Are you really making music?
- Thread starter tim098
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alvinthedrummer
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That's a really funny revelation! haha...
I think time-keeping is not really our primary role...I think it's the primary role of all instrumentalists', that I agree very much. Rather, I think our primary role is to provide a REFERENCE to time. And through the use of dynamics and through creating various textural changes in the sound of various parts of the drum kit, we can dictate how the music moves and help "setup" a different section of a tune.
One good simple example is High & Dry by RadioHead:-
The top of the hi-hats are played mostly in the verse with cross-stick on snare. Just simply by changing the cross-stick to snare hits, Phil created a relatively big dynamic change to the feel of the song which helped framed the second section of the verse. Next, he half-opened the hats to dictate another dynamic change which helped setup for the chorus.
In the chorus he played mostly with the "shank" of the stick on the hats to help drive the music stronger and that framed the chorus which is one climax of the tune (here he shifted the 16th note figure on the hats that was played in verse onto the snare to give it an even stronger drive). Then on going out of the chorus (pre-verse?) he created another sectional difference by grooving with the hats half-opened for 1.5 bars before filling-in to create a dramatic drop in dynamics when returning to the verse.
He had everything planned and kept the ride cymbal for use only in the guitar solo section to help frame yet another section....if he had used that in the chorus instead, he would have left himself with not much to build with.
This is one good example of very simple drumming (very simple fill-ins etc) but very detailed in terms of planning out dynamic build-ups....all he did was mostly playing around with textural differences in his time-keeping instruments...(of course the groove differences in the diff sections play a part too).
Just my 2 cents worth....
alvinthedrummer
New member
Just an example :
Band tells Drummer to practice with metronome because the whole band keeps going out of time. Drummer practices with metronome and got his stuff together. Band still goes out of time. Drummer continues to get the blame and gets super stressed and might eventually quit drumming because he has doubts about drumming. Why all this? Because the Band themselves couldn't follow a metronome...not to mention the drummer. Haha sorry for being long winded...just an example
Cheers!
Next time, hooked up your metronome to the PA system in the jam room and have the whole band practice with it! It can really help a band get tight and stop the finger pointing too!
the secret to a great song
To me. the secret to a great song is,
1) music composition
2) the darn best arrangment u can get
3) a bloody good audio engineer to make you guys shine
4) distancing yourself from the producers or record labels that just wana think bout cashing instead of artistic value.
Follow these guidelines and ur on your way to the hall of fame.
To me. the secret to a great song is,
1) music composition
2) the darn best arrangment u can get
3) a bloody good audio engineer to make you guys shine
4) distancing yourself from the producers or record labels that just wana think bout cashing instead of artistic value.
Follow these guidelines and ur on your way to the hall of fame.
mel80
New member
There can be another perspective/possibility for this though. A good producer would know the band's direction and strengths. A good one can tell the band how to improve and what is the essence of the band that should be retained. He can help shape the band's sound up to another level.
heh. nice discussion guys. yea its a matter of perspective. what we really feel about what we play. maybe to me what i am plaing is music but to you its rubbish. i feel that as fellow musicians the most important is for ourselves to love and have the passion in playing our instrument. you may have the best chops or licks but if you dun love the instrument, i would say that you are not making music. music come from within.
like the example alvin quoted, its a very good example. the drummer clearly just wanted to make his song sounded the best. he changed his dynamics and planned carefully without overplaying or unplaying. thats music. i believe that he loved his music and thats the key to making music.
just my one cent worth. heh.( not as pro as alvin to say two cents ) ONE CENT ONLY ARH!
like the example alvin quoted, its a very good example. the drummer clearly just wanted to make his song sounded the best. he changed his dynamics and planned carefully without overplaying or unplaying. thats music. i believe that he loved his music and thats the key to making music.
just my one cent worth. heh.( not as pro as alvin to say two cents ) ONE CENT ONLY ARH!
plainsman
New member
haha kanzer... i was half-joking when i said that...
each one of us have a certain nature. some of us are better at keeping things simple, while others find it natural to play a lot of notes.
the musical journey for me is finding and knowing yourself, accepting yourself and all your imperfections, yet searching for the things that are incomplete and making it whole...
each one of us have a certain nature. some of us are better at keeping things simple, while others find it natural to play a lot of notes.
the musical journey for me is finding and knowing yourself, accepting yourself and all your imperfections, yet searching for the things that are incomplete and making it whole...
other than time and groove, I do believe the following are just as important.
1) Your ability to play over wide dynamic range
Music needs to breath, so your ability to play soft (without losing the feel) is just as important as playing loud
2) Dont let your ego overwhelm the music and play with a OPEN ear.
As a musician, if you dont enjoy listening to the band when you are playing and only interested in listening to how you sound and what you play, then you better be a soloist.
3) Your ability to understand your band members and compliment solos
To me the ultimate orgaism in music is for a band to play something magical together that is totally unrehearsed.
4) Dont over play because you think it is cool
The best assessment of a band and your live performance is not when you are loud and busy, but when you bring the volume down to zero. When you cant hear anyone in the audience talking, then you know you or your band is smokin'
1) Your ability to play over wide dynamic range
Music needs to breath, so your ability to play soft (without losing the feel) is just as important as playing loud
2) Dont let your ego overwhelm the music and play with a OPEN ear.
As a musician, if you dont enjoy listening to the band when you are playing and only interested in listening to how you sound and what you play, then you better be a soloist.
3) Your ability to understand your band members and compliment solos
To me the ultimate orgaism in music is for a band to play something magical together that is totally unrehearsed.
4) Dont over play because you think it is cool
The best assessment of a band and your live performance is not when you are loud and busy, but when you bring the volume down to zero. When you cant hear anyone in the audience talking, then you know you or your band is smokin'
USADRUMMER
New member
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