DavidPartay

Ok well basically I want to start learning some REALLY technical drumming, and I want to start as simple as I can - charting out sections, and going over them until they're perfect. Anyway, I was just wondering what PX songs people would recommend that are the easiest to play on the Moonbabies, Live in OZ and Universe albums.

I also want to start doing work on my Stick Control and Encyclopedia of Double Bass drumming books (again). I just need to make the commitment! Also planning on working on getting my double strokes solid (yay for my new Eliminators which I haven't had a chance to use yet). I'm getting a practise kit for Christmas and my plan is to set it up in my room and practise double strokes and single strokes and combinations around the kit. Since it's quiet, I can practise after 7pm (my drumming curfew) and it's not as tedious as hearing "BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG" for 20 minutes straight .

Also, On the Virg songs from Just Add Water and Serious Young Insects are also recommend-able

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Xen-

70 VIR (track 4) on Moonbabies. Technically possible (unlike Ataraxia ), great overall groove and huge range of dynamics. The part in 11/8 is also great because you must resist overplaying and maintain a solid ''unbroken'' groove. Thanks to Virgil for that unique approach. In that part, there are also some subtle double bass chops. Work on your doubles with it. Hoped it helped.

DavidPartay

On my old Iron Cobra Junior I could force doubles at 150 and play a beat with my hands, and I could play straight doubles at 160 without my hands... How fast are the doubles in that song? I can do controlled doubles on the old pedal at about 120.

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peter

From "Moonbabies", the tune
"70 VIR" is the easiest, by far
and a good start. I just start-
ed this myself - funny that you
ask about this.

Really lean on that kick. Virgil
is not all about double-kick. I
have NEVER heard a kick pick
up the bass like Virgil.

He is the bar. There is nothing
out there like him.

As for doubles, single whatever
you cannot double, getting the
most out of the tune, right now.
You will get up the speed.

The speed of the doubles is the
least of it. It's the thought proc-
ess that really is on the virg!

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jonberg

I would say 70 VIR too...it´s a good start to work with.
I think that Ataraxia isn´t that hard though, it´s just to practise that loop over and over again and solo over it etc. The most difficult songs I think is Ground Zero and Midnight bell. I can play them pretty well, but it was a while ago, so I would have to practise on that more.
Really good exercise to work on those songs!! It´s technique, groove and musicality mixed togheter...plus it´s fun =)
Cheers!

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Brobjer

I would say that you start practising material that includes the stuff Virgil's up to in his overall playing. Practise all the five-a-diddle stuff and his rhythmical exercises, illusions etc. that can be found on the internet.
Don't transcribe anything untill you really know what he actually plays in the song. 'Cause then it would be like all the nerd-guitar-shredders out there that transcribes all the guitarsolos, but don't really know any theory and when it comes to playing a good beat over a 13/8 part or whatever, just improvising, people are a loss, because of their theoretical lack.

By the way, Virgil's exercises are all hyper-fun, and according to myself, they're addictive

Good luck, David!

- Brobjer

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DavidPartay

Ahh well I do have pretty good theoretical music and drum knowledge but thanks for well... the pre-emptive warning, I suppose?

My main idea of transcribing is to see what's been playing so I can look at it and practise. The thing that just amazes me about EVERY PX song is that where there's odd time signatures, they can still make the song not actually sound odd if you get what I mean?

For example, Ataraxia is in 7/16, but you hear it as 1 2 3 4 with some crazy stuff going on behind it... At least, that's the way I hear it.

You understand what I mean?

Anyway, I wanna steal concepts on time signatures as well . Instead of for example a 5/4 bar going BASS SNARE BASS SNARE SNARE; actually make it sound interesting and more pre-emptive.

I'll have a good listen to 70 VIR.

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peter

My understanding of what you're
talking about there, David, is Virgil's
constant quarter-notes on the HH
and Ride. He is constantly creating
polyrhythms with his limbs, espec-
ially his kick. What freedom he has
there! This is where his real action
is, in opinion.

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To Virgil,
A Drummer Who is Changing the World

DavidPartay

Alright well after having listened to Ataraxia, I believe I can do it!!! I just need to work on the bass/hihat rhythm (I know how it goes, I just need to be able to do it at speed while playing the hand parts). So I'm gonna learn Ataraxia!

Peter - what I mean is that not as much what Virgil does, but just the way PX songs are structured makes them sound more straightforward, even though they're still in odd time signatures!

I think some of the concepts Virgil comes up with are amazing - such as the Ataraxia pattern (ie. it's in 7/16 yet it keeps a consistent 8th note pattern on the hihats)

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peter

You're right, David! I look forward
to hearing you on that!

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To Virgil,
A Drummer Who is Changing the World