As one of the few surviving students of Billy Gladstone, and certainly one of the world’s foremost experts on the Gladstone technique, this video is an important historical document of not only Billy Gladstone and his important contribution to modern drum technique, but of the career and legacy of Mr. Lang himself.
In this video, Mr. Lang, takes the viewer on an educational tour of the history and modern application of the Gladstone technique. Drawing from decades of experience as percussionist with the New York Philharmonic and as a world renowned educator, Mr. Lang explains all the facets of wisdom gained in his studies with the legendary Billy Gladstone. Topics include principles of the Gladstone technique, parts of the stroke, and body mechanics. An approach to the rudiments is covered in detail, as well as various other topics including accents, matched and traditional grip, and a segment on applying the Gladstone technique to the drumset.
In addition, Mr. Lang presents a look at how he has carried on the tradition of manufacturing the legendary Gladstone drums with his own company, and discusses many aspects of his career, including working with the New York Philharmonic, auditions, working with a conductor, knowledge of styles, and more.
Morris “Arnie” Lang has traveled all over the world as percussionist for the New York Philharmonic, and has worked with some of the most famous classical conductors in the world, including Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta and Kurt Mazur on hundreds of recordings and on television. As an educator, Mr. Lang is the author of various books, has chaired several college percussion departments, and is currently Professor of Percussion at Lehman College in New York City. He is a member of the prestigious PAS Hall of Fame.
