Futureman and the Synthaxe Drumitar

[tpc41]

Last summer i had the delightful experience of seeing Bela Fleck and the Flecktones live, at a small venue and it was a really great experience, but i couldn't help but think the only thing keeping them from being great was their drummer. I guess you couldn't even call him a drummer, more of a percussionist. He plays this crazy instrument called the synthaxe drumitar. Its basically the shape of a guitar but with buttons that play drum sounds. I guess its the only instrument of its kind and very revolutionary.

anyways, this thing sounds very unnatural and artificial. It has no dynamic range. On a regular drum set there is a audible difference if you hit a drum hard or soft, this thing just seem to produce one pitch. Not to mention is seems harder to keep a good rhythm when pressing buttons versus playing a standard drum set.

This is really unfortunate because the band it incredible. Bela Fleck is regarded as one of the top banjo players and Victor Wooten is regarded as the best bass player currently performing. Jeff Coffin on sax is pretty good too.

Makes me wonder how great this band would be if they ditched Victor Wooten's brother, Futureman, and found themselves a real drummer. The tracks I have heard with them playing with other bands are truly amazing because the drumitar gets put in the background and the other band drummer takes over.

So are there any other Flecktones fans out there with a similar opinion? I just cant help wondering what this band could be if they made a little change. Any other bands out there that could be a lot better with one different band member?

 

[Kilane]

While I love the drumitar, you're probably right, but I don't think they'd be the flecktones without it to be perfectly honest.

 

[pdennis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilane /img/forum/go_quote.gif While I love the drumitar, you're probably right, but I don't think they'd be the flecktones without it to be perfectly honest.

You're right -- they'd be the ULTRA FLECKTONES!

Seriously, I've always hated this instrument. Definitely an interesting idea, but the implementation is very naïve and unimaginative. There are unique possibilities in a versatile finger-drum synth, but you won't find them explored in the Flecktones. Instead it mostly sounds like a crappy synth drum set.

The Flecktones as a band has problems in general with musical naïvety. Their attempts at "world music" integration show lots of enthusiasm but sometimes less forethought (for example, the Tuvan throat singing on Live at the Quick is totally irrelevant). Also, Vic's bass wankery gets really annoying, all the more so because he proves at other times that he can be very musical!

Ironically enough, Bela on the ELECTRIC BANJO of all instruments is the one who impresses me most with his imagination and musical discretion.

 

[Kilane]

After hearing Bela do Bicyclops I'll listen to just about anything he participates in, but that might just me.

Also as far as I'm concerned; Victor Wooten is entitled to all the bass wankery he can manage if Steve Vai was allowed to put out entire albums full.

 

[TimJo]

Yeah I've seen Bela play many, many times, in all kinds of permutations going to festivals over the years. He is kind of a legend in Telluride, and as a matter of fact is playing there this weekend. Planet Bluegrass - Telluride Bluegrass - Lineups

The Flecktones are great the first time you see them, but then they get to be kind of repetitive after a few times. Part of their shtick is better understood in the context of the fact that the Wooten Brothers started playing on stage when Victor was like 5 years old. I remember reading they toured opening for R&B acts along the Chitlin Circuit, so as a family act made up of youngsters (kind of like the Jackson 5), the stage banter and the theatrics where ingrained in them at an early age.

Victor is an amazing player, but I have to agree, Futureman's Synthaxe is only good for one viewing, then it gets old. It has all of the elements of bad synthesizer music - kinda like Jan Hammer's music on Miami Vice.