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Do you Find it Difficult playing without a drummer?

#21
Good luck!

We have a couple tunes we do without drums.

Keep it simple. Just provide the low end and don't be concerned about being fancy. It can be a lot of fun. Just relax and enjoy it. Don't overthink it. Be steady and provide the timing.

You might find this might be your favorite gig. I know when we do our tunes with no drums (acoustic guitar and electric bass), people love it.

Don't worry, it will be okay.
 
#22
Time is the responsibility of the whole band, not just the drummer. That being said, I used to be a drummer and REALLY worked on my time - and it is still better than almost all of the drummers I have played with.

Dan K.
 
#23
The first fifty minutes was a little "iffy", probably because everyone was a little stiff. We took a much needed 10 minute break, got some more beer in us, and discussed what we could do differently. The bar filled up, we got on to some tunes that we were more comfortable with and overall we had a blast.

The first set, I played timidly - following and watching the other guys. I found that we all struggled a bit keeping time as a band. The second (much longer) set - I definitely played with more confidence, and boosted my volume a bit so the guys could follow me a little ;)

For the record, we covered everything from CCR to Mumford and Sons with two acoustic guitars and a bass. No percussion, aside from stomping our feet, and getting the crowd clapping.

It definitely took me out of my comfort zone (did I mention this was my FIRST gig? haha), but I'd do it again any day of the week.
 
#24
Sweet! Glad to hear it went well...I think that just letting go and having fun in those situations is one of the most important things...The audience knows if you're nervous or unsure of yourself and they'll be nervous with you...If you just let go have fun and pretend the occasional mistake never happened the audience most likely won't notice...Unless there's someone from TB on there and then you may show up in the Humor section...in a bad way.

Kidding...seriously glad to hear you had a good time! That's what its all about!
 
#27
m0ranwad said:
The first set, I played timidly - following and watching the other guys. I found that we all struggled a bit keeping time as a band. The second (much longer) set - I definitely played with more confidence, and boosted my volume a bit so the guys could follow me a little ;)
Click to expand...

I have played without a drummer a lot. You learned the number one rule, you can't play timidly. Congrats! Next time it will be much easier.
 
#32
wow, good job! If the drummer had had to bail on my first gig ever, I'd never have made it.

These days I play keyboards in a really loud bar band and every night I'm hoping the drummer is sick and had to cancel. He plays fine but it sure would be nice to be able to tone down the stage volume!

personally I think if you're playing CCR and mumford and sons, you don't need a drummer at all and are better off without one . . .
 
#36
Clef_de_fa said:
everyone in the band should have good time ... no one should depend on someone else to have "good time"
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Sadly, this is lost on a lot of musicians though. I can count the numer of people I know with good time on one hand, and my band's drummer is not one of them. So I'm also stuck with sneakers in a drier. There is no playing in front or behind the beat because he then either rushes or drags. (Proven in field experiments)

We play better when he can't make practice so I have no problems playing without a drummer. But then people rely on me for time, which might be good for your own sense of time but is still a problem for the band because like you say, time should be everyone's responsibility.
 
#37
Nashrakh said:
Sadly, this is lost on a lot of musicians though. I can count the numer of people I know with good time on one hand, and my band's drummer is not one of them. So I'm also stuck with sneakers in a drier. There is no playing in front or behind the beat because he then either rushes or drags. (Proven in field experiments)
Click to expand...

So, what you're saying is that you're "the only man over sixteen and under sixty who's around to show him good time"?
 
#40
we do a song where the drummer plays noise/static on a third bass with myself and the other bass player, i just chug a simple rhythm of muted strings, octaves, and open strings, while the other player plays this droning metal solo stuff, works fine

i play really clean to cut through the od metal madness and the extreme bit crush storm
 

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