Drumline Chops had the extreme pleasure of interviewing Ellis Hampton, the Percussion Caption Head for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. Ellis has been active in the marching activity for the past 15 years. He received his BM and MM degrees from the University of Kentucky and was a member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 1996-2001. His teaching experiences in the marching percussion activity includes the Cavaliers from 2004-2006, the UNT Indoor Drumline in 2005 & 2008, the Boston Crusaders in 2007, and the Phantom Regiment from 2008-2010. Ellis is currently the Percussion Caption Head and Arranger for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps as well as the coordinator or percussion for the Guyer High School cluster in Denton, TX. He is also pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas. Ellis is an endorsee of Innovative Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals and Evans Drum Heads. We took the opportunity pick his brain about his marching percussion background, tuning philosophies, learned life lessons, and more. Here's what he had to say: Drumline Chops: How did you first get introduced and involved with marching percussion? Ellis Hampton: My siblings were in the high school marching band when I was a little kid, and I would go see them perform. When the drum guys would hang out at our house they would show off and I got hooked. From there I was pretty bent on getting in the drum line. Once in high school, I met guys that hyped/marched the Cavaliers, and once again, I was hooked. Drumline Chops: What is something that you remember struggling with when you were a younger player? How did you overcome it? Ellis Hampton: I remember struggling with paradiddle figures, trying to get them to sound right and getting them faster. It never felt or sounded right until I sat in front of a mirror and watched what my hands were doing. I realized I was working WAY too hard. Drumline Chops: Where all have you marched and studied? Ellis Hampton: Klein High School in northwest Houston. University of Kentucky (Marching band and indoor) University of North Texas, Marched and taught the Cavaliers, taught Phantom Regiment and Boston Crusaders. Drumline Chops: What are two life lessons that you've taken away from the marching percussion activity? Ellis Hampton: 1. To do something the right way, it takes time and no matter your desire/intentions, if you don't put in the time, you will be under prepared. 2. Always surround yourself with people that are better than yourself and who will challenge you. Without someone or something to push you out of your comfort zone, we can all fall into complacency. Drumline Chops: What qualities and characteristics do you look for in a good drumline? Ellis Hampton: Their sense of musicianship. How they feel time, space and how they approach their instrument tells you more than how many notes they can play. Of course that does not replace having technical facility/chops, you must have the facility to play what's in the book before you can keep your head above water and achieve the higher musical concepts. Drumline Chops: Talk a little bit about your tuning philosophies. How do you approach tuning each section of the drumline? Ellis Hampton: Well, I certainly don't believe in re-inventing the wheel. I think you should find the best characteristic sound you can on each drum. I try to stay away from patches and tape etc. on the snares, but sometimes its necessary to get the subsections to balance/blend with one another. Depending on head choice and brand of drum etc., the pitches and relationships might change. I tend to go with open 5ths and 4ths in the basses when possible, and as small as minor 3rds between the quads, but again, it changes based on the drums and the show. The best advice I can give is to have a sound in your head, both individually as well as the whole line and constantly work to sculpt that sound. I will say this, resonant sounds blend and are generally more pleasing to the ear in my opinion. If you are going for a short/dry sound, then be careful to apply the concept throughout the battery otherwise it will sound disjunct. Drumline Chops: When a drummer shows up to audition for the Boston Crusader's Drumline, what are you looking for? Ellis Hampton: I look for the musical maturity that each player has to offer. Most of the players that come through the door have tremendous potential, but since its such a tough competition to get a spot, you have to go with the most experienced and "weathered" players in the room. That comes across in how smooth, consistent and accurate one plays as well as their demeanor throughout the whole process. Drumline Chops: What's one thing that Drumline Chops members can do this week to help them improve their rudimental drumming? Ellis Hampton: Have a plan or goal to your practice sessions. If you sit down for 30 min, pick one or two things and make them better. If you want to improve a rudiment, break it down, be accurate and then do a 100 measures of them. Without a goal in mind, chances are pretty good that you won't make as much progress as you could. Thanks, Ellis! We appreciate you taking the time to do this interview and helping out the Drumline Chops community!

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by

Pat McLaughlin

17 September 2012 in Interview