Playing songs the same way every time? and same set-up?

Zero Mercury Drummer

Senior Member
Something I've been thinking about (always dangerous):

When you come up with a drum part for an original song- do you adhere to that same part for eternity? Or do you improvise when you play it live?

I always took the Neil Peart approach of coming up with "my part," then trying to replicate it live and in the studio. It was always a cool challenge trying to play the song the exact same way every time. But it could also lead to frustration, because some days you are just a little off.

In recent years I have loosened up a lot- I'd call it the Keith Moon approach. For example, doing different fills, adding different embellishments, substituting a China where I had used a crash- allowing my mood of the day to seep into my playing. Obviously I can't go radically different and throw off the other guys, but generally I don't care that much about replicating fills exactly. Although some of them I do.

Same with my set-up. I actually rehearse on a five piece studio kit, and play the same songs at gigs on an entirely different set-up. Our last gig I just used a standard four-piece arrangement, evern though I rehearse on a five piece. The set-up was totally different from what I had practiced on, and it didn't bother me at all.

But enough about me.:p I'd be interested to hear others views. Especially Bermuda. I imagine he has to keep it consistent.
 
When I build an arrangement, I try to map it out to learn it - fills the same, beats the same, etc.

Once I've mastered that and it has become muscle memory, I allow myself to improvise, but still keeping the foundation.

As for my setup, I rehearse on a different kit than I play live with, but I set them up as closely as possible, as my drumming relies a lot on the muscle memory I've built over the years. I like my drums tight, so playing on someone else's kit who likes a wide setup at a gig can be challenging for me. But as long as hats/kick/snare are in the right place, then I'm ok; if it's a wide kit setup, I'll dial back the fills and stuff. Better to be solid than hitting rims and missing cymbals. ;)
 
When I build an arrangement, I try to map it out to learn it - fills the same, beats the same, etc.

Once I've mastered that and it has become muscle memory, I allow myself to improvise, but still keeping the foundation.

As for my setup, I rehearse on a different kit than I play live with, but I set them up as closely as possible, as my drumming relies a lot on the muscle memory I've built over the years. I like my drums tight, so playing on someone else's kit who likes a wide setup at a gig can be challenging for me. But as long as hats/kick/snare are in the right place, then I'm ok; if it's a wide kit setup, I'll dial back the fills and stuff. Better to be solid than hitting rims and missing cymbals. ;)

The approach you described is pretty much mine. I know what you mean about having that foundation to work from.

I played a gig a couple nights ago where I brought a totally different set-up, and it was a little weird. I had to dial back a couple of things too, but generally I go for it. I used to absolutely freak out if anything was different from my rehearsal kit.
 
I'm in the centre of this right now, in a new band. I'm having to come up with new parts for a lot of songs very quickly and subject to changes of heart and arrangement. It's a real challenge but very stimulating.

My setup always changes. I have a basic layout (four-piece) but where my cymbals are changes - usually two rides to the right and one to the left with my hats in a 'standard' place. Nothing special with my setup.

As for the arrangements, I come up with a framework that fits - with some very specific parts. Generally, the very specific parts line up with other instrumental parts or vocals, going for a certain vibe in that section or emphasise a vocal part. This can include 'straightening up' or simplifying for a single line, or changing the dynamic or drive in the drum part.

The rest of the song is mapped out with notes, following the vocal line. For instance, I will notate a straight 8-down tom build-up after a chorus or during the bridge. These parts don't change but if they do, the dynamic is written down clearly. As for things like crashing or hi-hat chokes (which I use a lot when I'm playing on the ride with my left hand) I add these to flavour or when I feel it's appropriate.
 
...substituting a China where I had used a crash...

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I played in a band for so long where I had to play the tunes exactly the same every single night .
everything was so calculated within the set from tempos to interludes between tunes , tight hits.........even parts that sounded like we were loosening up were all planned out .

we very rarely swapped out a song or two in a set list during a tour .....we always sounded well rehearsed, precise, and tight.......but it wore on me like you would not believe

after dealing with that for 10 years I prefer situations today where I can improvise, take chances, and challenge the musicians on the band stand with me

I think that is what brought jazz so heavily into my life ......getting away from that horrible tightly structured rock show ....I despise it .....so stale and stagnant no matter how great the songs are

of course I still have to do it quite a bit for paying gigs......but I much more enjoy the outfits that I play with that allow me the freedom to take chances and take the tunes wherever we want on any given night

a tune that was 3 minutes last night might be 12 minutes tonight .......and that part that I played straight last night might be an afro cuban 6/8 tonight

the danger in taking chances and everyone who is playing challenging each other keeps things fresh for me these days
 
The exact genre will play into this, but over time, I've found once you have an arrangement of beats and fill, it's best to stick with it.

The other people in the band on relying on the drummer to provide a solid base, and they learn where to expect certain figures, and if you start to throw in left turns, you can throw the whole vibe off.

There may be certain places, such as a song ending, or perhaps a particular song you all agree to keep the arrangement a bit loose, where you can change it up. On the other hand, if the band is working with loops and backing tracks, there may be zero room to change anything without causing a train wreck.
 
Much like GVD, I've only played certain sections of songs the same way because it mattered musically. I only do it today when I'm recording on someone's project and the style requires it.

The band I play in does not require me to do so since by it's very nature is improvised music. I nor the people I play with ever play something the same way twice identically.
 
Bwahahaha....yeah, reading back I realized how tame that sounded. I am still reforming from my Neil Peart approach.

I'm just ribbing ya. It's sad that some of us feel we can't even replace a cymbal choice here and there in our music. Unless it's really iconic to the song, I almost never play the same fill or what have you twice. There's just too many options!
 
I don’t think I’ve ever set up the same way twice. Mostly it’s the cymbals that migrate hither and yon, but toms do too to a lesser extent.

It must be very difficult and challenging to play the same song identically time after time after time. (Go Neil!) But for me, that approach is artistically unsatisfying.
 
This is very situation-dependent. Some thoughtful change-up is good for the mind if the gig allows it. On the fly, sure again if it's not inappropriate. Since they're your songs, it sounds like you have some license to be your own badass musical self.
 
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