Newsgroups: rec.music.misc

I'm not a drummer but as a guitarist I know what I want from a drummer 
and I think I have a good idea what makes somebody a good drummer.

Something that I think many if not most drummers forget is that their
most important responsibility is keeping time, not to play leads, not
to play chords, etc. They don't need to know what key a song is in, they
don't need to know what scales will work or won't in a particular section
of a particular song ( of course, if they care to know this info then all
the better).

The drums, in my opinion, plays a very large, if not the largest, part in
the dynamics of a song.  A drummer does need to know where a song is going
such as a verse for 16 bars then to a bridge for 8 bars ( or whatever the 
arrangement happens to be) because he/she has the most power to direct
a song or "steer" it.  

I think the best drummer I played with made me realize how good he was 
when we were learning a slow ballad.  This tune seemed to drag on for
a long time and because of this it made it a little bit more difficult
to remember.  This drummer knew the tune already and could play it in
such a way that he "telegraphed" or forshadowed (sp?) what section
was coming up next.  this tune was not a typical A B format (only
two different sections) so it was impressive to see/hear.  And the whole
time his first priority was keeping steady time.  By playing subtle 
accents, NOT solos, he could also hint the vocal line while not sounding
overly busy.

In my opinion, many drummers overplay and tend to get lost in trying 
to be noticed or whatever.  If you want the attention be a vocalist 
or (ahem, cough) a guitarist.  I think many drummer could learn alot
more from Charlie Watts and many funk drummers (not saying Charlie
is a funk drummer) than they could from Keith Moon or Neal Peart.
Don't get me wrong I'm a big Moon fan but I feel he was one of few
that could play "lead drums"  *and* keep time.  

Second to keeping time, I think dynamics is crytical for drummers.
They  need to know that when they reach a verse the volume comes 
down to make "musical space" for the vocals.  Same goes for solos
of other instruments.  By making these dynamics noticable the drummer
is also cueing the rest of the band to do the same. When everybody 
drops or raises the volume and/or intensity at the same time it gives
the song direction and gives the listener "reference" and whether they
know or not musical things to look forward to such as... You, as a 
drummer may use a particular little fill or accent to take you  from
the verse to the chorus of a song the next time you use that break
you are saying (musically) that you *may* be going to that chorus 
again.  If you (the band) do go to that chorus then you foreshadowed 
that change.  If you didn't go to that chorus then you created
an anticipation that you would and didn't, a small tease.  Either way you made
a statement and/or created emotion in the song and to me that's the 
whole point.

Thirdly,  a lot of drummers don't either know how or care to do it but,
take the time to learn how to tune your drums.  Tuning drums, I feel,
is almost an art itself.  I've heard some real cheapy drums sound good
from someone who knows how to tune them and how to hit them.

I hope this helps and I hope you don't mind reading this from
a "guitarist".


I almost forgot two other things,  more often than not SIMPLE IS BEST keep
it simple and straight ahead the rest of the band really rides on your
actions.  Keep your eyes open! be prepared to take visual cues if necessary
And And And... Try to get the bass player to set up right near your hi hat
to your left if you play right handed.  You and the bass player should
be right on top of each other (musically speaking!!) . Yes, it's almost a
sexual thing!!

Good Luck!

Jon
Newsgroups: rec.music.misc