Should drummers call themselves musicians?

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Of course I'm a musician. I play music. Where's the confusion?

+1. Like others have said - drummer are musicians.

Pianist = musician who plays piano.
Drummer = musician who plays drums.

I do, however, also leave it to the individual to self-determine if what they play is actually music. If they feel it is, then they are musicians. Who are we to determine what a particular artist feels is art or not?
 
The US government, specifically the IRS, accepts that my occupation is Musician. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me!

Oh yeah, they also accept that my name is

Bermuda
 
If a bass player can, than anyone can. I mean really, four strings, thats it??
 
obviously.. drummer is musician.. Heck, you can call it "art" if you want to. For Dutch law I'm an "art"-maker in the form of musician. It states in my company description:
"Performing art in the form of music and opera"

So, yes.. you can hire me to sing an opera. I don't promise you it'll be good to hear, I do promise my drumming gives you less damage to your ears :p

In short, ofcouse a drummer is a musician. Why wouldn't he/she be?
 
There was a time when drummers were not considered musicians. If you had a six piece band, you were labeled as a five piece band and a drummer. It wasn't 'till around the later 50s I think that drummers being considered as musicians was taken seriously by anyone - and it still isn't to a majority of people.

It's bad drummers that promote a lack of faith in an instrument. The guys who whale on their drums and try to drown out everyone on stage, speed up and slow down the tempo, and whatever else you can think of that a good drummer should NOT be doing.

The drums are musical - just like a guitar, you can play a drum soft and quiet and mellow, or you can play it loud and harsh. Drummers are the real unsung heroes of the band because when something goes wrong, we're the first ones to be blamed, but when the performance goes well, the other musicians get all the credit.
 
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I personally break anyone who plays a drum into 4 categories.

Level 0 - Has no experience and either makes a fool of themselves or play something cool that wouldn't fit in a band setting.

Level 1 - Has basic understanding of beats, fills and is focused on the mechanics of drumming. Not very good to listen to and most people at this level sound similar. I would happily call this person a drummer.

Level 2 - Solid understanding of instrument and focus is moved on to dynamics and groove. I consider this level a musician because you are focusing on the music instead of just trying to make it through.

Level 3 - The artist, trying to actually say something using drums as the medium. These are the people that influence us and make us think about the music.

I also apply this to all instruments, it makes it easier for me to audition/ share info. I consider myself Level 2, but I'm working towards 3, I think.

So where are you at, n00b, drummer, musician, or artist? You determine your own limits.
 
When I was 12, my uncle, who played in big bands and jazz combos in the 30's and 40's, told me straight off that drums are a musical instrument and are to be treated as such. Then, very sternly, he told me that there was only one way to correctly learn to play the drums, and that was what I was about to learn. After that I would be free to go play whatever form of music I wanted. Four years later when the Beatles came out, he liked to say to me that the drummer for the Tonight Show orchestra could come down and play what the Beatles drummer was playing, but the Beatles drummer couldn't go up there and play what the Tonight Show drummer was playing. He wanted me to be ready and able to play any form of music I wanted. If some kid is just bashing away to the Dead Rat record or something, maybe it isn't musical, I don't know, debatable; perhaps just a lower level of musicianship. In some instances, there is something to be said for primitive.
 
The US government, specifically the IRS, accepts that my occupation is Musician. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me!

Oh yeah, they also accept that my name is

Bermuda

.............I think the IRS would accept anything as long as they get their cut.

To the original question: Absolutely
 
If a bass player can, than anyone can. I mean really, four strings, thats it??

That's 3 spares!

I can't find the exact thread/post at the moment, where larryace (Uncle Larry) wrote down very interesting thoughts about why drummers are not always considered musicians. Would be a great read for all who keeps asking themselfs/others this very question.

Shortly,we're primordial musicians!

Am I proud or what? :p
 
Short answer, Yes, and here's some food for thought, I read an article recently where Sting said that once he realized that the sound of the band really comes from the drummer everything became much easier, gives you an idea of how much weight the modern day drummer actually carries.
 
That's 3 spares!

I can't find the exact thread/post at the moment, where larryace (Uncle Larry) wrote down very interesting thoughts about why drummers are not always considered musicians. Would be a great read for all who keeps asking themselfs/others this very question.

Shortly,we're primordial musicians!

Am I proud or what? :p
That's just it, I don't think a lot of us actually think that drummers are not musicians.
 
Short answer, Yes, and here's some food for thought, I read an article recently where Sting said that once he realized that the sound of the band really comes from the drummer everything became much easier, gives you an idea of how much weight the modern day drummer actually carries.

I love the solo stuff Sting has done and with The Police.
I'll definitely remember this quote.
 
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