Comments for Guitarsophist

Comment on Tama Silverstar Metro Jam by guitarsophist

guitarsophist — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:41:39 +0000

You are gigging way more than I am. I don’t think I could keep up that schedule and still have a day job.

I think that Sabian makes interesting stuff. They have a wide product line with both traditional and innovative offerings. I would bet that your AAX Raw Bell Dry Ride is not too different from my HH model, but yours is probably louder. Cymbal cognoscenti don’t seem to like any new Zildjians, but I like my New Beat hats. They sound like the hats on a million records. Of course, that can be a bad thing too.

I find that when I pick up a guitar now, I have new things to play. Drumming makes you hear music in new ways. It is all very cool.

Comment on Tama Silverstar Metro Jam by Chris Bennett

Chris Bennett — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:13:12 +0000

Hey John,

Thanks for your reply. On the cymbal front, I’m a devoted Sabian guy – only because I started out drumming with them. I have AA regular hi-hats and AAX Stage hit-hats. On the crash front, I play AAX X-plosion crashes (18″ and 19″) and a nice HH 16″ thin crash. I have two ride cymbals in my bag – a 21″ AAX Raw Bell Dry Ride and a 20″ HHX Stage Ride. I also have a nice 12″ HHX Evolution splash cymbal (which actually may be one of the nicest sounding cymbals in my arsenal!) Like you, I’m always trolling eBay, CraigsList and Amazon – trying to find good deals!

I often play outdoors, so I use drum mics. I found an insane closeout deal at Musicians Friend for a 7-piece EV drum mic kit.

You made a very good point about playing with a light touch. I play in three different bands presently – our church worship band, a Jazz/Blues band and a rock band. A lot of the music I play requires a finesse and a lighter touch. On average, I play two gigs a week.

I play a Tama Starclassic Performer Birch/Bubinga kit. It’s a beautiful sounding drum kit, but very heavy to cart around – especially with a full hardware bag! My Tama Silverstar Metro Jam kit is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to using it for a couple upcoming Christmas gigs!

Have a great holiday season!
Chris

Comment on Tama Silverstar Metro Jam by guitarsophist

guitarsophist — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:24:12 +0000

It is interesting that we have gone down the same drum equipment path. It must be a logical one! The next journey is cymbals. I learned a lot from playing the Wuhans, but eventually I ended up replacing them. They all have a wash that is sort of like a piano falling down stairs, lots of complex but dissonant overtones. I think they are interesting for some things, but not very versatile. I replaced the hats with some 13″ Zildian New Beats that I got from Guitar Center’s used gear site. Then I found a great deal on Amazon for a 21″ Sabian HH Raw Bell Dry Ride, a very popular cymbal that I had heard a lot of good things about. It is very sweet, with little dissonance, nice stick sound, and a very musical but cutting bell. It is good at low volume too. I love it. Amazon sometimes has amazing deals on particular cymbals that last only a couple days, so when I found a really good price on a Sabian 19″ HHX X-Plosion crash, about half off the street price everywhere else, I jumped on it. That turned out to be an interesting cymbal, but maybe not exactly what I needed. I really wanted a 14″ or 15″, but only the 19″ had a good price. It turned out to be dark and shimmery, but you need to lay into it for it to open up. When you do that it has a beautiful voice, but it is loud. Most of my gigs are very low volume, so that might not work. However, it is also possible that I may be able to develop techniques that will make this work. The cymbal clashes a bit with the RBDR, but that also makes for a nice contrast.

When I switched to the Tamas my dynamic control was way off, but I think having a soft touch can be an advantage. When I rehearsed with my old friend Craig Saxon, he was surprised at how softly I could play and still get tone out of the drums. He was used to drummers that just bang away. So you may find that your bad habits can be turned into an advantage.

I am glad you enjoyed the blog!

Comment on Tama Silverstar Metro Jam by Chris Bennett

Chris Bennett — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:48:14 +0000

Hi,

I found your blog while researching information on the Tama Silverstar Metro drum kit. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this kit. I was astonished to learn that we’ve had identical journeys in our drumming. I, too, have a Roland TD-4 electronic drum kit in my home. I’ve found it to be a great drumming solution for practice and for not driving my family (and neighbors!) crazy with my late night impulses to practice.

I really enjoy the Roland kit, but I’ve concluded that drumming on an electronic kit is just not as satisfying as playing acoustic drums. Actually, I found that playing electronic drums gave me some bad habits -namely, not hitting my acoustic drums hard enough when I’m playing with my band. I grew accustomed to playing with a softer touch because of the triggers on the Roland. I don’t have to hit the pads hard to produce a full sound. Like you, I think the cymbals on the Roland kit leave a lot to be desired – especially the ride cymbal.

To make a long story short, I’ve decided to purchase the identical Tama Silverstar Metro kit that you have – same color and same store. I expect it to arrive in a few days. I may annoy my family and neighbors, but hopefully my drumming won’t suffer for it!

Thanks for your fantastic blog. It’s immensely enjoyable to read!

Yours with every good wish,
Chris Bennett
Bakersfield, CA.

Comment on Wuhan Traditional Series Cymbals by guitarsophist

guitarsophist — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:59:32 +0000

Welcome to my blog! I was worried when you stopped posting on yours, but I see you were in Nepal.

Drums are fun, but I am at the point where I realize how much work it will be to actually be good. I am still working on it though. Thanks for posting!

Comment on Wuhan Traditional Series Cymbals by Hannah

Hannah — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 06:40:46 +0000

I used to play drums when I dated a guy who played in a gothic band. I probably don’t know how to play now but always wanted to get back into it. Have fun with your new toy. BTW, this is Hannah, the muliebrity girl. I am back in the States and into blogging so come back. I value your comments.

Comment on Grading Papers by Emily Ma

Emily Ma — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:59:24 +0000

I didn’t. I actually finished college by Spring quarter, the quarter I took your ENG 301 class. I will be walking for commencement next Saturday. Hope to keep in touch though! I added you on Facebook.

Comment on Grading Papers by guitarsophist

guitarsophist — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:51:14 +0000

I am glad you enjoyed the course. I will rethink the blog postings next time. Blogs are good when you are discussing content, but this course is mostly about skills.

Did you change your major?

Comment on Grading Papers by Emily Ma

Emily Ma — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:40:14 +0000

Oh, I’ll say this though… Would you still implement the Blackboard postings in the future? I think a lot of students missed out or forgot to post responses to your prompts.

Comment on Grading Papers by Emily Ma

Emily Ma — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:36:34 +0000

I loved your ENG 301 class so much! You did an amazing job, considering that this was your first time designing the course. I was an FRL major (thus I had to deal with all the awful finance classes) and it was so taxing on my brain, that I actually felt I was unwinding when I was in your class. Not that your class was incredibly easy either because it did require some brainwork, but I felt like I was unwinding because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yay!