New!
Now on my YouTube channel, REFondrums
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-fAC__-8oQ
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"Ray, that's kind of a rough looking black and white photo of your rig."
Yep. "Concepts 3" is kind of a rough recording. The original picture, which my daughter took, is perfectly fine. I'll show it at the end of this page. But, for symbolism, that rough photo captures the essence of my third recording, Jussidown'n'playyerdrums.
Concepts for Solo Drum Set 3 - JUSSIDOWN'N'PLAYYERDRUMS is not really a 'concepts' album.
I recorded these 12 solos pretty much directly after the solos of Concepts #2, later Summer/ Autumn of 2021.
The premise was simple. Just sit down and play my drums each day. No warming up or thinking about what to play. Just sit down and do whatever my brain and body decided to do.
Listening to any drummer is going to render repetition of ideas and performance. The same could be said for any instrument soloed upon. That's just human nature. Everybody has favorite moves and such: habitual things we do. Trying not to repeat one's self does take some thought and I'm constantly trying not to repeat any licks or ideas but, honestly, for three albums, no repetition? Totally unrealistic. Repetition granted, that said, I do believe I have been able to capture some concepts and ideas in relatively unique ways, for me.
And listen, I totally get it. You have to love drum solos to sit and listen to an hour's worth of them but, that happens to be me. I love drum solos, and like I have frequently mentioned, I wish dozens, hundreds of players would employ their talents and vision and imagination to this type of recording. If a pianist or guitarist or any other musician can do it, so can drumists.
In this case, #3, there were no particular ideas involved. The drum set and my own mind in the moment led me along.
Yep. "Concepts 3" is kind of a rough recording. The original picture, which my daughter took, is perfectly fine. I'll show it at the end of this page. But, for symbolism, that rough photo captures the essence of my third recording, Jussidown'n'playyerdrums.
Concepts for Solo Drum Set 3 - JUSSIDOWN'N'PLAYYERDRUMS is not really a 'concepts' album.
I recorded these 12 solos pretty much directly after the solos of Concepts #2, later Summer/ Autumn of 2021.
The premise was simple. Just sit down and play my drums each day. No warming up or thinking about what to play. Just sit down and do whatever my brain and body decided to do.
Listening to any drummer is going to render repetition of ideas and performance. The same could be said for any instrument soloed upon. That's just human nature. Everybody has favorite moves and such: habitual things we do. Trying not to repeat one's self does take some thought and I'm constantly trying not to repeat any licks or ideas but, honestly, for three albums, no repetition? Totally unrealistic. Repetition granted, that said, I do believe I have been able to capture some concepts and ideas in relatively unique ways, for me.
And listen, I totally get it. You have to love drum solos to sit and listen to an hour's worth of them but, that happens to be me. I love drum solos, and like I have frequently mentioned, I wish dozens, hundreds of players would employ their talents and vision and imagination to this type of recording. If a pianist or guitarist or any other musician can do it, so can drumists.
In this case, #3, there were no particular ideas involved. The drum set and my own mind in the moment led me along.
I should mention this is not a day 1 to day 12 recording. I did it all in a few weeks but, not every solo was kept from each new day. Some days it was just a train wreck or more of the same: brain freeze. I kept what I liked and you'll hear constant stick clicks, if not sticks flying off to the ceiling or somewhere else, and my own frustrations in the process, at least what the mics picked up within all the action. This is definitely a "warts and all" recording. Remember, just sit down and play your drums. Hence, the rough B&W photo.
I did make some changes to the set as you'll hear on some solos. There were days when the set-up snare drum just didn't feel right and I changed it out for something else. In some cases I changed things deliberately to vary what my mind would come up with. In one case, I enjoyed the change so much I played it for days. Two solos from that set-up are on the album.
Once again, just the two overhead Earthworks TC30 mics and Jecklin disk, and Sennheiser e902 on the kick for the raw files, captured on my ZOOM H8 recorder.
Again, because I have so much fun playing them, my experimental, somewhat mongrel stacked plywood-ring set is used. You will hear no difference between the tone of these drums and the most expensive kits available. Why. The drum heads are tensioned to sing, and they do.
I happen to like the feel of shallow drums. I also like the heads tensioned just behind optimum. That creates more attack than sustain but, I'd rather have the pitch more present as I go around the kit. The kick is a 16x24. Just thought I'd make a deeper drum and see how I liked it, which I do. I prefer a shallow kick, as well but, this puppy feels good and sounds good so, good to go. The drum set records so well I've just left it set-up in the room and enjoy playing it.
Guitarist, John Mayes, from West Virginia, offered his formidable talents of mixing and mastering, and the set sounds beautiful. Listening in headphones is like sitting directly in front of the kit and each drum and cymbal has its place in the soundstage. John does a marvelous job.
Because these solos don't follow any kind of particular concept or formula, I could have just numbered them 1-12 but, that's boring. So, in listening back to each of them, I asked myself what I pictured, what I heard, what was conjured up in my mind, and foolish or not, I named them, as one would name any piece of music.
Here they are ----
I did make some changes to the set as you'll hear on some solos. There were days when the set-up snare drum just didn't feel right and I changed it out for something else. In some cases I changed things deliberately to vary what my mind would come up with. In one case, I enjoyed the change so much I played it for days. Two solos from that set-up are on the album.
Once again, just the two overhead Earthworks TC30 mics and Jecklin disk, and Sennheiser e902 on the kick for the raw files, captured on my ZOOM H8 recorder.
Again, because I have so much fun playing them, my experimental, somewhat mongrel stacked plywood-ring set is used. You will hear no difference between the tone of these drums and the most expensive kits available. Why. The drum heads are tensioned to sing, and they do.
I happen to like the feel of shallow drums. I also like the heads tensioned just behind optimum. That creates more attack than sustain but, I'd rather have the pitch more present as I go around the kit. The kick is a 16x24. Just thought I'd make a deeper drum and see how I liked it, which I do. I prefer a shallow kick, as well but, this puppy feels good and sounds good so, good to go. The drum set records so well I've just left it set-up in the room and enjoy playing it.
Guitarist, John Mayes, from West Virginia, offered his formidable talents of mixing and mastering, and the set sounds beautiful. Listening in headphones is like sitting directly in front of the kit and each drum and cymbal has its place in the soundstage. John does a marvelous job.
Because these solos don't follow any kind of particular concept or formula, I could have just numbered them 1-12 but, that's boring. So, in listening back to each of them, I asked myself what I pictured, what I heard, what was conjured up in my mind, and foolish or not, I named them, as one would name any piece of music.
Here they are ----
1. Random Ruminations - Kind of a typical way I sit at the drums and orient myself. Just randomly moving around and see what my mind wants to do. I constantly hear melodies as soon as I begin to play; that or patterns. That works here.
2. Solo's Beat - Playing a solo off a beat, or making the beat a solo, is pretty common and I employ that here on this solo. It's a popular way to solo because the average listener can easily grasp it all.
2. Solo's Beat - Playing a solo off a beat, or making the beat a solo, is pretty common and I employ that here on this solo. It's a popular way to solo because the average listener can easily grasp it all.
3. Ruff City - Self explanatory. A solo of Ruffs. I veered away at times but, tried to stay in the rudiment throughout. For non-drummers, the rudiment is meaningless but, to any listener, the sense of a repeated pattern or phrase definitely catches the ear.
4. Beat the March - Another, is it a beat or is it a solo?, solo. I had a march in my head, as I often do, and tried to make it both a beat and a solo.
4. Beat the March - Another, is it a beat or is it a solo?, solo. I had a march in my head, as I often do, and tried to make it both a beat and a solo.
5. Fred and Ginger - Way before I was born, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers were a world renowned pair of actor/dancers who created many moments of film legend. Fred actually played drums and in a couple films he danced, soloing with his feet, surrounded by drums. Simply amazing. As I listened back to this solo, I just thought of Fred and Ginger, the way they built a dance routine. Yeah, definitely an impressionistic mind-picture but, it's what came to me.
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6. Rolling Hills - Back and forth on the kit brought rolling hills to mind. Up and down, over and yonder is what this solo brought to memory. I miss the green, rolling hills of North East America, where I was born and raised. It's amazing how a drum solo can have these kinds of qualities to bring back images from another time and place.
7. The Hamster's Playground - I never had one but, friends did, and watching those things just constantly moving around their enclosures, all the toys involved, was pretty fascinating. This solo just reminded me a hamster all revved up and running around.
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Given a hamster's general personality, I have to believe if it could play a set of drums, it would be fast and furious. Of course, it would probably chew through its sticks before it even played a stroke.
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8. Chinatown - They can be found in just about every nation is some major city but, in this case, this solo is not about neighborhoods, it's about cymbals. With the exception of hi-hats I replaced all rides and crashes with China cymbals. Definitely a sonic difference in this one. Beyond a drum solo, I really can't imagine any genre of music having such a percussion format, unless it was Asian theater music?
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9. Tom Tunes - Easily one of my favorite solos on the recording. Melody is my thing and I'm always thinking about it, and this particular morning it was all about making music on the toms. Just a fun thing to do and listen to, for me.
10. Bopcorn - When I listened back to these next two solos the sound of the Popcorn snare was obvious but, I just thought Bopcorn. Little did I know that term is as ubiquitous as it is. A gourmet popcorn company. A podcast. Other uses of the term, as well, and not to steal anyone's idea, Bopcorn is just what this solo is. As you can see from the pic, I turned to my left, removed the 20" tom, set up the snare and various sound effects, and went at it. I used the left side, slave bd pedal for my master. I had so much fun I left everything set up that way for days.
10. Bopcorn - When I listened back to these next two solos the sound of the Popcorn snare was obvious but, I just thought Bopcorn. Little did I know that term is as ubiquitous as it is. A gourmet popcorn company. A podcast. Other uses of the term, as well, and not to steal anyone's idea, Bopcorn is just what this solo is. As you can see from the pic, I turned to my left, removed the 20" tom, set up the snare and various sound effects, and went at it. I used the left side, slave bd pedal for my master. I had so much fun I left everything set up that way for days.
11. More Bopcorn: SBH - In the second solo I stay more with just the SBH; snare, bass, hats idea.
11. More Bopcorn: SBH - In the second solo I stay more with just the SBH; snare, bass, hats idea.
12. The Rate of Constants - Our planet, our solar system, the universe is one functioning and held together by "Constants:" never changing rates and measures and uniformity. With all the trillions of galaxies and stars in them, it all sustains these measures with clockwork precision. How? The Bible states by Jesus Christ everything consists or, holds together. Christ created it all. He spoke it all into existence. He sustains it all by the word of His power: unimaginable power and control.
In listening back to this solo I just heard a constant propulsion of sound, of who and what I am behind the kit but, I hasten to add, the human element is never far away, as you will hear.
Some will ask, "Shouldn't you close out an album with your best solo?" Nah. I chose to close it out with the most honest one.
In listening back to this solo I just heard a constant propulsion of sound, of who and what I am behind the kit but, I hasten to add, the human element is never far away, as you will hear.
Some will ask, "Shouldn't you close out an album with your best solo?" Nah. I chose to close it out with the most honest one.
So, that's CSDS 3 - Jussiddown'n'playyerdrums.
My daughter was visiting some weeks back and took a ton of pics while I played, and I have placed some here on this page. Great shots, Hannah. :-)
Again, my thanks to John Mayes for his help and work on this recording. He's about the easiest person I've ever had the pleasure to work with over the internet. As it happens, working with around seven dozen pics my daughter took, turning them all black and white for something different, and trying to create a music video with the editor I have was not working. John said to send him the photos and we shuffled some ideas back and forth and he put together a really cool video for me to post on YouTube.
I have yet to post the three recordings on my YT channel but, after fighting whatever this is for the last 24 days, I believe I'm rounding the corner. Covid? I don't know. It was just the worst thing I've ever had. I'm getting back into gear, little by little. I'll get these up on the channel soon and you can check them out. (UPDATE: all three recordings are now on my YT channel).
It's been a great experience for me, recording these albums. I'm glad I did it. And I offer warm and grateful thanks to those involved, and especially the Lord, for talents and imagination, and friends to help in times of need.
God bless,
Ray
My daughter was visiting some weeks back and took a ton of pics while I played, and I have placed some here on this page. Great shots, Hannah. :-)
Again, my thanks to John Mayes for his help and work on this recording. He's about the easiest person I've ever had the pleasure to work with over the internet. As it happens, working with around seven dozen pics my daughter took, turning them all black and white for something different, and trying to create a music video with the editor I have was not working. John said to send him the photos and we shuffled some ideas back and forth and he put together a really cool video for me to post on YouTube.
I have yet to post the three recordings on my YT channel but, after fighting whatever this is for the last 24 days, I believe I'm rounding the corner. Covid? I don't know. It was just the worst thing I've ever had. I'm getting back into gear, little by little. I'll get these up on the channel soon and you can check them out. (UPDATE: all three recordings are now on my YT channel).
It's been a great experience for me, recording these albums. I'm glad I did it. And I offer warm and grateful thanks to those involved, and especially the Lord, for talents and imagination, and friends to help in times of need.
God bless,
Ray
Indeed, a "Concepts for Solo Drum Sets" is on the table. Actually, that title would be
"Solos for Concept Drum Sets."
A recording of all my various non or odd drums and drums sets in solo performance. The ultimate, "kitchen sink" recording for DIYers.
Lots of work to do. We'll see what the future holds.