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. I'd be interested to hear others views. Especially Bermuda. I imagine he has to keep it consistent.
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. I'd be interested to hear others views. Especially Bermuda. I imagine he has to keep it consistent.