1st time playing with others

Drummer214

Junior Member
Today I will play with a guitarist for the 1st time.

It will be a "Live or Memorex " moment.

I have played over 50 years to recorded music.

In 2016 I started drum lessons which evolved into studying with several notables in the drum/recording world.

Everyone said it was time for me to learn to play with others.

Soon I will be an established guitarist's home studio and an opportunity to gain insight into playing with others.

"Time has come Today."

"BREATHE"
 
Congrats and good luck! I have found it definitely improves you as a drummer to play music with others. Relax and enjoy it!
 
I hope the guitarist has been playing with metronome or drum machine because otherwise their timing might be variable. Let us know how it works out.
 
I can’t imagine someone playing drums to recorded music for 50 years. And never playing with others. It might be difficult for you because now YOU will be in charge of the tempo.

Good for you. Enjoy it.
 
I'm floored that you were able to play/study for 50 years and even take lessons without ever playing music with someone else.

Flat out, you've been missing the real magic. Glad you're taking the leap.
 
Let us know how it goes!

It was an invaluable opportunity.

Bryce played bass and approached our time in a lesson format. His years of playing and as a teacher made for a relaxing atmosphere.

We played "Superstition" as an ice breaker.

Bryce had me play shuffles to various blues grooves.

He gave me insight into playing songs with other musicians.

Byrce said I was not ready to play live.

He stated I should attend some jam night events and just listen. He suggested music to play and offered to have me sit in with another guitarist he works with and practice.

Afterward, imposter syndrome paid a visit. Once home I put on early BB King and practiced using Bryce's suggestions.

The process is like going back to the gym when you are out of shape. It hurts like hell but it will be worth every ache once I get in shape.
 
You said that Bryce said you weren't ready to play live, but sometimes, playing live in a low pressure setting is a great way to get things going.

I'm not sure where your drumming is, or what specifically makes him think that you aren't ready to play live with others - could be your innate sense of time, or any other number of things, but while perfection is something to be aspired towards, it's not really necessary.

Think about your average band student. In a sense, I've been "playing live" since I was 11 and could barely play my instrument at all - it was what was required because we had several band concerts throughout the year. I realize that this isn't like a "performance" in the sense that it was set up so parents could be proud of their kids, and not something that people pay to go out and see, but it's playing live nonetheless.

Even when I started off playing live with drums, it was never a matter of whether or not I was ready - the church needed a praise team drummer, and I was willing to put in the work to try to make it happen. Over the years I've had some awesome performances on drums, and I've had some that were pretty lackluster - that's the way it rolls out when you play live - but I never waited for someone else to make the call on whether or not I was ready.
 
That's awesome, glad it went well.. i have been playing 4 years to recorded music myself and don't even think about playing with anyone.. my anxiety just kicks my butt too hard :)
 
I remember the first time I jammed with my current bandmates. At the time I couldn't really play whole songs and had never written an original drum part. For whatever reason (I think lack of better options played a big role) they asked me to keep coming back and practice with them.
Then after a couple months of weekly practices they tell me they booked us a show. I was like well we'll try it, what do I really have to lose? As far as whether I was really ready to perform in public at that point is a matter of opinion but I did it and kept doing it and it's only gotten better with time.
I think you should take any opportunity you get to play with others. It's the only way to get better at playing in a band. You're going to mess up and play stuff that sounds bad and it's ok. You have to get through all the sucky parts to get to the good parts.
 
I've been playing in bands for over fifty years. I literally put in hundreds upon hundreds of hours woodshedding and learning drums on my own because we lived in the sticks and had no drum teachers nearby. But all I could think of while practicing and learning was playing with a band, and I did just that almost from day one - warts and all. Heck, the guitar players were no better than I was.

Now, all this time later, playing with a band is just as intoxicating as it was in the beginning. To heck with woodshedding. If I'm not playing with a band, I'd rather not play at all!!!!

You'll see.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Byrce said I was not ready to play live.

He probably said, or meant "perform live". You are always ready to "play" and the sooner you do it, the better. You may have to play with beginners but, starting at the beginning is an obvious place :)

Playing along with music doesn't force you into playing your parts. It's like riding an electric bike :) When you are the only drummer and, in this case, one of two people playing the music, you were thrown into an unknown world. It happened to me when I did my first audition. I was 100% lost playing with only a keyboardist, without even a a bass line to help me feel my way through.
 
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He probably said, or meant "perform live". You are always ready to "play" and the sooner you do it, the better. You may have to play with beginners but, starting at the beginning is an obvious place :)

Playing along with music doesn't force you into playing your parts. It's like riding an electric bike :) When you are the only drummer and, in this case, one of two people playing the music, you were thrown into an unknown world. It happened to me when I did my first audition. I was 100% lost playing with only a keyboardist, without even a a bass line to help me feel my way through.


I apologize for my lack of clarity. He stated that he did not feel that I was ready to preform live. I am working towards sitting in at a a weekly blues jam. He said I need to observe, listen and then eventually sit in on a few songs.
 
You said that Bryce said you weren't ready to play live, but sometimes, playing live in a low pressure setting is a great way to get things going.

I'm not sure where your drumming is, or what specifically makes him think that you aren't ready to play live with others - could be your innate sense of time, or any other number of things, but while perfection is something to be aspired towards, it's not really necessary.

Think about your average band student. In a sense, I've been "playing live" since I was 11 and could barely play my instrument at all - it was what was required because we had several band concerts throughout the year. I realize that this isn't like a "performance" in the sense that it was set up so parents could be proud of their kids, and not something that people pay to go out and see, but it's playing live nonetheless.

Even when I started off playing live with drums, it was never a matter of whether or not I was ready - the church needed a praise team drummer, and I was willing to put in the work to try to make it happen. Over the years I've had some awesome performances on drums, and I've had some that were pretty lackluster - that's the way it rolls out when you play live - but I never waited for someone else to make the call on whether or not I was ready.

Since meeting with Bryce, my practices are studying shuffles 6 hours a day. I study numerous instructional videos by Gabor Dornyei, Stewart Jean, Keith Carlock, LaFrae Sci and others. I have received some feedback from Stewart and LaFrae. My goal is to learn various shuffle grooves that come naturally. I play with original blues standards on a loop. By attending a few jams I can meet the players and see what type of blues/songs are played.

I study with Aaron Comess, Steven Wolf and Mike Bennett. I will have a lesson with Bruce Becker Friday.

I have been recording my own loops and learning some programming, mixing live drums in Pro Tools, studying piano(MIDI) and working on 12 bar blues variations. Usually fills 6 hours 3-4 days a week.

Long term goal is to be a part of preforming live and jamming with others. I feel the blues community is the best fit. I am 65 and my musical palette is huge.

As a drummer photographer I do get to hang with some of the best drummers . Recently hung back stage to cover Todd Sucherman at a Styx gig. I ended up getting a half hour pre show one on one with Paul “Paulie” Carrizzo.

Thank you to everyone for the insights. I am going to to a jam tonight with Bryce as he is the MC.
 
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It sounds like you're trying to get to a point where you can dive right in with the big fish - that's pretty cool. I gotta say, I'm pretty sure I'm not up to par to hang with guys like that.

And I'm jealous - I'd LOVE to study with Aaron Comess. (Who in turn studied with Bernard Purdie, IIRC.)
 
It sounds like you're trying to get to a point where you can dive right in with the big fish - that's pretty cool. I gotta say, I'm pretty sure I'm not up to par to hang with guys like that.

And I'm jealous - I'd LOVE to study with Aaron Comess. (Who in turn studied with Bernard Purdie, IIRC.)

Actually, it just happened. I have shot concert photography for 10 years. I stopped being start struck early. I had contacts from requesting photo passes and eventually tour managers knew me. Now as a house photographer I don't need to ask for all photo passes. Wolf is a good friend and he gets me in to see drummers. Mike hooked me up with Glen Sobel. Mike plays with Richie Kotzen. I met Aaron at Pasic last year and I asked if he would give me lessons.

The drumming community are a close knit group and love to help new drummers.

(BTW, all of my teachers give lessons via Skype through their website)
 
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Actually, it just happened. I have shot concert photography for 10 years. I stopped being start struck early. I had contacts from requesting photo passes and eventually tour managers knew me. Now as a house photographer I don't need to ask for all photo passes. Wolf is a good friend and he gets me in to see drummers. Mike hooked me up with Glen Sobel. Mike plays with Richie Kotzen. I met Aaron at Pasic last year and I asked if he would give me lessons.

The drumming community are a close knit group and love to help new drummers.

(BTW, all of my teachers give lessons via Skype through their website)
Interesting - so I could take lessons from Aaron Comess too through Skype? I've never really taken lessons before - I just sort of play, and learn what I need to know to get the gig done, but lessons certainly couldn't hurt me.
 
Interesting - so I could take lessons from Aaron Comess too through Skype? I've never really taken lessons before - I just sort of play, and learn what I need to know to get the gig done, but lessons certainly couldn't hurt me.

I spoke too fast concerning Aaron. There is a Contact link, but no mention of lessons. However, Drumeo have many options to study with drummers.
 
It really is fun to play with others. You know, it just feels completely different, especially if you set up all the gear correctly and the sound is good enough. I really love this snap which you get when everyone is perfectly on time. And I am just pissed of now because I don't have time for live sessions now because of a damn dissertation I need to finish. Even started reading dissertation service reviews because I don't want to waste my time on it anymore...
 
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