Drums

[alexclaber]

El Homero's thread about timekeeping got me thinking about this. I'm not a real drummer but I've been messing around on kits since soon after I started playing bass and can certainly fool the less musically edumacated. My technique is shoddy but I understand how to create grooves and use the kit in its cunning ways and feel that this is invaluable in how I (almost unconsciously) lock with the drums when playing bass.

Who else plays the drums to one degree or another and how has this affected your bass playing?

Alex

[nick]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='69736' date='Oct 4 2007, 09:58 PM']El Homero's thread about timekeeping got me thinking about this. I'm not a real drummer but I've been messing around on kits since soon after I started playing bass and can certainly fool the less musically edumacated. My technique is shoddy but I understand how to create grooves and use the kit in its cunning ways and feel that this is invaluable in how I (almost unconsciously) lock with the drums when playing bass.

Who else plays the drums to one degree or another and how has this affected your bass playing?

Alex[/quote]

Started off on drums, but then moved on to guitar then bass (my brother & I swapped). Like you I can still bang out a beat. Always had a drum machine of some sort, & have an appreciation for good techno /'dance' music along with many other genres.
This has definitely helped my playing /technique, & affects the way I sometimes approach the instrument.

[theosd]

I can play drums. I don't feel it has helped me a great deal in playing bass (because I'm already at a certain standard). I spend a lot of time with my band's drummer (and always have) figuring rhythms, etc, out, and that is more important than just relying on your own input. People on here will state otherwise, but for me drums is just a bit of fun =]

[JoeS]

If anything I'd probably say I'm a better drummer than I am bassist, I started playing both around the same time but had drum lessons (I'm self-taught at bass). I play drums in a band that gigs much more regularly than the band I play bass for (which I consider to be MY band), but I couldn't say which I prefer more. Sometimes it's bass, sometimes drums.

[The Funk]

I've dabbled on drums for a few years. I can play funk and break-beat grooves. As with guitar, I've incorporated a lot of the licks into my bass playing. With drums, it obviously hasn't been notes but syncopated rhythm licks.

I don't think it's helped me lock in with the drums any better, although understanding what's happening on the drums does allow you and the drummer to play around with sharing a few accents here and there. You can get a better appreciation of the different drums which make up a kit either by playing or programming drums - on top of just listening to them closely.

[DanOwens]

My brother was a drummer so I'd always rob his kit. One day I got asked to find a drummer for my mate's band but couldn't be bothered so I suggested myself (having never really played in a band properly). Very quickly I was practising regularly in my room to get good enough to go where the band wanted to.

That band ended up being the most successful band I have been in, with decent promo vids on TV and good tours. I joined for a laugh, but took it seriously when I was in there. I'm an ego-maniac, so I don't mind saying I can wipe the floor with most drummers I know (most are rubbish). I use decent technique and put a heavy emphasis on good, simple playing and don't play too loud; infact, I'm tracking all the drums for my new band (as well as horns, bass, guitar and synth) so I can hand decent demos out to other players.

As far as I'm concerned, every bass player needs an understanding of the rhythm section as a whole (kit, piano, guitar) to be able to contextualise their own playing.

Dan

[bigjohn]

I had a few drum lessons way before I played any sort of guitar. Was about 12 or so. Never got my own kit, but there was one at school which I messed about on before and after the 10 or lessons I had.

I then got a guitar when I was about 16 - but quickly moved onto playing bass in a band rather than playing with 6 strings. Although I've always kept one in the house.

I think playing the drums before I took up any guitar has influenced my bass style. A couple of my mates also play bass - but have come to it from playing lead / rhythm guitar and play bass a bit differently than I do. My basslines are more walking in style (probably as I learned to play by searching for the right note!), and mostly accompany the drum patterns - whereas theirs can be more riff based and sometimes seem to favour the guitar lines.

[Dood]

I'm another 'dabbler', though I havent played for years now. I think it is very..no, VERY important for all bass players to know as much as possible about drums/drummers and all things rhythm!

I find it very useful if I am writing a groove in say guitar pro / cubase.. it can be handy to know what a drummer can be capable of, before giving him a groove that requires a third arm!

It has helped me appreciate time sigs etc too, it's usually the drum part that i 'visualise mentally' first and that helps me to piece together the groove. for example where any syncopated accents/pushes appear.

[Cantdosleepy]

I can play a wee bit of drums, a wee bit of keyboard, a bit more of guitar, and a bit more than that of bass. The plan is to get solid enough across the board that when I'm having a jam with my buddies I can grab whatever instrument has just come up for grabs and play something simple on it sort of in key and time. That's the dream.

I don't know how far playing drums helps as a bassist, to be honest. I'd like to think it makes me more attentive...

[gypsymoth]

I took up the drums a little over a year ago, after finally accepting that even bass players don't much care for solo bass stuff. problem is, between learning them, learning guitar, and workibg pn vocals - my bass playing is setting new standards for sloppiness.maybe it all is ...

[Josh]

As some of the above have said, to someone who hasn't seen me play bass would think I've been playing drums for quite sometime, truth is I just stole everything I know from my best friend and a few of my favourites along the way, and given the opportunity to have a practice space in which I could store a kit and use whenever I want, I'd get a Truth Custom there and then.

But I would say playing drums and getting into what makes a good drummer does go a long way, me and my friend can follow each for hours on end because I got into his style and makes him groove. Bad thing is it's gone a tad bit too far on me, by which I mean, if I hear a great drummer, perfect sound, great fills, the lot and then I see them live and his set-up is all off and his technique is shoddy, I just can't accept to liking them. I just love to see a drummer hit hard, with a nice flat set up and just making the song that bit better.

Alex Rodriguez of Saosin is exactly that for me:
[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xKVYCGuq0ok"]Alex is the song!![/url]
[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqJyrv_LYo"]Shocking vocals I know, but pay no mind, the verse Hi-Hat beat is insane.[/url]


Yet I doubt I'd enjoy trying to groove with him.......

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Josh' post='138343' date='Feb 11 2008, 05:36 PM']Bad thing is it's gone a tad bit too far on me, by which I mean, if I hear a great drummer, perfect sound, great fills, the lot and then I see them live and his set-up is all off and his technique is shoddy, I just can't accept to liking them.[/quote]

?????

Do you have the same view on bassists whose strap height preference is different to yours?

Alex

[Josh]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='138349' date='Feb 11 2008, 05:46 PM']?????

Do you have the same view on bassists whose strap height preference is different to yours?

Alex[/quote]

Not as such, but it depends really, I've seen and taught guys who have their bass at different heights, I'm happy to listen and watch if their technique is clean and practiced but if it's bad technique and what-not I tend to loose interest.

[jwbassman]

I also play at playing drums - bought myself an electric kit last year and really enjoy playing along to some of my bands songs, even recorded a few tracks, that's not say I'd play out in public, well not just yet

These days my first instrument is most certainly a bass, I played bass trombone for many years and still get it out of the box occasionally, but the chops are way off until about a week back on it, I can also hold down a few chords on keys and guitar, but wouldn't suggest for one minute that I'm a keyboard player or guitarist...

First and foremost I'm a musician, so I'll pretty much have a go at anything

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Josh' post='138356' date='Feb 11 2008, 05:55 PM']Not as such, but it depends really, I've seen and taught guys who have their bass at different heights, I'm happy to listen and watch if their technique is clean and practiced but if it's bad technique and what-not I tend to loose interest.[/quote]

See now my view is that if it sounds good and it isn't doing you medical damage, then play the instrument however you care. Geezer never sounds clean and practised - in fact nor does Bill Ward - but that's what makes the music sound so great!

Back to the topic-ish, has anyone else noticed how ridiculously awesome Matt Cameron is (particularly on Soundgarden - Superunknown)? His timing is incredible!

Alex

[Breakfast]

I love playing drums and I love complicated beats. I had a drum kit for years and used to happily hammer around on it, but I always spent more time concentrating on playing interesting beats and fills than on playing in time so I don't think I was ever really terribly good.

It means I really appreciate a good drummer when I hear one, though.

[Mikey D]

I think no matter how much I play bass, I am actually a closet drummer. eek....Not good for a student of bass!

When I watch a band I always watch the drummer...

I had a kit when I was 16 (I'm now just 28) for about 2 weeks, but my mum said it was too loud, so it had to go.

I have recently bought a snare and bass drum pedal as I live with a drummer from my jazz course, but his were seriously lacking on the quality front so I "upgraded them" and i am learning from all the guys I study with when I can.

From a jazz point of view, learning how a drummer comps and divides the time has helped my walking lines immensely.

But to be honest, I just want to sound like ?uestlove or Mark Guiliana so I shed that sort of stuff, the jazz stuff on drums doesn't interest me.

I find that many drummers knowledge of rhythms (ie african, world, and especially hiphop, beatbeat etc) is quite limited, but being able to explain to a drummer how to play something from their point of veiw has improved the grooves I have to play with bands.

The other funny thing is, I have actually "taught" quite a few drummers things, as I actively seek out techniques and knowledge, whereas they are on a whole, they are quite happy to just play along or learn from their teachers.

As said above, i think every bassist should learn some drums, just so they can communicate on the same level with their rhythm section partners.

[bigjohn]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='138476' date='Feb 11 2008, 09:15 PM']Back to the topic-ish, has anyone else noticed how ridiculously awesome Matt Cameron is (particularly on Soundgarden - Superunknown)? His timing is incredible![/quote]

He is rather good.

I'm a fan of Steve Gorman of the Black Crowes - that Southern Harmony album is brilliant. Live - he's better.

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='138476' date='Feb 11 2008, 09:15 PM']See now my view is that if it sounds good and it isn't doing you medical damage, then play the instrument however you care.[/quote]

absolutely and I think if any aspiring musicians started worrying about the finer points of technique when they were just starting out enough to be put off by it, that would be a terrible shame.
i doubt one member of my band actually displays any learned techniques - 2 of them don't know any music theory at all, but it doesn't stop us writing half decent songs and making good music.

i picked up the drums recently and it's made me listen to music differently, made me listen to our drummer differently and whilst it's not made me play the bass differently, it's helped me develop my bass playing. Done nothing for my guitar playing though.

[tempo]

Yep, just picked up an electric kit a few weeks ago, so I can silent practice and i can lay my own drums down on "logic". It does change the way you play a bit, I feel. Timing and rhythmical accents have become more noticable.

[EdwardHimself]

<---(!!!!)

Yeah i like my drums. I've actually spent more money on drums than bass! Well to be fair they're not exactly cheap. Whereas bass is one instrument, every drum and cymbal is like a seperate instrument that you have to learn a slightly different technique for. Yeah, innit?

[Cantdosleepy]

That's one thing that would keep me from ever seriously getting into drums.

Drums are heavy, expensive and fragile. To be a drummer in a gigging band you also need a van. The drummer in my current band has a ride that costs more than my bass.

I can rock up to the studio with my beat up old P-copy and a tuner and be ready for action in about fifteen seconds.

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='138745' date='Feb 12 2008, 11:16 AM']Drums are heavy, expensive and fragile. To be a drummer in a gigging band you also need a van. The drummer in my current band has a ride that costs more than my bass.[/quote]

yeah that's the funny thing about cars y'see. They're quite expensive. I wouldn't say drums were fragile tho, not if you get the right hardware for them.

[Cantdosleepy]

Oop sorry - I mean ride [i]cymbal[/i]. But yeah, I can get my bass amp and head on tube or bus (the magic or Markbass!) so I'm good to go anywhere in London. If I wanted to play the drums, I'd have to get a car of some sort.

I mean that drums are fragile in terms of the skins and such.

Also wih drums you've got the eternal question when you share a bill at a toilet gig - do I share my drumkit and worry about someone else damaging it, or use someone else's and be at the mercy of their (possibly crappy) kit? If I'm always borrowing, why did I spend £1200 on a kit? If I'm always lending, who are these bozos who are whacking my skins all night?

There's so little worry about with the bass! Stays in tune better than guitar! Easier to hit a note than vocals! Doesn't draw attention unless you want it to!

Edited February 12, 2008 by Cantdosleepy

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='138750' date='Feb 12 2008, 11:24 AM']Oop sorry - I mean ride [i]cymbal[/i].[/quote]

ah yes well my ride cymbal funnily enough was free. Not bad eh? My kick drum pedal cost more than my bass tho. But to be fair it's one of the best you can get, it's got aircraft bearings Before you start playing properley you think that the skins are these thin plastic things that are like ballons or something and are just gonna pop if you whack them too hard. They are actually very tough tho. As long as you know how to get a good sound out of them without whacking them too hard then it shouldn't be a problem.

Not very portable tho i know. I think if i lived in london i wouldn't want to bother with a car either unless i was rich or something.