frustrated..

jimtyler

Senior Member
What am I doing wrong?
I post a video on Your Place, get zero responses. I am doing something on a drumset never done before (okay, I know Akira has some melodic stuff, but he uses electronics to get it done, I use nothing but real drums).
I know this particular gig was just a middle school clinic and the song itself "Star Wars" is not that big a deal, no counterpoint or anything, but I thought someone would like it.
My dream is to be recognized by real drummers. I want drummers to think melodically when they play, even if its on a 4 piece.
I'm tired of drummers that think speed is the thing, or showing off their rudimantary ability. Being a really old guy whose influences were always leaning toward the progressive, my focus is on the melodic possibilities of a drum set.
 
I seen your Star Wars video over on the Pearl Forum and personally i thought it was quiet good. I tip my hat to ya for doing something different that we don't see alot of. Keep rocking dude!!!
 
Thanks I really do appreciate it. The point I'm trying to make in this thread though is how drummers are treated as second class citizens when it come to melody. Sure, there have been a handful of drumlicks that are recognisable (Hawaii 5 O, wipeout, inagodadavida) but why not take drumming the step further into melodic? I would love for people to be humming to a drum solo they heard, driving there car, humming a drum solo..
 
It is pretty impressive, but in my opinion there are numerous instruments that work better than drums for melodic playing. At the same time, I don't think playing melodically like you do actually fulfills the potential that the drum kit has as an instrument.

Oh, by the way, have you listened to Terry Bozzio's recent work? His drum kit is built for melodic playing, and it's all acoustic.
 
I'm frustrated because I somehow missed your original posting of your Star Wars thread. I've been waiting to see your latest video since "Moondance".

Nice work! I think it's a great niche, but I don't think it's the direction that drum set playing is heading, at least not for a long time. Now, in the world of classical percussion, pitched percussion and tuned drums have a following, and your setup would go over GREAT in that scene. Have you considered contacting PAS to make an appearance at PASIC? Have you considered composing some original arrangements and selling the scores through Meredith? Perhaps you can arrange "melodic multiple percussion" pieces and find a home at Rowl-Off? There ARE options for getting your stuff out there, but I honestly don't think that drum set is the right avenue or target audience.

But, PLEASE....prove me wrong!!!! PLEASE!!!
 
It is pretty impressive, but in my opinion there are numerous instruments that work better than drums for melodic playing. At the same time, I don't think playing melodically like you do actually fulfills the potential that the drum kit has as an instrument.

Oh, by the way, have you listened to Terry Bozzio's recent work? His drum kit is built for melodic playing, and it's all acoustic.

you are joking? Exactly what melodic song has Bozzio ever played? Don't get me wrong, Bozzio is a huge influence, but he never went all the way melodic, sorry. He plays some nice beats on a killer set, but he has never gone melodic in his life. Melodic means playing a melody. I prefer something recognizable, Terry wants to make up his own and call it melodic. Sorry here, but could do those beats too if anyone in the world was interested. It is was more interesting to try actual melodic pieces.
 
What just happened? The OP went from a simple man with a question to being kind of a jerk? If I am not mistaken Bozzio only plays melodic stuff now for years on that million piece kit of his. He had no band and doesnt want one I think?
 
I'm frustrated because I somehow missed your original posting of your Star Wars thread. I've been waiting to see your latest video since "Moondance".

Nice work! I think it's a great niche, but I don't think it's the direction that drum set playing is heading, at least not for a long time. Now, in the world of classical percussion, pitched percussion and tuned drums have a following, and your setup would go over GREAT in that scene. Have you considered contacting PAS to make an appearance at PASIC? Have you considered composing some original arrangements and selling the scores through Meredith? Perhaps you can arrange "melodic multiple percussion" pieces and find a home at Rowl-Off? There ARE options for getting your stuff out there, but I honestly don't think that drum set is the right avenue or target audience.

But, PLEASE....prove me wrong!!!! PLEASE!!!

one of the best responses I've ever had. I will look into Pasic. In the meanwhile I am going to continue practicing how the possibilites of counterpoint work into multiple percussion.
 
Very few drummers are melodic in this very literal sense of actually pecking out popular melodies on the concert toms; usually the term applies to the drums in a more general way. If your videos aren't getting the attention you want it either means you need to do better videos or you need to do a better job of promoting them, or both. Complaining about it is generally not the way to go.
 
Very few drummers are melodic in this very literal sense of actually pecking out popular melodies on the concert toms; usually the term applies to the drums in a more general way. If your videos aren't getting the attention you want it either means you need to do better videos or you need to do a better job of promoting them, or both. Complaining about it is generally not the way to go.

Thank you. Point taken and understood. Just a little frustrated when nobody even watched.
It is just a drum forum, I need to take things more realistically.
My focus will be on practicing, doing something better melodically, and not care if anyone else notices. The only person I can truly satisfy is myself, and I am definitetly not satisfied with where drumming is right now.
 
Ok, I watched a couple of the videos. IMO, they're pretty boring. Melodic drumming is not my thing. I feel if you want to play something melodic play the marimba. With respect to Terry Bozio, I loved watching videos of his early days playing real drums, but if ever I'm having trouble sleeping I just watch one of his newer solos on his thousand piece set, and I'm fast asleep.
 
Then plan on plenty of nap time with what I am dedicating the next few months on. Counterpoint classical. not really your average Travis Barker stuff. Get plenty of sleep time as I work on some drum things I think have never been fully explored. While I work on counterpoint melodies on a drumset I hope you get plenty of sleep.
I apologise to all those great groove drummers out there. I know there is nothing wrong with being background musicians..
 
You know Jim, I watched your stuff and with all due respect for the time you spent developing your direction, I didn't find it appealing either. That is no knock to your abilities, which are substantial. But truth be told, I'm not crazy about drum sounds applied to melodies. The tones aren't pure enough for me, and it's hard to make a good sounding chord. Now I'm not too sophisticated musically but I do know what lubes my gears. You are very far ahead of the pack here, with not a lot of appreciation for what it is you do. It seems like a lonely road to go down, playing melody on a rhythm instrument.
I realize how negative this sounds, but I can't lie about music. I do admire your vision and your dedication.
 
i don't think it matters whether or not you get approval from the drumming community about what you're doing. if you have a vision of where you want to go with your drumming, then i'd say follow that vision. what you're doing is probably outside the boundaries of what we'd call normal drumming and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but so what? if it satisfies you then keep doing it.
 
You know Jim, I watched your stuff and with all due respect for the time you spent developing your direction, I didn't find it appealing either. That is no knock to your abilities, which are substantial. But truth be told, I'm not crazy about drum sounds applied to melodies. The tones aren't pure enough for me, and it's hard to make a good sounding chord. Now I'm not too sophisticated musically but I do know what lubes my gears. You are very far ahead of the pack here, with not a lot of appreciation for what it is you do. It seems like a lonely road to go down, playing melody on a rhythm instrument.
I realize how negative this sounds, but I can't lie about music. I do admire your vision and your dedication.

Thank you, in more ways that you know.
Playing drums for me, as I get older and know I will never play in a hit band again, I have to do something different.
You"re probably right, melodic drumming will never be the way to go for many young drummers. I only hope that they "thinking" melodically in what they do, even if it's on a first drumset 4 piece, will change the type of fills, the style of playing, that young drummers choose. If I influence just one drummer to do something different, then it has been all worthwhile.
 
I apologise to all those great groove drummers out there. I know there is nothing wrong with being background musicians..

I think you're a little off base there. There are many "non-melodic" drummers who are/were the show, while the rest of the band are/were the background muscians. Some names that come to mind, Buddy Rich, Weckl, Vinnie and of course that crazy drummer that's on that YouTube video that's been posted on here many times.
 
I watched the video in question when it was first posted.

My thought was it wasn't recorded very well. The melody was difficult to hear thru a video camera mic or whatever was used. For the most part, it just sounded like "drums."
If you want the melody to stand out, you need some better mics to capture your ideas.

So I didn't leave a comment, because I was trying to think of something nice to say without coming off like a jerk, and couldn't find the words, and then got distracted by something else, and never went back.

As far as being frustrated, yeah, well so am I, as are thousands of other drummers out there who are trying to get recognized for something. Did you comment on my clips I've posted? No, I think not. Have you commented on all of the 100's of clips posted in the "Your Playing" section? Doubtful. If you're not willing to comment on others clips, why should they comment on yours?
 
I agree 100% with the mic thing, great point. The quality of the recording hurt you bad there. I had a hard time hearing clear melodies, I'm totally referring to the recording itself. Try getting a more distinct recording Jim and post that.
 
I think that the word melodic may be being used to specifically. The way I look at it, melody isn't just playing "a song" using toms and such, rather whatever gets the job done to create music. I consider all the great drummers of past and recent generations "melodic" drummers in that when they played, they made music. Whether that took the form of using toms patterns or just playing a groove (a la Steve Jordan) shouldn't matter. Playing in the background is just as musical/melodic as playing Star Wars on drums.

BTW, I enjoyed your performances! =)
 
Back
Top