To all working drummers

straightupgroove

Junior Member
Ive been paying the bills for a while playing drums and a lot of the skills i've found to be necessary all revolve around reading mainly. But that's just me........

Therefore id like to ask others what they think are the top skills you need to be able to get more gigs and sustain a career in music?

Also what things could we focus less on? Are chops and licks really that important?
 
1. Be likeable. Number one thing. Nobody wants to work with somebody who's a jerk or a downer or brings drama with them, no matter how well they play. This is necessary for networking, and building your reputation, which is the MOST important part of getting gigs.
2. Number one is very important. It trumps whatever number two was going to be.
3. Play comfortably. It doesn't matter if you can do exercise #764 out of The Most Complicated Drum Book Ever®, if you can't make it sound natural and easy to play along with, don't play it.
4. Still thinking back to number one. I can't stress how important that is for being a working musician.
5. If you're just starting out, get out there and play and network your butt off. If you've been playing for a long time, and have a decent thing going in your scene, still get yourself out there and network your butt off. But, as you do it, be likeable and positive (refer to number one).

...that's all I got right now. Hope this helps! (especially number one--it's by far the most important thing!)
 
Personal traits aside, the top three skills you need as a musician are

1) Listening skills. Be able to listen to the other players in the band and adjust your own playing accordingly. Be able to listen to the song material and learn things by ear.

2) Reading skills. Be able to play through a tune you've never heard before just by reading the music. Be able to listen to the band while reading to make sure you're on the right track.

3) Stylistic skills. Be able to groove authentically in as many styles as possible. Be able to interpret what you read according to the style. Be able to listen to the other players and their take on the style and adjust your playing accordingly.

If you can get the word out that you can listen, read and play various style with authority, the calls will come... if you've also proven to be a nice guy and networked yout butt off!
 
I agree that being likable is a HUGE asset in any job where networking is required. I'd also add "reliability" to that list. If the people hiring know you'll be at practice and gigs on-time all the time, it makes it that much easier to keep working with you. This is me speaking from experience as a drummer with poor time management skills. This includes following up with people, as sometimes they can be equally irresponsible, resulting in a potential gig falling through the cracks.
 
Agree with the others, this is a rare business where nice guys finish first.

As for skills, learn all you want to, but don't show them to anyone unless the music undeniably requires it, or you're asked. Basically, think like a musician, not a drummer.

Manage your expectations. If you love jazz and fusion, don't expect to work a lot, or make much money. If you just love drumming and aren't conflicted by playing 2&4 on the majority of gigs, you'll be much happier, and more likely to earn income.

Interesting you mentioned reading, I read and I'm glad I do, but it's infrequent that music is put in front of me. The occasional orchestral work or a chart that I've written are the exceptions.

Bermuda
 
Don't overplay!! Keeping a solid, steady groove keeps the dance floor packed and makes for a full schedule of good paying gigs.
And just like it was mentioned before, have good "people" skills.
 
All of the above. Hate to say it but overplaying will NOT get you gigs. Doesn't matter what chops you have. "Less is more" is what I learned when people started tossing my name around for fill-in gigs. The more fill-ins I did the more bands started noticing.

But overall, it's personality. Be very level-headed, no ego, drama free. I make enough to pay most of my bills and my 9-5 goes straight under the mattress.
 
I find I always get callbacks when I make it easy for the band, they dont have to worry about the new guy, just make the music feel good, dont ask too many questions or bother everyone, be cool, and make the band sound and feel good! And bring business cards! "Hey man sounded good tonight" "Oh thanks, heres my card next time you need a drumist!"
 
I find I always get callbacks when I make it easy for the band, they dont have to worry about the new guy, just make the music feel good, dont ask too many questions or bother everyone, be cool, and make the band sound and feel good! And bring business cards! "Hey man sounded good tonight" "Oh thanks, heres my card next time you need a drumist!"

absolutely

on time, reliable, and available

to key to getting work
 
The ability to read is extremely important if you want to diversify and expand the type of gigs you are playing. For instance, if you want to get into musical theater, session work or even orchestral performance reading is a MUST!!!

BE PREPARED!!! I cant stress this point enough!! It doesnt matter if you are playing a club date gig or subbing on broadway...be prepared!! Over-preperation is a great way to combat the inevitable nerves that creep up at the performance.

Learn to follow a conductor! This is a skill that many of us never get to work on if we are only familiar with "band" situations. Following a conductor or musical director can set you up with work for years!! If you happen to prove yourself as an asset musically to a particular MD they will often times take you along with them on their other jobs...Trust me, I've been working steadily with the same few MD's for the past several years.

Be easy going. Nobody wants to deal with an overly demanding musician. If the rental equiptment is sub par, make it work. If the monitor situation sucks, make it work. In the end, your adaptability will not go unnoticed and will often times leave a very good impression on the people that hired you in the first place.
 
I think you have to be a damn fine drummer first and foremost. People have to want you. You will be sought out if your playing strikes a chord with other musicians. You have to be the guy/gal that the good musicians want backing them up. They want someone who can play anything that comes their way, confidently, and someone who has a good working knowledge of many songs and styles. A drummer who truly understands exactly what role their instrument plays in an ensemble situation, and someone who actually executes this understanding in a fine fashion is the first criteria to be met. Having a solid sense of time and tempo cannot be understated. I hear a lot of drummers whose meter is noticeably unsteady, or who aren't feeling where a song wants to be tempo wise. That's Job#1, Time and tempo. Making a song feel good is a skill that's hard to quantify exactly what that entails. How do you learn how to feel things deeper? And if you do feel things deep, you have to have the skills to be able to communicate that deep feeling through your drums.

There are so many different aspects that have to be met...A great drummer has to have a lot of understanding of what the music requires. The nuts and bolts aspect. Good tempo, steady meter, knowing what not to play, (epic important) knowing what to play, playing it with the proper energy, not too much, not too little, having control and an understanding of your dynamics...a critically important thing you can do as a drummer is to understand exactly what each player needs from you. Like a singer needs your support, but you have to stay out of the way. A guitarist needs a solid backbeat to craft his solo over and not a lot of fills, it's their time. A piano player needs you to watch your volume and be thoughtful because you can overpower them, for their solo. And with every solo, you have to rise and fall with the soloist...basically listen to them and react with your drum part to custom fit to their lead that night.

After that, being nice and reliable will keep your gigs, but people have to want to play with you first. And people for sure will make it a point to seek out an awesome drummer, because they are rare. We are the most "make or break the band" player up there. IMO.

I think it's hard to be a butthole if you can support the other musicians well. If you can get past yourself and listen to the others, and play off them or with them, instead if in spite of them, then to me that means you have empathy for others and can hear where they are going. You have to read their minds, that's what I'm saying. If you can do that, that's a high skill. It's hard to be a butthead when you have empathy for others.

I'm a musician who plays the drums. I have to say, most drummers I see don't think like musicians, not even close. They may have the physical skills necessary, but they lack a real understanding of exactly what needs to be accomplished up there. They are just looking for a spot to squeeze a fill in. A lot of guys think the drums are the center of attention. They have so far to go mentally, no wonder no one is requesting their services. Just because I can cast a fishing rod, that doesn't make me a great fisherman. Same with drumming.

If you play great drums, and are out there, you will be sought out.
 
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I just wanted to say this is a great thread, highlighting again, at least for me, the importance of musicality, solid meter and just being personable.

My 2 cents:
I wonder if there comes a point in the progression of a drummer to learn 2 or 3 songs on another instrument. About 15 years ago I began playing saxophone, (I've even gigged on it 10 or 15 times.) It didn't take long to see what is and isn't desirable from a drummer to a saxophonist.

My question is, do you think there comes a point where time is better spent learning Jumpin' Jack Flash on bass instead of a triple flam parraddile, left hand lead.
 
i hereby second all of these motions.
be easy.
be on time.
wear a clean shirt.
swing your ass off.
read fluently.
have good equipment.
don't over play.
be prepared to play any style. the more styles you can play, the more gigs you'll get.
have an appropriate wardrobe (see clean shirt above). :)
 
I wonder if there comes a point in the progression of a drummer to learn 2 or 3 songs on another instrument. About 15 years ago I began playing saxophone, (I've even gigged on it 10 or 15 times.) It didn't take long to see what is and isn't desirable from a drummer to a saxophonist.

My question is, do you think there comes a point where time is better spent learning Jumpin' Jack Flash on bass instead of a triple flam parraddile, left hand lead.

Playing another instrument in a band will definitely open up your ears. I wasn't a bad listener to start with, but spending the better part of a year as a bassist seemed to make everything so much clearer. It seems to me that both the drummer and the bass player really run the engine room of a band -- it isn't or at least shouldn't be just the drummer's job to maintain the groove.
 
Yea it's funny when you shed the drumset how you shed your drumming mindset. You hear everything differently when you are freed up from having to play the drums. I sang 3 songs the other day, out front, with a not very good drummer playing, and it really gives you perspective. After the count, he came in way slow, and got slower as the song progressed and it was just very draggy and erratic. The other 2 songs were a little better I guess.

Afterwards, thinking he did really good, he came up to me and asked how it was. I could tell by his tone that he thought he did really good. He was saying how he likes to make sure that he supports the singer blah blah blah. OK he didn't step on me but I lied and said it was fine. I just wasn't in the mood to coach this particular guy, it probably would have been a waste of time anyway. You can't fix how people hear stuff. Plus he was drinking beer and that affects your perceptions too. If the guy was the type that I felt he would benefit from some straight talk, I would have offered it up, but he just isn't that type of guy.

Besides, I never sing out front, The jam was so slow that I was asked to sing a few to eat up some time, so it was just a flukey thing anyway.
 
My question is, do you think there comes a point where time is better spent learning Jumpin' Jack Flash on bass instead of a triple flam parraddile, left hand lead.

I think so.

A while back I started playing guitar (badly) for my own amusement.
I was recording a small passage on a song on guitar, and I kept getting thrown off by the drum part. I actually said something like "who came up with this drum part? It's too hard to play along to.." and then of course, realized, I was referring to myself, since it was my own playing I was attempting to play along with. heh.
 
1. Be likeable. Number one thing. Nobody wants to work with somebody who's a jerk or a downer or brings drama with them, no matter how well they play. This is necessary for networking, and building your reputation, which is the MOST important part of getting gigs.
2. Number one is very important. It trumps whatever number two was going to be.

^ This.

From meeting and working with and around various pros and watching guys go from no ones to someones, being likeable is the common thread.
 
I've never known anyone's phone to ring because of chops and technique. But they aren't horrible to have either. Ultimately I feel what gets a drummer a gig is their attitude (being a good hang, being on time, having no ego). Likeability goes a long way ... but you have to be musically prepared as well.

Chops are for drum clinics or gigs where the music calls for it ... and I think that is really important to remember if you are serious about playing for a living. If you can shed like Bozzio, that is cool, but save it for your jazz fusion prog gig, not your Tom Petty gig.

I would also throw in that pot; professionalism, work ethic, self respect, self confidence, ability to play other instruments and/or sing.
 
and/or sing.

being able to add harmonies and just doubling backing vocals has probably gotten me as many gigs as my drumming and friendly outgoing personality

in many cases if it comes down to 2 good drummers and only one can sing

guess who gets the gig
 
The guy who sings? Just obeying you Anthony.
 
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