I want to share this footage of my gig with Filipino progressive rock band fuseboxx last February 2014 in Baguio City, Philippines. Ulanarao is one of the songs from fuseboxx's first album. The song is pretty much a heavy prog-rock tune with straight-ahead 4/4 grooves, tribal tom patterns, double bass drum parts, and some odd-time twists (7).
My drum set-up on this gig: 5x13" Tama Artwood Maple snare drum, Tama Superstar drums, Tama Speed Cobra double bass pedal, Zildjian cymbals. I wish I had more toms and cymbals. =D
Fuseboxx (2014):
Abby Clutario - vocals, keys, Chapman stick
Eric Tubon - keys
Mico Ong - guitar
Anthony Dio - drums
Follow fuseboxx on Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram.
Showing posts with label music career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music career. Show all posts
November 16, 2015
November 6, 2015
Zendee - Under The Stars: YouTube Sensations
Sharing this video of my session with Filipino YouTube sensation Zendee. This was a memorable session because this was my first time to perform in Singapore. And it's always a pleasure to play drums for world-class singers such as Zendee.
Under The Stars: YouTube Sensations concert. The Coliseum of Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore; June 28, 2013.
Zendee's Band:
Criss Buenviaje - guitar
Nino Salazar - keys
Benjie Diray - bass
Anthony Dio - drums
Under The Stars: YouTube Sensations concert. The Coliseum of Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore; June 28, 2013.
Zendee's Band:
Criss Buenviaje - guitar
Nino Salazar - keys
Benjie Diray - bass
Anthony Dio - drums
December 11, 2010
Mike Alba's Muscle Memory Workout Program (Module 1)
 |
| From L-R: Anthony Dio, Lawrence Nolan, Dr. Jigs Asinas, Paulo Garganta, Dom Banguis, & Sir Michael Alba. |
Prior to enrolling in this program, my need for improving my drumming has grown greatly & I've been yearning for some musical inspiration. I always see myself as an endless apprentice to the art of drumming, and I always wanted to grow and develop as an artist & take my craft to the next level. And specifically, I also needed to improve my technique. Just when I was searching for some education and inspiration, Mike Alba and his Muscle Memory Workout Program came in. It was a blessing & a matter of right timing.
 |
| Batch 2. |
I don't want to give away too much information regarding what was covered throughout Mike Alba's program (for the sake of Sir Mike's future students). But here's what I can share. Everything I learned in Mike Alba's program is totally practical and useful to me as a working pro. Though I still need to continuously practice the exercises and sharpen my technique and note-reading, I instantly felt a huge difference in my playing. In fact, just after Day 1 of the 10-day program, I can already feel and hear the difference. And it's cool that my bandmates even noticed it. On one gig, they were like, "Hey, there's something new here!", and "I can hear those sixteenth notes much better now!" I'm still a work in progress, but I sure owe it to Sir Mike.
Mike Alba's modified Virgil Donati workout indeed does wonders to a drummer's hands. Like Sir Mike, this has already become part of my pre-performance or pre-practice warm-up routine. Sir Mike recommends that we do it at least once a day. We can do it twice a day, and we'll get much better. And we can do it three times a day, and we'll become invincible! As long as this becomes part of our daily drumming routine, the results are guaranteed. It's a great muscle memory workout for the fingers, hands, wrists, and arms, and it's a great help for our endurance, control, technique, dynamics, and articulation.
I'm already quite familiar with some of the most commonly used rudiments, such as singles, doubles, and paradiddles. But when Sir Mike presented us his workout on rudiments, it was an added dimension for me. First, since the rudiments were on paper, it was also a sight reading exercise, so it's a muscle memory workout for the eye. And second, Sir Mike focused on some of the rudiments which are commonly applied on the drumkit, and he also shared some interesting ideas on how we can integrate it with our grooves and fills. With practice and patience, these rudiments can serve as additional vocabulary in our drumming arsenal.Admittedly, I'm a slow sight reader, and the last time I actually sight-read drum charts on a regular basis was way back during my college days with the DLSU Pops Orchestra. Sir Mike's applied sight reading exercises are a huge help. For me, it was like a review and a rediscovery. This also serves as a coordination workout between the eyes and the limbs. The sight reading pieces were written by Sir Mike, and in the program, it is played on the snare drum or practice pad. One cool thing about this is he used some of the most commonly used figures on session work, such as eighth, sixteenth and triplet note combinations. So this serves as another muscle memory workout for the eyes. Sir Mike also encourages us to be melodic by trying to sing these figures & play it around the drumkit instead of just on the snare drum or pad. Again, these can be used as additional tools in our drumming vocabulary. Plus, Sir Mike helped me in becoming more confident with my reading skills.
My favorite part of the class is what I like to call the groove session. This is where we listen to songs (for the program, Sir Mike has selected a repertoire of actual recordings coming from different styles and eras), then develop musical roadmaps, write drum charts, and play along to those recordings on the drumkit. For me, this is the most musical part of the class. Though it's my favorite part, it can be the most grueling. Our assignments of charting the songs, learning it, and playing along with it is not as simple as it sounds. Several songs may seem simple to play, but it's not as easy as it sounds. Sir Mike wants to make sure that we nail it right, for these are valuable skills required for session work. For me, these exercises also serve as training tools for our listening skills, our attention to detail, our musicality, and our discipline. As a pro, I've been covering songs for years. But now, Sir Mike's methods help me enhance these skills, which are essential for pro drummers who do session work or in pop/mainstream settings. The groove sessions also taught us and reminded us of the value of respecting the music, plus we get to further appreciate the great drummers who played on the recordings.
Every class ends with a Drumometer session, where each of us plays on a pad with a gadget that records the number of single strokes we play in one minute. At first, I wasn't really interested in developing my speed to extreme levels. But what I appreciate about the Drumometer is it's a great practice tool that can monitor our progress. And it's not only about speed. It also puts a great deal on control, endurance, and technique, which are factors in developing greater speed. And hence, the Drumometer can be tool that can help our hands become much better.Other than the specific activities and lessons I mentioned, there are plenty more things that we have learned from Sir Mike. Finally, I learned how to play the brushes effectively (which is one of the favorite things I've learned from Sir Mike, since brushes have been a long mystery and frustration of mine). I also learned a few new tricks and licks around the drumkit. It's also cool that Sir Mike is very observant of our playing, whether on the drumkit or on a practice pad. Sir Mike is a patient and a very motivating mentor. He also makes it a point to correct our bad habits, and he does it in a professional and constructive manner. In my case, I've already adjusted some of my bad habits, and I'm still in the process of strengthening my left hand and my technique. Even if the program's over, it's still a continuous learning process. Mike Alba's program sure makes us spend more quality time on the woodshed.
I admit, it can be quite intimidating to play along to a track in the presence of one of the best drummers in the Philippines observing you nearby. But he's a really cool teacher, and he's very easy to get along with. There were moments too when Sir Mike gets to share his stories, such as his experiences as a pro, as a student at the Los Angeles Music Academy, and some of the famous drummers he met. Even all these talks and his sharing of knowledge and wisdom are inspiring.
One factor that I appreciate regarding Sir Mike's program is the fact that he is very particular with quality. We may have all the technique in the world. But if it doesn't sound musical and if it doesn't feel great, it won't matter at all. Sir Mike is like a quality control guy. He wants to make sure that we're not just technically solid, but we'll also be sounding and feeling great too. And quality means a lot on session work, which I realized and learned later on. It seems that Sir Mike's program is highly geared towards drummers who are in the session scene or in a mainstream setting. Hence, his program is highly recommended for drummers who aspire to have a fruitful career towards that direction. Though it's not limited to that; anybody who simply wants to improve or enhance their skills will greatly benefit with Sir Mike's program.
Another thing I appreciate so much in Mike Alba's program is the fact that we are a class of five students. Most drum lessons (or any other musical instrument) are traditionally one-on-one sessions. What's great about having classmates is first, it's great to meet new friends and extend the drumming camaraderie. Second, I get to appreciate my classmates' drumming. We may have similarities and differences in regards to musical backgrounds, preferences & tastes, among many things. We have our strengths and weaknesses as well. But it's cool that we are all on the same boat. Each of us still wants to push on and improve with our craft, which is why we're studying with Mike Alba. It's also understood that being in a class is not about competition, which takes us to my next point. Third, we get to gauge each other in terms of improvement. It's like for example, when I notice my classmates already improving on their rudiments or sight reading or their Donati workout routine, I tell myself, "I better catch up!" It's like a subconscious way of encouraging myself. And on the other end, if some classmates are catching up or having some difficulty, the rest of us would express our encouragement. It's not about outdoing each other. To be in Mike Alba's classes is a brotherhood, where my respect and admiration for each of my classmates have grown as the sessions passed.
 |
| The apprentice & the master. |
Thank you very much, Sir Mike Alba. You're a blessing to all of us. Just when I needed improvement and inspiration, you came along like an answered prayer. You're an awesome world-class musician and an inspiring mentor, and I'll always cherish the times spent & all the lessons I learned from you. Continue to be an inspiration to me and to everyone. And to my Batch 2 classmates --- Lawrence Nolan (my seatmate & our Drumometer king), Paulo Garganta (all the way from Batangas; thanks again for the coffee & all the talk on the road), Dom Banguis ("speak softly; carry a BIG stick" --- wow those are HUGE warm-up drumsticks!), and Dr. Jigs Asinas (the heavy metal guy & the most "well-compensated" among us; one of the most humble and down-to-earth dudes I've ever met) --- it's my pleasure to meet you and be classmates with you guys. I admire and respect all of you, and studying & learning is a blast when it's spent with good people like you. Great drumming! Cheers to Sir Mike! Cheers to all of us!
And so, that's all for Module 1. Module 2, which will be set sometime next year, is in the works. And the work in progress goes on...
*Photos courtesy of Sir Mike Alba & Dr. Jigs Asinas.
November 16, 2010
RIP Sir Wyngard Tracy
Rest in peace, Sir Wyngard Tracy, my former boss back in my 7th Soul/Artistation days. Thank you for teaching us the values of professionalism and good work ethic.
We may not be that close with you & we may not be as high-profile as many of your talents, but career-wise you has been crucial to my development as an artist.
If it wasn't for you, I may never have met the legendary Filipino drummer Mar Dizon. Thank you Sir Wyn for taking care of my drum lessons with Senyor Mar back in the day.
May God bless your soul.
Photo from pep.ph --- http://www.pep.ph/news/27396/Talent-manager-Wyngard-Tracy-passes-away .
September 3, 2010
On Punctuality
Punctuality:
Friends and co-workers know how particular I am when it comes to time. Other than the fact that I'm a drummer & that makes me a natural timekeeper in music, I consider myself quite sharp when it comes to punctuality, especially at work.
Why am I like this? First, being punctual is in my system. Back in school, I rarely come late for classes (except on some of my college classes which were tolerant of attendance, or when I can afford to come in late). In my professional life, I rarely arrive late as well, and I owe my sense of punctuality to Artistation, my former band's management. Boy, are they strict with their rules and regulations, especially when it comes to following schedules and calltimes. Or else, it will mean a pay day deduction for tardiness.
And second, being punctual has become an integral part of my character. It reflects my discipline, my diligence, my maturity, my professionalism, my being responsible. That's why whenever I'm late for work (which rarely happens, thankfully & unintentionally), I usually feel bad about it because I feel like it reflects certain character flaws or something. Bottom line is, it simply makes me feel bad. I don't like it when I come in late, whether it's for a show, a rehearsal, a meeting, or whatever professional event.
For me, one great benefit of being punctual is it gives me ample time for preparations. It gives me time to do all these things --- set up my gear, do some soundcheck, tune the drums, warm up, have a meal, listen to music in my iPod, review some music, relax, save some of my energy for the gig, and get myself in the zone. In case something goes wrong, like technical issues for example, there will be enough time to fix or solve the problem. Plus, after all that & when there's still enough time, I can still have some moments to hang out with bandmates and friends who show up at the gig. I can imagine all the tension and the rush I need to go through if I arrive way past the calltime.
One thing I don't understand is how or why some colleagues of mine have become habitual latecomers. In fact, even some of the most seasoned pros in the scene are infamous for this bad habit (and I urge aspiring young musicians out there NOT to follow that bad habit). I would understand if they'll be coming from somewhere, like from another job or session. I also understand that there are some elements which are not under our control, such as the unpredictable weather and the ugly traffic here in Manila. I can tolerate it when we'll be late for just a few minutes way past the calltime. But if it's waaay too late, that's a different story.
The one thing I don't get is why some people don't make an effort to come on time? I mean, how difficult is it to follow calltimes, schedules, and deadlines? If you know that you're quite far away from your destination, or if the weather's awful and rush hour's coming, then why not make a diligent effort of hitting the road earlier than your usual travel time? Traffic and the weather have become some of the easiest yet lousiest excuses.
And how about those types who are frequently late for no reason at all? What in the world are they up to? Why can't they simply follow schedules? Do these people need personal assistants or secretaries to remind them of the time? Or are they just plain lazy and irresponsible?
Having the sense of "Filipino time" is an infamous flaw in our society. Fellow Filipinos, let's not tolerate this. We should correct this bad habit. We don't want future generations to follow this lazy habit. What if someday, our kid will come up to us, and ask us why we're not following our schedules? And what if our kid will say, "I don't want to come to school on time, because there's nothing much to do during opening ceremonies and homeroom periods"? How are you going to respond to that? Let's not pass this late habit to our children. Let's be good examples to younger generations.
Punctuality matters. If you're guilty of this, what are you gonna do about it? It's about time...
- The characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously-designated time. "Punctual" is often used synonymously with "on time." (Source: Wikipedia).
- Acting or arriving exactly at the time appointed; prompt (Source: thefreedictionary.com).
- The quality or state of being punctual; strict observance in keeping engagements; promptness (Source: dictionary.reference.com).
Friends and co-workers know how particular I am when it comes to time. Other than the fact that I'm a drummer & that makes me a natural timekeeper in music, I consider myself quite sharp when it comes to punctuality, especially at work.
Why am I like this? First, being punctual is in my system. Back in school, I rarely come late for classes (except on some of my college classes which were tolerant of attendance, or when I can afford to come in late). In my professional life, I rarely arrive late as well, and I owe my sense of punctuality to Artistation, my former band's management. Boy, are they strict with their rules and regulations, especially when it comes to following schedules and calltimes. Or else, it will mean a pay day deduction for tardiness.
And second, being punctual has become an integral part of my character. It reflects my discipline, my diligence, my maturity, my professionalism, my being responsible. That's why whenever I'm late for work (which rarely happens, thankfully & unintentionally), I usually feel bad about it because I feel like it reflects certain character flaws or something. Bottom line is, it simply makes me feel bad. I don't like it when I come in late, whether it's for a show, a rehearsal, a meeting, or whatever professional event.
For me, one great benefit of being punctual is it gives me ample time for preparations. It gives me time to do all these things --- set up my gear, do some soundcheck, tune the drums, warm up, have a meal, listen to music in my iPod, review some music, relax, save some of my energy for the gig, and get myself in the zone. In case something goes wrong, like technical issues for example, there will be enough time to fix or solve the problem. Plus, after all that & when there's still enough time, I can still have some moments to hang out with bandmates and friends who show up at the gig. I can imagine all the tension and the rush I need to go through if I arrive way past the calltime.
One thing I don't understand is how or why some colleagues of mine have become habitual latecomers. In fact, even some of the most seasoned pros in the scene are infamous for this bad habit (and I urge aspiring young musicians out there NOT to follow that bad habit). I would understand if they'll be coming from somewhere, like from another job or session. I also understand that there are some elements which are not under our control, such as the unpredictable weather and the ugly traffic here in Manila. I can tolerate it when we'll be late for just a few minutes way past the calltime. But if it's waaay too late, that's a different story.
The one thing I don't get is why some people don't make an effort to come on time? I mean, how difficult is it to follow calltimes, schedules, and deadlines? If you know that you're quite far away from your destination, or if the weather's awful and rush hour's coming, then why not make a diligent effort of hitting the road earlier than your usual travel time? Traffic and the weather have become some of the easiest yet lousiest excuses.
And how about those types who are frequently late for no reason at all? What in the world are they up to? Why can't they simply follow schedules? Do these people need personal assistants or secretaries to remind them of the time? Or are they just plain lazy and irresponsible?
Having the sense of "Filipino time" is an infamous flaw in our society. Fellow Filipinos, let's not tolerate this. We should correct this bad habit. We don't want future generations to follow this lazy habit. What if someday, our kid will come up to us, and ask us why we're not following our schedules? And what if our kid will say, "I don't want to come to school on time, because there's nothing much to do during opening ceremonies and homeroom periods"? How are you going to respond to that? Let's not pass this late habit to our children. Let's be good examples to younger generations.
Punctuality matters. If you're guilty of this, what are you gonna do about it? It's about time...
March 4, 2010
New Era Drum Tracks
I want to look back at my recording sessions, and share some of my thoughts about my drum tracks in our New Era album.
I played drums on four tracks in our album - Sweetest Thing, Don't Ever Let Go, Your Smile, and Pangako.
"My bandmates and I were in the studio, working on "Sweetest Thing", which is the last song we finished for our upcoming album. This is an original song written for us by our dear friend Mike Luis of Freestyle. Mike is a genius when it comes to songwriting, and the song is sooo good that it gave my bandmate Paolo quite a headache while he was working on it in his computer haha, figuring out some of the notes Mike used (because Mighty Mike wasn't able to chart the notes, I think). It's a groovy, bouncy, and catchy tune. Anyway, the vocal parts were recorded on Wednesday night. Earlier that day, we had a last-minute decision to have my drum parts recorded live. At first, we thought of programming the drum parts. But I thought that I should play the drum parts live. I like the song, I like Paolo's drum ideas for it, and I was determined to put my mark in that song. And so, we booked a recording date at Blue Door Studio in Quezon City (the same studio where I recorded my drum parts for 'Pangako'). I was scheduled the next evening."
"In the studio, I set up a small kit which I felt would fit the song just right. My drumming inspiration for this song is Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, drummer and producer of Philadelphia-based hip-hop band The Roots. I went for the less-is-more approach. For this track, I want my drums to sound crisp and tight, almost like a toy, but still "realistic" enough for listeners to say, 'Hey, those are live drums!' I used three drums - an 18"x 20" kick and a 14" tom, which are both from my Tama Superstar kit, and my 5.5"x10" Black Panther Premium Maple, my choice snare drum for this track. I set up a few Zildjian cymbals - a pair of 12" A Special Recording Hi-Hats and a 16" K Dark Thin Crash (the said cymbals belong to my drummer friend Marco Katigbak), and my 20" K Custom Medium Ride. I thought of using my 8" A Custom Splash, but I find it too bright-sounding for the song, so I decided to remove it on my studio set-up. Paolo thought of using flammed cross-sticks for the backbeats on some of the verses, which is why I had my 13" Tama Artwood Maple snare drum on standby for that purpose (since I won't be able to play cross-sticks on a 10" snare). But later on during the session, we decided not to play cross-sticks anymore. And so, it was the 10" Black Panther all the way."
--- excerpts from my October 29, 2008 blog
I am pretty much happy with the outcome of this track, as I was somehow able to estimate the sound and feel I envisioned for the song. We got the tight, snappy, toy-like sound out of the drums, plus the bouncy & playful feel. The 10" Black Panther snare was the star of the drum set-up I used in that track. I remember feeling quite loose during this session, so it enabled me to become more playful behind the kit. Yet, I was having that "?uestlove-ish", less-is-more vibe, and I was making sure that my parts would still serve the music right. The tricky part in this track is the bridge part, where the groove shifts to a tight 16th note feel, against the shuffle grooves played through the verses and choruses.
This is one fun song to play, and drummers who'll play to this song can go loose. I look forward to playing this tune live.
"I just recorded some of my drum tracks this week at SoundsRite Recording Studio in Makati, which is operated by drummer Boyet Aquino (who is best-known for his work with Francis M's band Hardware Syndrome). The studio has a good reputation for its high-end equipment and facility & quality recording results, and its clients include a good number of big names in the music biz. Though Boyet has an impressive collection of high-end drums, I still chose to use my Tama Superstar kit."
"On the Monday night session, I recorded Don't Ever Let Go, which was written by Paolo. This is quite a difficult track for me because of the crafty drum parts Paolo envisioned for the song. This was the old song which we recorded at Blue Door Studio a couple of years ago, but had some bad luck. I'm already through with that unfortunate experience, and I'm glad that I'm able to perform better in the studio this time, without any technical problems."
"I can't remember what I ate that time, or if the stars were aligned during those nights. But for some reason, I feel good with recording my drum tracks at SoundsRite."
"In the studio, I brought with me my Tama Superstar kit, which has birch shells (birch drums are tried and tested in recording/studio situations). My toms are fitted with clear Evans G2 batters. My 18"x20" kick drum is fitted with an Evans EMAD batter and an Evans EQ3 Resonant black front head (with 5" offset hole). Though my drums are pretty much set up for live situations, I was eager to hear how it performs in the recording studio. At first, the drums sounded big and boomy. After some tweaking, we were able to get decent tom sounds which responded well in the mix and complimented the songs. I should try coated batter heads next time for the toms, for a warmer sound. The kick drum's heads needed to be loosened and Boyet placed some cloth inside in order to kill some of the overtones (because of the EMAD head, I don't have any muffling inside my kick drum). We were able to get a decent, thuddy, low-end sound from the kick."
"Opting to play simpler drum parts in the recording compared to what I would normally play on a gig, I only used the 10" and 14" toms, though I had the 12" tom set aside, in case it's needed. I was also able to use my 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple and 5.5"x10" Black Panther Maple snare drums. I tried my Old Faithful 5.5"x14" Tama Starclassic Maple, but the Magic Drum and the Cat sounded more fitting for the songs. I was also able to use my two broken Zildjian K Custom Dark crash cymbals. Even if they had those cracks and were de-modified, they still retain that K Custom magic in their sound. It still has that complex, trashy & sophisticated character, while the damages dried up its decay. I kept these old cymbals because I felt that they'll work well in the studio. And gladly, they did."
--- excerpts from my April 26, 2008 blog
Don't Ever Let Go has become a favorite among most of our loyal friends and following. The story behind the making of this song is interesting. First of all, Paolo wrote this love song based on one bandmate's past relationship experience (guess who). Second, during the first couple of drum recording sessions for this song back in '07, the computer at Blue Door Studio crashed - twice! And during that time, never did that incident happened in that studio, which pretty much has a decent track record. And it's so funny and coincidental that the two gear crashes happened during the sessions for this one song. There's really something about this song.
Finally, we were able to record the drum parts at SoundsRite studio in the summer of '08. I think the delays on the drum recordings in '07 were destined to happen. Because during the SoundsRite sessions, I was more confident, I was more prepared, and I had my then-brand new Tama Superstar kit prepared for recording.
I think I finished the recording in a couple of hours, which surprised me because I never thought I'll finish that soon, considering the sensitivity of the song and some of the more specific drum parts Paolo wanted. Those drum fills during the bridge and the last chorus? I can't remember the number of times I did retakes! I would have played the drum parts differently in this track. But this was Paolo's composition, so with him being the composer and producer, I have to respect that.
I said this to most of our friends, and I'll say it again... Don't Ever Let Go is the most challenging song that I've recorded in our album. And it's even more challenging to play it live. Believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds.
In this song, my main snare drum is my workhorse "Magic Drum" 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple. Plus, I have once again proven my theory on broken K Customs in this recording session. Despite the defects, they sounded lovely in the studio.
"I recorded Your Smile, which was a bit easier for me because of its groovier, more straight-ahead nature; yet we need to make sure that my parts feel and sound right for the songs."
--- excerpt from my April 26, 2008 blog
Many listeners would think that the drum parts in Your Smile are programmed. But no, the whole thing is 100% live recording. It might not sound obvious during the first half of the song, which is mostly straight-ahead cross-stick grooves. But once the snare drum comes in at the last chorus after the bridge, that would hint the use of real drums played by a real drummer. Listen to the dynamics of the snare drum backbeat. I was in my "drum machine" mode during this song's recording session, yet I still want it to feel like it's human. And I have to say, this is one of my favorite tracks in our album.
Two snare drums were set up for this track. The main snare is my "Old Faithful" 14" Tama Starclassic Maple. It has the die-cast hoops, so I played the cross-sticks on that drum. On the left side of the kit is the 10" Black Panther Maple, where I played the backbeats of the last chorus. In case you're wondering about the splash cymbal model I used for this track, it's a 12" Zildjian Extra Thin Splash, which my good friend Rommell Garcia lent to me.
"Recording began at around 12am. I did a couple of practice takes then made adjustments such as fine tuning the drums, making sure that the drum sounds will fit nicely with the song. (Studio Assistant) Ian double-checked the microphone set-up and prepared a click track for me. Then we went on with the actual recording. I'm not aiming to finish quickly or become a one-take wonder. The most important thing for me is to serve the music by playing drum tracks which will compliment the song. But still, we need to be efficient and productive with our studio time."
"On my first take, I wasn't quite warmed up yet, and I was still absorbing the feel of the song, the drumkit, and the studio room. But I felt confident that I'll be able to do better takes as we progress. I think it was on my third or fourth take when I finally got in the zone. I was fully warmed up and my focus was on a high level at that point. I thought I made a couple of good takes. But we know the drum parts can still get better."
"Recording resumed at around 3am. I lost a bit of momentum, and my hands got cold because of the strong air conditioning. But good thing I regained focus, and I was able to do my best takes of the night. In order for me not to repeat the whole take, we just went back to the parts which needed refinement, such as cymbal crescendos and embellishments, some fill-ins, and some hits which will lock in with the bass guitar parts."
"My drumkit for this session is a Premier Artist Birch kit, which belongs to my good friend Ernest Ramos. I used two toms - an 8"x10" rack tom and a 14"x14" floor tom. Both toms are fitted with Evans G1 Coated batter heads. The kick is a 16"x18". Don't let its small size fool you. It's the biggest-sounding 18" bass drum that I've ever heard. It has a solid low-end thump, which often surprises those who hear it. The kick is fitted with an Aquarian Super Kick I Clear batter head, which contributes to that huge sound. The front head doesn't have a hole for the mic. I don't want to make a hole because the kit isn't mine and I don't want to ruin the nice white Aquarian coated front head. So we removed the front head and put a pillow in it (Ernest didn't put any muffling on his kick). The snare drum I used is my Old Faithful 5.5"x14" Tama Starclassic Maple, which is fitted with an Evans G1 Coated batter head and an Evans Snare Side 300 resonant head."
"I used my Zildjian cymbals. My hi-hats are a pair of 14" K Custom Dark Hats and my ride is a 20" K Custom Medium Ride. The two crash cymbals used are my semi-retired damaged cymbals, which I both acquired from my friend Bennii Obana sometime last year. On my left side was my freshly-cracked 17" K Custom Dark Crash, which I recently retired from gigging. On my right side was my de-modified 18" K Custom Dark Crash which had so many hairline cracks when I acquired it, I had it cut after I wounded my finger. Even if these crashes are damaged, they still have that spirit in their sound. I thought that I'd just save these cymbals for studio work, where I think they'll sound well. And they did sound exceptional in the studio."
--- excerpts from my November 16, 2007 blog
My drumming inspiration on Pangako is Jeff Porcaro. This is a love song with a pop arrangement and mass appeal, and I can't think of any other musical inspiration better than Jeff Porcaro, who was not only a groovy pop rock drummer with a solid foundation. He was a master of great feel and sensitivity. He had the knack for playing drum parts which fits best for the music, in relation to its theme and emotions. What mattered to Jeff the most is how the listeners feel the music. I recorded my drum parts for Pangako with Jeff Porcaro in mind. In fact, I think some of the drum fills I used reflected his huge influence on me. May this be my humble tribute to one of my favorite drummers. May God bless Jeff Porcaro's soul.
To fellow drummers who are curious about the accent cymbal I used during the bridge/guitar solo part, that was the broken 18" Zildjian K Custom Dark Crash on the right side of the set-up, which was trimmed down because of multiple hairline cracks. It sounded like a trashy china/crash hybrid, and it sounded great on recording. So, before disposing those broken cast cymbals, think about it first. You'll never know how they'll sound like in the studio. You'll never know if it's magic.
***
Final thoughts...
The music on Dry Your Eyes and Pangarap Ko'y Ikaw were arranged, programmed, and recorded by Jay Durias of South Border. So, if the songs are coming from a musical master, I wouldn't dare touch it! But if Jay would ask me to record the drum parts, I would have done it.
That Side Of Me and Prelude To Ecstasy might have been more slamming if we were able to record live drums for it. But it's alright, because it turned out just fine. Playing it live during our gigs would be a different story...
Come Back... It's the most perfect drum recording... Because there are no drums on it! ;)
I'm planning to play more live drums on our next album, and I would love to do something more refreshing and out of the box. I'm looking forward to that.
I played drums on four tracks in our album - Sweetest Thing, Don't Ever Let Go, Your Smile, and Pangako.
Sweetest Thing
"In the studio, I set up a small kit which I felt would fit the song just right. My drumming inspiration for this song is Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, drummer and producer of Philadelphia-based hip-hop band The Roots. I went for the less-is-more approach. For this track, I want my drums to sound crisp and tight, almost like a toy, but still "realistic" enough for listeners to say, 'Hey, those are live drums!' I used three drums - an 18"x 20" kick and a 14" tom, which are both from my Tama Superstar kit, and my 5.5"x10" Black Panther Premium Maple, my choice snare drum for this track. I set up a few Zildjian cymbals - a pair of 12" A Special Recording Hi-Hats and a 16" K Dark Thin Crash (the said cymbals belong to my drummer friend Marco Katigbak), and my 20" K Custom Medium Ride. I thought of using my 8" A Custom Splash, but I find it too bright-sounding for the song, so I decided to remove it on my studio set-up. Paolo thought of using flammed cross-sticks for the backbeats on some of the verses, which is why I had my 13" Tama Artwood Maple snare drum on standby for that purpose (since I won't be able to play cross-sticks on a 10" snare). But later on during the session, we decided not to play cross-sticks anymore. And so, it was the 10" Black Panther all the way."
--- excerpts from my October 29, 2008 blog
I am pretty much happy with the outcome of this track, as I was somehow able to estimate the sound and feel I envisioned for the song. We got the tight, snappy, toy-like sound out of the drums, plus the bouncy & playful feel. The 10" Black Panther snare was the star of the drum set-up I used in that track. I remember feeling quite loose during this session, so it enabled me to become more playful behind the kit. Yet, I was having that "?uestlove-ish", less-is-more vibe, and I was making sure that my parts would still serve the music right. The tricky part in this track is the bridge part, where the groove shifts to a tight 16th note feel, against the shuffle grooves played through the verses and choruses.
This is one fun song to play, and drummers who'll play to this song can go loose. I look forward to playing this tune live.
Don't Ever Let Go
"I just recorded some of my drum tracks this week at SoundsRite Recording Studio in Makati, which is operated by drummer Boyet Aquino (who is best-known for his work with Francis M's band Hardware Syndrome). The studio has a good reputation for its high-end equipment and facility & quality recording results, and its clients include a good number of big names in the music biz. Though Boyet has an impressive collection of high-end drums, I still chose to use my Tama Superstar kit."
"On the Monday night session, I recorded Don't Ever Let Go, which was written by Paolo. This is quite a difficult track for me because of the crafty drum parts Paolo envisioned for the song. This was the old song which we recorded at Blue Door Studio a couple of years ago, but had some bad luck. I'm already through with that unfortunate experience, and I'm glad that I'm able to perform better in the studio this time, without any technical problems."
"I can't remember what I ate that time, or if the stars were aligned during those nights. But for some reason, I feel good with recording my drum tracks at SoundsRite."
"In the studio, I brought with me my Tama Superstar kit, which has birch shells (birch drums are tried and tested in recording/studio situations). My toms are fitted with clear Evans G2 batters. My 18"x20" kick drum is fitted with an Evans EMAD batter and an Evans EQ3 Resonant black front head (with 5" offset hole). Though my drums are pretty much set up for live situations, I was eager to hear how it performs in the recording studio. At first, the drums sounded big and boomy. After some tweaking, we were able to get decent tom sounds which responded well in the mix and complimented the songs. I should try coated batter heads next time for the toms, for a warmer sound. The kick drum's heads needed to be loosened and Boyet placed some cloth inside in order to kill some of the overtones (because of the EMAD head, I don't have any muffling inside my kick drum). We were able to get a decent, thuddy, low-end sound from the kick."
"Opting to play simpler drum parts in the recording compared to what I would normally play on a gig, I only used the 10" and 14" toms, though I had the 12" tom set aside, in case it's needed. I was also able to use my 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple and 5.5"x10" Black Panther Maple snare drums. I tried my Old Faithful 5.5"x14" Tama Starclassic Maple, but the Magic Drum and the Cat sounded more fitting for the songs. I was also able to use my two broken Zildjian K Custom Dark crash cymbals. Even if they had those cracks and were de-modified, they still retain that K Custom magic in their sound. It still has that complex, trashy & sophisticated character, while the damages dried up its decay. I kept these old cymbals because I felt that they'll work well in the studio. And gladly, they did."
--- excerpts from my April 26, 2008 blog
Don't Ever Let Go has become a favorite among most of our loyal friends and following. The story behind the making of this song is interesting. First of all, Paolo wrote this love song based on one bandmate's past relationship experience (guess who). Second, during the first couple of drum recording sessions for this song back in '07, the computer at Blue Door Studio crashed - twice! And during that time, never did that incident happened in that studio, which pretty much has a decent track record. And it's so funny and coincidental that the two gear crashes happened during the sessions for this one song. There's really something about this song.
Finally, we were able to record the drum parts at SoundsRite studio in the summer of '08. I think the delays on the drum recordings in '07 were destined to happen. Because during the SoundsRite sessions, I was more confident, I was more prepared, and I had my then-brand new Tama Superstar kit prepared for recording.
I think I finished the recording in a couple of hours, which surprised me because I never thought I'll finish that soon, considering the sensitivity of the song and some of the more specific drum parts Paolo wanted. Those drum fills during the bridge and the last chorus? I can't remember the number of times I did retakes! I would have played the drum parts differently in this track. But this was Paolo's composition, so with him being the composer and producer, I have to respect that.
I said this to most of our friends, and I'll say it again... Don't Ever Let Go is the most challenging song that I've recorded in our album. And it's even more challenging to play it live. Believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds.
In this song, my main snare drum is my workhorse "Magic Drum" 5"x13" Tama Artwood Maple. Plus, I have once again proven my theory on broken K Customs in this recording session. Despite the defects, they sounded lovely in the studio.
Your Smile
--- excerpt from my April 26, 2008 blog
Many listeners would think that the drum parts in Your Smile are programmed. But no, the whole thing is 100% live recording. It might not sound obvious during the first half of the song, which is mostly straight-ahead cross-stick grooves. But once the snare drum comes in at the last chorus after the bridge, that would hint the use of real drums played by a real drummer. Listen to the dynamics of the snare drum backbeat. I was in my "drum machine" mode during this song's recording session, yet I still want it to feel like it's human. And I have to say, this is one of my favorite tracks in our album.
Two snare drums were set up for this track. The main snare is my "Old Faithful" 14" Tama Starclassic Maple. It has the die-cast hoops, so I played the cross-sticks on that drum. On the left side of the kit is the 10" Black Panther Maple, where I played the backbeats of the last chorus. In case you're wondering about the splash cymbal model I used for this track, it's a 12" Zildjian Extra Thin Splash, which my good friend Rommell Garcia lent to me.
Pangako
"On my first take, I wasn't quite warmed up yet, and I was still absorbing the feel of the song, the drumkit, and the studio room. But I felt confident that I'll be able to do better takes as we progress. I think it was on my third or fourth take when I finally got in the zone. I was fully warmed up and my focus was on a high level at that point. I thought I made a couple of good takes. But we know the drum parts can still get better."
"Recording resumed at around 3am. I lost a bit of momentum, and my hands got cold because of the strong air conditioning. But good thing I regained focus, and I was able to do my best takes of the night. In order for me not to repeat the whole take, we just went back to the parts which needed refinement, such as cymbal crescendos and embellishments, some fill-ins, and some hits which will lock in with the bass guitar parts."
"I used my Zildjian cymbals. My hi-hats are a pair of 14" K Custom Dark Hats and my ride is a 20" K Custom Medium Ride. The two crash cymbals used are my semi-retired damaged cymbals, which I both acquired from my friend Bennii Obana sometime last year. On my left side was my freshly-cracked 17" K Custom Dark Crash, which I recently retired from gigging. On my right side was my de-modified 18" K Custom Dark Crash which had so many hairline cracks when I acquired it, I had it cut after I wounded my finger. Even if these crashes are damaged, they still have that spirit in their sound. I thought that I'd just save these cymbals for studio work, where I think they'll sound well. And they did sound exceptional in the studio."
--- excerpts from my November 16, 2007 blog
My drumming inspiration on Pangako is Jeff Porcaro. This is a love song with a pop arrangement and mass appeal, and I can't think of any other musical inspiration better than Jeff Porcaro, who was not only a groovy pop rock drummer with a solid foundation. He was a master of great feel and sensitivity. He had the knack for playing drum parts which fits best for the music, in relation to its theme and emotions. What mattered to Jeff the most is how the listeners feel the music. I recorded my drum parts for Pangako with Jeff Porcaro in mind. In fact, I think some of the drum fills I used reflected his huge influence on me. May this be my humble tribute to one of my favorite drummers. May God bless Jeff Porcaro's soul.
To fellow drummers who are curious about the accent cymbal I used during the bridge/guitar solo part, that was the broken 18" Zildjian K Custom Dark Crash on the right side of the set-up, which was trimmed down because of multiple hairline cracks. It sounded like a trashy china/crash hybrid, and it sounded great on recording. So, before disposing those broken cast cymbals, think about it first. You'll never know how they'll sound like in the studio. You'll never know if it's magic.
***
Final thoughts...
The music on Dry Your Eyes and Pangarap Ko'y Ikaw were arranged, programmed, and recorded by Jay Durias of South Border. So, if the songs are coming from a musical master, I wouldn't dare touch it! But if Jay would ask me to record the drum parts, I would have done it.
That Side Of Me and Prelude To Ecstasy might have been more slamming if we were able to record live drums for it. But it's alright, because it turned out just fine. Playing it live during our gigs would be a different story...
Come Back... It's the most perfect drum recording... Because there are no drums on it! ;)
I'm planning to play more live drums on our next album, and I would love to do something more refreshing and out of the box. I'm looking forward to that.
December 19, 2009
K24/7 - New Era: A Dream Come True
December 18, 2009... This is a date that I will remember. It was a Friday night, and my band K24/7 is scheduled for our usual weekend gig at Off The Grill. It was pretty much routine... Until our manager Alona David gave us the most pleasant surprise. My bandmates and I were each handed a couple of CDs, with Ate Alona greeting us a sweet Merry Christmas...
It was our new album. K24/7: New Era.
Earlier this week, Ate Alona, road manager Jason Reyes, and I met up to check the final CD design and listen to the final audio mix, before the production of the first batch of CDs. It was all good, and it's a go. We were expecting the manufacturing to be finished sometime next week. It went ahead of schedule. And so, management gave us the surprise last night.
For me, it's a dream come true. It's definitely a long time coming. I am now on my 12th year as a professional musician, and I've been with K24/7 since early 2004. One of my career dreams is to become a recording artist and to make albums. Finally, this dream came true. This is my first album/recording credit as a professional artist, and this wasn't handed to us in a silver platter. New Era is approximately 5 years in the making; a product created from blood, sweat, and tears.
When I held my copy of New Era for the first time, I took a moment, holding the album with both hands, and I just stared at it. I had this mini flashback of the last 5 years I had with the band, and that moment when my bandmates began making the first demos. In those 5 years, K24/7 has faced adversities along the way. We went through the tough times, from studio and gig mishaps to bandmember changes, from songwriting hardships to production concerns... We went through various challenges, whether musical, personal, financial, or whatever imaginable obstacle. And just as we thought that things seem to be on track, something would come up. Wow, those 5 tough years... What a journey it has been! Unbelievable.
It was a huge sigh of relief. I felt like all the stress in my mind and body was took off of me. Suddenly, I broke a smile and there was peace of mind, like a big monkey was mightily taken off my back. And it felt really good. While writing this blog, I have our album playing in the background. I may have listened to our songs thousands of times. This time, it sounds and feels way much sweeter.
At times, we were on the verge of losing hope, going through depressive stages, and the like. But we just hung on to our dreams, and we never gave up and called it quits. I like what our dear friend Jean Ramiro told us one time... She described K24/7 as a very resilient group. Now, I see New Era as a testimony to K24/7's strength, persistence, and determination.
I always believe that God has His reasons, and in life, there are reasons why things happen. Looking back at what happened in the last 5 years... Yeah, we know the album is waaaaay overdue. But the wait seems well worth it. I am grateful to the Lord for all the blessings, and as well as for the adversities and the lessons learned.
Now that our album is finally out, this is just the beginning of a new chapter in K24/7's history.
Let me know what you think or feel about New Era. I'll most likely write more blogs about our album in the near future.
*****
K24/7: NEW ERA is currently available at our gigs. Drop by at any of our gigs, and go grab your copy! Php250 only. For info, sked, and updates, just visit K24/7's Facebook Page.
November 16, 2007
"Pangako" Drum Recording Session
We were supposed to start our recording session at 8pm last night. But we moved it from 8 to 11 pm, because our keyboardist Teddy forgot to inform management about a prior commitment that he needs to attend to early last night. Teddy has the Pangako play-along track that we'll be using, and we can't start without him. It's all fine with me, because a few extra hours of rest and relaxation before the studio work were welcome.
I made it at Blue Door Studio at around 1030pm. Teddy and I both arrived at the same time. Ian, our recording engineer for the night, welcomed us. Minutes later, our manager Alona David and our road manager Jason Reyes arrived. They brought food, so we ate first while waiting for Paolo to arrive. Ted and Pao have to be present because their inputs for the song are essential. Teddy prepared the demos and my drum play-along track, and he'll be doing most of the important work in his studio. Paolo always has great musical ideas, and I value his inputs and suggestions. Oh yeah, I drank two cups of coffee and a few glasses of Coke to get me going. Caffeine and sugar help me during times like this hehe!
Recording began at around 12am. I did a couple of practice takes then made adjustments such as fine tuning the drums, making sure that the drum sounds will fit nicely with the song. Ian double-checked the microphone set-up and prepared a click track for me. Then we went on with the actual recording. I'm not aiming to finish quickly or become a one-take wonder. The most important thing for me is to serve the music by playing drum tracks which will compliment the song. But still, we need to be efficient and productive with our studio time.
On my first take, I wasn't quite warmed up yet, and I was still absorbing the feel of the song, the drumkit, and the studio room. But I felt confident that I'll be able to do better takes as we progress. I think it was on my third or fourth take when I finally got in the zone. I was fully warmed up and my focus was on a high level at that point. I thought I made a couple of good takes. But we know the drum parts can still get better.
It was already around 2am, and studio owner Eric Villadelgado, Ate Alona's drummer husband Joel "Jumi" David, and Angel's manager Jojo Pascasio were already present in the studio. After doing those two good takes, the computer suddenly needed to restart. I think it was a process overload or something. I was reminded of the computer crash on our studio session last year, so I hope it's not a repeat of that unlucky incident. Good thing Ian got it all figured out. It's just a simple restart, and we just need to delete some stuff we no longer need in order to lighten the load. While Ian was refreshing the board and the computer, I took a break. It's just wrong timing for me because I already built momentum at that point. But it's okay because I know it will come back.
Recording resumed at around 3am. I lost a bit of momentum, and my hands got cold because of the strong air conditioning. But good thing I regained focus, and I was able to do my best takes of the night. In order for me not to repeat the whole take, we just went back to the parts which needed refinement, such as cymbal crescendos and embellishments, some fill-ins, and some hits which will lock in with the bass guitar parts. Paolo had some great ideas for the drum parts, so we worked on those.
We finished the drum track recording at 4am. While we were listening to the drum parts, we felt good for doing a wonderful job. I feel a sense of accomplishment, and I'm looking forward to finishing the whole song. There's still plenty of work to do. We still need to record E's guitar parts, refine some of the keyboard sounds, and do its final mix. I hope that my drum parts have given justice to the song. And once it's on air, I wish listeners would appreciate what we've made.
I used my Zildjian cymbals. My hi-hats are a pair of 14" K Custom Dark Hats and my ride is a 20" K Custom Medium Ride. The two crash cymbals used are my semi-retired damaged cymbals, which I both acquired from my friend Bennii Obana sometime last year. On my left side was my freshly-cracked 17" K Custom Dark Crash, which I recently retired from gigging. On my right side was my de-modified 18" K Custom Dark Crash which had so many hairline cracks when I acquired it, I had it cut after I wounded my finger. Even if these crashes are damaged, they still have that spirit in their sound. I thought that I'd just save these cymbals for studio work, where I think they'll sound well. And they did sound exceptional in the studio.
And last but not the least, we didn't have a drummer's throne. So yes, I was sitting on a state-of-the-art, high-performance monoblock plastic stool hahaha!
Overall, I'm happy with my drum recording, and I'm glad that things turned out well this time in the studio. I was sharper and more well-prepared for the studio work this time, and my focus and patience have become effective for me. I'm now eager to finish our song. I'll just post updates here in my blog.
We have a gig tonight, I should rest right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)