Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
drummer
Again, I know it is tempting to want to talk about the churh (religion) part of drumming in a church but it must be avoided per the forum rules. If it keeps getting abused, admin might shut this section down.
Thanks for your attention to this.
No problem Tom. I tried so hard not to cross the line. Sorry! :)
Let me try again. Here goes:
Question from Kay-Gee: Do you have to belong to a church or believe the tenets of the denomination to be a performer there
My answer: Yes, most of the time. A lot of the time, people that start playing music in church are already church members of that particular church, so they follow the same tenets by default.
Question from Kay-Gee: or is it just a gig that you try for and when there is an opening you get to play?
Depends. If there's an opening and you are a halfway decent player, you can get the position. Some musicians will start attending certain churches that have praise teams already in place so that the chance for playing is higher. If positions are already filled, a lot of times there's a rotation. For example, I get every third Sunday off.
Hope this follows the rules Tom! I'm really trying here. :)
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Didn't mean to cause an issue Tom.................will pay more attention
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Not a problem guys. Remember, you can always answer someone's direct question through PM too if it's easier.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
drummer
Not a problem guys. Remember, you can always answer someone's direct question through PM too if it's easier.
With that said, I have 20 years of church drumming experience, and my PM box is open for any other questions/concerns of church drumming which may cross the line in the public forum. I'm not an expert by any stretch, but I've experienced quite a bit.
Thanks!
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
porkpieguy
No problem Tom. I tried so hard not to cross the line. Sorry! :)
Let me try again. Here goes:
Question from Kay-Gee: Do you have to belong to a church or believe the tenets of the denomination to be a performer there
My answer: Yes, most of the time. A lot of the time, people that start playing music in church are already church members of that particular church, so they follow the same tenets by default.
Question from Kay-Gee: or is it just a gig that you try for and when there is an opening you get to play?
Depends. If there's an opening and you are a halfway decent player, you can get the position. Some musicians will start attending certain churches that have praise teams already in place so that the chance for playing is higher. If positions are already filled, a lot of times there's a rotation. For example, I get every third Sunday off.
Hope this follows the rules Tom! I'm really trying here. :)
In my case we were parishioners there. My daughter signed up for the kids choir. She overheard the music director saying he wanted a drummer so my kid signed me up. LOL!
That was a few years ago and it's been a lot of fun and I've become friendly with the other musicians. People from town know me as "the drummer at church"... It's been a lot of fun!
For a while, it was the only drumming I could do, due to time, schedules, etc.
I'd think that being part of that religious denomination would help, and in my case, it did, but I wouldnt say its mandatory.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
We are about to start our second service. That is a lot on a Praise Team. I could only imagine what playing three services would be like.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
How many of you guys use a wood block or a jam block to take the place of your rim shots? I have a red jam block to use but the pitch of it makes my ears ring sitting behind the drum shield. They seem to like it but I don't feel comfortable using it. Help me out with a new idea.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kelley97
How many of you guys use a wood block or a jam block to take the place of your rim shots? I have a red jam block to use but the pitch of it makes my ears ring sitting behind the drum shield. They seem to like it but I don't feel comfortable using it. Help me out with a new idea.
It's WAY too loud behind a drum shield to be playing without hearing protection. Use a pair of noise canceling in-ear monitors. Shure sells a totally decent pair for a hundred clams.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
soren-k
It's WAY too loud behind a drum shield to be playing without hearing protection. Use a pair of noise canceling in-ear monitors. Shure sells a totally decent pair for a hundred clams.
+1...........SE215's are great..............and right at $100.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
How about my block question? Can anyone help me figure out which one will fit my area of music?
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kelley97
How about my block question? Can anyone help me figure out which one will fit my area of music?
I use a Yamaha "Jingle Wedge" to give my rim clicks a little extra.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
I was talking to a guy who is a much sought-after acoustic engineer who designs studios, control rooms, and venue spaces for optimum acoustics for some of heavy hitters in the music world. I mentioned the plexiglass fish tank our drummer plays behind, and his response was that drum screens are absolutely useless in cutting drum sound, unless they are the total surround fish tank with a roof on it.
Anyway, I Know they do have a placebo effect. Folks see the fish tank, and think the drums are quieter, when they aren't. Our church's fish tank kept coming apart at the hinges because it was a defective piece o' poo poo, so we use 3 panels instead of 5. Again, because of the placebo effect, folks don't notice.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
I play a Roland TD-10 six piece at my church. I prefer acoustic drums, but I don't pay for anything there and it is easier to run through the sound board and for them to control the volume when I start getting into it and playing hard/loud lol
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
I'm the drummer in my worship team and have to tell people (and set click track) what the bpms are for each song during practice... so for example, should I use 86 bpm (1/4 notes) or 172 bpm (1/8 notes)? I've tended to use 1/4 notes cause that's what someone would be clapping at or foot tapping... seems logical to use the 1/4 notation but the worship team leader sends out the songs with 1/8 notation at the top, which seems like too many clicks and too busy... Is there a standard or preference?
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marthared
I'm the drummer in my worship team and have to tell people (and set click track) what the bpms are for each song during practice... so for example, should I use 86 bpm (1/4 notes) or 172 bpm (1/8 notes)? I've tended to use 1/4 notes cause that's what someone would be clapping at or foot tapping... seems logical to use the 1/4 notation but the worship team leader sends out the songs with 1/8 notation at the top, which seems like too many clicks and too busy... Is there a standard or preference?
I have played with multiple bands that use clicks. There's no standard, at least in my experience. Most of them have used the 1/4 notation, but a few used the 1/8 notation. My current church doesn't use a click full time, in fact it's mainly for learning songs. But we use 1/8, as it's easier for the other musicians to keep time. It really doesn't matter to me, as long as the accent click is defined.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marthared
I'm the drummer in my worship team and have to tell people (and set click track) what the bpms are for each song during practice... so for example, should I use 86 bpm (1/4 notes) or 172 bpm (1/8 notes)? I've tended to use 1/4 notes cause that's what someone would be clapping at or foot tapping... seems logical to use the 1/4 notation but the worship team leader sends out the songs with 1/8 notation at the top, which seems like too many clicks and too busy... Is there a standard or preference?
I prefer 1/4 notes myself....................but 1/8th notes generally work better to keep everyone in time IMO. We have several different members and any Sunday there are a number of different musicians playing.
Obviously, some have better timing than others, but 1/8th notes help across the board.....................hope this helps
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
I might have a shot at playing drums in my church. The current drummer has been promote to lead the youth group and has no time to continue to play for the morning service.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
late8
I might have a shot at playing drums in my church. The current drummer has been promote to lead the youth group and has no time to continue to play for the morning service.
I got the gig and start next Sunday!
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
late8
I might have a shot at playing drums in my church. The current drummer has been promote to lead the youth group and has no time to continue to play for the morning service.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
late8
I got the gig and start next Sunday!
Awesome....................congrats brother................I love it and hopefully you will too!
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
longgun
Awesome....................congrats brother................I love it and hopefully you will too!
Thanks Butch! Looking forward to it. I always wanted to be a "house" drummer in a "house" band and now is my chance.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kelley97
How many of you guys use a wood block or a jam block to take the place of your rim shots? I have a red jam block to use but the pitch of it makes my ears ring sitting behind the drum shield. They seem to like it but I don't feel comfortable using it. Help me out with a new idea.
I would say an actual wooden one would blend better. Grover's are nice and warm sounding although the mounting options are more limiting. LP Groove Blocks are good too, a bit brighter and higher, plus you have to buy the mount separately, but they will mount at more heights than the Grover ones.
If you are wanting a plastic block, the Pearl low clave block has the same pitch as the LP red block but with a more authentic tone. Or, the medium clave block or blue jam block for a slightly higher sound that is more of the pitch of a regular cross stick.
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
longgun
Awesome....................congrats brother................I love it and hopefully you will too!
I took the afternoon off to get a jump on the swap out of the house kit to the one I'll be using. The house kit is a beat up SP 5pc with stock heads. The cymbal set was Zildjian ZBT/ZXT and the hardware was a mismatch of stock SP double braced stands and the pedal was a Pearl 800W.
Before:
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psodzkfbix.jpg
Stock worn out heads:
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspe1xfu1q.jpg
Zildjian ZBT/ZXT
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrktjbxrh.jpg
Pearl 800W bass drum pedal:
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswsippy0m.png
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
continued...
The immediate area round the kit was a "Pig Pen" (sorry about the out of focus picture), so I asked for a vacuum cleaner and went to work cleaning the area up after I broke down the "House" kit and stashed them in an adjoining office.
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszyaxiuhm.jpg
I found this interesting. A broken stick in a venue that requires a light touch on the drums. Hmmm...
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psv41gin6o.jpg
I was told the drummer I replaced had to step it up and learn "on the fly" on how to play drums (he's really a keyboard player) since they had nobody else to call upon. He's has now been promoted within the organization and I was tipped off by a friend who attends this church that they needed to find a replacement really quick so I stepped forward and they accepted me after a short informal interview. The former drummer was only able to do 4 on the floor with the kick so everything he played sounded like a disco beat from the '80s. As you can tell by the stick marks on the stock heads that there was very little stick control since the marks are all over the heads, especially near the edges of the head.
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psj0qzbpyn.jpg
Re: The Church Drummers Thread
continued...
After:
2007 DW Collector's in Twisted Exotic with a lacquered finish in a standard all maple configuration. Tom sizes are 8x10, 9x12 and 12x14. The kick is 18x22 and the snare is a Mapex BirdsEye Maple 6.5x14. I experimented with heads since the stock DW/Remo on the DW were too loud with too much overtones for church, (my opinion only).
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfbazxnr9.jpg
I decided to uses Evans Blue hydraulic heads and I think I made the right call. No long lasting overtones and a quick decay but very deep sounding heads. The cymbal set up is 13" HHX Evolution hihats with two vent holes cut into the bottom cymbal cup and 4 sets of rivets set into the bottom hihat cymbal. The primay crash over the first rack tom is a Zildjian 16" A Custom crash, the second cymbal on top is a AAX 10" splash, the ride is a AAX 20" stage ride and the last cymbal over the floor tom is a Zildjian A 14" Fast Crash. The pedal is a single DW9000 and the hihat stand is a two leg DW5000.
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskwoqwshp.jpg
The space for the kit is very small and I panicked when I saw what I had to work with. The throne is literally an few inches from the back wall.
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgnrpoval.jpg
I had to lock down 4 cymbal stand with two curved 24" rack pipes since I could not fully extend the tripod legs due to the cramped space.
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...psygylggqu.jpg
Re: The Church Drummers Thread