A few questions for Dirk

[Wayreth]

Thanks Dirk for your quick reaction.

I find it very intriguing to know how to play different styles of blast. Seems you really master that technique (I still remember the first time I heard the first song from the Goremaggeddon album from Aborted, you struck us with lightning, and it still is very neckbraking shit up till today).

But with the blast where you put one kick in between the rest (and thus must be able to go very fast with your feet)... How do you practice the speed of your feet??

I'm very week with my feet and want to work on it, how can I do this???? Any suggestions???

Thanx in advance and I'm looking forward to see you the 10th of June in de Biebob. It will be killer!!!!!!!!

[napalmdirk]

Thanks Dirk for your quick reaction.

I find it very intriguing to know how to play different styles of blast. Seems you really master that technique (I still remember the first time I heard the first song from the Goremaggeddon album from Aborted, you struck us with lightning, and it still is very neckbraking shit up till today).

But with the blast where you put one kick in between the rest (and thus must be able to go very fast with your feet)... How do you practice the speed of your feet??

I'm very week with my feet and want to work on it, how can I do this???? Any suggestions???

Thanx in advance and I'm looking forward to see you the 10th of June in de Biebob. It will be killer!!!!!!!!

Thanks dude, my pleasure!!! To me, practicing the speed of my feet has all been a matter of time... You know, you build it up slowly by learning songs you like, trying different types of exercices and eventually getting the stamina and muscles you need. It took me over ten years of playing (including a lot of hard work) to get there, it might take way less or way more to other drummers, but it gives you an idea. My suggestion is : don't set the levels too high for yourself in the beginning. No-one just sits down and plays 260 bpm kickdrumrolls straight away - it's all a matter of patience and developing your own technique that suits your body, drumkit and playing.

[Diabolus]

And I also use my own type of blast ("HyperConscience" for example) which is based on a simple flam rudiment.

Concerning the "silent" blast in "Irradiant", it was actually Pierrick who said "you should try to use this in a song" when I was just playing along at low volume to a riff we were working on!

That blast at the end of HyperConscience is just awesome, it seems like you're playing a triplet, 1 on cymbal and trip and let on the snare, is that correct? And what are you doing with your feet ? It's really original, nothing I ever heard before. The silent blast is nice, I hear it in some more jazz-oriented songs before, really good stuff!

[napalmdirk]

Well, that blast is something I "invented" myself many years ago. It's basically a triplet flam, except that I move the accented (flam) hits to the hi-hat or any other cymbal while keeping all the "normal" triplet hits on the snare. The feet play exactly the same pattern as the snare, only as a regular right-left-right-left-right-left.

I use the same technique in the song "An Emptier Void" except that the pattern on the snare is cut up (4 beats out of 6). I think the first time I used the triplet blast is in the song "Shelly's Dead" on "Six Tears Of Sorrow" (1996), and there are a few little bits here and there in several songs on "Luminiferous".

[Diabolus]

Sorry to answer so late, but I listened to Irradiant today, and I remembered this forum, and how great it is.

Thanks alot for explaining it to me, Dirk. I think the strength of this blast is in the fact that it's not very hard to play, since you play the snare hits with both hands, but it makes the music feel alot faster. It's awesome to hear the blast shift from 8th notes to triplets, I was really astonished to first time I heard it.

Back to the pattern: so, you're playing I think Flam Accents, so do you first strike the cymbal with your left, than your right, etc?

[napalmdirk]

No problem Diabolus, I'm answering late as well as you can see!

Indeed, that blast isn't super hard to play in my opinion, it requires less endurance than "regular" blastbeats and sounds a little different due to the switching of the hands. But it does require to be really at ease with the triplet flams though, and quite some practice too if you wanna avoid dropping a stick every three seconds!

I first hit the hi-hat (or any other cymbal) with my right hand, so it's the left hand that starts on the snare, just like in the usual triplet flam.

[Wayreth]

Hello Dirk,

It took me a while to create time to come here and read a little bit on the forum, heck I even haven't been on your site eversince the Soilwork CD "Stabbing the drama" came out. In my opinion, the music is not my style but I must say that your drumming (again) gives a whole new perspective to it. Very well done.

I just came to ask for forgiveness. I will not be able to come to your show at the 14th of January. Which really makes me feel enormously bad. I've been looking forward to see Scarve for a long time and everytime something comes up.

I have to play with my own band in Belgium to. Well let's see it like this. When you are on stage, I will be too (normally) and we won't be more than I think 70 km away playing together.
If you are at that gig (the 14th) please try to check out In-Quest (if you don't know them already). I really like to guys (they became good friends since we played a couple of times together). And especially the drummer (Gert) is a very nice and funny guy. (Off course Aborted and Axamenta are very good Belgian bands too (although Aborted isn't really Belgian anymore, but who cares, as long as it blasts!)

But so you know, I won't be there. But I hope to catch you soon.

Ooh, by the way, how did the tour with Meshuggah went? I imagine it must have been heavy and funny, not?

Nevertheless, do you have also any idea when we can expect some new amazing drumshit to analyze and talk about? Although I must say:

Irradiant staat als een paal boven water!!!!

(I read in an article (in Slagwerkkrant) that you were from the Dutch part of Belgium). If so, we could easily talk Dutch and almost no one on this forum can understand us. Haha, that's really funny.

Also, for anyone who's reading this (but especially to Dirk and the whole Scarve crew), a happy new year and I sincerely hope that 2006 will work out even better, faster, heavier and whatever you guys wish for!

One thing is most definitely, I will remain a loyal fan no mather what!!!

[Invité]

Hey Dirk, thanks alot for the answer! I have some more questions for you though

- When playing odd-times, do you count, or do you just follow the melody? I used to count out all odd-time parts I played, but since my teacher said he never does that, I started paying alot more attention to the melody; I think it makes your playing more musical, and it's easier if you play stuff like WatchTower, Theory in Practice or Cynic.

- Do you tune your drums to specific notes? And, seeing that you're endorsed by Tama, do you use their Tension Watch? I heard it's great, and I'm going to buy one in the near future.

- Do you play German grip (ie: Palms to the floor) or French grip (Thumbs to the ceiling)? Or maybe something in between? And you ever play traditional grip?

Thanks alot!

Btw: Wayreth, what band are you in? I live in Flanders too, so I might know your band!

Simon

[Invité]

Oops, the last post was mine.

I just wanted to say that you have to check out In-Quest, great band and Gert is a kickass drummer.

[Wayreth]

Hello,

I play in Ill Fares The Land, but I don't expect you to have heard from it.

And off course I know In-Quest and yes I also share the opinion that Gert is a Kick-Ass drummer. Just the concentration he has on stage is amazing. I've been banging my head a lot when he was on stage .

There you go, what band are you in?

Greetz