Aaron Gerstenberger

My name is AaronGerstenberger and I am currently the Percussionist for the ProgMetal band Seize Eternity, and former Drummer Nine Mile Silence which has currently disbanded. I am looking to expand my music career and offer my services forsession/recording, fill-in substitute work and teaching private lessons tobeginner students.
I have beenprofessionally trained and have studied Jazz, Latin, and Indonesian percussionunder Dr. Shupe and TA. Mike Vercelli at BGSU marched Drum & Bugle Corpsfor 4 years and attended YSU and studied Theater and Operatic performance. Ican read and write music and can also play a vast variety of percussion instruments.Ex… symphonic percussion, hand percussion, mallet percussion, marchingpercussion, and tympani. 

              My nameis Aaron Gerstenbegrer and currently I play drums/percussion in the up and coming Progressive metal band Seize Eternity and former drummer from Nine Mile Silence which is currently disbanded. I am also working andperforming as a recording/session artist. I also am an teacher for aspiring youth percussionists. I currently am endorsed by Dirt Bag Clothing Co., RattleSnake Cable Co., Raze Energy Drinks and Supplements, Ghost Jewels, and DeathWish Coffee. However my career just did not start today. 

        I havemany musical influences and percussionists that I look up to when it comes tomy style. I would have to say my top 5 include Dream Theater, Rush, Led Zeppelin,Pink Floyd, and Clutch. My newer influences would be Porcupine Tree, Opeth,Muze, Septic Flesh, and Big Elf. At times if you close your eyes you will hear familiarphrases and within my bag of tricks playing styles from my biggest artistinfluences; Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, John Bonham, Stewart Copeland and JPGaster with a small hint of Buddy Rich.

              I enjoyeverything about music and enjoy listening to every genera I come across andalso enjoy discovering new music. I am always studding different styles,grooves, technic, and theory. I have always followed the philosophy of one ofmy teachers who was a big role model for me, Professor Rob Ferguson from KentState University. He told me, “Always try to learn something new everyday,and suck less everyday, cause there will always be someone out there betterthan you trying to get your gig. No one is ever the best at something, howeveryou can be really really good at what you do. Always know that you are doingyour best to be better. Oh yeah and PRACTICE,PRACTICE,PRACTICE, but do itright. If practice is too easy then your not doing right.”

              Ireally feel you have to challenge yourself and try to learn more than just thebasics of your craft and not rely on just your talent alone, especially now days,if music is what you want to do. There are many other musicians out there allauditioning for the same gig you are and you have to be at the top of your game.If you don’t challenge yourself and fall behind what you want to become acareer will only be a hobby. I have been challenging myself from an early ageand still to this day have a lot to learn and improve on. This is where it allstarted to get me where I am today.  Didit all go as planned, “no”, but I have learned a lot and even though I am in myearly 40’s I am not giving up.

              I wasborn October 10, 1979 and was raised by some awesome parents, Pam (Berg) Gerstenbergerand Duane Gerstenberger. I can definitely say music runs in the family. Mymother was a musician and played clarinet and oboe through high school and alsoat BGSU(Bowling Green State University). She also worked at a music storebefore I came into this world. My Dad well he was a guitar teacher and alsoplayed the violin. All my mothers brothers and sister were musicians also. Herbrothers had a rock band back in the day. We never went anywhere without musicplaying or singing. My mom would tell you she knew I had a gift at the earlyage of three. We were driving in the car and singing Jesus Loves Me and I mightnot have been singing the words right but I was harmonizing with her. That wasjust the beginning. I was always watching orchestras on tv and conducting thenin my undies with a stick, singing and dancing, and also banging on everything inthe house plating the most awesome air drums in the world.

              So in1985 I started my career and studied classical piano and theory under DianaMcDonald. I continued to study and play piano till 2000, my freshman year atYSU(Youngstown State University). During those years I overloaded myself withmusic everyday and never slowed down.

              5ht gradecame and it was finally time to choose what I wanted to play in the middleschool band program. I wanted to play percussion, but unfortunetly there werealready too many drummers. Seeing as I had to pick something else they advisedme that due to my ear and piano experience that the French horn would be a goodfit. Not to excited about hat I decided to pick the trumpet. From the 6thgrade to the 8th grade I played the trumpet and was first chair inconcert band and also played in marching band and jazz band. It was fun but tourturecause the trumpet section always sat right in front of the percussion sectionand slowly began to loose interest. I knew the drums was what I was meant toplay and my true passion. I always wanted to play the drums and follow in my UncleDoug’s footsteps.

I spent tons of time after schoolmy 8th grade year pretending to practice until the band directorwould leave then off to the drum set sitting in the corner I went. I would putmy headphones on and turn on some Led Zeppelin or Rush and start playing. Thenone day thinking everyone was gone the High school band director heard meplaying and stuck his head around the corner to see who was playing. He askedme, “Do you play drums in the band?” I said, “No I don’t, I playtrumpet.” Then he asked me if I would be interested in playing drums inhigh school and gave me a chance to audition for the marching band, just to seehow I did. After this happened there was no slowing down from there.

During those 4 years of high schoolI played for the concert band, symphonic band, jazz band, pep band and also wasthe trap player for the show choir and high school musicals. Later my journeyyear I auditioned for the tenor line in marching band and made it. I wasexcited to say the least. I also decided to become involved in the choir. I wouldhave to say high school was pretty awesome and under the direction of Jim Fryeand David Headings my drive and passion for music regrew and became strongerthan ever.

Once I decided I enjoyed singingand wasn’t to bad I started to study opera privately under Mrs. LindaRinderknect. I also participated in solo and ensemble and took solos in piano,opera, marimba, Jazz ensemble, men’s vocal ensemble, symphonic band and choir.Needless to say I those were bust days.

              At theend of my freshman year I decided to take my drumming and my lover for marchingband to the next level. I auditioned for the Drum & Bugle Corps and earneda spot on the drum line. I marched Drum Corps for 3 years and traveled the USand Canada on a bus all summer long and performed 100s of shows in packedfootball stadiums for thousands of people. I then realized I love the thrilland excitement of performing live in front of a big audience.

              As for myvocal career that also took off. I sang in the symphonic choir, men’s ensembleand still continued to study theater performance and opera. I was hand pickedthrough an 3 tear audition process and gained a spot on the All Ohio HonorsChoir organized by the Ohio State University, and performed with the best ofthe best in a symphonic choir. In 1999 I then auditioned for the YSU Opera Societycollege camp and was accepted to spend two weeks on campus and study theaterand operatic performance and also sing a recital and in a sample performance ofthe musical LesMisrables and West Side Story. I was picked to sing the part ofJean Valjean.

              From 1997to 1999 I started to study the jazz arts, world percussion, Indonesian Gamelan,and Marimba at Bowling Green State University under Dr. Shupe Dean of thepercussion department and his teaching assistant Mr. Mike Vercelli. I was ableto build my chops and also learn something very new. I also learned how to successfullyplay 6 mallet marimba(3 mallets in each hand). I was rippling like crazy and rippingthrough scales.

              Afterhigh school I auditioned for the YSU school of music and the marching band. Iwas accepted for both and was on the YSU marching band drum line and was atheater and operatic performance major. I then studied opera under Dr. Mosherhead of the opera department and also joined the National Opera Society.College didn’t last long cause academically outside side of music school wasnever easy. After a year I dropped out and came home. Wasn’t pleased withmyself at all and not happy but I made do and had to get on with my life andwhat I wanted to do in music. Time to figure it all out on my own.

              I camehome and started living the good life. I worked in the morning at the local golfcourse in the kitchen and pro shop and got free golf whenever I wanted. Idelivered and worked in the kitchen at an Italian restaurant and got free foodall the time. I also stated to DJ with my best friend Ed Griswold and the localclub and got free booze and the girls loved us. Anyways!!!!!!

              Shortlyafter returning home I started playing for a psychedelic rock band TuesdayConspiracy and played many private parties and festivals. We also recorded analbum on our own in our personal studio. Things were looking up then the bandbroke up do to the head guy and his wife moving to Hawaii. Then a year later Ijoined a Christian Rock Band Praise Thy Faith and played church festivals andlocal festivals. After moving on from that band I took a couple years off tofocus on my new family and children. Then I was approached by a guy at work andwe formed the progressive rock band Archania. We wrote originals and alsoplayed a ton of rush covers. We played many shows and shared the stage with afew national touring artist. (Clutch, OTep, Into Eternity, Bobaflex, MushroomHead, Chimera, and Noise Auction. We also recorded a full length album at JohnSchwab Studios in Columbus Ohio. The band split do to some egos and I moved onand started a new project. And that was the birth of VooDoo Cherry. We playedcovers and had over 40 hours of music in our catalog and mostly played forprivate parties. We did do one big show with regional recording artistsXFactor1. Due to medical reasons, and family we split and I then decided toretire. The fear of alcoholism was really starting to scare me and I saidenough I need to stop. And when I say stop I did. Sold my drums and PA and allmy recording gear I was really done, and I vanished from the music scene.

              Afteralmost 15 years of retirement I was once again going through a very tough timein my life then all that changed in just one message. I received a message froman old friend asking if I still played cause he needed a drummer. Not only didthey need a drummer but they needed a drummer for a show in two weeks. I saidyes and scrambled. I was hoping I still had it and I was nervous as shit. Itwent well and got the gig. We practiced hard and I learned a full set oforiginal music and played a great show. It didn’t sound to bad for only twoweeks of prep. And by two weeks I mean only two practices… after a few line upchanges and a small break we reunited and I brought on board my old buddy andvocalist from VooDoo Cherry, Greg Delong.

              Sincethen and 4 years later Nine Mile Silence has played with many national andinternational touring bands. (Geoff Tate, Saliva, Tantric, Trapt, Flaw, andDose) we have also played with many awesome local bands that are up and comingand have formed a strong bond in the industry. Nine Mile Silence had recorded afull length album “Metamorphosis” at JCR Studios by producer and engineer BrianJester and still are currently tearing up the stage. We are also touring andworking on our next album and will have very exciting new music soon.