When people talk about Mark Guiliana, they usually reference his wild talents at drumming, composing, and producing. From his electronic, bass n’ drum power band Beat Music, to his revered Mehliana outfit with pianist Brad Mehldau, to playing with the likes of David Bowie and Jojo Mayer, Guiliana’s enigmatic, inventive approach to the drum set is front and center from the moment he lays stick to head. Armed with his Gretsch Brooklyn series set and Sabian cymbals, Guiliana creates a catalog of sound so expansive, it sounds more like it came from an Akai MPC than a drum set.
We were lucky enough to have Guiliana stop by our studio with acclaimed bassist Jonathan Maron (Tupac, Erykah Badu, Jewel) to share some of his secrets on how he acquires such a diverse set of sounds from a minimal set-up. Check out the video above to find out how to make your acoustic drums capture an electronic element and be sure to look below to find all the Gretsch, Sabian, Evans and Vic Firth gear Guiliana uses in his set-up.
Sabian Cymbals