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Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:00 am
by joecrabtree
Hey everyone,

I thought you might be interested in checking out what goes on in my head when I have to solo.

I'm not a great soloist, there's not been much call for it on the gigs I've done. Most of my YouTube videos are about techniques or breaking down other people's stuff, so I was a little apprehensive about posting my own stuff.

I decided to record my solos every night, then I could evaluate them after the show and see what I liked and what I didn't like. There were a few where I thought I'd screwed up so much that I almost didn't want to watch them back. To my surprise they weren't nearly as bad as I'd thought. In fact, one of the ones I thought was the worst while playing turned out to be one of my favourites when I watched it back.

Anyway, the point is that I'm posting everything rather than only showing my good nights. And you can read what was going through my mind at the time.

Enjoy - http://www.joecrabtree.com/vip/drum-solos-road

Joe

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:44 pm
by moose
Still watching this, but it's fascinating already!

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:36 pm
by percusski
Great stuff, this sort of analysis can be so much more beneficial than simply shredding away!

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:37 pm
by Clint Hopkins
I haven't finished watching them all but I love it. I like the application of certain ideas. Which things go and which things stay. It's interesting to me where certain guys find their influence, like the mention of the Peter Gabriel influence as an example of a reference for where something might come from. Nice stuff, Joe.

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:49 am
by john lamb
dig it - thanks for sharing

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:23 am
by Juan Expósito
Recording and analyzing...
That´s the best, fastest and smartest way to improve.

Thanks Joe.

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:04 pm
by piccupstix
Utterly fantastic and fascinating. By opening your "work tapes" and adding your inner thoughts and analysis you've created a valuable learning tool for all to see and benefit from. One nice luxury is that you are able to immediately work out ideas on a nightly basis while very fresh in mind. I have a solo number that comes up so irregularly I have to constantly stay on it mentally and in the practice room. If too much time goes by and I'm "in the heat of battle" I tend to forget many ideas and concepts I wanted to work into it. Thanks so much for posting this!

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:13 pm
by robhaerr
From a guy who can't solo to save his life...this is great!

Thanks for posting...it will be very helpful...

Rob

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:19 pm
by moose
This little daily soap opera has come at a valuable time for me. I've just had a massive blow to my already shaky self-esteem, and it's actually inspiring to see that people I look up to go through similar inner turmoil not just once, but at some point every night. Many, many thanks for posting such revealing material. Hopefully I can thank you with a pint in October at the Robin in Bilston.

Re: Evolution of a Drum Solo

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:16 am
by gretsch-o-rama
Hi Joe. Long been an admirer of the lessons and such but this whole discussion seems to undermine good soloing to me. What i want to hear (as a drummer and a listener) when i hear a drum solo is something who is transcending the occasion, getting past themselves and pushing their own boundaries. Ya know when wipe out came out that was considered a good solo and it still kinda holds true. The video of the drummer for the ventures playing that on his gretsch kit stuck with me...he was getting all uncomforable and what not...and for that day and age he was pushing it... Now im not saying I am a better or more experienced soloists than anyone on this board, but what I've made my goal on the drumset is control and push. Because soloing or not, I believe people want to hear a drummer go crazy(but in a good way, not the overly analytical way) lol I just think it's a shame when a drummer errs on getting hung up on the what and not the how. Sure it's great when you can have both but I feel like master the "how" you can unlock the "what".... Jason Burns