Do you play the same thing?

[SparrowBeat]

Hey y'all,

when I play with my band, I rarely play the same thing twice. I usually have the general outline of the song-- here I'll play on the hats, there I will fill, etc..-- but my actual drum part will usually vary from one time to the next. I was just wondering if this is similar to how other people play and practice or if you guys usually try to play the same thing every time?

Thanks!

[drummer]

I rarely ever play the exact same thing twice. I find that incredibly boring.

Welcome to DrumChat Sparrow!

[Northern Redneck]

I try to play the same thing. What would happen if the guitar player decided to play an E instead of a G just because he was bored?

[Tin Toad]

same thing every time. get over boredom in personal jam time. for playing with the band try and play the same thing every time so everyone else can stay in time. have to make improve jam time with the band too .. but for most of practice be the drum machine, with feeling ..

[ntn2it]

Gotta be Mr. Automatic when you play in a cover band, which I do. Same thing every time, just the way the original artists recorded it. Unless it's Wipeout. I never play Wipeout. Never. Ever.

[SparrowBeat]

I rarely ever play the exact same thing twice. I find that incredibly boring.

My thoughts exactly. I find it too easy to just go through the motions that way.

Welcome to DrumChat Sparrow!

Thanks for the welcome!

[SparrowBeat]

I try to play the same thing. What would happen if the guitar player decided to play an E instead of a G just because he was bored?

Maybe something awesome... Probably not, though.

[wolvie56]

Try for same thing note for note every time if we're covering a song by another artist. It's not boring for me to spend the time in order to be able to play it exactly how the artist recorded it. I am the timekeeper and it's my job to make sure that everyone else is on time. If I change it up, they aren't able to use me to stay on time, or to time their upcoming breaks, bridges, etc. I don't like it when everybody just does their own thing. I improvise when I'm soloing though. Welcome to DC.

[late8]

Cover songs and orginals, I try to play the way the artist intended it to played. On drum solos, I never play the same thing twice.

[rickthedrummer]

I rarely played a song with the same fills as the original unless it was a drum part that was a "signature" part of the song.

I have told people over the years that if they wanted to hear the song exactly as the original was played, to go buy the record and save themselves a lot of money.

You can do a cover a bit different than the original and not lose the integrity of the song. I don't mean that you can turn Satisfaction into Separate Ways, but you have some leeway.

[yohin]

I usually have the general outline of the song-- here I'll play on the hats, there I will fill, etc...

This is basically what I do. Although like Rick said, if it's a "signature" fill then I play it exactly, i.e. when my band covers Tom Sawyer, I always play the drum break exactly the way it is on the record.

[kay-gee]

I rarely played a song with the same fills as the original unless it was a drum part that was a "signature" part of the song.

I have told people over the years that if they wanted to hear the song exactly as the original was played, to go buy the record and save themselves a lot of money.

You can do a cover a bit different than the original and not lose the integrity of the song. I don't mean that you can turn Satisfaction into Separate Ways, but you have some leeway.

Agree

Whether playing original or cover, play it like you own it. If you want to just imitate, then get off the stage and plug the juke box in. Might as well listen to the originals.

all the best...

[slinglander]

Kay-gee, Rick, I agreed, for sure!

[MDK]

For the most part I try to play it the same way for everyone in the bands comfort. Covers which is all I do I try to get as close to original as I can and where I differ I try to repeat it every time. Songs like jumping jack flash are hard to play like Charlie because there are no crash cymbals anywhere..To hell with that I crash the hell out of that song and everyone loves it..LOL

[drummer]

I try to play the same thing. What would happen if the guitar player decided to play an E instead of a G just because he was bored?

I think you're missing the point NR. A guitar player could play the "right" chord but still jazz it up. He could add musical inflections, nuance, rhythm and so on to enhance an otherwise simple chord. A drummer can do the same thing with a simple beat. It isn't necessary to play the "exact" same beat every time for it to still sound good and sound like the record.

[gentleman_disaster]

I think you're missing the point NR. A guitar player could play the "right" chord but still jazz it up. He could add musical inflections, nuance, rhythm and so on to enhance an otherwise simple chord. A drummer can do the same thing with a simple beat. It isn't necessary to play the "exact" same beat every time for it to still sound good and sound like the record.

I agree totally. Been drumming in original bands for 14 years and played guitar in a (mostly) original band for 6 years. There's that certain formula that goes into each song and you constantly evolve and explore and change that formula. It makes the music more interesting to play and exciting for people who have heard the tunes enough to know what nuances you're tweaking.

[sweatydrooler]

think about writing your drum parts the way the others write their parts. This is the verse and it goes like this. maybe its repetitive, maybe not, but it makes the changes more exciting, it allows the nuances of a song and its musicians to shine through, and you can experiment with things like getting different sounds out of your drums rather than just playing whatever feels good. Pocket drumming is the key and the contrast will allow you to shine as a drummer

that being said I get what the guys are saying about jazzing it up, which to a certain extent I agree with. Ultimately a little ghost stroke here or an offbeat there because it feels right is generally awesome, but letting your feet dance all over the place with no structure can totally detract from a song.

[xweasel]

There isn't too much space for improv in the style of music I play. I always keep the main patterns the same. I'll change fills and whatnot but for the most part, I'll keep the drum parts the same. If I hear the guitarist or bassist improvising a lick or something, I'll "respond" to them by playing a lick of my own, if there's space in the song.

[Texdrumr]

I rarely played a song with the same fills as the original unless it was a drum part that was a "signature" part of the song.

I have told people over the years that if they wanted to hear the song exactly as the original was played, to go buy the record and save themselves a lot of money.

You can do a cover a bit different than the original and not lose the integrity of the song. I don't mean that you can turn Satisfaction into Separate Ways, but you have some leeway.

Yes, and for me, I like to call it 'exercising my musical creativity'. Which is code for, "I have no clue what I did last time".

[rickthedrummer]

think about writing your drum parts the way the others write their parts. This is the verse and it goes like this. maybe its repetitive, maybe not, but it makes the changes more exciting, it allows the nuances of a song and its musicians to shine through, and you can experiment with things like getting different sounds out of your drums rather than just playing whatever feels good. Pocket drumming is the key and the contrast will allow you to shine as a drummer

that being said I get what the guys are saying about jazzing it up, which to a certain extent I agree with. Ultimately a little ghost stroke here or an offbeat there because it feels right is generally awesome, but letting your feet dance all over the place with no structure can totally detract from a song.

I said you have some leeway. I didn't say play the drum solo from Channel 1 Suite over "Caught Up in You" by .38 Special.

[Drumbledore]

Just depends on what the music demands. If it's a cover band situation, some songs do have signature rhythms and fills that you should try to at least nail as accurately as you can (watch Special Anthony on here next time he posts a video from his Rush tribute band as but one example.....I'm pretty sure he can tell you what a challenge it is to play Neil Peart's parts note for note).....mind you, some of us who have played or are playing in cover band situations can still enjoy changing up fills or little accents and sounds here and there from gig to gig. If you're playing in music situations where improvisation is part of that style.....you can do it a bit in Latin for example, so long as you are sort of within the 'clave' of the rhythm, or if you play jazz, then of course improvisation comes within that territory. But if your parts are really tied in with that music, or if you have that occasional gig where you're reading (theatre work, or say playing percussion in an orchestra, where everything is written....mind you, not many of us are in that situation I'd imagine), then that is where you're really in a "play every part as it is" scenario. But like what some others have said, if every single situation you're just playing it with no variation here and there.....you might as well plug the juke box in. Maybe put some cardboard cut outs of each member of the band as you wander off to the bar or something. Or some holograms.

[almostmatt1]

If I'm playing covers I generally try to replicate as closely as possible. I'm not too keen on covers though, generally.

[rickthedrummer]

Just depends on what the music demands. If it's a cover band situation, some songs do have signature rhythms and fills that you should try to at least nail as accurately as you can (watch Special Anthony on here next time he posts a video from his Rush tribute band as but one example.....I'm pretty sure he can tell you what a challenge it is to play Neil Peart's parts note for note).....mind you, some of us who have played or are playing in cover band situations can still enjoy changing up fills or little accents and sounds here and there from gig to gig. If you're playing in music situations where improvisation is part of that style.....you can do it a bit in Latin for example, so long as you are sort of within the 'clave' of the rhythm, or if you play jazz, then of course improvisation comes within that territory. But if your parts are really tied in with that music, or if you have that occasional gig where you're reading (theatre work, or say playing percussion in an orchestra, where everything is written....mind you, not many of us are in that situation I'd imagine), then that is where you're really in a "play every part as it is" scenario. But like what some others have said, if every single situation you're just playing it with no variation here and there.....you might as well plug the juke box in. Maybe put some cardboard cut outs of each member of the band as you wander off to the bar or something. Or some holograms.

I agree with some of what you are saying, but, as far as a tribute band goes, that's a different ballgame. I turned a tribute band down decades ago because, while I like The Doors, I didn't want to do them constantly. For me, it would get old, real quick.

[itchie]

If I make up something that's really good then I'll play it every time but if its in limbo then ill mess around with it a bit

[Aviator42009]

I actually play originals very similar each time, I basically came up with the parts by feel and playing any other way just sounds weird. Covers Im weird with; some I play close to the original AMD others I change a lot to spice them up, the reception is usually well.