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Andwele Simons
Andwele Simons was born on the sunny island of Bermuda. From a young age, he always showed an interest in drums. His parents Jacqueline & Andrei nurtured his natural talent, and from the age of 2 his father Andrei would take him to band rehearsals early to let him play the drums. As a child Andwele was also a heritage member of the John Warner Bermuda Gombey troupe, as a dancer and a drummer. From high school concert band, and his own band made up of himself, his younger brother Jacqui, and childhood best friend Desta, he began performing regularly. At age 17 he started his own drumming school where he tutored many drummers and groomed them for musical careers. Some of his students attended Berklee College of Music. He has toured with many bands including The Unit and Working Title. He has occupied the drum throne for: The Spinners, reggae artist Etana the Strong One, Sia Spense, McCartney Darrel The Wallstreet Band and many more. He also served as musical director for Bermuda Idol and a drum tech to many artists.

The Architecture of Tone: Using Symmetry and Physics to Achieve Professional Drum Tone

Drumset
Clinic / PerformanceLive

1. The "Aha!" Moment (0:00 – 0:10)
• The Demonstration: Start by playing a drum that is perfectly "cleared" (using the unified-tension Control drum). Let the note ring out.
• The Explanation: Most drummers have never heard a drum in 100% perfect symmetry. Explain that this "pure" sound is the goal.
• Talking Point: "You can't tune to a sound you've never heard. Today, we are using this Control drum to calibrate your ears. Once you know what a perfectly balanced shell sounds like, you can recreate it anywhere."
2. Training the Ear: Identifying "Dissonance" (0:10 – 0:25)
• The Live Experiment: Purposely de-tune one lug on a traditional drum. Play it next to the Control drum.
• What to Listen For: Point out the "beating" (vibrato) and the "growl."
• The Lesson: Show how to use the "Control" note as a pitch pipe. Tap a lug on the traditional drum, listen to the Control, and adjust until the "clash" disappears.
• Talking Point: "We are training your brain to recognize 'phase cancellation.' When the heads fight each other, the volume drops and the tone thins out."
3. The "Manual" Blueprint: Achieving Tone at Home (0:25 – 0:40)
• The "Finger-Tight" Reset: Demonstrate starting from scratch on a traditional drum.
• The Star Pattern: Show the importance of even tension for hoop alignment. 
• The "Press and Listen" Method: Explain how to seat the head and use your finger in the center of the head to hear the overtones at each lug more clearly.
• Talking Point: "Since you don't have a 'Control' drum at home, you become the Control. You must treat the first lug you tune as the 'Master,' and every other lug must be a perfect servant to that first note."
4. Final Q&A and Performance (0:40 – 0:45)