Hi, this is my first post. I just need some advice with something that nobody has given me any answers to.
Now I have this problem with my playing that nobody can really tell me what to do since it's the total opposite of what is usually the case.
I grew up playing classical percussion. I started piano and music theory when I was 5 years old, did a few years of violin as well and then took up percussion when I was 12 (I'm 21 now). I can play things like timpani, classical snare drum, xylophone, etc very well and have a good sense of the music in that I can listen to what's going on around me, feel the music with everybody else, etc.
However on drumkit I'm a bit of a klutz. Now I have the technique so don't tell me to practice some paradiddles, I can keep a solid beat without a fluctuating tempo, I can listen to the other band members and base my playing on what I hear as opposed to block my ears and just bash away, and do most of those things that people usually say are characteristics of a good drummer.
However despite all of this I sound a little, well, awkward. I simply can't play "cool" on the drums if you know what I mean. I'm able to technically play all the stuff I want, play it in time, and listen to the other band members but I simply can't make people tap their foot.
Also another problem is fills, they sound terrible and I don't know what to do. It's not like I'm playing a death metal fill in a jazz piece or anything but despite me keeping to the style they still sound a bit crap.
I'm sorry if this is really vague but if somebody has any advice on how to approach this sort of stuff please help. The only thing I ever got was "listen to music" which I do anyway.
I can think of an opposite example in the classical world. There's this guy who was playing timpani in an orchestra I was in and when I looked at his part there was stuff penciled in above pretty much every note, however if I was playing the part most of that stuff would be obvious to me simply by doing things like noticing who you're playing with, if someone doubles your part you should go with them, if you're playing with the brass and they take a breath you should as well to stay totally in time (and by time it's not strictly solid but if they do a little slowdown you should still stay with them simply by "feeling" the music). I think on drumkit I'm like that guy on timpani, I have no intuition about good groove, etc, even though I really notice when somebody else has it.
Now I have this problem with my playing that nobody can really tell me what to do since it's the total opposite of what is usually the case.
I grew up playing classical percussion. I started piano and music theory when I was 5 years old, did a few years of violin as well and then took up percussion when I was 12 (I'm 21 now). I can play things like timpani, classical snare drum, xylophone, etc very well and have a good sense of the music in that I can listen to what's going on around me, feel the music with everybody else, etc.
However on drumkit I'm a bit of a klutz. Now I have the technique so don't tell me to practice some paradiddles, I can keep a solid beat without a fluctuating tempo, I can listen to the other band members and base my playing on what I hear as opposed to block my ears and just bash away, and do most of those things that people usually say are characteristics of a good drummer.
However despite all of this I sound a little, well, awkward. I simply can't play "cool" on the drums if you know what I mean. I'm able to technically play all the stuff I want, play it in time, and listen to the other band members but I simply can't make people tap their foot.
Also another problem is fills, they sound terrible and I don't know what to do. It's not like I'm playing a death metal fill in a jazz piece or anything but despite me keeping to the style they still sound a bit crap.
I'm sorry if this is really vague but if somebody has any advice on how to approach this sort of stuff please help. The only thing I ever got was "listen to music" which I do anyway.
I can think of an opposite example in the classical world. There's this guy who was playing timpani in an orchestra I was in and when I looked at his part there was stuff penciled in above pretty much every note, however if I was playing the part most of that stuff would be obvious to me simply by doing things like noticing who you're playing with, if someone doubles your part you should go with them, if you're playing with the brass and they take a breath you should as well to stay totally in time (and by time it's not strictly solid but if they do a little slowdown you should still stay with them simply by "feeling" the music). I think on drumkit I'm like that guy on timpani, I have no intuition about good groove, etc, even though I really notice when somebody else has it.