Metal Lizard Shift
For solo low instrument and audio track (or live drum set)
Versions for:
About the work:
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commissioned by
John Caputo and Andy Rummel consortium directors San Francisco Brass Band Bri and Doug Olenik Knut Arne Lange Kringstad Michael Taylor Dakota Pawlicki Tommy Vo Lee Harrelson Matthew Moore Justin Weis Sean Breast Danny Helseth Jimmy Hendricks Krissia Molina Thomas Janssen Joshua Thomas Alex Sellers Blake Lile Robert Brown Randy Westmoreland Channing Shows bo Atlas Peyton Sills Matthew Harvey Charlie Johnson Matthew Younglove Courtney Marshall-Ross Dannel Espinoza Kevin J. Stewart kazuhiro nakamura Jacob Kittleson Olivier Haas Jeff Heisler Ryan Farris Ethyn Evans erik lundquist frank meredith Nick Beltchev William Hess consortium members |
Perusal Scores
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The Story behind the Work
So there I am talking to John Caputo at the 2021 Midwest Clinic and I say, "I know this might sound crazy, but I've always wanted to write a piece for euphonium or tuba and heavy metal drum set. You know, totally knock people out of their seats." And to my surprise he says, "YES! We HAVE to do this! DONE!” From there we invited Andy Rummel to help us head the consortium commission and started inviting folks to join. I could not be more pleased with the wonderful community of low brass and low wind players that has sprung up around this piece!
I've wanted to write this piece for almost a decade now. I LOVE the rhythmic intricacy in metal; the crazy time signatures, the riffs that feel slightly "off" yet so satisfying. I'm all about that. Sitting in recitals and hearing the same old pieces, I'm ready for something different - something unexpected, something novel and just plain old FUN. Metal Lizard Shift is all about “rhythmic distortion” or in other words, the music attempting to distort the listener’s perception of pulse and groove. I had so much fun researching and transcribing the music of some of my favorite metal bands; Periphery, Metallica, Animals as Leaders, The Algorithm, and the almighty grandfather of them all; Meshuggah. These bands thrive on grooves that are grounded in 4/4 time yet have another level of rhythm that is shifting, permutating, and/or phasing, sometimes with polymeter, sometimes with syncopation, sometimes with riffs that repeat at odd intervals and don’t line up. In fact, often the “felt” beat is not the quarternote beat represented in the true 4/4 time. Many people refer to this phenomena as “Meshuggah counting” or “Meshuggah time” because of the intricate sophistication that Meshuggah made famous.
You might ask, “So why not add electric guitars? Why did you only make the track with drums?” Good question. A few reasons. First, Evan Zegiel, a wonderful composer/tuba player and colleague already did that extremely well with several of his works. If you haven’t heard his Heavy Metal Concerto go listen to that right now! It is so cool! Another reason is that I envision Metal Lizard Shift as a duet between drum set (live or audio track) and solo low instrument. I felt that there would be a special raw energy in this work if the solo instrument was in dialogue with the drums in the place of distorted electric guitars, rather than being heard as an additional and almost superfluous voice in an otherwise heavy metal track! With only the drums and solo melodic instrument present, I felt I could better focus on the rhythmic relationship and create a fresh, new sound experience for performers and audiences. Additionally, while Metal Lizard Shift is certainly influenced by metal, it is not heavy metal in the sense of it’s performance experience. Metal Lizard Shift is a piece of concert music designed to be performed as part of a recital or chamber concert in a traditional classical music venue. For me, the work feels more at home in that venue with only the drum set; thereby focusing the energy on the rhythmic relationship between and drums and solo instrument.
Here are some of my influences, just to name a few of my favorites; ANIMALS AS LEADERS, MESHUGGAH, and THE ALGORITHM.
I've wanted to write this piece for almost a decade now. I LOVE the rhythmic intricacy in metal; the crazy time signatures, the riffs that feel slightly "off" yet so satisfying. I'm all about that. Sitting in recitals and hearing the same old pieces, I'm ready for something different - something unexpected, something novel and just plain old FUN. Metal Lizard Shift is all about “rhythmic distortion” or in other words, the music attempting to distort the listener’s perception of pulse and groove. I had so much fun researching and transcribing the music of some of my favorite metal bands; Periphery, Metallica, Animals as Leaders, The Algorithm, and the almighty grandfather of them all; Meshuggah. These bands thrive on grooves that are grounded in 4/4 time yet have another level of rhythm that is shifting, permutating, and/or phasing, sometimes with polymeter, sometimes with syncopation, sometimes with riffs that repeat at odd intervals and don’t line up. In fact, often the “felt” beat is not the quarternote beat represented in the true 4/4 time. Many people refer to this phenomena as “Meshuggah counting” or “Meshuggah time” because of the intricate sophistication that Meshuggah made famous.
You might ask, “So why not add electric guitars? Why did you only make the track with drums?” Good question. A few reasons. First, Evan Zegiel, a wonderful composer/tuba player and colleague already did that extremely well with several of his works. If you haven’t heard his Heavy Metal Concerto go listen to that right now! It is so cool! Another reason is that I envision Metal Lizard Shift as a duet between drum set (live or audio track) and solo low instrument. I felt that there would be a special raw energy in this work if the solo instrument was in dialogue with the drums in the place of distorted electric guitars, rather than being heard as an additional and almost superfluous voice in an otherwise heavy metal track! With only the drums and solo melodic instrument present, I felt I could better focus on the rhythmic relationship and create a fresh, new sound experience for performers and audiences. Additionally, while Metal Lizard Shift is certainly influenced by metal, it is not heavy metal in the sense of it’s performance experience. Metal Lizard Shift is a piece of concert music designed to be performed as part of a recital or chamber concert in a traditional classical music venue. For me, the work feels more at home in that venue with only the drum set; thereby focusing the energy on the rhythmic relationship between and drums and solo instrument.
Here are some of my influences, just to name a few of my favorites; ANIMALS AS LEADERS, MESHUGGAH, and THE ALGORITHM.
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Consortium Directors - Dr. Andy Rummel and John Caputo
Dr. Andy Rummel is Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. A native of Delavan, Illinois, Andy received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music Performance degrees from Illinois State University in Normal and his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Andy is the principal tubist with the Heartland Festival Orchestra and has performed with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony and the Virginia Symphony. Prior to his arrival at Illinois State, Andy was the principal tubist with the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band and the Heritage Brass Quintet located at Langley AFB in Virginia. Andy has been a featured guest soloist with the Heartland Festival Orchestra, the Vermont Youth Philharmonia, the Prairie Wind Ensemble, the Rockford Wind Ensemble, the Brass Band of Central Illinois as well as with many high school bands and orchestras throughout the Midwest. He has been a featured recitalist at many international and regional tuba-euphonium conferences has served as an adjudicator for several international and regional tuba solo competitions.
In addition to his performing credentials, Andy is also the musical director/conductor of the Illinois State University Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble. The ensemble was featured performers at the 2015 and 2013 Midwest Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conferences as well as the 2015 and 2013 International Conferences for the National Association for Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians. The tuba-euph ensemble was the first ensemble of its kind to perform at the Illinois Music Educators All-State Music Conference in 2011 and was invited to perform again in 2016. This ensemble has recorded for Mark Custom Records and has been invited to perform at three International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences. For recordings and more information, please feel free to check out the studio YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/isutubaeuph
Recent graduates of the tuba and euphonium studio are performing professionally in military bands and orchestras, teaching at universities, and are employed as music educators around the country. Illinois State tuba-euphonium students have been semifinalists in the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference (ITEC) Artist Solo Tuba Competition and the ITEC Chamber Ensemble Competition. In 2016 a studio member won third place in the Artist Solo Tuba division of the prestigious Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Competition. Illinois State University tuba and euphonium students have won several competitions at regional tuba and euphonium conferences and have been finalists and semifinalists at several prestigious military band auditions. Feel free to “like” the Illinois State Tuba and Euphonium Studio on Facebook to learn more about upcoming performances and student successes.
In addition to his performing credentials, Andy is also the musical director/conductor of the Illinois State University Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble. The ensemble was featured performers at the 2015 and 2013 Midwest Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conferences as well as the 2015 and 2013 International Conferences for the National Association for Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians. The tuba-euph ensemble was the first ensemble of its kind to perform at the Illinois Music Educators All-State Music Conference in 2011 and was invited to perform again in 2016. This ensemble has recorded for Mark Custom Records and has been invited to perform at three International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences. For recordings and more information, please feel free to check out the studio YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/isutubaeuph
Recent graduates of the tuba and euphonium studio are performing professionally in military bands and orchestras, teaching at universities, and are employed as music educators around the country. Illinois State tuba-euphonium students have been semifinalists in the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference (ITEC) Artist Solo Tuba Competition and the ITEC Chamber Ensemble Competition. In 2016 a studio member won third place in the Artist Solo Tuba division of the prestigious Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Competition. Illinois State University tuba and euphonium students have won several competitions at regional tuba and euphonium conferences and have been finalists and semifinalists at several prestigious military band auditions. Feel free to “like” the Illinois State Tuba and Euphonium Studio on Facebook to learn more about upcoming performances and student successes.
John Caputo is an internationally recognized euphonium soloist, trombonist, and conductor based in San Antonio, TX. He's in nationwide demand as a soloist, a private instructor, a clinician, and chamber musician. Additionally, he's the music director and conductor for the Austin Brass Band, a traditional British Brass Band based in Austin, TX.
John's Story
"So what do you want to play?"
"Trumpet."
"You sure you don't want to play euphonium?"
"No, I want to play trumpet."
"But we need a euphonium player."
"...ok, fine. What's a euphonium?"
That's how it all started, more or less, in a band room in the wilds of Northwest Oregon. Thirty years later, I'm performing as a euphoniumist, trombonist, and conductor all over the country. Life's weird, man.
John's Story
"So what do you want to play?"
"Trumpet."
"You sure you don't want to play euphonium?"
"No, I want to play trumpet."
"But we need a euphonium player."
"...ok, fine. What's a euphonium?"
That's how it all started, more or less, in a band room in the wilds of Northwest Oregon. Thirty years later, I'm performing as a euphoniumist, trombonist, and conductor all over the country. Life's weird, man.
Purchase
Purchase includes:
Please click in the box to select your instrument then proceed to the payment page by clicking "Buy Now". Please allow 24 hours for the PDF download link to be sent via email.
- PDF Solo Instrument Performance Score (euph, bari, or tuba)
- Download link to performance Audio Track (prerecorded drums)
- PDF Drum set Part
Please click in the box to select your instrument then proceed to the payment page by clicking "Buy Now". Please allow 24 hours for the PDF download link to be sent via email.