Drummers are easy to read IMO.
I think drummers are already cool, just like the others. But when drummers try to be extra cool on purpose, I see right through it.
This is neat. I think I get it, your message to drummers is "You are already cool, do your job and don't try to be "extra cool" and you might actually be cool, lol.
I always feel a bit uncomfortable watching guys that lean in towards the hats when they play.
As players that slouch forward and have a real curve in their back.
Look, it probably works for them, all good, steam ahead...
....I do pay attention to my posture.
This is something I've noticed as well. Posture, especially while doing something rigorous like drumming, is one of those things that a person might not notice until it's too late. When I began my shedding phase, I didn't give a single thought to my posture because I was only concerned with "getting better" at drumming. You can get pretty darn good at drums with hideous posture. A couple years ago I started video recording myself playing and I could see for myself that I was kind of bent over, like my center of gravity was sitting on my stomach. Not a great look if you are trying to play powerful music. Not to mention that most of my favorite drummers do sit with their shoulders back, in a natural, erect posture that doesn't appear to be hindering their reaches or their flow.
To be fair, I had a slouchy posture since I was a kid, slouching in front of the TV and slouching at school, eventually slouching at the drumkit, lol.
Nowadays when I sit down at the kit, I try to set my posture first. Imagining a rope attached to the top of my head, pulling my frame straight up until everything is arranged around my shoulders, instead of my guts.
if you are doing light jazz, stick tricks are not needed, but if you are playing some rock or metal, a stick trick is a great thing to throw in.
I think number one is project energy. You can also check how you're dressing on stage and at the jams, it has a bigger impact than you might think.
Older players trying to break into gigging will suffer discrimination from people looking for a player. It helps if you're not fat, honestly.
Good stuff. Granted I don't know more than one or two particulars of the OP's situation. But the 'general scenario' of an older drummer who is competent, being passed over for a younger drummer who plays like a less mature player and musician in general...may actually come down to energy and appearance. At least insofar as whoever is promoting/supporting the band would rather have a certain energy/look and work with that, than get a solid player who sort of appears like he's not really part of the whole vibe.
I'm not a hotshot but believe very deeply that a drummer's job is to provide support, build excitement, and control the rhythm (possibly pushing it a little if appropriate). I have seen local drummers who's rhythm is a little shaky but are doing multiple stick tricks, crossing over etc. I try to play what I hear in my head, not just licks.
Can't ask for much more than that. Yours is a mature and effective way to approach drumming. The fact that you are defining your drumming philosophy in contrast to the more 'hot shot' type players indicates that you already know you aren't actually doing anything wrong. Also the fact that you notice that the flashy drummers have shaky rhythm is very cool. I'm a believer that the final product is only as impressive as the combination of
real skill that resides within each musician. Drummers who don't really take the details of musicianship seriously can never really be more than shaky players. Even if their stick twirls are on point.
But on Saturday night when the amps are loud and the booze is flowing, observers will probably not notice the shakiness and they will think, "wow what a good drummer, only
good drummers can do stick tricks!".
Thats usually what I mean when I say a player is "larping". Its when you go out to jam and you mistake the vibe, the scene, and the energy in the room for actual musicianship. It's the reason I don't even bother to jam out at a rental studio until I've vetted everyone's playing (and patience) first with some remote file sharing. I don't want to do the drummer schlep just to do a "hang" with some guys who want to sip brews, smoke vapes and chop distorted guitar to some cover songs they haven't really practiced,
So we are back to what the other members have suggested, maybe it's a matter of schmoozing skills, or connections, or hell even age. Maybe they really would prefer a drummer be super animated than super on point.
I haven't concerned myself with bar bands and bro bands for a long time. One of the reasons being that the venues don't really think like musicians. They really just want to entertain whom they perceive to be their audience. And if their audience is drunk and loves pretty guys in costumes, that's the kind of players they will tend to hire. Especially in the city, I always go 'woah' when I see a paying band say in their ad that costumes will be required at member's expense. Costumes! Dammit, I'm a
drummer Jim, not a
vampire!
When you take your drumming out of the studio and make it part of a 'show', you may as well assume that at least 50% of your success is based on your appearance. Also show biz is fickle. I know some very competent, optical bass and key players locally who have been suddenly dropped by paying, gigging bands they were having a blast with. The "core" band made the decision behind closed doors, and showed the poor fellow out with no more information than the old: "Not a good fit" Even though to most
listeners it seemed to be a
really good fit. So who the hell knows, lol.
Along with Viking whose raiding days have since passed.
Love this, lol.