Q&A with Steve Smith

Here are some answers to questions submitted to Steve's site over the past few months. If you would like to submit a question, write to: questions@vitalinformation.com.

Q. Steve,

I noticed in a couple of recent clinic tour photos (Sonor 30th Anniversary) that your main ride cymbal is higher and angled down. Why the change?

Thanks.

- Greg Patterson

A. Greg,

As I was doing some recent research of the jazz drumming giants for my Drum Legacy - Standing On The Shoulders of Giants DVD/CD I was reminded of how Tony Williams placed his ride cymbal and tried it out and really liked it. In my earlier years, I had my ride like that.

If you see some old pictures of me playing in the '70s and '80s, I had my ride up high with a severe angle. I was inspired for that kind of cymbal placement by Tony Williams, Alphonse Mouzon, and Eric Gravatt. I find that the angle cuts down on some of the “overtone ring” of the ride and I like the feel of the cymbal at that height.

- SS

Q.  Steve,

1. I've read you keep a Sonor drum kit on the East coast and one on the West Coast. How many kits do you have in total? Is there one favorite over the others? Do the sizes or colors have an influence?

2. How often do you find it necessary to change heads on your snare batter and toms? Meaning: how much of a life expectancy do you get from them? I must try a Fyberskin Diplomate on my DW kit next!

3. Same with sticks. How fast do you go through a pair of your model sticks before you need a new pair or do you make do when they begin to dent and chip?

4. I know over the years you've used many different types of Zildjian cymbals. Do you like to settle into certain types of rides, crashes or hi-hats, OR do you prefer to just keep trying different types. The Armand hats were "sweet" sounding as were your rides and crashes. Although, I still like the sound of your 14" K top and Mastersound bottom that you've used for many years in videos.

Many thanks again Steve for your many years of amazing technique and musical ability that we all can't get enough of.

- Don LeJeune
Peabody, MA

A. Don,

1. I have a Sonor SQ2 kit, a 30th Anniversary kit, and a Jungle kit in NYC. At this point, my 30th Anniversary kit and the SQ2 are my two favorites. You can see both kits in my new DVD/CD Drum Legacy – Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants. I have my Green Designer kit on the West coast, and I will be getting another 30th Anniversary kit for the West Coast after I use it in Europe this Summer. I have a few other “vintage” Sonor kits from my 31 years with Sonor, including a couple of Jungle kits and very cool 1976 Sonor jazz kit with an 18” bass drum that I bought in Boston shortly before I moved to the West Coast in 1978.

2. When I’m on tour and playing night after night, I will change my snare head after about two weeks. They don’t break or dent but they gradually stretch and lose some tone. My tom heads last for months, again after a while they lose some tone and I’ll change them. I usually have to change the rack tom heads more often than the floor tom heads. As for the bass drum heads, they can last a year or more.

3. I like fresh sticks, I may only use a pair for a few days and then I’ll change to a new pair. They develop some chips and dents from the edges of my crash cymbals, which I have flat so I can easily play on the top and bottom. There is something I like about the feel of new sticks, so I indulge myself in changing them more often than I really need to.

4. I enjoy keeping up with some of the new cymbals that Zildjian creates, so I’m pretty flexible with my cymbal choices. I’ve been playing the 19” Armand ride for a long time as well as the 20” flat ride. But I like trying the different crashes, like the 18” Armand thin crashes and the 18” Hybrid. Next, I’ll be checking out the 18” Rez crashes. They sound very good. I loved using my 22” Constantinople Hi Bell Dry, but that cymbal is now discontinued because not enough people bought it – too bad. Of course, I’ll still use it when I want that sound, but I’m starting to use the 22” K Dark that was developed with Cindy Blackman. I just got some from Paul Francis, the main cymbal-smith at the Zildjian factory. He over-hammered them for me so they are closer to the Constantinople. They don’t build up very much and they feel and sound wonderful. I’ll continue to fine-tune the cymbals with Paul and maybe it will result in a new Zildjian ride!

- SS

Q. Dear Mr. Smith,

People constantly espouse the importance of the Moeller technique to me, yet I believe some of the greatest drummers didn't use it. Buddy Rich, for example, is known as one of the fastest and (later on) loudest plays, yet he didn't use it. Furthermore, I have seen lots of drummers on the Internet who have learned all these techniques yet play with little or no musically. If Ronnie Verrel had bad technique yet played sessions everyday well into his 70s, just how important is good technique?

- Johannes
England

A. Johannes,

Good drum technique is simply playing the instrument in a relaxed way, where you respect the “laws of nature” and use your body with maximum flexibility, and you allow the drums to sing out, drawing a beautiful tone out of the them in way that you don’t damage yourself or the instrument.

Of course, there are many drummers who play with undeveloped technique and still play very musically. On the other hand, there are drummers who have great technique and, as you point out, play quite unmusically. To state the obvious, developing good technique is no guarantee of developing a mature musicality, just as not developing good technique will not automatically make you a musical player.

I prefer an inclusive “both/and” approach rather than an “either/or” approach. I want to have BOTH good technique AND a highly developed musicianship.

The advantage of good technique is that it feels easy to play and you don’t hurt yourself because you allow your body to stay relaxed, avoiding shock from the sticks hitting the drums and cymbals. You can get a good sound out of the drums and cymbals, your sticks will resonate, and the drums and cymbals will resonate with a pure tone over a wide range of dynamics.

You know you are on the road to having great technique if you can play your ideas with a big sound and not hurt yourself, not break any sticks or cymbals, or dent any heads. I can honestly say I might break one stick every year or two and I always know why as soon as it happens: I forced something instead of “letting it happen.” My drumheads last a long time and I never break cymbals. My friends Jojo Mayer and Dave Weckl, other drummers with good technique, have similar experiences with their equipment.

As far as Buddy Rich’s technique, it was fantastic and did use some motions that are, what we now call, the Moeller stroke. Of course Buddy didn’t study Moeller or any other technique in a systematic way. He was a one-of-a-kind naturally gifted player who had the instincts of an Olympian athlete and moved in such a way that he made it look easy, because it was easy for him. It’s easier to play if you have developed good technique.

The Moeller technique is only one way the that the body moves and is good for certain playing applications like marching drumming and louder drumset playing. There are many other techniques and each have their individual applications, again it’s not an “either/or” situation but a “both/and” approach is best. You should have a lot of technical options to chose from so why not develop and number of different techniques.

I talk in more depth about technique in my last newsletter: the February newsletter in the Q&A section, page 9. Refer to the questions toward the end of the page about my snare drum angle and the question about breaking sticks. My DVD Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat has a section on hand and foot techniques and I can recommend Jojo Mayer’s Hudson Music DVD Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer as an excellent resource of hand techniques.

- SS

Q. Hello Steve,

I am 17 and have recently developed tendonitis as a result of drumming. I was wondering if you ever got anything like that and if you had any advice as to how to get through it?

Thanks

- Sam

A. Sam

I’ve never developed tendonitis as a result of playing. Tendonitis is usually a result of playing using too much tension in the hands and arms and not allowing the stick to rebound off the drumhead consistently. You are probably holding the stick too tightly and forcing the stick into your drumheads and cymbals.

If you have a dent on your snare head, are pitting the toms, or have broken any cymbals and sticks, these are indications that you need to work on your technique.

A pitted head means once your stick hits the head, you continue with the downward motion and force the stick into it, instead of letting the stick do what it naturally wants to do: which is rebound away from the head.

Think of a basketball bouncing off the ground. That is the same thing your stick wants to do if you learn how to “get out of the way” and let the stick come off the head. Another option is to instantly respond and have your hand and arm move away from the drum a split-second after the stick touches the drumhead so the stick does not drive into the head at all.

If you are doing damage to your equipment, you are doing a similar damage to your body, and it’s only a matter of time before it catches up to you. 17 is quite young to develop tendonitis, so I would recommend you go to an excellent technique teacher ASAP.

I have developed some lower back problems from years and years of practicing and playing long hours without breaks. I now know I need to practice in shorter segments, about 1/2 hour at a time, and then take a break and do some stretching and exercises.

I’ve also recently had a double hernia surgery from carrying around heavy gear all my life. Listen to this very informative NPR interview with a physical therapist who specializes in working with musicians. I’ve gone to a physical therapist myself lately and I’ve found it extremely helpful.

- SS

Q. Greetings Steve,

I have enjoyed listening to you since I was in high school back in the '80s, and you are a huge influence still. What is your opinion on drum throne height in regards to double bass drumming? Do you find it easier to play by sitting higher, or lower? Thanks so much for your time!

- Kellzdad
Kennesaw, GA

A. Kellzdad,

I sit so my thighs have a slight downward angle. I don’t want to sit with my thighs parallel to the floor or with an upwards angle. I have found I have the most control with a slight downward angle and it’s better for your posture and your lower back.

Q. I have the Steve Smith Part II DVD from the early '90s.
One of the bonus tracks is “Sunday Afternoon.” I don’t see it listed on any Vital albums? Does it exist in discography somewhere…or was it a one-off?

- Bob Ruthven

A. Bob,

That track was on Fiafiaga (Celebration), which is currently out of print. It was my fourth and last album for Columbia. The composers of that tune are Kai Eckardt (bass) and Torsten deWinkel (guitar), who were both in Vital Information at the time we recorded the tune.

- SS

Q. Is the Vital Information album Global Beat from 1986 available anywhere? It is a great recording and I would like to know where I could purchase a copy. You are a great drummer and a great inspiration. Thanks.

- Neal

A. Neal,

That is another out of print album. There is a version available re-mixed in DTS 5.1, but it can only be played on a 5.1 system and does not work in stereo. You can find the DTS 5.1 version online.

- SS

Q. Hi, Steve.

I've seen you with Vital Information, Buddy's Buddies and Steps Ahead, and have never been disappointed. I'm a huge Vital Information fan and am wondering if you ever play any of the old Vital Info tunes such as "Questionable Arrivals," or "The Perfect Date." Do you think you would ever play those old chestnuts again? Thanks.

- Jim McKeon

A. Jim,

We do play “The Perfect Date” from time to time and, lately, we’ve been playing “Looks Bad, Feels Good” because it’s the 25th anniversary of the first Vital Information album.

I’d say most of what we play is based on our last two recordings, Vitalization and Come On In. It feels good for us as a band to play our newest tunes because they still feel fresh to us and they continue to develop night after night.

- SS

Q. Dear Mr. Smith,

In the '80s, you had a distinct sound that I don't seem to hear anymore. That sound was common in the pop rock power ballads. It was a deep, full-bodied sound, as apposed to the current tight, high pitched sound that I hear in just about all of the music out there today.

You especially can pick it up in the snare drum. This new sound seemed to surface in the early '90s when "Grunge" came about. How did you get that full-bodied sound out of your drums that I used to hear in the '80s? The perfect sound that I'm speaking of is also the sound that you had for your drum solo on Journey's Captured album.

- Joe Paglio
Salisbury, NC

A. Joe,

First of all, the drums I used on Captured, Escape and Frontiers, were 1979 Oak Veneer Sonor Phonics, which were the standard Sonor drums for the time (I still have that kit and they sound fantastic. In fact, my new Sonor 30th Anniversary kit is inspired by that kit).

The shells on the ’79 kit are 9 ply Beechwood and the drums are “traditional” sizes: 24x14 bass drums, 10X8, 12x8, 13x8 14x8 rack toms, 16x16, 18x16 floor toms.

The snare was probably a Sonor 14x7 wood snare, but I did change snares and had some wood and some chrome. The bass drums and the toms all had clear Remo Ambassadors and the snare had White Coated Ambassadors. The tuning was wide open and I was going for a very deep sound.

When I played the snare drum, I did not use rim shots. I hit the drum in the center and got the fullest sound I could get. Sometimes, the toms were mic'd top and bottom. The room and the reverb played a part in the sound and we didn’t use digital reverb. I don’t remember if there even was digital reverb in the early '80s.

We used an EMT plate reverb and real chamber reverb. I think the reverb added a lot of depth and warmth to the sound of the drums. I also played in such a way that I allowed the drums to ring out knowing the space between the notes would be full of resonant sound and reverb – both in the studio and live in the big arenas.

- SS

Q. Quick question.

I noticed you using the Fiberskyn head on your snare. Which Remo Fiberskyn is it? Does it still get a good "swish" sound with the brushes like a coated head does? What kind of snare bottom do you use? Do you use any internal dampeners? I really like your snare sound, and I'm still searching for a head that has a good soft feel to it.

- Jason Olszewski
Corpus Christi, TX

A. Jason,

I use the Remo Fyberskin 3 Diplomat, a very thin head. One of the main reasons I use that head is because it sounds fantastic with brushes. It has a very smooth and “worn-in” feel.

I use either clear Ambassador or Diplomat bottom heads. I don’t have any internal dampeners on my kit and would not use them if I did.

Q. Hello Steve,

I am a drummer in Denver and a big fan of your playing. I attended your clinic in October of 2002, and I own a copy of your Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat DVD, and just bought The Art of Playing with Brushes on DVD earlier this week.

I have a question about the Sonor Jungle Kit you use.

I just bought one a couple of months ago, and I've been very happy with it, but I've been having some trouble getting a good sound out of the bass drum. I was wondering if you might have any suggestions regarding how you tune and muffle your jungle kit bass drum. Any input would be much appreciated.

- Ryan Elwood

A. Ryan,

I like to use a Remo clear Emperor head on the Jungle bass drum. I put a small felt strip near the top of the drum for minimal muffling. The front head that comes with kit usually works well with a felt strip near the top of head. The Jungle kit now comes with pre-muffled head, similar to the Remo Powerstroke 3 BD heads and these sound great right out of the box.

Thanks for checking out my DVDs, hope they are helpful.

- SS

Q. Steve,

I met you in Omaha, NE, at a clinic and was very impressed. I watch your DVDs quite often. I was wondering if you could answer a question regarding rushing tunes.

Our smooth jazz band starts tunes at one tempo and ends them 20 beats ahead, more often than not. I've tried playing with a click track in the ear and on some songs I'm able to hang on to the tempo. On others, I have to pull the thing out of my ear and just try and find the groove.

I'm afraid that if I dig in and throw the boat anchor out to drag the tunes back to where they are supposed to be, the music won't sound good. I think many in the band see a busy section coming up and they rush to it, rather than being patient and wait for it in the pocket.

Any ideas on how to do my job without destroying the music?

- David Nabity

A. David, this is an issue for the entire band to look at, not only you. First of all you have to talk about keeping the time steady with the band and everyone has to be on the same page of wanting to hold the tempo steady.

Next, record the band and have everyone listen to the recording so that you can be objective about the tempo. Rushing is caused by not allowing the notes to have their full value - you play the next note sooner than you should and the more that you do that, the tempo picks up.

Even if you as the drummer have perfect time, when you play with other players that are rushing, there is not much you can do to hold the tempo back. Or course, some ebb and flow of the tempo is normal and natural, but it sounds like your band is consistently rushing. You may have everyone overcompensate for a while and really relax to the point that it may feel uncomfortable, it might feel to them like the tempo is slowing down – even if it isn’t!

To play without rushing may feel uncomfortable for some players, until they discover the beauty of relaxing and getting into the flow of an open, comfortable pocket and smooth, steady time. All the best with this issue.

- SS

Q. Hello Mr. Smith.

I watched your DVD, Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat. Great instructions, and I loved your first solo.

What was the snare drum that you used with your Sonor Designer kit? I loved the sound, and I'm looking for that particular sound. There is a lot of depth, clarity, and a very clean resonance. Can you please tell me the the size and the material of it?

Thank you very much.

- Marcel Chalhoub

A. Marcel,

The snare drum that I used on my Sonor kit in that DVD is made by Jeff Ocheltree and is called a Phantom Steel snare drum. Jeff has versions of the drum available online.

It’s a heavy snare drum made of carbon steel and I have modeled my 30th Anniversary Sonor snare drum after Jeff’s drum – with his full approval and guidance, of course. What I love about the drum is exactly what you are pointing out: there is a lot of low end as well as high-end frequencies and it feels very responsive to play.

My new 30th Anniversary Sonor snare drum is amazing and I’m very happy that Sonor has developed this drum with me. It’s my hope that they will offer the snare drum in the future. For now, the only way to get the snare drum is to buy the entire kit, which is only available this year. There are only 100 kits made and only 25 are in the USA.

- SS

Q. Dear Mr. Smith,

I am inquiring about a clinic you gave in '80s with Freddie White of Earth, Wind, and Fire. I remember this footage, but neglected to purchase it when I saw it. Is this footage available for sale, and if so, when can I purchase it? Thank you.

- Allen Copeland

A. Allen,

I didn’t think there was any footage of that clinic at all. If there is a film of that clinic, I would like to know about it!

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