Steve Smith_great solo artist. Not typical cocky stuff...

Well worth the time to hear it all the way through. Not your typical through-in-the-kitchen-sink kind of stuff. Just pure artistry. Always loved and respect his playing and as an exceptionally accomplished musician he is.

Rac

Steve is a master technician. He has seemingly worked out
technical approaches to everything he does behind the kit. He
knows precisely what he wants to do, when and how he wants
to do it. All that has been worked out in advance from a technical
point of view.

That being said, there are times at least from my ears that it sounds
like that... A bit more technical than musical. This is NOT the case
most of the time but it is a trait I have notice when listening to Steve.

I also have a bit of an issue with his choice of tuning. his rack toms
sound like roto toms to me and I wish they projected more though they
are quite resonant which is an attribute I love in a set of drums. The
projection issue could be the sticks he uses, head types, tuning or a
combination of the three. Or....... Maybe he was simply going for a
more jazzy sound which in the case of this clip, worked!

I love watching him play. The way he manipulates his limbs to get
what he wants out of each drum. I probably enjoy this more than
just listening to what he does in many cases.

I believe Steve is the master of his era. He has put in the time, tremendous time to learn the instrument and hone the craft, and constantly develop it. Always clean and articulate (though I have seen him better at both than here), and always controlled. He reminds me of Roy Burns, another master if his era on the instrument. I believe his control is so solid it can sometimes overshadow the aspect of improvisation on the instrument.

I don't know as Steve is an innovator, but he has taken everything out there and made it his own, and given it his own voice. If there is anything about the instrument he does not know, I'd be surprised.

I have never really liked the sound of his drum sets. I like the tuning here. The dots are going to mute and that's what he wanted, but in some ways his Sonors always seem muted to me. Dense and heavy sounding. Could just be mic choices, and in this case the kick sound and balance w/ the kit was lacking to my ears. I'm just not a fan of cardboard-boxy sounding bass drums.

Sometimes I wish Steve had more Vinnie or Virgil in him; that "go for it" and bust out attitude. But nobody will ever become more accomplished at the instrument.

One of the better solos from Steve,
in my opinion. I feel like I grew up
with him. I always did like him. Then,
he went way-technical on me and at
first, I thought it awkward but then,
he was searching and there is nothing
wrong with that.

I think he's come around and is starting
to embrace things more from the earth.
I think he's a great player and note
his ride-technique, which has been
getting better and better and better.

Coolness, Steve!

I believe his control is so solid it can sometimes overshadow the aspect of improvisation on the instrument.

I agree 100% with this, Asaph.

in some ways his Sonors always seem muted to me. Dense and heavy sounding.

We differ here but that's okay. To me, post Journey, his drums seemed to have taken on a thin
sound. I'd love to hear a bit more density and heaviness from his kit.

in this case the kick sound and balance w/ the kit was lacking to my ears. I'm just not a fan of cardboard-boxy sounding bass drums.

Me and 18" bass drums just don't get along. I have no use for them.

Always clean and articulate (though I have seen him better at both than here)

Again, agreed... I have seen Steve many times and though this solo was nicely done,
I've heard and seen him do better considerably.

one of the true greats. the more i check him out the more he amazes me. i was never all that into him but the man has such knowledge of rudiments and groove. Really knows how to pull off odd times too, totally musical.
yeah never liked those black dots much. Steve is just an awesome player. this seemed totally off the cuff after that mallet composition he just cut loose and played different things. i actually didn't watch i just listened. he is great

I know most of you dislike the old dotted Remo heads but I think Steve was displaying a taste for the great Tony Williams who played dots and his using them demonstrates that tribute even it was just the intro segment of his solo. It's those flam/triplets highly noted in Tony's playing streaming down, then back up the toms. However, I preferred Tony's more aggressive application to those flams in a more thunderous way. He also talks highly of Tony in a review back in his developing days. There are only a few breed of drummers that can actually work those dotted heads well, because they can be difficult to play. And those drummers that play them well one being Tony and now in a lighter fashion, Steve Smith....and of course as we know the old dots are simply one's personal and distinctive taste. I seem to like'em.

rac

i actually didn't watch i just listened.

Too bad... Steve has a physical/techinal approach
like no other druumer I've seen. No doubt he can
play. But like Asaph said, I feel his technical abilities
tend to overshadow his artistic impression at times.
Steve can sound somewhat mechanical now and then.

But I must say I notice this mainly when he's by himself.
I remember seeing him at the San Jose Jazz festival a
number of years back with his band Vital Information and
he was simply SLAMMING!

But like Asaph said, I feel his technical abilities
tend to overshadow his artistic impression at times.
D
______________________________________________

The pursuit of adaptation

Thank you for your opinion here. First, we need to ask ourselves how do we measure what really is being an artist as it applies to the drum kit or as a musician? His performances with Vial Source or Burning for Buddy, clearly demonstrates Steve's ability to control, or harness if I may, his proficiency as an exceptionally well accomplished drummer/musician who is exceptionally as well...adaptive. The video we've witnessed is simply that....his technique, creativity to that technique, and voicing as it all streamlines towards associating to his personal style. Whether we hear it in a technically bias aspect is not the issue here but rather how diverse, not just in genre of music but more importantly his controllability to harness what he knows powerfully morphed into, as in your observation,...Vitalsource. So can we see the approaches here; a video demonstrating technique coupled with creativity (staged by Vic Firth) and playing aggressively within the framework of Vitalsource. I don't think as drummers here that are accustomed to the art of drumming, can outright deny the fact that there is an innate element within the confines of the technical that sets Steve Smith apart as that special breed of musical genius.

You see folks, this is the very stuff I've been raving about which also included Lenny White of which I believe some here unfortunately could or would not come to grips with. Personally, I think some of us were too stuck in the most predictable response which was the age thing.....I don't think I'm being subjective in my opinion here...never was. After being part of this great forum for the past 9 years or so (thank you Pete), I believe the majority of the deepest chambers of our hearts is that you (me) do know what I've been referring to over the years.

And finally, I think as musicians if we develop in raising the level of how we view things that are geared towards "hearing" what these drummers are trying to tell us we benefit from it. By doing this it may serve us well not just in playing a kit but in the quality of life in general as we process to adapt to any given environment as the pages to the chapters of our lives moves forward.

Shalom,

Rac

Hey, rac,

Who wrote this for you, John Sussewell? I could
barely comprehend a statement I read.

Also, the band is called Vital Information, not "Vital
Source." Sounds like a vitamin and nutritional
supplement company.

Hey, my articulate brother, It's all a matter of opinion and
personal preferences. When I hear Steve play, what I assess
from it is how it strikes ME, On a personal level. You went so
deep with this one that I honestly missed the point you're
trying to make. But the flip side to that is it really doesn't
matter. I hear what I hear and that's just how it is. Likewise
the same can be said for you. It's the beautiful thing about
being individuals.

As to Lenny, It ain't what it used to be. The "age thing" is a
reality that will get us all one day if first the Lord don't come
and the creek don't rise. And for some it will and has come
sooner than others.

If you're having issues "coming to grips" with that then that's
for you and you alone to deal with.

As always, I enjoyed Steve's work in this clip.

I believe I understand where Rac is coming from, but also Don. The proof is in Rac's admiration of Lenny White. I love Lenny, but his work does not hit my soul like Billy, or others from that era or this. Just the way the language is spoken by each drummer. The same with music itself. When some of my favorite drummers move from one musical situation that really moves me to another that does not, their drumming takes on a different aspect and sometimes lower appreciation level for me. It really is a personal thing. How many out there think Neal Peart is the beginning and end of drumming? Some believe no one can ever surpass Buddy's technique and command of the instrument, or his driving a band. Some will stone you if you make a derogatory comment about Travis Barker. Some believe Bonham is the beginning and end of drumming. On and on it goes, and always will. It's a personal thing. It's a language.

It's probably correct that Steve chose dots and opened with flams Tony made famous in his own inimitable way. Definitely a nod to Tony. Great respect there. But yeah, when Tony put his big sticks to those dots and flammed away with that power, big difference ... for me. Which is why Steve chose soft mallets to open with and play that rudiment. A nod to Steve's ability to make something his own.

I like what rac is saying. Are you hearing what the artist is intending to communicate? What do you get from this? When i listen to music i am listening for the actual rhythms, knowledge of music and creativity and innovation. It's the end product. When i watched steve his trad grip was disturbing to me to watch. i had to just listen then i could absorb the sound and not be mired in looking or critiquing. i just wanted to hear what it was Steve had to say musically and he said some interesting things, exciting things, some comforting things etc.. "art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable" anyway i have recently been very impressed with his vast knowledge and ability to transmit it easily. yeah he may border on the almost too slick side but that's better than the other side of that coin. he's got it! he gets it!

Smith: Interesting Swing

I love Lenny White! He's done some amazing playing within
and outside of RTF... Astral Pirates, Venusian Summer Big City,
Streamlined and even 29 with the pop hit he did called "Peanut
Butter." Lenny in my ooinion is also a fantastic writer and arranger.
The writing and producing he did featuring Chaka Khan was second
to none! And don't get me started on Azteca or the Griffith Park
Concert Series. Jaw dropping!

But I'm a realist, always have been and I cannot and will not be biased
simply because I have a personal affection for someone and their talent.
Lenny White today does NOT play with the fire and intensity he did back
in the day and the RTF reunion tours just plain sounded watered down to
me... And not just from Lenny but between Stanley and Chick as well.

That attack and bite just wasn't there. The notes, and tempos were all
on cue but the music lacked the spirit and power it once had. Keep in
mind that I'm not the only one saying this! Everyone I asked that went
to the shows said: "Oh they were good." BUT no one, I repeat, NO ONE
said that the shows were amazing or outstanding. Only that they were
good. Even Ted said this... There were no big raves about that tour at all,
nothing beyond the fact that it was enjoyable.

Getting back to Lenny.... Whatever the reason, his shoulder, his age, his
attiitude. The old Lenny and the old music he and the rest of the band was
to represent just wasn't there. Is that bad? For Rac and some others,
apparently not! For me, it wasn't happening.

I was a big fan of the Electric Band in the late 80's, early 90's. I saw them
live on several occassions and was simply floored by their technical and
musical prowess, individually and as a band alike. Then I saw their reunion
tour circa 06, 07 and almost fell asleep during the show. Very disappointing.
I'm not gonna sit here and tell you the latter show was great just because I
liked the band and like what they USED to do! If they sucked, they sucked....
Plain and simple.

I think what you're missing from me, Kenny is everything you said about
Steve Smith, I agree with. Now, I don't like the way the dot's attributed
to his work and there are times I feel the technical aspect of a given
presentation of his sometimes takes presidence over artistic expression.
To me, Steve sometimes plays in such a way that you can hear that he's
worked it out. Personally the approach doesn't rub me on my best side,
but that doesn't make it wrong or bad it just happens to be something
that doesn't appeal to me all that much. In a nutshell, I love Steve's work
I think he's a KILLER player.

Aren't we all different and
looking at things from those
places? That is cool. That is
the way it was made.

Every drummer has something
to bring to the table. If we are
fortunate enough, we'll be able
to appreciate those things.

There was a time that I did not
appreciate everything that was
being brought to the table by
drummers like: John Bonham,
Jack Dejohnette, Sonny Payne,
Gene Krupa, Lenny White,
Keith Moon, Bernard Purdie,
Ndugu, Steve Smith and I
can go on and on...

As I have gotten older and
not just musically, I have come
to see things differently.

There is something in everything.
It is not that what I see is not
impressive. It is that I am not
seeing that which is. I am
not drawing out enough good
and value. I need to (always)
draw out more good and value.

Back to Steve: I remember him
back in the school days and he
was a different player. I loved
what he was doing then. His
journey continued(s). All of
our journeys continue. Look
at his grip and how it's really
changed. Look how deep his
trad is. You all know how hard
it is to get around the kit doing
those singles matched, much
less trad. He's fine.

I love Lenny. He deserves his
own thread but all these guys
are great. They deserve our
applause. We are lucky to
have them, all.




Regards,

Agreed, Pete,

One thing that I have discovered is I can
appreciate something about a certain thing
that someone did or does without actually liking
the particular thing that was done or that it was
done for.

for instance, the speed rock thing is something that
just turns me off, Yet, I think the feats these drummers
perform to play that is incredible and mind blowing and I
can certainly appriciate what it must have taken to be
able to execute those patterns at those head spinning
speeds.

To this day, I do not and never have liked Gene krupa's
style of drumming. But I recognize and appreciate what
he brought to the drumming community.

I fully recognize that me not liking something doesn't mean
it's not good or wrong. It simply means that I don't like it...
That's all, nothing more.

This may have been helpful to have shared this video on Igor's post "Don't forget to practice" but being that Steve Smith is the one that's instructing, I thought it most appropriate here, on my post.

To clarify;
This is Steve Smith's disciplines of how to practice and should not be taken as the only way to practice. But being it's Steve's experiential views, I see it as valuable pieces of information that are productive and constructive for good solid use of time when we do practice. Although I don't have that time as much, but I will apply some of it to thought during my time when I do practice.

Anyway...here's Steve on practice. Hope some of you find it valuable and helpful as I did.

It's ironic that I was just watching this video 2 days ago. It makes perfect sense. Steve is a true Master, and an inspiration.

Sound ideas.

His drums sound nice, too.

Yes, his drums sound is very nice here. A lot better than with those dots.