Kenny Aronoff is a very experienced professional who has recorded over 300 albums in the last fifteen years, sometimes recording nine songs for three or four different artists on one day, not to mention the extensive touring and numerous live shows. The reason why he is such a sought-after session drummer became crystal clear during his clinic.

Kenny Aronoff is one of those few drummers who are a true musician in the sense that he always asks: “What does the song, what does the music need?” A classical schooled percussionist Aronoff has a lot of technique in his pocket but can restrain himself from showing off and play simple if that suits the music better.

In fact the rock drummer extraordinaire always plays such well-chosen drum parts that sound so deceptively easy, you tend to forget how aptly chosen they actually are. He started his clinic by stressing the importance of listening to the other instruments and to the song. Explained Aronoff:

”When people start to play drums, most start small with just a snare drum, a bass drum, a hi-hat. As you develop you want more, you want it bigger. So your drum kit grows and grows. It was the same for me. Until I reached the stage where I returned to the music. Now I always ask myself: ‘What does the music need? What does the song need? Since then I’ve tried to work almost as a producer, not as a drummer. I had to learn how to play simple. It took me two years. I had to unlearn all the techniques.”

When Aronoff is asked for a studio recording he often has to overdub himself. A producer takes some of his earlier recordings, distills the drum sounds as samples and makes an outline of the beats he has in mind. Next it’s up to Kenny to deliver the right feeling for the song:

”It’s almost like I’m an actor and the music is the film. I always practice every part of the song, even the simple ones, before recording. Just to get in the right groove, the right feeling. Like an actor getting into character.”

According to Kenny the hardest part of recording the drums apart from the rest is to sound as if you’re actually playing together:

”When you play by yourself, no one is going to follow you. I’ve played with so many people I can easily imagine playing together. The magic of music is of course playing together.”

Again the drummer stressed the importance of listening to the other instruments, of the overall sound when making music:

”When I enter a studio I try to think of the sound. The frequencies in sound are like colors. My favorite snare drum, with a brass shell, is most wanted because of its rich palette. Has the studio a bright room? Then I choose dark cymbals and I tune my drums a bit down, so the frequencies will not interfere with those of the guitars.”

Between all the talking Kenny illustrated his knowledge by playing songs he recorded with Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes, Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper (“You know Alice Cooper? He chops off heads”), Melissa Etheridge, Avril Lavigne, John Fogerty, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi and a track of the Buddy Rich Tribute album.

Despite Aronoff’s huge movements and waving arms, his timing is always as precise as an atom clock. He plays constantly swinging and grooving on his stool, yet he hits the drums correctly. Commented the drummer:

”I play with my whole body, but I let go of the sticks. I’m like a golfer who swings with his whole body.”

During the clinic Aronoff was deafening loud and utterly explosive but proved to be able to play modestly as well, with great dynamics. Even a drum solo in a ballad is no problem for this killer drummer.

Trough his educational clinic Kenny Aronoff continued to underline the importance of basic elements beat, time and groove. He showed how two little hi-hat notes can transform a complete song. Aronoff:

”You change the beat, you change the song. The beat is the most important. Second comes timing: you have to feel the groove before you start, so you can strike right and be certain right from the start. It cannot take four beats to get the right timing. And all nuances together form the groove. It is your personality. These three elements are the foundation of the cake.“

Aronoff seemed unstoppable, clearing up his reverted toms, explaining hard work as transportation, his passion for playing drums, showing it by a marvelous drum solo and revealing some great anecdotes from his countless studio sessions.

If Kenny Aronoff one day makes a guest appearance in long running animated cartoon series South Park, we’re positive Stan, Kyle and the rest of the gang will have to rephrase their famous exclamation into: “Oh my god, Kenny killed them all!” because Kenny is indeed a killer drummer who convinced each and every one in the audience.