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Time Line for a Rock Drummer

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(@pearlthekat)
Posts: 1468
Noble Member
 

off topic:

your original Yamaha must be worth a small fortune in the vintage market. here in nyc vintage guitars are the thing....although i'll take a nice new guitar any day.

 
Posted : 17/06/2007 12:35 pm
(@trguitar)
Posts: 3709
Famed Member
 

That was a great story Bish. I can't do country at all so I kinda know how you must have felt. I think you need to play more rock & roll though .... come back to the dark side Bish! :twisted:

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --

 
Posted : 17/06/2007 2:27 pm
 Bish
(@bish)
Posts: 3636
Famed Member
Topic starter
 

Looking at the song list makes me realise what a huge task it must have been stepping into the last drummer's shoes - I don't know all that many songs from the list, and most of the ones I do know are the more rock-oriented and crossover hits. Add me to the "IMPRESSED!" list...hard enough to play along with songs you do know, never mind songs you've never heard before!

A question, Bish - how do you approach learning a new song? (In the context of the DLH band.) Do you try and play the song the way the band think it should be played - do they give you some ideas of what goes where? Or do they play and you try to fill in the blanks, so to speak? Do you try and stamp some of your personality on the song? I don't mean throwing in solos every few seconds, I mean do you suggest things like "I think this'd sound good here...." - it must be difficult stepping into an established band, they've been playing those songs a long time, and even if none of the other members know their way around a drum kit, they must have some idea what goes where - especially the rhythm and bass players, who probably take their cues from the drummer.

:D :D :D

Vic

Very good points and questions, Vic.

How this went down was...

One of the band friends whom I know from church mentioned DLH was going to replace their existing drummer for amicable reasons. (Leaving on good terms) So in December I met with Dani Lynn and we discussed moving forward. She gave me 5 home made CD's with all of the original songs on them and said, "Here, learn these by March." :shock:

That was overwhelming in itself. Then my first thought was, were do I begin? So basically I just listen to the songs maybe two or 3 at a time and try to get the basic structure....intro, how many verses, how many choruses. Is there a bridge? Where does it fall in and how do we end the song...abrupt or fade. Once I have that figured out then it's time to listen for what is actually being played...hats or ride...snare or rim shots....even brushes or sticks? Then it just becomes a huge memorization objective. And the bottom line, how fast and how much can I learn, memorize and then remember.... :D

Keep in mind, drumming to unfamiliar songs is still a taskier issue due to no real way to right down structure other than in tabliture or in flat out scoring the music. Fat chance since I don't truly read drum music. As an example with the guitar...is it 1, 4, 5 or some other variation. What notes/chords are being played and how many. As a guitarist you can at least grasp that much and most everything else falls into place...for drums, the best information (notes) I can jot down are...who starts the song....Drums, guitar, bass or vocals? Ok if the drums start, what do I actually do? If the guitar starts then my part comes in later and I have something to grasp on to.

So all in all, I first have to listen to a new song many times before I can vaguely understand the structure of the song. Then I start picking out specifics, timing, actual drum beat being played, how each section transitions to the next an so forth. Above and beyond all that, I also have to accurately depict the tempo. After I feel I'm fairly confident on the song layout, I'll then figure out how to get the music media to my drum room so I can put on headphones and play to the song. After a few days (and keep in mind this might only be one song) I will eventually be able to play it all the way through.

Then I have to take all that remembered stuff and merge it with the rest of the band at rehearsals. So I have to be stage ready even for rehearsals.

The other biggest struggle I ran into was a song that fades out. Now the band has to come up with a suitable ending. Those things if not remembered from rehearsal are the worst to incorporate back in. All I have to go on is what we made up at practice for ending the song. That was my biggest hurdle in this band. Remembering how we end fade outs.

For what it's worth, I posted a gig report from the 6-16-07 gig.

To pearlthekat, that picture was taken about a year ago. I've never given much thought to unload it since I've just kept it with me all these years.

TR, thank you. As of last rehearsal we have 15 new/classic rock songs being added to the list so we can move past the "country" label the band has built over the last few years.

More to come, I'm sure. :wink:

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"

 
Posted : 17/06/2007 3:35 pm
(@rahul)
Posts: 2736
Famed Member
 

Nice story, Bish. When is your autobiography coming out ? :wink:

 
Posted : 18/06/2007 7:23 am
(@douglasa)
Posts: 75
Estimable Member
 

Im glad it all worked out for you Bish! :D :D

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace (Jimi Hendrix)

 
Posted : 26/06/2007 1:52 am
 Bish
(@bish)
Posts: 3636
Famed Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks, Douglasa.

It sounds like you, too are having a good band run! 8)

Rahul. No new books as of this writing. :wink:

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"

 
Posted : 26/06/2007 4:13 pm
(@boxboy)
Posts: 1221
Noble Member
 

Great posts, Bish!
They've been a really fascinating look into the highs and lows of being a working musician.
Thanks

Don

 
Posted : 26/06/2007 6:45 pm
 Bish
(@bish)
Posts: 3636
Famed Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks, Don.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to read my long winded posts. :oops:

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"

 
Posted : 27/06/2007 4:12 pm
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