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From: 17drums
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  • EXELENTE

  • @MrMandracananda Thank you!

  • I hear you...!!!

  • great playing! What cymbals are those with the round black markings? thanks.

  • @kennywowie Thank you! I use all Paiste cymbals, (mostly 2002 series). Those round black markings are just foam muting dots I put on to speed the decay of the crashes and prevent build-up on the ride, (for recording and practicing--they keep the neighbors at bay!) I've recently removed them though, to get the full cymbal sounds.

  • @17drums Awesome! Playing Lenny every bit as good as Lenny himself! Who are your other influences? Rich Belson DeJonette? I'm curious. Although I am predominately a blues/rock bassist I am heavily influenced by Stanley, and in my younger faster days played a lot of jazz/fusion. I was playing this when evry1 else was listening to Bad Co and Lynard Skynard. I was able to steer a few curious folks in this direction, but others thought I was crazy. They just didn't understand

    BTW nice set!

  • @4to88strings Thanks! My 4 biggest influences were Rich, Bruford, Cobham and Palmer. Yeah, me too! I was playing this stuff when everyone I knew was playing 'Stairway to Heaven'. (And not even playing THAT very well!) Definitely an acquired taste for most. Planning on posting any bass videos soon? Would love to see them--especially of Clarke! Thanks for watching.

  • @17drums Your "Stairway" comment mad me laugh! You're right though. I had a limited number of friends that liked "weird shit" as they called it. Yes, King Crimson, ELP, Beck, Zappa, Weather Report, RTF, Mahavishnu. Don't get me wrong, I listened to and played Mowtown, Rock, Blues and even some good country music, but progressive and fuzion was much more challenging to the playing and to the mind. (You mentioned Cobham, I saw him at a free concert at Electric Ballroom in Dallas in 70's {:>)

  • you rock my friend ...hope to have you here for drumsfriends...take care.  I have this great album for so long in my collection...a master piece...Thanx a lot Dan

  • @dhoudedrums Thanks, Dan! This is my favorite RTF album.

  • This was mind-blowing .... That´s the kind of fusion I love. Awesome playing and be aware, that i will definetely get back to your offer of a collaboration with you!

  • @rushyeskansas Thanks! (On BOTH accounts!)

  • I love that album. Great job.

  • @Hansesc2 Thanks! Your own playing is far superior to most on YouTube. Planning on doing any covers?

  • @17drums - I'll leave that to the professionals. It's sort of a constant source of frustration to never play to the level I would like to. If you haven't already seen the 10 year old kid named Ryuga it's worth taking a look. I saw one post of the kid playing with a caption "We're all fu&%ed". I think that sums it up pretty well.

  • You rock 17 drums!!! That's the truth. Pity the 3 people who didn't like. They dont have the ability to recognize greatness when they are in its presence.

  • @lorioftheforest Thank you Lori! What a great compliment!

  • Sick

  • Hey, man! You sho' know your way 'round that kit. Love to jam with you one day! Keep up the good work.

  • i find watching you play frustrating as well as inspiring,after taking a 30yr break two marriages two homes,(lost one) 4 kids and I just made 55, now it is my turn, been add it for three yrs now i have three goals ,enter the guiltar center drum off,form a band ,show my skills or the lack there of on youtube, can i get some tips,on practicing. love u brother,keep on keepin ON....

  • @takesixful Thanks! I'll send you a private message, (unlimited by 'characters remaining'.)

  • @takesixful You showed of done that in the Psychedelic Funky 70s man now it's not hip!! How did you get 2 divorces in the first place that's crazy as hell?

  • TESÃO!

  • right on brudda...fantastic work.

  • @judestv Thanks!

  • In all of youtube...this is my favorite site. I love your work. I was going to ask you if you were offered any oppurtunities from any of the musicians who produced the music you play for us. I personally am pulling for you. I will continue to check in for when you finally do make the "Bigtime." Good luck,  G.

  • @sinbadthekat Wow. I think that's the greatest compliment I've ever been paid! Thank you so much!!! I haven't received any offers yet, but my videos don't get too many views either. The stuff I do is outdated. The only video that has quite a bit, is the Mozart. And that's only because I get alot of vadrum crossovers. He also did that Rondo. (I did it first!). But his fans are devoted and usually trash my work anyway! So what's better, more views but trash, or less views and compliments?

  • Dave,

    What city are you in?

    Dwjhal

  • @DWJHAL New York. You?

  • @17drums Detroit. Thought maybe we could jam if we lived in the same city. I play bass and from a bass player's perspective it would be a blast to jam with you.

  • @DWJHAL Rats! Well, thanks for the vote of confidence anyway. Do you plan on posting any bass videos of yourself? Since you're watching this RTF video, does that mean that your playing was influenced by Stanley Clarke? That would be awesome to watch!

  • Dave,

    Awesome playing! Where are you playing?

    Dwjhal

    isismusic@comcast.net

  • @DWJHAL Thanks! This video was shot in my studio room, if that's what you mean. Other than that, I'm not playing OUT anywhere--yet. I'm preparing to retire and THEN change careers into a musical one. These videos are basically a resume of what I do, so other musicians can see what they would be getting, and then they can either call or pass, based on an informed decision so as not to waste either of our time. Thanks for watching!

  • This is what RTF needed, the dual drum attack! Awesome playing. :)

  • @placidian Thanks!

  • The slight phasing between you and White sounds freaking savage. It's like an entire army is playing. Fucking primal.

  • @Roboctopus Thanks!

  • @JacqueShredo Thanks!

  • I've read most of the comments and there's not much more I could add. Except; SUB-fuckin-SCRIBED!!!

    Btw, a vid of "...the Jester and the Tyrant" wouldn't bore any of us I'm sure.

    Cheers!

  • 01:20 - 01:36 an especially hard set of changes but you pulled it off. nice!

  • DDDDAAAAAMMMNNNNN!!!!!!!!! WWWWOOOOOOOSSSSSSAAAAAAAA!!!!! Brotha you nailed that piece stroke for freakin stroke! I used to play, sadly its a been awhile. Auditioned for Spyro Gyra, Rick James, performed with some really good musicians in upstate NY. My english teacher introduced me to fusion jazz in hs and ive been a serious fan ever since. Man you nailed that piece stroke for stroke THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME !!! hats off to ya YEEAAAHHH that was badass

  • @wanshei Wow! What can I say but....THANKS!!!! Even made your Facebook page? That's REALLY a compliment! Hope it inspired you to get back into playing! Great auditions. Hope to start playing out soon myself, upon retirement. Would LOVE to get an audition with anyone half as good as your auditions!

  • @17drums yessir you certainly did (fb page) - that was a really incredibly accurate and downright funky piece of work you did there. Ever seen VaDrum here? He did a piece on the theme to Mario Bros. yes the video game. His technical skill is also outstanding.

  • Comment removed

  • Thats pretty much spot on. I'm a huge fan of RTF and this song, you nailed it man!

  • @Breakbeatz2591980 Thanks! That's just what I seek, the critical evaluations from the people who really know the music. Means so much more than a casual observer's applause!

  • @17drums My pleasure.

  • @17drums shit man i posted that on my facebook page - stroke for stroke that was right on! Truly outstanding!

  • A cover of "song to the pharoah kings" would be awsome on drums.

  • yeah I love playing the duel on piano also but over all ALL the songs are Great beyond is a great song to play to also mentioning romantic warrior. Jazz fusion is the Best form of music ever.

  • o yeah the love playing The duel of Tyrant and jester on drums and Beyond the seventh Galaxy also.

  • @entertheoneg Thanks! Me too. But Tyrant and Jester is even better for guitar and bass players to cover, since there's so much back-n-forth soloing (dueling). Originally, I was going to do 'Vulcan Worlds' but found it a bit too long. (I don't like to bore people with 10 minute videos.) I thought that this was also a good drumming piece with some decent fills, so I did this one instead.

  • I congratulate you – you are what I dreamed of being when I was a kid!

  • @rloomis3 I'm what you dreamed of being when you were a kid? Fat and bald? Just kidding! That has to be the finest compliment I've ever received! Thank you so much!

  • Great Job man

  • @entertheoneg Thanks! It really is great music, and fun to play to. Never a dull drumming moment with this band!

  • Hell Yes Brother! Love the take and love the kit. Right On and Do it To It!

  • Unbealivable! Superb ... I love Return to Forever music and this is how I needed - Someone who's playing their songs (I am not so good guitar player to be able play RTF songs). Perfect!

  • Thank you so much!

  • You deserve every praiseworthy comment you receive for this work. I hope you can find some other cats to create new sounds based on your obvious love of fusion. I learned Zapa's "Apostrophe" lp & Jethro Tull's "A" back in the '70s. It was a lot of fun to jam along to those tunes, but I couldn't find anyone else who wanted to play at that level. It can be lonely. I hope you keep looking. And playing.

  • Thank you very much! Yeah, I'm about to retire and start looking for others to play with. Hope I don't run into the same problem I had in the 70's--moving a ton of equipment to play with self-described "great" musicians, who then started playing a cheesy version of 'Stairway to Heaven'! And that's all they knew! That's why I think YT is great. People can check me out to see if I fit their band, and I can check them out and eliminate wasteful auditions. Good 2-way street! Good luck to you also!

  • Thats you having fun? Whats you being serious?

    God Damn. :O

  • im diggin the snare, is it a pearl carbonply?

  • Thanks! I'm not sure what model it is, but it's a Pearl marching snare.

  • Superb!

  • Thanks!

  • perfect cover, Bro- you deff got the chops!!

  • Thanks.

  • Spot on!.. Wow am I glad I kept your site...

    If I may make a request would you mind doing Mahavishnu's Intermounting Flame.

    Once again...thanks for posting your talent.

  • Thanks! I real hesitant about posting any more covers since WMG has been real tough lately. (And I don't have the CD!) But if Billy Cobham drummed on it, then it's worth buying and checking out.

  • I'm a guitarist and all I can say is "Bro, you sure nailed that!" Great work!

  • Wow, thanks!

  • Great Job, you really got it down, Lenny White would be proud of you man! This brings back a lot of memories, I got into RTF from Al Dimeola, I had a friend who worked at CBS in NYC I believe 52nd St. I got to listen in on Al D's session fron the lobby of the studio this was around 1979. My friend and I sat for hours listening to Al D record, it changed my life. The sound was incredible, when the elevator doors opened, the sound just enveloped me, It was an epiphany man, what a sound Al has.

  • Thanks! Yeah, DiMeola's one of my favorite guitarists too!

  • NICE JOB BRO KEEP IT UP

  • Thanks!

  • My father played this record often and it remains a favorite of mine to this day as an adult. you did an AWESOME job playing with this!

  • Thanks! Glad it brought back some fond memories for you. (I guess my age is showing!)

  • i sorta told mine too though lol! I was born in the late 70's and my father's musical tastes were as avant garde as his fashion sense and he was rocking Return to forever, herbie hancock , weather report & stanley clarke (among other artists) in the house from then all through the 80s. i was the only kid listening to this kind of music among my friends and they laughed at me but i didnt care! its nice to see other fans of this stuff though even if its later in life for me ^_^

  • Nc Drumming man :p From Behind vieu you look like Vinie Paul :p!!! 5 stars !!

  • Thanks!

  • AWEHEWAHEWAHEWAHEAW this is insane!!!!!! I'm A Bassist, but i must admit... I would Like To Play Like This SomeDay ! XD

    5 stars!

  • Thanks!!!!!

  • Hi, the "pollo" is a argentinian drumer, called Claudio Debiassi, my friend.

    He plays King Crimson music very well...(as Bill Bruford...more or less..!!)

    Excelent video!!!!

  • Ok, thanks for the REAL translation! (And for the compliment!)

  • Este batero es el famoso Pollo de Barracas??

  • Huh?

    Internet translation: This drummer is the famous Chicken shacks? (Barracks?)

    No comprendo.

  • Yes, mi mother buy a new digital camera, this can rec good video and can post it.

  • My video is very old, i was practice a lot, and the quality is very bad, a great video is coming soon. Sorry for mi inglish.

  • Su Ingles es mas bueno que mi Espanol! (Your English is much better than my Spanish!) Let me know when you post your new video.

  • I want a drummer like you to mi band... i from argentina jajaja a bit impossible.

    Great job!

  • Thanks! Yeah, practicing would be tough. LOTS of travel time! Great guitar work on your video!

  • very very good.

    I'll like to see you do some Billy Cobham stuff

  • Very well done! You nailed all the chops. Lenny White plays a lot of notes; well placed notes I might add. Did you trascribe this yourself, or was the chart already written? No lessons for you, just self-taught? I am not a prodigy, I have to work hard to get where I am at now in my playing. I would love to be able to pull this off. Beats 4/4, no pun intented. Excellent job, you're an inspiration. I have a lot of practicing to do....Thanks for the post.

  • Thanks! I just picked it out by ear. I had never taken a lesson until this summer, when I decided to learn finally how to read. But I'm still a beginner in that area. The rest is just from practicing, and practicing, and practicing--Just like everyone else I guess, (except the prodigies!) Good luck in your development and let me know if you post some work. I'd love to check it out.

  • UR INSANE! dude. great job! u do use double kick rite??

  • Thanks! I do have double bass drums, but this song was single kick only, (as written).

  • very pro :) good job

  • Great job on a difficult song....but I gotta say, left-handed drummers always freak me out. But, it's God's gift to ya...Rock On!!!!

  • Thanks! The funny thing is that I'm right-handed. But since I'm self-taught, I never knew how to set up the kit. So I just imagined keyboards and fretboards, that descend to the left.

  • You're kidding...that is wild!! In fact, when I first watched your video, I had to think about it twice, cause at times, you looked like you were playing right handed....but yet your drums did descend to the left. It was confusing..but cool !! Did you have a chance to check out my channel?

  • Just got a chance. Great videos! I left a bunch of comments. Keep 'em coming, (since I just subscribed!) One word of caution though, YouTube has an annoying tendency of late, to pull down videos because of alleged copyright infringements. So be warned that if you spend alot of time on a cover, it could all be for naught. I've only done 6 covers, and 2 were already yanked, (Karn Evil 9 by ELP, and Octavarium by Dream Theater) A 3rd one, the Mozart, was allowed to stay, but only with their ad.

  • great job

  • Thanks!

  • YVW..!

    Keep smackin those skins!

    Keep well, Andy

  • Dave,

    Chick just called...Lenny has the flu..

    Can you sit in for a few nights??

  • I've been listening to this piece since the album came out, you have done a fine job. The only difference in your rendition is that Lenny, at the part of the piece which is your video at 1:22, is a shade more deliberate with his pace and a tad slower with that roll. Almost identical.

  • Thanks. I don't know. I could be slightly off. Since you've been listening to this for a long time, I'll bow to your superior knowledge of the piece. I only recently learned it (prior to posting) so I'd have a jazz/fusion entry for my video resume. And there are other slight "irregularities" in my version too that I do know of. So you're probably right. Good ear.

  • he missed a lot and he knows this...check out 2:44-2:46 this guy is probably one of the top 10 drummers on the planet! or at least reading this post. humbly yours...

  • Amazing, I've been watchin your videos...all inspire me. Thanks Bro. Keep it up!

  • That is a crazy set my friend

  • C'est crissement parfait comme performance! J'essaye de la faire en ce moment, mais je l'ai pas autant que toi!

    Continue!

  • Merci, mon ami!

  • 5 more stars for this performance!!!

  • Tight!

  • Dude need to be in a RTF tribute band..........as a fellow drummer, much respect and awe......great playing no doubt........

  • Wow! That's a great compliment on many levels. Thanks so much!

  • Dave, I don't know how I missed this one! It's excellent! Five more stars! I always love to watch left handed drummers!

  • intresting kit, first video iv seen, some great playin, wonderfull snare... double bass??

  • Thanks! The snare is a Pearl marching snare that I added legs to using Fibes hardware to match my set. And I do have double bass, but this song didn't call for it. Lenny White played a single bass drum.

  • nice idea about the snare.

    ah just wondering

    i actually stumbeled scross this by accident, ive never heard the song, or anything lenny white has done, ive only heard of him, i must check out some more of your cover,

    nice going =)

  • Dave - I just got a chance to sit down and check out a few of your vids - Especially this one - Holy crap - I really enjoyed this one. There is so much in this song - I got to tell you - I really enjoyed it. Keep rockin *****

  • Bravo!! This is my favourite RtF album,and your job at the seat of lenny is really fantastic!!

  • Thanks! Maybe I could fill his seat for this song, but never his shoes. He was a great pioneer in the jazz fusion field, and his contributions will outlast us all!

  • Damn it!!! You're good. This is not easy stuff to play

  • Thanks! I tried to stick to tougher material for my covers. (WMG pulled down my ELP video!) I figure it's more fun to watch (and play) than doing boring songs with simple beats.

  • great stuff...and really interesting setup!

  • Damn, Lennny White couldn't have done better. Good job!

  • Thanks. That's a great compliment since I was just copying him!

  • what a great performance...its awesome to see people still into this type of music, i hope your skills take you far

  • Thanks so much! Yeah, I too hope this type of music makes a big comeback.

  • awsome performance for an awsome song!

  • Awsome comment! Thanks.

  • Hey d !You are a f#*Ken nut!I must have missed this 1 when i checked you page.GREAT JOB.You should be arrested for killing those drums!LOL.love

    return to forever.

  • Thanks, Jeff!

  • You're an incredibly balanced drummer; thanks for the great video!

  • Thanks! Glad you were able to enjoy it before they yank it down, (for alleged copyright infringement) as they've already done to some of my other cover videos.

  • Copy this and use it in the descriptions of all your videos from now on and you should be fine... Trust me I don't want your covers to get taken down I love them! Yeah RtF!

    THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION,COMPARISON,AND CRITICISM ONLY.

    NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED

  • Thanks. I'll keep this here so I can refer back to it if I decide to do anymore covers! Have you tried this yet with WMG material? Seems to me, from what I've heard from others, they are extremely intolerant.

  • I actually love al di miola :P

    please tell me you own the album vovoid? dosnt actually say vovoid anywhere on the real cover though I dont think

  • Sorry. I've never even heard of that album. Is that an Al Dimeola project? I love his work too.

  • serious skill

  • Awesome, truely is

  • Thanks!

  • A la altura del original. Excelente!

  • Dave, i don't know how i missed you doing this one. RTF is one of my favorite bands. Lenny white is such an amazing drummer, and you keep up with him. you have tallent!

  • Thanks, Mike!

  • First time I have ever seen someone keep up with Lenny! Would like to here your drums mic'd and processed with out background track. Solo for us.

    Will be watching

  • Thanks! Actually I do have a warm-up solo and a regular short solo posted, but they were both recorded using the camera's mic only. My 'Tribute' solo is mic'd and processed, but it's just me copying other drummer's playing, and not my material or feel.

  • i can finally play this song (not perfectly though) this vid was very helpful! i can also play vulcan worlds, that track has a sweet beat. but this track is just...incendiary. it's definetely one of lenny white's most powerful performances on a RTF album

  • GREAT! So glad I was able to help in a small way. I just oredered the "Where Have I Known You Before" CD with 'Vulcan Worlds' on it. I think I'll post that next summer, if I get the time. That was always one of my favorites. You should too!

  • love it! whaqt happened at 2:28?

  • I don't know. What happened? Seems fine to me. Please elaborate. You got me curious. Thanks!

  • i'm probably wrong...but are you hitting the snare while lenny is hitting a tom?

    listen...you are phenomal...and i listen to you play...and love it...but my "ear" was trained on this album...and maybe i am missing something...but while you hold the simple with your left...you hit the snare with your right...but i hear a tom....don't change it...it is a GREAT video....i had to watch it more then 10 times before i realized what it might be....

  • Thanks! Actually, right after that little roll, I drop out altogether and don't play anything there for those last 2 strokes. Unlike the earlier similar break at 2:03, where Lenny plays those 3 individual strokes on the snare and tom, this time he drops out on the last 2. At least that's how it sounded to me, and how I played it. I could be wrong. If so, good ear! I thought you were gonna mark the part at 2:43 where I missed a snare stroke, and at 3:50 where I added a crash! Oops.

  • That was it. Initially I heard the missed snare at 2:45, and as I was trying to find it I stopped at 2:28...just lazy I guess....this is the best drumming out there when it comes to RTF...post more if'n you can.

  • Thanks, Shoan. I was originally gonna do 'Vulcan Worlds' but couldn't find the album! Guess I'll have to buy the CD. I'll let you know if I post it, since you're quite the RTF aficionado, and I can expect good honest criticism on it from you.

  • @shoans I know it's been 2 years since your comments on this, but I now have a new computer and with the headphones on, I realized that you were right all along. I did miss those 2 tom strokes. I can hear LW playing them clearly now, (while I just sit there!) Just wanted to let you know you were right. Good ear. But as you said, your ear was trained on this album.

  • this song is just impossible, how did you manage to learn it? with all those time changes and the extra hard fills

  • Repetition. Just listening to it over and over, and practicing it. The best part about videotaping is that you can listen to it afterwards and identify your own errors or parts you missed, and then correct for it. Taping is a GREAT tool for learning parts. When you're PLAYING it, sometimes you get too immersed in the part to be really objective. But when you stand back and actually WATCH your performance, you can be much more critical. That's what I do. Definately helps. Thanks for watching.

  • Excellent druming this is tech and skill, practice combo.Young drumers practice, practice!Dave good job!

  • Thanks! That's it in a nutshell...practice, practice, practice!

  • Fantastic job!!! Only a top-notch drummer can play this material, and this guy fits the bill. Kudos!!!

  • Great

  • hey, wicked groovin drumming dave. thanks for your comment on my vids. peace! keep on rockin!

    Brandon Hopkins

  • Dave, this is absolutely mind blowing. I think I am going to try a larger guage stick. I used 3B's at one time, but, they are not good on heads or cymbals, even though I am not a hard hitter, so, have always been leary of using the bigger guage. This is just unbelievable what you have done here. So many interchanges to learn, and so forth. Incredible!!!!!!

  • Awesome!!

  • amazing. what size sticks are those, they look like 2bs lol

  • 2B's are toothpicks compared to these! I used Quantum 7000's.