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Firing the drummer

#21
Mantis Tobaggan said:
So I started playing guitar a year and about 8 months ago. I practice every day. Literally. I have missed maybe one day in the last year. I met a drummer and ended up setting up a jam room in the back of my office. We started playing in the back of my office earlier this year, around February. We played once a week for a few months. He has played four years and is ok. After a few months, we put out an ad for a bass player and got some calls. We picked a guy that is pretty cool. He has been playing bass 20 years and is really good.

The bass player has been in the band a few months now. We have learned about 8 songs. I am making progress. The bass player is making progress. The drummer still seems to be about the same. His drumming is okay. He maintains a tempo, has some limb separation, but overall, his drumming is pretty boring. Kinda sloppy. He doesn't seem to practice. At this point, he is holding us back. He always asks what song we are doing and how does it go, like he is learning them at band practice.

Last night, after practice, the bass player and I decided to look for another drummer. So we are going to audition some people. When should I tell the drummer it isn't working out? Should I wait until we find someone? We aren't gigging because of COVID but also we aren't quite ready anyway. I want to make a demo but not with this guy. If we have no one, then the band will be basically on hiatus. But it seems kinda rude to drag the guy along. Hopefully, we get someone quickly. What are your thoughts on how to best proceed? I am kind of the band leader in this situation. This could potentially affect the very existence of the band but getting a better drummer would be pretty great. I give this guy a 4 out of 10 on overall skill and a 3 for effort.
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Yeah good move. If you guys have learned about EIGHT SONGS in a FEW MONTHS you'll NEVER be ready for a gig. You guys have to grab another gear. You should be nailing down more than eight songs PER REHEARSAL. People should be learning their parts at home. The only thing rehearsals are for is making sure everyone nailed their parts.

You guys are also grown. Just be honest. "We're going in a different direction. Good luck to you." is generic enough to get it done. It doesn't have to be a long ordeal.
 
#26
Bass Viking said:
If I was in a band where I felt like I was in over my head and holding them back I would I would tell them. Funny how others don't seem to realize or care.
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When I was doing the originals "jazz fusionish" thing last year +, about every month I'd butcher something so badly that I would actually tell the BL that I really didn't understand why he continued to include me. He was well above my skill level and the drummer was much more experienced than me as well. BL said (paraphrasing of course) he liked my creative, melodic phrasing enough to tolerate my relatively noob chops.

I guess he was following BB's philosophy I saw in another thread about preferring to play with someone who's 75% a person and 25% a musician. Not everyone needs to play with all top notch players - taste and appropriate attitude can make up for a lot of "talent".
 
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#27
mrcbass said:
When I was doing the originals "jazz fusionish" thing last year +, about every month I'd butcher something so badly that I would actually tell the BL that I really didn't understand why he continued to include me. He was well above my skill level and the drummer was much more experienced than me as well. BL said (paraphrasing of course) he liked my creative, melodic phrasing enough to tolerate my relatively noob chops.

I guess he was following BB's philosophy I saw in another thread about preferring to play with someone who's 75% a person and 25% a musician. Not everyone needs to play with all top notch players - taste and appropriate attitude can make up for a lot of "talent".
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I'm guessing you at least met the bare minimum and showed promise. Plus you were concerned about making mistakes.
 
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#29
Bass Viking said:
If I was in a band where I felt like I was in over my head and holding them back I would I would tell them. Funny how others don't seem to realize or care.
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Depends how badly you are holding them back, as a general rule a good way to improve is to play with people better than you, but yeah, they can't be so much better that you actively feel guilty being in a band with them.
 
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#30
Shalto said:
Depends how badly you are holding them back, as a general rule a good way to improve is to play with people better than you, but yeah, they can't be so much better that you actively feel guilty being in a band with them.
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I am new at guitar and definitely feel like the weak link at this point. I practice daily and am improving rapidly. I am motivated by how good the other guys are.
 
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#31
The best way I've found to get a 'weak link' to pay attention, is to record your rehearsals. Then, have the whole band listen together, & critique everyone's performance. Don't point out just their mistakes alone. They usually realize that they need work harder.
 
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#32
Mantis Tobaggan said:
So I started playing guitar a year and about 8 months ago. I practice every day. Literally. I have missed maybe one day in the last year. I met a drummer and ended up setting up a jam room in the back of my office. We started playing in the back of my office earlier this year, around February. We played once a week for a few months. He has played four years and is ok. After a few months, we put out an ad for a bass player and got some calls. We picked a guy that is pretty cool. He has been playing bass 20 years and is really good.

The bass player has been in the band a few months now. We have learned about 8 songs. I am making progress. The bass player is making progress. The drummer still seems to be about the same. His drumming is okay. He maintains a tempo, has some limb separation, but overall, his drumming is pretty boring. Kinda sloppy. He doesn't seem to practice. At this point, he is holding us back. He always asks what song we are doing and how does it go, like he is learning them at band practice.

Last night, after practice, the bass player and I decided to look for another drummer. So we are going to audition some people. When should I tell the drummer it isn't working out? Should I wait until we find someone? We aren't gigging because of COVID but also we aren't quite ready anyway. I want to make a demo but not with this guy. If we have no one, then the band will be basically on hiatus. But it seems kinda rude to drag the guy along. Hopefully, we get someone quickly. What are your thoughts on how to best proceed? I am kind of the band leader in this situation. This could potentially affect the very existence of the band but getting a better drummer would be pretty great. I give this guy a 4 out of 10 on overall skill and a 3 for effort.
Click to expand...
Find another drummer, have him come to practice early so your current "guy who plays drums" can find out what a "drummer" sounds like, then you can all have a good laugh while he throws a giant baby hissy fit, and storms off cursing :)


Tell him now, he'll be mad, and you'll be out a drummer. Tell him later, he'll be mad, and you'll have a drummer. Either way, doesnt really matter. You've already decided the dude sucks.
 
#33
You have two choices:

1. Sit down with him and tell him it is isn't working out, and work out a time filor him to pick up his gear.
2. Sit down with him and tell him he doesn't seem to be working on the tunes, and you are going to audition other drummers. He can pick up his gear, or he can improve and take his chances comoar d to the other candidates.

Seems like door #1 is the better option imo.
 
#34
Guild B301 said:
The best way I've found to get a 'weak link' to pay attention, is to record your rehearsals. Then, have the whole band listen together, & critique everyone's performance. Don't point out just their mistakes alone. They usually realize that they need work harder.
Click to expand...
It might be better to have a one on one with the weak link. If everyone else is pulling their weight why should they have to be critiqued too?
 
#35
Congrats on the new drummer. I just went through this in one of the bands I play in. I knew from day one that he wasn't up to par, but he was an old friend of the singers. He was very enthusiastic and worked on stuff but his meter was horrible.
I gave it some time, mostly because he was so into it, also because he sang pretty well. I thought he'd improve. He didn't. Our solution was to invite friends over, our room is always open to guests, that we'd played with on occasion in the past. These guys are in signed/ touring bands, or drum instructors. Anyway they'd start talking about drum stuff and he'd always ask if they wanted to sit in for a couple of songs. Then he would hang his head while he listened to us sounding like we played together for years, when with him, it was still sloppy. Eventually he bowed out.
It's hard to be tight when you don't know where the beat is.
Congrats again, and hopefully the shows will come back. Use the time to tighten things up and write some new material. That's what all my bands are doing now.
 
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#36
Before you tell him it isn't working out.

I would address what is holding him back from getting better at drums and if he gives you his awnser maybe there can a solution to fix it.

I've been playing bass for 15 years and i have hearing issues. However... I always play by ear. Im pretty decent but not fantastic at my skills of playing but i used to practice almost everyday with my band for the pass 10 years and got better and better. Only reason why the band stood for so long cause there my brothers...
 

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