There are thousands of instructional DVDS for drummers out there, anywhere from jazz to heavy metal. But there are none that cover reggae drumming correctly. I’ve been looking for years, and any drummer who tries to teach reggae drumming is always terrible in my opinion.
Well, that is, until now.
Dyrol Randal has released an amazing DVD instructional called Dryol Randall Reggae Drumming. It is the absolute first of it’s kind and is presented by a talented reggae artist.
This 2-part DVD package first starts off by covering the correct way to tune reggae drums, which is refreshing to see. Not only does Dyrol cover the basic tuning of the drums, but he also covers why the drums should be tuned a certain way in order to get the crisp and snappy sound that kicks you right in the jaw.
There are many different beats in reggae but the foundational one is the one drop. This is the first beat the Dyrol covers, and it’s great to see someone demonstrate and play properly, which is the key.
After the one drop, Dyrol covers many other beats such as:
- Stepper
- One Two
- Dancehall
… along with some very cool hi-hat variations that will keep you amazed and trying to figure them out for a long time. Now I see where Stewart Copeland stole his hi-hat variations from!!!
I was truly amazed by the second DVD because it offers a wealth of different fills and lead in fills. Reggae is known for creative drum lead in fills, and the ones Dyrol plays are incredibly tasty.
After the fill variations, Dryol outdoes himself with many different pattern variations of the original beats that were in the first DVD.
These variations are not for the feint of heart. They sound ( and look! ) incredibly cool, but man, are they tough. They are not too tough or technical to sound great with music, however, as Dyrol demonstrates with his bass player friend who is playing along with him for the whole series.
This package is the most comprehensive compilation of reggae drumming styles I have ever seen. They cover techniques that can be used by both beginners and advanced drummers of all genres. In addition to this, there is such a wealth of knowledge in what Dyrol demonstrates, this series can remain in your archive for a very long time.
Dyrol Randall does a tremendous job teaching the very elusive intricacies of reggae drumming, and his approach, attitude, style, feel and sheer warmth are a breath of fresh air.
I have been waiting a very long time for a series like this. I suggest you don’t. If you want to play reggae drums like a pro, buy this DVD series. You will not be disappointed.
Driving across the country with a reggae band was always an adventure. Imagine 4 smoked up rastas ( plus me ) crusing across the United States… no wives, no girlfriends…. just 10 cities to visit, play music and explore.
… Now you’re getting the picture.
Jamming with Rising Lion was especially fun, because Danny Dread was a cool and funny guy. I still have contact with him to this day, and he should be releasing a new single very soon.
Here is a clip of Danny in action.
We were cruising through the Arizona desert and were running out of gas. If you’ve ever been in the middle of nowhere on those hot desert highways, you’ll know that you never EVER want to run out of gas.
We pulled into a gas station/restaurant that looked like something from a Stephen King movie. It was old and creepy. Tumbleweeds bounced down the street and the air was extremely hot and oppressive.
As we jumped out of the van, I knew it was going to be a weird experience. Not only have these people perhaps never seen a black person in their lives, but there is no way in hell they ever saw 5 at once, most of whom had dreadlocks down to their ankles.
We walked into a room full of people who were all eating and talking with each other. But as soon as we entered the building I saw astonishment mixed with fear mixed with hate spread across everyone’s faces.
What was a a loud and busy room immediately grew silent…. the record scratched off the turntable.
I cant explain fully the amount of awkwardness I felt as we walked up to pay for the gas, but those few moments felt like hours. I had no idea what was going to happen, but the fear was certainly there.
We quickly paid for our gas and got the hell out of dodge. You should have seen the dust fly as we screached out of the parking lot.
Although nothing did happen … something could have.
…whew
More and more people getting interested in environmental issues all the time and in doing so, many of the long running environmental campaigns that were once seen as fringe movements are now becoming mainstream events.
Earth Day is one such movement. Started in 1970 by the US senator Gaylord Nelson, it has grown from being just a minor American day to a global event celebrated by countries across the globe.
Most countries celebrate Earth Day on 22 April but the United Nations have their own in March. However, many countries precede the actual day itself with a week of eco and environmental promotion.
Earth Day is aimed at encouraging eco friendly living and promoting such schemes as recycling, energy efficiency, and reducing waste. And this year it is celebrating its 40th anniversary and it expected to be the biggest celebration in the day’s history.
Across the globe all sorts of initiatives and schemes are conducted to promote eco friendly ideas; from rallies, and large pop concerts to mass switch off’s and recycling projects. It is estimated that almost a billion people will get involved in some aspect of this Earth Day anniversary.
And there is something everybody can do to celebrate this global event too. Earth day is a great opportunity to begin all those eco friendly schemes that you have been putting off. From recycling and reducing energy consumption; to turning all the appliances off that are normally left on stand-by; It is also a great way of kick starting those positive habits that could go a long way of helping the environment.
But being green and keeping up an eco friendly lifestyle does require some determination so it is important to remember the Earth is forever not just a day!
Richard N Williams is interested in green innovations and writes about them. Please visit our website if you are interested in eco friendly living or other eco-friendly products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_N_Williams
As a kid, I loved watching Gilligan’s Island. I mean, what a ridiculously nutty show.
And don’t try to tell me you didn’t love it either, because I know you did!
It’s funny because the crew of the S.S. Minnow were said to have been marooned on that tiny desert isle… With two hotties and plenty of ganja ( my version )
But wtf does marooned mean? Where the hell did that word come from?
Are you thinking what IM thinking?
I was hanging out with my man, Bunny Mystic one night, and we were just reasoning about the history of Jamaica. He was talking about some African warriors that escaped the British and had magical fighting powers.
….yes, magical fighting powers 
The Maroons, he explained, were master guerilla warfare experts, and were so good at what they did, the British thought they could materialize in trees, slit their throats, and then disappear!
This is where “marooned” came from?!?!?!
It is a true story indeed. The Maroons were runaway slaves who unified themselves to fight their oppressors, and they did so brilliantly.
Maroons also played a major role in the countries of Brazil, Suriname, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica.
The story of the Maroons is a very interesting one, and I invite you to take a look at these resources about them:
Enjoy!
One of the coolest reggae bands I have played with is Ishmael and the Peacemakers.
Ishmael and the Peacemakers is led by ( you guessed it! ) Ishmael. He is a reggae drummer, songwriter and lyricist from Barbados.
Ishmael Sealy was the drummer for the Killer Bees from Austin Texas, as well as for the BlackSheep from Philly/DC. He really made a name for himself with those bands.
Most top reggae musicians know exactly who he is when you mention his name.
Since I mention Ishmael so much in previous posts, it should be no surprise to you that he was a heavy influence in my development as a drummer. When I first started playing with him, he pointed out a lot of intricacies about reggae music that I had no idea existed before.
Things such as:
- The major differences between different types of reggae beats
- Varying tempos between songs
- Song structure
- Roots, culture and history
- Being creative without sacrificing the basics
- .. the list goes on and on
All these things have stuck with me over the years and continue to help me along the way.
Take a listen to Ishamel’s wicked song called “Burning Van”.
Aside from being a great musician, Ishmael is a great human being. You can learn a lot from his music as well as from him personally.
I invite you to become a friend of his:
Peace!
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The ponderings, musings and spewings of a completely crazy reggae drummer
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