What Part of Your Drumming Needs the Most Work?

[drummer]

I would say reading for myself. I was once a decent reader but when you don't use it, you lose it. - Sigh!

[Bish]

For me, fundamentals. Just a 4/4 hack.

[rickthedrummer]

Stamina!!!

[MDK]

4/4 hack here as well, but my tming is sometimes rushed and I hate hearing it back when someone records it. I play to cd's all the time and I would think that would help you get a solid feel for the tming and bpm of a song but most songs when played with the band always sound fast afterwards although not necessarily when playing them live. Not sure how to fix it but was thinking I could bring my metronome to the next gig and set it to the bpm of a song and count it off at that speed. I won't try to play along to it the whole time though, that would be disastrous. Especially with my current band. My doubles suck and am looking for a good doubles exercise to work with daily even though I was thinking the other day of all the 70 plus songs I play live not a one of them calls for double strokes.

[drummer]

4/4 hack here as well, but my tming is sometimes rushed and I hate hearing it back when someone records it. I play to cd's all the time and I would think that would help you get a solid feel for the tming and bpm of a song but most songs when played with the band always sound fast afterwards although not necessarily when playing them live. Not sure how to fix it but was thinking I could bring my metronome to the next gig and set it to the bpm of a song and count it off at that speed. I won't try to play along to it the whole time though, that would be disastrous. Especially with my current band. My doubles suck and am looking for a good doubles exercise to work with daily even though I was thinking the other day of all the 70 plus songs I play live not a one of them calls for double strokes.

Do you practice with a metronome or click track? That will really help you. Also, there used to be this drum gadget on the market that clips to the side of your snare drum and measures your tempo so you can glance at it now and then to get an idea of whether or not you're drifting off tempo. Some drummers swear by it. Not sure the name or if it's still available but you could check into it.

[MDK]

Do you practice with a metronome or click track? That will really help you. Also, there used to be this drum gadget on the market that clips to the side of your snare drum and measures your tempo so you can glance at it now and then to get an idea of whether or not you're drifting off tempo. Some drummers swear by it. Not sure the name or if it's still available but you could check into it.

Thanks for the reminder, I wanted to buy that a few months back and forgot all about it. Just ordered one. It's called RokTempo

[Bish]

I had an electronic metronome a few years back. I posted a video using it about the time padiddlefingers was around. 4 or 5 years ago or so. I wonder if it still exists? Hmmmm

[rickthedrummer]

"American composer and critic Daniel Gregory Mason wrote that the use of the metronome is "dangerous" because it leads musicians to play by the measure or beat instead of the phrase, at the expense of liveliness, instinct, and rhythmical energy. He references that "good performances" commonly feature retardations and accelerations, in contrast to the steady beat of a metronome. This opinion has also been expressed by music teachers; for example, teacher Jennifer Merry relates the steady beat of a metronome to the structure of contemporary popular music, and says that both factors hinder understanding of rhythm and tempo in young children. These criticisms emphasize the importance of intuition, nuances, and style, rather than the rigid, steady beat of a metronome".
"Changes in aesthetics or in the instruments themselves can easily make speeds indicated earlier problematic, which may explain why many notable nineteenth-century composers including Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, and Johannes Brahms criticized use of the metronome".

Metronomes, china cymbals , practice pads (use pillows) and light beer, 4 of the worst things ever conjured up by man.

CLICK....CLICK....CLICK....CLICK.....CLICK. Whoops, missed on the last 1.

Time a lady with a metronome and see how long that lasts.

[drummer]

Rick, a teacher must teach students how to have good time. The way to do this is through a time measuring device to play along to (a metronome). It is a proven fact that a metronome helps improve a human's internal clock and leads to better time overall. Think of it the way a writing teacher would teach a child to form his letters when writing words and sentences. Needless to say, the end result of this exercise is an older student that later writes fast and fluid and [usually] with good penmanship. He does not continue to write slow and tedious as that would hinder the act of writing. The same with a metronome. The student is slow and methodical in the beginning, improving his time over time and building that internal clock. Later, he/she should move away from it so that his style doesn't start sounding stiff or metronomic rather than nuanced and fluid.

I agree that too much of anything is [often] not a good thing. Hence the quest for balance in life and in music. Metronomes absolutely have their place in music education. And if EVERY musician practiced with a metronome rather than just the drummer, the world would be a lot better place!!!

[rickthedrummer]

"And if EVERY musician practiced with a metronome rather than just the drummer, the world would be a lot better place!!!"

NOT REALLY!!!!!! What happens when you take the metronome away? They will probably play together just fine....................minus that waste of time known as a metronome.

[MDK]

"And if EVERY musician practiced with a metronome rather than just the drummer, the world would be a lot better place!!!"

NOT REALLY!!!!!! What happens when you take the metronome away? They will probably play together just fine....................minus that waste of time known as a metronome.

They will probably play fine together because they practiced individually with a metronome.

I do not see how practicing with a metronome can be anything but good. Playing live to a click is something I do not ever want to do mostly because I probably could not do it well and would feel to robotic but using a metronome to practice rudiments, track progress, tricky fills that you may speed up or slow down in how is that not useful?

I have an online one where you set it to say 50 bpm and play along to it, then it goes silent for a measure or 2 and comes back and you can tell how far off you have drifted fast or slow. (the slower it is the harder it is btw) And the one I just bought only tells you what speed your playing at, you do not set it to a tempo and play to that. if I know a song is supposed to be 120 and the guitar intro is 150 I know I need to slow him down.

[slanddad]

If EVERY musician practiced ALONE with a metronome, then showed up at practice with the drummer, the world would be a lot better place.

[Bish]

If EVERY musician practiced ALONE with a metronome, then showed up at practice with the drummer, the world would be a lot better place.

Looks like a signature line to me.

[rickthedrummer]

"They will probably play fine together because they practiced individually with a metronome."

They would play fine together regardless of metronome or no metronome for individual practice.

"I do not see how practicing with a metronome can be anything but good. Playing live to a click is something I do not ever want to do mostly because I probably could not do it well and would feel to robotic but using a metronome to practice rudiments, track progress, tricky fills that you may speed up or slow down in how is that not useful?"

"Playing live to a click is something I do not ever want to do mostly because I probably could not do it well and would feel to robotic."

Then my question becomes "Why use it in the 1st place". As far as "tricky fills" go, the music will give you the timing for a fill. If a song is at 100 BPM, when the fill comes in are you going to do it at 90 BPM or 110 BPM. Probably not either. You will play it at the tempo that the song dictates. (which will have been set by you)

"I have an online one where you set it to say 50 bpm and play along to it, then it goes silent for a measure or 2 and comes back and you can tell how far off you have drifted fast or slow. (the slower it is the harder it is btw) And the one I just bought only tells you what speed your playing at, you do not set it to a tempo and play to that. if I know a song is supposed to be 120 and the guitar intro is 150 I know I need to slow him down."

" if I know a song is supposed to be 120 and the guitar intro is 150 I know I need to slow him down."

Ya Think????? If the song tempo is 120 and the guitar intro is being played at 150, do you jump in at 120 and wait for him/her to come down to your tempo? If that's the case, no metronome in the world would or could cure that.

[slinky]

There sure are a lot of rock classics that I'm almost positive were not done with a click.

I'm inventing my own, it's going to be called a quack. When you get off, it will tell you "you're off stupid, and the audience is now looking at just you!"

[rickthedrummer]

"There sure are a lot of rock classics that I'm almost positive were not done with a click."

Slinky, I would be willing to bet that 80-90% of them were played without a click. (if not more)

[scottyp]

Not speeding up playing live.
Not speeding up when I get excited to play a cool fill.
Not playing over the top fills because I like them
Left hand - get it as good as the right.


In regards to the above... EVERYONE should practice to a click. I record to a click. but don't use one live.. It helps, but when you are on stage if that click isn't there it's easy to speed up or slow down.

I do find it a great way to log practice and waste less time jumping in at speeds I know I am solid at every week and pushing myself. It's also a good way to see progress.

[rickthedrummer]

"EVERYONE should practice to a click". The emphasis on EVERYONE just made me think "not really".

In 1 week from today, December 14th, I will be 76 and will have been playing drums for 66 years. Roughly 50 of those years was spent playing in bands. R&R was where the money was but my real love is jazz. I played in a improvisational jazz band in college and jazz jam sessions up in Harlem in the early '70's. NO CLICK!!!

In the jams, someone would come over to the drums (might be a sax player, trumpet player. piano player, whatever). he would snap his fingers to the tempo he wanted, that was it. Some would say to hit the fills, that they liked a lot of drums. Some would just say "stay in the windows".

Over the years I have heard it all. Too loud, too soft, too much drums, not enough drums, but never once was my timing called in to question and there were drummers in my hometown that would have loved to get in my face and say my timing was off on a song...............................it never happened.

"I record to a click. but don't use one live.. It helps, but when you are on stage if that click isn't there it's easy to speed up or slow down".

Scotty, it shouldn't be easy to speed up or slow down. There is an internal clock that we all have that should keep us in time. I have heard some drummers over the years that can count to 4 but get 2 numbers wrong and I would think that maybe that person should just play the radio.

You are not 1 of them!!!

[drummer]

Not speeding up playing live.
Not speeding up when I get excited to play a cool fill.
Not playing over the top fills because I like them
Left hand - get it as good as the right.


In regards to the above... EVERYONE should practice to a click. I record to a click. but don't use one live.. It helps, but when you are on stage if that click isn't there it's easy to speed up or slow down.

I do find it a great way to log practice and waste less time jumping in at speeds I know I am solid at every week and pushing myself. It's also a good way to see progress.

You've got a great, motivated mindset.

#1 & 2 ... We all tend to do it when we get excited.
#3 ... Hard not to do when we have the facility but yeah, discipline and playing for the song is key.
#4 ... You'll likely not get it as good but you can get close. I've spent hundreds of hours on this.

[scottyp]

"EVERYONE should practice to a click". The emphasis on EVERYONE just made me think "not really".

In 1 week from today, December 14th, I will be 76 and will have been playing drums for 66 years. Roughly 50 of those years was spent playing in bands. R&R was where the money was but my real love is jazz. I played in a improvisational jazz band in college and jazz jam sessions up in Harlem in the early '70's. NO CLICK!!!

In the jams, someone would come over to the drums (might be a sax player, trumpet player. piano player, whatever). he would snap his fingers to the tempo he wanted, that was it. Some would say to hit the fills, that they liked a lot of drums. Some would just say "stay in the windows".

Over the years I have heard it all. Too loud, too soft, too much drums, not enough drums, but never once was my timing called in to question and there were drummers in my hometown that would have loved to get in my face and say my timing was off on a song...............................it never happened.

"I record to a click. but don't use one live.. It helps, but when you are on stage if that click isn't there it's easy to speed up or slow down".

Scotty, it shouldn't be easy to speed up or slow down. There is an internal clock that we all have that should keep us in time. I have heard some drummers over the years that can count to 4 but get 2 numbers wrong and I would think that maybe that person should just play the radio.

You are not 1 of them!!!

.01% of people or one in 10,000 are said to have perfect pitch. It would be hard to argue with that person about vocal lessons.
Perhaps you are the .01% with perfect time so you are correct.. only 99.99% of people should practice with a click.. hhahahah i kid i kid.


It's not going to make anyone worse, but you obviously have a ton of experience, and I think at 76 hearing a click playing rudiments may not be your idea of a good time either.

I guess modern music, that sounds like it's on a grid in perfect time has evolved to the point that I still stand by my statement.

I fully agree some of my favorite albums from the 70's, 80's and even 90's were done with no click, and had a great flow. Without the quantizing and triggers albums used to be unique. I could tell after 3 seconds what song was coming on.

This isn't a what music is better comment, I'm just saying in 2022, if you want to land a gig, being able to play to a click is important. Especially in any type of recording band. Once again, If you are playing classic rock, jazz, or something along those lines, you can get away without it.

For pop, metal, etc. or many touring gigs a click will be required.

Perhaps the fact that most of the stuff I play ranges from about 180-230 BPM makes me feel this way more than others too though. If I get tired, at these speeds a small change can really effect the song. Same with speeding up. When you are on the threshold of the guitar players and your max, jumping up 20 BPM is going to give people cramps.

[drummer]

This isn't a what music is better comment, I'm just saying in 2022, if you want to land a gig, being able to play to a click is important. Especially in any type of recording band. Once again, If you are playing classic rock, jazz, or something along those lines, you can get away without it.

Agree.

[slanddad]

Modern technology , Bah Humbug ! Back in my day..........