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Drums and Drum Solos

Drum Solos

• Unless the drummer is Rush's Neil Peart, few people enjoy listening to extended drum solos during concerts or other live music shows. When it fits the song and the venue, I will find tasteful locations to insert a brief drum solo into a set.

• An example is Project Tru's live performances of "To Each Their Own," during the middle of which Latin percussionist Tony Vizcarra and I play shared call-and-response solos. Another example is BGB's live performance of "Portobello Road" during which I precede the song's opening with a 16-measure solo.

Drum solo "Mean Right" (2:04, 1.7MB)

Notes: This multiple mic solo was recorded after a Mean Rights recording session in 1993. (Engineer Jeff Klein had fun with a phase-shifter effect.)

Drums

• I play and endorse Yahama Recording Custom drums, including 8",10", 12", 14", and 16" Yamaha toms plus 16x22" and 16x24" Yamaha bass drums. For live gigs, depending on space restrictions, I'll either use both bass drums or a single bass with a dual pedal.

• Bass pedals are Drum Workshop DW9000 (single) and DW5000 (dual). I play one of three types of 14" Pearl Free Floater snare drums: 8" maple, 8" brass or 4" brass. There are usually about 12 cymbals in my kit, including all three major brands: Zildjian, Sabian and Paiste. Hardware is mainly Yamaha and heavy duty Pearl gear, with Tama Iron Cobra hi-hat stands.

• Throne is Roc-n-Soc hydraulic with backrest, occasionally with a ButtKicker Gamer attached to the throne stem for low-frequency vibration of bass drum(s) during loud gigs. I play ProMark 2B nylon-tip sticks, and wear Footjoy golf gloves to prevent blisters. Yamaha ClickStation is sometimes used a tactile/visual metronome to set perfect start-of-song tempo during live performances. 

• Additional equipment in my rehearsal/recording studio includes a full stand-up Latin percussion kit (congas, bongos, mini-timbales, shakers, tambourines, claves, gourd, guiro, afuche/cabasa, agogo, Bozzio noisemaker, and pedal and hand cow bells), digital recording / CD-burning capability, plus acoustic/electric/bass guitars and keyboards.

• I admire and try to emulate the playing style of several drummers, including:

  • Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band)

  • Terry Bozzio (Zappa, Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, ...)

  • Will Calhoun (Living Colour, Wayne Shorter, ...)

  • Steve Gadd (Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, ...)

  • Neil Peart (Rush)

  • the late Jeff Porcaro (Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Toto)

tel. (562) 986-5163   Lee@LeeGodden.com