Tag Archives: Jim DeLong

“Turn on the Radio” groove

by on 20. Jun, 2011 in 5 Minute Monday

This 5 MM was a request from a gentleman who wanted me to break down this groove. It’s one of those grooves that will catch you off guard. Every so often in the studio, someone will ask for a 12/8 thing or some kind of latin groove, and it you don’t know these non standard grooves, they can really catch you off guard. In the studio, I keep a journal of grooves that I have trouble with, and need to practice, this used to be one, and since Reba added this song to her showlist, I’ve learned it inside and out. As my drum teacher Jim Delong used to say, you’ve got to ‘own’ it. Here is the youtube link to the song http://youtu.be/KF1dQgE8BmE. Another great example of this groove, played by Jeff Porcaro, is “Frenchman’s Flat,” on the Sleepwalker record.

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What tone do you set?

by on 16. Sep, 2010 in Drums!, Life, studio stuff

bang, crash!!

I love to scream count-offs!  ONE!!!!!!!  TWO!!!!! ……..like I’m on fire!!!   Partially it’s usually because in the studio, people tend to be tuning, or plunking riffs or talking and if I counted off the song “weenie” like, they’d never hear me.  So if it’s an “up” song, I’ll usually yell the count-off.  Or scream the count-off! Many players who come in to overdub say they know exactly who played drums by the count-off.  “Oh, that’s Tommy!”

But there is another reason I do this.  In college I had a drum teacher by the name of Jim DeLong.  Jim used to tour and record with one of my all time life heroes, Phil Keaggy.  He is a very spiritual guy, who infuses his spirituality into his playing and teaches his students to do the same.  And he’s an amazing drummer.  His playing on “Play Thru Me” is still some of my favorite ever.

One thing he said to me, and I’ll never forget it, was “Tommy, you set the tone of the whole song by how you count it off, and not just for you…for the whole band!”  If you’re half hearted in your count-off, what makes you think you’re going to play the song wholeheartedly?  And if you’re in the drivers seat, which we generally attribute to the drummer, then you are either going to drive it like a race car, or like an old lady looking through the steering wheel.  It’s your choice.

This is a really good life lesson for all of us.  You don’t have to be a player to ask yourself, “what kind of tone do I set?”  When I walk into the room, do I command attention?  Do I shake someone’s hand with a firm grip and with fervor?  Or do you do the “dead fish” handshake?  Do you tackle your projects or do they tackle you?  Do you come home from work and ho hum say hi?  Or do you grab your children and sweep them off their feet and kiss them as they giggle?

So I ask you, what kind of tone do you think you set?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  Please comment!   Now, here we go….”ONE!!!!!!!!!!!……..

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