Anyone gig without a Drummer

[DavePlaysBass]

For 4 years in a row, I have been paid my day job salary for two days to play music for a company wide United Way campaign at two different plants. If I could only get about 200 more gigs like that a year.

But this year we had the 2nd drummer bail on us and the luke warm lead guitar said he was too busy (we all work for the same company). All this within two weeks of doing the benefits. So the vocalist / rhythm guy went acoustic, we found another and better lead player, and added a guy doing light percussion. Changed about 75% of the songs but still kept the old country.

I have recorded the multiple years that we have done this and in my opinion this combination has potential. The pocket was bigger and fatter than it has ever been with the drummers (both of them). The rhythm guy is a great rhythm player (and a good lead player to) and the percussion nature of the acoustic really made up for the lack of drums. I think this forumula has potential in that it does not need to be blasted at people the way an acoustic drum set kinda forces you to.

I played a P with flatwounds on 75% of the stuff but still found the Sadowsky with steel rounds to be the right sound on a few numbers. At any rate I am ready to go without a drummer. We need to find a good percussionist and I think we could really have something cool and unique. Anyone else ever go that route?

[esoxhntr]

Currently I play in a jazz trio - bass, piano and sax. Last year we played nearly 100 gigs. Playing without a drummer took a little getting used to, but now that we are used to it we like it better. I agree, you have to create a better pocket to make it work, but I can't see why you shouldn't be successful at it if you pick your rep well, and the right percussionist would be a nice addition.

[brivello]

It always depends on the drummer too....

A great drummer can make things so much easier: dynamics, time, feel.

A bad one can screw things up pretty bad

[alembicguy]

I played with a acoustic guitar player, myself on bass and another guy on percussion such as congas etc.and it was some of the most fun and well played gigs!It was actually fun because it required everyone to be that much focused on what was going on and it made everyone a much better musician!Good times!!

[kesslari]

I'm currently playing in a guitar/bass duo. Not dance music, so it works great.
But we want a percussionist or drummer, and may add one soon.

[capnsandwich]

I've done specials with just a piano player or an acoustic guitar player but in reality I think I like playing with a drummer or some kind of percussion, whether it be a percussionist or a conga/bongo player. I can use a fretless on an acoustic gig. I found that to be a good combo.

[southshoreconor]

just the other day, we found out our drummer has tendonitis, so we played the show that night acoustic at a small club. very intimate, and slightly awkward but it was a lot of fun. best part was seeing our drummer singing along from the side of the stage.

[Jazzdogg]

I gig occasionally with just a guitarist/singer and hand-drummer (congas, bongos). With the right musicians, it can be extraordinarily musical and liberating. For best results an excellent hand-drummer is needed; otherwise, the bassist's job can be made more challenging than necessary

[salcott]

Playing without drums can only make you a better player.

[VroomVroom]

Probably 25% of my gigs are drummerless trio hits. Gigs like that can be a lot of fun, and they definitely highlight the importance for everyone in the ensemble to have good time.

A few times I've done gigs where I was the only harmony player...that's a serious challenge and a blast. Do a trio gig with a tenor player and a drummer and you have a workout. If the sax player is still smiling at the end of the gig, you know you've done a good job.

[DavePlaysBass]

From the number of quick responses, I guess we did not invent anything this week .

[GeneralElectric]

My current regular gig is bass, harmonica, piano, and organ.

Strange trio to say the least.

[E2daGGurl]

Nice to hear about all the duos. I was listening to jazz on Sirius and there were a series of bass and guitar duos - very exciting stuff, all really good and listenable. Wish I could remember the names of them. Some of them were named after the guitarist of course.

I play mostly with just a guitarist, so far the three different drummers we've tried have not made us sound better than we do by ourselves. So.

[James Hart]

I did in the past... Acoustic Guitarist / Singer, Electric lead guitarist and me on bass.

[phatbass]

I do a few gigs without a drummer. Some are just acoustic duo and trio gigs with guitar and bass, and one frequent act I play with is a young acoustic/roots (whatever that means) Guitar player with his brother on Djembe, a Sax player and me on Bass.

He's thinking of adding a Drummer, but I think the current band is much more interesting sounding. Add a drummer and it's just another band, soundwise.

[Passinwind]

My standard jazz trio lineup includes a diva who also plays flute and percussion, her husband on keys, and me on electric upright. We add a drummer a few times a year, but it's much easier to play as softly as we often need to without one.

[MD]

My regular gig is a jazz duo, piano/bass.

[kevinmoore73]

Our drummer quit a few months back and we've been playing without one - bass, guitar, and sax/flute.