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What do you look for in a drummer?
- Thread starter Standalone
- Start date
Solid time feel and work habits.
Nothing annoys me more than a drummer who tries to fake his/her way through everything and thinks you don’t know it.
Learn the damn songs, Bunky.
Nothing annoys me more than a drummer who tries to fake his/her way through everything and thinks you don’t know it.
Learn the damn songs, Bunky.
Responds to requests for rehearsal, session, gig.
Solid timing and sense of groove.
Willingness to get fired.
Compatible personality.
Solid timing and sense of groove.
Willingness to get fired.
Compatible personality.
Benjamin Earl
Commercial User
- Dec 31, 2008
- 281
- 469
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- Fretboard Visualization Author
One who can keep a beat, has dynamics and plays at a reasonable volume. It would also be ideal for them to have an appropriate kit and that they have rehearsed and know the songs as we need them done.
Meter, dynamics, understands the bass player, and does it heads up and eyes open(literally).
I don't look at drummers. I'm married to my drummer, and if she catches me looking at other drummers, I'm in big trouble ...
Oh, a serious response! Hypothetically, if I were looking for another drummer, it would be to back me up playing classic piano blues tunes. Basically, a Michel Denis to my aspirations of eventually playing even the tiniest little bit like Memphis Slim. Basically someone to fill out the sound, and play very tastefully.
Oh, a serious response! Hypothetically, if I were looking for another drummer, it would be to back me up playing classic piano blues tunes. Basically, a Michel Denis to my aspirations of eventually playing even the tiniest little bit like Memphis Slim. Basically someone to fill out the sound, and play very tastefully.
If I have to chose only one thing, then it's TEMPO. It's surprising how often highly proficient drummers completely rush and drag down tunes with little to no awareness of it.
To me, it's kind the equivalent of a bassist or guitarist using a grossly out-of-tune instrument and being oblivious to it.
I'll take the "boring" drummer with reliable time over the flashy/groovy drummer that frequently drags or rushes the band. Without a good sense of tempo, nothing else seems to matter.
To me, it's kind the equivalent of a bassist or guitarist using a grossly out-of-tune instrument and being oblivious to it.
I'll take the "boring" drummer with reliable time over the flashy/groovy drummer that frequently drags or rushes the band. Without a good sense of tempo, nothing else seems to matter.
Groove
Willing to play on a Roland Kit (or have their own electric kit)
Great timing or willing to play with a click
Willing to play on a Roland Kit (or have their own electric kit)
Great timing or willing to play with a click
Our only chiseled in stone requirement for a drummer is absolutely no handlebar mustaches.
Ours has a long Mohawk ponytail and a long grey biker beard. And no shoes. And that’s just how I like it.
A few months ago, I would have gotten a real kick out of that....
But we lost our drummer for a while, and had a few drummers fill in. Actually, we had a few drummers, and one 'drumset owner'. I can't call him a drummer. Worst drumming I have ever played with.
After giving up about 30 minutes in, we did the second half of the first set no-drums, had a guest drummer join us for set 2, and did set 3 with no drums. Paid him for his time and providing the drums. Then resolved never to call that drumset owner again.
Honest answer to OP's question?
They need to have a 3 beat (3|4, 6|8, etc, you can use the same one, I literally don't care)
They need to have a 4 beat (2|2, 4|4, etc, again I don't care)
They need to be able to stay even-tempo.
Everything else is icing on the cake. No, I'm not kidding. I am satisfied if you only know two patterns. I will handle the rest.
Playing in a big-band is a unique experience. A drummer has to be familiar with a lot of different rhythms, have good sight-reading chops, ability to deal with the time and dynamics issues in a large ensemble, and of course have the general professionalism expected of everybody. The good news is that there are drummers who really want to play this kind of music.
Combo work is lighter on reading, but requires good brush work.
If you want to audition a jazz drummer, meet them at the door, tell them that they only need to bring in their snare and hi-hat. If they don't run away screaming, they're in.
Combo work is lighter on reading, but requires good brush work.
If you want to audition a jazz drummer, meet them at the door, tell them that they only need to bring in their snare and hi-hat. If they don't run away screaming, they're in.
Tempo and meter are the biggest things. A solid understanding of these two things more or less make a percussionist. Groove can't actually exist without this.
I've learned through my experiences that no matter what you do, as a bassist you can't push or pull a drummer in terms of tempo. You can try, but the most you can do is suggest, and often that doesn't really work.
Second thing is groove. It's one thing to play 4/4 backbeat all day, but I love drummers who can really be expressive on the kit and craft a groove as though it's second nature. A solid understanding and appreciation of world music and different rhythms goes a long way in terms of crafting an expressive rhythm section that can drive songs in terms of rhythm and dynamics. Sometimes I feel as though the biggest stylistic limitation that bands have is the rhythm section, and I feel that a lot of that is the drummer. It's really nice when a band doesn't have to play to the lowest common denominator, stylistically, because that's all that the rhythm section can do.
I've learned through my experiences that no matter what you do, as a bassist you can't push or pull a drummer in terms of tempo. You can try, but the most you can do is suggest, and often that doesn't really work.
Second thing is groove. It's one thing to play 4/4 backbeat all day, but I love drummers who can really be expressive on the kit and craft a groove as though it's second nature. A solid understanding and appreciation of world music and different rhythms goes a long way in terms of crafting an expressive rhythm section that can drive songs in terms of rhythm and dynamics. Sometimes I feel as though the biggest stylistic limitation that bands have is the rhythm section, and I feel that a lot of that is the drummer. It's really nice when a band doesn't have to play to the lowest common denominator, stylistically, because that's all that the rhythm section can do.
