< PreviousModern Drummer June 2022 68 Jordan West By Tony Verderosa J ordan West is a talented musician who is harnessing the power of creative midi controllers and electronic drums to help elevate and support the artists she tours and records with. Her videos that showcase live looping and hybrid drumming are very impressive. In addition to her work as a drummer supporting various artists, Jordan is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has an amazing voice and it’s wonderful to see her sing live from behind the drums. I had a chance to interview Jordan recently in between her travels back and forth from Nashville to LA. She’s been quite busy rehearsing for summer tour dates and she’s also appeared on television in the past few months performing live on Jimmy Kimell and the Late Late Show. Let’s have a look at Jordan’s background and the many musicians that have inspired her along the way, and how she utilizes the the power and creativith of creative midi controllers and electronic drums. MD : When did you first begin playing music? JW : I started piano lessons when I was about 5 or 6, and was always in the choir at school. I was lucky enough to attend fine arts magnet schools from kindergarten through 8th grade and there was a huge emphasis on music. When I was 11 I chose to play drum set as my main instrument. My school had a great jazz program so that was my main focus. I also studied privately with a great teacher who focused heavily on groove-based and rock drumming (we studied lots of James Gadson, Clyde Stubblefield, Steve Gadd, John Bonham…all the greats). MD : Did you start on drums or piano or guitar? JW: Piano was my first instrument. Then drums, then I picked up guitar in my last year of college. MD : Can you discuss some of your most memorable teachers and mentors? JW : I’ve been lucky to have many! My middle school band director, Donna Sevcovic, was tough and really expected so much from us as young players. I think that was really a helpful thing, to have an adult holding you to high standards and goals - I think it pushed all of us in her program to be better in and outside of music. My private instructor, Todd Harrold, really opened up my ears to all kinds of drumming approaches and possibilities and really helped me build a foundation based on feel. He also sings and plays which was very inspiring to watch. My college director Mark Buselli gave me so many chances and breaks - he would hire me to play with his band sometimes and that was always such an excellent learning experience. MD : Did you have any formal music training at College or University? JW : College is kind of a long story, but essentially I had always learned everything by ear and never learned how to read or anything about theory. When it came time for college programs, I started as a music performance major but was quickly overwhelmed by trying to learn theory and was having to memorize 4 part marimba solos June 2022 Modern Drummer 69 by ear. Eventually I just decided I wanted to focus on more real world opportunities rather than getting a degree specific to music. I switched my major to creative writing and had a lot more time to play gigs and start a band. I was really lucky that the head of the music production department allowed me to take as many music classes as I wanted as electives, so I took songwriting, production, jazz band, combo classes and spent almost all of my free time (and many all-nighters) in the studios recording and writing or playing out. MD : What were you first experiences playing in a live band? JW : I started a band in college because I needed people to help me record demos for my songwriting class. We spent so much time creating together and really loved it, so we started a band and played all over the Midwest for about 5 years. Our big break was getting “discovered” at a dive bar in Indiana by famed engineer and producer Bob Clearmountain. He was so kind to us and I talked back and forth with him for a year or so via email before deciding to move to LA with the band to try and go for it. The band didn’t really survive the move, but I’m so grateful for everything I experienced and learned during that time in my life. MD : How did you get started with electronic percussion and midi drum controllers? JW : It took me kind of a long time to come around to electronics and electronic drums. For a long time I didn’t understand why anyone would want or need that in their setup and thought it was “cheating” somehow. When I moved to LA, my friend knew people in the drum department at Roland and asked if they needed a demonstrator for their electronic drums. I really needed a job so I took it, and to my surprise I quickly fell in love with all of the possibilities electronics add to music. I got really into hybrid drumming, triggers, samples, and looping. It opened up a lot of opportunities in my playing and career. I even got to go to Japan a few times to help develop new instruments, which was awesome. MD : What was the very first electronic drum set you owned? Can you describe the experience? JW: I bought a TD-25 right when I moved to LA because I needed something I could play in my apartment. I still have it and use it a lot for learning parts. I also love taking pads off it and integrating them into my hybrid setup. MD : What musicians were influencing your interest in electronic drums and live looping? JW: When I started working at Roland, I was shocked at the number of drummers who used electronics. So many of my favorite drummers were integrating it into their setups and creating some really cool stuff. I remember meeting Butch Vig and hearing what he did with the electronics and that was pretty awesome. I worked with Vinnie Couliuta for a bit, just getting him setup with running an electronic drum module into a looper, and what he came up with was incredible. It was mind blowing to watch him utilize the technology in such a musical way. MD: Can you describe your songwriting and music production background? JW: I started writing when I was about 20 because I was in a songwriting class where we needed to produce two demos a week. I had no idea what I was doing but I really loved it. Twice a week my band and I would pull all nighters in the studio to finish these demos and it was such a great time in my life. I still love to write and produce original music but that has kind of taken a backseat to drumming for the past couple years. MD: What DAW do you use to create loops and original songs? JW : I’m a big fan of Protools and Ableton. Protools is my go to for recording audio, Ableton for anything loop related. MD: What was your first touring band? JW : My band did some touring in college, but the first artist I toured with as a freelancer was Kailee Morgue. For a while the band was just me and her, so my setup heavily relied on electronics, which was cool. MD : What role does electronic percussion and hybrid drumming play for you in live shows? JW : It kind of varies by artist. Some don’t want any electronics at all, but I would say most at least like to have the kick and snare Modern Drummer June 2022 70 triggered with sounds from their records. From there it can get crazy - adding in pads and more samples/triggers, utilizing midi, etc. I really enjoy the gigs where I get to create true Frankenstein kits of crazy sounds in addition to my acoustic drums. MD : What role is hybrid drumming playing for you as a session player? JW : The same as I just described. The only thing I would add is that knowing how to utilize electronics has really helped me get more work as a drummer. A lot of artists want and expect you to be familiar with that world. MD : Explain how sound design works in relation to your songwriting and electronic drum set up? JW: I love writing from a drum loop, and I love creating live drum loops (layering actual audio played in real time as opposed to programming). I’m a big fan of finding a unique organic sound and effecting it to the point where it’s unrecognizable as opposed to finding samples in a sample pack. I do that too, but I always love the process of creating my own samples. MD : Do you find the built in FX on the Boss RC 505 Loop Station helpful for designing new sounds? JW : Yeah! I think especially in terms of being immediately inspired and having something quick and tactile to effect sound with is really great. Usually if I really like the sound of an effected loop I make on the RC, I’ll go into Protools and basically recreate it but with more time and detail. The RC serves as an excellent starting point. MD: Do you ever export samples from that Loop device? JW : I have but generally I do the above process. MD: Do you sing through the built in effects on the RC 505 Loop Station? JW: Yeah I do! It’s nice for making quick videos and demos to just throw some reverb on or octave shift and sing a placeholder bass line. MD: Have you sampled your own vocals into the SPDX ? JW: I haven’t! I’ve sampled other peoples into it though and it’s really fun. MD: Do you trigger backing tracks for live shows? JW : I do, I use Ableton to do that. MD: Can you explain your approach to backing tracks live with Ableton? JW : I like to separate the stems as much as possible and send them to different outputs so that the front of house has as much mix control as possible. I always take a lot of time really going through and getting rid of as much of the tracks as I can and figuring out how to achieve the same effect live. I’ve got nothing against backing tracks and they really are necessary in many live situations, but I’m a big fan of finding a way to perform as much of it as possible in real time. MD : Do you use a combo of drum pads and acoustic drum triggers? JW: Yeah I do. I use either the tm6 or spdsx as the brain and then trigger a combo of acoustic triggers and pads. MD : Can you describe your most recent recording with the band or your own band? JW : The most recent album I recorded on didn’t really use any electronics, it was more of an Americana vibe. MD : Describe any work outside of the current band or solo project. JW : This summer I’m going out with Grace Potter and a country artist named Cam. I’ve been working with Christina Perri recently as well which has been fun. I also play with Kailee Morgue, Dresage, Joy Downer and a handful of other artists. MD: Tell us about your recent TV Show experiences? JW : I was recently on the Late Late Show a couple times, once with Christina Perri and once with Joy Downer. With Christina we also did Ellen and the Today show, and I’ve done Jimmy Kimmel and CBS This Morning with Grace. MD : Can you tell me some of your modern drumming influences and favorites? JW : Oh man. There are so many. I love Nate Smith, Aaron Sterling, Amy Aileen Wood, Taylor Gordon (AKA The Pocket Queen), Steve Jordan, J.J. Johnson, Aaron Steele……there are too many to list. MD : What are your favorite recordings of other drummers and of your own, and WHY they are favorites? JW : I really love Levon Helm’s playing and singing on “Ophelia,” especially the live version from The Last Waltz. There’s so much energy and effortless feel. Jim Keltner and Steve Gadd’s drum sounds are also always pretty incredible, it’s hard to pick a favorite for either of them. I’ve always loved Joe Morello’s drum solo on “Take Five.” Bringing it a little more into modern times, I love Omar Hakim’s solo on the second half of the Daft Punk song “Giorgio by Moroder,” I’m really into the integration of electronic and acoustic sounds. For groove, “When I’m Kissing My Love” by Bill Withers, with James Gadson doing his thing is pretty unbeatable. MD : What are your musical plans and goals moving forward? JW: Continuing to tour and work as a freelancer, getting into the studio June 2022 Modern Drummer 71 more, and hopefully getting back to writing and putting out some original music. At the end of this interview there is a link to an original song of mine called “Ten Feet Tall,” it is something that I wrote and produced. It’s a good example of initially writing/playing ideas into the looper and then recreating it with a mix of samples and newly recorded parts. MD : Do you have any outside interests? Musical and otherwise. JW: I really like being outside. Hiking is probably my favorite thing to do on my days off. I am also a huge fan of coffee, reading, and really bad reality tv. MD: Can you tell me all of the drumming gear you use, and who are your current endorsements? JW : I am endorsed by Ludwig Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Vater sticks. For electronics I use Roland. I have a couple SPD-SXs, acoustic drum triggers, spdONE pads, various assorted PD mesh pads and a bunch of synths. For BOSS, I use an RC-505 looper, a VE-20 vocal harmonizer and all kinds of other pedals. I work in ProTools and Ableton. MD : Why do you play the gear you currently play? JW: I play the gear I play right now because it achieves everything I need and want it to. All of the gear I choose, I choose because something about it inspires me. Whether it’s the sound or the capabilities, I want it to help push my expression and execution further. MD : If you had to choose one favorite piece of gear, which one would it be? JW: It’s hard not to pick my acoustic drum kit because that’s really the foundation of my love for music. But the RC 505 looper is extremely fun, so that would be a close second. To view some of Jordan’s playing take a look at the following links: “Ten Feet Tall” by Jordan West: https://open.spotify.com/track/2QvE0Bu95TpLie3pADGwaa?s i=u-3q3HNrSviG55c5zYaLpQ Here’s Jordan playing an electric setup w/ Kailee Morgue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bxEnwrZEE0 A video of Jordan building and performing a loop: https://youtu.be/G4D9MwTJSUY A video Jordan did for Reverb explaining how to sample into an SPD-SX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZggvCXDeTPo Jordan West playing drums and singing live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hiw0ecKpnn4 Jordan West Drum Loop: https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cbdl444Fp69/?utm_ source=ig_web_copy_link Check out Tony’s Modern Drummer profile page at moderndrummer.comModern Drummer June 2022 72 Bob Moses Drum Wisdom, Musical Resolution Points I n last month’s Modern Drummer we included the chapters from Bob Moses’ Drum Wisdom book on the 8/8 Concept and the Sixteen Musical Resolution Points. These two concepts work together and can apply to every style of music and drumming. We also went into depth regarding the & of 4 of the first bar as a musical resolution point. This month we will continue by talking specifically about the & of 4 in the second bar, the & of 2 in the first bar, and the & of 3 in the first bar. First, you might want to refresh your memory by re-reading last month’s column. Here is what Bob has to say about this important concept. Mastering the Resolution Points In the following pages we’re going to deal with three different resolution points individually. To do that effectively, we will work with two-bar phrases. Let’s look at the reason for that. The idea behind a resolution point is that it gives you an element of repetition that is necessary for groove. We do not necessarily need something that repeats in every bar, however, because we are not just hitting these points, but rather, we are resolving to them, one bar doesn’t really give you enough room to resolve. In order to have enough room to create a resolution, most of the time we’re going to want to use at least a two-bar phrase. It could, in fact, be longer than a two-bar phrase, but in this column, we will focus on two-bar phrases because they are so basic and common to music I feel that it is very valuable to visualize music whenever you can. You should not just hear music but also see it. When working from a resolution point, start by visualizing a two-bar phrase with a grid of 8th notes, which you will use as your framework. The eight resolution points can be incorporated into very simple time keeping patterns, as well as more complex solo or fill patterns. This month I will be giving some rhythmic examples of phrases which resolve to a specific point. I will not illustrate how to apply those phrases to the drum set, because it is more important that you develop your own ability to do this, rather than memorizing the way I, or anyone else, might do it. Rather than practicing specific exercises, you need to develop your own creativity and your ability to use the resolution points in whatever type of music you are personally involved with. After you feel that you can hold the 8/8 framework in your mind, along with a specific resolution point, start creating your own two-bar phrases which resolve to that point. At first you might want to practice the individual phrases repeatedly, but ultimately you should be able to play a different phrase every two measures with the only common element being the resolution point itself. You can use the following examples as a framework for your playing, filling in around the resolution point in any way you choose. The & of 4 in the Second Bar Visualization Timekeeping Patterns Swung Eighths Straight Eighths Phrases resolving to the & of 4 in the second bar:June 2022 Modern Drummer 73 Framework for playing: The & of 2 in the First Bar Visualization Timekeeping Patterns Swung Eighths Straight Eighths Phrases resolving to the & of 2 in the first bar:Modern Drummer June 2022 74 Framework for playing: The & of 3 in the First Bar Visualization Timekeeping Patterns Swung Eighths Straight Eighths Phrases resolving to the & of 3 in the second bar Framework for playing: Check out Bob’s Modern Drummer profile page and get your copy of Drum Wisdom at moderndrummer.comModern Drummer salutes women in drumming Subscribe today at moderndrummer.com Terri Lyne Carrington , September 1989 Sheila E., July 1991 Nikki Glaspie and Kim Thompson , February 2007 Cindy Blackman-Santana June 2008 Cora Coleman-Dunham July 2009 Susie Ibarra December 2010 Terri Lyne Carrington June 2012 Stella Mozgawa February 2017 Anika Nilles June 2017 Nandi Bushell June 2021 Sheila E. July 2021 Guilliana Merello June 2022 We honor these great drummers that have graced our covers THE WORLD’S #1 DRUM RESOURCE KAREN CARPENTER CLOSE TO HER DRUMS KAROL G’s GIULLIANA MERELLO OLIVIA RODRIGO’S HAYLEY BROWNELL ALEJANDRO SANZ’ HELEN DE LA ROSA SONGWRITER ELISE TROUW AND JORDAN WEST WIKTORIA BIALIC LAUREN ELLIS JUNE 2022 ON REVIEW: LUNA PERCUSSION CANOPUS SNARE AND MORE!Modern Drummer June 2022 76 Double Bass Drumming by Joe Franco T oday, many drummers are playing complex rhythms with their feet that some drummers struggle to play with their hands. The speed of the extreme double bass drumming heard in modern (speed, black, and death) metal bands is astounding. Many younger drummers want to start out by playing along to this music and by playing these furious beats immediately. As I have found with many students, this can be very frustrating, and seem almost impossible. There are many analogies that apply here, putting the cart before the horse, crawling before you can walk, or walking before you can run. Learning the “traditional” way of double bass drumming is essential to developing those extreme double bass drum chops. Amazing double bass drummers such as Joey Jordison, Thomas Lang, and Virgil Donati didn’t invent double bass drum- ming. Double Bass Drumming began in the 1940s with drummers like Louie Bellson and Dave Black. It evolved into what Ginger Baker did in the 1960 with Cream. The next generation of double bass drummers such as Billy Cobham, Narada Michael Walden, Carmine Appice, and Tommy Aldridge inspired drummers like Terry Bozzio, Steve Smith, Simon Phillips, and Alex Van Halen to take double bass playing to a new level. Then came Lars, Vinnie Paul, Mike Portnoy, Dave Lombardo, and “The Rev.” That is a (very) brief history of playing double bass drums. But how about learning to play double bass drums. After Colin Bailey’s Bass Drum Control book, (which was written for single bass drum, but adapted by some for double bass,) and Carmine Appice’s Realistic Double Feet book there was a gap in books that were written about learning how to play with double bass drums. Then along came Joe Franco’s Double Bass Drumming book. This legendary book helped thousands of drummers take their double bass drumming to the next level. It is an important book in the development and learning to play double bass drums. Joe Franco is a musical veteran that has toured and recorded with Jack Bruce, Mariah Carey, Twisted Sister, and many others. His band Good Rats influenced an entire generation of New York rock drummers, and his extensive teaching did the same. This month Modern Drummer is going to introduce a series of sections from Joe’s influential book. Going through Joe’s method of playing called The Single Stroke System will help you build double bass drum beats, fills, and solos. This is a great way to begin your venture into double bass drumming. Joe’s approach (along with some hard work, listening to the double bass drum greats mentioned above, and creativity) might even help you develop the tools necessary to build yourself into a modern double bass drummer like Dave Lombardo, Derek Roddy or Ed Shaughnessy. The Single Stroke System Bass Drum Code: BD1 refers to the main bass drum. BD2 refers to the second bass drum (on the hi hat side.) Throughout these articles BD1 and BD2 are written in a consistent way using a method which will be referred to as The Single Stroke System. This system is based on the single stroke double bass drum roll, led by the main bass drum BD1. For example, here is the 16th note double bass roll, led by BD1. The Single Stroke System is used to break up a rhythmic pattern between two bass drums in the following way: a rhyth- mic pattern is played on BD1 and BD2 as if the notes of the pattern were part of the single stroke double bass roll. The following example introduces and illustrates how this system is used to break up a 16th note pattern between two bass drums:June 2022 Modern Drummer 77 The following example illustrates how this system is used to break up an eighth note triplet pattern between 2 bass drums: Here are a few rhythmic patterns that are broken up between two bass drums by using the Single Stroke System. The patterns on the left are in a 16th note feel and the patterns on the right are in an eighth note triplet feel. The first pattern in each column is the single stroke roll from which the patterns that follow are derived. Practice playing these patterns on the bass drums. Next >