This doesn't just apply to drums, a lot of bass players could do to read this paragraph before every gig!
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Why is it always the drummer?
- Thread starter Mystic Michael
- Start date
Man am I blessed with the drummer I play with after reading some of the stories. My drummer is pretty solid, has his share of mistakes just like all of us, but he can sing, and I mean sing like Under The Boardwalk, It's Now Or Never, Don't Be Cruel, Teddy Bear, Suspicious Minds, that kind of stuff, and he spends good money on singing lessons. If we had a female singer with him we would be knee deep in gigs.
We play well together, and we both have that childish stupid-joke sense of humor. Three Stooges type stuff.
The previous drummers I played with would slow the tempo by as much as 30% 1 minute 30 seconds into the song. Pure torture. The drummer before that was good, but didn't like the lead guitarist. Drummer before that was good, but only drummed for fun. Although he didn't say it, I think he had issues with the lead guitarist, but he just drummed for fun 3-4 times year with us so it wasn't serious to him.
We play well together, and we both have that childish stupid-joke sense of humor. Three Stooges type stuff.
The previous drummers I played with would slow the tempo by as much as 30% 1 minute 30 seconds into the song. Pure torture. The drummer before that was good, but didn't like the lead guitarist. Drummer before that was good, but only drummed for fun. Although he didn't say it, I think he had issues with the lead guitarist, but he just drummed for fun 3-4 times year with us so it wasn't serious to him.
I believe the drummer is often the Mouth of the band and the bass player is the Liver.
The more they drink, the more it effects me.
So I'll add something a little constructive..
Some of you need a hug. That goes without saying. Others here need to just fire their drummers. "Good" drummers are out there, but if they're backlogged in your area, get in line. Don't give poopy drummers the gig. Just like any other musician with a problem (groove, drinking, gear, attitude, etc.) - if you hire them, you are enabling them. Fire bad players and tell them:
"Hey, you're fired because despite our attempts to solve issues with [...], you have not improved and we need to move on. We sincerely hope you'll use this feedback constructively. Oh, and um.. do you mind if we continue rehearsing in your basement?"
Some of you need a hug. That goes without saying. Others here need to just fire their drummers. "Good" drummers are out there, but if they're backlogged in your area, get in line. Don't give poopy drummers the gig. Just like any other musician with a problem (groove, drinking, gear, attitude, etc.) - if you hire them, you are enabling them. Fire bad players and tell them:
"Hey, you're fired because despite our attempts to solve issues with [...], you have not improved and we need to move on. We sincerely hope you'll use this feedback constructively. Oh, and um.. do you mind if we continue rehearsing in your basement?"
I've worked with a couple of boozin' doozies.
One of them, the more he drank, the faster he played. Some nights even the (Jazz) ballads all started sounding like the intro/outro to the Johnny Carson version of "The Tonight Show". He was a great drummer. The tempo was just comical sometimes.
One of them, the more he drank, the faster he played. Some nights even the (Jazz) ballads all started sounding like the intro/outro to the Johnny Carson version of "The Tonight Show". He was a great drummer. The tempo was just comical sometimes.
I'm lucky that the drummer I'm in a band with is very good. His sense of timing is impeccable, he dynamics are good, and he's good at communicating with the other musicians, watching for cues, giving cues, etc. When we were younger (college age), he used to try to be a hot shot, throwing in a bunch of unnecessary fills, and always wanting to have a drum solo that would last several minutes. He was no Neal Peart, and the venues we were playing were not the arenas and amphitheaters Neal Peart plays in. Small bar crowds don't care about drum solos! He also used to have a crazy stripper girlfriend who made our practices / gigs drama tests.
Now we're in our 30s, married with kids, careers, mortgages, all that ********. He has really calmed down in his playing. He's great about playing in the pocket, playing to suit the song, not himself.
Now we're in our 30s, married with kids, careers, mortgages, all that ********. He has really calmed down in his playing. He's great about playing in the pocket, playing to suit the song, not himself.
Speaking of superb drummers...
Embedded below is a video of Porcupine Tree in concert. The song is "The Sound of Muzak" - featuring the great Gavin Harrison behind the kit (and my man Colin Edwin grooving on his Bongo 4 HH). The verses are in the 14/8 time signature; the choruses in straight 4/4. GH never misses a beat. Literally.
MM
Embedded below is a video of Porcupine Tree in concert. The song is "The Sound of Muzak" - featuring the great Gavin Harrison behind the kit (and my man Colin Edwin grooving on his Bongo 4 HH). The verses are in the 14/8 time signature; the choruses in straight 4/4. GH never misses a beat. Literally.
MM
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A lot of drummers I worked with never studied an instrument that requires playing scales.
Also they never studied there own instrument.
Also if they don't sing they don't follow the melody which helps you know where you are
in the song. They just bash their way thru.
Also they never studied there own instrument.
Also if they don't sing they don't follow the melody which helps you know where you are
in the song. They just bash their way thru.
Ahh, seven's not too bad. (Or 14 or 21, etc.)
Here's some tasty Simon Philips and Trilok Gurtu leading a big band in 7 with a swing so wide, they reach the other side..
Here's some tasty Simon Philips and Trilok Gurtu leading a big band in 7 with a swing so wide, they reach the other side..
Speaking of superb drummers...
Embedded below is a video of Porcupine Tree in concert. The song is "The Sound of Muzak" - featuring the great Gavin Harrison behind the kit (and my man Colin Edwin grooving on his Bongo 4 HH). The verses are in the 14/8 time signature; the choruses in straight 4/4. GH never misses a beat. Literally.
MM
The only drumming I ever did with a band was with a church group. Always kept it simple, solid and on time with just little accents and small fills. Only complaint I ever got was from the guy who played the VERY LOUD accordion telling me I was too loud! Ha ha, that was funny.
It's not important to be flashy if you haven't got the time or skills. It's important to be solid. Lots of pp don't get that.
It's not important to be flashy if you haven't got the time or skills. It's important to be solid. Lots of pp don't get that.
Speaking of superb drummers...
Embedded below is a video of Porcupine Tree in concert. The song is "The Sound of Muzak" - featuring the great Gavin Harrison behind the kit (and my man Colin Edwin grooving on his Bongo 4 HH). The verses are in the 14/8 time signature; the choruses in straight 4/4. GH never misses a beat. Literally.
MM
I dig that sound. This is not a band I'm familiar with. I see they have released a lot of albums. Where would you recommend I start?
If you want to get a sense of the band's stylistic roots, you might want to start with The Sky Moves Sideways, one of their earliest albums and the first one they recorded as a full band.
My personal favorite is Signify - containing some of the best songs of what I'd call mid-period or "golden age" Porcupine Tree. After Signify, the subject matter of their music started to become even darker than it had been before, with a noticeably harder edge to the sound as well.
MM
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I currently play with a drummer who takes a whole lot of lead vocals. He manages to be competent on drums and sing at the same time, most of the time. His sense of timing isn't always rock solid, but nailing it down is my job when he's doing vocals anyway. The drummer I played with for a couple years was solid, steady and not at all flashing. She also plays a couple other instruments, not just percussion. Another drummer I play with now is also rock solid, has decent chops, but doesn't overwork his chops to the detriment of anything else. I got lucky so far, relative to everyone else, I guess.
I totally agree with the consensus. The genre I do most of my playing
(contemporary worship music) I have seen it all when it comes to drummers.
My main church I play at (2500 +/- per service) I play with some really, talented drummers. My favorite is a guy who studies with Dave Weckl. Super solid. Smaller mostly volunteer teams can be hit and miss.
(contemporary worship music) I have seen it all when it comes to drummers.
My main church I play at (2500 +/- per service) I play with some really, talented drummers. My favorite is a guy who studies with Dave Weckl. Super solid. Smaller mostly volunteer teams can be hit and miss.
Speaking of superb drummers...
Embedded below is a video of Porcupine Tree in concert. The song is "The Sound of Muzak" - featuring the great Gavin Harrison behind the kit (and my man Colin Edwin grooving on his Bongo 4 HH). The verses are in the 14/8 time signature; the choruses in straight 4/4. GH never misses a beat. Literally.
MM
Gavin Harrison is a monster! Saw him and Simon Philips at a Guitar Center Drum Off. They did kind of a drun duet (they were featured artists, not contestants lol).. Awesome!
Yep. Thank goodness for those monsters who still roam the earth: Cats like Gavin Harrison, Terry Bozzio, arguably Bill Bruford, etc. continue you to give me faith that excellent drummers may yet may be found...in the wild. To say nothing of everyone's favorite Ultimate God of Rock Drumming, Neil Peart himself.
MM
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Even great drummers can be a problem sometimes -- i.e. hitting cymbals too hard, being overly busy at times, giving you no room to play anything for two whole measures.
