Greetings from Doc MacNab

[docmacnab]

Hi all. I have been fortunate to be exposed to the wonderful world of touch-style playing by my former musical partner and cohort, Dino Haak. After spending two years with Haak and marketing our music and image, a whole new world has opened up to me, not to mention all the possibilities that exist in a duo situation. Playing with Dino taught me that with the right imagination, one can play an instrument like the Megatar, the Stick, Warr Guitar and others in such a way that all the sonic possibilities possible (before) that exist currently with two or more people, an be accomplished with only one person. The available textures possible, also, are wonderful to listen to and a bit less expected in some areas than just a guitar and bass combination.

Being a drummer, I am a little out of place on this forum. But I wish to learn what y'all know about touch-style in the hopes that I may be able to form another duo or band around similar possibilities that I was exposed to with Dino Haak. I also can lend another perspective to this forum, being an instrumentalist of a different ilk who appreciates the sonic palettes that exist with the touch-style instruments.

[PhoBucket]

Hi Doc,

Welcome aboard. We'll just think of you as a tapper with fewer pitches. ;) Could you share some thoughts on how you play differently with a touch-style duo than you would with a guitar/bass/drums trio?

Thanks,
Ben

[docmacnab]

Thanks, Ben. And, excellent question. I'll tell you my secret:

Listening.

Those of you who know him, Dino Haak has a pretty unique style, as I understand it. He uses certain tricks, gear and intuition to achieve the sound he has. So I have to listen very closely to what he does. But I wouldn't play too much differently with others, either. Because, I think that the root or the central issue behind your question/point is (if I may be so bold):

**How would a good drummer play to you (all) in a DUO. A duo.

I must admit, Haak-MacNab has been the only true duo I have been a part of. And I was also a little hesitant at first (having never DONE it before.) But, as we played together, I saw the benefits: First and foremost is DYNAMIC and CHEMISTRY. We agreed on everything or the idea was abandoned. Second, no factions. A definite plus in that area.

But back to the point: I pull out all the jazz lessons I've learned, even though HM is not jazz: making the drums hint at the melody, while supporting the pulse. Being very LOCKED with the bass line too, so that the groove is T-H-I-C-K. In other words, like jazz, I became more of an instrumentalist, even though my parts could be rather simple, yet I provided enough backbeat and groove that the normal listener (read, non-aficionado) could appreciate (at the very least) the SOUND of it, if not the WONDER of it.

I'm sure many of you have encountered this phenomena: how to get the normal listener to get his/her head around what you are doing. Because to the musically illiterate, what they HEARD from Haak did not jive with what they SAW him doing (also read Gary's point about Haak playing a foot keyboard in addition to his Megatar.)

So I also made sure not to clutter up the mix with a bunch of Gavin Harrison/Portnoy-wanna-be drumming too much. And Haak wanted this of me in the beginning: to BE a prog drummer and play all over the place. Well, if you take a listen to our stuff on our Myspace page (/haakmacnabmusic), you'll hear that most of the songs don't warrent that style of drumming. Even the later songs that have not yet been recorded. It needs a smart drummer, who brings taste and an element (visual AND aural) that GROUNDS the audience...during an experience that many have a hard time getting their heads around.

So, in short: Taste, Ego-less Listening, Appropriate writing and placement of parts, and the most important (no matter what instrument):

Serve the needs of the song, not the needs of myself.