Beat 340 of my DrumBeatProject

Beat #340 of my DrumBeatProject 7.1.26 Backstage at the historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa for a Wilco show, taking my new Cricket Sticks for a test drive! These innovative bundles are made by Matt Gordon and were originally designed for body percussion - but I’m really digging them on kit. This beat has a few interesting moments, namely the guiro-esque scrape on count one, the four-note consecutive bass drum/cymbal figure and the 32nd note floor tom fill at the end of the two-measure phrase. Getting to play both fluid/longer & super staccato sounds and motions alongside each other is always a challenge and very satisfying to me. Try it out! Notations below. I didn’t use the mallet heads on the backs of the bundles for this one - but will explore that another time. See pic below. The second clip in the main video is a bit slower than the first.

This next video is of me developing the beat since it was played before written. The beats in this project originate both ways and are pretty evenly split between beats that are: 1. written down first and then learned and worked out and 2. ones that are composed through the act of playing and then notated afterwards. This video show the beat starting with one less bass drum note in the first measure than the final version.

Also, around :40 seconds in, you can witness the horrific adversity that I have to face sometimes when doing these in the dressing room practice set-up area. That’s the ever playful Nels Cline launching fortune cookies and plastic forks at me (I stood up for myself though and volleyed them back at the end of the video - and don’t worry, we cleaned up after ourselves).

Nels did say he was impressed with my concentration during his shenanigans. And I harken that to my time in competitive marching band at Lake Park HS and drum and bugle corps with the Cavaliers snare line, where you didn't “break” no matter what! That included insects on your face, sweat in your eyes, acts of nature or even someone going down around you - you persevered and kept playing otherwise the whole thing would fall apart. It looks like maybe some of that discipline stayed with me!

A better look at the “new guy” guitarist (yes, even 22 years in - he and Pat are still the new guys!) and his hijinks while I’m trying to make my serious art… (does sarcasm translate on Substack?)… Btw - capturing the video is the delightful Matt Savitt.

Here are some close ups of Matt Gordon’s Cricket Sticks to better showcase the incredible craftsmanship. The first pic shows the guiro-esque walnut piece and painstaking handle wrapping.

This one shows the super cool mallet head on the butt-end of the bundles. These make them more versatile but also create the great balance and feel that these have.

And this gives a better view of the size and gripability (I know that’s not a word btw)…

Venture below the paywall for dressing room video, another beat video and some thoughts about sticks/brushes/mallets/implements/ grips/ techniques/ stroke types….