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Robotic drummer

Wiremessiah

Wiremessiah

Inactive
Mar 4, 2017
981
748
#1
I recently jammed with a guy who was almost like a robot. Perfect time, even when i was off, same level (super loud) the whole time almost like he has a brickwall limiter, and cold and expressionless, didn't look like he was having fun at all. Interesting experience, because it was like he wasn't listening to me at all, and I just had to follow him. I tried to even stop a couple times to start a new jam, but he just kept going.

He sounded good, other than the loudness, but I don't think i can handle music without dynamics. I need loud and quiet passages, and I need accent. When you play so loud all the time, there is no accent.
 
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#6
Torrente Cro said:
I thank my quiet drummer every day... if it weren't for him, I would have lost my hearing ;-)
And songs would sound all boring without dynamics.
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Yep, I mean its a skill in itself I guess to be able to play the same volume consistently, even if it's loud. And the same night, i played with a punk drummer. I don't even play with that many people, and when i do I make sure they know how anal retentive I am about dynamics. But twice I played with super loud drummers, and my ears hurt. I can't imagine doing that every day. I remember going into a drum shop once, and the guy looked like an old school glam rock drummer with the hair, and he couldn't hear a word I said. Imagine how hard the waves are hitting your ears that close to the drums over and over. Screw that. I like listening to max roach and billy martin and bob moses, etc. Those guys know dynamics. I play a jazz/world kit myself, and I practice playing as quietly as possible, not because of noise, but because it's so easy to be loud, and its difficult to play drum kit quietly.

That said, i think that type of drumming could be good for recording, and the reason i asked to jam with him is because I like his snare tone, which may be a product of hard hits.
 
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#9
Wiremessiah said:
I recently jammed with a guy who was almost like a robot. Perfect time, even when i was off, same level (super loud) the whole time almost like he has a brickwall limiter, and cold and expressionless, didn't look like he was having fun at all. Interesting experience, because it was like he wasn't listening to me at all, and I just had to follow him. I tried to even stop a couple times to start a new jam, but he just kept going.

He sounded good, other than the loudness, but I don't think i can handle music without dynamics. I need loud and quiet passages, and I need accent. When you play so loud all the time, there is no accent.
Click to expand...

Maybe he just needs to hit something for a half hour or so before he settles down. I occasionally play with a drummer I can listen to and tell you pretty close to how long it's been since he sat down to a kit. If it's been a while he'll attack the thing for about twenty minutes until he's got it out of his system, then he settles down and gets with the program.
 
#10
fhm555 said:
Maybe he just needs to hit something for a half hour or so before he settles down. I occasionally play with a drummer I can listen to and tell you pretty close to how long it's been since he sat down to a kit. If it's been a while he'll attack the thing for about twenty minutes until he's got it out of his system, then he settles down and gets with the program.
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We played for a long time, over 30 minutes. He's been playing his whole life. Guess he's never been exposed to good jazz drummers with dynamics. It's not unusual, most musicians don't know dynamics, and often it becomes just a competition for loudness. The guys who have been playing a long time are very hard to talk to about those things. That's why I find it very hard to find good musicians to play with that listen and give and take.
 
#12
fhm555 said:
Must be your location. Around here it's easy to find players who understand how to play in and out and when the time's right for both.
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Doubt it, i have move across the country, and played for decades, and find it very difficult to find people who listen well while playing. In fact i was one of those people until i started to understand mixing and engineering and producing. And i am talking about improv mostly, not songs that have defined parts. Drummers are the toughest, because their hearing is messed up and it's more difficult to control the dynamics of their drums.
 
#13
I
Wiremessiah said:
Doubt it, i have move across the country, and played for decades, and find it very difficult to find people who listen well while playing. In fact i was one of those people until i started to understand mixing and engineering and producing. And i am talking about improv mostly, not songs that have defined parts. Drummers are the toughest, because their hearing is messed up and it's more difficult to control the dynamics of their drums.
Click to expand...
i must be very fortunate indeed. Finding players (including drummers) who understand the importance of volume control and when to soft pedal and when to slam, is easy around here.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck in that regard.
 
#14
Dynamics require the musicians to actively listen to one another and react. Chances are this drummer is just completely locked into his own thing, but at least he keeps time well. It's tough to play with guys like that though, because they are leading, but only because they are inflexible. I think we've all played with someone who is only locked into their part, and can't "hear" the rest of the band until it's too late!
 
#18
If I have to pick one... I'll take good timing with poor dynamics over bad timing with good dynamics...

But I generally have played with drummers who both:

a) Played percussion in concert/symphony bands - high school or college
b) Also play other instruments

That means they usually have good timing and dynamics, understand theory, and read music.
 

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