Bassists vs drummers on online forums

[TomB]

A drummer I play with occasionally makes his own snare shells. Last time we played together he had a new snare he’d made out of a highly figured maple drawer front from an old chifforobe.

As a lifetime woodworker, I can tell you that’s not at all easy to do. Good for him!

 

[lfmn16]

My BIGGEST pet peeve are 90% of drummers who look at the guitar player for how the song goes instead of working with the bass player. I would almost go as far as saying the drummer is subservient to the bass player. Playing with a drummer who actually works with the bass player like Neil and Geddy do IS a treat and I've only played with three drummers that actually wanted just a bass and drums band practice. Guess what ? Those were all the best three drummers I've played with.

+1

I used to play with a guitar player that rushed and the drummer would follow him instead of keeping the tempo with me. I told him a dozen times to quit following the guitarist, but he kept following and rushing. Finally I said, “What the hell do you think he’ll do if we keep time, finish the song BEFORE us???” Even the guitarist admitted he rushed and told the drummer to keep the tempo.

 

[Kijuer]

I didn't even know that aluminum sticks were a real thing! I might have to start hanging out on drum forums myself. (I'm guessing that they use plastic tips, though to ease cymbal wear.)



I like your tom setup. Reminds me a bit of Billy Cobham's approach to his tom setup. If you guys don't watch Drumeo on Youtube, you should - it's an amazing resource and as a bassist I feel like I've learned a lot just by listening to the drummers who interview on that channel. The one with Billy Cobham is "The Art of the Rhythm Section", and I think he does talk about his approach to setting up his toms in that video.

Thank you! For as simple and "stock" it may look I have actually applied and simplified (extremely) a concept that was explained by Neil Peart in one of his videos. Basically, you start by putting stuff "where your hands go", following a mental map of a drum kit and adjusting in accordance to the real physical encumbrance of each element. I used that to build a bigger kit which ironically was pretty similar to Neil's in that I had a set of three toms above and around the hihat...now I only keep the single front tom, as I don't really need all that gear to play what I currently play. There have been some minor adjustments too, as my "mental map" seems to have changed as well! In my latest setup I have even removed the splashes, moved the stack over the bass drum and shifted the ride a bit to the right. I should have some pictures of the current setup, I'll post one if I find them.

 

[Kijuer]

There it is. The 16" Tom hadn't been use to leave some additional moving space for one of my guitarists.

 

[bassically_eli]

Louis Bellson had a few, but I'm guessing Modern Reading Text in 4/4 since that was a big one for him.


Yep, and they and the covers that go over them are replaceable.

As Jimmy suggested, it's Modern Reading Text in 4/4 by Louis Bellson. It was written for drummers and has no instruction. I'm not sure I would have gotten much out of it without a teacher, but when explained and practiced, it really helped my timing and my reading of rhythm.

Thanks! My sight reading is pretty good (I've been reading music since middle school band), but I was thinking a rhythm book might be useful for improving my arco playing. I see Belson also has an "Odd Times" version of this book. Do either of you--or anyone else for that matter--recommend that one as well? Thanks again

 

[JimmyM]

Thanks! My sight reading is pretty good (I've been reading music since middle school band), but I was thinking a rhythm book might be useful for improving my arco playing. I see Belson also has an "Odd Times" version of this book. Do either of you--or anyone else for that matter--recommend that one as well? Thanks again

Anything Louis is good.

 

[75Ric]

Thanks! My sight reading is pretty good (I've been reading music since middle school band), but I was thinking a rhythm book might be useful for improving my arco playing. I see Belson also has an "Odd Times" version of this book. Do either of you--or anyone else for that matter--recommend that one as well? Thanks again

You won't have to worry about sight-reading the pitches - it's all in one note, E, which I learned is a good thing because it allows you to concentrate solely on rhythm. I found value in the exercises I think because they've helped me to recognize note patterns and understand their underlying rhythm pretty easily. I couldn't do this before, so it's been noticeable for me, and I still work from the book.

I haven't studied the Odd Times book, so can't really comment on that. I don't play odd times enough to warrant it, at least at this point.

 

[JimmyM]

There it is. The 16" Tom hadn't been use to leave some additional moving space for one of my guitarists.
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I just noticed you have a splash cymbal under another cymbal as an aux hi hat. What the heck do you do with that?

 

[JimmyM]

Guys, I may end up having to let the bass go. I just nailed the single foot bass drum on "We're An American Band" and "Good Times Bad Times"! I am a stern critic of drummers, and that includes myself, but I've got it totally going on! There is a future for an old guy like me

 

[TomB]

Guys, I may end up having to let the bass go. I just nailed the single foot bass drum on "We're An American Band" and "Good Times Bad Times"! I am a stern critic of drummers, and that includes myself, but I've got it totally going on! There is a future for an old guy like me

Well miss ya Jimmy! At least you’ll understand what us bassists have to put up with .

 

[JimmyM]

Well miss ya Jimmy! At least you’ll understand what us bassists have to put up with .

Tom, I'm never giving up the bass, bro! I'm going to a rehearsal for a blues band on bass shortly. However, singing drummers who are solid are at a premium these days, especially if they actually know music, and I aim to take advantage of that and gig both. I need a little smaller and better set than my CB700's, but that's coming after a massive bass gear sell-off I'm about to have. That's why I'm paying the subscription fee again

 

[Kijuer]

I just noticed you have a splash cymbal under another cymbal as an aux hi hat. What the heck do you do with that?

The idea is to create a "stacked sound". I use a china on top with a reversed splash underneath, by adjusting the tightness of the clutch I can go from a "clacky" accent to a more open but quick china sound and everything in between. Just a way to "color things".

 

[Lobster11]

The idea is to create a "stacked sound". I use a china on top with a reversed splash underneath, by adjusting the tightness of the clutch I can go from a "clacky" accent to a more open but quick china sound and everything in between. Just a way to "color things".

Wow -- that sound sounds pretty sophisticated. I thought you guys just randomly banged on stuff....

(I'm kidding. I thought that was really interesting!)

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

There it is. The 16" Tom hadn't been use to leave some additional moving space for one of my guitarists.
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Are we really going to ignore the kick drum resonant head that looks like a prolapsed balloon knot?

 

[JimmyM]

Are we really going to ignore the kick drum resonant head that looks like a prolapsed balloon knot?

I was really hoping we would.

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

I was really hoping we would.

Optimist that you are, you seem to forget some of us have the sense of humor of a ten-year-old.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Tom, I'm never giving up the bass, bro! I'm going to a rehearsal for a blues band on bass shortly. However, singing drummers who are solid are at a premium these days, especially if they actually know music, and I aim to take advantage of that and gig both. I need a little smaller and better set than my CB700's, but that's coming after a massive bass gear sell-off I'm about to have. That's why I'm paying the subscription fee again

Yea, singing drummers to me would be a huge plus for most any band.

I posed the 'do you sing and play bass' question to bass players on a thread a while back and was surprised to read so many bassists dont really sing much if at all.

I know of several bands (mostly 3 piece) that could really benefit from a drummer that could sing at least some backing vocals....for some reason ever since i saw 'The Last Waltz' with an actual singing drummer (lead vocals at that) ive wondered why more drummers dont sing a bit.....i guess many dont have the voice or just wont put in the time? Dunno.

The time ive spent at drum forums is limited but the whole cymbal thing is what surprised me the most...to me you can collect used cheap snares, set them up properly and have something useful....not really the case with cymbals....some are awful...btw, i have a decent CB700 snare i found at a thrift for like $15 which sounds pretty good.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

+1

I used to play with a guitar player that rushed and the drummer would follow him instead of keeping the tempo with me. I told him a dozen times to quit following the guitarist, but he kept following and rushing. Finally I said, “What the hell do you think he’ll do if we keep time, finish the song BEFORE us???” Even the guitarist admitted he rushed and told the drummer to keep the tempo.

Ive read that Charlie Watts followed Keith Richards......Bill Wyman then followed Charlie Watts!!

 

[JimmyM]

Ive read that Charlie Watts followed Keith Richards......Bill Wyman then followed Charlie Watts!!

That's what Bill Wyman always said.

 

[Dan F Bass]

Yea, singing drummers to me would be a huge plus for most any band.

Yeh, I agree totally with this and it has kept me working as the industry has gotten meaner and leaner. Add some reading to this, pitched and non-pitched, even if only basic and you'll find work.

Gotta confess, I can't call myself a drummer or bass player because I can't decide which I like more (I blame Paul and Ringo) though I have done both since 1989. So I just go with musician. I do find I take more lessons and study more the drum videos (eg learning from John Riley / Dom Famularo with the odd lesson, and studying video of guys like Erskine, Curry, Ferrone and Gadd). This I don't do on bass. Each makes me better at the other...I think. I run rudiments on drums everyday but only practice scales and chordal things on bass every few days to keep my fingers agile.

At the end of the day I love doing each of them and when I find ensembles where I have a great rhythmic partner in crime who I can lock the pocket with it is happy days.