians are backing up these young artists today? Could it be that the new artists lack the ability the older guys have? When is the last time you heard a Steve Howe type guitar solo from these younger so called musicians?

Please understand that I speak on behalf of what Les said in the song "Mr Oysterhead" I remember back in the day when music folk had alot to say...I think the industry is at it's weakest point ever because of the bean counters.

I am so sick in tired of hearing drop d/drop f tuning...cause these youngsters can't execute the craft very well.

Now my beef with these new drummers of today...one volume Loud, Louder, and Loudest.

And new weights for drumsticks are a joke they are like baseball bats.

It is getting harder for me to find the all purpose drumstick...I tried out like 15 pairs the other day...and I swear I thought I was drumming with tree trunks.

Hope I answered your question

Hah, the lost art of dynamics, perhaps. Stick control is so much harder playing the same patterns super soft. People have a giraffe when I say I prefer to play with unfinished unvarnished 7A's. Toothpicks, to many. I truly think versatility is the key for the drummer, perhaps even moreso than other musicians, since there are so very many possibilities (and more ways to piss off the other band members <grin>). I love me my Dave Grohl and love beating the crap out of the kit, but that's only one angle--I also like the understated, elegant, and devilishly underestimated art of, say, brushes... I'd say, though, as fans of STEWART, rhythmic complexity and dynamics and other elements of what is now considered old school jazz training are much more appreciated round here

Rev Horton Heat certainly is pretty amazing, too (where this post was housed)...

ETA: Just freaking choked when I saw on their site that Rev Horton Heat is playing with Motorhead and Nashville Pussy on the club circuit and will be in Charlotte in Sept...double thanks for posting this, on that account!! <grin>

Stewart Copeland-Roger Taylor-Bill Bruford-Phil Collins-Charlie Watts
I like their plays.
All mature guys. And can beat very loud sometimes.
What have these men in common?
Maybe in this question could raise the answer
Best!

I’m pretty much onboard for most of what the Rev has touched on here (I have nothing but praise for the late, great, Louis Bellson). Back in those days of swing they didn’t need to have a drum kit all mic’d up and “sonic responsibility” was indeed placed upon the drummer – or not, by having one’s transition eased by the bandleader.

The size of the room plays an integral part as to how a P.A. system is utilized to capture and project the band’s sound. Case in point, my band played a small room (banquet hall size) and we could only power-up the onstage monitor system as the mains would have been so loud the whole building would have collapsed. Some of the smaller clubs would only mic the kick and snare drum due in part by the fact that their tiny mixing consoles only had a few channels. Larger venues generally had better P.A. systems along with onstage monitors and mixing boards that could handle lots of channels. Size does matter.

At every sound check, bar none, our guitarist would be told to turn his amp down as the onstage level was too much for the P.A. system to handle. The rest of us had to play even louder to hear or be heard over the volume of the guitar. This lead to a few confrontations between said guitarist and sound guy – not a good idea to piss off the sound guy (would you mess with the person serving you your food?). I have no doubt that this is the main reason some of my hearing (and most of my hair) is still stuck in the 80’s.