Author: Gordon Nunn

I play drumset and hand percussion with bands based in Pittsburgh and Cumberland, MD. Additionally, I accompany dance classes at Point Park University, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's outreach programs, and Carnegie Mellon University's Pre-College Drama programs. I teach lessons at my private studio at the Monroeville Music Lesson Center, Norwin High School and The Music Note in Ben Avon.

Another day of drumming

I've working on the speed of my single strokes lately by doing the "Singles Pyramid" which I learned from #HueyYanPan via his Periscope broadcasts. I began playing at 86 b.p.m.s a week or so ago, now I'm up to 92 b.p.m.
My goal is 100! Thanks Huei!
Check out his Twitter posts @hueiyanpan.

What type of things would you like to see on drumming website?

I’m thinking what would drummers, or people who are interested in drumming like to see on my website.

I could put up performance videos like this one:Lecture Recital performance  which is from a lecture recital on Dunumba I presented this past fall. Or, would they rather see educational demonstrations such as this video:Basic Strokes: 8s, 4s, doubles, singles and paradiddles. Or, I could put up my trasnscription of a djembe solo by Gbanworo Keïta from “Dounoumbe” on Percussions de Guinée vol.1.

I’m interested in your comments.

Thank you for reading.

G.

Gbaworo's Solo p1Gbaworo's Solo p2

Djembe Notation Key

Directions to My Teaching Studio

Directions to 448 Studios
The address is for my teaching studio is 448 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15223. However, building that houses it is located .02 miles off of Butler, it’s in the back section of a large industrial park. You should enter the industrial park from Butler St. across from the address 436 Butler Street.

The building has a key code access, so give me a call when you arrive.

Pilates Meets Percussion

Pilatesmeetspercussion-page-001In a few weeks I’ll be teaming up with Harmony Pilates in Pittsburgh to present a set of three Pilates mat classes with percussion accompaniment.
I’m looking forward to this new opportunity!

October 24, 31 and November 7

Saturdays 12:30-1:45

 

July 2 in Bedford, Pa

IMG_0028It was Hot Summer Night in Bedford with Queen City Funk and Soul. A big crowd was on hand to hear some great soul music by one of the region’s best bands.

I’ve played percussion with QCFS for over 10 years and it’s always a great time when we get together.

Our next performance in on August 6 at the Garrett County Fair near Deep Creek Maryland.

Composing Music: Full of Echoes Part 2

This is a portion of the music I made in 2012 for the Murphy Smith Dance Collective. It was my first attempt at using Garage Band to blend the sound of birds I recorded outside my window with some real percussion instruments and software instruments from the program. The work I did with this dance company started as an eight minute composition in three segments, which was used at a showcase for new choreographers. It led to my creating over an hours worth of music and sounds for an entire show staged in 2013 called “See What I Hear.”

Since that time, the demands of earning a living as a percussionist have kept me from composing; however, some comments from a dancer following I class I played for a few days ago gave me a little inspiration. He asked: “do you have a CD of your music?”

So I’m going through some old things and thinking of how I can put something together that would be useful for a dance teacher who doesn’t have the luxury of using an accompanist.

Wish me luck.

Cheers.

Dance Review: See What I Hear by Murphy/Smith Dance Collective

Steve Gadd

Steve Gadd has inspired me on countless occasions. He makes me want to sit down behind the drums.

The parts he created for songs like “Late in the Evening” and “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover” have become classics in the history of great drum set parts. His solos on songs like “Aja” by Steely Dan and “Not Ethiopia” by Steps are studies in how to play musical drum solos. And his ability to “play for the song”  show how he can make the simplest parts sound completely interesting.

As soon as I figure out how to up load videos on to my site I’ll put them up. Meanwhile his work is easy to find on Youtube.

Cheers.

First Drumset

A New Beat Every Week

So I have this idea: post a video of me playing a beat every week for a year. I would find an interesting location and video myself playing something that sounds interesting, using some type of percussion instrument. I just hope that I can figure how to upload a video to this blog.

This is going to be a fun experiment. 1. It will get to start posting stuff on this blog/site. 2. It’ll make make me think of cool places where I can shoot these little vignettes. 3. It will be a great summer project. 4. And it will push to be a little more creative.

So until beat number 1 goes out – which should be in the next 3-5 days – make a beat, make it sweet and don’t repeat.

GN