Your role as the drummer.

[djarrett]

As a drummer, there are many approaches you can take towards music and your role as the drummer. Many will approach the drum kit as the center of attention for the group, Some will like to be explosive and flashy. For others, being an intricate part of the overall musical experience is important ... adding the dynamic spices that make a musical arrangement a living being!

 

Honestly ... what do you see your role as the drummer being?

 

DJ

[rlhubley]

My role is to contribute to the music.

If I am a sideman, i try to find out what he/she is going for, and cater to that idea. I toss in my own style, but always keep their idea as the goal. As sidemen we must remember that we are support instruments, and we should support.

 

If I am in a project where i am equal(i.e. fusion, instrumental, jazz, etc.) then i will simply play more.

 

The goal of either situation is to always play for the music. I do what my ears, heart, and brain think best fit the music. Sometimes, that actually means choosing NOT to play, sometimes that means to go crazy. Ringo Starr comes to mind, as do the session greats, Gadd, Vinnie, Harvey, etc. Another PERFECT example is Jimmy Cobb on Kind of Blue

[sidereal]

I've often said that in most mainstream forms of music, if someone listening to the band is aware of the drummer, there's something wrong. For live gigs, I much prefer if someone walks up to me after a gig and says 'your band is awesome, you guys are so tight and energetic' that means more to me than 'you're a shredding drummer.' Usually if I get the 'shredding drummer' comment, it was during an off night when I may have been overcompensating for a bad mood or when I may be tired. But those nights when I feel the audience's energy, when I see the smiles on my bandmates, when I get comments from the live sound engineers (who usually hate drummers being too loud/busy), that's when I've done my job.

 

In the studio, it's important to come up with parts to support the song. That's so obvious, but there's really no other way to say it. I have to fight that occasional tendency to try and get too clever and instead, go with what's a bit more simple. Usually, if I can't decide between a couple different options, I'll approach a couple ideas to the producer and record multiple parts if there's time. Or he'll just tell me!

 

My point is that my role as a drummer is to provide the engine to make a band or album sound amazing. And rule No. 1: always groove, always feel it. I think this attitude is the single most important reason I get gigs.

[Gaddabout]

Originally posted by djarrett:

Honestly ... what do you see your role as the drummer being?

 

This is an interesting question, because I've been recently debating this with a guitarist friend of mine who wants to relegate me to "timekeeper." My contention is everyone in the band keeps time, not just the drummer. He has a miserable sense of rhythm, too, but does not see the purpose of improving as long as he can hide inside the drum beat (it sounds much worse than he thinks it does).

 

In any given situation, I try and turn off my brain. I want to maintain concepts, rather than preformatted ideas: ENERGY, TENSION, and MOTION.

 

ENERGY: Rhythm = electricity. When we string together rhythms, we are conducting electricity. Another way to say this is PULSE. Pulse is a bigger deal than a drum beat, because it breaks down all music into 1/4, 1/8, etc. When the drummer finds the pulse and enhances it, people tap their foot or dance. If you hear a dance band and something doesn't feel right, quite often the drummer has failed to tap into the pulse of the music.

 

TENSION: This is where most drummers are seperated. Another way to say tension is PHRASE, which is how we describe how rhythm as broken up into strokes and rests. Phrases in one song are not always transferable to another song. They are composed for the song -- sometimes on the fly -- and create an air of excitement and uncertainty. This is how I describe Vinnie C.'s approach. He often breaks out fills in 3:2 or 4:3, and he composes them in ways that are surprising to the listener without tearing at the fabric of the song. Sometimes a simple lick -- Phil Collins famous fill in "In the Air Tonight" -- does it best.

 

MOTION: This simply means driving a song or taking it somewhere. Quite often this has something to do with which cymbal we use and at which point in the song we switch. Steve Gadd talks about this in his second video, explaining why he does so much two-hand hi-hat/ride patterns. His thinking is that most songs need a lift from the drummer, and he incoporates this stuff -- often times going from eighth-notes to sixteenth-note patterns. Sometimes it means switching from half-time to full-time or double-time. One of the best examples of this is Vinnie's playing on Sting's "Seven Days." The song starts out in broken 5/8, with the hi-hat creating a 4/4 feel. The tempo never changes, but in the third verse Vinnie doubles the time on the bass drum (and adding a subtle shaker in the background, if I recall correctly), and the song goes *whoosh* through the roof.

 

When I settled on these concepts a few years ago, it changed the way I listened to drummers. Instead of listening for licks to steal, I listen to how drummers apply energy, tension and motion. I was surprised to find I liked a different set of drummers. For example, I really began to appreciate Omar Hakim's sense of energy or pulse. I understand why David Bowie and Madonna keep him employed.

 

Mostly, thinking of these things keeps my desire to overplay in check. I have received more compliments from the people I play with, and bass players tend to request me when given the opportunity. That's a big turnaround from when I was 19 and embarrasing myself on a nightly basis!

[felix stein]

Showing up to practice.

 

Not being a backstabber.

 

Being myself and musical at the sametime.

 

Talking it way outside if I want/coming up with fresh stuff for the band to groove on.

 

Staying laid back if I want.

 

And being in a band that appreciates my judgment.

 

But not being close minded about it (me).

 

"In with the good everyone- out with the bad"-

 

"No negative energy Gaddaboutit".

 

OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm

 

"Be at one with the Force"

 

 

And if it's a drag I quit.

[DrummerCafe]

I've written a lot on this topic in the past, much of which is available on my website or the Drum Ring International site.

 

If I had to sum up the "role of a drummer" in one sentence ....

 

Make the music feel good.

 

Getting the proper tempo, groove, feel, balance, energy, etc., all happening at the same time WILL make the music feel good.

 

 

 

------------------

Bart Elliott

http://bartelliott.com

[ModernDrummer]

LOL,

 

O.K. I agree with... EVERYBODY!! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

I'm flashy sometimes, I'm subtle others. Exploding on some occasions, simmering on others. There's times I'm 99% of the attention, other times I'm 1%. Shred this, lay back that. COULD even be in the same song. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

Just depends. Serve the song. I'm an equal percentage of the band, and I think, noticed an equal percentage within that context. I'm a timekeeper. And, so is EVERYONE else in the band. But I'm a musician, not a human metronome. Can't keep time on your own, whatever instrument you play, you need to get back off the stage and go home and practice the basics that you SHOULD have been practicing from the start, IMHO. 'Cause all you're doing is detracting from the music, and the others on stage with you. To me, audiences EXPECT you to be able to play, which means keeping time as well, if you're on that stage in the first place. LOL, in some cases, the audience is very impressed. We call those who impress audiences that much, 'Stars'. In some other cases, audiences are very disappointed, and even upset that they were forced to listen to someone who didn't do their homework (some musicians call that 'paying your dues'), yet were brazen to get on a stage, in front of an audience, and think anyone would want to watch them do a lousy job.

 

IMHO, if I'm in front of an audience or recording (which is just playing for a future audience, isn't it? LOL), and I'm not willing to play to 100% of my capabilities while I'm there, then I don't deserve to be there. And I certainly don't deserve the honor of having someone else listening. Yep, it's an honor to have someone else listen, and hopefully appreciate your playing / music. 'Cause they sure could be doing something else with their time. Or listening to someone else.

 

So I owe them my best for being willing to listen to me. If that means playing 'in the groove', so be it. If that means acting the madman, so be it. If that means shredding, laying back, loud, soft, all the attention, none of the attention, blah, blah, blah. So be it. LOL, that's MY personality anyway! Like a light switch! Wheeee. I LOVE rollercoasters! Hey! I AM one! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif But throwing tomatoes or begging for autographs, I'm gonna get SOME kinda reaction outta that audience! They'll remember being there 5 years from now. No one's ever accused me of being 'just vanilla ice cream', LOL. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

Do what it takes. Be cool, be crazy, be a smoothie, be a shredder. But by the Gods, BE something!!!

 

Just my opinions.

 

J.B.

[sidereal]

Good posts! btw, saying the role of a drummer is to be a "timekeeper" is insulting and shows an individual who has no respect for what drumming is all about.

[Lee Flier]

Originally posted by sidereal:

Good posts! btw, saying the role of a drummer is to be a "timekeeper" is insulting and shows an individual who has no respect for what drumming is all about.

 

For real! Ditch that guitar player! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

 

--Lee

[djarrett]

Wow! I never would have believed that this thread would evoke such heartfelt and well-thought comments!

All of you guys are growing as drummers and people here. The quality of the posts just continues to get better and better!

 

I love the way was all communicate!

 

This subject actually really can make or break a drummers relationship with other musicians.

 

Thanks and keep it rolling (badda-bing!)

 

DJ

[ModernDrummer]

Yeah, I have to agree with you sidereal. That "you're just the timekeeper" crack IS insulting, though I usually just ignore it when I hear it from someone. Sorta like telling a female singer "Just sing the words, you're just a broad", or something else equally stupid.

 

Fortunately for me, the other guys in our band don't think of the drummer's role in that way. But I do keep some clever repartee handy for those infrequent times that I might get into a debate with another musician over the timekeeper thing, LOL. Clever retorts like "Well, if you could play a chord and tap your foot to the same rhythm, you wouldn't need a timekeeper", LOL. Then, when they give me a dirty look (they ALWAYS gimme a dirty look!), I tell 'em "Hey, it's sarcasm. What, don't you get it?" LMAO!

 

Remember this truism, brothers and sisters. You're band can only succeed to the level of it's greatest stupidity. So Gaddabout, give your guitarist friend a cookie and tell them to go stand in the corner, play chords and count to himself... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

This message has been edited by ModernDrummer on 08-29-2001 at 10:17 AM

[Gaddabout]

Originally posted by ModernDrummer:

So Gaddabout, give your guitarist friend a cookie and tell them to go stand in the corner, play chords and count to himself... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

Funny thing is, all I was doing was keeping time. The tune has two measures of drum fill after the bridge, before the chorus. I had been playing all kinds of crazy stuff the first three times through, and the fourth time I just left space. The guitarist can't count two bars of 4/4 time at a moderate tempo! Considering what I had played the previous three times, I'm not sure how he knew when to come in at all.