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Author: Thom Mills

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Drum Tuning Diary – Day 1.

Day 1.

Started with 1st tom, took off top and bottom skin, cleaned bearing edge and drum, then replaced skins, finger tight each lug first. Bottom skin 1 full turn with drum key, top skin, half turn with drum key, as already know in general bottom skin should be tuned higher than top skin.

I started to hear the notes at each lug, and work out which are higher or lower, however this didn’t last long as then my ears couldn’t differentiate between the notes because of over use. Thats why its important to do small sessions each day, hopefully then it will begin to make sense in my own mind as I carry on with my normal day.

I also recognised that I shouldn’t be scared of tuning, as at the end of the day, it is a piece of wood with 2 skins attached, and that with tuning, it is tuning to how I would like my drums to sound, and therefore cannot really be wrong.

Decided to do another 30 minute session, (maybe gonna do 2, 30 min sessions a day depending on how much time I have) moved onto the floor tom, same procedure. Noticed the note I’m getting is moving up in pitch then down, in a booww sound. This is because no definite note is reached yet, hopefully I can eliminate the pitch bend effect and arrive at 1 definite note per drum.
Anyways not a bad first day, lots and lots of work to do, training those ears!!
Also here is a picture of my nearly finished custom C&C kit in satin flame…
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Drum Tuning Experiment

Hypothesis

Tuning drums is something I have always been a little scared of, so I have decided to do a kind of experiment, where by I practise tuning a drum kit for 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, and see what discoveries I make along the way, and see if this could help others who are in the same boat. I have decided to only do 30 minutes a day as, as far as I know tuning is all about training the ears, and I find after more than 30 minutes my ears are overused, and I cannot hear the different pitches anymore.

So here I will document my progress, and any discoveries I make.

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Sunless 97 Radio 1 Maida Vale Session, Holy Vessels Showcases…

Yesterday I completed my first Radio 1 live session at Maida Vale. We recorded 4 tracks from the Sunless 97 ‘Making Waves’ EP released this week, and they will all be aired on the Huw Stephens show in early January next year. This month has also seen us support the amazing Kwes. and next week our last show of the year with Toro Y Moi at the Garage, 7.12.11.

I have also been working with Brighton band Holy Vessels and recorded an album with them, for release next year. December sees us play two showcase gigs, December 13th @ The Blind Tiger, Brighton, & December 18th @ The Old Queens Head, London.

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Sunless 97 EP Launch, Radio 1 play, New track…

 

Sunless 97 release Making Waves EP on the 21st November and we are playing an EP Launch show ‘Heaven’s Gate 4 Hale-Bopp’ on friday 25th November at a secret location in London Kensal Rise W10 (location will be emailed on ticket purchase) tickets are £6 via http://www.musicglue.com/sunless97

Featuring
Sunless ’97 http://sunless97.tumblr.com/
Palmistry (live) http://soundcloud.com/palmistry

Brey
Kwes
Steamin’ Jack Shankly
Rodaidh McDonald
& Abeano DJs
9pm – 4am

You can Preorder the Making Waves EP here: http://abeano.bigcartel.com/product/sunless-97-making-waves-ep-4-tracks

Also today Fearne Cotton played out Illuminations on radio 1, and you can hear another track from ‘Making Waves’ here:

http://www.abeano.com/sunless-97-wicked-gravity/8480

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Supporting Friendly Fires & Yuck in France

Tomorrow I travel to Caen in France and then onto Paris on Saturday with Mechanical Bride to play Festival Les Inrocks. This French festival takes place across the country in multiple venues, and we will have the pleasure of supporting Friendly Fires at Cargo in Caen (Nov 3rd), and Yuck at Le Boule Noir in Paris (Nov 5th).

More info here:

http://blogs.lesinrocks.com/festival-les-inrocks/

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UK Tour, Philip Selway & C&C Snare Drum

Firstly I have just got back from a week long tour around the UK with Mechanical Bride, we began in Brighton at the Komedia, and took in the sights of London, Oxford, Cardiff, Bath, Cambridge and Cheltenham. The Highlight of the tour would be our support band in Cambridge, Bathing Blonds, check out their music they are a very talented bunch and one to look out for, and the lowlight would be getting stranded in Cambridge due to the van needing a well earned holiday..

http://soundcloud.com/bathingblonds

I also had the huge privilege of meeting Philip Selway from Radiohead at our show in Oxford at the Jericho Tavern, where 20 years ago they were first spotted and signed up. We had a lovely in depth chat, and he remarked on how interesting and accomplished my drumming was, which obviously was a huge compliment from one of my biggest musical influences, Thank you Philip!

Here is the Philip in action with new Radiohead member Clive Dreamer on double drums duty..

Also I my C&C snare drum is finished…

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C&C Psychedelic Yellow Satin Flame Snare Drum

Here is a first glimpse at my C&C Custom drum kit. This is the snare drum, with a yellow satin flame finish, its yet to have the lugs, strainer and rims installed (the metalwork basically on the drum) but gives an idea of the psychedelic wrap.

The rest of the kit will be in a blue satin flame, which is the same flame effect in a very dark blue, almost black, can’t wait to see it!

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Sunless ’97

I am now playing drums for London based band Sunless ’97. They have just announced the release of their Making Waves EP via Abeano music on November 21st 2011, and have recieved rave online blog reviews already! Here’s a few blog links…

Gorilla Vs Bear
http://www.gorillavsbear.net/2011/10/12/mp3-sunless-97-illuminations/

The Recommender
http://therecommender.net/2011/10/13/sunless-97/

Abeano
http://www.abeano.com/sunless-’97-–-making-waves-ep-abeano-announcement/7856

Listen to Illuminations below taken from the EP and live dates starting soon..

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Mechanical Bride UK Tour & European Dates…

KOMEDIA STUDIO BAR

Wednesday 19th October, Brighton
01273 606 312 / Komedia

OLD QUEENS HEAD

Thursday 20th October, London
Old Queens Head

JERICHO TAVERN

Friday 21st October, Oxford
Jericho Tavern 

SWN FESTIVAL – TBC

Sunday 23rd October, Cardiff
SVN Festival 

MOLES

Monday 24th October, Bath
Moles

PORTLAND ARMS

Tuesday 25th October, Cambridge
Greenmind

FROG & FIDDLE

Wednesday 26th October, Cheltenham
seetickets 

LES INROCKS, CARGO

Thursday 3rd November, Caen
FNA Tickets 0892 683 622 (0,34€/min) / int +331 41 57 32 28
Ticketnet 0892 390 100  (0,34€/min) / intl +331 46 91 57 57
Digitick / Alias Production

LES INROCKS, LA BOULE NOIR

Saturday 5th November, Paris
FNA Tickets 0892 683 622 (0,34€/min) / int +33 1 41 57 32 28
Ticketnet 0892 390 100  (0,34€/min) / int +33 1 46 91 57 57
Digitick / Alias Production

CROSSING BORDER FESTIVAL, THE HAGUE

Saturday 19th November, The Hague
Crossing Border Festival

CROSSING BORDER FESTIVAL, ANTWERP

Sunday 20th November, Antwerp
Crossing Border Festival

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Loads-a updates!!

It’s been a busy few weeks, firstly Living with Ants is up for a Schmercury award, best folk album of 2011 up against Fleet Foxes and the such like…

Plus a UK Mechanical Bride tour coming up in October, and european dates in November.

Joined up with London based band Sunless ’97, rehearsing for Live, tours planned.

Recorded an album with Brighton band, Holy Vessels in Oxford with producer Iain Harvie (Del Amitri).

Plus loads of functions and drum lessons, woooo busy is good!

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Live Selector Session, Aired Around The World!

Here is a live selector session I recently did with Mechanical Bride. It was recorded at Red Bull Studios in London, for the British Council and was aired around the world to 29 countries, whilst being played on NME radio in the UK. It features 3 live tracks off the new album ‘Living With Ants’, Colour of Fire, Young Gold and Magpie. Enjoy!

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Vinyl !

My first appearance on vinyl, the brand new single ‘Colour of Fire’ by Mechanical Bride. Listen on my discography page or download for free at www.mechanical-bride.com

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Smoke Fairies / Mechanical Bride UK tour.

I am currently in York with Mechanical Bride halfway through a UK tour supporting the Smoke Fairies. Here is the list of dates we are doing..

May 2011

12 – BRIGHTON – Great Escape Festival (Prince Albert)

14 – CLITHEROE – The Grand At Clitheroe (w/Smoke Fairies)

15 – HEBDEN BRIDGE – The Trades Club (w/Smoke Fairies)

16 – EDINBURGH – Cabaret Voltaire (w/Smoke Fairies)

18 – YORK – The Duchess (w/Smoke Fairies)

20 – LONDON – ULU (w/Smoke Fairies)