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Another drummer here and generally agree with your point about grip/fulcrum. When I first saw the Shibuya Line Cube live videos, I found Akane's grip a little unusual at times. She certainly didn't lack any power or precision but at times she moved the fulcrum point pretty far up the stick, lightly gripping the stick with her index finger and thumb with a very light touch from the ring finger and pinky. She seemed to be exploiting the balance point to get the stick to rock fore/aft. There's always discussion about where the ideal fulcrum is, not just strictly for power, but also for rebound/balance/speed. Now, after watching a lot more live footage of her, she actually doesn't do that much or it's not nearly as pronounced. I'm curious about why/when she employs that technique. She claims to have very small hands and, although I don't know her stick specs other than they're Wincent 5B, they appear to be pretty long. And, yes, that's a Ludwig Black Beauty snare. That's her go-to. She bought another Ludwig snare In LA on the '22 US Tour and started using it immediately.

@Glen.Black.

8 ай бұрын

My comments are not in any way disputing anything you said. Just making additional points. I'm not a drummer, but if I remember correctly when Akane did the awesome drum solo in "Freedom" she seemed like she used several different drips including one that she seemed to have her hands almost midpoint on the sticks. I have heard some of the Japanese female drummers say they intentionally hold the sticks at the very ends to get more power for certain hits. They all hit amazingly hard considering that most of them are really so tiny in comparison to western male drummers, yet frequently hit as hard or harder. They seem to know exactly when to change grips for what they are doing in the moment. YOYOKA, known for her insane dynamics, is very aware of every single nuance she uses, not only grips, but in the angle that she hits with, including intentionally striking the rim on most of her hits. I'm sure the other great Japanese female drummers are all doing the same.

@ApexRadius

8 ай бұрын

​@@Glen.Black. Yup, for sure. Just pointing out that it's an unusual technique. (Warning: this will get a little long. I'm sorry.) There isn't one totally definitive drumming school of thought. There are different base grips, for example, traditional, French grip, and the one she and most rock drummers use, matched grip. Yeah, you can alter them to achieve different things. I'm just curious about why/when she chokes up so far. It's not for power, though; she's shortening the lever. There must be another reason, like I've only guessed at above. She's a music school grad so it could be something she picked up there that we're just not familiar with. I noticed it most in the "Freedom" solo, too. The vast majority of the time, she doesn't do it. Normally, her left hand is very slightly choked up compared to her right but that's not unusual to me. Her left is closer to the snare drum and I think she uses longer sticks. She's got plenty of leverage. Incidentally, people love that "Freedom" solo and it's perfect in that context but she can play that in her sleep. She does way more technically challenging and impressive things in many of their songs. And she does a lot of skilled, nuanced things that might not be recognized easily by non-drummers or non-musicians.

@Glen.Black.

8 ай бұрын

@@ApexRadius My comments are all a little long. Agree with all that. Akane just basically does whatever she needs to in the moment to get the sound she wants to achieve. She already knows every grip and what sound she will get when she uses it. Her body is on auto pilot and her brains is 6 beats down the road, programming her body what to do next, then executes it without thought in the moment becasue the thought process has been completed long before she gets there. That's why they make it look so easy. For them it is and they don't realize that what they are doing is nearly impossible for some of us. Their ability to achieve perfect dynamics just comes natural. They've put in the practice for sure, but most of us could practice the same song for 10 years and not be able to achieve what these girls are doing. A musician's thinking of this caliber is thinking things we never even dream of. There are several examples from various interviews YOYOKA has done that I can recall that gives you insight into their thinking process, which is unlike normal mortals. When asked how she keeps track of what everyone in the band is doing, she responds "I just imagine that I'm in a drone and looking down on everyone." When asked what she's thinking about when she's playing, she responds, "Sometimes I'm thinking about what's for dinner." I was talking to YOYOKA once, and during the conversation she asked "What are some of my nicknames?. I fired off 4-5, one being, "The Human Metronome". Her response was "Oh, yeah, my timing is not very good." She literally has no clue how good she is, and thinks that anyone could do what she does, when in reality there are only a few dozen people on the planet who can play at her level (Akane of course being one of them). I imagine that what we think is perfect timing, in her mind is more like she is able to realize that her timing is a few micro seconds off, and she need to work on it. It's like her ear is like that of a dog or other animal that can hear sounds that no other human can hear....lol

@powbobs

5 ай бұрын

@@ApexRadius I think the Freedom solo is so popular is because, well, it is an excellent melodic solo in perfect time with the song. But also, it was her first real solo on an MV and it therefore got a lot of attention from drummers and non-drummers alike. As far as the choking up thing, she, like most Japanese drummers, does use longer sticks. But, she’s also pretty tall at about 5’6”, so she already has pretty good leverage on her side. She’s definitely got power to spare. I’m a 6’2” jazz drummer and I don’t think I can hit harder than her.

Yes, I do believe that is a Black Beauty snare. With their DVD/B-Ray for Tokyo Garden Theater show, there was a 2nd disc recapping their 2022 US Tour. It showed a part where Akane was shopping at a drum shop in L.A. where I believe she bought that snare.

Enjoy your insights. Don't let the negative people drag you down.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for the kind words and support :) I hope you have a great Monday.

From Japan　Thank you for loving BAND-MAID and Akane's drum performance. Your concerns about madder sticks are probably correct. And I think you were just saying that out of concern for Akane. However, I think many people felt that the person they loved was belittled. That tends to happen in one-way conversations online. Akane never loses her energy and power from beginning to end during all of her 2-hour, 23-song live tours. BAND-MAID changes the set list every time and practices even more. They are a band that loves and values their members very much. If something goes wrong, I think everyone will have backup. And even now, all members feel that their playing can still improve and that there are challenges they need to overcome.

Great drumming reaction as usual. I appreciate you going more in depth on the fulcrum point of holding the sticks. I didn't notice her switching sticks mid song. From what I can tell, it looked purposeful. She threw it away. I'm thinking the wood started splitting (which I'm sure she could feel), She knew where the breakdown was coming, so made a conscience decision to switch at that time. It's called professionalism on the highest scale. No panic at all. I love her playing style. Don't let the negativity interfere with your analysis.

Yes, Akane uses a 5x14 Ludwig Black Beauty snare with tube lugs.

"maybe some sweat" (about Akane dropping her stick) - you're perfectly right, it was a VERY hot day. And do I even have to say you're perfectly right about physics too? 😉

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

It did look like a rather warm one. 😃

@billb.5183

9 ай бұрын

It was around 90 degrees I think.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

@@billb.5183 shit that’s steamy eh 😳 She did well to not loose more sticks in that sauna of a day.

@bandmaidfanATL

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, the Maids don't play outdoors too much. They are geared for indoors. For more "equipment frustrations," you should check out Kanami's headgear battle from Aftershock 2022. 🤣🤣🤣

The funny thing about it is that these people throwing shade and hate at you probably can't play the drums at all.

I am glad you recognized “trolls” were seeking to provoke you. They wish you to respond to their provocations in an insulting manner to discredit you. These individuals have a concerted effort to steer your comments away from professional content.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

That has to be one of the best ways it has been and can be phrased! Thank you so much for such polite and nice way in describing how they operate. Have a great week mate, be well.

@frankandre4385

9 ай бұрын

So VERY true...trolls are not interested in genuine dialogue...only in " putting sugar in your gas tank " or a laxative in your ice cream ! 💩

Hate the guy who was directing the camera work in this so much. Hear the bass just absolutely slaying? Cut to camera 2 Bob!!! Oh, is that a guitar solo I hear? Camera 3 time! Yeesh. Ahem. Anywho. Love this song. My second favorite off that particular album. (First being "I'll") They put in WORK in this one.

Google and KZread are the reasons why we have so many music "experts" and "gurus."

@DRUMNERD

4 ай бұрын

and keyboard warriors.

I did feel that your comments in the last video would stir up some controversy among a few of our more overzealous fellow Madiacs, and I’m glad that you elaborated on your point in this video. As an intermediate (at best) self-taught guitarist who’s had to limit his playing over the last 15-20 years due to pain/nerve issues in fingers/wrists, mostly stemming from wrong techniques, I understand where you’re coming from. I don’t know if it’s common knowledge, but Ms. Akane had to remedy her sitting drumming posture sometime in 2015-16 as it was causing her back pain. Please continue your good work , and I’m sure most of my fellow Madiacs would love to hear more from you regarding our favorite band!

Love watching knowlegable musicians break down songs. Thanks for this.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly for this mate, do appreciate the words. Be well.

People were not arguing whether the grip you describe is producing enough force and flexibility to play properly or not, they were arguing that Akane would not be able to play at her level if she was actually holding the stick like that ;)

Akane spent much of covid videoing herself to improve her technique. She succeeded.

Nice reaction and the lyrics were written by Saiki and refer to the husband of her friend LISA (a very famous singer), who was caught cheating and she was understandable angry and wrote these lyrics. Also, when they performed the temperature was around 95F-100F (38C) so Akane's sticks might have been getting slippery.

@howardbrown911

8 ай бұрын

Point very well taken since the humidity is also a factor to consider too!

Of course you are 100% correct, sir! 🤣 apparently physics isn’t the strong suit of your competing internet drum “experts”

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Hahaha, no it clearly isn’t a strong suit of theirs at all. Hopefully now they’ll see the wood through the trees and understand my comment wasn’t to disparage her. Be well.

You’re also correct about Akane’s Black Beauty. She has the best Tama kit made, and now she’s got that snare. A-chan has the best equipment, but not much of it compared to other rock drummers. Could you possibly elaborate on how she gets so much out of such a little kit?

@ApexRadius

9 ай бұрын

It's never really about the size of the kit. It's about her brain and limbs. You can play the same notes on a 5-piece kit as you can on a 16-piece kit. It's just that larger kits will give you wider range of colors to play with but that's not always a good thing. You could argue that a larger kit affords more configuration options that can make certain patterns more playable, but it's not a big factor. It would be fun to see her add another rack tom and a couple of more effects cymbals but she doesn't need them, really. She's a really creative and well-rounded drummer.

@frankandre4385

9 ай бұрын

​@@ApexRadiusI'm not a drummer, but that's one of the most coherent explanations I've heard in a while. Studying Akane has given me far more insight into drumming than I could have hoped for . Her joy in playing is so very infectious . You can not help but watch , listen, and want to emulate her example ! I'm just a moody vocalist... Akane is a true ambassador of her craft !

I am getting properly educated in these comments about drumming technique (as a bassist/guitarist/violinist it’s all foreign to me). Thanks for your informed commentary. It’s why I’m here. (And yes, ignoring and doing what you do best is probably a good course, although I’m relishing the informed debate!) Stay safe, Colin, and more power to your arm (and wrists).

I don't know if she had at Lollapalooza, but for their TGT performance, Akane added an X-hat and an 8" splash to her kit. I didn't see the X-hat at Houston, but I did see the splash, however after Rockville, I didn't see the splash on her kit. And from a few behind the scenes photos, Akane now has 2 Ludwig Black Beauty's, at least 1 Pearl, 1 Gretsch, 2 Tama, 1 Sonor, and 1 Sakae snares. I know one of the Tama snares was converted to a trigger unit that worked with her Roland Trigger pad. There were a few other snares on the shelf behind her, but I couldn't see the badges on them.

It's all goods i also notice how high Akane hold her sticks Band Maid is a humble band

Don't let the trolls get to you. Ignoring them is the best way to go. Your videos show us normies that don't know much the instruments insightful info which I appreciate. Keep doing you buddy - I really enjoy your reactions and advice.

I played handball as a young man and to keep the ball from slipping out of my hand, we rubbed it with tree wax (to seal a cut) and that worked great. I don't know if drummers use something like that, because you end up with pretty sticky hands.

Damn, bro , the checks in the mail ! Mighty kind of you to tap your stick on the ice for my sake . I've been following the Wings since 1973 and i like to think of myself as a low maintenance fellow who enjoys a cold brew and the company of witty people who are passionate about anything that is tried and true . My dear departed mom & dad imparted to me the importance of recognizing the value of all persons while being on guard for those who sling b.s. ! Peace...and as the great comedian Red Skelton once said , " Don't take life seriously... You're not gonna get out of it alive anyway ! "

@DRUMNERD

8 ай бұрын

Hey mate, just coming home from work and you popped into my head. Just hoping you’re well and seeing what’s been new. Hope to hear from you. Be well.

@frankandre4385

8 ай бұрын

@@DRUMNERD The Missus and I are prepping for an old fashioned Thanksgiving today. The real highlight comes at 3am Sunday as the Maids Livestream from Yokohama !! It'll be 5pm there. I'm completely stoked and praying there are no technical issues. Even if their are, I've purchased the month long access so I can watch as often as I want. Happy and safe travels to you and your arm candy ! And don't be afraid to put the puck in the net... it's rubber...😉😆🦃

@DRUMNERD

8 ай бұрын

@@frankandre4385 I'm happy to hear you and the lass are settling in for a great Thanksgiving! That sounds like a wonderful Sunday you have ahead of you. Fingers crossed nothing goes awry and you get some banging tunes! Ha, I'll let my super sexy arm candy know you wish her well, same to yours mate. I'll be sure to get as many 1 timers as possible (before getting a 2 minute for roughing) ;)

Akane said in an interview that this was her favorite song on this album. It was mentioned that she plays a new style that she has not played before. Seeing I don't know about drums ,I couldn't tell what that was.

Okay, I went back and reviewed it. And I was looking at her right hand, the one that I could see. But after reviewing the original, her left hand, the one covered by your box, the grip was higher than usual. So I was actually agreeing with you. That must have been the confusion You did mentioned that your box was in the way. But you also said, "everybody can give me all the hate in the world." So you shouldn't complain too much when you get it. But I think that was the confusion.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

I appreciate the honesty and review. I do think people can give me the flack - if it’s warranted - not if it’s either because they don’t understand what’s being said, or if what’s being said is actually what they also say and or if the statement is purely factual. I don’t mind having discussions with people, but people telling me I’m a hater for pointing out the obvious and then defending themselves simply with “she’s a goddess” it just seems silly and illogical. I do hope we (you and I) can put our little debacle behind us and accept we both like the same band and drummer. Be well.

I wonder if she either doesn’t drum the same way as she did, or uses a shortened stick grip for specific songs or patterns. She looks here like she is holding the end of the sticks.

Sai-chan wrote the lyrics to tell all cheating guys that "I hate you!!"😁

To me it looked like her stick got stuck on an upswing. From what i recall (could be wrong) Akane uses longer than normal drumsticks to create a stronger downswing and sound, hence the Gorilla tag for the way she hits the drums. The song Hate? is about cheating men.

Very nice reaction. And never mind the vitriol spitters - they spread everywhere, no cure for that. Modern times.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Hahahah thank you for that mate, it does seem as though they’re multiplying like poisonous rabbits. Be well.

Run the channel as how you see fit . Those that troll online are the same ones crying when a fist is heading to there face . Now people like yourself or a Drumroll Tony know drums . I find it very cool to get this perspective . Subscribed

I can understand why some people were offended by your reaction. I think people who have been in bands will understand, but in order to perform like BAND-MAID, there are many hurdles that must be overcome. Many musicians admire their live performance. I don't know what kind of experience you have had as a musician, but as if you were a music teacher instructing students, you commented on the way drummer Akane holds the stick. Take a leadership position. It's like me, an amateur keyboard player, saying to Herbie Hancock, ``Hey, boy, you need to move those fingers a little more upright, or your touch will be unstable!'' . After about 5 years of any job, they will have learned the basics. Musical instruments are no exception. However, from that point on, artists must go through the difficult process of acquiring individuality. BAND-MAID has performed many live performances over the years since its formation, has grown, and has achieved great results. Your act of making detailed technical points about Akane, the drummer who forms the basis of the live show (this is clearly part of her personality and is by no means a deviation from the basics). I think it was simply a selfish act on your part to demonstrate your superiority as a teacher to those around you. And I think there were some viewers who didn't respect the band you were talking about, which is why there was such a reaction. Moreover, some people may have felt that your reaction looked down on young female drummers. I don't know what kind of music activities you have been doing. A drummer only shines in a band. She senses the atmosphere of the audience at live performances, feeds it back to the band, and takes the lead in driving the band. Akane is one of the tough and special drummers who can do that. There is no room for you to point out how to grip the stick. I think you need to listen to Akane play in a 2 hour concert. I wonder if you can play a fraction of what she can. For example, with AMAZON DVD/BLURAY Jan.09,2023 BAND-MAID TOKYO GARDEN THEATER OKYUJI Feb.14,2020 BAND-MAID WORLD DOMINATION TOUR at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA Also, this work is out of print by the company it was previously affiliated with, and based on the current situation, it can be determined that it will not be re-released in the future, so I will increase the search terms for items listed on Chinese sites. “bilibili BAND-MAID 2018 AT ZEPP TOKYO” If you listen to these, I think you can really understand how outstanding a drummer Akane is after playing with her band for two hours.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Okay well I'll be quite short here as you question my resume - I've recorded 3 studio albums for a label, done festivals and tours and opened for larger acts than myself. The latest album I did was without a click track, and every part of the album (each song) was done in one take start to finish, no drop ins, no overdubs and again, no click track. I studied jazz and blues (drums as a whole as well) with bob armstrong for 3 years as well as get my degree. Now, at no point did I look down at her, and at no point did I bring her being a girl into the mix - that was you. Now you might be an amateur as you've admitted, but I am not. Finally, the comment about grip again, if you had a degree in drums or even a basic understanding of physics or any element of worldly know how would know that if the item in question is gripped higher up itself; less force will be able to be generated, not to mention less accuracy. If you ever find yourself in England, I would genuinely love to meet up for a coffee to have a proper discussion and maybe have things make sense. P.S - I have never said she sucks, or the band is rubbish; I always praise her skills and truly admire them; tell me wherein lies the issue regarding me being a ''hater''? And yes, I can play the drums for 2 hours; I played for 62.5 hours to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis, so mind your P's and Q's. Be well.

@waynedahlen9655

9 ай бұрын

@@ShikataGaNai100 Dude you're wrong. Quit being an A**

No problem.... We should never let truth take a back seat to lies and ignorance. If we do then the lies and the ignorance win and we all lose.

As far as who they "HATE?", the lyrics describes a relationship where the boyfriend is using his girlfriend for her celebrity status, and doesn't really work at developing a lasting relationship with her. I.e.: "You don't care about me, you only care about looking important when I'm hanging on your arm." Saiki wrote the lyrics. Maybe she has been in that situation? OTOH, Miku recused herself from writing the lyrics and Saiki happily wrote them.

Normally people complain that the cameraman doesn't focus on MISA's bass solo starting at 6:12, but for a drum channel you get a little extra footage of Akane. At one time Akane, MISA, and Kanami all had one cover posted to their official channel. The rumor was that they posted them to silence any doubters that they can really play. I don't know if that rumor is true or not, but here is a link to the video Akane had posted. It is a cover of a song by one of her inspirations, Nao, from MTH. kzread.info/dash/bejne/fYSbr6ZmnrOvhLQ.html PS: I think you handled the haters with restraint, good job.

Mate, haters gonna hate. It's all white noise. Focus on the puck, not the crowd. No one in their right minds thought you were dissing the Gorilla. I am sure there are reasons, correct or not, Akane holds her sticks the way she does. Arnold Palmer and Rod Laver didn't grip their club/racket classically correctly, but they did okay. Akane will be fine, she has a good team. As I mentioned in livechat, she adjusted her posture for her back health. I will say, though, I attended a seminar by Max Weinberg back in college, and he said he waited too long to adjust his grip and form and had to stop drumming for a while due to finger and wrist damage. So, your point is well taken.

The Problem in the last video is that you took a stylistic choice in a song as a fundemental flaw him her drumming. And before you call me an incel, that was YOUR mistake, maybe you should own it.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

Nah mate, holding a stick that far up isn’t going to allow for dynamic control, volume, power and will only end up hurting her or who ever holds it that way. It’s not a stylistic choice, it’s simply an incorrect grip and maybe that was down to her grabbing a new stick and in the rush missed it, there’s a million reasons for it and she might have corrected it seconds later. However, it was and will always be an incorrect grip. I don’t think you’re an incel, more of just a bit of lacking in common sense with physics or drumming. Be well.

Hmm... Is someone who uses the "word": 'incel' worth listening to?

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

So are you trying to suggest that incels aren’t real? Is someone who emphasises the wrong “word” when quoting worth listening to? Be well.

@franks9432

9 ай бұрын

@@DRUMNERD It is silly. it's impossible to take its use seriously.

@DRUMNERD

9 ай бұрын

@@franks9432 so what would you call someone who dislikes woman because they never give them a chance or pays them notice? What term would you rather I use?

@MaartenT

9 ай бұрын

@@DRUMNERD It's a word that's seen as derogatory on some online platforms and are a bannable offense over there I believe. (I believe on twtch, but I don't remember) I'm actually surprised yt let's it be used here with how strict they are on some words in the comments. I understand you being upset by trolls, it must be extremely frustrating, but I would try to not use words like that anymore in response. No problem with showing the fulcrum point, but calling people names isn't a good look and won't help you earn subs.

@leers1877

9 ай бұрын

@@DRUMNERD You're basically saying everyone who disagrees with you hates women, which is weird because I don't think you are one, are idiots, which is fair for this one instance, and dnd players for some reason, probably to promote hatred against people who likes to play tabletop roleplaying games. You can't take criticism, negative reactions, and trolls despite being a public person on the internet. You are a hypocrite by saying you want the best for everyone, but responding be well sarcastically like you won something, then responding to negativity with 100 times more negativity. I have enjoyed your reactions thus far, but I'm unsubbing because your actions these past 2 videos disgust me. Be well.

can you do TORMENTED by KILLING ME INSIDE REUNION(Live at synchronize fest 2019)

As i none musician myself..is that grip a stick to hit a drum so important as long as it sound good? Grip wrong drum stick will change the drum sound? Or akane need to enter drumming competition or what? 😂😂😂

@waynedahlen9655

9 ай бұрын

Ummmm What???

I don't get the title of this reaction. You do NOT look 55, and it seems like you are a drumner. Im confused.😂

I’m a madiac, but I don’t like activists who jump on anyone whose opinion is different from theirs small point. So, don’t worry, these are always there.