Drummers

[Dubs]

[quote name='crez5150' post='443481' date='Mar 24 2009, 10:00 AM']The guy I play with..... Craig Blundell.... he's rock solid.... though he does throw this lil trick in now and then to try and trip me up which is that he can play two different time signatures at once..... he'll be playing like a straight four then chuck a 6/8 over the top.... or he'll take the 4/4 up 15/20 bpm over the original tempo for a bar and then drop back into the groove..... git![/quote]

I played in a band a when I was 18 with a great drummer who used to do this to me as well – It was just simple things that really threw me like playing the snare on the 1 and 3 for a 4/4 beat, or playing a 4/4 beat in triplets but putting the snare on the 2 beat of the triplets (if that makes sense?) – really f***ed me up, he thought it was really funny

[Ou7shined]

Out of my 4 bands we have 2 drummers. One is simply awesome with what he can do and the other is a straight unadventurous plodder.

The fancy-pants drummer plays fast all the time especially at gigs and because he's in a world of his own most of the time can't jam. Once at a gig 2 or 3 songs in I tried to indicate to him that we were playing too fast he just shouted "Huzzah" at me and played the rest of the gig even faster. He claims that he has no volume knob and so plays too loud all of the time - which is excruciating in small rehearsal spaces and tricky to set up against in smaller venues. He is the only drummer I have ever played with that I don't listen to or have any chemistry with because he doesn't know how to co-operate musically.

The plodding drummer plays in time all the time (and at varying volumes) His natural style very plain and limited but he's always open to ideas about what beats and fills to use when we are writing music - he's cool to jam with too because he can read the vibe and go with it. Recently we've been jamming at home a lot and he's a whizz at playing in real time on my Zoom MRT-3B.

Despite our original music having some tricky timings which need a lot of work for him to lock into I'd take the steady co-operative plodder over the unpredictable selfish fancy-pants any day of the week.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='443588' date='Mar 24 2009, 11:47 AM']The fancy-pants drummer plays fast all the time especially at gigs and because he's in a world of his own most of the time can't jam. Once at a gig 2 or 3 songs in I tried to indicate to him that we were playing too fast he just shouted "Huzzah" at me and played the rest of the gig even faster. He claims that he has no volume knob and so plays too loud all of the time - which is excruciating in small rehearsal spaces and tricky to set up against in smaller venues. He is the only drummer I have ever played with that I don't listen to or have any chemistry with because he doesn't know how to co-operate musically.[/quote]

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='AM1' post='443199' date='Mar 23 2009, 10:17 PM']Idle curiousity here, nothing more.

Does your drummer slow down? Or speed up? Or do they keep consistent near-perfect timing?[/quote]

My main band, Yes, Yes and never.
My other band, No, No and Yes (he does overplay a lot but never misses a beat)

Edited March 24, 2009 by dave_bass5

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='AM1' post='443199' date='Mar 23 2009, 10:17 PM']Idle curiousity here, nothing more.

Does your drummer slow down? Or speed up? Or do they keep consistent near-perfect timing?[/quote]

No comment

However, it's one thing I am fascist about. Both drummers and bass players have to be able to keep time. Never mind all that fancy solo stuff if you don't come back in on the beat then you're sacked!! I've played with some amazing drummers but they go and do some wild fill and come back in half a beat too late. It throws everybody off - not good.

[AM1]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='443588' date='Mar 24 2009, 11:47 AM']Out of my 4 bands we have 2 drummers. One is simply awesome with what he can do and the other is a straight unadventurous plodder.

The fancy-pants drummer plays fast all the time especially at gigs and because he's in a world of his own most of the time can't jam. Once at a gig 2 or 3 songs in I tried to indicate to him that we were playing too fast he just shouted "Huzzah" at me and played the rest of the gig even faster. He claims that he has no volume knob and so plays too loud all of the time - which is excruciating in small rehearsal spaces and tricky to set up against in smaller venues. He is the only drummer I have ever played with that I don't listen to or have any chemistry with because he doesn't know how to co-operate musically.

The plodding drummer plays in time all the time (and at varying volumes) His natural style very plain and limited but he's always open to ideas about what beats and fills to use when we are writing music - he's cool to jam with too because he can read the vibe and go with it. Recently we've been jamming at home a lot and he's a whizz at playing in real time on my Zoom MRT-3B.

Despite our original music having some tricky timings which need a lot of work for him to lock into I'd take the steady co-operative plodder over the unpredictable selfish fancy-pants any day of the week.[/quote]

Agreed. I've also encountered both and my opinion is that it does not matter how technical a drummer (or bass player is) if they cannot keep basic, solid time. It takes down the whole band if the timing is not right.

Best response I've heard when poor timing is pointed out - "well you'd better find another drummer then".

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='neepheid' post='443591' date='Mar 24 2009, 11:51 AM'][/quote]
If only he were that cool.

btw Matt check out the PJ bebo (free tickets)

[bremen]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='443475' date='Mar 24 2009, 09:53 AM']I think that often, drummers are so focussed on their drumming that they forget there's a song going on around them.[/quote]

That is *exactly* the problem with the (otherwise excellent) drummer I'm currently playing with. I'd never quite put my finger on where she was going wrong, but that's it perfectly described.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='443475' date='Mar 24 2009, 09:53 AM']I think that often, drummers are so focussed on their drumming that they forget there's a song going on around them. In fact, I think the same can probably be said of any instrument, it's just that the effects are most noticeable when the drummer does it.[/quote]

Yep, total nightmare if they're not into the song. This is particularly bad with straight ahead rock music where the drummer is essentially playing identical beats from one song to the next.

Teach them the lyrics, get them to sing along in their head. The results are almost magical.

Alex

[AM1]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='443643' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:23 PM']Teach them the lyrics, get them to sing along in their head. The results are almost magical.

Alex[/quote]

Haha, doesn't that depend on the singer turning up?

I'll get mi coat.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='443643' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:23 PM']Teach them the lyrics, get them to sing along in their head. The results are almost magical.[/quote]

In my experience, this is a bad strategy, as they then feel capable of being a Don Henley clone, p*** the singer off til he/she quits, and then the timing gets a lot [b][i]worse[/i][/b]........

Edited March 24, 2009 by Huge Hands

[crez5150]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='443714' date='Mar 24 2009, 01:01 PM']In my experience, this is a bad strategy, as they then feel cpable of being a Don Henley clone, p*** the singer off til he/she quits, and then the timing gets a lot [b][i]worse[/i][/b]........[/quote]


Worse still...... Phil collins...... god forbid

[alexclaber]

[quote name='AM1' post='443701' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:56 PM']Haha, doesn't that depend on the singer turning up?

I'll get mi coat.[/quote]

Curiously whenever our bass player turns up so does our singer.

Alex

P.S. Our drummer (not the one with the tempo issues) has started doing back vocals too - it's awesome!

[Jambo63]

[quote name='AM1' post='443199' date='Mar 23 2009, 10:17 PM']Idle curiousity here, nothing more.

Does your drummer slow down? Or speed up? Or do they keep consistent near-perfect timing?[/quote]


Yes, yes and you're having as giraffe aren't you

our drummer has admitted he doesn't listen to the bass so I don't listen to him on the other hand it leaves me with most of the rhythm work to do. He also doesn't seem to use his bass pedal much, a constant complaint form sound guys who mic him up - fortunately I don't have to work with him all that much and hopefully in the very near future not at all

[AM1]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='443725' date='Mar 24 2009, 01:10 PM']P.S. Our drummer.. has started doing back vocals too - it's awesome![/quote]

So has ours! Quit stealing our drummer!

EDIT - the ones that sing are usually happy at getting out of prison.

Edited March 24, 2009 by AM1

[Eight]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='443725' date='Mar 24 2009, 01:10 PM']Curiously whenever our bass player turns up so does our singer.[/quote]
I can't decide if you meant that the bass player is the singer, or the bass player is knobbing the singer but trying to keep it quiet.

[Marky L]

Oh man, our drummer.. please never let me near a gun when he is in the same room.

He can not keep a regular time. When we play live he seems to get worse and songs begin to get faster and faster. We had a gig at the weekend and I start Mustang Sally (yeah.. yawn) and by the end of the first verse I swear we had taken it up by 20bpm at least. Had to turn round and shout to him to slow down.

That and he drums like a granny doing her knitting. Tippy tap tippy tap with no guts. And he can't play slowly loud and equally can't play fast softly. Has no idea about dynamics and I don't think he can count past 1.

It is such a hard job to play with him, you can see and hear when he has forgotten where he is in a song, head up, dear caught in head lights look and he plays all quietly so he can try to cover his mistakes.

Oh and he can't do fills in time.
Has a frightful taste in music.
Has no imagination.
He insists on counting in EVERY song (even when he starts one on hs own!) but really quietly so you can't hear.
And it's always him that gets up from behind his kit in rehearsal to tell others how to sing a song with some long rambling nonsense!! ARRGHH!!

I get angry sometimes!!

[51m0n]

err get rid of him then.......

good drummers make my life really easy, bad drummers make it intolerable.

[Marky L]

[quote name='51m0n' post='443964' date='Mar 24 2009, 05:01 PM']err get rid of him then.......

good drummers make my life really easy, bad drummers make it intolerable.[/quote]

It's his and the singer's band I was hoping a nasty arm break type accident might come his way!

I should move my talents elsewhere but I've put a load of effort in this band and don't like to walk away.

[RussFM]

My main drummer is absolutely perfect every time. He also does backing vocals, is an amazing lead guitarist, and wrote half our songs. He's also grade 8 on violin. Bastard.

[skankdelvar]

Our drummer keeps pretty much perfect time - except when he turns up late. Which is 80% of the time.

The other 20% he doesn't turn up at all.

BTW, I don't have a problem with shifts in tempo - as long as it's planned and deliberate, rather than accidental or alcohol / adrenaline induced.

Edited March 24, 2009 by skankdelvar

[AM1]

[quote name='Marky L' post='443953' date='Mar 24 2009, 04:47 PM']Oh man, our drummer.. please never let me near a gun when he is in the same room.

He can not keep a regular time. When we play live he seems to get worse and songs begin to get faster and faster. We had a gig at the weekend and I start Mustang Sally (yeah.. yawn) and by the end of the first verse I swear we had taken it up by 20bpm at least. Had to turn round and shout to him to slow down.

That and he drums like a granny doing her knitting. Tippy tap tippy tap with no guts. And he can't play slowly loud and equally can't play fast softly. Has no idea about dynamics and I don't think he can count past 1.

It is such a hard job to play with him, you can see and hear when he has forgotten where he is in a song, head up, dear caught in head lights look and he plays all quietly so he can try to cover his mistakes.

Oh and he can't do fills in time.
Has a frightful taste in music.
Has no imagination.
He insists on counting in EVERY song (even when he starts one on hs own!) but really quietly so you can't hear.
And it's always him that gets up from behind his kit in rehearsal to tell others how to sing a song with some long rambling nonsense!! ARRGHH!!

I get angry sometimes!![/quote]

I say, kick his head right in.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='AM1' post='444501' date='Mar 24 2009, 11:20 PM']I say, kick his head right in.

[/quote]

Have you been hanging around with BBC? Did his taxi get there then?

[tauzero]

Only the covers band has a drummer (occasionally use sequenced drums with the acoustic duo).

If the tempo changes at all when it shouldn't, it's not noticeable. I think he makes slightly less gaffes over the course of a gig than I do. The 3.5 of us don't actually need to discuss each others' parts to any great extent, we listen to the originals and then do whatever seems appropriate.

And on the other form of timekeeping, him and Mrs Drummer (who is our 0.5 of a member and plays keyboards on some songs) are almost always first to arrive at gigs, shortly followed by me, and eventually the guitarist turns up.

[mcgraham]

At the moment I play with two or three drummers when serving at church. One is technically very good and sensitive to what's going on, but not always that tasteful. One is very solid and conscientious with his playing, but lacks feel. The last one has difficulty maintaining a constant tempo, really only uses a couple of different beats, but worst of all just doesn't have an appreciation for dynamics. Actually, that's not the worst part, the worst part is that the last one is too proud to acknowledge his own failings. There's always an excuse. I can't stand that sort of attitude.

All in all, to date, I've had the good fortune to play with a number of good drummers, and one or two great drummers. I've played with some poor/inexperienced drummers, but I've never thought they were shockingly bad. The drummers I enjoy playing with the most are typically not the most gifted technically, or massively creative, but those who are humble even in the face of criticism, and those who will/want to serve the music well. Those qualities are the most important requirements to me. If they meet those two criteria then everything else tends to fall into place.

Mark