Richard Spaven playing "The Hidden Camera" by Photek

Richard Spaven playing "The Hidden Camera" by Photek - filmed at the Meinl Cymbals Factory in Gutenstetten, Germany.
Richard's Meinl Cymbals set up for this track is from left to right:
16" Byzance Extra Dry Medium Thin Hihat
20" Byzance Extra Dry Thin Crash
18" Byzance Vintage Trash Crash
18" Byzance Extra Dry Thin Crash x-hat (top & bottom) w/ a Ching Ring on top
22" Byzance Vintage Pure Light Ride
16" R&D Prototype Crash
"The Hidden Camera" written by R. Parkes
Rhodes by Kris Bowers
Produced by Richard Spaven

[@dfdrumfiles]

I don't know if people even realise how hard it is to sound this tight?! He places every note so well.

[@ZMIJUSH]

That is why we are here,just like you.To learn from Master.I wish you strong will and love.Bye.

[@locksh]

The groove is unreal. Dude reinvented a timeless instrument

[@CtrlSaltDelete]

I love this guy, creativity in the pocket, and always so beautifully understated. Great stuff as always.

[@natefreyredrums]

+[BB] ph1ght so what is pocket master?

[@CtrlSaltDelete]

***** Pocket as the repetitive pure groove is a limited description and not particularly accurate, playing in the pocket as I use the term refers more to playing within the confines of the song and strictly in time: basically not fucking your band up with showy fills and misplaced polyrhythms. Spaven's drumming here always suits and compliments the music and is mostly a continuously changing groove built of the same core rhythmic ideas. This is not a video made up of dramatic solos or fills so I would say he's playing creatively while in the pocket. Fair enough if you disagree with my definition of what playing in the pocket is, but don't be the asshole that claims to know what it means, not a single drummer I know agrees on what it entails. I refer you to this thread (www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74306) in which the differences in the meaning of the phrase and how it might be changed when saying "in the pocket" rather than "playing pocket" are discussed and you'll see everyone disagrees with each other. You aren't wrong per say, but you're incredibly naive if you think that's the only correct interpretation of what "playing in the pocket" means. (Edit: typos and a poorly structured sentence)

[@natefreyredrums]

+VARIOUS games thank you sir

[@nameloss]

+[BB] ph1ght mm, you're a bit on edge aren't you? i second or third (maybe fourth, whichever) the opinion that spaven is absolutely in the pocket here. he's in *this* track's pocket. always on time, groovy and tasteful-albeit in a more involved context than simply holding a single solid groove. if you think your definition is "absolutely" correct then go ahead and take it, but don't be forcing it on other folks like your view is the only one that counts. that's just never good for anyone and it makes you the idiot before anyone else. but then an idiot is all for talking but never for listening. says a lot about you and your comments.

[@natefreyredrums]

+[BB] ph1ght why are you so mad? lol

[@jorgeparedesaponte4045]

Only bass drum, snare, cymbals... Pure musicality!

[@brandonguimbellot7734]

I typed in Richard Spaven since he posted recently about doing some more filming for you cats, but I lost it when I saw that Hidden Camera popped up. Modus Operandi has been a huge part of my life for a few years after discovering DnB and Jungle through Jojo Mayer's Nerve. What's crazier is that after spinning Grooverider's Mysteries of Funk and Boymerang's Balance of the Force for a few weeks, I finally put Modus Operandi back in my car's player. Unreal! I'm so inspired to write music tonight!! Who knows, maybe I'll finish writing lesson plans with time to spare for recording! Haha. Thanks so much for posting this! Meinl, you guys are always doing something hip. I'm always excited for your company, so from a bassist's perspective, you guys are on it!

[@panospopov]

I've never seen such great dynamics from a drummer! Rchard is unique and one of the best modern drummers.

[@liltrini05]

Came to this after watching Mike Mitchell's "What's Wrong?" video. Dude was sick lol Talk about Day and Night, though!!!! But I LOOOVE this guy's groove. It's so somber and soothing. He really just vibes with the music. Ya Know? Richard Spaven, Thank you for playing drums, sir. This right here is musicality at it's finest. Played with a kind of finesse that is missing in a lot of drummers these days.

[@elijahthomas2709]

Definitely day and night

[@TeamIslas]

Not only does Richie Spaven sound amazing but I like how they were able to film this in heaven!

[@fleur_music]

That 22" Byzance Vintage Pure Light Ride sounds just as if I was eating semi-melted sweet butter with my ears. Just love it.

[@jsav100]

Amazing live drums version of a classic by Photek!

[@clifton7007]

amazing! the spave and meinl cymbals are match made in heaven.

[@StompL7]

YES Spaven !!!!! Thx Meinl Cymbals for making me discover this incredible artist with the first video of him last year i think :)

[@Max_Kelly]

Richard is one of my favorites. His playing is so unique and feels so good.

[@JoshBrown190]

Interesting cymbal configuration, gonna have to try this out. Great playing by the man himself Richard Spaven, the man is truly talented.

[@Eleutherarch]

Even though he was playing in a warehouse full of cymbals, he still brought his "Cyclops" Vintage Pure Light Ride. Oh yes, I did name it. Good to have a name for something you've had a dirty, online relationship with for months.

[@JustinDDrummer]

Loving all these new videos please keep em coming!

[@the_tongue2491]

It takes a lot of finesse to play like this. he has really good finesse. He has the Moler method down pat.

[@drumma_satch]

Just straight sexy drumming. Richard your playing always encourages me to go practice my heart out. Much praise! I hope ill be able to meet you and pick your brain in the future! [I have an extensive list of questions already going ;-)]

[@Chillcoolbro]

This smooth well played 🔥

[@LIE4ME]

Never seen the pocket look so effortless sounding that good.

[@saberwolfe6363]

I love this. thank you.

[@misanthropiq3433]

Amazing.. big Up from Czech republic 👍

[@TheSummerCoast]

Sometimes I think of buying cymbals from other companies, but then I see and hear meinl cymbals, and there is really no comparison

[@caiusiv4616]

Thank you 😎

[@Richa-livebeatzz]

Awesome, beautiful textures (nice cymbal choice), good groove with main tools (snare and bass), incredible track (one of my all time favourite Photek creation. Just one humble tought, the hidden camera has a extra swung type of groove, with ultra syncopated fills or variations on it, I believe can be played withouth crossing the right hand for that first out of one accent. Never the less nice variations on a straight 16's groove.

[@flotuc]

this sets a new level!

[@daveorange9265]

I love that R&D prototype

[@BlackenedNL]

This is incredible!

[@markpascual100]

"Gonna need a drink of water after that one"

[@StompL7]

already used !

[@markpascual100]

+StompL7 quotation marks..

[@StompL7]

+Mark Pascual my bad ...

[@MarcoFerlito]

So much relaxing

[@philadams9254]

OMG please do a track with Photek.

[@danielschroder6678]

Hey Meinl! Just a recommendation: you have learned it with Anika Nilles, use it here as well! Extra Dry and Vintage Pure Rides always come a little short in the mix - I don't know if it's because their roaring, dark tone blends in the bass fundament of the track or because they're so quiet. However, just a little help with a ride spot mic might help you out. Try it in somebody's next performance, it will surely benefit the mix when dark, quiet rides are involved!

[@YamahaDrumsEurope]

Go Rich!

[@jakob5789]

Hybrid maple snare 14'' and 18'' custom bass i think

[@simonvidlund4077]

+Yamaha Drums (Official) Yes, please tell us his setup.

[@YamahaDrumsEurope]

+Yamaha Drums (Official) @Mac Ton, @Simon Vidlund: Yes, its an Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple Series 18" x 14" Bass Drum and 14" x 6" Snare. Cheers, Yamaha Drums

[@simonvidlund4077]

Yamaha Drums (Official) Thank you! Does he always use the absolute hybrid maple series kits? What tom sizes usually?

[@JulianaOliveira-rl7sq]

Sons realmente excelentes e mto suaves. e a técnica é impressionante!

[@nelskudler]

Groove, no chopparade bravissimo

[@ferminbarajaspazos6853]

Spaven es un gran batería.

[@prosperduffours]

Filming in the factory is awesome

[@vectorhold6489]

He makes it look so easy. Damn

[@MaksimVorfolomeev]

very cool

[@vibewestradio3838]

I didn't notice until the end that he didn't have any toms

[@keithbohnen9287]

great tambourine sound

[@Ohleysmokes]

Awesome

[@LinzieIII]

Jedi Master Spaven!!!

[@harryplaysdrums]

He must never break cymbals

[@augustburnsred3541]

this guy perfectly mixes so much and so little like the sword of damaclese

[@tyneastwood7175]

Not bad.. for a human. ;)

[@ricardofryson91]

How did he get his snare to sound like that

[@thebigbywolf]

kid's got mad talent yo

[@BaronVonYolo]

Chilling

[@cabelinho97]

Que som nesses pratos !!!!!

[@joaodepaula]

very unique . The music world is already tired of gospel chops

[@benottley5157]

AND THE CHOPS HES USING ARE USED IN GOSPEL CHOPS STOP WITH THE HATING

[@MichaelWashingtonAE]

The stuff he's playing is rooted in Gospel music of different generations.... 60's/70's funk as well which the Gospel players of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and on were jazz, soul, R&B and soul musicians. Saturday night gig to church on Sunday morning hahaha!

[@janknjazovic]

toooo damn cool!

[@JimmyStrings]

Hell yeah

[@williamsmith3817]

Suuuuuper tidy man!

[@thalidomide1]

that snare thou

[@davidgray2805]

Smooth

[@robingrunding2398]

Total in the groove face @1:48 :)

[@CloudKnife]

Beautiful playing as always. Any chance of the mic breakdown?

[@meinlcymbals]

+Kyle Cullen The name of the audio engineer is SVEN PEKS, and he gave the mic breakdown. Here we go: Kick - AKG D12, Snare Main Mic - Lawson FET 47, Snare backup - Heil PR 30, OH Peluso P-12 special modified for Audiolodge Gaibach, Dirt - MD-21, Room - AKG C-414 B-ULS. We use API, Great River and Shodow Hills."

[@CloudKnife]

+MEINL Cymbals Thanks very much. :)

[@nivedrajaraman9728]

Drier than the Sahara!

[@kendrickfoo7403]

Spaven seems to be the only person who can play with just a kick and snare and still kill it. Others need at least one tom in their setup

[@LikesDrThompson]

Well he does have six cymbals

[@kendrickfoo7403]

Nah, i mean in terms of his drums only. Regardless still, he's still one of the most dynamic drummers imo

[@camille7751]

+Jordan Holiman Well, if you listen to his albums, he only has two crashes, one ride and one hi-hat !

[@Lukas-kh5gu]

Jojo Mayer.

[@anon-eg9bf]

effortless

[@teamsleepnine]

sexy is the only way to described his playing

[@TheWitchOvAgnesi]

How...? Just... how?

[@trismurray]

Bliss.

[@isaec1284]

The time signature ? 🤔

[@eSstudios1]

does it like a boss

[@robingrunding2398]

es studios he is a boss :)

[@Coin3103]

Do you know what snare is he using ? The Absolut hybrid maple or the Sensitive Series one ?

[@hailbrian5391]

can you give us tutorial?i like that groove or if its a groove let me what is it :)

[@Fresh_I.S.C.]

crave the spave.

[@smnewthtrblnmnd]

Where can I find this exact version of the song? All the Photek versions seem to differ a bit, besides drumming of course^^

[@tylerblake3596]

this isn't the original track by Photek. it's a cover that Spaven recorded with someone else on keys

[@8342345]

Good at Drums? Yep. Doesn't us a monstrously impractical and unobtainable mega-kit? Ok now you've got my attention.

[@philadams9254]

Wonder what Rupert thinks of this!

[@ralphxkillyou]

10 thumbs up

[@pampypants871]

Let’s boycott these hertz rental commercials

[@benottley5157]

IS THAT A STACK UR USING ?

[@vishalgiridhar6606]

This is so tasty o:

[@trismurray]

Also, Richard could be Derren Browns brother!

[@Miniminicube]

what is the snare drum?

[@YamahaDrumsEurope]

+Mars Macbeth Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple 14" x 6. Snare. :-)

[@heinzie5]

+Yamaha Drums (Official) Can i have one for free? It's nice but i have no money..

[@StompL7]

+Yamaha Drums (Official) Sounds Awesome

[@bohdaaanek]

+heinzie5 you are not serious right...

[@smilemen2501]

このヘッドフォンなんだろ

[@sbskking]

What is R&D?

[@alexkhoo2630]

+Sunbeom Kim Research and Development, so I guess it's not an actual model in their lineup yet

[@dave90mckeague]

+Alex Khoo looks like a heavy bell extra dry crash.

[@sbskking]

+Dave Mckeague wow. do you work for meinl? XD

[@dave90mckeague]

+Sunbeom Kim no, just an educated guess based on the look and the sound.

[@nikthebeat]

R&D Crash ???

[@shabado0]

to flow, as if composed of water

[@DjeeHao]

:D

[@jorgevillegas6855]

I really dig his playing and also love some of the Meinl cymbals but that specific set up sounds too rusty for me: I would have mix it with some byzance jazz medium thin and thin crashes and something from the byzance dark so the soud palette was broader with more contrast. Cymbals are like colours to me and spaven chooses pale organic colours, or in other words an autumn style, quite melancholic and not really forcefull...

[@colinnixon7055]

Better than burnard purdy in my opinion?.

[@thepatternplayback]

This dude needs to relax more when he plays.

[@tooleyboi491]

I am is logged in ..he is relaxed how much more relaxed you want him to be...how about you relax and watch and learn some idiot😂😂😂

[@Jammaria]

Not enough snare nuances.. always hammering .. flattening the song.. too bad.