General Music Chat

my boyfriend is a drummer looking for a band to play with. He was in the band Omega from upper Michigan for 20 years. He recently created a profile on this site look him up.

Hey I'm new to this site. I am a drummer who mainly plays in the punk genre but can also play heavy metal, alternative and classic rock. I see alot of bands looking for drummers and am trying to leave posts. Am I doing this right? Can anyone hear me?

There was a comment that drummers are a dime a dozen. While a drummer might be a dime a dozen, finding a good drummer that has taken music lessons, is well rounded enough to play any genre, know where to put fills in correctly, and willing to practice and learn new matrial are a bit harded to find. I have heard good drummers that lacked the ability to figure out dynamics of a song, drummers that overfill a song, and drummers that, well, just keep a beat. Of course this is just how I see it

I quite agree, Loomex. I've worked with the Ringo Starr type & loved it. I worked with the Phil Collins type & loved it even more. Best I ever worked with was a guy who really studied drumming from around the world, but unfortunately we just couldn't get along off stage. A shame, that. He was one in a million. A truly accomplished percussionist as well as a drummer. He's quit it all, last I heard. I think it's a huge mistake, if he did.

These days I've been working with a guy who went to school for music, & is very accomplished. He takes his time getting the perfect sound from his numerous kits, but can play with a stripped down bass, snare, ride & high hat if needed, & make it work, too. I'm very happy with him. He works very hard to learn all his parts when he's away from the band, too. Gawd I love this guy!

Same here, I've played with power drummers, trained drummers with lots of school band behind them, and just keep a beat guys. I guess the best was either a guy in Baton Rouge or the one here a few months ago, both highly trained monster drummers. Both would mostly sit there and keep a rock steady tempo, and when they did throw in a fill here and there it was killer. The guy here I met a few minutes before the gig, (lead guy flaked out and dropped the whole thing in my lap) knew he was supposed to be a top notch drummer, but once we got started he really blew me away, as did the bass player. It was like being onstage with Buddy Rich...He was really that good...unfortunately I wasn't able to get that crew back together to try and do something with it...best sound I've heard onstage in years.

I lean toward that style of drummer anyway since I was in high school band and always liked a technically trained and disciplined drummer. The friend here who I want to get to do drums for me on Last Train usually uses bass, snare, one tom and a high hat & cymbal for rehearsals. That's it, very basic kit. He loves trying to make such a simple set do the job...less is more...

Actually, the hardest part of finding a really good drummer, from my exp, has been finding that guy who can really keep the fast ones coming, song after song. It takes a lot of energy to do that, & a lot of the ppl I've met just run out of steam, sometimes even before the 1st fast one is done. Of course WV isn't exactly known as the fitness capital...LOL...too much mac & cheese, I think, in our diets.

2nd hardest part to find a good drummer is getting one to play something slow & gentle tastefully. I write a lot of styles, & one of mine is this sweet little country-ish waltz. I tried it out with a drummer one time who scared the bejeezus outta me with his BOOM-flap flap BOOM flap flap all the way through the thing while I was hoping he'd HEAR it well enough to know that that wasn't EVER gonna work. I don't think he had the feel for anything other than straight out hard driving southern rock, cuz he had that attack on every song, no matter what it was supposd to sound like.

Mac n Cheese ! The breakfast of champions!

Much as I would prefer to have live musicians around me you have to do what you want to !
Some of the comments you have been given are crap there are LOTS of name bands use drum machines PHIL COLLINS and GENESIS for one!!!
Luther Vandross also erm come to think of it I could mention 1000's.
Its not BAD TASTE to use one nor is it cheating. Putting together a piece of music with ANY form of instruments is what its all about.
Why care what others think anyway Buddy if its in tune and in time and you wrote it thats all that matters.

Yea what ever, Keep on you'r smoken the pipe!!!!

I've played a lot of gigs some years back with my wife on bass and an Alesis HR- 15 playin' drums. Made good bread.

I also did a good duo with a sax player and I pre- programmed the drums AND bass with my Yamaha SY-55 . We played a lot of excellent gigs and had a good sound because each song was custom step-programmed so it didn't sound like a drum machine.

I must admit however, there is simply no substitute for a GOOD drummer.

Yeah Howlin, I put myself outta work as a drummer back in 90 with my own SQ1 (MUCH like the SY 55).. I almost went for the 55 but my ole road buddy at the music store said I should go with the SQ1 ..Cant even remember why now??Made good $$$ in Chicago for 4 yrs..That workstation will be 20 yrs old real soon and has NEVER give me a moments trouble.I replaced her battery back in 97 and she still remembers everything I tell her.. Yeah , those old workstations , ya get the best of both worlds..Old analog sounds with digital clarity.NOW, I have all the tunes sequenced on file and CDs so a BOOM BOX goes to the gig with me now..LOL
John

We have used dm in a pinch..Had it programed to step through our songs in order..just a pedal to start/stop..we introduce as Mac Hine and always got a kick..then went to a drummer recording midi tracks and used them on dm to change it up a little.

Given a choice between a drum machine or the average drummer who can't keep tempo - I'll take the drum machine.
I've played with far too many drummers who drift all over the place with their tempos. .
Most of the time the audience never notices, but it ruins it for me . . .
Hell I'd rather play with a click track . . .
.
So, yeah, I agree: a good drummer is worth his weight in gold.

llol for years I've used a drum machine because, not only were drummers not well versed in all the types of music we did, there were always timing problems. most every drummer has a certain time zone they like to play in and no matter what the tempo started, they always go to that particular tempo that they find comfortable

I've done it, but I won't do it again. I don't like it. I think it takes away from your credibilty.