I won DRUM OFF 2003, Please download & critique my VIDEOS!!!

[nevesis]

Hey everyone. Well I won the preliminary drum off, and the store finals and now I am off to the district finals. The links below are the two solo's, the first one is at the preliminarys, and the store finals is the second one. Please download them both and give me your feedback on everything, I would like to know what I should do different for the district finals so I can win! Thanks everyone!


http://www.thelabmusic.com/evan/evgcdrumoff9.30.03.mov

http://www.thelabmusic.com/evan/evgcdrumoff10.7.03.mov


Thanks again everybody! Happy drumming.

- Evan Esposito

[quitou]

Wow,
Congrats Nevesis...well done!!!

[quitou]

Just saw the videos...very impressive...I especially enjoyed the ending of the second one where you got really quite, not playing a whole alot, and then you built up to that huge flurry to finish the solo...that was wicked!!! Seemed like the crowd was really digging your playing...I think you should make it to the finals...you've got mad skills Nevesis!!!!

Maybe you could throw in some different styles now...I don't know how time they give you to play, but maybe you could throw in some Latin rhythms or some Jazzy kinda stuff...just to show them how versatile you are...what do you think??? You've already showed that you've got a mad groove, killer fast hands and feet, maybe you could surprise them by throwing in a different style of playing....but that all depends on how much time they give you for your solo...anyways, WELL DONE!!!

[peter]

Nevesis,

Congratulations on winning
the preliminary.

Now, it's on to the district finals
and I believe you can do it.

Like I said before, I believe you
have great skill. We have to
organize that into a presentation
that showcases it.

In any competition, it helps to
know what the judges are look-
ing for and from what I saw in
that first video, the judges were
and likely will be interested in:

1. Speed (including the kick)
2. Flash (twirling, crossovers etc.)
3. Execution (Relaxed countenance a plus)
4. Composition (how you put it all together)

My impressions, after one view of
each of the videos is that I liked
the first better. It seemed it was
cleaner. That matters.

Speed is not a problem for you.

Flash is not a problem for you.

Execution is very good but can
be better and I think the reason
why I say this has to do with
the fourth area, the one that I
think you need to work on and
that is composition. You already
have some of it done. We just
need to oganize it some more.

The Three Broad Points:

1. Think like a writer.

2. Write what your thinking.

3. Write it in a language your
readers can understand.

When displaying chops, we
do the first two, almost without
effort but that's just the start.

That last one is the one that
gets everyone. You might say
"...but I need to do something
totally new to make my mark..."
That's partially true but it can't
be so far from what the aud-
ience knows, OR they will reject
it, perhaps not even notice it.

Remember this.

I like the cymbal Entrance and Exit.
Already, we have two sections of
the solo done (the first and last).

Make the first Cymbal section less
dramatic than the second. Only
stick one or two twirls in there,
with very little, if any crossover.

On the Finale, use more twirling,
though not prolonged twirling on
one hand, as you did with your
left-hand, which was a bit much.
It's much better to just give them
small tastes AS you are engaged
in the activity. Add the cross-overs
here. Really work on building it
up and then down. Coming back
down will show the audience a
control factor that they will ap-
preciate, I believe. It will show
a command that they'll envy.

Now the middle portion is about
the drums and we'll have to sub-
divide that. It's not a bad idea to
think in 3's. START. CHANGE. STOP.

Try and apply the same general
principle to the drums as you did
to the cymbals, beginning with
less and building up. Save your
twirls for the finale, though you
can change grips etc. every now
and then, during it.

Quitou is onto the same thing. I
think, Nevesis, that you have to
make a choice about using rhythms.
You generally do not solo in rhythm.
It might be used against you. I
don't know. You gave us a taste...

OK. I suggest taking the very first
section of the actual drum portion
to various demonstrations of tech-
nique, like your single's, doubles
and hand to feet combinations.
Focus on perfect execution. Don't
go wild. Be perfect.

The second section of the drum
section, devote it to rhythmic
patterns and make these the
same - perfect.

You did this already just make
everything within it perfectly
clean and orchestrated - all your
fills in time and in the groove.
You can do a few things here
with flash to but concentrate
on the groove.

When done, come out the section
having saved a lot energy for the
ending. This is where you should
introduce your highest levels of
speed but with control. You can
go to the edge but don't lose
your breath. Control is key.

Maybe I said too much but I
believe in you, Nevesis and I'd
like to see you succeed.

One more thing - I'm convinced
that if you could manage a smile,
during the finale of the drum
section you'd win them over with
just that!

Great job! Good luck!

[bootdogs]

What is DRUM OFF exactly?

Great videos. You have great chops, thats for sure.

[Milo Porto]

congrats ...!! i cant see the video.....by im sure you did a very good job:D

maybe you can send it to me

brandon@mikeportnoyforum.zzn.com

thanx:D

[nevesis]

Peter, thank you very much for that response. I really do appreciate you taking time out to tell me your opinions and thoughts, its helps alot and I will take everything into consideration for what I do at the district finals.

I really gotta try and win this next one because if I do, i get flown to Orlando,FL for the Regionals. I live in NY. One goal at a time! I am going to be going up against some good drummers I know and I believe I have some things that others wont have and they will have things I don't. I am just going to go up there and do it! But reading your reply, it really helps me in thinking and approaching things in other ways. Its so important to hear that from you and other people on the board its an amazing way to get critiqued and get feedback!

Thanks again for your help, and to everyone else thank you for your feedback i appreciate it!

Keep on drummin!

- Evan Esposito

[peter]

It's nothing, Evan. What
are we good for if we can't
help each other out every
now and then?

Like I said before, I believe
in you and the talent you
have developed. This is
just a stepping stone for
you. Let's cross it and get
on to the next thing.

Best,

[quitou]

Just a few more points, I've been working a lot on soloing with my teacher and these are some pointers he gives me...He always emphasizes not staying at one dynamic level or being too busy all the time...use changes in dynamics and mix in some simpler playing with all the crazy wicked playing...also one thing he says is that the solo should gradually build and it should should have a huge climax near the end...the solo should be like a roller coaster ride with lots of up and downs...this takes the listenners on a journey and makes it very enjoyable for them...

The idea of throwing in some different styles of rhythms I got from watching my teacher solo at a gig he played...it was a jazz gig but they gave him a section where he had like a 5 minute open solo...he started of playing a sort of jazzy solo lots of crazy chops and musical stuff as well...and in the middle of the solo he switched to a latin theme...it was awesome...and then at the end he came back to a jazzy kinda solo and finished off like that...I just remember that the switch he made to playing latin stuff was really cool...it introduced a new feel and basically woke everybody up and totally energized the place...it was like an injection of energy and a fresh new sound when he made the switch...I just remember this solo in particular because it just really sounded great and got me all excited...

Just some thoughts...what do you guys think???

[peter]

I love themes, Quitou and it
sounds like he has some things
going that are good.

These are the things that people
latch onto and make it all inter-
esting. Sounds great.

[jimi]

I think its great to see how comfortable you look doing the solos, i mean nothing seems to be a challenge at all! nice drumming nevesis!:)

To add to what quitou and peter are saying, you have the whole shuffle groove going (twice in the solo i think), maybe add a different kind of groove/theme or substitute one of the shuffle sections with something else?

[jagdkommando]

I'm very impressed by your speed and hitting rate ... really!

My suggestion to improve your solo is:

Separate the solo into different parts:

1. Start with the cymbals like you always do, but much more clean and fine .... over hihats and cow belts (?) of your cymbals
2. Show difficult interdepence groove (can be slow) .. use hihat with left foot and bass drum with right foot together with difficult groves with the hands (e.g. doubles with the feet over hihat and bass and paradiddle over ride and snare with hands)
3. come to the first fast point (like you always do)
4. return to grooves
5. start doing clean double bass grooves that are loud with triplets, doubles etc. and then increase the speed of your doubles bass groves until you come to the fastest point where you add some show effects and then put your very fast hands together with your feet and then finish the solo on the fastest point overy toms and cymbals.

That's one of my suggestions.

Congratulations ... your the man!

[dirtbike daron]

hey nevesis for some reason when i try to dl your video it wont let me. it says the page is forbidden. please help me because i would like to see them. thank you

[alencore]

wow! congrats nevs. goodluck on the next one.

[jonberg]

Hi Nevesis, congrats and good luck man, couldn´t open those files for some odd reason but I´m sure it was great!!
Good luck! / Jonathan

[Xen-]

This is an old post, guys. :p

[drumzalicious]

this is from last year...

[cjcdrums]

YEAH MAN! WHAT WERE YOU IMBICLES THINKING?!?!? How DARE you post on a elderly thread?!? (>Bites own hand ferociously<)

[nevesis]

Wow this thread is WAY old.

If you are looking to download the latest drum-off clip of mine from 2004, go here.

http://www.epiarchdrums.com/evan

[jjonnewman]

tell us how well you did in the competition,if u won ,if u didnt win tell us how well the guy did who won,my solo is on here as jjonnewman .your drum solo is very impressive, is your bass drum stuff all singles or are there some doubles there,