What music is currently inspiring you to become a better player?

[Exotic Matter]

I feel one of my greatest assets as a drummer is my ears. Listening is essential to playing in a group, not only while your physically playing but also listening to others for inspiration and ideas. What tracks are you guys digging right now?




Right now I'm pretty big into the post rock / math rock scene. I've been studying music for about 15 years now so the top 40 and anything pop doesn't really do it for me. Some bands I've been listening to are: Battles, Tortoise, Explosions in the Sky, and Beast.

After a few years hiatus I've been getting into Phish again. They amaze me how well they work together as a band.

There will always be my old favorites too. Coltrane, Joshua Redman, Alice in Chains, Radiohead, Tool, Meshuggah, Massive Attack,RHCP, Beatles, Wynton Marsalis, Zepplin, etc...


Well, what music inspires you to become a better drummer/musician?

[gretsch]

all rock.
but lately i can listen to and play along with worship bands like Hillsong and ive become a better drummer

[topdog63]

I mainly play worship music but, I like some classic rock and newer rock. I cant play any heavy stuff, eg. Haste the Day, Demon Hunter, The Devil Wears Prada ect ect..., although I enjoy listening to it. My skills just arent there yet but one day they will be.

[Yoda]

Ive said it here a million times, but John Dolmayan is my drum hero. Ive listened to System of a Down for many years and have always admired his drumming. Ive always wanted a huge kit with a million cymbals, but when I set up my 9 peice Remo kit, I never hit them all. So I thought about scaling down my kit, but I didnt think I could play anything hard rock.

Then I listened to his drumming on Scars on Broadway. As frenetic and hardrock as ever. Come to find out, it was all done on a 5 peice kit! This drove my purpose on and I scaled down my kit...and I think that that has made me a better drummer. Ive focused more and I think its making me a better musician in the long run.

[Leprechaun]

Foo Fighters - The Pretender is going nonstop through my head at the moment, if I'd not got a leg missing skin from some speeding Audi driver running me off my bike, I'd play :P

[Fades Away]

Bullet for my Valentine, Demon Hunter, and Atreyu are what i've been working on lately. I've got Bullet and Atreyu down but Yogi from DH is rediculous. One thing i can't do though is not to play so hard so that's been a learning curve in itself ha ha. good thread though!

[topdog63]

Matt,
I'm gonna agree, Yogi is a beast! My other favorite is the drummer for Haste The Day (I don't know his name). He even does vocals while he plays metal.

[Pwinnington]

For me I have to say Tool and Danny Carey. What this guy does on a drumset is simply incredible. He uses the whole drumset as assests to his playing. Plus all the polyrythms he plays seemsly. Plus live he is almost always 100% perfect. I could go on all day about him so I will stop now.

[crazymanwithaplunger]

For me I have to say Tool and Danny Carey. What this guy does on a drumset is simply incredible. He uses the whole drumset as assests to his playing. Plus all the polyrythms he plays seemsly. Plus live he is almost always 100% perfect. I could go on all day about him so I will stop now.

You and me both, brother.

[gretsch]

one of my favorite drummers that really inspires me is Keith Moon of the who. he is just crazy on set but it all still makes since

[Olly]

i am a big fan of system of a down...but slipknot is the band at the moment that gives me the move on...

[xweasel]

Meshuggah. Tomas Haake is amazing, with all the polyrhythms he plays. I'd love to be able to play like that someday.

[rmandelbaum]

I have found myself in a Texas Country Rock band. There is a lot of dynamics and cool changes. I am actually having a blast and gigging quiet a bit. I have been a rocker my entire life so this is all new to me. I am learning a lot.

[Julian]

Rock and several different genres of metal. Some bands such as Papa Roach, Ensiferum, and Disturbed get me into a drumming attitude and I'll sit down for hours to listen to their music and figure the drums out.

[mdrummer5]

There are three for me currently...Tool, Lamb of God and Nile. I don't normally listen to stuff quite as heavy as Nile but George Kollias is just insane. I doubt I'll ever be at that level but it's truly inspiring to watch him even while not caring for the music as a whole.

[Exotic Matter]

^

I was going to ask if you guys actually liked listening to death metal or if you just listened because of the drums. There are definitely some good metal drummers but I just can't get into that scene. I think it's the overall lack of dynamics. Everything always seems to be at 10+. I need some peaks and valleys.



I'll definitely agree with you guys on Danny Carey though. He was a huge influence on me when I was younger. He's awesome at odd time and has chops to back it up. I love his use of dynamics and polyrhythms. He knows when not to play and when to let it rip. That's a jazz background for you though. He's very innovative too with the electronics he uses in his set up.

[mdrummer5]

^

I was going to ask if you guys actually liked listening to death metal or if you just listened because of the drums. There are definitely some good metal drummers but I just can't get into that scene. I think it's the overall lack of dynamics. Everything always seems to be at 10+. I need some peaks and valleys.



I'll definitely agree with you guys on Danny Carey though. He was a huge influence on me when I was younger. He's awesome at odd time and has chops to back it up. I love his use of dynamics and polyrhythms. He knows when not to play and when to let it rip. That's a jazz background for you though. He's very innovative too with the electronics he uses in his set up.

I do like a lot of metal but Nile is definitely a band that I do get into just for drums. It's just too heavy for my taste. One band I recommend to people that don't care for metal in general due to the lack of dynamics is Lamb of God. Strictly opinion to follow...Chris Adler is the only metal drummer I've heard that has a definitive groove to what he's playing. Where most metal drummers seem to play a streamlined very straightforward style he seems to really feel it more especially on the album Sacrement. Sadly the new album, Wrath is more of like what other metal bands are doing which I didn't care for. He's still phenomenal on it but it's lacking that groove that he has in some places.

That's not to take anything away from Dave Lombardo (another of my heroes) or any of the other metal greats. Adler just has a very distinct and inspiring style.

[shabutie2113]

Brian Viglione of the dresden dolls and the world inferno/friendship society
and also dom howard have both been enspirering me alot latley

[keysanddrums]

Just to break up the rock party, I'll say that funk, new orleans, latin, jazz, and all that super syncopated stuff always inspires me to be a better drummer. Anything that I can't do already. If it's played with feeling, I can relate to it. That's why the metal stuff always alienates me. It's all math, and no emotion.

Of course, Steve Gadd, Richie Hayward, Mitch Mitchell, and all the classic greats are always inspiring.

[fairmontdrummer]

I've been listening to Tortoise/the sea and cake, drummer john mcentire is really good. also Trans Am, Broken Social Scene, yeah yeah yeahs, mars volta, medeski, martin and wood, the ladies, double dragons, hella. these guys are some of my more contemporary influences, I still listen to the greats like art blakey, max roach. etc for constant inspiration.

[Russ]

everything. no one style or element can let you reach full potential

[quikstang2]

I get most of my inspiration from "extreme metal" but if I notice anything that sounds cool or I see a new technique I won't hesitate to explore it if I like it.

Advent & Beloved (with Joe on drums), Bleeding Through, August Burns Red, The Acacia Strain, Job For a Cowboy, Whitechapel, Soundgarden, Ghost of Gloria, The Police, Unearth... the list never ends.

[crazymanwithaplunger]

I get most of my inspiration from "extreme metal" but if I notice anything that sounds cool or I see a new technique I won't hesitate to explore it if I like it.

Advent & Beloved (with Joe on drums), Bleeding Through, August Burns Red, The Acacia Strain, Job For a Cowboy, Whitechapel, Soundgarden, Ghost of Gloria, The Police, Unearth... the list never ends.

Soundgarden and the Police seem strangely out of place for some reason..........



Oh and BTW - I can't stand JFAC. Nothing personal - tried and just can't get into 'em.

[Scottie_Guns]

Right now I'm pretty big into the post rock / math rock scene. I've been studying music for about 15 years now so the top 40 and anything pop doesn't really do it for me. Some bands I've been listening to are: Battles, Tortoise, Explosions in the Sky, and Beast.

Battles rules! Favorite song of 2007! This drum groove kills!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGp-22t0lU"]YouTube - Battles - Atlas (from the album Mirrored)[/ame]

[Scottie_Guns]

Right now I'm pretty big into the post rock / math rock scene. I've been studying music for about 15 years now so the top 40 and anything pop doesn't really do it for me. Some bands I've been listening to are: Battles, Tortoise, Explosions in the Sky, and Beast.

Make sure to check out Dysrhythmia (Pretest) and early Don Caballero. I've been thrilled with these bands and they are great live.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCUsom-9hFc"]YouTube - DYSRHYTHMIA - "Bastard"[/ame]