What is the most important thing about drumming?

[Michael G]

I searched and did not find a similar topic. What do you think is the most important thing about drumming. Rebound? Rudiments? Timing?

In an interview with Ed Shaughnessy, he asked Buddy that question, and he basically told him rebound was it. Rebound is important, let the sticks do the work, play the drums not through them.

But rudiments are the driving force to well developed hands, and that is what allows you to do the things you see so and so drummer do.

You can be the fastest drummer in the world, but if you can't keep a simple beat, what does it mean? You can be the worst drummer but if you can keep basic time, that is what matters.

There's probably another big thing I am forgetting. But think about this, if you were teaching someone how to play drums, what would you tell them first as the most important thing.

[Deathmetalconga]

Having fun. If you are not having fun/deriving personal fulfillment from anything, you will not be able to put your full available effort and passion into it.

www.terrasonus.com

[jiltednut]

Having fun. If you are not having fun/deriving personal fulfillment from anything, you will not be able to put your full available effort and passion into it.

I agree, if you're not having fun doing something, then why bother??

[Backwards Marathon]

i think that rythem and keeping time is really important. i mean, after all, we are drummers. also rudiments. rudiments are basically the first things as drummers we first learn how to do. (well at least in my case)

Wes

[aahznightsky]

As far as purely technical aspects go .... I would say that timing is the most important aspect. If the timing is bad, nothing else matters!

As far as drumming as a whole goes ... I think that feeling is the most important thing.

[rendezvous_drummer]

Timing, groove, originality and fun are the main things that come to mind for me.

[Class A Drummer]

I 100% completley agree, its about having fun.

[kned]

to play musically with feel not mechanically like a robot

[Fur drummer]

Besides the two most obvious things, timing and rhythm, that have already been said I would say remember drums and cymbals are instruments that you play. Don't just bang or bash away on them. Make music on them, not noise.

[KCDrummer]

The most important thing about drumming is to forget it. We're not drummers, we're musicians. We're not playing drums, we're playing music. I'd rather play music than drums any day.

[maddrummr]

HAVE FUN!!!
As many others had said, because its true.

There is nothing better than listening to yourselft make music.

[sk8er247]

be flexible. dont just rely on the boom chack boom chack rhythm. listen to what is being played and repeat it on the set. timing is gret but wut good is timing when you are throwing people off witht he out of control beats you are playing.

[frank0072]

relaxing and having fun is most important about drumming. everything else that comes with it, like progress in your timing, rythm, feel for the groove, rudiment skills etc, it's all nice, but not the most important:)

[yamaha drumer]

To play in time, and try not be repetative
Besides that, enjoy it...

[gr82bagn]

The sticks, without the sticks nothing else matters. With enough time and guidance the rest of it falls into place but without the sticks you end up on one of those air drumming videos and then you know it all over.

[Drum-Head]

Not that I am the best in this domain, but in my opinion the most important - yet the most neglected - aspect of drumming is keeping time. That is our primary function in a band and towards music.

[DannyDrumma]

Keeping solid time gets my vote, hands down most important aspect of drumming in my mind.

[KzSgDrummer]

Understanding that you're the foundation of the band. There's no conductor waving a wand to keep everyone in sync, so it's up to you to play with good time and make sure the band always knows where the beat is.

[murphinelli]

Time is of the essence.

[Drummer Karl]

Well, to be honestly: I didn`t expected such an answer from Buddy. (not to attack him)
Actually it is about emotions, originality, feeling the music...isn`t it??

I mean, yes, it is so important to use a good technique and to practice this and that but for what I do this? To feel what you play, to forget all rules, to use them though BUT to PLAY.

Karl

[murphinelli]

Quotes from interviews are usually taken out of context and not really what the interviewee (Buddy in this case) means. I've seen plenty other Buddy interviews (the whole interview) and he said something completely different regarding what he thought was important. Important to drum technique? Important to playing with a band? Really depends on the context. That's why quotes are not always great to throw around.

As I said my vote is for time. Everything else is secondary. If you can't keep time...feel, technique, style....doesn't mean much. Basic playing in time is better than artistic or good technique w/bad time....That's why it is more important (to me) to lay back and keep it simple (focusing on steady time) rather than trying to be complex, artsy, unique...If you can do both, you're in good shape. But don't try to do the later before you have the former...at least in a gig situation...

my $0.01,
murph

[wy yung]

There's probably another big thing I am forgetting. But think about this, if you were teaching someone how to play drums, what would you tell them first as the most important thing.

I think the most important thing about drumming is self expression and communication.

[Paul Quin]

While I don't disagree with very much that has been said above, and timing, technique, self expression and fun are all vitally important in making a good player I think there is a conceptual "thing" that separates the few from the many. The suggestion that musicality is the most important component goes some way to this conceptual process. The most important lesson any drummer can learn is it is the overall musical product which is important. Every beat, accent, ghostnote, crash, fill and most importantly those times when you should remain silent, - must have a positive impact on the music to which we are contributing. A good technique should simply provide a greater array of tools with which to express this concept. A great technique without this concept is just a great technique and does not make you a good drummer let alone a great musician.

Paul

[junglelord]

Time is #1
Time is of the essence,
The time is now.
time, time, time is on my side, yes it is....


Groove and Feel (technique) are #2
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

1+2 = # 3 Music

Music (Make Up Something Interesting and Complementry)

Ultimatly it is about expressing one's self honestly, not lying to one's self.
Be water my friend.

[BellsOfRhymney]

What is the most important thing about drumming?

To get the sound and feel of Earl Palmer.

[darkcherryfade]

SOUNDING GOOD! 20 characters

[jmontroy]

1) Having fun. If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong. You gotta groove.
2) Timing. You simply can't be a good drummer without a great sense of time.
3) Originality. Don't sit down every day and play the same sort of groove. Try all sorts of things, and work on your weak points.
4) Versatility. Don't limit yourself to one genre, try everything you can.

[epis-mike]

if playing in a band i'd say the most important thing is to remember you're simply one part of a whole and that every note you play should be directed towards creating a great overall product and not a great drum track. i think this comes from taking joy not just from playing but from creating.

also jmontroy... bungle rules. always nice to see someone else appreciates them.

[X22]

If it hasn't been said already -

"Getting paid."

[tezzerii]

You can be the fastest drummer in the world, but if you can't keep a simple beat, what does it mean? You can be the worst drummer but if you can keep basic time, that is what matters.

Very true - I knew a guy years ago, his technique was very basic, had very little in the way of "chops", no fancy stuff, but his time was rock solid. On the other hand, years later when I had to stop playing for a while cos of an injury, the band I was in got a replacement in who had all the talk, all the kit, all the flash, and a talent for getting to the downbeat, after a fill, half a beat ahead of the band. Yep, the first guy wasn't rated much, but he taught me a lot about what our job is. Well, so did the second, in a negative sort of way. . . I asked a friend what he expects from a drummer when he goes to see a band - he replied, basically, if he doesn't notice the bass and drums, then they're doing their job. I was devastated!! But I think he's probably right - - - -

Terry

[Butch Axsmith]

A good time feel/////////
Butch Axsmith

[Bruce M. Thomson]

For me it is always the music. The enjoyment of playing in total unision with others is a great feeling and part of being a good drummer means making the other players sound good as well. Play what you love and have a feel for and when you have a good solid groove you can move on to new things, or stay where your at if that is what you want to do.

"You can wash clothes with music"
Sun Ra

[thesam]

I think creating a circle of time that allows the other musicians to wind in and out of. I think once this circle is created it allows you the same freedom of movement. Never deviating from the circle. This came to me as I started learning other instruments. I started asking myself what would i like the drummer to be doing for me right now. I found that it was so much easier to play loose with a solid tempo in the background keeping time for me not making it more difficult with ellaborate fills and speed. Thats your job TIME!

[deltadrummer1]

You can be the worst drummer but if you can keep basic time, that is what matters.

If one can keep basic time, chances are they aren't the worst drummer : )

[balboa]

the most important thing.....ENJOYMENT!!! nothing else matters at all, no matter what anyone else says. i dont play for technique, chops or fame, i play for enjoyment. enjoyment makes me want to learn all the above

[ULTIMATEDRUMMER]

I belive keeping tempo and having fun are the most important parts of drumming.

[burnthehero]

For me it's always been about feel--finding the perfect harmony of strength and finesse. It's a beautiful thing.

[Drumbasta]

To play the right notes at the right time with the right attitude.

[Leadfoot]

If it hasn't been said already -

"Getting paid."
Or the thing that rhymes with that.

[Guillermo]

Or the thing that rhymes with that.

Ha, ha, ha...

I for one think there is one UNMENTIONED ASPECT, actually related to what you say... and it is LOVE.

Love for the INSTRUMENT and MUSIC... ultimately is what makes you stick with it, work around it and become a musician.

To practice, buy equipment, rehearse, study, improve, get gigs AND sticking to it, requires a huge amount of love for those drums... even if you DO HAVE talent and natural ability, if you don't really love drums, you will not be a drummer... so actually as a cloud above everythng else, ultimately it's love for it.

[Batera945]

MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU KEEP THE TEMPO AT ALL TIMES! THe main purpose of this instrument is to keep the tempo. SO DO IT! its much better to be able to play a groove well and in time than doing all these blast beats and being too fast or too slow or just completetly off. Rember KEEP THE TEMPO!

[volume_3]

Fun

And if your in a band, complementing the music.

[zambizzi]

I say; express yourself.

Be who you are on the drums, not how you *think* you should sound. Treat the drums as part of a natural extension of your body and "speak" with them in the way that you want to be heard.

[stasz]

Having fun and playing the music. Everything you do should be for the music. Time, feel, rudiments, and everything about drumming are all equally and completely important, but only all of them together will make music, and that's what all of them together are supposed to do.

[ledzepjb]

F.U.N.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NfEfM-MnTGc

[Thedude1620]

I think people get time and groove confused. The drummer sets the GROOVE. the groove never has to be in perfect time. I mean look at stewart copeland, he had Zero time to speak of and yet he's one of the greats. And for him to be able to play with a bass player like sting, just shows that even the best non-drummer musicians appreciate the groove. GROOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT DRUMMING. Period.

[stasz]

F.U.N.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NfEfM-MnTGc

I could be mistaken, but you're referring to the second verse, right?

[Lafirin II]

I think just keepin perfect time while feeling the music so you can fit drums to it just right,

[nebula821]

timing timing timing