Do you ever/stil make mistakes, when playing live?

[EddieV]

I don't make a lot of mistakes. The other night our guitar player complimented me, saying that it's very rare to hear me make a mistake.
He said this after a set where he had heard what he thought was a mistake by me, but what had actually happened was a stick had broken in my left hand, which is unusual for me, it caused the snare beat on two and four to miss a measure as I grabbed and switched sticks (and a new one) in my hands.

That's what happens to me by far more than mistakes - a stick breaks, or I get a stick caught under a mic, my ride cymbal or just underneath something. I play a tight compact set up and sometimes it happens. Makes me crazy.

I make more mistakes singing than I do drumming....sometimes I space out on words for some reason. Why this happens on songs I've been singing and playing for 25+ years remains to be a mystery. Usually happens when I'm tired though.

However....I don't forget arrangements, beginnings or endings... I can play a an entire night of songs that I did with a band I played with back in the 80's with little or no rehearsal. I remember all of it.

[Bish]

That's what happens to me by far more than mistakes - a stick breaks, or I get a stick caught under a mic, my ride cymbal or just underneath something. I play a tight compact set up and sometimes it happens. Makes me crazy.

This is classic and so true!

[Cdeleone]

I hate it when I draw a complete blank on how a song starts. Granted it hasn't happened in a long time.

Oh yes, been there many, many times. My ongoing joke with my band is,
"how does this one go?"

Everyone makes mistakes...I'm an avid snowboarder and I always say, if you're not falling down, you're not trying something new - you're not pushing yourself. Mistakes happen for me when I'm trying a new fill or something in a live situation...I've learned that you should know your songs inside and out and then you can let loose.

Like most have said, it's how you move on from the mistake that makes you a pro. Nobody is intently focused on the drummer anyway (maybe the one drummer in the crowd!) so unless you complete screw up, just keep going and don't stress about it. The worst is when I do a fill and hit the mic or hit sticks...when listening back on a recording, it always sticks out

[NPYYZ]

I found that I greatly reduced my mistakes by not drinking as much beer before we play. Crazy, I know.

Yeah I learned that one early on as well.

[NPYYZ]

How about this. Being the drummer it is usually our job to count off most of the songs, it was mine anyway. I'd give a four count by clicking my sticks together. So one night I'm looking at the set list and I just can't even remember how the next song goes. Can't remember anything about it. So I just sit there, drawing a blank, the band members all looking at me. So I just pick a tempo and count four and once they start playing it all comes back. literally drawing a blank.

[EddieV]

I'd give a four count by clicking my sticks together.

Are one guitar player struggles with tempo issues - especially when I count off and he begins the song himself.

I've began making him take an eight count instead of four....and he's MUCH better.

FWIW

[kaosotis]

I hate it when I draw a complete blank on how a song starts. Granted it hasn't happened in a long time.

This is me, pretty much every show, even after all these years. Comes from not practicing enough and being distracted by life, etc... Plus I tend to be "in charge" of the band so I'm distracted by that stuff too.

Sad at this point in my drumming history, but what can you do .

As for playing mistakes, small unnoticeable stuff is very common. Not like the audience can tell.

[longgun]

I don't think I've ever played a 100% mistake free gig in my life!

keep getting called back, so it must not be too obvious.................either that or everyone else said no!

[SpazApproved]

I don't make mistakes.. I make changes on the spot haaha

[killdrum]

One of my worse mistakes was watching a stunning looking woman dancing who had absolutely no rhythm Got so hooked on watching here I lost my rhythm and started dropping beats and totally blew a song out of the water.

[N2Bluz]

One of my worse mistakes was watching a stunning looking woman dancing who had absolutely no rhythm Got so hooked on watching here I lost my rhythm and started dropping beats and totally blew a song out of the water.

Haha! That's funny! I can relate to that. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine dances, LOL.

[N2Bluz]

I don't make mistakes.. I make changes on the spot haaha

That's not a mistake. That's Jazz.

[weezy]

I make mistakes all the time. The audience usually doesn't notice if you're able to play through them.

[markthechuck]

all the time, no one in the Audience has ever noticed, if we do make a mistake we just laugh it off, i think when your first starting out it can be the worst thing ever but it's all part of learning i guess.

[Cdeleone]

Haha! That's funny! I can relate to that. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine dances, LOL.

Did she do the little kicks and the thumbs?

[veafer]

Best thing about making a mistake live is that 99.9% of the people listening do not hear it. I make mistakes, you make mistakes,everyone makes mistakes.

In studio, it's a different beast all together. When mistakes are made, it's recorded history. There for everyone to hear. They can be fixed, but if you make too many, you may be fixed.

[8beat]

Did I ever tell you guys about the time carpenters were hammering on the stairs while I'm performing? Those hammer hits threw me off so much that I didn't know what rhythm, time signature or tempo I was playing.

[marko138]

Did I ever tell you guys about the time carpenters were hammering on the stairs while I'm performing? Those hammer hits threw me off so much that I didn't know what rhythm, time signature or tempo I was playing.

I could see where that would throw a drummer off!

[Johnny G]

I don't think I've ever played a 100% mistake free gig in my life!

Ditto all the way! But, 99.9% of the time, only band-mates noticed.
Usually happened when trying out a new segue fill or something if my kit wasn't set-up "just right" due to time constraints.

Wasn't it Miles Davis who said. "Play any mistake twice. Then it's not a mistake; it's a new motif". or something like that?

I have found some of my favorite fills or grooves by "mistake", too.