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Why arent drummers considered musicians?
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The bass drum on 1, the snare on the 2 with 8th note on the hi-hat isn't very creative nor musical ... it is only a gloryfied metronome. There is many ways to spice up thing even in 4/4.
I started out as a drummer and took lessons for a couple years before switching to guitar and eventually bass. My first paid band gigs were as a percussionist.
My current drummer is most definitely a musician and not only plays everything with me but he went to Berklee and knows quite a bit about music theory as well as he plays guitar and sings.
Here is a review about my band by another drummer/musician with particular emphasis on our drummer.
I went out to see "The Conniptions" last night. I've know the bassist/singer for several years, but have never had a chance to catch his band.
Wow, what a treat!
I've been around the music scene for quite a while now, and I've heard lots of three piece bands. Generally three piece bands are very one dimensional and don't impress me. But these guys ROCKED. They were extremely tight on everything they did. And they performed songs from the '50's up to today. Their vocals were spot-on with every player sharing lead and backup roles.
I was super impressed by their instrumental pieces because both the Guitar player, Bassist, and Drummer sometimes played off of each other to combine as a single unit sound. Like I told them, that was the best version of "Time Is Tight" I've ever heard without an organ.
The drummer was the kind drummer that I strive to be. Not just a rhythm machine, but another musical element involving rhythm, melody, and dynamics.
If you ever get the opportunity, go check out "The Conniptions". They are the "Best of Breed" in three piece bands.
My current drummer is most definitely a musician and not only plays everything with me but he went to Berklee and knows quite a bit about music theory as well as he plays guitar and sings.
Here is a review about my band by another drummer/musician with particular emphasis on our drummer.
I went out to see "The Conniptions" last night. I've know the bassist/singer for several years, but have never had a chance to catch his band.
Wow, what a treat!
I've been around the music scene for quite a while now, and I've heard lots of three piece bands. Generally three piece bands are very one dimensional and don't impress me. But these guys ROCKED. They were extremely tight on everything they did. And they performed songs from the '50's up to today. Their vocals were spot-on with every player sharing lead and backup roles.
I was super impressed by their instrumental pieces because both the Guitar player, Bassist, and Drummer sometimes played off of each other to combine as a single unit sound. Like I told them, that was the best version of "Time Is Tight" I've ever heard without an organ.
The drummer was the kind drummer that I strive to be. Not just a rhythm machine, but another musical element involving rhythm, melody, and dynamics.
If you ever get the opportunity, go check out "The Conniptions". They are the "Best of Breed" in three piece bands.
Worked pretty good for the vast majority of classic rock bands still revered today :-D
- Dec 12, 2007
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- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
Listening to drummers, singers, horn players, etc makes us better musicians and bassists.
Great link Richland!
Great link Richland!
This is way I hate rock/pop/classic rock/ punk or other mainstream music. Too generic with few creativity. I got 2 new CD today:
Joseph Tawadros - The Hours Of Separation
John Patitucci - Remembrace
Everything is so musical in both CD, the drum is alive, not a time machin that eveyone lock into. Very easy to hear they are master on another level. In the Joseph's CD, the drum is more of a Egyptian percussion that sound like it is improvised to go along the dynamics of the oud. This is another level, most drummer only bash on the drum knowing only to play loud with the most simple beat on earth.
No, be creative and this is for all players, not just drummers. Relying on the same old formula again and again just make poor music, kill all creativity, kill talent.
+1
Don't get me wrong, I love complex intricate music myself. Zappa, Rush, Liquid Tension Experiment, Periphery, etc. But there's somthing to be said about groups that can draw large crowds of roaring fans night after night playing nothing more than 3-chord 4/4 stripped down rock songs. Sometimes music is more about feeling than thinking.
The answer to the question, of course, is that ignorance will out, always. It is one of man's fallibilities.
Why should there be a difference in considering the exertion of physical control over aural output created by blowing a wind across a reed, or through the lips placed to a cup, as opposed to constructing that aural output by striking an object with intent to outcome? To suggest that there is makes no sense.
Take this example of The Buddy Rich Big Band and imagine what it would be if Buddy weren't one of the greatest musicians to be seen by the public. EVER. That music couldn't exist without his musical expertise. The whole construct of his arrangements was built around his unique abilities; mere mortals need not apply.
Then, consider this lesson by Elvin Jones, only the most musical drummer ever to pick up a pair of sticks, IMHO. I once saw a documentary about Elvin. In it he spoke of painting images with his performance at his set. Each piece of his kit would put a different color on the canvas in his mind. While the phenomenon of synesthesia was out of vogue in medical science at the time, I believe he was a synesthete and his art was enhanced by it.
Even more than merely musicians, both men were absolute musical artistic masters of the very highest order, equal in their individual abilities to any master you can name of a traditional melodic or more obviously harmonic instrument of choice.
iJazz
Why should there be a difference in considering the exertion of physical control over aural output created by blowing a wind across a reed, or through the lips placed to a cup, as opposed to constructing that aural output by striking an object with intent to outcome? To suggest that there is makes no sense.
Take this example of The Buddy Rich Big Band and imagine what it would be if Buddy weren't one of the greatest musicians to be seen by the public. EVER. That music couldn't exist without his musical expertise. The whole construct of his arrangements was built around his unique abilities; mere mortals need not apply.
Then, consider this lesson by Elvin Jones, only the most musical drummer ever to pick up a pair of sticks, IMHO. I once saw a documentary about Elvin. In it he spoke of painting images with his performance at his set. Each piece of his kit would put a different color on the canvas in his mind. While the phenomenon of synesthesia was out of vogue in medical science at the time, I believe he was a synesthete and his art was enhanced by it.
Even more than merely musicians, both men were absolute musical artistic masters of the very highest order, equal in their individual abilities to any master you can name of a traditional melodic or more obviously harmonic instrument of choice.
iJazz
true drummers are true musicians.
True drummers are not so popular in amateur musical contexts.
That's it.
True drummers are not so popular in amateur musical contexts.
That's it.
not kidding. no knock on them at all. what they do is alongside music, but they dont play musical notes. they accompany music and make music better. but theres no melody in someone playing drums.
You are making the assertion that music must have melody to "be music", and that an instrument must have the ability to sound different pitches to be considered "musical".
Those are incorrect assertions.
Those are incorrect assertions.
