UKZ - Radiation

Happy New Year, folks!

To kickstart my blog this 2011, I'm sharing this music video of an awesome progressive rock piece by virtuoso supergroup UKZ, featuring German superdrummer & ambidextrous technical wizard Marco Minnemann.

UKZ is a virtuoso supergroup formed by former 'UK' keyboard/electric violin legend Eddie Jobson with ex-King Crimson stick player Trey Gunn; Austrian guitar prodigy Alex Machacek; former Expanding Man vocalist Aaron Lippert; and German drumming phenom Marco Minnemann.

The video features some great overhead shots of Marco, showing some of the challenging things that he can effortlessly do on the drumkit.  Plus, I'm digging his Ghost In The Machine (The Police) t-shirt.

I'm also opening the year with the most curious inquiry...  How true is it that Marco Minnemann is the new drummer of Dream Theater?  Honestly, I think that'll be a very exciting team-up, musically.


*Special thanks to my friend, Fuseboxx guitarist Michael Ong, who shared this video on Facebook months ago.

My DW Pedal Broke, Part 2: The Broken Piece

For Part 1 of this blog, click here - My DW Pedal Broke (27 Nov 2010).

*****

Almost three weeks after the chain piece of the primary pedal of my DW 5002AH double bass pedal snapped, I finally found some spare time yesterday afternoon to tinker with the pedal, remove the broken part, and inspect it.  I took a couple of photos of the damaged metal piece of the DW double chain, which is the strip that connects the chain to the footboard (using a nut and screw).

Detaching the broken chain from the footboard was tough because it was screwed way too tight.  I was almost at the point of ruining the Phillips head of the screw.  Why are DW's pedal parts screwed on very very tight?  Good thing I found an old pair of pliers with a very strong grip, to hold the nut underneath.

Like I mentioned on the first blog, I'm not heavy-footed, I've never broken a high-end bass pedal before this incident due to malpractice or carelessness, and it's unlikely that the double pedal's previous owner/s tampered, modified, or maltreated it.  I guess it's simply a matter of good old mechanical wear & tear, and perhaps some bad luck.

Yet I still feel that a product that's supposed to be well-thought out, mechanically sound, and of high quality shouldn't give in just like that.  I have drummer buddies who've owned and played DW pedals for years and even decades, but how come their DWs never broke down like that?

Now that I've seen the actual damage, I placed an order for a new DW double chain (courtesy of Vinci Rodriguez of The Drum Shop Manila).  Now all I need to do is wait.

dwsm1204 - 3000/5000/7000 Double Chain with Link. Fits 3000, 5000 and 7000 series pedals.  Photo from the DW website.

My DW Pedal Broke

This just happened last night.

My broken DW 5000 pedal.

A view of that broken metal piece...

My DW 5002AH Delta 2 double bass pedal is an old model (circa 2002, i suppose), and I bought it second-hand from a good friend just a couple of months ago.  Prior to purchase, I made a pretty good inspection of this double bass pedal.  Though it's an older model and it needed some cleaning, I didn't locate any issues or potential problems.  It was still mechanically sound, and most important, its action and response still feels great.  It's a nice set of pedals, and I enjoyed using it in the last ten weeks or so.  Until...

During our gig, somewhere in the middle of a song, something went wrong with the primary (right/main) pedal.  The chain just separated with the footboard, which forced me to use the slave (left/auxiliary) pedal for the remainder of the song.  Good thing we were playing a slow jam R&B tune when it happened.  If it was an upbeat tune with plenty of bass drum doubles or syncopations, it could have been my doom.

... that connects the chain to the footboard.

After that song, I quickly unhooked the primary pedal from the bass drum hoop to check out what happened.  It turned out, this small piece of metal that connects the chain to the footboard just snapped.

It's no quick fix.  The chains seem to be riveted on to the sprocket.  The broken little piece of metal looks like it either needs to be replaced, modified, welded, or super-glued with an extra-strong steel epoxy.  And so, I set aside the broken DW and went for the house kit's sloppy yet still functional Gibraltar bass pedal.

I don't know if this is an isolated case.  I don't know if this is a common problem experienced by other DW pedal players.  I don't know if it's just plain bad luck and I don't think the previous owner/s already tampered or modified this pedal.  But one thing I'm certain of is this is another one of many DW pedal durability and reliability issues, and it's sad to say that I got turned off with it.  I don't think I'll ever buy another DW pedal.

This is where the chain meets the footboard. Broken.

Prior to this incident, I've never broken a high-end pedal.  It's the first time in my whole drumming life that something like this happened to me.  And I'm not the heavy-footed type, which is why it's quite a surprise for me.  I guess it's either I have this fixed in a machine shop or order genuine replacement parts, whichever's more convenient or more reasonable.  Then perhaps I'll sell it and upgrade to a better one.  I think I'll go back to those Japanese pedals, which are more durable and more reliable.  Or better yet, if my budget persists, I'll invest on one of those high-tech direct-drive pedals.

It sucks that I'm pedal-less again, for now.  Once again I have to rely on what's provided on the gig venues, or if there's a good soul out there who's willing to lend me a pedal while I don't have a new one.  But what's more frustrating is it's also a matter of wrong timing.  Just when I'm totally inspired to practice more nowadays & I'm in the midst of preparing for the last couple of days of my drum workshop with Mike Alba, the DW pedal gave in, and I don't have a spare pedal at home.  I'll never own a DW pedal again.

This should be my first and last DW pedal. Disappointment.

Gearhead Thoughts: Some New Gear

I've been busy these days, which is why I need to catch up with my blogging.  In addition to my usual gigs with K24/7, I am currently having a few activities outside my band, such as session work (thanks to my friends from Hit Productions) & drum lessons under the mentorship of great Filipino drummer Mike Alba (which I plan to blog about next time).  Being busy is a good thing for me, and I feel blessed because of these opportunities coming in.  It also enabled me to purchase some new gear, which is not only a case of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), but also a necessity.  Most of the new stuff I got are for the sake of replacing some of my old gear which recently broke down or needed to be updated.

Here are some of the new gear which I recently acquired.

I got this Zildjian 17" A Custom Rezo Crash cymbal from JB Music (Zildjian's local distributor) through their trade-in program.  I traded my broken 17" K Custom Dark Crash for this new baby, which is among the latest line of cymbals from Zildjian.  I love dark and contemporary-sounding cymbals, which explains my preference for K Custom cymbals all these years.  I love how it blends in with my band's style of music & how elegant it sounds especially during recording situations.  The rides and hats are beautiful stuff worth keeping.  However, when it comes to crashes, I was beginning to look for something else.  I've had Custom Darks and Hybrids.  Though they all sound awesome, they are fragile, thin-profiled models & I don't get enough sound from them on some live situations, particularly with bigger venues.

When Zildjian introduced the new A Custom Rezos early last year, I thought these may be the solution to my search for a fresh new sound.  Am I glad to have a Rezo Crash now, because I'm loving it!  Prior to purchase, I made my research regarding the Rezo Crashes.  Some said that if you like the K Custom Hybrids (which I do), you'll like the A Custom Rezos as well.  The product review on the March 2009 issue of Modern Drummer, which described the Rezos as "having a great balance of volume, reaction, and quality of sound", was helpful too.  The MD review was spot on!  I love how the Rezo Crash explodes with just the right amount of tone and volume, with just enough sustain, and just enough cut without piercing our eardrums.  My bandmates love it too, and complimented a number of times regarding how nice it sounds.  This is among the sweetest-sounding crash cymbals I've ever used.  It's also an added bonus that it's also a handsome-looking cymbal, with its different bands of lathes and the combination of brilliant and traditional finishes.  Plus it's got a medium-thin profile, so this would be more durable than my previous K Customs.  I think I'll get a bigger 18" or 19" Rezo for my right side next time.

The Drum Dial is a gift from my US-based genius godfather Chit Ramirez (my uncle who gave me my Magic Drum).  This is a really helpful piece of equipment.  First of all, I can say that I'm pretty much used to tuning drums, based on feel plus all the years of experience.  I thought I'm quite fine with my drum tuning skills, which is why I never really took notice of those drum tuning assistance gadgets coming out on the market in recent years.  Until, my uncle got me this nifty piece of equipment which he and his musician friends from the US claim that it will be very useful for my craft.  One week after using the Drum Dial to tune my drums, I can definitely hear and feel the difference!  I'll be writing my review of the Drum Dial soon.

My trusty five-year old Behringer Eurorack UB802 compact mixer's power supply blew up recently.  Before this happened, I was already having thoughts of retiring this workhorse for home use (I'm planning to set-up a sound system at home for my play-along practice needs).  So I need to have that power supply fixed.  A few days ago, I got a new compact mixer for my stage monitoring requirements.  I got Behringer's Xenyx 502 mixer.  The eight-channel UB802 served me well, even if I'm unable to maximize it because I only use two channels most of the time - one for the live band mix & another for the sequenced tracks, plus an optional third channel for my metronome (when needed).  So the five-channel Xenyx 502, which is almost similar to the old Eurorack UB502 used by former South Border drummer Paul Benitez back in the day, is pretty much just right for my basic stage monitoring set-up.  It's also great that it's smaller (its footprint is just around 5"x7"), it's more lightweight, and it looks sleek with its black/gray finish (compared to the Eurorack's colder and more industrial-looking steel silver finish).

Up to this day, I'm still frustrated over the loss of the left earpiece of my M-Audio IE-20 XB in-ear earphones (which I mentioned in this May 2010 blog).  How I wish that somebody can help me with acquiring, if possible, just the left-side piece of this high-quality listening equipment (hope you're reading this, Drum Shop Manila and/or JB Music).  Anyway, I've been reading and hearing stories about some side-effects of using in-ear earphones, which may damage the ear canal when not used properly.  So I thought of using traditional headphones as an alternative.  My top choice (and only choice) is the already-proven Vic Firth SIH1 Stereo Isolation Headphones,which are specially designed for drummers.  Essentially, these are traditional earmuffs which have built-in speakers, which makes it an excellent play-along tool because it is highly effective for listening to music while blocking outside noise.  Its fit is quite tight and snug, which is a good thing.  That means I can still bob my head during live situations, and I don't need to worry about the headphones slipping off my head.  The stereo sound may not be at par with my M-Audios (which have become my benchmark in sound quality), but the playback quality is decent enough for its purpose.  By the way, thanks to my source, Vinci Rodriguez of Drum Shop Manila.

These new equipment, plus the used DW 5002 double bass pedal I got last month, enable me to complete my essential gear requirements.  After a few months of struggling with sub-par, missing, or worn-out gear, I'm finally able to update and upgrade.  It feels great to be back to normal again.  And with the help of all these nice gear, I don't need to worry that much anymore with my equipment, which would allow me to focus more on the music and my drumming.  I'm blessed that I still have my gigs with my band, I have some opportunities coming in, and I'm able to rise up from the months of gear frustration I had.  I just need to keep working hard and play better, so that more bright opportunities can come in.  I'm grateful.

Gearhead Thoughts: Back to Double Bass, and My Studio H Experience

I have just survived playing without a double bass pedal for almost a year.  October last year, I decided to take a vacation on double bass and return to single bass drumming, as documented in this October 2009 blog.  Now, I am happy to say that I'm back to playing double bass.

I got myself a second-hand DW 5002AH Delta 2 double bass pedal two weeks ago.  I bought it from a friend, and I think I'm the third or fourth owner of this pedal.  It's an old model, but it's still in great mechanical condition.  I just needed to clean it up a bit after I got it.  I made some research on this particular model, and I reckon that this particular DW model was built circa 2002, judging from the footboards with the words "chain drive" casted above the distinct 5000 trademark.  This model must be the first to have DW's Delta ball bearing hinges, with its distinct red finish.  Plus, this model was the first to be featured with optional accessories such as pedal weights and stacking Elevator heels.  The DWs I got have the weights, which are those round things screwed at the top end of the footboards.

Back in the day, when I was still starting out, DW's 5000 line of pedals were the most sought-after drum pedals, and these were the benchmark and cutting edge in terms of design, technology, and playability.  In fact, they were my dream pedals.  Until, the Japanese came out with their Iron Cobras (Tama) and Powershifter Eliminators (Pearl), which offer plenty of high tech features and player customization.  Then, American pedal manufacturers such as Axis and Trick took pedal innovations notches higher.  Nowadays, there are so many great drum pedals to choose from, and I guess we somehow owe it all to DW.  As far as I'm concerned, the DW 5000 pedals are the pioneers of the modern bass drum pedal.

It's cool that I now have a DW 5002 double pedal.  Though second-hand, I can still say that I'm able to get my dream pedal.  Though it doesn't offer as much customization as the Cobras and Elims which I used to have, the DW still has that great feel, which is what matters the most.  I don't know if it comes with maturity, but I'm probably getting less techy when it comes to pedals.  I would still love to have a high-tech set of pedals someday, once it's time for me to upgrade.  But for now, I'm enjoying these good old 5000's, which still feels great even with all its mileage and battle scars.  And now, I have to shed off some of my double bass rust.  Better get my footwork back on track.

***


It's great timing that I got back to double bass.  Recently, I was called to do this recording session.  We recorded an original progressive rock composition, so it was an opportunity for me to go back to my rock roots and play some double bass.

It's a privilege for me to do a recording session at Hit Productions' Studio H last Sunday afternoon.  It was my first time to do a session there, and it was a treat for me.  Hit Productions is among the best audio production houses in the country, and their flagship Studio H reflects their quality, innovation, and their knack for the latest technology.  For me, Studio H is like the 19 East of local recording studios.  The studio is so well-equipped.  The house kit is a Mapex Saturn, which sounded sweet.  They have a stable of over a dozen snare drums of different shells and sizes, some of it are custom-made models from companies which I never get to read about in my drum magazines.  Plus they have a wide selection of cymbals.  I am particularly impressed with the set of Paiste Twenty cymbals, which I was able to try for the first time.  If I were to use Paistes, the Twenty would be my line of cymbals.  However, for the recording, I need brighter, heavier cymbals.  Plus, they have enough drum hardware for drummers who need to improvise with their set-ups.

Studio H also has a baby grand piano, and plenty of high-tech recording tools and gadgets.  The recording facility is also a haven for guitar and bass players, for there's an impressive collection of electric and acoustic guitars & bass guitars lined up along the walls of the mixing room.  It's simply topnotch, and by far it's the most impressive recording studio I've ever visited.

Going back to the recording session, one of the bosses from Hit has this original progressive rock composition.  For me, the song's got an old-school feel in it, with a twist of Frank Zappa & Black Sabbath.  The song is funny.  It is about this fictional superhero, who will be revealed as a homosexual later in the middle of the tune.  There's some straight-ahead parts in 4/4, then the tricky odd-time pre-chorus, which I counted out was in 19/8.  It was a challenging session for me because first, it's been a long time since I last played heavy progressive rock music.  Second, I have to learn the song on the fly (while the people I worked with already knew the song).  And third, I am recording with complete strangers!  It sure took me some time to learn the track on the spot, particularly the transitions and the different grooves.  Yet, at the end of the day, I thought it's a great challenge for me, and I hope that I'm able to satisfy the songwriter & my fellow sessionists.  Though I wish I had more time, I think I could have done a much better job.

For that session, I set up the Mapex house kit with 3 toms (10"-12"-14").  My cymbals were a mix of Zildjians, Sabians & Paistes.  My ride cymbal was a 22" Sabian Neil Peart Paragon Ride, which sounded big yet crisp.  My effects cymbals were a Paiste Twenty splash & China, which sounded well on the mix.  The hats and the crashes were all Zildjian.  I also used my Old Faithful 14" Tama Starclassic Maple snare drum.  No disrespect meant to Studio H's snare drum collection, but I thought of using my own drum so that I can hear how it sounds on recording.  And finally, I hooked in my DW 5000 double bass pedal, which I got to use on a few fills & some straight-ahead passages.

I hope to have another opportunity to work again at Studio H.  I had a blast.

Usher in Manila: My Friends' Front Act Experience

My K24/7 bandmates Paolo Banaga and Ian Fajarito had the time of their lives last Friday night, opening for Usher here in Manila.  Paolo was called to do back-up vocals with South Border, while Ian played keyboards for Nina.

Here are a few photos from Paolo.  For more pics, check out his Facebook photos, here and here.

Aaron Spears' DW/Zildjian set-up.

Paolo checking out Aaron Spears' kit.

Soundcheck.  South Border + Nina.

  Two drumming phenoms meet. Aaron Spears & Benjie Mendez.

K24/7's Ian Fajarito with the man Aaron Spears.

 Ian with Usher's band.

Again, with Usher's band. Dylan & Jay Durias, Paolo & Ian.

"I can't explain how lucky we are and how proud I am being a Filipino... 'coz these cats (Usher's band) were jumpin' and screamin' at the side of the stage when we were playin'... and they were the ones who were shoutin' 'more!!!'  I'm gonna miss these fellas... They're very humble and blessed..."

--- Paolo Banaga, via Facebook


Pao and Ian arrived at our Off The Grill gig after the Usher concert, in time for our second set.  Later, South Border superdrummer Benjie "Bagets" Mendez and superbassist Marlowe Mata, plus birthday boy Duncan Ramos also arrived from the concert.

Pao and Bagets had plenty of stories to tell, for they just had the most awesome musical experience.  They were able to meet and hang out with Usher's world-class tour band.  Included in that band is current drumming superstar Aaron Spears, who became a major buzz in the drumming world after his "Caught Up / Sex Machine" 2005 Grammy Awards performance with Usher and James Brown.

The magic began during soundcheck.  South Border was burning during rehearsal.  They were playing so well, Usher's band went running towards the side of the stage to watch and listen.  You know that typical musician's behavior when we musicians shout, jump, or go nuts whenever we see or hear another fellow musician do something breathtaking and spectacular and feels oh-so-good?  Usher's band was blown away!  And this was just soundcheck.

Pao was so starstruck when he saw Aaron Spears, he ran to him to greet him, and Pao was like, "Wow, it's really you!  I only see you in YouTube!"  Aaron Spears is so super nice; him and the rest of the band are very friendly and very humble.  They were complimenting South Border, saying something like "It's great to see artists here who play TRUE music."

Bagets had the time of his life, hugging Aaron Spears when the two met.  Aaron said Bagets was awesome!  And Aaron was giving so much props to Bagets, complimenting his tone quality and asking him how he does it.  They also had a great time talking about drums and Stevie Wonder, among many things.  Even Aaron's drum tech approached Bagets to show his appreciation.  Even a musician of Bagets' stature can't believe everything that just happened; he was close to crying.

Nina and South Border's front act performance went very well.  Bagets' performance was stellar.  All that positive vibe was rubbed on to him, and he was absolutely in his element.

Later, when it was time for THE main act, it was my friends' turn to cheer.  Aaron was incredible that night.  Paolo and Bagets were screaming everytime Aaron did something spectacular on the drumkit.  Todo daw talaga!  Aaron also handed Pao and Bagets a pair each of his used Vic Firth signature drumsticks as remembrance.

Paolo said that when all these were happening, he's so proud to be a Filipino, and he's so proud to represent K24/7.  In those moments, race or nationality did not matter.  There was no discrimination.  Everybody's bonded through music.  There's so much love and mutual respect.  It was beautiful and inspiring, and oh how I wish I was there.

Man, I missed a golden opportunity.  A week ago, Pao & Ian asked permission regarding their big opening gig.  From there, I was thinking all week about having our regular Friday night gig cancelled so that the rest of my band and I can watch the concert, and perhaps have the chance to go backstage and meet the band.  And even if we're able to get good sessionists whenever my bandmates aren't available, it's quite hard to go through our gigs when one (or in this case, two) of my bandmates are not around.  I should have requested for a night off.  This should be one of my worst non-decisions. Geez, I still can't get over it...

It's always great to see Usher perform, but from the very start I was after his band.  And it's not everyday that I get a chance to meet a talented and world-class drummer like Aaron Spears.  When I was viewing Pao's concert photos & hearing their stories, I was close to crying.  As a consolation, Paolo gave me one of Aaron Spears' drumsticks.  I totally appreciate it, and it now holds a special place in my collection of musical memorabilia.

Paolo, Ian, the guys from South Border, Kris Lawrence, Vince Alaras, Dylan Durias & Nina are so privileged.  Like what Duncan told me that night, I'll get my chance someday.  Great job, mga kapatid!  I am so proud of Pao & Ian, as much as I feel so envious. :)

 "Incredible concert in Manila! Amazing audience!" - Usher, via Twitter (and yes, Paolo and the gang were that close to Usher).

"Thank you Manila!!!!! http://yfrog.com/j2lmeej" - Aaron Spears, via Twitter.

*All photos courtesy of Paolo Banaga.

Peart & Portnoy: Two Masters in One Photo

Just sharing.  The other day, Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy posted this on his Twitpic...

They are two of my greatest drumming inspirations.  On the left is Neil Peart, drummer of legendary rock group Rush.  On the right is Mike Portnoy.  Behind them is Peart's latest DW/Sabian touring kit.


"As I have 2 days off from the DT tour, I'm flying to Kansas City to catch Rush...(thx to the gracious Mr. Peart for the personal invite!)" - 2:12 AM Jul 1st

"Not only is Neil Peart an exceptional drummer and an inspirational human being, he is an incredibly gracious host!" - 1:48 PM Jul 2nd

"I am truly humbled to have developed a friendship with one of my childhood heroes..."  - 1:50 PM Jul 2nd

- Mike Portnoy, via Twitter


I consider this as a very rare photo, considering Peart's legendary privacy and Portnoy's ultra-busy schedule.  It's very rare to see these two progressive rock drumming icons together in one photo.  Long live the kings!

P.S. (July 6) - Mighty Mike posted this photo yesterday...

"OK OK...because so many of you inquiring minds wanna know...Neil did let me play his kit...and it was awesome! : )" - Mike Portnoy, 7/5/10

Jamming on Bagets' New Gear

The photo above was shot last night. I dropped by at Off The Grill to check out Benjie Mendez and his new DW and Meinl gear, courtesy of Lyric. Bagets had a gig with Paolo Santos, Jano Queyquep (lead guitar) and Marlowe Mata (bass). A number of fellow drummers were present last night, which included Lyric's two representatives, Gep Macadaeg and Lester Banzuelo (Fuseboxx).

Bagets' DW drums sound absolutely amazing, and his Meinl Byzance cymbals are among the most crisp and cleanest-sounding metal I've ever heard. I feel that these instruments compliment Bagets' drumming style so well. Near the end of the first set, Bagets called me, then Jeff Lima to jam. I think Bagets wants to hear his gear played by other drummers, and/or he gave us the opportunity to try his DW/Meinl set-up. I was smiling almost the whole time when I was playing on Bagets' kit. It was such a joy to play! It really felt so good! It felt so easy playing those beautiful drums and cymbals, which responded beautifully to whatever touch or level of dynamics we play. It's like the kit is helping us play better. It's always a wonderful feeling to play musical instruments that allow us musicians to express better.

I felt very inspired after playing on Bagets' drumkit. Why? First, I'm so happy for Bagets' new endorsement deal. I can feel the happiness of my mentor, knowing the musical hardships and frustrations he's gone through all these years. He deserves all these blessings. Second, it goes to show that being truly committed and dedicated to your chosen art has its rewards. I am very aware that living a musician's life isn't a breeze, and there will always be tests and struggles along the way. But, I believe that if we musicians just keep on improving and developing, expressing our musicianship with dignity and conviction, being honest with our work, sharing the bounty, and be an inspiration to others, then it's by fate that we'll be rewarded in some ways.

As for myself, I don't know if it will mean more gigs for me and my band, or a future endorsement deal, or whatever opportunity that may come... To be honest, I don't really want to think about it. I don't want to think about potential financial or musical success, or fame, especially. Personally, I don't really want to become famous; but if it's bound to happen, I'm hoping that it will be in a positive way. Anyway, it's perfectly normal to dream on. But for now, I just want to get better as an artist. And deep inside, I feel that if we just go on, keep on learning, working hard, doing positive things, and be the best that we can be with our chosen craft, the rewards will come someday.

I'm really feeling so inspired right now...

Photo courtesy of Lester Banzuelo of Fuseboxx.

DW Super Solid Snare Drums... *drool!*

DW just launched its new Super Solid snare drums, which are created through an innovative manufacturing technique.

Watch the video and pay attention to DW's wood whisperer, the legendary John Good.

First, I see the ads on Modern Drummer magazine. Then, after seeing this video, I was really impressed. I instantly include the DW Super Solid snare in my snare drum wish list. My oh my, I would love to have one someday...

Lyric Drum Day 2009

Lyric, the local distributor of Drum Workshop drums, pedals and hardware, and Meinl cymbals and percussion, had a Drum Day last weekend, at their Head Office and Showroom in Horseshoe Village, Quezon City. The Saturday afternoon event featured some of today's top Filipino drummers and percussionists. Performers include drummers Benjie Mendez, Franklin Benitez, and Otep Conception, and percussionists Maki Estrella (Roots of Nature), Francis Gaspar, and Paul Zialcita.

A couple of side notes before going through my blog... First, I wasn't supposed to attend the event because I needed to stay home and look after our house construction. But thanks to a text message from my buddy Michael Ong (guitarist of progressive rock band Fuseboxx), he urged me to drop by, and so I did. And second, I only witnessed the performances of the drumset drummers. Though I stayed for awhile after the drumset performances, I didn't really watch the percussion performances. So, my apologies to Mssrs. Estrella, Gaspar, and Zialcita. I had to leave early too (but I did hear some cool live performances before I left, when I was still there elsewhere in the venue).

Anyway, when I arrived at the Lyric office and showroom, the first things I noticed are the several drum and percussion gear on display and on sale. That day, Lyric was offering their drum and percussion products at huge discounts (and because of the success of this event, Lyric just announced that they extended their sale for one more week). There are plenty of quality, drool-worthy, GAS-inducing (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) equipment, mostly from Vic Firth, Meinl, DW, and PDP (Pacific Drums & Percussion, a subsidiary of DW). Several accessories and instructional books and videos are also available.

Plenty of friends from the drumming and music community were present for the event, and it's always a blast whenever we are on drumming events like this. It's also great to see three great Pinoy drumming phenoms together in one drumming event. When I arrived, Franklin, Otep, and Bagets were warming up and preparing for their respective sets. Most of my attention was also focused on the three beautiful drumkits set up for the three masters. Franklin used a 5-piece, gold-plated DW kit with a simple cymbal setup similar to Steve Gadd's (one ride, two crashes, and a pair of hats). Otep was on a rack-mounted, 5-piece PDP drumkit loaded with effects cymbals and a second pair of hats on the right side, which was mounted on a DW remote hat, its pedal positioned on the left side of the bass drum pedal (!). Bagets was all out on a black, 7-piece DW set-up, which included a 10" auxiliary snare drum and a 14" brass snare drum. All cymbals are Meinl, mostly from the Byzance series.

First performer was Franklin Benitez, best known for his work with Barbie Almalbis. Franklin played along to a Latin-style track for his first number, where the veteran drummer highlighted his Latin-style drumming skills. During Q&A, he entertained questions regarding his experiences performing with black musicians in the US. Franklin emphasized the importance of discipline, and how black American musicians are so particular with groove. One observation of Franklin is the playfulness of most Filipino drummers on timekeeping (ride/bell syncopations, for example), while most black drummers really mark the quarter notes on their grooves. Another observation he noticed is how dedicated several American drummers are. The great American musicians are really good, and they're really focused, pushing themselves to become the best they can be. He also cited how frank Americans are compared to Filipinos. While we Pinoys tend to be tactful and careful with our suggestions and criticisms to our bandmates, Americans would get to the point and work out things fast! I agree with Franklin's insights, and I'm glad he opened up those insights in regards to attitude. Later, Franklin shared some hand/foot combination exercises, and played a couple of drum solos, the last one accompanied by Otep and Bagets playing time on the PDP kit.

Otep Conception is a technically-gifted Pinoy drummer, and he showed us why during his set. He improvised on several odd meters and groupings, while being guided by a click on his earphones. What I admire about Otep's drumming is his articulation and his speed, most especially his right foot. This is one drummer who does not need a double bass pedal to play fast kick notes. But if he one day decides to play double bass, now that's a scary thought! I once told Otep that I wish I can have his lightning-quick right foot. Otep also highlighted some Gospelchops-inspired licks, which he shared to everyone. When a drummer asked Otep what he was thinking during his improvisational number, the latter said that he was thinking a lot about Bagets. Otep concluded his set with another impromptu performance, together with the next performer...

Benjie Mendez is the main event, and the most anticipated among the drumset performances. Bagets is a legend in the Philippine drumming and music scene, known for being a musical prodigy eversince his childhood days. His first big break was becoming the drummer of Side A at age 15, replacing original drummer Mar Dizon, another Pinoy drumming great. Mar is credited for giving Benjie the nickname "Bagets" because of the latter already being a phenomenom at such a young age. Bagets has played and recorded with several local and foreign artists, and he is currently with top Filipino band South Border.

Bagets is my mentor, one of my biggest drumming and musical inspirations, and not to mention, a dear friend. I've known Bagets for a number of years, and how much he would "hide" from drum-sharing events. But this time around, he was really eager to spread his message. He started his set by casually talking to the crowd and sharing some of his thoughts and emotions about drumming and the current state of local music. He stressed on the idea that music should not be a competition. Instead, we should do music to share the love and to glorify God, because without Him, we wouldn't have the gift of talent to make music. Bagets also became open, sharing stories about his life, his personal experiences, and his thoughts about the artists and drummers who have inspired and influenced him over the years. The talk given by Bagets was a revelation of what the man is all about. He is a natural artist, and I've known him as an eccentric and unpredictably moody guy. But last weekend, Bagets was at his element. The infectious enthusiasm he's known for was clear that day. To those who were present last weekend, especially the young drummers who came to see and hear Bagets preach and play for the first time, consider yourselves lucky.

Whenever Bagets is at the top of his game and playing with all his heart and soul, I can't help but be inspired by the power of his drumming. When I say power, it's not necessarily physical; it's what I feel whenever I witness this prodigy do his thing on the drumkit. There's magic in Bagets' drumming. His drumming is a melting pot of his major musical influences, from Vinnie Colaiuta to Jeff Porcaro, from Allan Holdsworth to Michael Jackson... Plus he puts his personality into it. For me, that's one huge factor among great musicians which I admire the most - personality. And there's so much personality in Bagets' drumming. It's so inspiring to watch and listen to artists who have that.

Bagets' first performance was an improvised 6/8 solo, based on his live performance on South Border's hit song Ikaw Nga, from the Mulawin soundtrack. Then, after an inquiry from a fellow drummer about shuffles, Bagets played several shuffle grooves such as Jeff Porcaro's Rosanna (Toto) and Bernard Purdie's Babylon Sisters (Steely Dan) grooves. Bagets ended his set in grand fashion, by inviting Franklin and Otep to jam and play triple drums. Watch the videos on Lyric's YouTube Channel.

I'm really glad that I showed up at Drum Day. I got several doses of inspiration, thanks to that. Great job, Lyric! Thanks for Drum Day!

* All photos by Anthony Dio, captured from his mobile phone.

Gear Review: PDP 6"x10" 805 Series snare drum

I'm in a band that plays R&B and hip-hop music, and I'm a drummer who happens to be quite particular with sound quality. With my band K24/7, I always thought of adding a small snare drum which would complement our style of music and simulate some of the electronic snare drum sounds processed on many R&B and hip-hop recordings.

Lyric Music is now distributing DW and PDP (Pacific Drums and Percussion) products here in our country. I'm glad that Lyric thought of bringing in a good selection of PDP products; snare drums in particular. I appreciate the fact that there are a good number of snare drum choices, in regards to shell sizes, materials, and finishes. And I'm glad they realized that small, auxiliary snare drums (in particular, 10" "popcorn" snares) are becoming more common nowadays. Talk about great timing! Last April, I purchased a 6"x10" PDP 805 Series snare drum.

The way I see it, the 805 Series is PDP's "base model" snare drum line. Its overall quality is decent enough for professional use (knowing that PDP is DW's sister company; so PDPs have some of those DW traits). Value-wise, buying an 805 snare drum isn't gonna cost us drummers an arm and a leg, which is a cool thing that most drummers will appreciate (because drumming can be quite expensive). The 805 snares are available in hybrid maple-and-hardwood (maple inner and outer plies) and chrome-over-steel shells.

And now, about the 6"x10" 805 snare... Aesthetics-wise, this is an attractive little drum. There are many finishes to choose from. Hardware finishes include chrome, black, and even red and white! The PDP website (linked below) only shows a few examples, but there are actually various shell/hardware combination finishes available. I want the all-black finish, but Lyric didn't have it on stock. So I chose the orange finish with black hardware, which still looks cool. I thought the finish is too wild for my taste (I prefer more elegant-looking finishes), but later on I appreciated how it looks. It never fails to attract other people's attention whenever I set this up on our gigs. Its finish makes this drum stand out in any setup. It also looks like a toy drum, which I think is cool.

But wait 'til you hear how this little dynamite sounds. This little drum pops and cracks, and this is how 10" snare drums are meant to sound like. Naturally, its sound is in the higher voice ranges. One major asset of this drum is its volume. I don't need to mic this drum during our bar gigs. Its sound can really cut through. This is a great side snare drum which will work on "groove" genres, such as hip-hop, R&B, funk, drum n' bass, pop, and many more. Though its use is not limited to these musical styles. It's also up to one's creativity and imagination. This drum may not work as a primary/main snare drum; but it's a great choice for a secondary/auxiliary snare drum.

This drum came with stock PDP drumheads - a one-ply medium coated batter and a one-ply medium clear snare side head. Before I bought this drum, I read its online reviews first; and most say that this drum works best with high/tight tuning on both top and bottom heads. I tried that, and I definitely agree. With tight tuning, the true voice and character of this drum really shouts out. I tune the batter head a bit tighter than the snare side head. I don't crank the snare side head too much because when I do, it chokes the drum. I want to give it some breathing space, since this drum is meant to be used for plenty of accented backbeats.

Sound is pretty good, though I felt that this drum has more potential. Better-quality drumheads can greatly help. I replaced the stock batter with an Evans G2 coated head, which is a 2-ply model. Thanks to the G2 head, its sound became rounder and more full-bodied. The beat-up stock batter produced a thinner sound. The G2 head is doing a great job. A quality single-ply batter such as an Evans G1 or a Remo Ambassador will surely work well for this drum. I'm also sure that a quality snare side head will bring out more sensitivity. The stock snare side head seems to be too thick. I should order a quality snare side head.

The set of snare wires is a basic 16-strand model. The snare throw-off mechanism is simple to use and effective. I set the strainer mechanism in a medium-to-tight setting. If it's quite loose, the throw-off has the tendency to drop whenever strong backbeats are played. So better set it up right if you don't want the snares to "turn off" in the middle of a song.

With the snares turned off and with tight tuning, this drum can also simulate timbales, which is an added bonus for this drum. Drummers who play plenty of ska, reggae, and Latin-style music, or to those who want an alternative, timbale-like drum, take note!

This drum has a built-in mounting bracket, so that you can set it up anywhere on the drumkit using an L-arm mount. Take note: this drum can only accommodate 10.4mm-sized L-arms (which is standard on DWs and PDPs). And that means thicker L-arms from other drum manufacturers won't fit on this drum's mount. A snare drum stand which can accommodate a 10" drum can do. I prefer mounting this drum on a stand. Its mounting bracket is directly screwed to the drum shell. And with constant backbeats, I'm afraid that if this drum is mounted on an L-arm, the mounting bracket might "give in" and damage the shell sooner or later. I would perhaps mount it if only it has a suspension mount.

Overall, this is a very fun drum to play. I don't think this drum is for everybody. But for certain drummers and for certain musical applications, this can be a great addition to one's drum arsenal. And the best part: its price. Investing on one is not a pain in the wallet. The maple+hardwood hybrid wood shell 6"x10"s cost only Php4K, while the chrome-over-metal 6"x10"s cost only Php6K! Bang for the buck indeed. For me, this is a wonderful add-on to my equipment, and it's great that I don't need to shell out so much of my hard-earned money. My bandmates and everyone who has seen and heard it are digging it. Sound-wise, quality-wise, value-wise, and in terms of "fun", I'm happy with this drum.

Musicplayers.com review of PDP 805 snare drums
Musiciansfriend.com reviews of 6"x10" PDP 805 snare drums

The Pinoydrums Gathering, 11 June '06

Pinoydrums Gathering: Penguin Bar, Malate, Manila. Sunday, June 11, 2006, 4pm.

For longtime Pinoydrums members like me, we also call this event the "EB3". This eyeball event of drummers is the third of its kind, following the first EB which happened on February 2004, and the second one at Freedom Bar last November 2004. It was envisioned as a simple gathering of drummers; a day of sharing, jamming and camaraderie. Every eyeball event organized just kept growing and getting better. And yesterday's EB3 was one memorable day of drumming.

I arrived at Penguin Bar around 3pm. It's a quaint, artsy bar somewhere near the Remedios Circle in Malate. There's a homey, laid-back feel to the place, which makes it a cozy hangout for young people and bohemians. I thought its ambiance helps give our event an intimate feel. Visual artworks are posted on walls around the venue, and there's a small shop which sells home-made percussion instruments.

Ernest Ramos & Bennii Obana

It was raining when I arrived, and most of the event organizers - JP Buduan, Sandy Baliong, Ernest Ramos, etc. - were already there in order to set-up and do preparations. With the easygoing organizing crew and a few early birds hanging out, I can already sense then that this will be another memorable day of drumming. Two drumkits were brought and set-up. Taking most of the attention is Bennii Obana's impressive 6-piece DW drumkit which he named "Ice". Its customized cover finish looks elegant & it's loaded with a battery of Zildjian cymbals. It looks and sounds awesome.

On Ice's left side is the more modestly set-up fusion-sized Tama Superstar drumkit of Rommel Mendoza. It's a brand-new birch-shelled drumkit, and it sounded wonderful too.

Rommell Garcia

Though it feels satisfying to indulge on Bennii's drumkit, I felt that it might be overkill to do my groove drum clinic on his set-up. So I decided to use Rommel's Tama kit, since I didn't need too many cymbals. Later on, all clinicians decided to play on the Tama kit. I guess all of us clinicians were quite overwhelmed with all of Ice's shiny cymbals. Five drum clinicians were featured in this gathering (more on that later).


My good friend Rommell Garcia was one of the organizers, and served as one of the hosts of the event. Even before the event began, he was already beginning to document the occasion through video, talking about Pinoydrums and interviewing featured drummers.

When doors officially opened, Pinoydrums members lined up for registration and wore their name tags, so that everybody can recognize each other. I went to an empty couch to warm up with my RealFeel practice pad. Soon, friends joined me, sharing my practice pad and exchanging drum talk. While I was busy in the couch, Bennii and Rommell were already wailing on the drum kits.

Arien

Kid prodigy Arien Pulumbarit arrived with his supportive father. Arien, already 11 or 12 years old (?), is one of Jun Regalado's best students. Instantly, I went out of my way to meet and greet the kid and his pop. Arien, being the enthusiastic young drummer that he is, can't help but notice the beautiful DW kit. So I took him to the drumkit and let him play. He attracted everybody's attention with his obviously impressive technique and chops. After playing his solo, everybody applauded and appreciated his drumming. He's got skills and maturity. I first saw and heard Arien about three years ago. Sir Jun Regalado always gives him a solo spot during his recent drum clinics. Everytime I watch and hear him play, he just keeps on getting better. I look forward to this kid's career. He's the future; he'll be a monster when he grows up.

Andre Quimpo

Around 6pm, program began. The first clinician featured was the educator Mr. Andre Quimpo. Andre is a teacher by profession. He teaches art and leads Ateneo's drum line. He is also an active church/gospel drummer. His clinic focused on the topic of drum rudiments, which are essentially the basic fundamentals of drumming. Andre is an excellent speaker. He's obviously used to lecturing and public speaking (he's an educator by profession). He concluded his clinic with a drum duet with Bennii; both played spontaneously, trading licks & feeling each other out. Andre is a very musical and tasteful drummer. And I realized that we have a few things in common. Andre and I are both Industrial Design graduates, and we both cite Neil Peart as our all-time number one drum hero.

Next clinician was Robert Dela Cruz. He's a well-known drummer in the local rock/metal scene, famous for his chops with Skychurch, a band that he formed with his two brothers. Robert is one of the best double bass drummers in the country right now, and he showed everybody why he's worthy of that recognition. I wish I have a fast pair of legs like Robert's. I first saw Robert play over a decade ago, when Skychurch was just starting & the Dela Cruz brothers were just still a bunch of young rocker kids then. Robert was already a monster drummer during that time, and he surprised so many people because as far as I could remember, he was a small harmless-looking kid back then hehe! Looks can be very deceiving. Another funny thing is, part of Robert's pre-gig ritual is gulping down a bottle of Red Horse before a performance. Talk about getting an extra kick!

After Robert's powerful performance, it was my turn to conduct my drum clinic, yours truly, the drummer of K24/7 haha! I invited my bass player Ian Tan to jam with me. My focus on my drum clinic was about groove drumming. I shared some insights on playing groove, keeping good time and making it feel good. I was also able to share a few drum licks that can be used to compliment the groove and the music, such as double bass fills and the rolling shuffle. Admittedly, Ian and I were under-rehearsed for this event. We even had some bass amp and feedback problems, but we were able to handle it somehow. We started off with a hiphop-based groove jam, inspired by the music of The Roots. Then, we did a rendition of one of my band's cover songs, Usher's "U Make Me Wanna". To finish off my clinic, Ian and I performed a rearranged version of an excerpt of the Michael Jackson old-school medley that we play in our gigs.

Franklin Benitez

I'm not really a drum teacher, and I don't know if I'll ever become one someday, but I hope people appreciated my drum clinic & somehow got something from what I shared and played. When I was invited by the organizers to conduct a drum clinic, at first I doubted myself, thinking if I was credible enough to do this. But I accepted it and took it as a challenge. I also thought that this drum clinic could help me and my band, so it was like an investment worth making. I can't wait to receive a copy of the video, so that I can see how I fared in my drum clinic, and how I can improve further. It was a learning experience for me.

After my set, it was time for Franklin Benitez, who captured everybody's attention with his wit and sense of humor. Franklin is the drummer of Barbie Almalbis, and I consider him as one of the best young drummers in the country right now. He is also an active church drummer. Franklin preached his words of wisdom by sharing stories based from his musical experiences. He played a couple of interesting, dynamically diverse drum solos & sampled some Steve Gadd-style linear patterns. And it was also very classy for Franklin to give plenty of credit to his number one drumming mentor Mar Dizon, who was present in the event. The latter is the featured clinician of the night.

And for the main event... It's senyor Mar Dizon! To complement his jazz drumming showcase, he brought along a few friends - Bo Razon on hand percussion, Aya Yuson on electric guitar, and Dave Harder on double bass. Most of the music that Sir Mar and company played were old-school hardcore jazz, swing and bebop, mostly from the Miles Davis collection. It was a double treat because both senyors Mar and Bo entertained drum-related questions. Sir Bo's knowledge on hand percussion is impeccable; and Sir Mar shares plenty of his wisdom, preferring to talk more about musicality, philosophy and artistry rather than technical stuff.

Mar Dizon

Mar Dizon is one of my favorite Filipino drummers, and I consider him as one of my greatest local musical influences. He sights Steve Gadd as his greatest drum hero, and I notice plenty of Steve Gadd influences in his playing. Yet, he has this uncanny ability to improvise and fuse his personal signature into whatever music he plays. Regretfully, I forgot to give credit to Sir Mar during my clinic spot. I want to commend senyor Mar for helping me improve and clean up my drumming. I had the privilege of studying under Sir Mar a few years ago. He is a reason why I'm a better drummer right now. He is a reason why I still want to become better. He is a reason why I'm still pursuing my drumming profession right now. I'm forever grateful to Mar Dizon. It's always a great joy for me to watch and hear him play drums.

After Mar's set (around 10pm), it was open jam time. Some drummers jammed. Some stayed and hung out. Some asked for Sir Mar's autograph. I even helped a couple of drummers tune their snare drums. An hour later, a huge number of drummers already left, leaving the event organizers and a few drummers still hanging out inside Penguin. I felt tired later on, so I relaxed on one corner, lying down against huge pillows, just chilling and listening to non-stop drumming. Then at past 12 midnight, a surprise guest arrived...

Benjie Mendez

Benjie Mendez made it! I was texting Bagets earlier that night, asking him to come over. And he answered back at around 9pm (he just woke up). Regretfully, I should have given him a few days notice. To the lucky few who stayed late in Penguin Bar, we were privileged to witness Bagets do his magic behind Bennii's huge drumkit, soloing for about 10 minutes. It was so powerful, yet it seemed effortless to the master. It was like Bagets taming the huge beast; letting it all out. The world somehow stops whenever he does his magic. Too bad the cameramen already left; nobody took a video! We'll make it a point to book Bagets for the next Pinoydrums gathering, and we'll give him quality minutes for his spot. What we've witnessed could be a much-anticipated teaser to the next Pinoydrums gathering.

*****

Some random thoughts related to the Pinoydrums Gathering:

I now have an idea on how to prepare myself when someday I'll be able to own a huge kit like Bennii's.
Bennii is such a powerful and entertaining drummer. What a character too!
Makulit pala si Sandy! And Rommell & Ernest wants to steal my 13" snare drum. Hahaha!
Maybe I should try to learn stick twirls.
It's intimidating to conduct a drum clinic alongside great drummers, especially when one of your mentors/idols is present.
I'll make my text brigades earlier next time.
I should organize my ideas further before a drum clinic. I forgot to tackle some of my ideas.
Facing a challenge and conquering it is rewarding.
All drummers are unique. You can tell a drummer's personality by the way he/she plays, the way he/she holds the sticks, and the way he/she sets up the kit.
It's not about egos, competition, or who's the better drummer. It's all about making great music.
I'm constantly reminded about the solid camaraderie among drummers. I'm so grateful I am one. =)

Ice!

*****

Acknowledgements:
The organizing team - JP Buduan, Rommell Garcia, Sunshine Mendoza, Sandy Baliong, Ernest Ramos, Dennis John Pausanos, Paolo Vivas.
Sir Butch of Penguin Cafe, and his staff.
Bennii Obana and Rommel Mendoza for sharing their drumkits.
Eric Echano and his crew for the video coverage.
Andre Quimpo, Robert Dela Cruz, Franklin Benitez & Mar Dizon and friends for sharing their passion and wisdom.
Bagets for still making it despite the short notice.
My bass player Ian Tan for backing me up.
To all fellow Pinoydrums brothers and sisters, and all the musicians who made it there.


...'til the next Pinoydrums EB!