Lightbulb! Listen To My New Idea

theSIOUX

theSIOUX

Member
I have always played drums to songs through my headphones. I got pretty dang good just by listening to alot of Tool and mimicking everything Danny Carey did. I usually warm up by just my simple rudiments and foot/stick patterns, but when I get into the heart of every session I am listening to a Dave Matthews album or Tool and I play along.


I turn the volume down in these songs so that I am the only drummer I can hear. And I have always wanted to take out the drums to every song so that I don't get messed up by the recorded drummer being loud in the mix. Then, I got an idea.


In the last year, I have really been getting into bluegrass and folk. Granted, alot of the tempos of this genre are pretty fast and flowy, but bluegrass is literally the punk rock of acoustic music. The best thing about it- there are no drummers (95% of the time). I experimented with playing along to alot of bluegrass: it is definitely the kind of music that seems like there should be drums, but there aren't any.You are the only drummer.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?



Listen to this: not necessarily bluegrass: but let's not get into it.
I had a ton of fun playing along to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt49yVMzano
 
That would work. In fact, I had done that for an audition tape - I added drums to a song done by the California Guitar Trio - and actually impressed the auditioners moreso by doing it rather than by anything I played ;)
 
Bo Eder said:
That would work. In fact, I had done that for an audition tape - I added drums to a song done by the California Guitar Trio - and actually impressed the auditioners moreso by doing it rather than by anything I played ;)
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Beautiful!

And bluegrass musicians are just wildly underrated. Excellent musicians all around.
Admittedly some songs are just way too fast and would sound like an Offspring song with a kit behind it, but alot of bluegrass music would still work.

Never heard of the California Guitar Trio- I'll check them out, thanks.
 
Just don't let the Grassers hear you playing to their intentionally drum-less music :)
 
Pretty good idea. Bluegrass is one of the only drumless genres I can listen to because it's so rhythmic.

Playing along to records though...don't fool yourself into thinking that it will improve your ability to drive a band. Only playing with others can really do that. The bluegrass recordings will keep going no matter if you misstep. A real band....doesn't usually work like that.

I had a very rude awakening when I initially transitioned from playing along to records to being the drummer of a band. It's like I had to start all over again.

Playing along to records.... I liken to having training wheels on a bike. It can only take you so far. Do you play with live musicians at all? That's really where you learn to be the drummer of a band.
 
bobdadruma said:
Just don't let the Grassers hear you playing to their intentionally drum-less music :)
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Yeah my roommate hates it when I bring my pad and sticks out when his band plays. They hate drums! Its sad that I can't show them the decent musician I am.

larryace said:
Pretty good idea. Bluegrass is one of the only drumless genres I can listen to because it's so rhythmic.

Playing along to records though...don't fool yourself into thinking that it will improve your ability to drive a band. Only playing with others can really do that. The bluegrass recordings will keep going no matter if you misstep. A real band....doesn't usually work like that.

I had a very rude awakening when I initially transitioned from playing along to records to being the drummer of a band. It's like I had to start all over again.

Playing along to records.... I liken to having training wheels on a bike. It can only take you so far. Do you play with live musicians at all? That's really where you learn to be the drummer of a band.
Click to expand...


I have always played in a band until lately (Grad School). I noticed the transition was hard cause i grew up listening to albums and playing along for so long as well. But I have always been able to stimulate consistency in my bands. I got especially good at it drumming for my church.
 
larryace said:
Pretty good idea. Bluegrass is one of the only drumless genres I can listen to because it's so rhythmic.

Playing along to records though...don't fool yourself into thinking that it will improve your ability to drive a band. Only playing with others can really do that. The bluegrass recordings will keep going no matter if you misstep. A real band....doesn't usually work like that.

I had a very rude awakening when I initially transitioned from playing along to records to being the drummer of a band. It's like I had to start all over again.

Playing along to records.... I liken to having training wheels on a bike. It can only take you so far. Do you play with live musicians at all? That's really where you learn to be the drummer of a band.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. Peace and goodwill.
 
You can also download a TON of drumless music off the internet. I have about 50 songs with no drums, but the other, original band members playing. It's really cool. I used to go to music4drums.net, but I think it's name changed or something. Just Google " drumless music"....
 
MisterZero said:
You can also download a TON of drumless music off the internet. I have about 50 songs with no drums, but the other, original band members playing. It's really cool. I used to go to music4drums.net, but I think it's name changed or something. Just Google " drumless music"....
Click to expand...

I must check it out. I would love play to Dave Matthews without listening to carter be better than me...

Thanks man
 
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