Daily Drum Question Thread

[1001gear]

That always depended on the part. There's this thing called Blue Lake that had a challenging timpani part. The changes were very difficult on school timpani. The pedals are very noisy but I loved banging at it - mechanical noises and all. Most of the other material, Holst, Hanson, the standard school repertoire, had typical orchestral percussion parts that presented generic challenges but no real musical temptation.

[cdawg]

as a kid, i always studied the guys playing snare.

tubular bells are great too.

[FitchFY]

Today's question: What do you eat/ drink if you know you're going to be playing awhile?

 

 

I make sure to have had a healthy and full meal 2-3 hours before a show, and then I go in with a protein bar. I love Vida Coco coconut water, and I'll normally have a G2 (Gatorade) floating around, as well as some water. And beer has carbs to burn!

[1001gear]

This isn't a concern for me. I load up on Co2F2E and that's good enough for anything I'd have to tackle. The rock hottie in my area is into coconut water. He's one of those skinny types with quick efficient chops.

[cdawg]

never did the coconut water. sounds gross.

i always pounded water up to the gig, then switched to beer.

full belly a couple of hours before the gig.

[SYMBOLIC]

For me eating is an important thing, because if I don't it's off to cartoon land which generally ends up with EMT reviving me. Generally, it's a meal about an hour before I play, and I eat while I play (nature valley sweet & salty granola bar). Those have definitely saved me more times than I can count. Water, lots of water, because muscle cramps etc suck.

[FitchFY]

Hey DW, care to chime on this today after your experience last night? WAS IT THE SCURVY?!?

[Carminemw]

For me eating is an important thing' date=' because if I don't it's off to cartoon land which generally ends up with EMT reviving me. Generally, it's a meal about an hour before I play, and I eat while I play (nature valley sweet & salty granola bar). Those have definitely saved me more times than I can count. Water, lots of water, because muscle cramps etc suck.[/quote']

 

I played a gig last year outdoors in 91° heat. did 2 sets really pumping hard. I could not open or close my hand after playing. Scared the crap out of me...I was dehydrated and my hand muscles locked tight. They helped me down off the drum riser to back stage and gave me 2 bottles of water real quick...felt better in about 10 minutes but it was sure frightening...never happened to me before like that...

[WhiplashBand]

I usually eat before I leave for the gig, so about 3 hours or so pre-show, sometimes I may have something to munch on at the club if the food isn't too bad.

 

I NEVER drink alcohol at shows. I learned really quick years ago, Drunk Drummer (meaning me, not everyone) = bad drummer. Drunk Drummer thinks every song needs a solo, and Drunk Drummer is worse at solos than Sober Drummer. I have a pitcher of ice water with me on stage and will usually have a soda druing breaks for the little sugar/caffiene buzz.

 

If I have a decent drive home, then its a quick drive thru fix for energy to make it home.

[FitchFY]

I love watching the tour diary stuff of drummers -- the more experienced ones definitely take their diet into consideration when on the road. You can't live off Coca Cola, fast food, and beer!

 

Today's question: It's a Tuesday afternoon, 5pm, and you've just left work. The phone rings, and low and behold, it's a band you love, and they need you to fill in tonight! No practice, no notice, but they've got to fill an hour of music, and you need to know the songs and the hits. You're confident you can nail the gig, because you know the feel, the songs, the phrasing, the fills and pieces... so the question is, WHO IS THAT BAND?

 

For me: Extreme, Steel Panther, and Alter Bridge are the first that come to mind.

 

 

[1001gear]

No such band. I'd be hard pressed to find songs I even like from any given band. More concerned with pushing envelopes - mine mostly. It'll be like that for a while.

[FitchFY]

No such band. I'd be hard pressed to find songs I even like from any given band. More concerned with pushing envelopes - mine mostly. It'll be like that for a while.

 

 

So.... John Cage?

[1001gear]

Nah, music not cutting edge wit. The poser in me needs to do obviously accomplished sounding material. Towards that end, I turn off the phone and keep shedding. Realistically though the industry here is decorum and babysitting; veteran giggers only.

[the DW]

Hey DW' date=' care to chime on this today after your experience last night? WAS IT THE SCURVY?!? [/quote']

 

That was part of it. lol.

 

Actually, because we get dinner at that gig (at around 8:45), I usually eat a snack before heading down there. I forgot to do that yesterday, so I'm guessing I was running into a case of low blood sugar or something. Was having trouble with tunes that should have been easy... and were easy last time I filled in with those guys. But after having my dinner, the next (short) set went just fine. Lesson learned!

[the DW]

Today's question: It's a Tuesday afternoon' date=' 5pm, and you've just left work. The phone rings, and low and behold, it's a band you love, and they need you to fill in tonight! No practice, no notice, but they've got to fill an hour of music, and you need to know the songs and the hits. You're confident you can nail the gig, because you know the feel, the songs, the phrasing, the fills and pieces... so the question is, WHO IS THAT BAND?[/b']

 

For me, it could be any one of a number of bands, as that's what my "thing" is. (in case of emergency, break glass) As long as someone in the band can "conduct" me, it usually turns out ok. However, I do tend to stay in genres I'm familiar with, so at least I'll have a fighting chance. LOL!

[WhiplashBand]

Metallica easily, possibly Megadeth depending on what tunes they wanted to do. Might even be able to do an hour's worth with Anthrax but I'd probably annoy Scott Ian with so many questions he'd strangle me before song #2 LOL

[RobWild]

Metallica easily' date=' possibly Megadeth depending on what tunes they wanted to do. Might even be able to do an hour's worth with Anthrax but I'd probably annoy Scott Ian with so many questions he'd strangle me before song #2 LOL[/quote']

 

+1 on Metallica. Also, maybe Iron Maiden, but I'd probably be too much of a nervous/excited wreck to hold the sticks!

 

[SYMBOLIC]

For me it would be Kreator, At the Gates, In flames (I actually use their stuff when I work on leading with my non dominant side so I guess I would do the set leading with my right hand left foot?), Black Dahlia Murder, Death would be a stretch, but I could fake it through a set I think. Possibly some Morbid Angel depending what they had planned.

[Gremson]

Today's question: It's a Tuesday afternoon, 5pm, and you've just left work. The phone rings, and low and behold, it's a band you love, and they need you to fill in tonight! No practice, no notice, but they've got to fill an hour of music, and you need to know the songs and the hits. You're confident you can nail the gig, because you know the feel, the songs, the phrasing, the fills and pieces... so the question is, WHO IS THAT BAND?

 

For me: Extreme, Steel Panther, and Alter Bridge are the first that come to mind.

 

 

Sounds like a gig with The Black Crowes to me!

 

[Drumstix101]

 

Today's question: It's a Tuesday afternoon, 5pm, and you've just left work. The phone rings, and low and behold, it's a band you love, and they need you to fill in tonight! No practice, no notice, but they've got to fill an hour of music, and you need to know the songs and the hits. You're confident you can nail the gig, because you know the feel, the songs, the phrasing, the fills and pieces... so the question is, WHO IS THAT BAND?

 

For me: Extreme, Steel Panther, and Alter Bridge are the first that come to mind.

 

 

For me it would be Buddy Guy or Buckwheat Zydeco

[FitchFY]

Today's question: Do you wear hearing protection?

 

I always wear plugs when I play out with the band! They do about -16dB, so it still feels loud and real. Practicing on my own, I wear the Vic Firth Isophones.

[Drumstix101]

Today's question: Do you wear hearing protection?

 

I always wear plugs when I play out with the band! They do about -16dB, so it still feels loud and real. Practicing on my own, I wear the Vic Firth Isophones.

 

Same here. Plugs at gigs, Vic Firth isophones at band practice and when I practice on my own. I also have and use the Vic Firth isophones with the speakers in them when learning new music or working with a metronome.

But I'm sorry to say I started using hearing protection to late in life and I do have a bad case of tinnitus.

[Gremson]

Nope.

I've tried several times, but they always make the music sound funky and I just can't take it.

[fusionfunk]

I miss the Daily Drum Question Thread' date=' so I'm bringing it back! Boosh!

 

Today's question: What's the last piece of hardware that broke for you?

I had a ball joint on an old Yamaha YESS clamp give out due to far too much over-tightening and gigging years ago. I definitely got my money's worth out of it, though!

[/quote']My ex-fiance'!But on a more serious note, I can't recall ever breaking any hardware, other than having screws or threads strip out.

[1001gear]

I first used foam plugs so I could pound - uh, build strength in my small bedroom. What a great period that was. I could brutally wail away without the concussion. These years I've been quieting down I can tap my crashes even. (Cops threatening to haul me off helped considerably) and can do without the plugs. Nothing like being able to hear your sound as it happens. I now use the plugs anytime I'm around live music. Karaoke too but as much as possible I play open eared.