Check this out for some serious inspiration. I LOVE this video. Tony starts his solo by warming up! His warm-ups are good enough to be part of a public performance…..think about that. Basically, he starts out playing a continuous double stroke roll, and then moves around between paradiddle combos, singles and doubles…..all continuously….and it all sounds smooth and like one even roll. Try that to work on your hands. Continuous roll…..switching the sticking between singles, doubles and paradiddle combos. Really good exercise. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. This video is chock full of great inspiration from the master.
Mark Feldman is a session drummer from NYC.
He first gained attention as one of the winners of Modern Drummer magazine's very first drum solo contest, judged by Rush's Neil Peart.
He's played with Oz Noy, Will Lee, Alison Krauss, Curtis Stigers, Emily Remler, Joel Hoekstra, GE Smith, Andy York, Marshall Crenshaw, Tony Shanahan, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, Big Brother and The Holding Company, and many other artists.
For more info: onlinesessiondrummer.com
He first gained attention as one of the winners of Modern Drummer magazine's very first drum solo contest, judged by Rush's Neil Peart.
He's played with Oz Noy, Will Lee, Alison Krauss, Curtis Stigers, Emily Remler, Joel Hoekstra, GE Smith, Andy York, Marshall Crenshaw, Tony Shanahan, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, Big Brother and The Holding Company, and many other artists.
For more info: onlinesessiondrummer.com
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Mark and others,
I used to think it was a good idea to get my singles and doubles sounding close. However, I think Gary Chaffee’s opinion makes more sense. Double and single are supposed to sound different. One is smooth and the other choppy. I love this video too! I can’t come close to the dynamic facilities that Mr. Williams displays here.
What I got from this obvious exercise (that Tony teaching to the audience), is to keep the time while freely flowing from one idea to the next. I’m not sure if he is keeping track of meters. It sounds if he is starting and stopping. I recommend taking this idea and giving it a definite amount of measures so that there is a form. Think of it as a method to warm up playing stickings using doubles and singles. Then gradually add dynamics and orchestrations. Try this modern approach rather than seeing it from a classic rudimentary way.
Thanks for the great post!
Keith
Hi Keith! Thanks for the kind words. I like that exercise too…..and I love how Tony is just warming up but he sounds so good warming up that it makes for a great solo. I don’t disagree that singles and doubles have their own flavor and sound…..i use them for their different “personalities” too. Thanks for reading and for your thoughtful comment.
Please excuse the typos!