Fire the drummer.

At least two people have to be on and together for there to be a groove. The drummer and bass player. Since the drums have a more definitive snap to where they put the beat, they stand out more than the rumble of the bass. So if the foundation isn't there, the drummer is often zeroed in on as the reason. I have a few friends who'd entire criteria for taking a gig is "who is the bass player?". Singer can be a total joke, guitarist can be a complete wanker, but if the money's decent and there's a good bass player on the gig, no problem. Have a great frontline but poor bass player and they'll pass. I had the good fortune the other day at a blues jam to play with New Orleans bluesman Kenny Neal. The good fortune was that the bass player on that rotation was someone who is all about locking with the drummer and making it work. Kenny made it fun for the audience, the bass player made it fun for me.
 
Well, honestly .... If you join a band .... you're not a founding member. If you start a project, then chances are very good you're not gonna get fired.​
 
I've never been 'fired' from playing, but in my area drummers are very few and far between, especially good ones. I've had the bass player goof at a jam session, and me get called out for his mistake. A great example of this was one night we were trying to play a waltz. Rather than play 3/4, the bass player kicked us into 4/4 time.

I tried desperately to make the 3/4 work, but it was impossible, so I had to play 4/4 right along with him. I was the one to get chewed out for it afterward. It really wasn't my fault.
 
I've never been 'fired' from playing, but in my area drummers are very few and far between, especially good ones. I've had the bass player goof at a jam session, and me get called out for his mistake. A great example of this was one night we were trying to play a waltz. Rather than play 3/4, the bass player kicked us into 4/4 time.

I tried desperately to make the 3/4 work, but it was impossible, so I had to play 4/4 right along with him. I was the one to get chewed out for it afterward. It really wasn't my fault.


how in the world do you play a waltz in 4/4?

something I have honestly never heard
 
how in the world do you play a waltz in 4/4?

something I have honestly never heard

It wasn't a waltz when we played it in 4/4. The song was titled 'Tennessee Waltz' and the only think that stayed Waltz were the words to the song. Nobody even tried to waltz to it.

So technically, you still haven't heard a waltz in 4/4 time.
 
It's funny, we're always looked on as neandarthals who hit drums with wooden sticks 'cos we're dumb, but we're often the ones who are really trying to listen to the band and make it work as a whole.

Not to say that other instrumentalists don't, of course - the first ever jazz jam I did was with a bunch of really nice guys and everyone rotating around knew to listen to each other. The youngest one there, I felt like I was a little kid playing on giants!
 
The only band where the drummer can do whatever he wants is a band formed by the drummer himself.....or Keith Moon era The Who or The Rolling Stones. or Rush....or bands where the drummer really made some impact on their success.

Steely Dan or any Ritchie Blackmore bands...no way!
 
I think you're all over-sensitive : )

I've never been let go as a bassist or a drummer. Your statistics don't impress me!

Some people fit and some don't. You can be the best drummer in the world and get fired. If you're more hassle than it's worth you'll find yourself being let go.

I think the opposite is true and here is my hypothesis: we are too tolerant of inept musicians and should be more fussy about who is in "The Band".

Peace
Davo
 
I think you're all over-sensitive : )

I've never been let go as a bassist or a drummer. Your statistics don't impress me!

Some people fit and some don't. You can be the best drummer in the world and get fired. If you're more hassle than it's worth you'll find yourself being let go.

I think the opposite is true and here is my hypothesis: we are too tolerant of inept musicians and should be more fussy about who is in "The Band".

Peace
Davo

This hits the nail on the head. A lot of times you'll get replaced just because your playing style doesn't fit. The band I play for is 80s punk, and some modern pop punk-ish music. The former drummer was a graduate of LA music academy, and was a hellacious drummer and percussionist. They replaced him with me because I have the aggression and style that they wanted in a punk band. It's true I am a bit more educated and play more options than a punk drummer usually would, but the former drummer attempted to play Hardcore-ish songs with a jazz feel, and the others just didn't like it.
 
Thanks for the replies. The reason I mentioned this was because I was talking to the manager of a local rock band that has two national hits and is about to make it big. I will not mention the name of the band.

They fired their original drummer and hired a new guy. Sort of like what the "Beatles "did to Pete Best and hired some guy named Ringo. Anyway, I started thinking, which is dangerous, that this seems to happen to drummers a lot. You're right about this happening to guitarist, singers, keyboardists, etc, but being a drummer myself, I pay more attention when it happens to the drummer.
 
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