Nicko Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Our drummer has cut his hand. It doesn't look too bad but its 3 stitches in the palm. So he cant practice with us for a few weeks and then he's on holiday for 2 weeks. The rest of the band are suggesting rehearing anyway. I reckon its pointless for a bass player to rehearse without the rest of the rhythm section unless you are working on new original material, which we're not. So I reckon the band will be taking a month off. Which is even worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacclowes Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I've done loads of practices without a drummer. It's harder but you can still be productive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I wouldn't . On one occasion tho' Mr.Drums cancelled without notice. The rest of us used the drum pattern on my zoom b2 and played the 4/4 songs a couple of times . It's times like this , when you know Mr.Drums is important ,) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 It's a good discipline to be able to play your material [i]without [/i]a drummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) Hmm - not sure about that. A lot of our set has songs with stops in during a vocal line where the band is brought back in with a drum fill. Unless someone is going to shout "bam ba bom ba tsch brrrrup" or whatever, I don't think rehearsals would be of much use. Sad to say it, but you'll just have to wait it out or get someone to stand in. If you have recordings of rehearsals (we - I, that is - record all our rehearsals and most gigs with a Zoom HN4. Fantastic for what we need) or gigs why not suggest everyone just refines their own parts or comes up with new ones at home using the recordings until you can rehearse again? Edited June 10, 2015 by phil.c60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Drum machine - they don't talk back!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I quite enjoyed the odd practice without the drummer in my last band... enables you to properly hear what everyone else is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 As it's for a few weeks why not ask a local drum teacher if they've got any student who could sit in for a few weeks for a bit of experience. Still invite your old drummer along so he can 'advise' and not feel threatened. Might keep you ticking and you could make a new mate. Alternatively your drummer will get a hissy fit and leave, which may be a little counterproductive.. You'll know which is most likely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I've also practiced quite a bit without a drummer, worked ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) [quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1433939661' post='2795255'] Hmm - not sure about that. A lot of our set has songs with stops in during a vocal line where the band is brought back in with a drum fill... [/quote] ... But how dos the drummer know when to bring you back in..? Surely there's a mental 'count' going on..? Or ir it simply 'feeling' on his part..? Can you not get back in on a count of '2-3-4' or such (assuming 4/4 time...)..? Be careful, because if the fellow finds out that he's indispensable, he may be asking for a payrise..! We have a couple of songs in which there's a short drum break/solo (Beds are burning, Anti-social...) and my lot come back in on the beat with or without me. It's better if I don't 'fluff it up' (technical term..! ), but I have been known to drop a stick, or sneeze, or 'freeze'; the band plays on. Edited June 10, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradwell Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 If you go ahead with rehearsals then get something to keep the rhythm - drum loop, metronome, whatever. You should be able to play through material without needing the drummer but your life as a bassist will be compromised without a background pulse. On the occasions I've practiced in a band context without a drummer, the basslines get cut down, simplified and focus on providing the rhythmic thump - patterns of root, 5th & octave in straight 8th notes, concentrating on the dynamics to spell out beats 1 & 3 (or whatever pattern you are playing) gets boring very quickly. Without an underlying pulse to the songs everybody will struggle to play in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 We've practiced drummer-less loads, using pre-programmed drum tracks. Even played a couple of gigs like that a long time ago, while we were between "meat" drummers. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChunkyMunky Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Unless you're blurring bar lines, doing Latin and then going into a 17/16 section, you'll be grand having a metronome to a 2&4 of the bar. Maybe get a tempo map of the song and program an audio file that has the snare drum on the two and 4 of the beat. Just an idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1433941208' post='2795276'] Drum machine - they don't talk back!! [/quote] And you only have to punch the information into them once :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1433942640' post='2795305'] And you only have to punch the information into them once :-) [/quote] Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Rob Palmer shows you how to build your own shed, without the need of a Drummer. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXVEtJX-k2Y"]http://www.youtube....h?v=uXVEtJX-k2Y[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 If its covers we have used this site to fill in for missing members- http://www.karaoke-version.co.uk/custombackingtrack/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Sometimes I practice without drummer, guitarist, keys player or singer. Still worthwhile. Its totally up to the rest of you in the band tho. Id normally suggest that working on new stuff with someone missing is worse as it means you then all have to go over it again when they're back. If its covers though I don't see why it can do harm to rehearse without drums. You can often hear things better without drummer and could even realise something is wrong with how you do stuff e.g you and guitarist haven't been playing same thing in some places. I generally find the necessity to rehearse different with different bands. A pub band I used to be in insisted on rehearsing endlessly and they were still terrible for making mistakes at gigs. Other bands I've been in hardly ever rehearse and rarely made any mistakes. My current band still regularly learns a new tune at soundcheck and then gigs it that gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1433941208' post='2795276'] Drum machine - they don't talk back!! [/quote] True, but they unfailing play in time. That's just not natural! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 In my current band I only had three rehearsals before the first gig - all without a drummer. Rehearsing without a drummer is still better than not rehearsing at all IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) As others have said depends on the band. Every band requires a different approach. Can the drummer turn up and play a simpler bass / snare only , at least that way you are all working together on structures and feel etc. (rehearsals dont have to be full on) Might be pointless, might be constructive, again depends on the group ability, goals, and homework level I guess. Edited June 10, 2015 by lojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 A number of replies to my post but I liked Pete's the best. [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1433942640' post='2795305'] And you only have to punch the information into them once :-) [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Enjoy the time off...or have a session where you explore arrangements but I wouldn't bother if the intention is a 'rehearsal' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Doing this tonight, like a vocal practice. Hate not having my drummer, he's like my spare arm. He's the tall, dark, handsome bugger on the right. https://instagram.com/p/lt8saqOQZK/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 It depends, I might have missed some of the story from the OP. Is this a gigging band with work on the books, recording band or just for fun band? If your missing gigs not good, if not rehearsing without a drummer should be fine. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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