Shawn Crowder - Planet X "Quantum Factor" Session

"Quantum Factor" written by Virgil Donati. NEW: Transcription available here: http://bit.ly/dg7Hvk

Ben Levin - Guitar
Jacob Damelin - Keyboards
Mike Ball - Bass
Shawn Crowder - Drums

This session happened in May, at about 3 AM, the morning following my senior recital at Berklee. This was one of the tunes we played for the show and we thought this would be a good way to document the band and the music we'd worked on.

We also recorded a version of Mahavishnu's "Vital Transformation" earlier this week, which you can hear here: http://www.myspace.com/shawncrowdermusic

The drum ostinato in the first section and the during drum solo (3:20) is a five note pattern between the left limbs. 3 hand hits, 2 foot hits. I had actually been working on this pattern before I learned Quantum Factor, but I found that it worked as an alternative to Virgil's left side pattern in this song, which is also based in fives (xooxx oxxoo). To get the backbeat feel of Virgil's ostinato, every other group of 5 is accented. Meanwhile, the right side catches the band hits and improvises fills.

Major thanks to Vince Welch for engineering, mixing, and getting us the studio time; to Jeff Hale and Barry Rigby for their cameras; and to the band for killing it and working hard!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• shawn
• crowder
• quantum
• factor
• studio
• recording
• session
• planet
• virgil
• donati
• mike
• mangini
• marco
• minnemann
• dennis
• chambers
• vinnie
• colaiuta
• brett
• garsed
• allan
• holdsworth
• derek
• sherinian
• rufus
• philpot
• jimmy
• johnson
• ben
• levin
• jacob
• damelin
• ball
• berklee
• ostinato
• polyrhythm
• paradiddle
• groove
• drum
• solo
• rock guitar
• bass

[crunge311]

hey guys, great job. I was curious what time sig. was going on after the 7/8, then 4/4, the it breaks into that 6/8 half time feels like?? m not sure and was really curious. If so what relation to it is off of the quarter note in the 4/4 bar? Also the drum vamp break down where the band is synchronized, whats going on there time sig.?? You guys killed this!

[scrowdrlrr]

@crunge311 It's still in 4/4 at the same tempo, but the groove is nested within a polyrhythm. The band's rhythm--outlined by kick/snare--hits every 5th 16th note. I'm still hearing it in the original tempo and the left foot plays the 'actual' quarter note underneath it all. The drum solo is all in 5/4 (the first hit is on "2"). There's a transcription link in the video description if you want to take a closer look. Thanks!

[Madsound02]

Whats up man where r u guys from?!

[scrowdrlrr]

@Madsound02 All over... Every corner of the US & one from Canada too. We all met in Boston, though.

[FlorianBruening]

Excellent Job and many many thanks for uploading the transcribtion. Could you please explain the 4:5 passage in detail. I have some problems to execute this mathematically correct. Again. Great Job.

[scrowdrlrr]

@FlorianBruening It's based on the band's rhythm. They hit every 5th sixteenth note. I'm mainly focused on hitting this rhythm and playing quarter notes w/the LF. I'm ignoring the sound of the rest of the "in between" notes on the ride bell and instead, relying on physical feeling to play them. This is not the easiest thing, but can be learned with practice. To play it accurately by sound would require subdividing 32nd notes and hitting every 5th of those--possible but not so practical at tempo!

[DSherinian1111]

you guys pussed out on the sick middle section! Tell the keyboard player to quit surfing online and play my parts with some balls. The guitar player sounds good.

[Awaketime]

MORE OF PLANET X!!! NOW

[scrowdrlrr]

@ERPPP no worries...thanks for watchin!

[batraco24]

tssss excelente!!!!

saludos desde mexico.

[ShepOz88]

@jakedam If someone like Derek is giving you advice on how to play HIS parts, maybe listen to that advice rather than wrapping yourself up in cotton wool. How are you supposed to improve if you accept criticism?