|
Posted by: paolo on:05 Jan 2012 General » Dom On Tour 2011 |
|
|
Tweet |
Dom On Tour 2011
Fast food; budget accommodation and sleep
deprivation. Whoever said touring was glamourous lied to me! Without a doubt
being a support act on a tour was probably some of the hardest work I've ever
done. Yet it was also the most rewarding.
The music industry has drastically changed since what
some people refer to as the glory days of the 70s and 80s, the live industry is
now the Heartbeat of the modern music scene. Recorded sound and albums are like
limbs on a tree during the winter. The age of the internet has dawned and it
has killed off the 'album'. When was the last time you bought a CD? Some people
prefer an actual collection, but these people seem to be in a minority. Most
people you ask will prefer downloads over going out to purchase music. This is
however great news for a touring musician, because gigs are plentiful. And a
great way to earn some money out of a band.
As I never really wanted to do the whole 9 'till 5,
cubicle office space, living for the weekend job type thing. A musician is all
i've ever really wanted to be, and although I wanted to be a session player,
playing with a different band each night and recording all day. I ended up
putting all my eggs in one basket by joining a band. People sometimes reckon
its the easiest thing in the world, but when you're thrown into the situation
where you're forced into permanent close proximity to four other guys, it can
be easy to get on each others nerves. My theory is that it takes a certain type
of person to be able to get on with people no matter how tired and irritable
you can be, and still end up performing to the best of your ability when gig
time hits.
Two things will always shock me about drumming. The
first is that, every time your sticks grace the skin, it has to blow people
away. Whether you're in the studio or playing live, the first hit of that snare
or kick has to sound perfect. I know this is obviously half dependant on the
gear that you own and your technique. But the tuning has to be spot on.
Sounds easy right? The only problem is you have just
about 30 minutes to set up a kit, tune it perfectly and warm up before the
producer wants to hit the record button.
Playing live is an entirely different affair, you
have about 30 seconds. In those precious seconds you have to put your cymbals
up, snare on, set up the backing track and tune.
My evenings through school were spent staying later
to play and practise, and then pack down the drums and move them to another
room. No bragging, but i've made kit set up into an art form. But when you're 7
minutes after doors should have opened, meaning roughly someones run over a bit
during the afternoon, 30 seconds is all you get.
Which leads me into the single most vile phrase in
the english language line check. Meaning the sound guy just checks how loud
everything is, you have no idea how anything sounds, all you can hear is your
breathing, your heart beat and the dull ping pong pong pong of the metronome.
and of course, if you're lucky the roar of the crowd.
Also most of the time the sound men behind the desk
all have their own idea of what sounds good, and not necessarily in the best
interest of your particular style or genre. Included in this was the lovely man
in Manchester, whom when asked to add reverb to the vocals replied, "we
don't have that high tech equipment here?"
However the moment the music starts most crowds will
be warm to you. This is the reason i first picked up the sticks. Performing to
people who are there to listen and mostly enjoy what you are playing is one of
the best feelings in the world. It's such a pure feeling, essentially earning a
living out of making people dance.
And the second, is that no matter how long you spend
tuning that prized snare making sure all the lugs have even tension and that it
sounds great, the minute you put a mic on it and hit it? it'll just sound
horrific...
And then no matter what you do, it just won't sound
better than hitting a biscuit tin. Viva le drum tech! I've been behind a kit
seconds from playing twisting lugs back and fourth trying to make it sound
better than dropping cutlery. The best piece of advice i can give anyone, is
take that snare everywhere, try and get a feel for what tunings work in
different rooms, and bear in mind that different positioning within a room can
affect the sound too. I personally find tuning to be an art form, it can be
sticky and tactile, great one day, or impossible the next, i like to try to
keep on my toes with it by tuning every kit i can constantly experimenting with
how different tunings sound in different rooms so i know i can get the sound i
want when i need it.
I currently play:
A Slingerland maple kit (60's)
20 x 14 bass drum, 16 x 16 floor tom, 12x 9 high tom, Ludwig
400 14 x 5 snare, Zildjian K 14'" hats, K 20'" ride, Menial Byzance ,
20'' Medium Jazz ride and assorted crash cymbals.
For more information visit www.thevandoos.com