Sting - 'Seven Days' - Drum cover by Alex Warwick
6,023 views 5 years ago
I did this recently at a drum clinic in front of a live audience of ACOUSTIC drummers, using my ekit. Pretty much one of the scariest things I ever did. Two hours of demonstrating my kit and chatting about edrums, and as a finale, I played this incredible track by Sting. I got a spontaneous standing ovation from the entire audience at the end, who literally leapt out of their seats as one at the end - something I will never forget and something I am very proud of (a) as a drummer and (b) as an edrummer playing to acoustic drummers!! I have used an (almost) drumless track, created using XTrax Stems software. So, 90% of the drum sound on this video is me. I left around 10% of the original audible, in order to ensure I did not lose too much of the overall ambience and percussive sounds unrelated to the original drums (the nature of the software is such that you lose more than just the drums if you entirely mute the separated drum track). You will occasionally hear a Vinnie tom hit or splash for example, that I managed not to play (either at all, or out of time......!!) I do not claim that this is a 100% accurate cover. It is quite close - closer than the first time I did this on YouTube, around 5 years ago. There's plenty of errors in this video for the eagle eyed and the geeks and the haters, but for most people, this is close enough. I'm certain I played it more accurately in front of the live audience, which is interesting! Let's say 5 years ago I was 80% accurate. In front of the live audience I reckon I was about 95% accurate. This video is perhaps 90% accurate. Obviously without the Vinnie feel, but at least I tried! Anyway, the point of this video is not to say 'this is how you play it'. This is just my take on an exceptionally challenging drum track. Vinnie Colaiuta is one hell of a beast...... For those that want to know - this is in 5/4 time, but with quarter note hi hat accents in the verse, just to confuse matters. Naturally, Vinnie also adds some accents in groups of 3 too.....! The second verse requires a slight open hi hat every other quarter note accent (so 8 over 5 aaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!). Getting out of the second chorus is hell on earth; the 'middle 8' cymbal bit is wonderful, and then there is THAT outro. What does one say? Vinnie soloing in 5/4 is just terrifying. Some incredible licks he puts in, and it takes a lot of effort (for me at least) to understand what he is doing, then trying to learn it, then trying to learn it well enough to play it live or record a YouTube video........ !!!! I'm mighty proud that I played this to an audience of drummers - acoustic drummers at that, using my ekit. They loved the kit, they loved the sounds, and much to my amazement, they loved my performance. That's pretty special for me :)
Jouxplan trying very hard to play along with Phil, Chester and occasionally Bill.
Drumming along to Hendrix, Grace Jones, Dire Straits, Talking Heads, Charlie Daniels, Rush, Derek & the Domino's, Shola Amar, Steve Gadd, Toto, Phil Collins, Sting etc etc.... Also some Lessons. And a few solo's. Er, and also some of my own band, Cornerstone.
Roughly, my 16 personal 'top 15' uploaded videos :-)