Archive for the ‘R&B’ Category
When I put out a call for loop requests the other week, I received an outpouring of emails asking for every type of genre and beat you could imagine. Everything from tangos, odd meter math rock, slow bossa novas, death metal (I don't own a double bass pedal and my trenchcoat is at the dry cleaner) and merrengue. Quite a spectrum. And while I've kept all of these responses on file for future sessions, it was one particular request that immediately caught my ear and sent me running to the studi...
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Loop #128
My studio has a time machine. Does yours? For today's loop, I set the dial to 1964 and typed in "Destination: Stax Studios". I was only there long enough to record a three minute session, overdub some tambourine and eat a pulled pork sandwich, but all in all, the trip was a success. With the vinyl master under one arm and a gallon of BBQ sauce under the other, I transported myself back to current day Boston, where I just finished digitizing the session for your pleasure. Subscr...
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Some albums totally blow your mind when it comes to production. Other albums inspire you by the incredible musicianship. And some albums hold their own just by the level of songwriting. But it's not that often when an album comes along and takes all three of these elements to transcend the high bar of awesomeness (wow, what a horrible analogy). D'Angelo's epic 2000 release, Voodoo, is one of these special records.
Just as I was about to graduate college, thinking I knew everything there...
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I drive a Toyota.
I'm from Iowa.
I own a Sheryl Crow Album.
I'm not hip hop. But I love it.
[caption id="attachment_5341" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="J Dilla - He Is Hip Hop"][/caption]
Loop #120
Today's loop is my hat tip to J Dilla and his incredible 2006 album, Donuts. While I had been familiar with Dilla's work as a producer through his collaborations with Common and Talib Kweli, it wasn't until the release of Donuts (and his untimely passing) that I...
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Ever since the infamous SNL skit featuring Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell aired on April 8, 2000, drummers around the world have been forced to endure countless "more cowbell" jokes. Every time you even think about overdubbing some cowbell on a pop song or including it into a latin groove, you can guarantee a slew of tired punchlines and horrible impressions from those around you.
For me, it got so bad that I stopped using a cowbell all together. It just wasn't worth it. What was on...
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And what a birthday it's been. All kinds of presents, cards, emails, phone calls and tweets. To top that off, my wife took me out for a surprise gourmet dinner at Chuck E. Cheese's. The highlight of which, was sitting in with their famed house band. The drummer, Pasqually, was kind enough to let me take over the throne while he put a few pizzas in the oven.
[caption id="attachment_3042" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Pasqually aka 'Doughfoot'"][/caption]
Anyway, enough about ...
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Ever since I posted the ?uestlove video earlier today, I haven't been able to get that beat out of my head. Rather than blasting some Huey Lewis to thoroughly cleanse my pallet, I decided to head down to the studio and record my own take on a breakbeat influenced groove (aka the exact same thing Quest played... just a few BPM faster).
[caption id="attachment_2694" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson"][/caption]
Loop #66
To get that old-skool sound, I took ...
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I might be a white kid from Iowa, but that doesn't mean I can't get down with some hip hop. As I've mentioned before, groups like RUN-D.M.C. and The Beastie Boys played a significant role in my musical development. Due to the fact that many hip hop beats are sampled from some of the funkiest albums ever recorded, playing along with these tracks is a great practice tool for drummers. Repeating the same one measure groove, over and over, without any fills, while keeping it in the pocket, sounds...
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When recording in the studio, drummers (and especially engineers) have a tendency to muffle and cover the drums with all sorts of things. Gaffer's tape, towels, wallets, t-shirts. Sometimes this is done to achieve a certain effect (for example, the "Ringo" sound), while other times it's just an attempt to control the natural overtones of the drums. For a good example of a heavily muffled drum sound, just listen to any album recorded by The Eagles.
[caption id="attachment_2460" align="align...
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Yeah, I know I should be hating on Meg White. The sloppy technique. The loose time. The lack of chops. But, in my humble opinion, she's the perfect drummer for The White Stripes.
She doesn't use multiple splash cymbals. She doesn't play anything faster than a 16th note. She plays what she feels is right for the song... and it feels fucking great. Music shouldn't fit on a grid. It should have a vibe. It should have some soul. Meg's got plenty of soul. And a sweet set of Ludwigs.
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