From: rreed@mtwire.es.com (Rob Reed)
Subject: Re: Pipe Band drummers????
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp.
	<1992Nov16.131114.1390@dct.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 00:49:04 GMT

Hi,

Kirk Potter provided comments to my response to his initial post.  I
now respond to his comments.


I wrote:

>> The local "lead" drummer thinks Alex Duthart was God.  I wouldn't
>> know.  I never heard him play.  He wrote a couple of "settings" for
>> our group, and I think they are well written.

Kirk responded:

> Duthert was God.....!!!

I respond:

I won't argue the point because for me the jury is still out.  I do
admit I'm favorably impressed with one of his books I just picked up:
"The Alex Duthart Book of Pipe Band Snare Drum Compositions, Book 1" A
lot of good exercises.  I'll start into the compositions soon.

Do you have information on his other books, and can you recommend
recordings of his work and his drum corps?


I wrote:

>> So far it's kind of fun, but we're much too sloppy for my tastes.  I'm
>> used to drum and bugle corpse drumming.

Kirk responded:

> Pipe-band drumming is much more difficult!!!!!

I respond:

Again I can't argue the point yet since I have very little exposure to
pipe band drumming.  As I mentioned, the best recording I've got is
"The Intercontenental Drummers Fanfare".  It features drummers who I
guess are the best in the world in that style.

I do admit the more I listen to these drummers the more I appreciate
what they are playing, but it still leaves me saying "Yea, what's
next?  Is that it?"  To me their playing is almost boring compared to
some of the solos I've heard played by Drum and Bugle Corps Snare
drummers.  (I also admit that my exposure to D&B Corpse snare drummers
is limited to what I remember hearing 20 years ago.  For three years I
played along side a snare drummer who at age 17 took 3rd in the
"world" at a DCI drum corps solo competition.  Andrew Scullion, Paul
Turner, J. Reid Maxwell, and John Keogh have nothing on him.)


I wrote:

>> Can you recommend some really hot pipe band drumming recordings?  The
>> only one I've got is "The Intercontinental Drummers Fanfare",
>> featuring: Andrew Scullion, Paul Turner, J. Reid Maxwell, John Keogh,
>> and the World Champion Drum Corps of the Boghall and Bathgate
>> Caledonia Pipe Band.  It's okay, but I wonder if there's something better.
>> I'm amazed that these world class drummers can't play a smooth sustained
>> closed roll.


Kirk responded:

>Your last comment confuses me slightly......B & B Drum Corps are the best in
>the world as you say....and you can't get any better!!!!!

I respond:

Huh?  Did I say that?  Until I hear more pipe band drumming the jury
remains out.  However, I do not hesitate to say that "The World
Champion Drum Corps of the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band"
is sloppy, slow and less versitle than some of the drum and bugle
corps drum sections that played this past season, at least on the
recording that I have.


Kirk wrote:

>What do you see as a smooth and sustained roll????

My response:

The longest duration closed/buzz roll I heard on the recording by any
of the individual players was less than 2 seconds, and it was
"choppy", as if the players had their sticks glued to them.  What I
mean by "smooth and sustained" would be where you cannot discern
"pulses" - you can't tell when the next stick attacks the drum.  I'm
talking "smooth as glass".  I'm talking orchestral snare drumming
sound.  Granted, orchestral snare drums arn't the same, but I still
expect world class pipe band side drummers to be without lumps.


Perhaps we should continue our discussion and broaden the
participation by moving to the drum corps news group?  I'm sure they'd
have some opinions!  (I'm not saying their right, but at least there
would be some drummers there with experience in both worlds.)

Thanks for your response.


Rob Reed