How do I develop a driving beat?

Don't think linear, know the music you play and feel the music, literally just feel what you're playing. If you don't you become to stiff. That's how I was taught, drums is less about thinking linear and more of the motion, like dancing hands.
 
Wow I really like that group! Cool tunes.

I dunno bout others here, but I’m not so sure I’d necessarily call that a “driving” beat. It’s a beat that works with that song, for sure, but I don’t know if driving is the right word.

Basically, that drummer is listening to the baseline and finding something that works with it. It’s almost a “married” situation, where for every bass note there is something happening on the drums. To me, a driving beat is one with a lot of bass drum accents to “drive” the song along. I think of a bridge, kind of. If you play a regular 4/4 beat, you are going over the bridge. If you play “in-between” bass drum beats on the off notes, it really drives the song and takes us “under” the bridge. Yea, it’s a bit odd.

Did I mention I really like that group? :)
 
Skwerly said:
Wow I really like that group! Cool tunes.

I dunno bout others here, but I’m not so sure I’d necessarily call that a “driving” beat. It’s a beat that works with that song, for sure, but I don’t know if driving is the right word.

Basically, that drummer is listening to the baseline and finding something that works with it. It’s almost a “married” situation, where for every bass note there is something happening on the drums. To me, a driving beat is one with a lot of bass drum accents to “drive” the song along. I think of a bridge, kind of. If you play a regular 4/4 beat, you are going over the bridge. If you play “in-between” bass drum beats on the off notes, it really drives the song and takes us “under” the bridge. Yea, it’s a bit odd.

Did I mention I really like that group? :)
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Thanks! Well this isnt really a group. The vocalists name is Ole Børud and he is Norwegian. He normaly uses Norwegian musicians but in this clip he is using Swedish musicians. I bet they just ran through the songs once and did this show. The drummer is Per Lindvall. An amazing drummer with an amazing feel. My all time favourite :)
 
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A driving beat....it's something you have to feel, it's not follow step A, then step B....You have to know deep down to the core how it feels to drive a band. It's kind of a maturity thing, if you have to ask, you're not understanding. It's hard to teach someone to feel a certain way. Driving the band all comes down to how you feel the song. When it's happening, you have to get out of your own way and just let it flow. You know you've got it when you get the feeling that you can do no wrong, and the joint is jumpin'.
 
Tempo is 106 bpm. They are playing to a click (or at least the drummer is). At 3:58, the band rushes that syncopated figure just a hair, and gets ahead of the click. The guitar/singer, who probably has the click in his ears also, turns around to head-nod with the drummer, getting him (and the band) back on the click.

There really is no shortcut to developing that kind of ability, you must regularly practice and perform with a click, for years. Record yourself and listen, the real challenge is how to stay with the click while maintaining a fluid feel, but it all starts with committing to the metronome.

Also, the right experience goes a long way. Playing Caribbean music on a cruise ship for a couple years would definitely acquaint a drummer with these sorts of rhythms!
 
brentcn said:
Tempo is 106 bpm. They are playing to a click (or at least the drummer is). At 3:58, the band rushes that syncopated figure just a hair, and gets ahead of the click. The guitar/singer, who probably has the click in his ears also, turns around to head-nod with the drummer, getting him (and the band) back on the click.

There really is no shortcut to developing that kind of ability, you must regularly practice and perform with a click, for years. Record yourself and listen, the real challenge is how to stay with the click while maintaining a fluid feel, but it all starts with committing to the metronome.

Also, the right experience goes a long way. Playing Caribbean music on a cruise ship for a couple years would definitely acquaint a drummer with these sorts of rhythms!
Click to expand...

Good eye! That has happened to me a lot live. :p
 
I can honestly say the one thing that's helped me to develop a driving beat is practice !!!!!

The more I've played the more my confidence has gone up as it's just become easier and easier and you're then in control of where it's going as opposed to following - which in my opion lays down a a really solid foundation and gives it the feeling of "being driven" but also solid as a rock.

If you haven't got it get hold of Gary Chaffee's Time Functioning Patterns and go through all the rhythm excercises at the beginning of the book, when you can play all of those fluently going from one for 30 seconds / a minute to the next you'll have a very solid driving beat !!!!!
 
One thing that should be mentioned...if the other players in the band don't get the concept of driving the band, it probably won't work. It works best when the entire band truly "gets it" and are mature enough to understand what a driving band sounds like. If you are the only one doing it, it's probably not going to get the effect it would like when everyone understands it. Just like dynamics. If you are the only one dropping the volume for the singer, then it's not going to have the effect you want. A driving band is greater than the sum of it's parts.
 
If you want a medium fast driving beat, google Knock On Wood, the original and listen to that. Nothing fancy. Bass drum 1 and 3, snare 2 and 4, hihat 1/8th notes. Pure and simple.
You have to feel it as not to rush it. One of my all time faves. Give it a listen.
 
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