Virgil's Drumming on Ataraxia

[kirk]

To any other drummer out there. Virgil is laying down some sick stuff all through out the album polyrythymically. But on Ataraxia there are some similarities where he sets up the main section employing his left Hi-hat with his foot and his right with his hand.While at the same time accenting the left with his hand and displacing the beat with his bass drum.This is somewhat similar though different to what he does on a few songs from his solo CD Stretch. Ataraxia is much more articulate though. Does any drummer out there have any other ideas about the pattern he is laying down. Would enjoy any useful insights. This Guy (Virgil) makes my head hurt trying to figure out his insanity.

Best Regards Kirk

[maggimus]

THE WAY I HEAR IT,HE'S PLAYING AN OSTINATO W/HIS FEET ON THE HI-HAT AND THE BASS DRUM(FOLLOWING THE BASS LINE SOMEWHAT) AND THAT CONTINUES THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE SONG (NOT IN THE CHORUS THOUGH).. JUST LISTEN WHEN HE STARTS HIS EXTRAORDINARY SOLO ON THIS TRACK!! AWESOME STUFF VIRG!!! :eek:

[kirk]

I hear what your saying Maggimus. I keep hearing a secondary hi-hat accenting over what he his doing with his feet on the bass drum and left hi-hat. The whole pattern is so articulate, the clarity is wonderful and the pocket is so deep, AWESOME STUFF! thanks for your insight.

Best regards Kirk

[Mauricio]

Kirk, I agree with you - the way Virgil plays in Ataraxia reminds me of "Just Fishing". To my ears,
Ataraxia starts in 7/8, with the left foot playing the pattern you guys refer to. When the "B" part (verses) starts, his right hand goes to the secondary hi-hat, playing quarter notes over the 7/8. The right hi-hat(right hand) plays downbeats on one measure and upbeats on the next, and so on. The left foot keeps playing the same 7/8 pattern from the "A" part.
Kirk, what´s the time signature on the "C" part - the "pre-chorus" ???

[Corin Grieves]

The way I hear it Virgil is playing a kind of transposed double paradiddle between the kick and hihat pedals:
Hihat Pedal, Kick Pedal, Snare, Ride:


He is also playing ghost snare and hihat strokes which I can't quite make out... feel free to update me smile.gif

During the "verses" he reverts to a quarter note hihat pattern on the fixed hihat which he retains across the seven of each bar (hihat is offbeat on every other bar- quite characteristic Donati! )

Hihat Pedal, Kick Pedal, Snare, Hihat:

With the stereo separation this creates a nice back and forth sweep effect between the pedal hihat and fixed hihat..

With practice, none of this is particularly difficult to play if you concentrate hard, but to have come up with this in the first place is the real genius. Add the fact that Virgil probably simply sat down and played it off the cuff makes it extra impressive. And the icing on the cake is when he retains the kick/hihat pattern while caning the kit with complete independance during the solo section - pretty fantastic.

As a drummer, my favourite thing about Donati's playing is how he makes a pattern challenging and rhythmically complex, yet always seems to supply the groove on a plate for those listeners who aren't interested in the technicalities. Excellent.

EDIT: Sorry about the code bit, only way I could get the beats to line up!

[ December 18, 2002: Message edited by: Corin Grieves ]</p>

[jemmy]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Corin Grieves:
With the stereo separation this creates a nice back and forth sweep effect between the pedal hihat and fixed hihat..
<hr></blockquote>

This is also very nice in a live situation. smile.gif

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>
As a drummer, my favourite thing about Donati's playing is how he makes a pattern challenging and rhythmically complex, yet always seems to supply the groove on a plate for those listeners who aren't interested in the technicalities. Excellent.
<hr></blockquote>

Indeed, when listening (and watching) Donati you automatically pay much more attention to the drums parts, while with something like DT the drums mainly seem to provide a rythmical backing/justification to the thing happening in the foreground (namely harmonies and melodies), but is not always interesting in itself.

I wonder whether Planet X actually has all of their stuff written down/properly notated. If that is the case, I'd like to have all the parts. tongue.gif

[frank]

Hey Kirk.
You said that the hi-hat stuff Virgil does on Ataraxia is somewhat similar to some of his Stretch material... Well I guess you are talking about Just Fishing and Just Fishing (Take Two).. But the only similarity I hear is that virgil uses two hihats, and that's it.. the patern that he does there (on Stretch) with his two hi-hats is the same trick as he does on Pyramids on Mars! The only differences are that on PoM his right hand goes twice as much as on Just Fishing, and on PoM he plays with his (right)bassdrum what he plays with his foot on the left hi-hat on Just Fishing....
I don't know if anyone still understands but I find this pretty interesting!! smile.gif
Anyway this hasn't got anything to do with Ataraxia anymore so I'll just shut up... ;)

[moefunk]

Right - so does anybody have any ideas on the lines that Tony plays on Ataraxia? smile.gif
Is it me, or am I just the only guitarplayer who ever checks out the messageboard? smile.gif
And by the way: Jemmy, Groningen?! Ik ook (zie beneden)!!!

[jemmy]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by moefunk:
Right - so does anybody have any ideas on the lines that Tony plays on Ataraxia? smile.gif
Is it me, or am I just the only guitarplayer who ever checks out the messageboard? smile.gif
And by the way: Jemmy, Groningen?! Ik ook (zie beneden)!!!<hr></blockquote>

Yes, (when) are there going to be Planet X-scores, i.e. all parts: keyboards, guitar and drums?

Moefunk: you've actually seen me perform smile.gif

[frank]

I think Jemmy is the guitarist of my band.. bastard!! ;)

[jemmy]

And I think frank is the drummer of my band...bastard! :D

[moefunk]

Aha...well, if you guys are in the same band, then who are we to judge your opinion of eachother...? :D
Also, if that's the case, then yes, Jemmy, I have indeed seen you perform...!

[DavidPartay]

If I was in a prog band, and they wanted to play a PX song, I would cry :( stupid inability to play complicated odd-time independance rhythms tongue.gif

[rhett875]

I have written it down (attaraxia) in sheet music form (without the fills), I just dont know how to get it to ya

[frank]

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