Deep Purple has always been one of my many favorites when it comes to rock music. Rather than doing Smoke on the Water, which is a great song, I chose My Woman from Tokyo because I feel that there are enough versions of the other song out there.
This track is also one of those that I have always wanted to play in the cover bands that I have been in but none of them ever had it on their set list. So if the song won't come to me, I must go to the song and so, I decided to publish it on YouTube.
This video is by no means intended to be a 100% copy or anything. I am simply jamming the song and am trying to remember the fills that Ian Paice (the original drummer) makes, but that is quite difficult for an old man like me. Memory has never been my strong side so I must do the best I can.
I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do, although I am making noise along with it.
Incidentally, this video was made as a tribute to a YouTube friend named Roberto (user name is roby62gtr on YouTube). In a comment, I made on one of his clips, I promised to take my hat off for him in my next video, so that is why I take it off and say “Roberto” at the end – just in case you wonder.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Sweet -- Ballroom Blitz
I am a little late posting this entry because I released a video of me drumming along with Ballroom Blitz the day before I went to Spain (Wednesday, September 17, 2008). I suppose that I must have been busy with packing and other things before I went.
Ballroom Blitz is a track that hit the charts back in 1973 and made The Sweet very popular. The drum groove is a little tricky to play at first but once you get the hang of it, it turns out to be fairly easy because it feels really good.
I may have to do a video explaining how I play this groove because I have already had a few private messages with that question... It may be a little hard to explain but I will have to do my best.
Ballroom Blitz is a track that hit the charts back in 1973 and made The Sweet very popular. The drum groove is a little tricky to play at first but once you get the hang of it, it turns out to be fairly easy because it feels really good.
I may have to do a video explaining how I play this groove because I have already had a few private messages with that question... It may be a little hard to explain but I will have to do my best.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Islands in the Stream
I decided to make one more country video before going to Spain. I decided to drum along with Islands in the Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. The reasons for choosing this particular song were threefold:
At first, the drums seemed very simple and in fact, they are. However, being such a tight and controlled groove, it is very hard to play it in a relaxed and accurate manner. I did a few test recorings (audio only) and managed to play the song perfectly (without the camera) but in the end, I could not manage to play it perfectly on the published clip. I only practiced it for an hour or two before shooting this version but it is tiresome to play the song over and over. Had I waited a day to record the release version, I would have made it perfect. I simply wanted the video out so I settled for the result I had.
The song became a major country hit after its release in 1983. To the best of my knowledge, the Gibb brothers wrote it but I do not know whether they have ever recorded a version of the song themselves.
I hope you enjoy it and foregive me for not being perfect. I am not a professional drummer, although I do get paid to play.
- I really like the song.
- The original drum track is great.
- I want a few country songs on my channel.
At first, the drums seemed very simple and in fact, they are. However, being such a tight and controlled groove, it is very hard to play it in a relaxed and accurate manner. I did a few test recorings (audio only) and managed to play the song perfectly (without the camera) but in the end, I could not manage to play it perfectly on the published clip. I only practiced it for an hour or two before shooting this version but it is tiresome to play the song over and over. Had I waited a day to record the release version, I would have made it perfect. I simply wanted the video out so I settled for the result I had.
The song became a major country hit after its release in 1983. To the best of my knowledge, the Gibb brothers wrote it but I do not know whether they have ever recorded a version of the song themselves.
I hope you enjoy it and foregive me for not being perfect. I am not a professional drummer, although I do get paid to play.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Merle Haggard -- Lonesome Fugitive
Having set up my drumkit yesterday and even made a clip from it that I posted on YouTube, I decided that it was time to sit down and practice a little drums. It was Friday night, so I got a few brewskies and let iTunes play some random songs that I could drum along with. After a while, I came across Merle Haggard's old hit "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" and I instinctively fell into a bossanova sort of groove.
When I woke up this morning, I kept hearing that song in my head. I have always loved the song and it makes me feel compassion for that Lonesome Fugitive. I think it is very sad when the words I am on the run. The highway is my home. come out of the speaker.
I decided to practice a little drums after breakfast and laundry so once that was out of the way, I played this song and jammed along with it. Today, I took a more focused approach to the groove than last night. After playing the song 3 or 4 times, I had worked out a basic groove and had the tempo right as well. I made a test video first but messed up in the 2nd bar of the song. The test clip came out really well and after practicing the groove for a little while without any music, I felt it was pretty close to being acceptable.
I then made the recording and although there may be one or two hits that are not on the money, almost all of them are, so I posted the video.
Merle Haggard is a country musician that spent some time in prison but eventually turned around his life and focused on his singing. It is a good thing that he did, because some really good music came out of that. My dad is the one that owns credit for introducing me to Merle Haggard. He likes a lot of old-style country from the 60ies and during my childhood, a lot of his music spoke to the musician within me.
I didn't know it at the time, but I was a musician and there was something good about many different songs. Only later did I discover that I like a steady beat and a good tune.
When I woke up this morning, I kept hearing that song in my head. I have always loved the song and it makes me feel compassion for that Lonesome Fugitive. I think it is very sad when the words I am on the run. The highway is my home. come out of the speaker.
I decided to practice a little drums after breakfast and laundry so once that was out of the way, I played this song and jammed along with it. Today, I took a more focused approach to the groove than last night. After playing the song 3 or 4 times, I had worked out a basic groove and had the tempo right as well. I made a test video first but messed up in the 2nd bar of the song. The test clip came out really well and after practicing the groove for a little while without any music, I felt it was pretty close to being acceptable.
I then made the recording and although there may be one or two hits that are not on the money, almost all of them are, so I posted the video.
Merle Haggard is a country musician that spent some time in prison but eventually turned around his life and focused on his singing. It is a good thing that he did, because some really good music came out of that. My dad is the one that owns credit for introducing me to Merle Haggard. He likes a lot of old-style country from the 60ies and during my childhood, a lot of his music spoke to the musician within me.
I didn't know it at the time, but I was a musician and there was something good about many different songs. Only later did I discover that I like a steady beat and a good tune.
Friday, September 12, 2008
New Video -- Setting up Roland TD-12
I was playing with a digital camera yesterday and while surfing around in the menu system, I came across an option called Time Lapse. I wanted to experiment with that option so I set the interval to 1 second. This meant that the camera would record one frame or so per second. All I needed to test it was something to record and preferably something that took a while.
I had just returned from the summer house and my Roland TD-12 kit was all over the floor unassembled so hey why not film the assembly of the kit? That's how I got the idea for my new video, which is not a drumming video as such -- simply a camera test, but I thought it was kinda fun, so I decided to put it on YouTube.
As already mentioned, I am considering making some instructional drumming videos containing tips, technique, and things like that. The only problem is the following list:
I had just returned from the summer house and my Roland TD-12 kit was all over the floor unassembled so hey why not film the assembly of the kit? That's how I got the idea for my new video, which is not a drumming video as such -- simply a camera test, but I thought it was kinda fun, so I decided to put it on YouTube.
As already mentioned, I am considering making some instructional drumming videos containing tips, technique, and things like that. The only problem is the following list:
- I need some more sound equipment.
- I need an additional camera.
- I need at least two camera stands.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Training Camp
After the wedding gig, I spent a few days in the Faroes and then flew back to Copenhagen, Denmark. I met with my parents and went with them to their summer house. I brought my digital kit with me and did a lot of practicing there. As there is no internet connection there, I was basically incommunicado and had very few opportunities to check email, post videos, and participate in discussion forums. To get online, I had to bring my PC to the library, which was a 20 minute drive, so it was not something I wanted to do every day.
Instead, I did a lot of fundamental drum practice such as rudiments, standard grooves, and prepared for the next gig, which will be in Spain a week from now. I am leaving Denmark on the 17th of September and will be back here around 22nd or so. We are going to play with our band at the HeepVention 2008. On the first night, we will play 4 or 5 Uriah Heep covers as a band. On the 2nd day, we will be in a jam band, where each musician will play a number of songs with other musicians. In other words, all the drummers, bassists, guitarists, and so on will be shuffled around in an attempt to let everyone play with everyone.
I am really looking forward to the jam-part because who knows how good the other guys are? In one song, you may be playing with rock stars; in another, you may be playing with amateurs... That's fun because there is no way of knowing what will come out of it. Of course, I expect the majority of musicians to be somewhere between intermediate and pro, so I am sure that it will be OK. Still, if someone is having a hard time, the other guys will help him (or her) through. It is all about having fun.
I have been thinking about some new videos on YouTube but have not yet decided on what to make. I may have time to release one or two clips before I go, but I can't make any promises. However, after the gig in Spain, I am going to post more clips. I will be making more drum covers but I feel that it is time for some instructional videos. I am thinking about drum lessons but I really don't feel like doing that same thing all the other drum teachers do.
For that reason, I have been toying with a few ideas and will probably settle for a series of videos called "Groove Studies" or something similar where I build, analyze, play different grooves and variations of them. I have a few ideas from my practice camp, but nothing specific planned yet. In terms of hardware, I may have to make some sort of investment in order to both talk and play and everything at the same time. This has to do with limitations of my current equipment.
Instead, I did a lot of fundamental drum practice such as rudiments, standard grooves, and prepared for the next gig, which will be in Spain a week from now. I am leaving Denmark on the 17th of September and will be back here around 22nd or so. We are going to play with our band at the HeepVention 2008. On the first night, we will play 4 or 5 Uriah Heep covers as a band. On the 2nd day, we will be in a jam band, where each musician will play a number of songs with other musicians. In other words, all the drummers, bassists, guitarists, and so on will be shuffled around in an attempt to let everyone play with everyone.
I am really looking forward to the jam-part because who knows how good the other guys are? In one song, you may be playing with rock stars; in another, you may be playing with amateurs... That's fun because there is no way of knowing what will come out of it. Of course, I expect the majority of musicians to be somewhere between intermediate and pro, so I am sure that it will be OK. Still, if someone is having a hard time, the other guys will help him (or her) through. It is all about having fun.
I have been thinking about some new videos on YouTube but have not yet decided on what to make. I may have time to release one or two clips before I go, but I can't make any promises. However, after the gig in Spain, I am going to post more clips. I will be making more drum covers but I feel that it is time for some instructional videos. I am thinking about drum lessons but I really don't feel like doing that same thing all the other drum teachers do.
For that reason, I have been toying with a few ideas and will probably settle for a series of videos called "Groove Studies" or something similar where I build, analyze, play different grooves and variations of them. I have a few ideas from my practice camp, but nothing specific planned yet. In terms of hardware, I may have to make some sort of investment in order to both talk and play and everything at the same time. This has to do with limitations of my current equipment.
Wedding Gig Update
OK, it's been a while, so I thought I would bring an update. I went to the Faroe Islands and played at the wedding as planned. Having done a lot of general drum practice on my digital kit, I felt very confident at the kit. Although I was back behind the acoustic kit for the first time in over 12 months, I found it a lot easier to play than the digital kit. Acoustic and digital drums are somewhat similar but at the same time, there is a world of difference.
What I love about the acoustic kit is the hihat and the cymbals. They are so sensitive and sound so much better than their digital counterparts. The drums themselves can be a little harder to play on the acoustic kit because they do not provide you with much rebound at all. I tend to tune my toms quite low (coming from a 70s rock background). I like lots of toms tuned low :-)
Anyway, we took 2 hours or so at the rehearsal room and ran over a few things such as beginnings, breaks, and ends of various potential problem tracks. It turned out that I was very confident with all the songs so when the drummer is solid, the rest of the band is solid. At least in our band, everything goes wrong if I am not confident. Sometimes, I will be confident and someone else may feel inadequately prepared. That can sometimes mess up things as well, but the boys were all very confident although we have not seen each other for a year.
We went on stage and played our first song, which starts with a guitar and vocals. After a few bars, the drums make a fill and then the bass and basic drum groove kick in. When I heard the bass come in and felt the vibes through the floor, I immediately thought what a great sound! I instinctively checked on the other guys and they all looked happy. I then checked the drum volume compared to the rest of the instruments and it seemed just right. Finally, I checked the tempo to make sure we were in the pocket, and that too was just right. Remember that all this happens within a 10-second time span or so.
I thought to myself let things be exactly the way they are and try to slowly build up the songs and especially the boys. The band was great and I had no difficulties with making the drums fit in so I concluded that everything was OK and I stopped thinking for the next 4 hours.
We got a lot of compliments from the audience, which was a mixture of old, middle, and young people. Some were seasoned musicians, some amateurs, and some did not play an instrument at all. With such a mixture of people seeming happy and dancing and things, I think our gig worked out perfectly. I had expected the job to be a lot harder than it actually was.
Everything just came together, and although I was well prepared, played my best, and the crowd was good, I couldn't have done it without the boys and their excellent play and attitude. For the first time, I truly realize how eminent they are.
What I love about the acoustic kit is the hihat and the cymbals. They are so sensitive and sound so much better than their digital counterparts. The drums themselves can be a little harder to play on the acoustic kit because they do not provide you with much rebound at all. I tend to tune my toms quite low (coming from a 70s rock background). I like lots of toms tuned low :-)
Anyway, we took 2 hours or so at the rehearsal room and ran over a few things such as beginnings, breaks, and ends of various potential problem tracks. It turned out that I was very confident with all the songs so when the drummer is solid, the rest of the band is solid. At least in our band, everything goes wrong if I am not confident. Sometimes, I will be confident and someone else may feel inadequately prepared. That can sometimes mess up things as well, but the boys were all very confident although we have not seen each other for a year.
We went on stage and played our first song, which starts with a guitar and vocals. After a few bars, the drums make a fill and then the bass and basic drum groove kick in. When I heard the bass come in and felt the vibes through the floor, I immediately thought what a great sound! I instinctively checked on the other guys and they all looked happy. I then checked the drum volume compared to the rest of the instruments and it seemed just right. Finally, I checked the tempo to make sure we were in the pocket, and that too was just right. Remember that all this happens within a 10-second time span or so.
I thought to myself let things be exactly the way they are and try to slowly build up the songs and especially the boys. The band was great and I had no difficulties with making the drums fit in so I concluded that everything was OK and I stopped thinking for the next 4 hours.
We got a lot of compliments from the audience, which was a mixture of old, middle, and young people. Some were seasoned musicians, some amateurs, and some did not play an instrument at all. With such a mixture of people seeming happy and dancing and things, I think our gig worked out perfectly. I had expected the job to be a lot harder than it actually was.
Everything just came together, and although I was well prepared, played my best, and the crowd was good, I couldn't have done it without the boys and their excellent play and attitude. For the first time, I truly realize how eminent they are.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wedding gig in the Faroes
On Saturday, August 2, 2008 I have a gig to play in the Faroe Islands. I was wondering how to go about getting there but my beautiful band said, "no problem, we will book a ticket". I hooked up with our singer online and we booked the flight. So, now everything is set -- I am going Thursday, which will give us one day to practice. I am sure the guys are sharp as always, so unless I mess up, we will be fine.
It is a wedding, so it's probably gonna be an all-nighter. We will start playing around midnight or so and start with oldies and things. Once people get into it, we will sneak some rock'n'roll upon them and I would be surprised if they did not love it.
It's been a while since I played acoustic drums but I think I got my paradiddles down, so there should not be a problem at all. I doubt that I will need too many of those but there will be some. I have moved away from the rock a little and am getting back in to reggea and things like that. On YouTube, there are a few videos. Most of these are just songs I dig, and then play.
They are not really rehearsed or anything, so it happens that there are untight sections. Often, it becomes impossible to play real drums to recorded music because the orginal artist is not "on the money" -- It is amazing how untight most recorded music is. When you listen to it, it may not be apparent but once you load it into an application and begin working out the tempo, you see that they are all over the place.
I am not saying that I am always on time, but I have a hard time with recorded music, unless they are tight. Playing live is a lot different because at least the other guys hear that they are behind the drums and catch up (or slow down, whichever the case may be). That is not something you get with recorded music. Sometimes, I am the one that is tending to go out of time but fortunately, I have a real good bassist supporting me.
If the drummer and the bassist agree, the rest of the band has an easy job.
It is a wedding, so it's probably gonna be an all-nighter. We will start playing around midnight or so and start with oldies and things. Once people get into it, we will sneak some rock'n'roll upon them and I would be surprised if they did not love it.
It's been a while since I played acoustic drums but I think I got my paradiddles down, so there should not be a problem at all. I doubt that I will need too many of those but there will be some. I have moved away from the rock a little and am getting back in to reggea and things like that. On YouTube, there are a few videos. Most of these are just songs I dig, and then play.
They are not really rehearsed or anything, so it happens that there are untight sections. Often, it becomes impossible to play real drums to recorded music because the orginal artist is not "on the money" -- It is amazing how untight most recorded music is. When you listen to it, it may not be apparent but once you load it into an application and begin working out the tempo, you see that they are all over the place.
I am not saying that I am always on time, but I have a hard time with recorded music, unless they are tight. Playing live is a lot different because at least the other guys hear that they are behind the drums and catch up (or slow down, whichever the case may be). That is not something you get with recorded music. Sometimes, I am the one that is tending to go out of time but fortunately, I have a real good bassist supporting me.
If the drummer and the bassist agree, the rest of the band has an easy job.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Drum Videos on the Tube
With respect to drumming, I have been practicing a lot after having been away from it for almost a year. It is a dream come true being able to practice at home and any time you want to. I ran across an ad on a website... a band nearby needs a drummer to fill in for their regular drummer so I contacted them.
It seems that this band already have found a temporary but they are trying to keep their options open and want me to be there as a reserve. There may be one or two gigs that their temporary is unable to make, so they may want me to fill in there, which I think I can manage. I have explained my situation to them, so they know what the deal is but the great advantage that I have is that I know 50%-75% of their material from my regular band's material.
It is kinda odd that they are six musicians like we are, they are the same age range, they play the same material. That is really why I decided to contact them... they seemed to have a hard time getting a drummer, they were very similar to my band, and they practice close to where I currently live.
Like I may have said, I practice a lot on the digital kit and have a blast doing so. I decided to record a few videos of me and my kit playing along popular rock songs to show people what the kit looks like and how it sounds. I posted the videos on Youtube and got a lot more views than I expected. After all, I am just some guy with a drumset so I didn't expect more than 5 views or something but I got much more than that. I guess that I will have to make a few more videos because people are beginning to request songs.
My poker buddies, family, fellow musicians, friends, and coworkers are of course somewhat interested but there seems to be an interest from people I do not know (yet). I guess that most of them would be musicians that find my clips via other related videos. In any event, I like the idea I can create something that people enjoy and that other people bother creating things that I can enjoy. I guess that is the social nature of the human species so that's a good thing.
A clever man once told me (my late uncle, actually) that fame is not about HOW known you are; it is about WHAT you are known for. I kept that gem ever since and attempt to make a few good things for a few appreciating people. There is no need to become a superstar (or should we call it "Super Nova") or the richest man in the world -- That would probably just make your work more difficult. In any event, I haven't seen many happy superstars, if any at all.
If you really want fame, it is easy to achieve. All you do is to pay of find someone who will pay vast amounts to promote you through the media in order to make a lot of money from selling whatever you want. It is simply an investment and the media loves all material regardless of its quality. Fame is very easy to achieve but I warn against it... once you go down that road, there is no way back.
If fame comes to you because you happened to discover something brilliant, it will be a lot easier to handle because all you have to do is be who you are. Just do nothing new or different... lol. Quality-based fame will last a lot longer and be easier to manage.
My videos are here: http://www.youtube.com/herlpearl
These things are not hard to do but they can be time consuming. I have an MP3 song that must be synchronized with the recorded drumtrack. As I play, I record the video stream separately using a digital camera, so there are three streams to keep in sync.
First, the MP3 song is selected, then I need to learn or at least practice the song. I then play the MP3 through the headset and route the drum sound to the headset as well as my PC to record the drum track and hear what I am doing. I let the video camera roll independently of the other stuff and end up with 3 streams; 1) MP3, 2) Drum Track, and 3) Video.
I then load the MP3 and Drum Track into Cubase and attempt to synchronize the start of them as well as I can. I export an audio mix of those two streams to a single audio file which I then import into Windows MovieMaker. In Windows MovieMaker, I import the video from the camera as well and try to synchronize the AVI file and the WAV file. I then edit the whole thing to find a good place to start and stop the video, add captions, and things. Once the video and sound are all done, I export the whole thing as a VMW or MPEG file or other format. If the resulting video file is not too large, I upload the thing to Youtube. Otherwise, I run the result through VirtualDubMod and/or Windows Media Encoder to find a more suitable size/quality compromise.
Once the video has been uploaded to the site, Youtube compresses the whole thing so there is no need to go overboard with making huge files with great video and great sound. The Youtube server will mess up your work anyway.
It seems that this band already have found a temporary but they are trying to keep their options open and want me to be there as a reserve. There may be one or two gigs that their temporary is unable to make, so they may want me to fill in there, which I think I can manage. I have explained my situation to them, so they know what the deal is but the great advantage that I have is that I know 50%-75% of their material from my regular band's material.
It is kinda odd that they are six musicians like we are, they are the same age range, they play the same material. That is really why I decided to contact them... they seemed to have a hard time getting a drummer, they were very similar to my band, and they practice close to where I currently live.
Like I may have said, I practice a lot on the digital kit and have a blast doing so. I decided to record a few videos of me and my kit playing along popular rock songs to show people what the kit looks like and how it sounds. I posted the videos on Youtube and got a lot more views than I expected. After all, I am just some guy with a drumset so I didn't expect more than 5 views or something but I got much more than that. I guess that I will have to make a few more videos because people are beginning to request songs.
My poker buddies, family, fellow musicians, friends, and coworkers are of course somewhat interested but there seems to be an interest from people I do not know (yet). I guess that most of them would be musicians that find my clips via other related videos. In any event, I like the idea I can create something that people enjoy and that other people bother creating things that I can enjoy. I guess that is the social nature of the human species so that's a good thing.
A clever man once told me (my late uncle, actually) that fame is not about HOW known you are; it is about WHAT you are known for. I kept that gem ever since and attempt to make a few good things for a few appreciating people. There is no need to become a superstar (or should we call it "Super Nova") or the richest man in the world -- That would probably just make your work more difficult. In any event, I haven't seen many happy superstars, if any at all.
If you really want fame, it is easy to achieve. All you do is to pay of find someone who will pay vast amounts to promote you through the media in order to make a lot of money from selling whatever you want. It is simply an investment and the media loves all material regardless of its quality. Fame is very easy to achieve but I warn against it... once you go down that road, there is no way back.
If fame comes to you because you happened to discover something brilliant, it will be a lot easier to handle because all you have to do is be who you are. Just do nothing new or different... lol. Quality-based fame will last a lot longer and be easier to manage.
My videos are here: http://www.youtube.com/herlpearl
These things are not hard to do but they can be time consuming. I have an MP3 song that must be synchronized with the recorded drumtrack. As I play, I record the video stream separately using a digital camera, so there are three streams to keep in sync.
First, the MP3 song is selected, then I need to learn or at least practice the song. I then play the MP3 through the headset and route the drum sound to the headset as well as my PC to record the drum track and hear what I am doing. I let the video camera roll independently of the other stuff and end up with 3 streams; 1) MP3, 2) Drum Track, and 3) Video.
I then load the MP3 and Drum Track into Cubase and attempt to synchronize the start of them as well as I can. I export an audio mix of those two streams to a single audio file which I then import into Windows MovieMaker. In Windows MovieMaker, I import the video from the camera as well and try to synchronize the AVI file and the WAV file. I then edit the whole thing to find a good place to start and stop the video, add captions, and things. Once the video and sound are all done, I export the whole thing as a VMW or MPEG file or other format. If the resulting video file is not too large, I upload the thing to Youtube. Otherwise, I run the result through VirtualDubMod and/or Windows Media Encoder to find a more suitable size/quality compromise.
Once the video has been uploaded to the site, Youtube compresses the whole thing so there is no need to go overboard with making huge files with great video and great sound. The Youtube server will mess up your work anyway.
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