Spreggy
Silver Member
I vote this as the #1 answer. You need two qualities: you can play, and you're good to work with.Professionalism. Many times it doesn't matter how great you play if you are terrible to work with.
I vote this as the #1 answer. You need two qualities: you can play, and you're good to work with.Professionalism. Many times it doesn't matter how great you play if you are terrible to work with.
Or the drummer is there in body...but the way he/she plays SOUNDS like they didn't show up (see "Plays with conviction" on p.1).I think it is the ability to show up at a gig. Ever see a band play a gig and the drummer doesn't show up? Sounds a lot different when that happens.
Taste, I've seen drummers that have insane ability but they're unable to reign it in, I've also seen drummers that couldn't do anything technical if they had a gun to their head but are the better drummer because they have taste.
As I get older the more I'm finding that along with the bassist, if you do your job well you don't get noticed. I like that, let the guitarists a and singers deal with the public!
Vocabulary. A drummer needs an expansive vocabulary.
Joy while playing!
Along with the other responses, "consistency" is of great value. Of course that applies to everyone in the band, but probably more so the drummer than everyone else
Consistancy was my answer also, but BruceW beat me to it. If you aren't consistant, none of the above can fall into place.Along with the other responses, "consistency" is of great value. Of course that applies to everyone in the band, but probably more so the drummer than everyone else
I was about to say "owning drums".A van.
I feel like this question is impossible to answer as the ability to drum requires all kinds of different skills and qualities already. Anyway, I'll say "big ears" - listening to the other musicans and playing appropriately which is another big bag of all kinds of different skills. Damn it, can't we name 20 qualities instead?Aside from the ability to drum, which is native to the state of being a drummer
What's a drummer's most important quality? Aside from the ability to drum, which is native to the state of being a drummer, I believe confidence to be the requisite trait every drummer must possess. While all musicians must be confident to an extent, a drummer's self-assurance is of singular significance. We're expected to display a contained yet transparent cockiness, a subtle swagger that communicates to our fellow musicians, "There's nothing to worry about here. Leave the metronome to me, and we'll be just fine." A drummer can't waver in mentality or execution. Every stroke must be decisive and meaningful. All hesitation is potentially deadly. If a drummer doesn't carry out his or her duties with composite conviction, everything else gets wishy-washy. The music takes a lethal dive.
What do you consider a drummer's most important quality?
I won't subject myself to sitting at a gig set up and ready for sound check at show then waiting until near show time for some singer or other band member to come stumbling in at the last minute and delay the whole thing.
Damn it, can't we name 20 qualities instead?
I’ve always liked this answer and have borrowed it many times. In fact, it sorta makes the OPs question kinda moot. All musicians must display confidence and time. I mixed a swing big band at Disneyland once and the drummer was stuck in traffic. We started without the drummer and the band swung so hard everyone was dancing anyway. When the drummer finally got there for the third set, we all kept joking “what’s that noise?”Be a musician first, and a drummer second.