Once Again, I'd like to thank Jeff Lee of Resurrection Drums for putting together another amazing drum clinic with Derrek Roddy!
Originally from South Carolina, He grew up around a musical family and is mostly a self taught musician. Derrek started playing at the age of 5 years old and by the of age of 8 or 9 years old he was playing gigs with cousins who played guitar at his family church and his mothers ladies group functions.
Derrek today is known for his Blast Beat style of Heavy metal drumming. He has played with many metal bands such as: Hate Eternal, Nile and Divine Empire just to name a few. However, Derrek's drumming talent goes beyond Metal music. Roddy has played professionally with a variety of musicians with music that range from blues, jazz, and country music. Derrek currently is writing and recording music with his own band Serpent's Rise based out of Deerfield Beach, Florida. Derrek uses his music and videos in his clinic performances.
Derrek, although he loved Sonor Drums, it was hard to get parts for. Today Derrek is playing on a beautiful Maplewood DW drums custom made special for him. He likes to keep them tuned just "finger tight for that low pitch or as he said," tuned low like people nailing on coffins."
His kit consists of (2) 20" x18" Bass drums, 10" x 8" Tom, 12' x 8" Tom, 8" x8" Tom, 14" x14" Floor tom , 16"x16" Floor tom, 10"x5" Snare, 13"x5" Snare, 14" x 6" Snare, and (2) mini "foot controlled" Timbales. He uses Meinl for his cymbals. The cymbals consist of 8" Souncaster Custom Splash, 10" Soundcaster Custom Splash, 20" Mb20 Rock China, 13" Byzance Brilliant Fast Hi-hats, 16" Generation X Filter Chinas, 17" Soundcaster Custom Medium Crash, 16" Soundcaster Medium Crashes, 12" Generation X Filter China, 10" Generation Filter China, 18" Mb20 Rock China, 21" Byzance Signature Custom Ride, 18" Soundcaster Custom Medium Crash, and a 10" Byzance Traditional Medium Hi-hat.
For Drum heads, he uses Remo single ply for top and bottom and Remo Coated Ambassadors on his snare drums. For Sticks , Derrek has his own signature stick designed by Vater. Derrek uses a total of 7 pedals between his 2 Bass drums, 2 Hi-hats and Accessories. For his Bass Drum he uses a Signature petal designed for him by Axis percussion and the others are DW5000. And Finally but not least he uses Roland TD10 Drum Triggers.
A funny story he mentioned, His friend couldn't get down Double bass smoothly. While his friend was playing, Derrek walked up behind his friend and noticed his wallet was bulging out of his back pocket. Derrek snagged the wallet out, next thing you know, he was playing as smooth as as you can be. According to Derrek," your butt Cheeks got to be even."
One Rule that Derrek goes by is, "the 10,000 hour rule." You have to play for 10,000 hours to be sufficient in anything.
Derrek always played fast music, a question was brought up last night, "How do you play so fast for so long without falling over? The answer Breath!! Controll your breathing. Breath in a measure, breath out a measure and most of all drink a lot of water!! Blast beats are extremely fast, I guess you need a lot of water to put out the fire from all the blasting...
Thanks Derrek for putting on a great clinic, You really are a "Blast."
YouTube - (Derek Roddy DVD) Serpents Rise - Halls Of Cerberus
