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Our good friend Jared Falk suggested we check out this DVD. The Drum Tuning System is a two-DVD set, that currently ships with bonus goodies. I received the bonus Drum Gear Buyers Guide. The first thing that struck me is that disc one is hecka long. Having viewed disc one in its entirety and previewed disc two, I’m impressed. Narrator Mike Michalkow takes principles and best practices, puts them together in great detail, and does so with in-depth, useful demonstration. I’ve been a performing drummer for many years, and can honestly say that I picked up some great tips from this DVD. I plan to watch it a few more times.

After starting with a simple yet useful drum maintenance section, Michalkow shows you how his proven tuning principles and best practices can be applied with a little experimentation to the get best sounds possible out of your drum kit. Disc two gets into tuning for different styles, and appropriately starts with tuning for all styles of rock. Michalkow also takes time to demonstrate his skills with different drumming styles, which will establish street cred with pretty much any drummer. I’m looking forward to the info about tuning for different styles on disc two, and will likely blurb about it once I’ve finished it.

Drum-Tuning.com states that they “will be selling this training pack for $79.97.” At the time of this review, the site was promoting a sweet offer for $47. There appears to be a solid money-back guarantee and good customer support. I called customer support, and reached an actual human (a big plus in my book). This would be a cool holiday gift for your favorite drummer. In fact, I’d recommend this DVD to any drummer, beginner or advanced.

This was actually a nice compliment to the drum kit maintenance series that we’ve started and will continue through year-end. Contact Robonzo.com with questions about any drum kit maintenance topics your interested in reading about. I’ll leave you with a great drum-solo by Drum Tuning System narrator Mike Michalkow.
~r

Today, the world of rock music and entertainment was shocked by the death of Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell. Although saddened by the news, his death brings back great memories from my earliest days of drumming. Along with John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell was one of my earliest influences. At the time, I had no idea what fusion drumming was; and although I recognized the unmistakable jazz influence in his style, it didn’t register for me that he had in fact laid the ground work for a style that truly put the drums out in front. His stick work was as fast as could be heard on any rock record of his generation and remains among the fastest in all rock recording. Stylistically, I’ve truly not heard anyone like him since. I’m still blown every time I hear Fire and If 6 Was 9. As a young drummer, I found learning Mitchell’s chops challenging and would likely still be challenged to learn them today. Because the drums are so clear in recording quality, Axis: Bold as Love has always been my favorite Hendrix album. As I write, I’m listening to track two (Up from the Skies) from Axis: Bold as Love, a true sample of Mitchell’s jazz roots.

Mitchell had spent recent months on the Experience Hendrix tour, which was a celebration of the music and life of Jimi Hendrix. The tour recently featured Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Eric Johnson, along with many other noteworthy rock and blues guitar greats. A DVD compilation release Experience Hendrix captures the tour in what Blog Critics Magazine calls “an extremely well-crafted showcase of superb talent.” Another performance worth catching is Mitch Mitchell with the impromptu group “Dirty Mac,” formed for the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus film, in which Mitchell performs with John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

Although I have all the great memories, I’ll have to start scouting out DVD footage that captures Mitchell’s performances, old and new. Thanks for the memories Mitch.

~r

(From left: Mitch, Jimi & Noel)

I had a recent discussion with Ryan, owner of San Jose, California’s Lemmon Percussion about the image of a beat-up looking vintage drum set, versus the image of a beat-up looking vintage electric guitar. We agreed that a beat-up vintage guitar looks cool, because it’s been played so much and has earned its right to passage. As for the beat-up old drum set…no matter how vintage, rusted hardware, tarnished cymbals and chipped paint on wooden hoops just makes a drum set look neglected. It’s like looking at an classic car that needs some TLC and a new paint job to help it come to life.

With this in mind, I pulled out my old 1964 Ludwig Black Diamond trap set and am detailing it in preparation for an upcoming blues gig. I have begun with what would seem to be the simple task, the polishing of cymbals. I first flashed back to the nightmare of a time when I polished my cymbals for the first time—it was a nightmare. Over the years, I’ve learned some definite do’s and don’ts where cymbal polishing is concerned. These tips will save you time and frustration.

I suppose if you really want to go crazy you can use a powered buffer, but I recommend you still use the following as a guideline.

Product: You can use just about any cymbal cleaner available at music stores, but I use basic BRASSO ® brand brass cleaner, which you can pick up at any local market or drug store. It’s less expensive then cymbal cleaner and does a great job.

THE DO’S

1. Of course read the cleaning product directions
2. Suit Up! It’s going to get dirty quick. Wearing household cleaning gloves and work clothes is a must. The stuff that comes off in the cleaning process is nasty, and will make your skin smell and feel really funky.
3. Do this job outside or in the garage. Cloths used in the cleaning process will get very dirty and create a strong odor. Your work area will also get dirty, so prep a large flat work surface area and cover it with plastic, cardboard or butcher paper.
4. Apply the cleaner with a dry cloth or paper towel. Apply in small sections and with the grain of the cymbal. I reiterate, SMALL SECTIONS WITH THE GRAIN OF THE CYMBAL. I work on each section of the cymbal like it’s in pieces of a pie. This will save you time! Bigger sections are not better. You’ll spend more time having to go back over your work.
5. Keep the cleaning product wet when applying. Immediately after applied, get a clean soft cloth or paper towel and rub very hard to remove the product and tarnish. This is KEY to doing the job right – put lots of elbow grease into it!
6. Overlap your sections to avoid creating lines of demarcation
7. A second or third application is optional, but I have found in some cases it doesn’t improve the shine.

THE DON’TS

1. DO NOT LET THE PRODUCT DRY! I can’t emphasize this enough. As soon as you apply it on the pie shaped section, get a new dry cloth and start rubbing it off. This is the key to speed and ease
2. Don’t apply the product to the whole cymbal at once. The process will take a great deal longer and you’ll waste lots of time trying to get the dry product off once it has dried.
3. Don’t do this task when you are tired. It takes a lot of arm strength, and if you have a lot of cymbals it will be a lot of hard work.

Using these tips, you’re polished cymbals will make your whole kit shine. That shine is what I like to call the symbol of a shining cymbal.

G. Brandau

Before                                               After

Several sources including San Francisco local radio station KFOG have reported that former Zeppelin members and Jason Bonham have been rehearsing with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler for a world tour. As speculation has grown about a replacement for Robert Plant, Plant himself has shown limited interest in touring with his former bandmates and offspring of longtime friend John Bonham. Plant has been working and touring with Allison Krauss as of late. While the Plant/Krauss collaboration on Raising Sand is an interesting contribution and worth a listen, many fans will scratch their heads over Plant’s decision not to participate in a Zeppelin tour.

My initial feelings on a replacement singer have been, “please God, no!” However, following this morning’s rumor mill, I’d be happy to hear such news. Having seen what Queen has recently done with Paul Rodgers on vocals, I feel good about Tyler doing the honors for Zeppelin. Obviously it will have a slightly different vibe, but Page, Jones and young Bonham couldn’t pick a better big name to fill Plant’s shoes. My guess is that Plant won’t be terribly happy over the decision to tour without him, but the show must go on, as the saying goes.

~r

At a recent rehearsal with new Redwood band members, I played one of my favorite fills-for-laughs, the intro to Phil Collins‘ In the Air Tonight. The following day, I received in my inbox a fantastic video advert from Cadbury Chocolate’s 2007 brand revival campaign. It’s a must watch for almost anyone, especially if you’re familiar with this Phil Collins classic.

We recently posted news on Phil, which didn’t gain much traffic (sorry Phil), but I’m hoping this will finally draw attention to his musical genius. OK, that could be considered a stretch by many, but few will argue that this video ad is genius. Produced by Glass and a Half Full Productions, the ad’s Gorilla costume was superbly created by Stan Winston Studios. Possibly the best moment of the ad is the sound of the Gorilla’s breathe heard moments before he rips into the Collins anthem. As a viral marketing success, the ad was created to help uplift Cadbury’s public image in the wake of a 2007 product recall.

There have been a couple of variations and hack knock-offs of the video ad, but this one is hands down the best. How I managed to go all this time without seeing it, is beyond me.

~r

Much has been said about Ringo Starr’s recent announcement that he’s no longer signing autographs. He’s apparently got too much on his plate. Many of our readers know I’m a fan of Ringo’s work, so it will come as no surprise that I forgive him for his curt statements, which were prefaced with his usual “Peace and Love, Peace and Love.” Since the announcement, the former Beatle has come out and apologized for his “gruff demeanor,” according to Telegraph.co.uk.

I can’t begin to imagine life as a former Beatle, but we can consider ourselves blessed that he’s still around to do things like the All-Starr Tour. In brighter news, Ringo recently launched a photo contest for any fan that caught images of the All-Starr band. The winner will have their photo featured on Ringostarr.com, and will receive an autographed Ringo Starr Drumhead. So he hasn’t completely stopped signing stuff.

Wishing peace and love to Ringo,
~r

And the drummer is… As best I can tell, the man on drums for the new Oasis album Dig Out Your Soul is Chris Sharrock. No, wait! It’s Zak Starkey.

Thanks to one of our readers, I’ve been corrected. The winner was Zak Starkey. Today, information is flowing on the new album and I’ve been able to confirm from multiple sources, including digital spy that Zak is the man on the kit for Dig Out Your Soul. Though I’m a bit embarrassed at my initial claim that Chris Sharrock played on the record, I’m not surprised to learn that it’s Zak, given the specific work done on ‘The Shock of Lightning.’ Perhaps our reader said it best in claiming that Starkey is “the greatest drummer Oasis has had or ever will have.”

According to our reader sources, the British born Sharrock, formerly of The La’s and Robbie Williams, has replaced Zak Starkey in support of the current Oasis tour. Starkey replaced Alan White, who replaced Tony McCarroll. Obviously the the brothers Gallagher have decided that a permanent drummer is not their thing. Noel and Liam Gallagher, the only original members of Oasis, continue to make headlines as feuding siblings. This may continue, as Chris Sharrock comes from Liam’s nemesis, Robbie Williams. Really? His nemesis? That’s what sources call him anyway. I’m not sure what that drama is all about, but it probably means we’ll hear about another drummer joining the band once the current leg of their tour concludes.

All that silliness aside, Starkey (not Sharrock) does a commendable job on an album that sounds great from start to finish. The band apparently shares writing contributions, and Noel and Liam share lead vocal spots throughout. The album’s engineer achieved a number of great sounds that compliment Starkey’s (not Sharrock’s) drum tracks, as heard on the standout tracks ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’ and ‘The Shock of Lightning.’

I suppose that despite my initial misinformation, I can still confess that I’ll miss knowing that Zak’s working with the band. He did, after all, bring the Gallagher brothers closer to their primary influence The Beatles. That said, I’m sure that Sharrock will do a bang up job (pun intentionally inserted) on the band’s triumphant return to the road. Best of luck Chris!

~r

I recently previewed the how-to DVD published by Guerilla DrumMaking. As an owner of vintage drum kit, I was immediately drawn to the idea of customizing a single drum or even designing my own custom kit. The tools required are nowhere near the expense that I would have guessed. A basic workshop can probably be put together for about $150-200. Drum shells and hardware would be your biggest expenditure, but learning the art of custom drum making for your artistic vision or business is priceless.

The instructional DVD, currently available for $41.99 at GuerrillaDrumMaking.com, provides easy-to-follow instructions, invaluable tips and resource suggestions. I was truly fascinated the first time I watched it. Guerrilla did such a good job with the DVD, that I have little doubt that anyone can begin learning the craft and artistry of custom drum making.

GuerrillaDrumMaking.com provides just about everything that you’ll need to get started, including resource links for buying drums and hardware. The website also has the list of tools you’ll need, a great blog and building forum links. One thing I didn’t find, which I’ll be asking for, is an RSS feed link.

If you’ve ever given thought to custom drum making, this DVD is a must have. If you’re an established drum shop, you’ll probably find some great ideas.

~r

Our deepest sympathies go out to for former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM, both of whom lost close friends in a tragic plane crash this weekend. Our thoughts are also with the families and many other friends of Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City; Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles; pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Calif. all of whom lost their lives in this tragic accident.

Initial reports from the the NTSB indicate that the crash, which occurred just before midnight on Friday, may have been caused by a tire blowout. Travis Barker and DJ AM are being treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia for second and third degree burns. Both are expected to make full recoveries.

Barker and AM had just performed at a free show in the Five Points area of South Carolina, along with Perry Farrell and Gavin DeGraw. The best in-depth coverage that we’ve found on the accident was on mtv.ca News. Barker is most widely known for his drumming in Blink-182, but he also played with +44, Box Car Racer, Transplants and Expensive Taste.

~r

Since my recent write up on drum lesson sites, two have jumped out as my favorites. My personal number one is Mike Johnston’s, MikesLessons.com. I was hooked after watching a couple of his free lessons on The Drum Lab (YouTube).

MikesLessons.com is a very cool site that offers iPod lesson downloads for 0.99 or monthly lesson packages for $19.99. In my preview of Mike’s site, I’d say he’s a great go-to for intermediate and advanced players looking to sharpen their skills. His practical approach to teaching will appeal to most drummers, and his playing is fantastic. If you like what you hear and see on The Drum Lab or MikesLessons.com, also check out Mike’s band Simon Says, live in Germany.

Second on my personal favorites list is DrumLessons.com with Jared Falk. This and other sites market The Complete Rock Drumming System DVD set, featuring Jared Falk. For drummers not particularly into the iPod download or YouTube format, this DVD set offers excellent instruction on beginner, intermediate and advanced technique. The DVD goes for $131, with a few lower cost individual DVD options. All come with a money-back guarantee. I checked out part of the free 7-day trial lessons, which looked great for beginners. The quality of Falk’s videos sold me as being a program worth considering. He too is an excellent player.

The advantages of using one of these highly recommended offerings is that they both offer the ultimate in flexibility for drummers who may not want the schedule and time commitment of in-person lessons. The cost comparison to in-person lessons ($30/lesson) is also a consideration. The other obvious benefit to the online lesson approach, is that you can review lessons several times. On the downside, there’s little one-on-one personal interaction with the instructor, which some drummers will want or need. Although, with many online solutions, your video-instructor is available for feedback and critique. MikesLessons.com for instance, will provide feedback based on videos that you record of your practice sessions.

Having taken a closer look at these site, you’ll likely see more feedback on other sites soon.
~r

I spent the afternoon scouring the web for learning drum sites today. It wasn’t as easy to find ten good one’s as I thought it might be. My goal was to put together a top 10 list. In order to do so, I found it necessary to include content from video channels and MySpace.

Here’s the primary criteria used in compiling the list.

• Site offers high or good quality videos
• Site is easy to navigate
• Free instructional content available

In no particular order, here are my top 10 picks.

RudimentalDrumming.com - Focusing on technique, this site is rich in free video content. The site itself is relatively simple, but the instruction is high quality. Great for beginners and intermediate players.

DrumBum.com - Rich in video content, DrumBum.com offers instruction and tips for various styles. While I didn’t count, they boast having links to hundreds of lessons. Includes tab links.

BoomBoomTV on YouTube -  Coming from BoomBoom Percussion, this instructional resource gets Robonzo bonus points for featuring Jen Lowe. Offers various playing tips for drum kit and hand drumming.

OnLineDrumer.com - Offers quality lessons and tips from great player, period.

KickAssDrumLesson.com - We’re friends with Wally Allred, and find him deserving of mention. Wally’s site is simple, but to the point. He’s a great player, and boasts having a laidback approach to drum instruction. Not a great deal of free instructional content on this site, but does feature a nice forum.

DrumLessons.com - One of many sites, offering instructional DVDs featuring Jared Falk. Not sure what the deal is with the apparant distributorship of the DVD’s, but the Free 7 Day Lesson trial looks pretty cool.

The Drum Lab on YouTube - Features Mike Johnston, a great instructor who mixes good technique and best practices. His unique website offers lesson downloads for your iPod.

DjembeDrummingLessons.com - This site features a fantastic introductory video and subscription based lessons.

VanzDrumming.com - Features Randy Van Patten, a high caliber player, who sells his own line of instructional DVDs. Check out YouTube for some great clips of Randy.

Thomas Sienko on MySpace - Thomas appears to have only one lesson video, but he’s quite good. Worth checking out! (single lesson - new!)

DrummerWorld Drum Clinic - Little needs to be said about DrummerWorld, probably the best single source for celebrity video clinic and solo videos.

I expect to discover more learning sites in the coming days as I continue to explore these, but this top 10 will definitely keep me entertained for some time.
~r

Billy Cobham is a name I hadn’t heard in years, until recently. Working with a UK drum shop in my search for a vintage Premier part, I discovered that the shop owner recently took some time off to drum tech for Cobham at the recent WOMAD show. Mike, the owner of DM Drums modestly told me, when I asked for his story, that there wasn’t much to tell. As it turns out, he was asked to play on stage with Cobham at a masterclass session. Mike told me that he was expecting at best maybe 30 people, but was surprised by an audience of about 1000. He went on to say that he and Cobham, “played four improvised dual drum pieces, the crowd loved it and he finished off with a blistering solo.” Here’s a vid that Mike was kind enough to share.

~r