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Drummers SUCK!!

T

tapehead

May 27, 2008
133
4
#1
What is it about drummers? I don't think they have the same ears as other musicians....On top of that they are usually the flakiest of all musicians..

I play in a little cover band (60's, 70's classic rock, some newer stuff, an old soul song or two, nothing difficult) and we have been through the ringer just looking for a decent drummer...Usually what happens is we'll tell them to learn a few songs from our set, and they be like "oh I can play almost all those songs."....So sure enough they come in and think they can lay down just any old beat...dont know the arrangements, when to go to the ride or high hat...

If I was showing up to try out for a gig I damn well will know the three songs I'm trying out for....At the very least its the courteous thing to do so you dont waste people time..

And this is not just one drummer, this is SEVERAL...One drummer PRIDED himself on timing and tempo (cuz he said he was no Neil Peart) and that was one of his BIGGEST weaknesses, it was almost comical, the singer haveing to constantly stick his hand out telling him to slow it down...

If somehow we could just rock out without drummers....The world would be a little bit better place....
 
#2
tapehead said:
If somehow we could just rock out without drummers....The world would be a little bit better place....
Click to expand...

Blasphemy!! A good drummer is a joy to play with! On the other hand a bad drummer can take a band of fabulous players and make them sound like cats in heat.

Find yourself a good drummer and you'll find yourself rolling around in all the sticky drummy goodness.

Drummers suck, but a good drummer..............

I can't do it! But there's a punchline in there.
 
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#6
I grew up with a drummer/best friend & we played throughout high school & college - we could read each others minds. After moving to different parts of the country I find myself in a permenant state of drummer wierdness. I can't tell you how many drummers here in Vegas think that I'm going to hang out around the hi hat & narrate the set for them (picture the voice of Morgan Freeman "Now, young man, we are moving from the verse to the chorus, so prepare yourself because people are counting on you"- It was so much easier when I only had to worry about lead singer wierdness.
 
#7
It's like anything - ya gotta dig through a lot of dirt to get the diamond. Keep looking!
A good drummer is heaven. "Even a crap band sounds good with a good drummer - but NEVER the other way around" -- paraphrasing Elton John
 
#9
Mike Shevlin said:
... I can't tell you how many drummers here in Vegas think that I'm going to hang out around the hi hat & narrate the set for them (picture the voice of Morgan Freeman "Now, young man, we are moving from the verse to the chorus, so prepare yourself because people are counting on you"- It was so much easier when I only had to worry about lead singer wierdness.
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I diggin' the Morgan Freeman visual there. nice ... but sad. As has been said already, you'll find a good drummer and things will be all hunky dory in your musical world. Probably just a little bad luck. I didn't notice where you're from, but try to check out some bands in your area and talk to the drummers you like. You might find guys that are just filling in or have flexible enough schedules and would be interested in trying out. good luck.
 
#10
Oh I know I'm generalising, but its strange how so many drummers have had the same problem....Think they can just throw a beat down and thats it....I've played with good drummers, so I know what it's like to have a drummer that has ability and one thats easy to communicate with while playing....

I thought it was funny one time someone told me when the drummer stops playing or ends the song the song is over. No getting around that.
 
#11
Drummers suck, but a good drummer..............

I can't do it! But there's a punchline in there.
Click to expand...

Drummers suck, but a good drummer vacuums.

Our first drummer only played drums for one reason: freak out to unstress :hyper:. He had the ability to turn a smooth ballad into thunderous havoc. We (mainly I) constantly had to calm him down.
The drummer we have now is sheer heaven: ticks like a clock, knows how to put life into his sound with minimum effort, and has even the ability to guide the band (he once made us come to a full stop, and restart on a different rythm and feel during a live set, and it worked great!)
 
#12
I've had a lot of problems with drummers too. A very good friend of mine and myself have played music together since we were kids (but always with different bands). We often have the discussion about how difficult it is to find a decent drummer. If not talent wise, then personality wise.

His main band plays thrash metal, I'm more of a rock/blues/jazz player. Anyway, it seems that for both of us the drummer usually is the biggest thorn.

I grew up listening to, and playing with my father who plays drums, and he is a great player. We still get together and play benefits or parties with other musicians from time to time.

So maybe dad spoiled me.

I'm not hating on drummers. A great drummer + a great bassists = Heaven :)
 
#13
It's actually pretty simple: most drummers have at least one drummer they like who is completely self-taught. Most drummers like this ignore the fact the fact that "self-taught" means that those drummers put hours upon hours into learning even the simplest things. And, instead, these drummers go and wank around the kit for half an hour a week.

These are the same drummers who say not to take lessons as it will "reduce your musicality" and "your individuality"... ality.

:p
 
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#16
yeah, my main problem with the drummer i played with for a little bit is he DOES NOT listen to me, he tries to ignore me and listen to the lead guitar. Its ridiculous, the rhythm section just doesn't work. My new band though, the drummer is excellent and the level of musical communication between us during songs is like love <3
 
#17
im from ohio we have the same problem. im a bass player so when theres tension in a drummer i feel it first.they thing is ,most drummers are not trained.they dont understand song form and things like that.but not ALL of em are bad. with a good drummer though,you dont even pay him any attention to him.you just play. with a bad one,he jerks the whole band around. thts the best way i can describe it.you'll know when he's right though. a drummer will make or break your band. keep lookin.
 
#18
To be fair it is easier to say that musicians suck, it's just given our close relationship with the beater of skins we can suffer more from a poor drummer and of course vice versa. Unfortunately in my band the drummer thinks a pocket is where he keeps his keys and wallet, so I'm continually having to get him to make corrections. The rest of the band are now starting to see the cracks in his ability so it may be a case of watch this space. On the other hand I have had the pleasure of working with drummers who do understand the need for rhythm section co-operation and the need to learn songs correctly and practice and they were an absolute joy to work with and nice blokes into the bargain. Of course these guys are very popular and not available for my current band.

So to quote ryco, you've just got to dig a bit deeper. Keep the faith, it'll be worth it in the end.
 
#19
After months of searching, we've actually found ourselves a drummer who is so professional that it frustrated him that he didn't know the exact structure of our arrangements yet. We had a three hour trial session with him on Friday, running through close to twenty songs so we could get a feel for each other, and discovered that he had listened to and learned most of the initial set list we sent him - both our originals and the original recordings of covers. Now it will be a breeze to pin down exact song structure in our new format as an actual four-piece band, and we know this drummer will be able to take the lead and guide us through the songs. (As long as we can keep him from trying to turn us into a copy band.) Yes, drummers can suck, but a good drummer sucks...

So hang in there, tapehead. There's hope.
 
#20
tapehead said:
What is it about drummers? I don't think they have the same ears as other musicians.
Click to expand...

our drummer has the second best ears in my whole band, the pianist taking 1st place, but he has perfect pitch and a diploma in piano as well as a grade 8 in some sort of horn based instrument. Admittedly our drummer also plays piano to grade 8 but all my band members have a second instrument that they play to a high level (the singers 1st instrument is infact bass guitar). so i think our drummer has better ears than the average musician infact his ear probably kick the majority of this forums ears.
 

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