mrtcat Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) Basically I'm in two bands. One is great, does functions and is really musical. All members are experienced players and the drummer is incredibly good. The other is ok doing pub rock and fills the gaps in my calendar nicely, all the members are really nice people and I like their company. The big problem I have is that the drummer in my second band simply can't keep time. He is all over the shop and can go up or down by a good 15bpm in a song. The singer and guitarist are both really decent but whilst aware of drummers speed issues they don't seem bothered. We've even had punters shout out that the drummer is all over the place. Don't get me wrong, his style and fills are fine but he's just got no internal metronome. I've raised it really tactfully a few times but his standard response is "in an interview dave grohl says it's natural to speed up a bit". It's driving me nuts and as a bass player it ruins the playing for me and is quite embarrassing. Is this something he can improve on? If so should I just lay my cards on the table and hope he works on it? If not I can only see it ending one way. What would you do? Edited January 11, 2015 by mrtcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 It's so hard playing with a drummer who can't keep time. The drummer in my band slows down at the same place in the same songs gig after gig. I find that I speed up at this point to try to drag him along which can make it even more of a mess. Drives me nuts but I wouldn't quit because of it. We've had a couple of deps play with us too who have been on the button and it's a truly liberating experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I recently played with a sh*te drummer in a functions band. He was so bad that he was still banging away even after the song had ended! The band leader agreed he was bad, but kept him on because he got all the gigs! Needless to say I bailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yes... no question..or I wouldn't get involved for the same reason. Two things a drummer must have in my book, very good time and very good groove. This rules out the vast majority unfortunately... but there you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Isn't the whole point of the drummer to keep the timing? If he can't do it then he's no asset to the band. yes, I've quit over drummers like that. Having said that, I've played with some pretty poor drummers with a good sense of timing. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I have this same situation. Technically our drummer is very good with fills and all that jazz, but when it comes to basic time its not great. To be fair to him he steps up for gigs and he keeps time a lot better than he does in the practice room. I have approached it fully head on. In the practice room if he speeds things up or slows down to a noticeable level, then I will stop the song and say that he needs to sort his timing out as its all over the shop. Also I make him use a metronome in his ears where possible. It is much easier for me to say all this to him as we are all good friends in the band and I can just shout many profanities and insults and its all taken in stride. But obviously it makes it that much harder if we decided we want another drummer.... What has improved his internal timing is to sit and practice to a metronome at home. I can tell when he has been doing it, and when he's been slacking. I know i'm not the best most technical bass player, but I can keep good solid time and can tell when it wavers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yes. I have done in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I don't think I'd stick it long. The drummer and I are supposed to be partners in rhythm and the engine room of the band. If we're not singing from the same sheet for any reason, it's going to sound crap, and I'd want no part in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1417514372' post='2621077'] Isn't the whole point of the drummer to keep the timing? If he can't do it then he's no asset to the band. yes, I've quit over drummers like that. Having said that, I've played with some pretty poor drummers with a good sense of timing. G. [/quote] No. It's everyone's job to keep time. If the drummer is losing time compared to everyone else then he's not a musician. I stayed in a band with a bad drummer for far too long. Eventually it destroyed me. I will never join another band where the drummer is not a musician. It will stop you getting gigs. Even if the audience don't know why it sounds sh*t, they'll know it sounds sh*t. Edited December 2, 2014 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Short answer: Yes, it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBike Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 In the dim and distant past I answered an advert posted by a drummer who wanted to get a band going. After a couple of weeks we had a band together with a singer, guitard and keys player. It soon became apparent that the drummer was dreadful so the rest of us decided to ditch the drummer and get another one in (the keys player knew a very good drummer). The new line up for the band turned out to be really good, it certainly stretched my playing in ways I'd never been stretched before and that would never have happened with the first drummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I'm shocked that the OP's drummer could speed up by 15BPM and think it's ok to do that. I can feel a difference of a couple of BPM and I find that annoying. If he was in my band I'd say he has to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1417515331' post='2621095'] I don't think I'd stick it long. The drummer and I are supposed to be partners in rhythm and the engine room of the band. If we're not singing from the same sheet for any reason, it's going to sound crap, and I'd want no part in that. [/quote] This. As bass players we are the generally the first to notice, and sometimes we get the blame... Edited December 2, 2014 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I've had it a couple of times in bands before, if you like them as people it can be quite hard. The drummer in my new band has what I think is a flashing metronome that he keeps near his feet - looks very professional when he sets it to the BPM of the song & means he's always bang on time - maybe you could club together & buy your drummer one (nice and subtle!)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 The bigger kit they have and the worse it seems to get. Best drummer I ever played along with had one Tom kit and two cymbals buy boy could he play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 [quote name='spacey' timestamp='1417516924' post='2621130'] The bigger kit they have and the worse it seems to get. Best drummer I ever played along with had one Tom kit and two cymbals buy boy could he play it. [/quote] Sometimes if they have a really big kit it can take them 4 1/2 beats to get round it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Everyone has to play in time and in the groove, especially the drummer. Timing can vary, by a couple of bpm at most, but + or -15 bpm is very poor drumming and if the guy thinks that is OK and the excuse is Dave Grohl said so I'd call him out. There no point in leaving unless you can't fire the drummer. He's the one who should be going not you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 It would probably make me not take up an offer if the audition was with a poor drummer and I got the job. If it was an established band I was already in and a new drummer was forced on me who wasn't up to it then yes I might well consider dropping out. Sometimes you don't appreciate how good the guy you are working with is until you do a few open mic/jam nights and have to play with all sorts, many of which are gigging regularly themselves so not novices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadgie Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Our drummer is like that...speeds up a bit. I've suggested he uses his Iphone with a tempo app with the flash fuction. He could set the tempo and have the light flashing (out of sight of course) and he would simply just need to follow the flash. I even went through our set list and got all the BPM's noted down for him. Hew still didn;t use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yep I see a consensus forming here. I can't see the drummer leaving as he and the guitarist are great mates and the founders of the band. I was wary when I joined but at the time needed the money really badly due to being made redundant. Money is no longer an issue so I'm pretty sure I'm going to tactfully cut my losses. I guess the next dilemma is do I give my reasons and hope it helps them in the long run or just make excuses and leave. I could just tell them that the problem is getting me down and see if the drummer is open to the idea of practicing and even gigging with a metronome. I don't want to stitch them up at all but it is no fun at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 The old line is "You're only as good as your drummer". That's pretty close to being true IMHO, so a crap drummer automatically means that you're a crap bass player. Would I tolerate being turned into a crap bass player by someone else? Nope - I can do a pretty good job of that without needing external help, thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I wouldn't entertain being in a band with a bad drummer. I'd hate every second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I wouldn't want to be in a band with a bad drummer, but if the band was otherwise good, I'd hope they'd realise this and cut him loose, rather than me leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) The thing that annoys me about timing issues is that it seems obvious to me that if the drummer slows down or speeds up mid song at a gig then we all have to as well. I match what I'm playing to the drums, everyone else just carrys on in their own (usually correct) timing hoping things will come back together... It's obviously good practice to have things going at the correct tempo but if it does slip then we have to adapt or it sounds sh*t... no glory in getting to the end of the song thinking "well I was in time" Edited December 2, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I'd walk. Life's too short to play gigs that you don't enjoy or look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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