Modern Drummer 96 Issue Carter Setup

[steve4134]

I was looking for this and could not find it anywhere. In 96 Carter was on the cover of Modern Drummer and inside they had his full setup. I was wondering if anyone had scans of the magazine and if so I could get a copy. Any help would be appreciated

steve

[timreynolds87]

Here is what I think you are wanting....

[steve4134]

Yes that is what i wanted. Hell if you had the 98 one i would take that too lol Thanks again


steve

[BeaufordBuddy]

Ah, the memories. Here is the interview that accompanied that diagram:



Carter Beauford of The Dave Matthews Band: Next In Line

By William F. Miller

The torch continues to be passed: Gene lit the fire, focusing the attention, then Buddy dominated. Max thoughtfully emerged, then passed it to Tony and Elvin. Billy raised the ante and Steve refined it. Next up was Neil, followed by Vinnie, who went left with it. Dave honed it to a sharp point, and now Dennis is guiding the way.

But who will be the next guy, the player who will capture our imagination? Carter Beauford is a pretty good bet.

Placing Beauford's name (pronounced bo-ford) next on that list really isn't too much of a stretch. Check out his playing with the genre-crossing Dave Matthews Band - creative ideas combined with tremendous technique, over-the-top flailing executed with pinpoint control, all rolled up in the groove of death. It's simply an awesome combination that has drummers smiling as they race to the woodshed.

Carter's landslide victory in the Up & Coming category of this year's MD Readers Poll, along with an avalanche of reader mail demanding an immediate cover story (some letters downright threatening), further demonstrate his dominance. Drummers are loving this guy, and with good reason. Why? Maybe it's because he's expanding the limits of drumming in a pop context. Fusion-type beats, round-house fills, and double pedal being played on multi-million-selling records? How shocking.

The Dave Matthews Band's rise to prominence - and Carter Beauford's - began six years ago in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was a fairly slow climb, as the musicians - Beauford, along with Dave Matthews on vocals and acoustic guitar, Stefan Lessard on bass, Boyd Tinsley on violin, and Leroi Moore on sax - learned how to mix their disparate musical backgrounds together. Rock, pop, bluegrass, R&B, country, and jazz could all be found on these bandmembers' resumes. With Beauford as its fusion/funk foundation, the Matthews Band grew into a solid, style-hopping quintet that eventually wowed audiences on a local level.

In 1993 the band released a live disk called Remember Two Things, and once it began to sell in the thousands regionally, the major labels came knocking. RCA signed the band and put them in the studio with veteran producer Steve Lillywhite at the helm to record Under The Table And Dreaming. That album was released in September of 1994, and on the strength of several singles, including the monster hit "What Would You Say," sold more than three million copies. And apparently quite a few of those three million disks made their way into the hands of drummers, because the Beauford buzz exploded at that point.

As you might expect, Carter Beauford didn't just start playing (he's proud to say he's been at it for nearly thirty years.) Carter actually racked up some decent local credits before joining the Matthews Band. In fact, tremors were coming out of the Richmond, Virginia area ten years ago about some heavy cat who was playing in a fusion band called Secrets. That gig led to other work for Beauford, including a Washington, D.C.-based television show for the BET network led by jazz great Ramsey Lewis. For the four years he did that show, Carter got to play with some top-name performers, including Michel Camilo, Roy Hargrove, and Maceo Parker. Carter kept very busy doing the show and the Matthews Band at the same time, but as the band began to take off, he ended his TV career. Obviously, the right decision.

Now the Matthews Band is on tour in support of Crash, their follow-up record. You'd think they might have tried to duplicate the sales success of Under The Table by coming up with a "What Would You Say, Part 2," but to their credit they didn't. Crash shows the band exploring styles and pushing the limits of pop even further. And Carter Beauford is right in the middle of it all, giving outstanding performances on track after track.

All of this success - both musical and financial - hasn't affected the bandmembers. At a day-long photo shoot in New York City recently, the camaraderie was obvious. No ego problems here, just musicians happy to be making their own music on their own terms. Sitting across from Beauford in an exclusive midtown Manhattan hotel a few hours after the photo shoot, Carter's infectious, Cheshire-cat smile lit up the room. His down-to-earth, affable style reveals a man at ease with himself, although his conversation shows a deep devotion to developing his craft (he doesn't yet realize the impact he's already made on the drumming community.) But it's that warm, genial personality - along with all of those terrific chops - that makes Carter Beauford the next in line.

(WFM = William F. Miller, CB = Carter Beauford)

WFM: I heard your new single on the radio recently and afterwards the DJ raved about it, saying the band had broken new ground. Do you feel that you've broken new ground with Crash?

CB: Definitely, and the reason for it is that the band has this attitude that we never want to play the same song the same way twice. We've done so many shows and we're always changing the tunes. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a problem, because there are some nights when I want to do some things exactly the same. There are those nights when everything is kicking butt, and I'm like, "Man, I want to relive that!" I think that is the key to your question - we're constantly changing things and challenging things, and I think that's what keeps our audiences coming back. People tell us that all the time. It's like, "I like the way you guys did 'Tripping Billies' last night. I've never heard it that way before." As a matter of fact, I've never heard it played that way before either! But I think going for that has helped the band progress.

WFM: Are there specific rudimental exercises that you work on?

CB: I practice my double and triple strokes with each hand, and a few other basic rudimental things, every time I sit down at the kit. But what I do on stage is basically nothing but single strokes, because that's what works best for the types of things I play with the band. Speaking of singles, I'm completely blown away by what Buddy Rich did with the single-stroke thing. How the hell did he make his single-stroke rolls sound like press rolls? Buddy has been a big inspiration to me for that, so you'll hear me do a lot of that type of thing with the band. But when I'm practicing, I always have to go back to the basics - you know, the doubles, triples, paradiddles, and those things. While I play a lot of singles with the band, it's all of the other stuff that puts a certain amount of finesse in your playing. It would be crazy to study single strokes and nothing else.

WFM: On the song "Say Goodbye," from Crash, you play a very tasty single-stroke fill around the kit in the intro of the tune - and you're playing the roll with some type of multi-rod. It's fast, yet it sounds relaxed. I've noticed that you play with a thumbs-up type of gripÑsort of a classic French-grip style. Does that grip help you play fast singles around the kit, like on "Say Goodbye"?

CB: Yeah, it does. I call it an African grip, because the thumbs are up but I'm using a combination of wrist and fingers. To me, it's a power grip. When I'm playing a straight-ahead gig I'll use traditional grip, because I don't need that power or that kind of speed. When I'm playing anything else, though, it's a matched, thumbs-up grip.

WFM: I've seen a lot of guys use that type of grip, but you look very relaxed with it. Your form looks excellent, with your thumbs up and your elbows out slightly, very similar to Cobham's stroke.

CB: Well, I think using a mirror really helped me to improve my form. When you actually watch yourself play you can learn a lot.
WFM: Besides just watching your hands, what types of things have you worked on to get your singles together?

CB: Practicing on a pillow for me is the best thing for singles, and it's something that I've been doing for years. I've also been working on each hand individually, concentrating on each hand by itself. Then when you put the two together, man, you can fly. I've also used the pillow idea to get my bass drum chops together. I have a setup at home where there's a pillow in front of my double pedal. I hit the pillow, but I try to have control of the beaters so they don't sink into the pillow. They just touch the edge of the pillow. I do that because I'm trying to gain control so that when I get on the drums I'll have control of the beaters and not just bury them into the head.

WFM: And you play with your heels up?

CB: Yeah, so it takes a lot of work to really develop control playing that way. I've found that the pillow thing really works, as long as I stay focused on not just burying the beaters into the pillow.

WFM: Another somewhat unique approach you have is leading and playing ride rhythms with your left hand.

CB: I actually switched from the normal way of playing to my left because I found it was much easier for me to play certain things that way. I hated playing with my hands crossed in front of me. I was always having sticking problems, and those just went away when I started leading with my left. I realized after a while that I could play either way, from my right or left side. My mom actually told me that when I was young I would eat dinner with my left hand and she would go, [slap] "Don't do that." As a kid I didn't understand, because it felt natural for me to eat with either hand. But that slap on the wrist never changed anything! I guess I'm naturally ambidextrous.

WFM: But when you switched from right-hand to left-hand lead, did you give up on the right side?

CB: No, not at all. What's happening is, now I have two China cymbals on my right side. They are piggybacked and set up so I can ride on them with my right hand, playing the kind of things you'd hear Billy Cobham play - the upbeat 8ths. So I've used that a lot and it feels just as comfortable.
WFM: Another Carter Beauford trademark - and one that a lot of drummers are talking about - is your rhythmic concepts for the hi-hat. Most drummers will play a repeated figure within a tune, but you vary up the hi-hat rhythms - it's kind of free-form in a way.

CB: I really can't take credit for that because that whole hi-hat thing came from Tony Williams. Tony is not a timekeeper; he plays melodically, theme and variation. He took the whole timekeeper thing and threw it out the window. Drummers are musicians too. We are not just timekeepers. So, with that in mind, I feel I can lay down the groove and still be creative with what I'm playing on the hi-hat, or drop little splash hits into a pattern. I love playing that stuff.


© Copyright 1996 Modern Drummer Magazine. Article is used with permission.

[adamsara0507]

amazing how much his kit has/still does change. thanks a lot for posting this!

[TwoStepN34]

Ah, the memories. Here is the interview that accompanied that diagram:Thanks a ton for posting that, I've never gotten the chance to read that before.

[BeaufordBuddy]

Thanks a ton for posting that, I've never gotten the chance to read that before.

You're welcome. I have a couple other interviews I saved over the years.

[Jayes]

You're welcome. I have a couple other interviews I saved over the years.

lets see em

[BeaufordBuddy]

CyberDrum.com (now defunct site) Interview - 1998

Questions are in bold



Interview by Chris Cornish


The Dave Matthews Band is without question one of the hottest bands on the planet right now. All one need do is take five minutes to scan the web to derive some vague idea as to their overwhelming popularity. They have more rabid fans dedicating web sights to them than any other band. DMB has a fresh sound that combines acoustics instruments with a unique vocal style that is melodic and almost percussive in effect. It would seem that Dave Matthews and Carter Beauford were born to play together, as the band's many fans would agree upon. They often trade licks and double each others parts which adds a tightness and an interesting interactivity between the opposite ends of the band. We were presented with the opportunity to interview Carter in the midst of a hectic and wildly successful world tour. We were thrilled at his accommodating attitude and willingness to speak to all the drummers he is influencing these days.

Carter, let me start this by asking you about a little of the history of the band. How did you guys get together?

About six years. Well actually, over six years. It started out as a three-piece thing with Dave, and LeRoi, our saxophone player working on some of Dave's songs. He only had four songs at the time. And we were working on them trying to develop something out of them. To put them in a position where Dave could get the full view of what his tunes were going to sound like. And it didn't work out with the three of us. We managed to get a few things happenin'… you know... with the songs, but we needed a bass player. That was the bottom line. So, we ended up getting Stephan, who's our bassist now. He was like fifteen or sixteen at the time. We got him… yanked him out of high-school.

How do you guys go about the writing process? Is it all Dave's stuff?

It's a joint effort pretty much. Dave wrote pretty much all the songs in the beginning, but as a group we arranged them. And the songs that are written now come mostly from sound checks, where we just come up with a certain groove and some links and stuff, and we will just put things together that way.

Jamming.

Exactly. The credit to the song writing has to go to all five members of the band.

You guys have been a touring machine this year.

(Laughs) Yeah, we have. That's the truth.

That must be tightening you guys up.

It really has. We were off for four months through April and we were doing different projects. Different things, special things with some of our friends. I myself am working on a solo project. But that won't be out for quite some time. So when we got back on the road, it was like… whoa… it was almost like we never had played together(laughs). It was so strange. It took two to three weeks before it all came back together again. Runnin' like clockwork now.

Is there a lot of interaction between you guys on stage?

Oh yeah. That's one of the things we tried to establish early on in this band was eye contact. And keeping the ears open. You know… listening to everything that was going on. That's probably more important than playing the music and making it sound right. Without the ear training and the eye contact on stage, the music can go several different directions without knowing it.

It can wind up becoming a train wreck. Where are you coming from background wise?

I studied jazz. Well… actually as a kid I didn't study jazz, but my Dad was a jazz trumpeter, so I studied indirectly through him just from listening to him play with his band and hearing him put on the records. Every afternoon when he would come home from rehearsal he would just put on anything he could get his hands on. All the jazz greats from Gussie Smith, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, just to name a few. And I would hear this practically every day. So I really had no choice(laughs) but to listen to jazz. I did really get into the radio scene. The Top Forty stuff back in the early 60's which was like the Beatles of course, the Dave Clark Five, the James Brown thing… James Brown and the Flames, you know. I have to give a lot of credit, probably more credit to James Brown and all the cats who did the funk thing. That's pretty much where I'm coming from, like a jazz-funk kind of thing. I guess you might call it fusion.

Well that's a pretty wide topic, anyway.

I studied when I got older… to know who these people were. To know who the jazz greats were. And to understand them or try to anyway. I started studying people like Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, and Philly Joe Jones. Also Cozy Cole. Cozy Cole was one of the cats I got into at an early age. And of course, Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. In fact, Buddy was one of the first drummers I ever had seen. My Dad took me to see this thing… this Buddy Rich concert. I didn't know what the hell it was about, but I knew that this Buddy Rich was the coolest looking dude. It just blew me away, ya' know? And from that point on I knew that drums were going to be my instrument.

Are you completely ambidextrous?

Yeah, Yeah.

Damn you.

(Laughs) I hate to say that because I never paid it much attention for years, you know? It's like…oh wow… maybe everybody is like that. I didn't pay any heed to it until other drummers would tell me they wish that they could what I do with my left and right hands independently. I just thought that was the case with everyone. So all these drummers are practicing to have their limbs equally balanced, but it comes naturally for me. And it feels weird that I don't have to do that. I started out playing with everything on my right side, my hi-hat, my snare drum.

Totally backwards.

I started out playing drums that way, but I saw other drummers playing and I was like… wait a minute… I'm playing wrong. So I just took everything and switched it over to the other side, 'cause I wanted to be like everyone else. And when I did that, I didn't pay any attention to the fact that I was doing everything with the opposite side of my body, it just didn't phase me. I opened it up because there were just certain things I could do better with it being open. You know what I mean?

Absolutely. Like the interplay between the hi-hat and ride cymbal that you do… I can see how that's a 100% easier with it being closer. You use Yamaha drums. Which series are they?

The Recording Custom series. I may switch to the maple custom because they produce a really nice sound. I've played the maple custom a few times over in Europe when Yamaha would send me a kit over there. I really like their sound. I guess I'm just so used to the ones I play now it's hard to make the switch.

Are you using Zildjian cymbals?

Yeah, all Zildjian. I'm using a mix on the hats. The bottom hat is a Z custom, and the top hat is a Zildjian New Beat. It has a really distinct sound. It gives off more of a chik sound, but it's not a washy chik. For the main ride I'm using a dark K. Sometimes I switch to a brilliant K that I use as well… it depends no how I'm feeling. If I'm in jazz state of mind, I'll use the dark K. It varies. Next I have a Zildjian Zil-Bell. I love that thing. Sometimes I'll ride on that and it gives you nothing but the bell sound. I'll incorporate that with the cowbell and the jamblocks I have. For crashes, the first one to my left is an 18" K… a medium I think. The second one is a Zildjian Z medium thin. I've had that one for a while now.

Those things are loud!

Yeah, yeah. In between there I was using a 8" K splash, but I broke that the other night(laughs)… so I don't know what's there now. But normally it's the 8" K. The second splash I believe is a 10" A splash, and then next to that is a 14" splash. And on top of that is a piggy-back type set-up with a 6" K splash. Above that are the piggy-backed China crash and China trash. The top is a 16" crash, and on the bottom is a 18" trash. The 16" has a brilliant sound, while the bottom crash is weird but cool sounding. It allows me to get three different sounds. I can hit the top and bottom individually, or hit them at the same time. That was an idea my drum tech came up with… and I was like, wow, that's a cool sound. So I started messing with it and it worked for me. It takes practice, of course, but it came with time. It's natural now and I can do it without looking.

What kind of heads are you using?

All Evans. I was using Remos for years, but with the Evans I'm getting a lot less overtones.

Is that the EQ series?

Yeah, right. Without overtones, it allows the natural sound to come through. The mics don't pick up a bunch of nonsense. Not to say that Remo… not knocking Remo, but the Evans are nice.

What about sticks?

I'm using the Pro-mark natural finish 5A's. In fact I have a signature stick out that's the 5A natural, which I really love. They're light, and they don't slip. I got so frustrated for years using coated sticks. I would try using sand paper to wear off the finish on the bottom of the stick…and I thought what a lot of work to use a stick. So they came out with the natural and I use them now. Plus, I like the sound that they have… not too bright like coated sticks are.

How do you feel right now? I mean, the Dave Matthews Band is on top of the scene right now.

I really don't think about it. I mean occasionally we'll hear about it… but we feel the same way we did when we started. We still have so far to go. I'm glad that everyone still has that attitude. Nobody's getting too big for their pants. And that's what I'm really digging' about playin' with these guys.

Touring has got to be hard, but is it work? I mean it's got to be like being on vacation in a way.

Well I don't feel like it's work at all. I'm having so much fun. I've been playin' for 35 years…

Stop it…

(Laughs)… It feels as it did 35 years ago when I was starting out. It's still fascinating and fresh. And if it does go sour it's probably time for me to bow out and do something different. I'd stay in the music industry but maybe not in drums.

Let me throw some names out of your peers and see who your hip to. Dennis Chambers.

Oh my God… Dennis! (Laughter)… He's my man! In fact on the first CD I had to thank Dennis for inspiration and the freshness he gives to all the drummers to come. The guy is incredible, amazing. That means a lot. Personality means so much. I mean, you can see a beautiful girl, but then you meet her and she's such a bitch. Dennis is just so genuine and real.

What about Dave Weckl?

Yeah… Dave as well. One of the kindest people on earth. And chops out of his… you know what!

Steve Gadd?

Oh yeah! Steve is like the fatherly figure. He pretty much laid down the foundation in the '70's with the syncopated high-hat thing and playin' around the beat.

What drummers are you seeing on the scene today that you really dig?

I'm really into Smitty Smith. He's a favorite. I've been checkin' out his stuff for about a year or so. I'm really studying him hard right now 'cause he just blew me away! Holy smoke… he's for real! When I met him on the Jay Leno show, I felt like I had known him for years… like he was my best friend.

How about Vinnie Colaiuta?

(Laughter)…

Don't even want to go there?

(More laughter)… what can you say? The guy's in the hall of fame, and he deserves it! I can't find the words…

That's testament enough. His solo album is great.

I've gotta' get that. I remember the stuff he was doin' with Zappa (laughter)…

He was just makin' people sick…

(Laughter)… this guy will take the 1 and do anything that he wants with it (laughter)… incredible, incredible! He's so in the pocket. The splash things he does… in "Seven Days"… he just does some sweet things! Some of the splash things I do comes from there.

What do you think of the music scene now?

I feel that musicians are starting to be creative again… they're not falling into that 1970's disco thing. Musically I learned absolutely nothing from disco. And then with sampling in the '80's people weren't playing their instruments. It's getting back to [people playing] that way again. Which is important. Playing is an art form, so we need to move towards that again.

Does the lack of technique in grunge bother you?

Yeah… I mean taking nothing away from bands like Nirvana or those cats, but it upsets me that kids putting all their eggs in one basket… not being open to new ideas. This kid came up to me and said I should check out this new cat, Herbie Hancock…

Oh boy…

(Laughter)… I have to play this kid some Herbie Hancock! Kids need to go back to the roots, get back to basics first. I think musicians are starting to come back.

Say I'm a new player. What would your advice be to me?

Go back to the days of old. I'd say that to any musician. Go back at least to the early '70's and hear what like Miles Davis was sayin', and John Coltrane. 'Cause I think Miles made the transition when he did "Bitches Brew", and that kind of thing. Whether you like it or not, you will learn something. Those guys had their own voice on their instruments. Musicians need to develop that.


Article by Chris Cornish.
Editing by Dave Callari and Dave Cabelus

[BeaufordBuddy]

Modern Drummer Interview - September 1998 Issue



Carter Beauford: Revisited

By William F. Miller

As an MD editor, I've found myself in some pretty interesting situations. One particularly memorable moment occurred last summer during the taping of Carter Beauford's DCI video, Under The Table And Drumming. On the first day of taping--scheduled as the performance day--Beauford was cruising, offering up blistering new takes of Matthews tunes. (He was playing along to drum-less album tracks.)

Unfortunately, a few hours into the shoot the production hit a snag: Due to the fact that there was no audible reference point during the odd-length intro of "Say Goodbye," Beauford had no way of telling when the tune segued from the open intro to the verse. Also adding to the confusion was the drummer's wish to play a massive four-bar, 32nd-note, single-stroke fill around the toms, a measure longer than what's on the original recording. (No question, the man has some serious chops.)

It was suggested (I knew I should have kept my mouth shut) that the only way to make this happen was to give Carter a visual cue. Someone was going to have to crouch on the floor in front of the drumkit, just out of the view of cameras, count several measures, and give Beauford the nod. (I was volunteered.)

With the cue sussed out--give the "hi" sign four bars before the fill--the drummer nailed the involved tune on the second take. Yeah. And while it was a trip for me to play a small part in the taping, it was actually downright astounding to witness such talent from three feet away!

It was a Beauford onslaught: incredibly fast hands, left-hand lead, twisted beats, cross-sticking cymbal crashes, and pile-driving double pedal chops--and all emanating from a wrap-around, multi-cymbaled kit. By the end of the take my heart was pumpin' harder than Carter's!

Everybody knows about the Dave Matthews Band. Something like ten million copies sold of their first two RCA releases, Under The Table And Dreaming and Crash. Even last fall's Live At Red Rocks 8.15.95 has been certified platinum. And the new one, Before These Crowded Streets, will undoubtedly go through the roof. There's something about this band--Dave Matthews' odd lyrics and loopy melodies, violinist Boyd Tinsley's muscular sawing, Leroi Moore's phat sax lines, and bassist Stefan Lessard's reliable undertow--that has connected with the masses. But anybody reading this magazine knows the real secret to their success: the simply amazing drumming of Carter Beauford.

WFM: You stayed fairly busy last year making your educational video, doing a six-week tour, and working on the new album. But you were apart from the band for a while. How did that time off affect things?

CB: We were talking about this the other day. We compared the last few years of being in the band to lifting weights. The band worked really hard recording and touring nonstop--like a weight lifter pumping iron. All that time exercising and breaking down the muscle. But we got to a point where we needed time to chill out and rest. The time off last year let all of the muscles heal and grow, and now we're bigger, badder, and stronger.

WFM: That's a nice analogy, but can you be bit more specific?

CB: Sorry, I was getting a bit colorful there! [laughs] The time off let us get our individual thoughts together so that we could come back to the band and introduce what each of us had been working on--new ideas, new concepts. Because of that I think our music has matured, and each of has really improved on our instruments, too. This new record says exactly what I want to be saying right now for us as a band. The first few albums were great, but even at the time I thought they had that garage band sort of vibe to them.

WFM: What do you mean by that?

CB: All of the notes could have been perfect, all of the licks could have been great, but the records somehow don't seem as finished or complete. This record is more developed, more mature. The music speaks; the music says it all. So, yeah, everything has grown in a major way.

WFM: You sound excited about being back.

CB: Oh yeah! Everybody is. We want to get back on the road and see where things go with this new music. The old songs really evolved and got better as we played them over time. I can't imagine what these new tunes are going to be doing a few months from now. But we all feel like it's time to get the muscles burning and the sweat popping and get it happening, you know?

We are also psyched about doing Europe this year. We are going to do some touring there on our own, and we're also going to do some dates with the Rolling Stones. That will be fun. We did two shows with them last winter, and it was great meeting those guys--you know, meeting the masters of rock 'n' roll. Plus the shows were exciting. Charlie Watts is one of my heroes. He's a bad, bad boy.

WFM: He swings, but I'm surprised to hear that he's a big inspiration of yours.

CB: He swings in a major way. When it comes to rock 'n' roll drumming, that's the way it's supposed to feel.

WFM: Talking about how everybody in the DMB has grown as players during the time off, is there anything in particular about your playing that has improved?

CB: What I see in myself now is that I'm listening with more intensity and not trying to immediately follow up on every lick that I hear. For instance, if Leroi plays something on his horn, I try not to crowd him. I used to just jump on so many of the ideas the other guys would play. Now what I'm trying to do is give it some breathing room, keep the music open, and give it some space. It's important to play the spaces. Silence can speak so loudly.

I think you can hear a little bit of that approach from the drums on the new record. I'm coming from more of a simpler approach, going back to the basics and not playing so much over the top of the music. And to me the music sounds so much more complete and satisfying. Of course, there are a couple of tunes where I guess you might say I do my thing. [laughs]

WFM: What do think made you realize that leaving more space and playing in this more controlled way was a good thing?

CB: When I was home during the break I dusted off some CDs and did a lot of listening. A few things caught my ear. It was like, "Man, that's the way I should be approaching this."

One of the groups I got a lot of inspiration from was Tony! Toni! Tone! I think those guys are from Oakland, and they are some bad boys. I ran across their disc again, popped it on, and boom--the cats were really playing some stuff. I don't even know the drummer's name, but he and the bass player just hooked so well together--not a whole lot of flash, just some laid-back, pumpin' pocket stuff, with a few little things here and there that make you burp up some juices. So I took that inspiration and tried to apply it to the Matthews Band.

WFM: Drummers love all of your flash, but the pocket you lay down is so strong. I think it's the combination of the technique and feel that makes your playing so special.

CB: Thanks. I guess that pocket thing comes from my love of all the old James Brown stuff, especially the stuff with Clyde Stubblefield. I was way into Sly & the Family Stone and Stevie Wonder, big time. And then when the soul bands hit I was really into it--the Bar-Kays, Con Funk Shun--they were all about pocket. And what about George Clinton and P-Funk? That's pocket, man. Dennis Chambers was the master at that, plus he could play anything he wanted to over that feel.

Dennis is my man. He actually called me once when we were on the road, and we had a nice chat. We laughed about how much we looked alike--the twin brothers--well, that is, before he shaved his head! But he's been a big inspiration to me. Dennis is definitely the monster in my book.

Basically I grew up on pocket. When it comes to music, that's the bottom-line rule for me. Growing up, the jazz influences were there as well, but don't forget there's a pocket to jazz too. I'm at a point now where I want to get that into our music in the heaviest way possible.

WFM: Watching the band play last Friday, it seemed that everybody was really digging in and centered on the groove. Maybe you're inspiring this.

CB: I hear people say that, but I won't take credit for it. I'm just so happy with the way the band plays together and excited at how we're going to be sounding a couple of weeks into the tour. We really have grown. When the band started out, the time was not great. We've improved so much. Now everything is locking. Maybe I bring the pocket thing to everybody's attention, but these cats have it in them.


© Copyright 1998 Modern Drummer Magazine. Article is used with permission.

[BeaufordBuddy]

Yamaha All Access Interview - Issue Number 5 (Winter 2003)



A candid talk with Dave Matthews Band drummer Carter Beauford

No Holding Back!

It's hard to believe that the spectacular success of the Dave Matthews Band began with a shy conversation.

"I always used to see this ponytail-wearing kid when I'd gig with Secrets, this jazz fusion group I used to play with," recalls DMB drummer Carter Beauford. "We never talked until one day in 1990, when he came up and said he'd always wanted me to play on one of his songs. I heard three or four of his tunes, and I was blown away. It wasn't complex music, but the way he played and sang was so unique, I knew I wanted to be part of it."

And then everything clicked, right?

"No!" laughs Beauford. "The first couple of rehearsals sounded like absolute crap! But after a while we started to develop our chemistry. We began playing our first four or five tunes for free at after-hours parties. People started to dig them and spread the word. Meanwhile we were rehearsing, getting tighter, writing new tunes. It just all came about for us - with a lot of work."

Beauford isn't kidding about the "work" part. The unique bond between the Dave Matthews Band and their audience has everything to do with the group's intensity and conviction in concert, the sense that they are holding nothing back.

The fans' dedication simply mirrors that of the band. Perhaps more than any other drummer in a current mega-platinum band, Beauford has free reign to follow his muse. Never restricted to simple, repetitious patterns, the Charlottesville, Virginia, native gives his Yamaha Recording Custom kit a thorough workout every night. His fire and virtuosity reflect the impact of a defining moment in his life: the Buddy Rich gig he attended at age three.

Beauford, now on tour with his bandmates in support of the group's latest release, Busted Stuff, recently spoke with Joe Testa of Yamaha Drums about that unforgettable night, other influences, and the explosive style they helped shape.

What do you remember about that first Buddy Rich gig?

"First of all, I remember how excited my dad was. I knew there was something special going on. But when the band came out, all I could focus on was Buddy. I barely knew what was going on - I still don't today! - but there was just something special about the way he played and conducted the band. His movements and the sounds that came out of his drums captivated me and inspired me to play drums. After that night I started pounding away on everything, trying to imitate Buddy. I was gluing Popsicle sticks together, beating on everything I could find."

So your folks recognized your enthusiasm right away?

"Absolutely. My dad was a great man. He knew right off the bat that this was something I would stick with, so he went out and got me a kit. The rest is history."

Were there other musicians in your family?

"My dad was a trumpet player. My mom played piano. My brother played bass. Later my younger sister played piano and flute, and then our younger brother took up sax. Everyone played an instrument and sang. There was music in the house all the time, every day."

What kinds of music?

"My dad played jazz, and my mom always played gospel records, like Mahalia Jackson and Shirley Caesar. At some point I broke away into the music kids my age were getting into: the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five, the Monkees. And on the funk side, there was James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone, and then there was the whole Motown thing. I was just trying to take it all in."

There don't seem to be as many innovative and influential styles today as when you were coming up.

"I think that's true, and it's kind of scary. Sometimes it seems like the real music is being pushed aside. It's being cheated. I see more cats getting into the music business trying to become stars. You mention, say, a scale, and they look at you like you're crazy. But there are always a handful of cats out there trying to keep it real. And as long as there are at least a few of them, there will be something real for people to listen to."

At what point did you start studying jazz seriously?

"When I got into high school and college, partly because all my peers were into it. I was studying Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, all the cats. And then came the fusion thing, with Return to Forever and so forth. A lot of the bands I played with in the late-'70s and early-'80s had a lot of fusion to them. Disco and punk rock were happening too, and we had to do all sorts of gigs to make the money. But we still incorporated fusion and jazz elements, even on the strictly moneymaking gigs. Jazz-fusion will always be with me. It will never leave."

What did you take from Tony Williams?

"He totally changed the way I approach tunes. The first time I heard him, he was doing the straight-ahead thing with Miles. But later, when he played in Lifetime, I noticed how he wasn't just keeping time but playing melodically throughout. Tony's playing erased the boring notion of drums just keeping time for everyone else in the group. Any musician should be able to keep time! Drums should be more than just that. I could never play like Tony, but I try to speak melodically the way he did."

Any other crucial influences?

"David Garibaldi from Tower of Power and Clyde Stubblefield from James Brown's band. Their styles are totally different, but they share the idea of laying down a funk thing backed up by hi-hat rhythms and ghost snare notes. They taught me how to play outside the groove and dance a little more. Steve Gadd and Dennis Chambers are two more cats who have mastered that style of playing."

What can young players learn from old-school players like them?

"I use the analogy of baking a cake. You have to learn the basic ingredients. If you don't have those, you'll never have a nice-tasting cake. Never. It doesn't matter what instrument you play - you always have to go back to the influential cats who invented those ingredients. Study them. Critique them. See if you can figure out what made them great. Once you understand that, then you can start to develop your own flavors and spices. But until you get those basic ingredients in your musical cookbook, you will always have a sophomoric sound. You need to learn the recipes the older cats laid down before you can bake something new."

Should every drummer have a firm foundation in the rudiments?

"Well, there are a lot of cats who never use that stuff and are still great, but I still recommend that all musicians learn the fundamentals of their axe. For drummers, that means learning those rudiments. Get your chops happening. Always strive for perfection. It's also important to play as many gigs as possible. Practicing in your basement is good, but that's the only place you'll ever play if you don't learn how to work with other cats. You need to have that hands-on experience in order to make the whole thing work."

You get to cut loose more than a lot of current rock drummers. How do you balance freedom and control?

"It's all about feel. Everything I play is based on what I hear from the other guys and what I feel about what they're playing. Sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes it does. But it's always about feel."

Do the guys ever say, "Dude, chill out?" Do they ever ask you to hold back?

"They never do, but I'm quite hard on myself that way. When I catch myself doing more than is required, I shut it down myself. For example, since I'm so used to playing with a percussionist, when I'm not playing with one, I sometimes try to add those parts, and the result can be overkill. I'm always watching myself."

The story is that your latest album, Busted Stuff, sat on the shelf for a long time.

"We first recorded the music two years ago with producer Steve Lillywhite. Unfortunately, we weren't in the best space as a band to write and record at the time. The energy was a little bloody and ugly. We needed a musical and scenic change, so we decided to take those tunes on tour. They were well received, but there were still traces of bad energy from the studio, so we decided to put the songs away. Don't get me wrong - I always loved the tunes, and I thought they were recorded well. But we didn't want that energy to be released."

Then what happened?

"Then Glenn Ballard came along, and he co-wrote and produced the collection of songs that became Everyday. Meanwhile, someone stole the incomplete Busted Stuff tunes and posted them on the Internet. That ticked us off because they weren't finished. The meal just wasn't cooked, and you don't serve people raw meat unless they ask for it! So we decided to finish those tunes the way they should have been done with Steve Harris producing. And in the end, everything turned out really cool."

What comparisons can you make between the way those three producers work with drums?

"Steve Lillywhite is a great producer with definite opinions about drums. He would move them exhaustingly from room to room, trying to get the sound he heard in his head. The only problem was that it wasn't always the sound I wanted for a particular tune. It was cool that he thought about the drums so much, but he didn't recognize the fact that you sometimes have to follow a drummer's signature sound. With both Steve Lillywhite and Glenn Ballard, it sometimes felt as if the producer was deciding my sound for me. Steve Harris, on the other hand, allowed the drums to sound like my drums. Putting a bunch of effects on your instrument - or any other sound that just isn't you - can be disrespectful to the player and the instrument. Sometimes you have to speak up and say, 'Let's not tamper with this particular sound."

How long have you been playing Yamaha drums?

"I got my first Yamaha kit in 1978 because my hero, Steve Gadd, used them. I still play a black Recording Custom kit because of him. But then I found out why he played Yamaha. Their sound is easy to listen to. They're easy to tune, and they stay in tune. I've played some drums that made me feel half-dead at the end of the night, because the drums have beaten me up, instead of me beating the drums. But when I finish a gig on the Yamaha's, I have a sweet taste in my mouth and energy to spare."

How did you arrive at your particular combination of drum sizes?

"It evolved from the beginning. I really dug the multi-tom kits of drummers like Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, and Lenny White back in the '70s. Melodic toms always seemed fascinating and cool to me. They looked cool, too, though after I matured a bit as a drummer, I realized it was more about the sound than the look."

Do you tune them differently for live and studio work?

"The tuning is pretty close for both, though we try to get the drums to ring a little more in the studio. Back in the '70s, the thing was to muffle your drums to the point where they sounded like cardboard boxes. That's not the style anymore. I guess we try to get as much ring as we can without it being overbearing. We want it to sound as live as possible, but with that studio spice to it."

How can parents encourage their kids in music like your folks encouraged you?

"Introduce the kid to the things you think they may be interested in, but don't push them. Pushing kids into piano or drum lessons can turn them off to music permanently. Let the kid have fun with it! My dad never forced me to do anything. After he saw my eyes sparkling at that Buddy Rich show, he just put a drum kit down in front of me and let me do my thing. He encouraged me, but he let me make my own choices."

Anything you'd like to add?

"Yes. For all you students out there: The thing to do is practice, listen, and check out as much live music as you can. Put yourself in as many live playing situations as possible, in as many styles as possible. That's the best way to grow as a musician - and as a person. Put all those things together, and you have the formula for musical success."


Copyright © 2003 Yamaha Corporation of America.

[alexbunke]

Sweet.

[pgr17]

thanks for these... the comments in the last article about Ballard and Lillywhite are particularly interesting.

[BeaufordBuddy]

http://www.thesedayscontinue.org/showthread.php?p=6291205#post6291205

[TwoStepN34]

Thanks so much for posting those articles, just got a chance to read the rest of them, really cool stuff!