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What makes a good drummer?

#21
Vocabulary is a big thing. The best drummer's know what fits the given style of music (knowing what not to play is as important as knowing what to play). My big pet peave is drummers who think reggae is easy to play and then proceed to demonstrate that they have no clue as to the vocabulary of the genre.
 
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#22
For me it's all about feel. Different drummers have different ways of approaching the downbeat. So it's important to know what he's doing and where feel is at. Some guys push a little, some guys play back behind the beat a little bit. It's important as a bass player to be able to adjust your playing accordingly.
 
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#26
all of the above plus fills appropriate to the song style and structure

something simple at the end of every line and something a little bigger to mark the transition to chorus or bridge or back to verse
nothing drives me to distraction like a drummer who throws in fills that disregard the song structure
 
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#27
1. Consistently shows up for rehearsal & gigs on time.
2. Knows how to play with DYNAMICS!
3. Kicks off tunes with correct tempo (and keeps it). Phone metronome app OK to get CORRECT tempo.
4. Plays together with the bass player, and SWINGS!
5. Musicality.
6. Knows how to tune floor toms and bass drums so as not to muddy up the bass player's notes!!!
 
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#28
Big ears! Most drummers I play with also make good producers because they listen for the song. Through the years I've also found that a lot of the really good drummers I've played with have had some drum Corp experience or some kind of training. Me, I'm a mutt!;)
 
#29
1. Meter like a metronome.
2. Feel that makes the percussion dynamic, alive, happening.
3. The intuition to play the right fill at the right moment.
4. The confidence to play very little and make it sound full.
5. A good sense of syncopation to create tension while keeping the meter.
 
#31
proactive not reactive; I turned down a gig recently because the drummer basically was reacting to what was being played, he wasnt in the music
locking in with the bass; pretty much goes with the first one, but I've experienced too many drummers accustom to locking in with the guitar and it throws the feel off
being able to keep a beat; this should go with out saying because it's literally the drummers main job, but I've seen many who can not.
 
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#32
If he can rock nothing more than a snare a kick and hats and his sticks and make it sound like a dozen piece kit he is amazing in my book.

I've played with a drummer like that and it was incredible.

Not to say there's anything wrong with those with full size kits but a good drummer treats every drum and cymbal as an entire instrument unto itself.
 
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#35
DwaynieAD said:
proactive not reactive; I turned down a gig recently because the drummer basically was reacting to what was being played, he wasnt in the music
locking in with the bass; pretty much goes with the first one, but I've experienced too many drummers accustom to locking in with the guitar and it throws the feel off
being able to keep a beat; this should go with out saying because it's literally the drummers main job, but I've seen many who can not.
Click to expand...

That may also be a sign that drummer did not know the material.
 
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#37
If a drummer plays for the music and not himself, then that makes a good drummer. That's the approach I always took when I was a drummer. Play what fits the music and don't try to show off your ability. Watch your dynamics and tempo, stay firmly in the pocket, and just play what the music calls for. I've seen a lot of bands with great guitarists and singers overshadowed by a drummer that either plays out of time, or plays a solo for the entire duration of the song....or both. On the other hand, i've seen a lot of bands with a solid drummer and a crappy guitarist.. and it still sounds a million times better than the former.
 
#38
Since I play bass and also sing lead my ideal drummer is THE ONE I MOSTLY DON'T NOTICE. If I'm not worried about following a sloppy drummer, well, that's the indication he does a good job. Had a horrid 3 years in what I call MY band with a guy who couldn't play. I accepted him joining altho' I hated the guy's sloppy playing (and his nonexistent implication with the band) because it was backed by my partner in the band (guitarist, we co-lead, compose most of the material and are the only stable members since the begining). I had respect for his choice but was HAPPY AF when the guy left in 2014 and we got ourselves a real drummer. I wasn't able to reach full potential as a singer as I was always forced to pay attention to him playing out of tempo/groove/sucking a lot. It affected me to the point I wasn't enjoying it at all, was about to stop playing bass, hire a guy to do so and center myself in just singing. Once the new drummer showed up (all of us had previously played with him in other projects) nobody talked about hiring a bassist ever again, I recovered my love for playing bass and singing first rehearsal, second f*ing song. I hate sloppy drummers. But I hate sloppy drummers who don't admit their slop more (very common too). Tempo (and to an extent groove also), as pitch, is a psycho-motor condition, either you have it or not, not too much grey in between, pretty much binary, learn to identify them and don't waste your time with worthless drummers. As for me, not a grooveles/timeless drummer ever again in my life.
 
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#40
andruca said:
Since I play bass and also sing lead my ideal drummer is THE ONE I MOSTLY DON'T NOTICE. If I'm not worried about following a sloppy drummer, well, that's the indication he does a good job. Had a horrid 3 years in what I call MY band with a guy who couldn't play. I accepted him joining altho' I hated the guy's sloppy playing (and his nonexistent implication with the band) because it was backed by my partner in the band (guitarist, we co-lead, compose most of the material and are the only stable members since the begining). I had respect for his choice but was HAPPY AF when the guy left in 2014 and we got ourselves a real drummer. I wasn't able to reach full potential as a singer as I was always forced to pay attention to him playing out of tempo/groove/sucking a lot. It affected me to the point I wasn't enjoying it at all, was about to stop playing bass, hire a guy to do so and center myself in just singing. Once the new drummer showed up (all of us had previously played with him in other projects) nobody talked about hiring a bassist ever again, I recovered my love for playing bass and singing first rehearsal, second f*ing song. I hate sloppy drummers. But I hate sloppy drummers who don't admit their slop more (very common too). Tempo (and to an extent groove also), as pitch, is a psycho-motor condition, either you have it or not, not too much grey in between, pretty much binary, learn to identify them and don't waste your time with worthless drummers. As for me, not a grooveles/timeless drummer ever again in my life.
Click to expand...

That sounded like a miserable experience.
 

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