Very small point to all the drummers out there. I've noticed Roger plays with an interesting fulcrum(below the first joint) and seems to control the stick with his index fingers. I would be interested to know if Rog studied rudiments or mastered a few. By the sounds of it though he uses single stroke accented patterns, closed rolls and single paradiddles(in solos). Any info on this?
Marc
Yeah, I noticed he played that way too, but I think it's only 'cos he taught himself drums (or so I hear...).
deleted user 16.07.2005 08:10
Yes roger is self taught - he mentioned this in rythum magazine in 1990 - I saw him at sheppherds bush in 1994 - I was in one of the galleries looking down on him - I noticed that he was hitting his ride cymbal with the middle of the drumsticks shaft ( I think it was on revelations ) , never seen him do that before either live or on video / dvd etc .
I don't know if this is what you mean. It's a bit difficult to understand of explain the drums terms in English. Roger is holding his left drum stick opposing (that means that now the upper side is the lower side), so that he hits with the biggest part of the drumstick. Roger hits a very loud and nice rimshot on his snare drum with it. Sometimes he is holding bove sticks opposing. Sometimes he is uses his index finger to control (watch the solo in back chat) . He also does that when he is ''playing'' timpani. Roger plays with accents in his fills most of the time. Roger plays/hits the ride cymbal as an crash cymbal, so that he gets a very raw and loud noice out of it. He is using the ''up and down competence'' to play the hi-hat most of the time.
Roger is a brilliant drummer, he has this amazing feel that is hard to emulate. Interesting, the fulcrum is basis for control, which in Roger's case he does not use. From what i've seen studying performances he seems to be using a back fulcrum.
I dunno, I've never met anyone who's self-taught who knows what a fulcrum is - let alone how to use it, so they all just kinda hold it how they feel like it. I do that too, (I taught myself for awhile before I managed to get a discount on lessons) I don't like the fulcrum. My point is that self-taught people tend not to use a proper fulcrum, and I reckon that's what happened in Roger's case.
As a drummer understanding the anatomy of your movement helps you to become a better player. I agree that when I first played the instrument I just picked up the sticks without worrying about fulcrum etc. However, now I have various books on technique to help me out - particularly rudimental technique helps out alot. Check out Vicfirth.com under Mark Wessels educational lessons.
Nah, I don't really like the fulcrum. Mind you, I've been playing seven years without lessons so old habits are gonna die hard anyway ;) The sound would probably be better but I just find it way too uncomfortable.
Cheers
Henry V, I know what you're writing about. He DOES use his index fingers, as opposed to 100% wrist/forearm for attack (at times). I don't know if I've ever seen him play a paradiddle or rudiment for that matter. It makes sense if he had said that he was self-taught.
However, something that I have always been fascinated about Roger is his use of triplets either at the end of a song, or during one of his solos. A perfect example is the final chord of One Vision, Wembley '86. The pattern is: {snare, tom, bass} {tom, tom, bass} {tom, tom, bass} {tom, tom, bass}, repeated over and over for about 5-10 seconds. Roger plays that VERY tightly.
my mate is a drummer and not really a queen fan, but he says roger has a very distinctive drumming style often opening the hi hat on the 3rd beat of the bar, which apparently is unusual.
can any drummers confirm this please?
a question - what do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?
Yeah - it is pretty unusual and unique to open the hi-hat on every thrid beat. I use Roger's technique in my playing. It just gives a much harder edge and a rock element to the ensemble.
Marc
Yeah, that is a nice effect to open the hi-hat on beat three with the snare. Gives it a good accent.
Too bad he didn't perform timpani solos more often. Talk about flashy!
dimcyril wrote: my mate is a drummer and not really a queen fan, but he says roger has a very distinctive drumming style often opening the hi hat on the 3rd beat of the bar, which apparently is unusual.
can any drummers confirm this please?
a question - what do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?
i agree but after monitering roger's grip i decided too give it a go which at first prooved tricky due too the sheer fact i had never tried it before but i feel it now prooves rather comfortable and effective give it a go! p.s happy b-day roger x x x