PLAYING DRUMS FOR THE UPCS

Robin Rivera

I’ve played drums for the UP Cherubim and Seraphim for almost fifty years. In the past, the “band” for their pop songs included all acoustic instruments: an acoustic piano, upright acoustic bass, acoustic drums, and occasionally an acoustic guitar. All these were played with no sound reinforcement, which was fine since most of the venues they performed in were medium-sized recital halls and auditoria. But recent circumstances have forced a shift to electric instruments. Firstly, it’s almost impossible to find a venue on campus with a decent acoustic piano. And unless it’s the CCP or a real “classical” concert hall, off-campus venues are no better off. So we've been increasingly forced to use electronic keyboards. Second, most good young pop musicians use electric basses and guitars, and are quite adept in navigating the complexities not only the analog side of their equipment, but the digital side as well. Third, most pop music nowadays is electric/electronic anyway, so going electric/electronic has made the wider variety of sounds in pop music available to the band.

But the drums was another story. On the one hand, I could have chosen to use my recently acquired e-drum kit. It’s very easy to control the loudness of e-drums. All it takes is pressing/twisting the volume control. This is important because children’s voices are rather vulnerable without multi-mic, megawatt sound reinforcement, something the Cherubim does not use or have access to. Also, like their keyboard or guitar counterparts, e-drums also have a boatload of sounds available at the touch of a button. On the other hand, while much of RECORDED popular music uses electronic/sampled/virtual drums, acoustic drum kits are still ubiquitous for LIVE popular music. First, in unamplified situations, acoustic drums have a much wider dynamic range, greater articulation and nuance, and more timbral complexity than e-drums. Also, because a drum kit is composed of so many fascinating parts, it simply looks cool on stage and naturally attracts more curiosity.

So for this Saturday’s concert, I chose to play an un-amplified acoustic kit. While I still maintain the original Pearl Thunderking drum set acquired for playing in the Cherubim back in 1975 (albeit with countless modifications and upgrades), tonight’s “franken-kit” is composed of my newer collection of small drums and quiet cymbals. 

I’ve always had fun playing pops drums for the UPCS. Playing with the current electrified and youthful band promises to make it even more fun.

Pearl Midtown bass drum 16”, 

Pearl CMS-1410 “Competition” marching snare/floortom 14"

Pearl Decade Maple tom 10”

Pearl Omar Hakim Signature snare 13”

K Zildjian Flat Ride 20”

A Zildjian Thin Crash 16”

A Zildjian Splash 12”

Sabian AA Mini China 12”

Zildjian EFX #1 10” hihat bottom

A Zildjian Armand Splash 10” hihat top

Stagg DH Mini-China 8”