Rythem section practice

[mimoe218]

Looking for some insight from you guys on something new to me. The group i play with usually practices 3-4 times a week, and recently started doing one a week where myself and our drummer go separately and run through everything, and the 2 guitars do the same. What should i be listening for now that i can hear just myself and the drummer? I've already switched up a few picking patterns to lock with his kick a bit more but other than that what else? Thanks!

[kraigo]

Drummer Rick Marotta talked once about playing, then doing long rests and seeing if they came back in at the same time? 1 bar, 2 bars, 4 bars... He said his rhythm partner and he could go eight bars (no visible or audible counting) and still come back in at the same time.

Drummer Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann would work through things with one of them taking the right hand stickings and the other taking the left hand stickings and sight reading snare drum material.

Be creative and find things that will tighten your musical bond. Just being able to listen to the other guy without the other musicians will be helpful.

KO

[iantrevor]

I happen to be roommates with the drummer of our band so we spend tons of time together in and out of practice. The biggest benefit, for me at least, is that we talk a lot about what we want from songs. That may sound off, but we each know what the other is going for while we play so our goals can line up together. It may not be much, but it sure helps me.

[elgecko]

You guys are rehearsing 4-5 days a week?

[mimoe218]

Kraigo those are good ideas on things to just build chemistry together. We usually practice 3-5 times a week. We all live together and have a studio only about 10 minutes away so scheduling practice isn't hard. The next couple times we do this im mainly just focussing on accenting his kick drum and locking tighter with the met which I recently just started getting in my IEM.

[ksandvik]

Hi-hat patterns, what the drummer hands are doing, especially when doing a end break and going back into the next bar. Helps if you stand next to the drummer rather than having the drummer behind your back.

[Fergie Fulton]

Play the song arrangements as you play them. A good rhythm section can play by themselves.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

[dogofgod]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Play the song arrangements as you play them. A good rhythm section can play by themselves.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

agreed. the rhythm section should know the song without any help from other members. I can personally play all songs with the drummer without the rest of the band. just don't get to comfortable.

[bolophonic]

Originally Posted by elgecko

You guys are rehearsing 4-5 days a week?

I wonder what the full story is here.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by mimoe218

Looking for some insight from you guys on something new to me. The group i play with usually practices 3-4 times a week, and recently started doing one a week where myself and our drummer go separately and run through everything, and the 2 guitars do the same. What should i be listening for now that i can hear just myself and the drummer? I've already switched up a few picking patterns to lock with his kick a bit more but other than that what else? Thanks!

Over time, as you and the drummer get to know each other's musical styles, you will automatically lock into the groove together. In my last band, the drummer actually listened to what I was doing (and vice-versa), and a lot of really cool stuff happened. Not just with the kick, but with a lot of his fills, too. Having the flexibilty to change your patterns really helps. Since you guys are practicing so much, this should happen pretty soon.

[mimoe218]

Originally Posted by bolophonic

I wonder what the full story is here.

What do you mean?

[mimoe218]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Play the song arrangements as you play them. A good rhythm section can play by themselves.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

That's sick. Those 2 are completely in sync with each other!