Morgan Hill resident Tim Duffy stood and yelled like a wrestler,
then began to beat at the silver drum kit in front of him, his
sticks flying so fast that his arms no longer seemed to be attached
to his body.
Morgan Hill resident Tim Duffy stood and yelled like a wrestler, then began to beat at the silver drum kit in front of him, his sticks flying so fast that his arms no longer seemed to be attached to his body.
Duffy, 26, dressed in black and sporting a shaved head and goatee, took the stage Thursday night at Guitar Center store in San Jose to compete in the store’s Drum-Off district finals. He won a competition at Guitar Center’s Gilroy store earlier this season, qualifying to vie against against eight of the best drummers in northern California and Reno.
As he began drumming, he played a simple beat at first, but then the tempo quickly picked up speed. The 250 people in the audience, all on their feet, began clapping along to the tribal rhythm.
Although Duffy gave a skilled performance, demonstrating his mastery of complex dynamics and capturing the praise of other top competitors, ultimately Clarence Lewis from Concord won the night, taking home the $25,000 grand prize.
“Of course, it would have been nice to win the district final in San Jose,” Duffy said. “But my life is a constant work in progress, and my drumming is the highest it’s ever been geared right now. I want to continue to be challenged. I take something valuable away from every learning experience.”
And so did those who heard him play.
“What makes Tim stand out from the other drummers is his originality,” said Josh Castillo, drum department manager for the Gilroy Guitar Center. “The way he plays is very intriguing, and he is really good at engaging the audience. He has a lot of variety in his playing. He studies a lot and it shows.”
That practice is courtesy of Duffy’s mother, who recognized early on that her son had percussive talent and hired a drum teacher to work with her son.
“I always had a good sense of rhythm,” Duffy said. “I had a little Smurf drum as a child, and I would sit by the radio and beat along to the music.”
By 8 years old, Duffy had his own drum set and often practiced at his grandparents’ house. His grandfather was first chair violinist with South Valley Symphony and took him under his wing. Duffy began playing percussion in the symphony and performing with his grandfather. He qualified for the Live Oak High School marching band in the ninth grade, even though the band normally only accepts tenth graders in the band. He furthered his versatility by studying jazz percussion in high school as well.
Currently, he has a progressive rock project in the works with a friend in Seattle. Duffy has toured throughout the South from Nevada to Alabama.
He plays in what he refers to as “two and a half bands.” Dimidium is his longtime band and he sits in with Richard Corona’s Blues Band occasionally as well. He has a possible record deal in the works with his more recently formed primary band, A Thousand Kingdoms, which plays melodic metal.
“One thing that motivates me is how supportive my mom has been,” Duffy said.
Raised by a hard-working single mom, Duffy said, “She was always behind me. She paid for eight years of private drum lessons. She has serious health issues, and I want to be able to provide for her in the future.”
Each Guitar Center store throughout America holds its own annual competition. Ten drummers compete each week in rounds lasting up to three weeks. The top two winners from each week then vie for the store championship in a district drum-off. This year was Duffy’s third attempt.
In the past, he won the Gilroy store’s preliminary competition but didn’t make it to the district final. This time around, Duffy took first place.
Spectator John Rice, of Gold River, near Sacramento, was on hand to see Duffy play.
“I’m here to research drumming ideas and incorporate them into my playing,” he said, holding his video recorder up to capture five minutes of each drummer’s best work. “I get lots of ideas from a district final.”
The judges work as professional drummers themselves, including Greg Rico, a founding member of Sly and the Family Stone, and Ronnie Beck, a drummer who has played with Santana.
“We’re looking for great technique,” said David Lauser, a first-time judge who plays with Sammy Hagar. “Originality, style, stage presence, and interaction with the audience – it’s more than just how hard you can pound.”
Duffy agreed with this ethos, noting that good drumming comes from hard work.
“Practice makes permanent,” he said. “I’m becoming more dialed in on my technique and less sloppy. Whatever you spend your time on becomes ingrained. If you learn bad habits, they are really a pain to undo. You have to research and learn to do things smarter, not harder.”
His techniques apply to more than just sticks and drums.
“Never think you know it all,” he said. “Remain a work in progress throughout your life.”
