Name: Joris Feiertag
Nationality: Dutch
Occupation: Composer, drummer, producer, improviser
Current release: The new Feiertag album Roots is out October 20th 2023 via Sonar Kollektiv.
Pure Drum Music recommendations: I don't listen only to drum recordings to be honest. However, I would recommend checking out the work of Nate Smith and Yussef Dayes. Another great young drummer making his own music is Noah Fürbringer.

[Read our Yussef Dayes interview]

If you enjoyed this Feiertag interview and would like to find out more about his music, visit him on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, and twitter.



What was your first drum set like and what are you using today? What, to you personally, are factors in terms of build and design that you appreciate in drums and percussion instruments?

I can remember very clearly when I was 11 years old, I wanted to play the drums.

My father had an idea and went to my primary school to pick up a very old drum kit from their attic, basically to save it from getting too dusty. Right after that, I played on a premier kit for a very long time. As a youngster - of course - I wanted my drum kit to be as big as possible, the more sounds the better!

Now, I play on Ludwig, Yamaha Recording Custom and vintage Premier drum kits. It depends on my mood, really. But for my livesets, I want my kit to sound tight, since I'm playing a lot of breakbeats live. I mostly use my Ludwig kick, a picollo snare and a clap stack (from Istanbul Agop).

But for recording, I usually play on a warmer vintage kit, the Premier. The Yamaha is just for fun trying to be a gospel drummer, haha.

Late Rush-drummer Neil Peart said: “The equipment is not an influence. It doesn't affect the way I play. It's an expression of the way I play.” What's your take on that?

Equipment isn't everything, that's definitely true in my opinion.

But I would play differently on a high-tuned drum kit, than on a very big vintage rock kit. So yeah, I partly agree with him here.

Drumming is an integral part of many cultures, and traditions. Which of these do you draw from in your playing – and why?  

Well, I've had a wide variety of lessons in my entire musical career, so to me, I've tried a lot of styles and hope to combine them all and incorporate them into my playing.

For example; I like fast snappy breakbeats. But to play faster, you need to have a certain level of skills. So I took some jazz lessons at the conservatory as well, to increase my knowledge, technique and sound.

So my touch on cymbals is mostly pretty jazzy, while I approach the rest of the drums pretty programmed.

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a drummer / percussionist? Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals?  

Oh boy, there are so many. First of all, finding my own groove (and being content with it). At the conservatory a lot of drummers were playing relaxed and behind the beat, while I was playing ahead. It took me some time to accept that I actually want to be an energetic player and therefore play more ahead.

Another important experience similar to that was in 2011, when I did my first gig with my other band 'Kraak & Smaak' in Istanbul. My drum teacher Ruben (van Roon) tried to teach me playing with a backing track for years, but after that show w/ K&S, it all fell into place. That was a big eye opener, I had to approach the snare even more straight-ahead, like a karate hit.

[Read our Oscar de Jong of Kraak & Smaak interview]

What do you think you're doing different than other drummers?  

I think I'm able to give a lot of energy live.

And I hope I can bring my producer mind out there as well, so I play more 'programmed' as well.

How do you experience the concepts of "groove," "swing," and "rhythmic feel" in music?

Groove and swing are everything! In both producing and playing. Giving your house track more swing feel could be totally different. And crucial. From a drum point of view, it's the same story.

Micro timing is everything. If a drummer doesn't play in the pocket, in his band, I'm distracted immediately.

How do time signatures and tempo affect our perception of rhythm?

I liked fooling around with syncopated rhythms quite a lot when I was studying the instrument. It still comes in handy and natural when I'm producing, when playing, for instance, a synth pattern with dotted 8th notes in a 4-bar loop.

But other than that, I don't go too far, I barely use odd time signatures. But drumming wise, it's good to have explored it and have it in my bag.

What is the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? How do non-percussion instruments contribute to the overall rhythmic texture of a piece?

I was really behind with my melodies and harmonies 10 years ago. But of course they work hand in hand. While exploring harmonies, I didn't have to think about rhythm, since that comes in naturally. And yes, it helps a lot creating what you hear in your mind.

But still to date, I have to work more on my harmonies rather than my rhythmical skills.

Different drums have a distinct sound and drums and percussion are also timbral instruments. What drum sound are you aiming for and how are you making use of the timbral potentials and possibilities of your instruments?  

I'm aiming for a lot of different sounds each time to be honest. So the search for unique drum sounds is an ongoing process to me.

The possibilities are endless with processing your recordings. I don't care fooling around with them, reversing, chopping it up, putting weird flangers and other FX on top over it etc.

As long as it sounds unique and fresh to me, it's good.

In relation to drumming, Stewart Copeland said: “Listening is where the cool stuff comes from. And that listening thing, magically, turns all of your chops into gold.” What do you listen for?  

I guess the cliches are true; being open in the moment is making you play better. When I play in a live setting with Kraak & Smaak and I'm tensed to play tight, I forget that I'm playing with others. When I'm open and relaxed, I'm listening better to them and letting the music speak more fluently.

But it's always a goal to become better at listening even more closely.

Do you feel that honing your compositional / songwriting skills has an effect on your drumming skills?   

Yes. I play less notes. Less fills, more simple grooves.

Behind the drums it's all fun, but behind the 'laptop' I'm easily annoyed with the amount I'm playing and I'm cutting everything out.

How has technology, such as drum machines and sequencers, impacted the way rhythm is created and perceived? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?  

Definitely. I play a lot with electronics live. Try to play more programmed. Not always of course, but most of the time, yes.

Plus, you see for example the development of gear in the Istanbul clap stack, sounding kind of like the 909 snare. I like that development.

Physical strain is a particularly serious issue for many drummers. How does it manifest itself, how do you deal with it and in how far does it affect your creativity?

I just try to practice on a daily basis, try to live healthy and exercise (next to the drums). So, I always try to be in good shape.

And I see the progress of the drums as a lifetime thing, so I don't try to worry too much about my disabilities.

Many recording engineers have remarked that the drums can be particularly hard to capture. What, from your perspective, makes drums sound great on record and in a live setting?  

For me - for lack of a better studio - it's very very important to play extremely softly, with close micing and then crank it up with distortion / tape emulation etc. Because the natural acoustics aren't that good.

So I like to go with a lot of processing. Pitching it up or down, fool around with it, speed it up. Really approach it as a sample. At least, that's what I like, more than trying to play a perfect one-taker straight for four minutes throughout the song.

Drums and percussion are remarkably often used for physical therapy / healing. What, from your point of view, makes them particularly suitable tools for this?  

Probably because you are working physically and since you're using more parts of your brain, you probably have less time to think haha.

I've noticed that I'm actually happier when I play drums more, ideally on a daily basis. There's more energy coming out of me. So yeah, I try to keep it in my daily routine.