drummers vs other drummers?

93civEJ1

Senior Member
So, this is a question for the gigging drummers. Most of the drummers in the local area i am in are supportive for each other, but almost feel that sometimes there is a competitive side between all of the drummers for gigs. Is gigging really sometimes a behind the scenes competition or is it just me feeling that way??
 
This may go against the grain, but I wish drummers in my community was MORE competitive.

That's right, I said more.

Part of the reason is that I see so much mediocrity in the drumming community, people hardly better themselves, or there's no struggle to really strive to be the best. Yeah, maybe playing 2 and 4 is all you want to do, but dammit, if I asked any drummer I share a bill with to have a flam-drag off, they'll probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

My biggest motivator is being the best drummer in the room. If I'm playing a show, and there's another drummer there who has chops, I don't get jealous, I usually chat the person up and ask about their gear, but then I go home and woodshed.
 
Depends on the drummer, some are more competitive in general and it seems like every word that comes out of their mouth is self-promotion, regardless who they're talking to. Some of those guys work (actually, because they can play) and some don't (because they're annoyance factor outweighs any desire to hear them play.)

I know a bunch of drummers - full and part-time - in the competitive L.A. market, and don't feel like there's any jealousy, one-upmanship, or overt competition with any of them in terms of getting work. In fact, I'd say there's a genuine camaraderie among most drummers that doesn't exist quite as strongly among guitar, bass, or keyboard players.

Bermuda
 
I live in a small city where all the drummers know each other, and you would quickly find yourself left out in the cold if you had any kind of attitude. If a band needs a new drummer, they will probably ask their old drummer for a recommendation.

There's one drummer playing locally who always seems to have more gigs than everyone else. I asked him to give me lesson over the summer and he was shocked that I would even consider paying him. He came over to my house and spent about 2 hours helping me to re-evaluate my technique and giving me some direction on what I need to work on next. It was supposed to be a mutual exchange of ideas, but I definitely got the better end of the deal and he refused to take a cent.
 
This may go against the grain, but I wish drummers in my community was MORE competitive.

That's right, I said more.

Part of the reason is that I see so much mediocrity in the drumming community, people hardly better themselves, or there's no struggle to really strive to be the best. Yeah, maybe playing 2 and 4 is all you want to do, but dammit, if I asked any drummer I share a bill with to have a flam-drag off, they'll probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

My biggest motivator is being the best drummer in the room. If I'm playing a show, and there's another drummer there who has chops, I don't get jealous, I usually chat the person up and ask about their gear, but then I go home and woodshed.

Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, yes it can be a good motivator or a positive inspiration, but being the best drummer in the room?

Being the best in what style? Big band, rock, jazz, studio, funk, dixieland, latin, symphonic, rudimental, fusion, metal, all around percussion? There are many ways to play, many kinds of music and many great players. No one player has it all covered.

Bottom line, if you really do your best, you've done all you can, and if you become a great player, others will hear it. If you don't become so great, at least you'll know you gave it all you had. If you do that, you'll be the world's greatest you.
 
In fact, I'd say there's a genuine camaraderie among most drummers that doesn't exist quite as strongly among guitar, bass, or keyboard players.

Bermuda

This is probably true all over the States, at least. Drummers will totally share licks, invite a sit-in, or talk gear without hesitation, if the situation permits. You don't see guitar players doing that.
 
I don’t think there is competition between drummers, not in my neighborhood.
 
This may go against the grain, but I wish drummers in my community was MORE competitive.

That's right, I said more.

Part of the reason is that I see so much mediocrity in the drumming community, people hardly better themselves, or there's no struggle to really strive to be the best. Yeah, maybe playing 2 and 4 is all you want to do, but dammit, if I asked any drummer I share a bill with to have a flam-drag off, they'll probably have no idea what I'm talking about.

My biggest motivator is being the best drummer in the room. If I'm playing a show, and there's another drummer there who has chops, I don't get jealous, I usually chat the person up and ask about their gear, but then I go home and woodshed.

Best? Its music, its an art, there is no such thing as best, its perception and personal taste. Play for the song, thats why we are there.

How do you know how many chops a drummer has? When gigging with my Funk band I dont use my Rock fills or Jazz grooves, I interpret the music I am playing, and I am sure most other drummers do the same. If you are comfortable with your abilities you dont need to constantly judge yourself against others. In a drumming sense its not possible, unless you ask another drummer to show you every chop they have, just so you can say " Ha, I can play more than that"
 
There's a difference between watching the other guy/chick and thinking "cool, I want to do that too", and wanting to be better than he/she is. If you can't even define better, give up the whole idea and stop being jealous.
 
The most talented percussionists/drummers I have known are easily the most humble, nice and easiest to approach people I've ever dealt with.

As for drummers, I leaving modern drummers fest years ago. Danny Carey of tool was making an exit. I asked if he'd sign my program. Not only did he sign, he spent about 10-15 minutes discussing john pratt's rudimental solos with me. I walked away thinking what a fantastic guy. He was leaving yet took the time to talk to me and sign my program.
 
Best? Its music, its an art, there is no such thing as best, its perception and personal taste. Play for the song, thats why we are there.

How do you know how many chops a drummer has? When gigging with my Funk band I dont use my Rock fills or Jazz grooves, I interpret the music I am playing, and I am sure most other drummers do the same. If you are comfortable with your abilities you dont need to constantly judge yourself against others. In a drumming sense its not possible, unless you ask another drummer to show you every chop they have, just so you can say " Ha, I can play more than that"

Playing in an original band means at every gig there are at least 3 other drummers playing in the same style as I am. It is actually a pretty easy apples to apples comparison. Haven't been on a bill yet with a jazz, funk or big band, so when I watch the drummers in other bands I can fairly accurately access their skill level. Its not so much chops, its timing and how appropriate the parts are for the song. If a guy is stepping all over the song or the timing off its not hard to access how good of a drummer he is.

There are a finite number of good gigs in any local scene. Every time we hit the stage the goal of the band is to be the best band on stage that night. You can say that best is subjective, but getting better gigs, selling more merch and earning more fans is not.
 
I dont disagree with you, but we were discussing a post that advocated woodshedding to get the upper hand on a drummer with more chops than you have. My argument stands about not knowing how many chops another drummer has, unless they are doing a clinic aimed at that aspect. If someone has poor timing that is another thing entirely.
 
what is the protocol for someone sitting in? Can I ask to sit in or is that ok or rude of me? Do I have to wait for someone to ask me to sit in??
 
I think a lot is just your nature-passive or aggressive, competitive or not. Funny I think we drummers often worry about the "chops" yet bands seem to care can you keep time and play tastefully to blend or accent their sound. I'm looking for taste now more so than chops (given up LOL)-but who could turn down some tasty chops too? Man I'm getting hungry. I've always felt drummers were a kindred spirit more so than any competition, but I'm not competitive by nature. We all have good days and bad but at least we are trying and contributing to our hobby or craft. I am far more critical of myself than other drummers in general-so don't have too much room to be critical of others.
 
I haven't detected much competition among the drummers in my local scene either. Occasionally, but it's usually with someone feeling defensive about where their own head is at.

I'm a pretty friendly, outgoing guy at gigs and enjoy sharing a bill with other drummers who like to hang out and talk shop. But IME, half don't know much about their gear and aren't that interested in talking about the finer points of drumming in general. I've run into a few guys who actually got a little rude when I tried striking up conversation, as if I were some interrogator trying to expose their fraudulent selves. Like okay dude, you don't want me quizzing you about how old your vintage Luddies or how big that bass drum is, fine. Maybe just having a bad day? Haha

I don't know where that comes from. Maybe I come off as too enthusiastic or nerdy? A know-it-all? Who knows. Fortunately, it hasn't happened too many times, but enough to give me some pause, and there have been enough cool guys that are fun to be around, so that's good.

As far as inter-band competition, I dunno. Not too much, I don't think. When we play our set, we're just trying to do our best to knock it out of the park and have a blast. If there's any competition, it's just within ourselves to try and up our game for our own satisfaction and amusement. When I watch other bands, I want to be blown away. It's great when that happens. If not, that's okay too. Maybe just not my thing or whatever, but I have zero interest is watching a band trainwreck and take no joy in seeing them have a bad night.

For us, possibly we're competing against the biases and jadedness we assume the audience is harboring, so if we can win them over and make believers out of them, then that's a win.

I just want to be a good drummer in a good band - one that I would dig if it were me in the audience.
 
Not in my area. Heck, I've been in three different bands at one time. There are probably only 4-5 drummers in town that actually do anything, so we are all too busy to be competitive.
 
Hehe, glad this blew up :D

Playing in an original band means at every gig there are at least 3 other drummers playing in the same style as I am. It is actually a pretty easy apples to apples comparison. Haven't been on a bill yet with a jazz, funk or big band, so when I watch the drummers in other bands I can fairly accurately access their skill level. Its not so much chops, its timing and how appropriate the parts are for the song. If a guy is stepping all over the song or the timing off its not hard to access how good of a drummer he is.

There are a finite number of good gigs in any local scene. Every time we hit the stage the goal of the band is to be the best band on stage that night. You can say that best is subjective, but getting better gigs, selling more merch and earning more fans is not.

Yep, you pretty much got it.

I never said I would get jealous. I actually highly respect drummers better than me. That doesn't stop me from wanting to better myself and be the best in the room.

Saying "best at what? funk, jazz, etc." is a non-issue because the music scene I play in most often is just your typical indie scene, where faux-originiality is much more sought after than musician-ship. Its basic music, so if a drummer is good with good stick control, dynamic control, ghost notes, etc. etc., I know they are a good drummer. If they're not good at those, I highly doubt they'll be better at swing or funk.

People often forget that the cores of drumming are universal, and have nothing to do with genre.
 
Competition to get the job is going to happen account there's only so many gigs vs so many drummers wanting that gig.

What I'm afraid of is the fact that we as drummers were saddled with a stereotype that evolved and was so prevalent in the last century. While it's great to watch and hear an accomplished player on their instrument, we seem to be cursed with the drum battle legacy and it's still being perpetuated through drum-offs and WFD bullshit.

If all drummer's approached their instrument as musician's instead of variety-show acts we'd all be better served. Hopefully getting the respect of other non drumming musician's as well.

Non-related rant is over.
 
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Competition to get the job is going to happen account there's only so many gigs vs so many drummers wanting that gig.

What I'm afraid of is the fact that we as drummers were saddled with a stereotype that evolved and was so prevalent in the last century. While it's great to watch and hear an accomplished player on their instrument, we seem to be cursed with the drum battle legacy and it's still being perpetuated through drum-offs and WFD bullshit.

If all drummer's approached their instrument as musician's instead of variety-show acts we'd all be better served.

Non-related rant is over.

Well said, that man. If playing less makes the band sound better then its job done. We are musicians and we exist as part of a band.
 
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