Eli - Drums

“To do the undone and create the uncreated, assuming a more active
drumming role as opposed to becoming trapped in the common and
boring, to learn every possibility and style to further my drum education
and knowledge of possibilities. These have been my main goals as a
working drummer, with aspirations to create more.”

In over seventeen years of drumming I have developed a unique active
style of drumming, active drumming as opposed to just sitting in the back
playing a basic more commonly known beats that are easily forgotten,
simultaneously ensuring not to overstep boundaries and showing
respect for other qualities or musicians within music.

I have assumed the role as a drummer in many bands over the years,
and also as a studio musician, which I still love to do when given the
opportunity. I have recorded several original pieces, and one entire ten
song album which only took three days to do the drum tracking and
vocals, I also took a major part in mastering and producing the album. I
have been gigging since the age twelve and love performing for an
audience. I began self taught learning mostly classic rock, moving into
newer rock years later and even Jazz, Blues, and various other
selections.

Though primarily self taught I utilize tools such as Thomas Lang, Neil
Peart, and other drumming DVD’s, drumming literature, and many years
of practice. Currently I am learning more about foot patterns and multi-
pedal orchestration. Moving into incorporating some electronic pads and
triggers into my drum set up and style in the near future.

I believe as a drummer it is important to learn the most possible about
your craft and instrument and also about other instruments to
understand the feel and possibilities often overlooked. As a drummer it
to easy to over power or even miss dramatic changes within the other
sounds and aspects of music you’re drumming to whether it be a free
style jam, or a song created and composed by a band that will be
recorded. I have taken this theory and through a slow process have
begun to learn guitar, bass, and the keyboard to begin my further
understanding of other instruments I frequently drum along with.

Also I began taking on the task to sing several years ago, while playing
the drums, it requires more practice to synchronize the both, but when
done properly can add amazing new levels to the music I create. With a
family well taught in vocal range, I grew up in choir, and with a mother,
grandfather, and aunt very evolved in vocal talents. I also grew a
passion with screaming/growling/yelling vocal ranges as well, after years
of practice I finally became comfortable with the sound I began
producing/manipulating in this type of singing/screaming, and began
applying it towards my music.

I played in Blues and Classic rock style bars at a young age which
required me to listen to those I played with this helped me develop skills
to ad-lib, or free style live or during the song writing processes. I have
developed patterns to go from an assaulting double bass, to a nice deep
jungle beat, into a complex jazz pattern.

"Everything I find myself engaged in whether musically, artistically,
creatively, or in general life I am driven by primarily music, weather it be
my current surroundings, worldly events, or events in my past I can draw
pieces of my life to draw me into creating or being something better, I
never go into creating half ass."

My personal writing processes which after many years I still consider
amateur are difficult to explain and understand, my main point when
writing especially scripting is that I have reached the end result I was
hoping for or better. Often I struggle with finding the proper words to
explain the important areas I wish to either accentuate, make a subtle
(inside) joke, or a suggested underlying theme, causing me to write,
rewrite, and write some more.