Muzz Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 (edited) Anyone else gig with a reading drummer? Our drummer is frankly astonishingly good, and reads all the time. He knows the material, but reads it anyway, and I'm not sure if it's just his talent that makes him that good, or the reading, too. When I dep (or we have a dep) with a non-reading drummer, it's always a bit looser (no bad thing sometimes), but still feels that bit more haphazard. Any encounters with reading drummers? Are they all that rare out there (outside of full Pro/theatre/show setups, natch)...? * And I don't mean the 'I'm on chapter three of Harry Potter' type of reading... Edited July 2, 2018 by Muzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I think ours is still halfway through Winnie The Pooh ... 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Swindon, yes, Slough, yes. Nottingham, yes. Reading? No. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I'm looking for a drummer who's based in Reading. Damn, my heart did a little flutter there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Lots, I don’t think I play with any musician that doesn’t read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natjag Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I often gig with a reading drummer. He usually just has the parts sketched out with fills written where needed. Like your guy he probably knows all the material, but sticks to reading. I can read, but prefer to learn stuff. Once I read something, I won't be able to remember it if the music is taken away, I'd still have learn it with out the music. I've spoken to a few players of different instruments that are the same. I heard a story of a show advertising for a reading drummer. The drummer that turned up was given the music, first track counted in, no drummer. MD stopped, started again, still no drummer. When asked why he wasn't play, he replied he didn't know what to play. He was told to play whats on the music. Only to reply he doesn't understand music. "But you're a reading drummer". Yes I can read. Books! Not music it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 4 hours ago, Muzz said: Any encounters with reading drummers? Are they all that rare out there (outside of full Pro/theatre/show setups, natch)...? Every single one, in the Brass band, Military/Wind band and orchestral world. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 That as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Mine reads, but is unable to speak in coherent sentences. Its like The Matrix in verbal rhythm form Delivered by the love child of Bobcat and Larvel Jones from Police Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaRik Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 (edited) Al's a drum tutor and reads. Not sure about books though. He played Metallica's For Whom The Bell Tolls from the music in a last minute rehearsal and then at a gig! I am a very, very, VERY lucky bass player! Edited July 2, 2018 by DaytonaRik 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I can sight read drums and percussion effortlessly. For some reason, I've never got there with the bass. And I'd much rather play the bass. In fact, that's all I do play now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I was doing a jazz gig last night, playing with one of the best drummers for hundreds of miles. He studied under Ed Thigpen for a time, he’s that good. So he sets up, no charts on the gig but he still set up a music stand to his left and proceeded to play most of the time looking at a blank stand. Habit I suppose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleat Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 An excellent read for drummers and proper bass players apparently... not really to my taste if I'm honest. 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 If the drummer is a dep, at short notice, and does not know the songs then it would make the job easier, always supposing written drum parts were available. Or If you want to learn a song note for note it would save time. Otherwise It makes no difference. I don't read drum music, never have and never wanted to, it was never on the agenda when we were learning to play as a band when we started out. I have never failed an audition because I cant read and I don't remember ever being asked If I could. I suppose it depends on the genre of music and the circles you move in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Although none of them have actually used the skill while playing in any of my bands I suspect at least 3 of the drummers I've worked with could read. One used to play side drum in the Boys Brigade. One had previously worked in Nashville as a session drummer. One, as well as teaching drums full time for a living, is also an orchestral percussionist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Also while The Terrortones were without a permanent drummer and using deps, two of them were readers. One only used his scored-out drum parts while he was working out the songs with us in rehearsal. Once we were gigging everything was played from memory. The other had his parts set up on a music stand, put it still didn't prevent him from messing up the drums on our single twice, in two different ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Well yes, the reading bit is important, but it does help to write down the part correctly ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Two of the drummers I play with both also play vibes. The one is also an amazing pianist, I think it was his second study at uni. There were more drummers than bassists where I studied. Everyone regardless of their main instrument had to learn piano too, and do all the same H+T and aural studies classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 Ours does, he's a former pro drummer and when we have band member holidays he takes the odd dep gig here and there where it comes in handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I started drumming back in the late '60s, playing mostly original material with mates and buddies, but also going through rudiments from drum methods, notably a couple from Joe Morello, and the very excellent 'Modern Techniques For The Progressive Drummer', by Max Abrams. There's no tab (that I know of...) for drums, so reading became second nature, as did writing out parts when either studying or working stuff out for bands. When I moved to France, I had no time at all to pick up a more-than-five-hour repertoire of variety pieces, from dance to pop to rock to 'typique' (Caribbean...) and latin, and so wrote out a great many pieces, as drum scores were, and still are, rather scarce. I had a very fat and full ring folder on my music stand, but, having transcribed and written out the parts myself, I no longer needed to really sight-read them, they had become just a memory aid, glanced at before counting in. The gigs were five hours, non-stop, with hardly time to turn the pages anyway, and often even less, so having the stuff well ingrained was key. I must say that I write out a great deal less nowadays, and pick up drum lines mostly by listening through the track, as experience counts over time, and one gets to anticipate what's going on with many modern pop/rock songs. In our current band we adapt to our formation and playing style, in any case, so I no longer need to play an exact copy of the original, as long as any key features are respected. As a resumé, I'd suggest that reading (not necessarily reading at sight...) is an important skill for any musician, on any instrument, and can never impoverish. Just my tuppence-worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 2 hours ago, Dad3353 said: ...reading can never impoverish. Unless it's a tabloid newspaper. Boom-tish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, discreet said: Unless it's a tabloid newspaper. Boom-tish! Maybe, but I don't do tab (-loids...). Edited July 3, 2018 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I always memorise when drumming but this is mostly because there is a paucity of dots for drums - besides, when you’re thrashing around on the kit how would you keep your gaze steady? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Dad3353 said: Maybe, but I don't do tab (-loids...). What about hema (-roids)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, discreet said: What about hema (-roids)?? What about them..? Are you trying to offer me some..? Edited July 3, 2018 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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