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Q&A With Dave
Thanks to all
the fans who have submitted questions. If you would like to
submit a question, just write to
questions@daveweckl.com .
Q.
Hi Dave,
Your music has been an inspiration for me for more than a
decade! Thank you very much! I have a question for you
regarding shoes you use. They look as if they are very
flexible and allow your feet to ‘slip’ when you play
doubles. What kind of shoes do you use?
Many thanks!
- Armen
A.
Hi
Armen, thanks for writing... I've always tried to stay
fairly consistent with shoes, whatever they are.... for a
while, Vic Firth was making some that I had a hand in
designing, but the dealers wouldn't stock them, size issues,
and they became a bit too thin for me anyway.... I have been
wearing these shoes from Otomix for a while now. I
don't know really what they're for, sort of a martial arts,
semi hi top but I only lace them as high as the ankle so as
not to constrict. They are rubber sole-based, and flat on
the bottom, so yes, it's easy to get around the pedals, but
have enough material to help the shock issue on the feet and
knees.
- Dave
Q.
Hello,
I am planning to buy a new kit and I am thinking about
buying a Yamaha Oak Custom. Yamaha's flier
says you are using an Oak Custom but your site says
you are currently using only Maple Custom and
Birch Absolute.
So, I would like to know if the Oak Custom is really
in your arsenal and what you are using it for records and
concerts.
Thank you in advance for your response.
Regards,
- Boris
A.
Hi
Boris.
I've played Oaks before, but only on tours. They are
great drums, but I prefer Maple or Birch
shells, in that order. You really have to play them to see
what appeals to you.... everyone's different!
- Dave
Q.
Hi
Dave,
Your drumming is an endless inspiration for me. I love your
tasteful playing and your incredible sound.
So, I decided to buy your snare model, the aluminum 6.5"
double strainer. But I can't find a way to get it.
All music dealer say they can't order this model due to the
fact that there are new Dave Weckl models. Even eBay is no
help.
So, I want ask you if you know a possibility where to buy
the rare sd365dw ?
It would be great, if you can help me find this snare.
Thank you!
- David
A.
Hey
David -
thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated!
The 6.5" was never really a drum I used, and when I did, I
didn't really like it all that much to be honest!
My mainstay drum is still the 5.5x14" aluminum shell Dave
Weckl model. It is correct though, they do not make these
drums any longer.
The aluminum was too expensive to make solid shells from. I
myself only have a few of the 5.5's and don't think I even
own the 6.5, so sorry, I can't help you! But thanks for
asking!
- Dave
Q.
Hey Dave. How
are you? Been a big fan of yours for a long time. I think
your approach to playing drums is second to none, especially
your fluidity when playing. Which brings me on to my
question:
When I practice, I don't feel any aches etc. in my body. But
after most gigs, my back hurts. Have you any idea why this
could be?
Yours in drums,
- Chris
A.
Hi
Chris, could be a number of reasons.
If you practice on exactly the same kit as you play the gigs
on, have you ever practiced as long and played like you
would on a gig? It's fairly unlikely actually, as the
adrenalin gets pumping on a live show, and if we're not
careful, we're overplaying from a physical standpoint.
I'd have to see you play in order to give any real advice,
but suffice it to say, you're probably set up to somehow be
moving the body in an unnatural way, straining something in
your back.
I find doing sit ups to strengthen the stomach muscles helps
the back as well.
- Dave
Q.
Hey
Dave,
I’m after some advice. I’m 16-years-old, I live in the
Southwest of Western Australia, and I’m interested in
becoming a professional drummer.
My teacher said to me I should e-mail some pro drummers and
ask them what they did at my age and what I should do. I
always compete in local competitions and receive numerous
1st placers. Last year I was named the 4th best
up-and-coming in Australia for my age group at the
Ultimate Drummers Weekend (your band's performance there
was amazing).
I like to play all styles of music and, eventually I would
love to have a very musical career playing jazz, different
Latin styles, rock and funk. If you can give me any advice
or information it would be greatly appreciated.
- Jayden
A.
Hey
Jayden. Thanks for writing!
Having the desire to want it is half the battle. The other
half is spending the time to really absorb as much as you
can from as many different drummers and styles as you can.
It is imperative to understand and know about the history of
this instrument. So, go back and dig up every drummer you
can from Baby Dodds forward and check them out.
Spend time on fundamentals now; chops, reading,
independence, hand and feet combos. Spend time learning the
authenticities of all styles so you know what to play when a
style is called from the leader, for example. The biggest
thing at your age is to just spend as much time as you can
with the sticks in your hands.
- Dave
Q.
Dave,
I must say you are definitely my favorite drummer.
My question is: how much tension do you have as far as
tuning goes on your toms? I love the deep sound, but you're
still getting lots of stick rebound.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
- Keith
A.
Hi
Keith - thanks for listening!
Tuning is a very personal thing, and it always varies for me
depending on the music, the room, mics or no mics, etc.
First of all, the stick will rebound off of a loose head if
you LET it. But yes, it will take a bit more control and
input from the drummer. Again, it really depends on what
you're after.
Nice, open sounding drums work well with no mics, so then
the bottom and top heads are tuned fairly the same, a bit
higher on the bottom. But when mic'd, you have to listen to
what's going on.
If a tom is ringing for days in the sound system, it may not
be the sound guy's fault! In these situations, I find tuning
the bottom head quite a bit tighter, and the top head a lot
looser, almost de-tuned, but not quite, works well.
This is harder to do with thinner heads, as they flop out
quicker, but can be done with care and experimentation. As
far as rebound, you have to make sure you get your rebound
together on a pad, then get it to a looser drum.
- Dave
Q.
Hello Mr. Weckl.
My Name is Jeff and I recently saw you at a clinic in St.
Louis at The Jazz at Bistro. The question is: I have
been playing for 10 years now and I'm 18-years-old. I'm at a
turning point in my life.
I was wondering: when do you know when to take that next
step and really take your drumming for real. I'm going to
college soon and how do I know if to study music/drums in
college or if to not go to college and join a band and tour.
I'm really at a crossroad about this issue. Anything would
help - even information on how you decided that this is how
you wanted to make a living. I know that you are a very busy
man and any information that you could provide would be
greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
- Jeff
Q.
Hey Jeff.
It's always a tough decision as to how to go about doing
this thing we call playing drums, and music. All I can say
is: you have to follow your gut.
This is a VERY hard business, but I feel I did not choose
it, rather the other way around. I felt at a very early age
this is what I was meant to do here, so there were really no
questions for me.
I picked a college I could attend to study music, while also
being near a big city that supported the industry (New York
was it for me). So, it depends on what you want to
do.
I went to college to learn about MUSIC, not just drums. I
always tell anyone who asks that it is not enough to just be
a drummer anymore. This is the MUSIC BUSINESS, so you need
to prepare for that in as many ways as you can.
Learn to write music and play music. Learn
about computers and sound engineering (recording/mixing) as
much as you can. If I had to rely on JUST being a drummer,
it would be a harder road, for sure.
Best of Luck. Your gut will tell you what to do.
- Dave
Q.
Dear
Dave Weckl,
I downloaded the video on your site, "Shag Carpet," and I
really wanted to know what ride cymbal and hi-hats you were
using on that video.
Not to be to nosey, but the sound was really pleasing in the
video.
Thank You.
- Jose
A.
Thanks Jose.
That performance was in Japan, and I was using a 20"
Sabian HHX Legacy Ride, and 14" Sabian HHX Legacy
hi-hats.
I recorded that show on my Mac laptop with Pro Tools from my
mixer (using M-Audio 1814 Firewire box), and had
three cameras rolling for video. I took it all home and
mixed the audio and edited the video and threw them
together.
"Shag Carpet" and "Chameleon", available to hear on my
Web site,
were the results (and all I had time to do!)
- Dave
Q.
Hi Dave. I would
just like to say I have always loved your drum sound live
and on recordings.
Could you please explain your tuning on your kick drum? I
normally have the batter side past wrinkle, and use a felt
beater. But the soundmen at my new venue didn't like the
sound and put a huge pillow inside, and stuck a falam slam
on the head with a plastic beater. Now, the kick sounds very
small, and there is no low end.
After sound check the soundman loves the way this sounds. But
it is very "processed" with gate and compression, and sounds
rather '80s. My band plays mostly hip-hop and R&B. Thoughts?
Thank you.
- Steve
A.
Thanks Steve, and I'm glad you enjoy the sound.
I try and use the philosophy of getting the most natural
drum sound possible that agrees with my body to play the
instrument. Then, I work with my sound guy so that he
understands how to adapt that to the PA system and the room.
It SHOULDN'T be the other way around!
Now, for your situation, first off, fire your sound man!
(kidding, well, kind of....) They'd have to be paying me a
whole lot of money for me to let a sound guy come up and not
only tell me how to tune and use my bass drum, but do it for
me too!
My response would have been, "hey, no problem, I'll just go
tune the house for you and EQ all my own drum channels,
cool?" Then, we'd get a good drum sound!
It's unfortunate that this happened to you. Granted, I don't
know your situation, and don't know how your drum sounded
before, but I'm sure there's another way than completely
destroying the sound of your drum, plus making it impossibly
hard to play!
I'm sure your leg and/or knee was probably killing you after
the gig! That would be the equivalent of taking a pair of
ns10 speakers, placing them 5 inches from each ear of the
sound guy, and turning up 1.5 k about 10 db and asking him
to mix the show like that! Sorry for the rant, but stories
like this are why I carry my own mixer and mix my own drums
most of the time - and have been for a LONG time.
There are a lot of ways to tune the bass drum. You didn't
mention head type or thickness. The thicker the head, the
less response you'll get out of it. I designed a muffling
system with Remo that works well, check it out.
I use a Remo coated ambassador on the kick side with
that muffle system, and a Powerstroke front side head
with a small hole at 4 o'clock. If I need a deader sound, I
will lay a small towel in the bottom of the bass drum and
put the smaller version of the muffler on the front head
(there are three sizes).
For a bigger, more open sound, there will be NO hole in the
front head, but a mic will be mounted internally. Sometimes,
the front head is the culprit in sound system problems (hole
or not), as it will cause feedback at certain low
frequencies. Tuning it lower and slightly muffling it might
help. But, the lower you go with both heads, the less tone
and resistance you will have, so experiment.
Good luck. Hopefully, you can educate your sound guy, but
from the sound of things with 'gates and compressors' in the
same sentence as 'bass drum', I doubt it.
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