October 1978 - Modern Drummer - Steve Gadd

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• OCTOBER 1978 $1.75MODERI DRUMMER A Contemporary Publication Exclusively for Drummers
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• Playin' For The MusicStory and photos by Aran Wald Listen to the music in any fairly hip restaurant, you know, the warm, quilt-like security offered for diners in most of the places in Greenwich Village, or some of the musician hangouts on the upper westside of Manhattan. More than likely you'll hear a heady sampling of Carly Simon, Carol King, Patti Austin, Phoebe Snow, Paul Simon, the latest Chuck Mangione sweetness, Nancy Wilson crying some, or even Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, and of course George Benson. What do you find most striking besides the artist? The rhythm section, right? It is Steve Gadd's distinct, sensitive, percussive style backing these leading artists, making him among the busiest drummers in New York, the United States, perhaps the world. Because of the man's frenetic schedule, any kind of interview has proven difficult to obtain. I cornered Steve during a series of recording sessions for a Japanese keyboardist who specified "Steve Gadd" on all contract sheets. I sat through two or three sessions, taking photos when I could, and trying my utmost to be unobtrusive. On the way from one of those sessions to the Local 802 office, Steve realized I was walking a few steps behind and we decided to cab it to his loft housed in the fur district ofdowntown New York City. His place is large and completely fixtured. His studio neatly tucked away in, what was formerly, the safe. The massive door and combination lock remains intact. During the two hour plus interview, Steve asked me to look at a videotape he had made in Rochester. In a few short minutes the taped Gadd had run down the entire book of drumming. His solos were a course in Latin, rock, changing tempo . . . and he wasn't taking it all in his stride either. The man works when he plays, concentrating as he flails. And he does it all almost perfectly.
• Page 4I DON'T PLAY TO BE AN INFLUENCE ON ANYONE. I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE MUSIC I PLAY. LET'S SAY, BEING RESPONSIBLE TO THE MUSIC IS THE FIRST STEP IN ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE COMING UP." SG:
• Page 5freedom than others. Certain things can be looser than others, and it's something you always have to be aware of. I can have a good time with either one. There's always a way to find a part that really fits. There were some things with Steve's music where we kind of knew how it was going to change. We had music, so it wasn't completely loose — it was pretty structured. It's just another way of playing. AW: How often do you actually run into drum parts? SG: A lot of Steve's music is written out. I'll read a lead sheet many times on Carly's things. The important thing is to know where the tune is going and how it phrases. My approach is to never have any preconceptions. I just try to be in the situation for the moment, the best I can. I try to play the music without putting my own initials on it. I approach everything by listening first and finding something to play without going in thinking that I'm going to play something before I get there. The music guides you. You can't put your eyes before your ears. The key thing that tells you what's happening, is listening. It's hearing. If someone writes a drum part that doesn't fit, it doesn't make any sense to play it. You have to find something that feels comfortable. AW:
• Page 6I t h i n k multiple drum set-ups would probably be a lot of fun to do, but I'm not in a situation where I have to do it. Perhaps as a leader I would, but there's not much call for it in the studio. AW: Is there a certain stick you use regularly? SG:
• Page 7PRESENTING THE RIGHT SOUND, THE RIGHT RESPONSE, THAT'S JUST RIGHT FOR YOU.
• Page 8YD-9000 Series
• Page 9Yamaha's All-New System Drums
• Page 10ROY BURNS TALKS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DRUM TUNING TECHNIQUES AND ROGERS. "More than ever before, drummers are becoming aware of how precision tuning can improve their over-all sound. As staff artist for Rogers, I give about 100 drum clinics every year. And everywhere I go, I get more and more questions about tuning. One fundamental thing to remember about tuning is the importance of ° drum construction. If it tends to go out of round, trying to tune it is like trying to tune a guitar with a warped neck. Also, more often than not, when it is out of round, the bearing edges won't be level. And unless the bearing edge is level, it's virtually impossible to accurately control the evenness of head tension. Roy Burns. World-acclaimed drummer and Rogers Staff Artist. He is the house drummer for the Monterey Jazz Festival and has appeared with a wide variety of stars including Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Charlie Mingus, Phil Upchurch, Lionel Hampton and John Lewis. Roy has also played for a number of TV shows with the NBC Staff Orchestra and is the author of 13 books on drumming, two teaching albums and a correspondence course for hand development.
• Page 11That's one of the distinct advantages of Rogers. The shells are made of prime maple, five layers thick for strength. And each layer is cross laminated to ensure that the drum stays round. What's more Rogers makes drums with a precise l/16th bearing edge that stays level for easier tuning and freer head vibration. One question that frequently comes up in my clinics is about tuning single vs. double headed toms. I find that the best approach for double headed toms is to keep the bottom head slightly looser than the top. This tunes out some unnecessary ring and allows you to play comfortably on a medium-tensioned top head. It also gives you a deep full sound that is also clear. With single headed toms you start by tensioning the head evenly all around at each tension screw. Then loosen the two screws at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock between one quarter turn to one full turn. This gives a funky sound without too much muffling. It used to be that muffling of drums was sometimes substituted for good tuning. Today, however, the trend is to achieve a penetrating sound by precise tuning instead. The basic objective is to make each stroke sound more definite without overlapping ring. Too much muffling just kills the sound and shortens the length of each beat. You know, muffling is like seasoning food — a little is great but too much will ruin a good meal! Again, Rogers comes through with equipment that helps in muffling. Its external Super X mufflers move with the head, instead of against it. In that way you eliminate the ring without reducing volume. In tuning a snare the trick is to make the bottom head moderately tight no matter what kind of music you play, and adjust the top head to the individual situation. For rock music, you usually keep the top head relatively loose for a more funky sound. Big band drummers keep it somewhat tighter at a medium tension level for a sharper, more high pitched sound. The thing to remember in tuning a snare is that once you adjust the bottom head properly, leave it alone and make all your adjustments on the top head. The snare tension is also important in tuning a snare. The snares should float on the bottom head to give clarity without choking. With the Rogers Dynasonic snare you get two ways to adjust the snare unit —one adjustment lets you tension the snares lengthwise and a second allows you to raise or lower the frame for just the right amount of contact against the bottom head. With proper tuning of your drums you can get the sound you want with less physical effort. And when you play more relaxed, your timing is more accurate, your endurance is increased and you can play more creatively."
• Page 12Most gold records are made with our bronze. The best cymbal sounds in your record collection are made on Zildjians.