Re: Cymbals and “the lost Modern Drummer interview”

[RuBrick]

Hey everybody! Thanks for posting responses!!

Thanks for the dialog UMASCOW. I hope that everybody who reads this notices all the "I think"s and other disclaimers I put in there. Who really knows what is going on in Js head!?!?!

On the "Drums being like Guitar" thing:

What I THINK he meant was that you can emphasize the bassyer notes on One and emphasize the higher notes on Three. One and three being part of a four note stanza: One, Two, Three, Four. Usually there is a bass drum on One and a snare drum on Three. Or where ever the bass and the snare go in a song you can give a little bass or treble emphasis to a chord.

Or you can hit the strings in different ways. If you play with your fingers you can hit the strings with your fingernails on three and give the strings a nice bassy plucking on One. Or you can Hit the middle of the string on one and hit the strings right near the bridge on three.

My favorit song to do this with is "Keep the GLove." I love that dippy drum beat. And it reall comes across when you incorporate it into a guitar strum.

Or Maybe J just meant that when you play guitar one hand usually strums eighth or sisteenth notes while the other hand does stuff within or around that frame work…

I think guitarists should all learn to play drums a little bit. It takes some practice so you are not too clumsy. But:

1.) Drums are a big part of a song. They are loud and unique. If you don’t have an idea what they are going to do and what they can do they are going to take over your songs.

2.) Playing a drum kit you learn better hand foot coordination. Not only does it make you less clumsy but also if you understand the stuff above about sixteenh notes on the bass drum, you know that there is a strong tendency for the foot to follow the hand SLAVISHLY. Drumming can help to give your foot more independence.

So if you want to play things on a wah wah pedal for instance it will be a lot easier. Most guitarists are at a loss trying to play the reggae rhythm guitar part which involves a close coordination between your strum and moving a wah wah. I am sure there are other similarly difficult guitar parts involving an effects pedal.

You are right that the guitar is generally more forgiving then the drums. But you would be surprised how easily the untrained ear misses a screw up on the drums.

As for this brain shaking theory: I don’t know as I have not played much professionally. Although I get the idea that J also feels pretty messed up after a tour. Like he is not sure who he is after having to stand in front of an audience every night for a month. I never read his comment on drummers having upside down brains. I suspect that any probems drummers have would be becase we use a lot of instinct and maybe the logical part of the mind gets flabby. Uhhhhh…….

I will check out that link.

Maybe there should be a drummers forum at FREAKSCENE.NET