Drummer driving me nuts

[thisnameistaken]

We've got two songs in progress at the moment with weird beats, that our guitarist (who wrote them) wants to play in a reggae-ish style.

But the drummer (who I actually really like and he's usually right on the money, plus he sings) is doing weird stuff! Weird I tell you! And I'm having a horrible time trying to fit these beats he's doing.

First one's not so bad, but the snare's on 4 (there's a bass drum beat on 3), so it's difficult to do anything reggae-sounding with that.

Next one is worse, fairly measured tempo, somewhere around 90bpm maybe, he's playing a big accent on the one, and then... nothing, practically. I asked him if he could pick it up a bit and he's started playing snare on the 3 during the chorus but the verses are still limping. That almost makes it harder for me because it's two such different feels and nothing really dividing them, it's hard to pick it up for the chorus.

Am I being creatively weak here? Would it be defeatist or obnoxious to just say "If you want a reggae feel you need to put something on beat 3"?

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Sounds like you guys should roll a few Rizla's and play in a more relaxed fashion

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='679621' date='Dec 9 2009, 09:57 PM']We've got two songs in progress at the moment with weird beats, that our guitarist (who wrote them) wants to play in a reggae-ish style.


Am I being creatively weak here? Would it be defeatist or obnoxious to just say "If you want a reggae feel you need to put something on beat 3"?[/quote]
Given that the reggae style is pretty much defined by the rhythm, I don't think it should be too much to ask. I've played in a "reggae band" with people who had no idea what reggae really is and it really falls on its arse in that case.

Edited December 9, 2009 by velvetkevorkian

[ashevans09]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='679621' date='Dec 9 2009, 09:57 PM']Drummer driving me nuts[/quote]

Simple, just remove the steering wheel attached to your crotch. Problem solved

I feel dirty.

[Rowbee]

I've just started playing with a reggae\ska band where it's clear to me the drummer hasn't a clue how to play those styles, so I totally feel your pain. I'm afraid my solution is going to be a him or me scenario though - perhaps you're not quite at that point yet.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Rowbee' post='679798' date='Dec 10 2009, 12:55 AM']I've just started playing with a reggae\ska band where it's clear to me the drummer hasn't a clue how to play those styles, so I totally feel your pain. I'm afraid my solution is going to be a him or me scenario though - perhaps you're not quite at that point yet.[/quote]

It would be a foregone conclusion in my case, given that the drummer is the guitarist's twin brother.

I like them though, we sound good on other tunes, the drummer and I also pair up for backing vocals and that also sounds good, generally things are good it's just these two tunes.

I'm not even 100% sure it's the drummer to blame actually. I think the guitarist may have demoed the songs to him with a beat on there and he's just trying to reproduce what the guitarist gave him.

Either way it sounds like I need to tell them it's wrong. Thing is I see a lot more of the guitarist and I'm alright with telling him if something's sh*t, but I don't see the drummer as much so it'll be a bit awkward. Oh well.

[iamapirate]

I thought that you'd want to emphasize 2 and 4 more than 1 and 3

[thepurpleblob]

Dunno if any of this might help... print it out and gaffa tape it to his toms
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae#Drums_and_other_percussion"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae#Drums_...ther_percussion[/url]