Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

What makes a good drummer?


mentalextra

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Guys, ever play with a drummer who doesn't get this?

I think it's just as important that other members of a band  understand this bond/relationship...

 

Thankfully no.  I have however had a keyboardy guitarist who felt that the relationship between bass/guitar was a sub/dom scenario!  That didn't last long I can assure you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Wouldn't surprise me, I've been misunderstanding a lot of stuff lately.

I think I went to someone's house today for Thanksgiving because I thought I was invited. Now, I'm not sure if I was really invited.

Great food.

Blue

 

But I think you thought to thank them for the free dinner anyway - right?

Heeheehee.  Don't mind me; I am known to play the part of Scrooge (the Grinch perhaps?) during the run-up to Christmas.  I don't have children of my own.  The hyperbole on the weeks leading up to the event just leaves me frigid.

At least you've got over the 'big' day in your culture.  We now have to do your Black Friday consumer fest whilst still trying to hang on to the Dickensian Christmas notion.

We're bonkers.

 

Edited by SpondonBassed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like Discreet's list. Virtually covers it all

I'd just like a drummer that can hold a steady beat and doesn't completely rely on me holding the timing together. A drummer that is confident enough to hold his own and allow me some freedom to ad-lib without worrying too much about him losing the beat or his timing. 

I've come across the occasional drummer that meets Discreet's  list and my own demands but few and far between. Its great when you do as it opens up so many avenues of playing as a rhythm section.

Think the drummer in new band i've just joined might fit the bill on most counts altho he doesn't drive but singer has sorted the transport thing out so that's good.

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, anyone that supplies what the song requires.

Current drummer is a lovely guy, good friend, brilliant sense of humour (for a frog) and reliable. He's not the best drummer I've played with by far but, he's flexible.

All these lists add up to the same thing. Anyone I enjoy playing, and being with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, lowdown said:

Like Andy, I ended up doing shows for a living. We were both in the same circles really.

My wife was dancing on a summer show at (Butlins) Skegness in 1988 (Andy was in the pit band),

If I remember correctly, Andy was working for Chris Hocking (MD) and he was not so well then.

 

 

 

Thanks for that..nice but sad trip down memory lane..anyway reckon we ought to get back to the thread...ah yes now drummers....

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, discreet said:

I've had that, too. My conclusion is that the smaller the kit, the better they play.

In fact I think there is something strangely satisfying about a drummer sitting there with a very sparse kit...he's got nowhere to hide and with a simple set up they have to deliver.

Having said that I once played with a guy who had a tidy small kit but who played 4 on the floor to every song on the list....excruciating!

He didn't get the gig...

Edited by oldbass
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, musicbassman said:

I remember asking a drummer at an audition whether he could read. He blushed a bit and said he could, but not very well even now, he'd had to have extra lessons at school.......................................

Awww.

 

That must have been both funny and embarrassing all at the same time...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hard to add to some of the positive things everyone has already mentioned so for my 2p worth......

What our last  drummer did wrong was a mixture of the following; sometimes all of these things at the same time.

Bad timing, not learning the material, not knowing the material, lack of dynamics, no real idea of tempos, insisting large kit goes anywhere and everywhere regardless of lack of room, wrong feel, not practicing at home, using band as a cash cow, argumentative and/or awkward if any of the mentioned reasons brought up in conversation, unable to communicate on a musical level, musically inexperienced, musically immature.

We got dragged down to his level till we had enough.

The deps we have used since, and what looks like our next permanent drummer display the exact opposite of the above. Couple that with some of the good points listed by others here and that for me is what makes a good drummer regardless of the style of music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

It's been said before, the guy that shows up with the shiny new huge elaborate kit and can't play.

 

Blue

I once auditioned for a band where the drummer had a shiny new huge elaborate kit and a shiny new huge electric fan pointed at him.

He couldn't play either but he sweated buckets.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Currently playing with two different drummers in two different bands. As far as personality, transport, technicalities of setting up kits, etc go, both fit discreet's list. Both are good drummers - one is a bit more disciplined than the other, both keep time well. The only issue I have with one of them (the less disciplined one) is that he doesn't necessarily count in at the same tempo as he'll start playing. I think I need to chat with him about it (that's something missing from discreet's list - willing to accept properly directed criticism and acknowledge mistakes).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My last drummer used a metronome style unit that either beeped or a small flashing led to get his initial timing right for a song. He would set it against the original recording and note down tempo. When it came to rehearsals he would check his notes and set the pedal to get tempo right.

Only used it at initial rehearsals and it certainly stopped others complaining that he was too slow or too fast for a particular song. xD

He was extremely disciplined drummer too with many years experience. He was playing in 4 different bands from Rock covers, Blues covers, Function wedding band and funk / blues style rock covers with me so quite a varied repertoire.

And he was a genuine nice guy with his own transport. Think i've just described the perfect drummer xD

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, skankdelvar said:

I once auditioned for a band where the drummer had a shiny new huge elaborate kit and a shiny new huge electric fan pointed at him.

He couldn't play either but he sweated buckets.

 

I'm in awe of the image you've provoked in my mind.  All those shiny new huge buckets of drumber extract.  Yuk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

My last drummer used a metronome style unit that either beeped or a small flashing led to get his initial timing right for a song. He would set it against the original recording and note down tempo. When it came to rehearsals he would check his notes and set the pedal to get tempo right.

Only used it at initial rehearsals and it certainly stopped others complaining that he was too slow or too fast for a particular song. xD

He was extremely disciplined drummer too with many years experience. He was playing in 4 different bands from Rock covers, Blues covers, Function wedding band and funk / blues style rock covers with me so quite a varied repertoire.

And he was a genuine nice guy with his own transport. Think i've just described the perfect drummer xD

Dave

 

I like that.  If the whole band are starting with the right number of BPM at the first practice it is a good foundation for later when there is no artificial gauge for tempo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...