Any Good Drummers?

jacojazz156 · #1 08-27-2010, 12:47 PM

Ok, I have seen a ton of drummer bashing around here, which leads me to the question...Has anyone ever played with a drummer that was super awesome? A drummer that didn't kill your hearing with cymbals or way over play? Me being a drummer for many years before playing bass, I've learned to play the song not blast rolls everywhere there is a break. I had to quit a group because of my job a couple of years ago, and they said if I wasn't going to play for them they would have a drum loop. There were other decent drummers just waiting to play for them, but they didn't even want to give them a try. I guess my question is, has any of you guys ever experienced playing with another musicians like that? Someone who made your job easy? Where everything just clicked?

bassguppy · #2 08-27-2010, 12:55 PM

I always ask myself this same question. Where are drummers who play to the song and keep a solid beat, Not necessarily simple but tasteful, solid, just a joy to play along with.

For me it was with 1 drummer in Napa, CA who just had a command of his instrument and that was me only jamming him on a few occasions. Solid, great feel, he had instinct, and he listened to everyone else. That is a fine drummer.

You don't have to be a great drummer or even above average but just have a feel and understanding of the instrument.

Stanley Pugh · #3 08-27-2010, 12:57 PM

Yes I have, A super drummer that just dug into the groove with me.
That was one out of quite a few.
The present drummer I am working with is good and getting better.
The best player's try to make the tune sound good , not themselves alone.
Nice complement for you though, it was you or nobody.

**lowfreqgeek** · #4 08-27-2010, 01:04 PM

I have played with some FANTASTIC drummers. One of my regular band-mates is very good at keeping up the intensity at a low volume. Great dynamics, and ALWAYS listening to what's going on around him. We locked in tight on our first gig and have been doing it since. I've played with a few others like that, too.

But most I've ever played with were "average" and couldn't play soft or slow or consistent to save their life, or didn't have great time, or the good feel, or couldn't play more than a few styles, or...

The biggest trouble I have is finding a "Grade A" drummer who isn't already so busy that they have time for another "project". In talking with other guys in my area, drummers tend to be the weak link - at least when it comes to jazz/fusion groups. The great drummers are too busy, the not-too-busy drummers can't hack it.

MonkeyBass · #5 08-27-2010, 01:05 PM

I've been lucky enough to play with some stellar drummers over the years. I've also played with some pretty s***y ones too. If you find a good drummer treat him/her like gold because they're just as rare.

okcrum · #6 08-27-2010, 01:05 PM

Me too. I've played with several excellent drummers in this little town, inc. Duke Gadd (Steve's kid).

I've also worked with my share of basher/crashers, too. To my surprise, though, it's been about a 70/30 mix of good ones vs. not so good.

MonkeyBass · #7 08-27-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

The biggest trouble I have is finding a "Grade A" drummer who isn't already so busy that they have time for another "project". The great drummers are too busy, the not-too-busy drummers can't hack it.

This

GreggBummer · #8 08-27-2010, 01:11 PM

I had the pleasure of playing with a real top notch drummer. He was real pro. He was also a teacher. Every time I played with him was like a bass/drum lesson. He had the best control over his dynamics I have ever seen in any musican. Every rehearsal he pushed me to play better, listen better, and be better.

Unfortunately, two weeks ago, he passed away suddenly.

I am grateful for having the opportunity to play with him. He was a great drummer and a great human being.

jacojazz156 · #9 08-27-2010, 01:13 PM

I've noticed that all the good MUSICIANS don't really have an attitude. They know their roll and work together as a team to make the song sound good. If that means barely playing then that's what they do. It is not an ego trip for a musician.

Phalex · #10 08-27-2010, 01:16 PM

I've only ever played with one bad drummer. I'm fortunate.

Joe Nerve · #11 08-27-2010, 01:16 PM

I've played with as many truly great drummers as I have truly crappy ones. The crappy ones are great for practice because I have to really listen and work a lot harder to make the music sound good. Makes for some really sick and tight stuff when the good guys come along. I've learned also that a bass player can never shine with a crappy drummer. I did one audition in my life where they were also auditioning drummers. I will never, ever, ever... did I say ever? do that again. If a drummer is all over the place bass player's going to sound equally as bad. There is no way around it. All I was able to do was smile and go with it.

dmrogers · #12 08-27-2010, 01:25 PM

Yes, I've had the opportunity to play with some great drummers. One was my brother back in the seventies. A couple other along the way.
I am currently playing in a band with my son. He is great!

2-Sticks · #13 08-27-2010, 01:33 PM

Yes I have.....and Yes, I currently do.

In the past I have been lucky enough to play with a couple of drummers that were amazing players. Today I have the pleasure of playing with the kind of drummer that I have been waiting for my whole playing life. Not only does he know when to drop down into a thick pocket and groove....but he also knows when open up and make every ones jaws drop.

I have known him for about 12 years and have had the joy of playing with him for about 5 years....He as also become one of my dearest friends. I actually get excited every time we play together, whether it's in a band setting or just the two of us jamming.

jruberto · #14 08-27-2010, 01:43 PM

It's interesting, when I first started playing bass it was in a string band -- no drummer. Great & challenging place to start out because I was pretty much solely responsible for time & groove. Really built some good fundamentals there.

Then I joined this Brazilian band and really did not gel with the drummer, but didn't have any frame of reference so just thought that drummers sucked, in general (or that I just sucked). Then one night our drummer couldn't make it and from the first note I played with the sub I couldn't believe how solid and grooving the whole thing was, and how amazing it felt. I was just beaming the whole night & 10 years later "the sub" has proven to be one of my best friends and mentors & we've played hundreds of gigs together in a dozen different combos.

I am so fortunate to play with world class drummers all the time, if there's anybody who ever hears me & thinks I'm a decent bassist I owe it all to the incredible drummers who have shown me how to be in the pocket.

I have a "short list" of about a half-dozen drummers where sometimes its hard to decide who to call for a gig since any of them would bring their own excellence to the gig in their own way. I feel very lucky.

On the rare occasion that I wind up playing with a less-than-great drummer, well, sometimes you just have to grin & bear it. I keep my time & dynamics solid to hopefully help them elevate their game.

Spraeg · #15 08-27-2010, 01:45 PM

Finding a good drummer is the same as finding a good musician in general. There's alot of good musicians out there, no matter what the instrument, but there's generally about twice as many mediocre ones, and about four times as many truly awful ones. The problem is, most people tend to complain about the bad ones rather than gush about the great ones, so you hear alot of "My _________ sucks" rather than "My _________ is awesome". I've had the opportunity to play with a few really good drummers, a bunch of mediocre ones, and a few truly terrible ones, and that's generally the way it goes with musicians across the board. The reason bands tend to go through alot of lineup changes early on is because it's all about finding those few nuggets of gold, but you have to sort through alot of dirt to find them.

Elmo Oxygen · #16 08-27-2010, 01:49 PM

I've played with some truly great drummers, but the good/bad ratio is not on their side.

In my very first band, I had a 13 year old drummer with a disfigured two-fingered left hand. He never dropped a stick and is still one of the most talented drummers I've had the pleasure of playing with.

I'm also happy to say that I currently play with a fantastic drummer who is also a great multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.

On the other hand, I've played/jammed with a lot of so-called drummers that made me want to put my bass down and back away slowly. Most of them seem to have serious rushing/dragging problems.

One band I was in auditioned a 40 or 50-something drummer who claimed he had been playing for almost 30 years. After he set up his beautiful vintage Gretsch kit, he sounded like a 4 year old getting to bang on his uncle's drums for the first time. Once again, "it's not how many years you've been playing, it's how many hours".

MatticusMania · #17 08-27-2010, 03:21 PM

Ive played mostly with really good drummers. Had a subpar drummer in my band for about a month or so. My current drummer is somewhere in between.

Exploiter8 · #18 08-27-2010, 03:30 PM

I've played/jammed with the same drummer off and on for 25 years. When playing, I'm usually focusing on myself, with the drummer as timekeeper and following the guitarist. I record everything, and THAT'S when I realize what an exceptional drummer he is, and how fortunate I am to have hooked up with him so long ago.

X8

hbarcat · #19 08-27-2010, 03:49 PM

I've been fortunate to play with numerous good drummers over the past 25 years - although I should qualify that by saying I'm very picky about the drums and I won't stay in a band with a drummer who doesn't play up to a certain standard of talent and professionalism and also has a good "vibe".

But there have been two drummers I've worked with who have stood out to me. The first is a guy I met in a jazz class in college and I played with him in a metal cover band for 4 years. He is easily the best drummer I have ever heard; unbelievably fast yet accurate, with just about perfect timing and feel and can play any style of music, including many other percussion instruments. He got to be so good because he'd been playing drums since he was a kid and kept up a practice schedule that had him playing drums more than 40 hours per week. Unfortunately, he has a bit of a mental/psychological dysfunction which makes it very difficult for him to socialize with others or to get along with other band members for long periods of time. We ended up going through so many guitarists and singers because they always quit after several months. Kind of sad, really.

The other great drummer I know is a woman who usually plays with this psychedelic jam band but I've been able to play with her from time to time and shows with her are always fun. She has an amazing groove that makes it totally effortless for me to play the bass and it's obvious that she is perfectly aware of the entire rhythm section and knows exactly what to play that fits the moment. I've played with drummers who were "technically" better or faster but she is always absolute perfection when it comes to "feel". And that's what the music is supposed to be about.

xxfaux_punkxx · #20 08-27-2010, 03:49 PM

The drummer I'm in with now is good. We lock in pretty tight (which surprizes me) and he uses his crash symbol more to keep time then anything else but he doesn't break his sticks arcoss it. He tends to lead the songs more though which is cool. Like he loops for the verses then hits the crash, snare, snare, kick, crash and where in the chorus which he starts looping again.