One thing is definitely for sure...

[armywalaby]

If you're going to be a successful drummer, you gotta be dedicated. you've gotta practice and you've gotta be ready to set up a bunch of furniture precisely and lock in with a bass player and get ready to get it done. How many threads in this forum are for drummer problems? We might need a sticky for it.

[Exploiter8]

Furniture?

[armywalaby]

drums = furniture

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Exploiter8

Furniture?

Drummers need day jobs, often as movers.

[Exploiter8]

I started on drums in the 70's. I never heard them referred to as furniture until today. Set? Kit? Drums? Ludes (Ludwigs on Qualudes)? Sure!

[Joebarnes]

Originally Posted by armywalaby

drums = furniture

As opposed to us bassists who need to move our fridges? At least those of us who still like hauling a big cab, anyhow.

[JohnMCA72]

A fridge is an appliance, not furniture.

[hrodbert696]

One thing that I would put on a wish list for drummers is a cheap spare kit. I know drum gear is expensive and bulky and a PITA to move. But most bassists around here have a spare bass. If a drummer wants to leave his good kit in the rehearsal space, fine. But you need something at home to practice with. I have a kit I got used from CL for $150 with absolute crap for cymbals in my basement. In the first band I played in, the drummer had one kit at the practice space, one at home, and just brought his nice cymbals along when he came to practice.

I'm wondering - apart from electronic kits, is there a way to create a setup without shells for quiet practice (in apartment buildings, etc.)? Do pads like these (http://www.amazon.com/SILENT-piece-D...actice+pad+set) actually work?

[obimark]

This!! We suspected in my last band that our ex-drummer only really had one KIT, which he left at the practice space, SO , he didn't practice at ALL except when we all got together to rehearse, coincindentally, his playing never improved!! Go figure- Practice= Playing better.

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

One thing that I would put on a wish list for drummers is a cheap spare kit. I know drum gear is expensive and bulky and a PITA to move. But most bassists around here have a spare bass. If a drummer wants to leave his good kit in the rehearsal space, fine. But you need something at home to practice with. I have a kit I got used from CL for $150 with absolute crap for cymbals in my basement. In the first band I played in, the drummer had one kit at the practice space, one at home, and just brought his nice cymbals along when he came to practice.

I'm wondering - apart from electronic kits, is there a way to create a setup without shells for quiet practice (in apartment buildings, etc.)? Do pads like these (http://www.amazon.com/SILENT-piece-D...actice+pad+set) actually work?

[NYCbassist]

To a certain extent, you either got it or you don't but practising the set list at home is paramount.

[AaronMB]

Originally Posted by Joebarnes

As opposed to us bassists who need to move our fridges?

"...We got to move these refrigerators..."

[BayStateBass]

Our current drummer has two full kits. The cheap kit is at the practice space, the good kit stays at his house and goes out to gigs.

The guy is really dedicated and practices an awful lot. Our old drummer had his good kit at the practice space and one of those electronic kits at home (he lived in a condo so he needed to practice quietly...this worked out for him).

[Stumbo]

One of the two best drummers I've ever played with could learn any song by practicing on his knees. We gigged two to three times a week and rehearsed two times a week and had school/day jobs so his living in an apartment was never a problem as far as his "practice" went.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

One of the two best drummers I've ever played with could learn any song by practicing on his knees. We gigged two to three times a week and rehearsed two times a week and had school/day jobs so his living in an apartment was never a problem as far as his "practice" went.

This. Honestly, sometimes I think there are jealousy issues here at TB or something. I have played with plenty of great drummers who rarely pulled out a kit at home. One of them has toured the world half a dozen times. He has now come back home to take care of family. But he never ever takes out his kit at home. But he can play everything we do just like he wrote it.

What really COUNTS is the drummers ability to PLAY THE PARTS AT THE SHOW. Nothing else matters. I rarely just practice scales and finger exercises any more myself these days. When I pull out a bass at home I'm learning songs for a gig. But here's the thing. There's a HUGE difference between bass and drums. I have dozens of notes to chose from. Most of us can't just hear a bass line and reproduce it. Drummers, however, only have a few "notes" to pick from. A snare, a kick, several cymbals and several toms. And to a trained ear, they all sound different from each other. Many drummers can simply hear a drum line one time and then play it. Drums aren't easier to play, but they ARE easier to translate what you hear to the finished product on your own kit.

Meh. As long as a drummer gets the job done on stage, I couldn't care less what he does away from the band. But, then again, jealousy never has been a problem for me.

"Try worrying about yourself. It's a 24/7 job." - My Grandfather

Words to live by.

[Marko5657]

Originally Posted by two fingers

...

"Try worrying about yourself. It's a 24/7 job." - My Grandfather

Words to live by.

[Marko5657]

Maybe it just comes down to experience; a less experienced drummer needs to practice more, not an experienced one.

Once you reach a certain level, you can just hear the song and play it right, or feel it and come up with what’s appropriate.

[jaywa]

The drummers in the most demand around here are so busy playing paying gigs in multiple bands that they literally don't have time to practice unless it's to learn material outside the realm of the several hundred cover band standards they've been playing for 30 years or more. Which isnt very often.

[jumblemind]

Originally Posted by two fingers

What really COUNTS is the drummers ability to PLAY THE PARTS AT THE SHOW. Nothing else matters.

Ha, no doubt. Played in one band where the drummer would play gigs like he'd never practiced with us, just experimenting on the spot and forgetting that we'd actually rehearsed [i]endings[/i/ for songs. Horrible gig experiences, and he probably practiced his crazy syncopations at home.

[BBox Bass]

I currently play with a drummer who doesn't have his kit set up at home, yet he usually nails his parts and adds neat flourishes at rehearsal where he uses my e-drums. He once told me that he learns songs on his steering wheel. I have also played with drummers who had multiple kits at home and still struggled with songs that had been on our set list for 6 months.

[gard0300]

My old drummer only had one set that he left at practice. But he would sit in his car on his lunch breaks and bang out the rhythm in his car.