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Going Drummerless..?

#41
I did a couple of sessions recently and there were no finished drums on the tracks..and the program drums weren't that good either so basically served as clicks for later.
HATED it...

So I'm big on drummers and I always seek out proper players...Always.

To do a stripped down version with no drums would mean a drastic rewrite of the sets...so I'm a No.
 
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#42
I play (or played) a lot of music that could be described as "chamber music" and so being drummer-less generally comes with that territory. Not sure I could tolerate that as the only kind of music I played -- 'cuz I loves me some funk! -- but it could definitely sustain me for quite a while (provided the material is top-notch).

The modern jazz band I played in a number of years ago had booked a few gigs during a month where our drummer had to be out of state for ...uh, something, I forget if he was on tour with another band, or had a Day Job commitment, whatever. Anyhow, we briefly considered getting a sub drummer for those gigs, but then decided it might be more fun to re-arrange our usual set list of mostly original repertoire for a drummer-less ensemble. It worked out great!
 
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#47
Done this a lot, both with acoustic-type lineups and sometimes with tracks and programmed drums. Or even a drummer-optional setup where we were set up to either have programmed drum tracks or a click going to a drummer's headset.

No drums of any sort at all does place more responsibility on everyone, but especially the bassist, to keep the tempo steady and keep the rhythm clear when needed. With the current project I've noticed we speed up during songs a lot more if I'm doing vocals (which takes a lot of concentration) or have to rely on the guitar for the pulse because I'm playing more loose, fluid parts that don't provide a constant pulse or drop out for a section.

Did an open mic last month where on a few songs somebody who was there joined in and tapped a light beat on a cajon without telling us in advance or anything, and that definitely made things easier and less tense for me, especially when singing. It's like, OK, I don't have to worry about keeping the internal pulse steady while also singing in tune, trying to remember what the next line will be, and trying to land on the proper bass notes.
 
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#48
BigBoneRed said:
You should be pleased! I heard two tracks tonight, one with drums, and one without- both sound great to my ears.. melodies, layers, textures- nice job!
>>Are you playing fretless on this album?
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for listening to my music and for the kind words. Deeply appreciated.

No, I'm not playing fretless. What may sound like a fretless in "Princess" - presuming that's what you're referring to - is my '72 Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass strung with La Bella White Nylon tapewounds.
 
#49
Depends on the band, and what the music needs, but my main group has been drummerless for a long time. I also spent a lot of time in duos without drums too. It's a great way to really make yourself the whole engine room, though it does place extra demands on what you can/can't do as the bassist. What is REALLY does is make you get your time together so you can be rock solid even without a drummer. It also makes everyone else super conscious of their time and what they need to work on. I encourage everyone to do it, even if it's just occasionally. Would I substitute a real drummer with a drum machine in a pop/rock, etc context? Nope. Cheesy. I use a drum machine on some songs for my 100% just-me solo bass thing though. It works well in that context.
 
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#50
JazznFunk said:
Depends on the band, and what the music needs, but my main group has been drummerless for a long time. I also spent a lot of time in duos without drums too. It's a great way to really make yourself the whole engine room, though it does place extra demands on what you can/can't do as the bassist. What is REALLY does is make you get your time together so you can be rock solid even without a drummer. It also makes everyone else super conscious of their time and what they need to work on. I encourage everyone to do it, even if it's just occasionally. Would I substitute a real drummer with a drum machine in a pop/rock, etc context? Nope. Cheesy. I use a drum machine on some songs for my 100% just-me solo bass thing though. It works well in that context.
Click to expand...
TY~ This really reinforces my thoughts along the same lines.. I'm pretty confident in my timing though, and have spent many hours with a.... GASP!!, metronome, 🤓 and a varied assortment of drum tracks/loops/patterns etc. thanks to a Vgood teacher who corrected me early on.. A guitar player I know once asked me about my old metronome, and asked me how to tell time with it. Still not sure if he was kidding or not~:smug:
 
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#56
Something that might be interesting for drummerless ensembles is the Porch Board. I’ve seen a number of Celtic groups use them and we bought one. It’s a piece of composite lumber with a piezo pickup and a 1/4” jack. Completely passive. You just plug it into a PA and when you tap your foot on it it makes a kick drum sound.

The first time I heard one live I was confused because it sounds just like a kick but there was no drum on stage
 
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#58
Piper Bob said:
Something that might be interesting for drummerless ensembles is the Porch Board. I’ve seen a number of Celtic groups use them and we bought one. It’s a piece of composite lumber with a piezo pickup and a 1/4” jack. Completely passive. You just plug it into a PA and when you tap your foot on it it makes a kick drum sound.

The first time I heard one live I was confused because it sounds just like a kick but there was no drum on stage
Click to expand...
That's pretty cool!! A simple concept, but a genius idea~ :thumbsup:
 

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