A Session drummer's blog

Practice Practice Practice… + Tonights gig

Posted in Everyday things, Gigs with tags Double kick drum, drum practise, Glen Macnamara; Pete Riley; Rat Pack; Dave Holland; Vince Benjamin, matt mcdonough; drum practice, the rat pack; jazz crooner; on 27/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Im back into it. YES. After all this time, Im back at the point where I am addicted to it. I start out intending to do 3 hours, yet I do 5. That’s how it was when I was 17 and at last, Im back in that place!!!

This new double kick stuff has been great for me. Even if it isn’t something Im necessarily looking to use in my everyday playing, the mere experience of sitting down to practice again, and looking to get to that next BPM and to overcome the challenge of new independence and co-ordination has got me itching to be in the studio each day practicing.

I’ve been on one particular exercise for about a week now. So far 11 hours this week. Im up to 140 BPM with it, and my D.K. playing has undoubtably come along by miles and miles. I highly recommend Pete Riley’s book Double Trouble to you all. It’s really well structured and Pete leaves no Stone unturned.

Gig: Tonight Im playing with Glen Macnamara at the Duchess in Battersea. Glen was in the Rat Pack and is a real crooner. Great with the crowd and also with a top Band Consisting of Dave Holland: Keys, Vince Benjamin: Double Bass and Mark Crown: Trumpet.

£20 a ticket which includes a fantastic 3 course meal. Door from 19:30.

See you there for a night of swing!!

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Todays practice…

Posted in 1 with tags drum practice matt mcdonough pete riley double kick session drumming on 25/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Back in the practice studio today. I’m working on double kick again using 4 bar combinations as you can see above. Having sooo much fun! U to 120 bppm with this exercise now

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Double kick is so much fun!!!

Posted in Everyday things with tags Double kick drum, drum practise, Matt McDonough, Pete Riley, session drummer on 23/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Last week I got hold of Pete Riley’s double kick book. I have never played double kick before and as Ive been looking for a new angl to approach practicing at, I thought Id drop myself into the world of double kick playing. Having bought a Pearl Eliminator double kick pedal approx 3 years ago, I figured I should probably get it out of the box!

I gotta say, it’s not immediately easy! To be able to play with control and finesse really takes some hardcore time spent at the pedals, and it makes me appreciate even more, the skill of other session drummers like Pete Riley. It also makes me even more scared of Vinnie!!!!

Ive worked through the first few pages which are essentially the basics – Singles, 2′s, 3′s, 4′s. I could spend hours just on singles alone, but realising that I have limited time to practise, I’ve managed to push on to more intricate exercises.

Well, it really is LOADS of fun!! Once you start playing Liner patterns mixing up 2′s 3′s and fours, there are some wicked rhythms that appear. I’ve noticed that one of the most important things is consistency in terms of volume and placement with both pedals. That is what really puts the icing on the cake when it comes to it. Hearing those masters, I’ve noticed that accuracy is key to their success. For me, I find that assertiveness with the pedals is what makes the difference. It’s really satisfying to hear a 4 bar phrase which is deadly accurate. At the moment Im not working any faster than 1/4 note (Crotchet to you English folks out there!) = 140 with all strokes being 16th notes. Technique wise, finding your balance point on the stool is crucial as this effects the speed, power and stamina you have to put into it. And further to this, I’ve fond that allowing my heels to drop after each stroke, whilst staying relaxed has been key so far.

Im actually thinking of hooking up with one of the double kick legends in order to get a bit of direction on this brand new territory.

Anyway, it’s something which Im actually really looking forward practicing and the exercises haven’t stopped going through my mind since I started them! Now, the tricky bit is finding a musical, tasty place in which to fit them and not sticking them in wherever I can just because it’s my new toy….

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Gemma Mewse Gig Tonight 21:30 at the Aragon, Chelsea

Posted in 1, Gigs on 20/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

So tonight Im playing with Gemma Mewse at the Aragon in Chelsea. Onstage at 21:30 and the set should be awesome. We had a great rehearsal on Thurs and have the new backing tracks to fatten the sound. So if you are around, come on down .

I spent 3 hours yesterday in the practise studio again. Although I was struggling to get back into the zone due to other things constantly ticking over in my head.

Ive picked up Pete Rileys book on double kick playing. Having never played double kick before I figured this would be a good area in which to challenge myself. Not sure if Ill use it much, but it’s a fun challenge!

So, a quick bit of dinner, then off to play…

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Hard work in the studio…

Posted in 1 with tags vince benjamin ryan haberfield gemma mewse on 18/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Vinny and ryan…Efficient workers…

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Early morning rehearsal with gemma mewse today@the Joint kings cross

Posted in 1 with tags session drummer vince benjamin ryan haberfield matt mcdonough gemma mewse the joint studio on 18/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

So 9am and I’m on a train into kings cross heading for the joint rehearsal studios. Carrying 2 crashes, a ride, a pair of hats, my dw snare and my laptop bag. Fortunately I bought a great protection racket cymbal case recently which is a backpack style case and means I can carry all my cymbals on my back. The best thing about this though is the weird looks I get from all the 9-5 grey suited commuters as they are forced to move 5 inches to their left or right due to my abnormally wide load. Well at least the expressions they pull gives their face muscles some movement away from their boring glum look!

In a way, like them I guess I’m on the way to my office too – a rehearsal studio. Although my office can be anywhere and changes everyday! I reckon mine is more fun though ;-p

Rehearsal should be a laugh today. Two of my good mates, Vince benjamin (bass) and ryan haberfield (guitar) along with lee and Gemma. We are working with backing tracka to fatten out the sound so I’ve been doing the MD bit and preparing them at home along with the setlist.

Managed to get 4 hours practice in yesterday. I’m loving getting back into it after all this time! Bought a MASSIVE and heavy pair of sticks from wembley drum centre too. The conversation went something like “hi mate, can I have you heaviest pair of sticks that you sell”. A look of delighted evil came across will’s face as he said “ooooh yes, ill have to go to the special vault for those! Mwahahahaha!” At this point he opened a locked chest at the back of the counter – cold smoke blew out of it, a light shone from it and for some reason, there was the sound of an angelic chorus as he lifted out a pair of. Fat white drum corps sticks. I was excited, but also slightly fearful. What had I let myself in for??! More to come on those…

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1st day of practise in 10 years!

Posted in 1 on 17/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

So, today I booked a studio and actually got down to some practise. Im not talking about setting up my drums and playing a load of chops for 2 hours. No, proper, head down and concentrating on 1 thing. The difficulty for me is that having purely played for the last 10 years and not sat down to concentrate on something in detail, it’s difficult to be disciplined again.

So, I pulled out my material from the 4 years I spent with Bob Armstrong and pulled out the 8th’s reading and Moeller technique exercise we used to do. After spending 10 mins playing through this, I ended up taking it right back to the basics having realised that by my standards, I wasn’t happy with the standard of my singles. So the next 50 mins were spent with a click at 130 BPM, playing 16th’s (Semi quavers) for 2 bars, followed by 64th’s (hemi-demi-semiquaver) for 2 bars.

I moved up to a couple of other tempos, but stayed with this. It’s amazing how satisfying it feels and how addictive it becomes! The hour I was there flew by and it took me back to my school days where I would practice for hours and wonder where the day had gone…

So I left and have booked 4 hours tomorrow where Im going to try and put together some sort of disciplined structure.

It’s great to be back at it again and hopefully Ill get the time to fit it in around all my other bits that are going on.

Just need my discipline back!!!

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Just the usual very late night…

Posted in 1 on 16/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Tonight I played with Gemma Mewse (now now!) at the Bull and Gate. She had quite a few people down which was great for a Monday. Although the other bands only seemed to be playing to each other as we left…

Sometimes I do think I should wait and watch the other bands because I feel sorry for them if they have no audience. The problem comes when the music just isn’t great though!!

I think there might be some video footage of Gemmas gig around somewhere so Ill try to hunt it down and stick up on here.

Anyway, after the show I headed on down to South London to meet with producers 2DARC who are the crew behind Electro pop/dance outfit Malham Road. These guys are having a massive response to their stuff which is at www.myspace.com/malhamroad – They are funny geeeeezars too! Im really looking forward to this project. Exciting things in the pipeline!!!

Right, so 0300 is pretty much the latest I can legitimately allow myself to be up until, time for some Zeez….

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Gig: Gemma Mewse – Bull and Gate 20:45

Posted in Gigs with tags Gigs on 15/02/2010 by Matt McDonough

Tonight we are out for the first gig with the new band. Venue is the Bull and Gate, Kentish town. Onstage at 20:45.
Vince Benjamin on bass Ryan Haberfield and Lee Bull on Guitar.

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