Double drummers.

B

Bozozoid

Platinum Member
You rarely read about this on forums. No one here has done it?..thought about it?. It doesn't have to be Allman brothers type music. Ringo/Bissonette..etc. I've wanted to try this..two drummers working well together is just a band on nitrous. I've seen it (once) in a club 20 years ago but it's rare.
 
Zappa with Chester Thompson and Ralph Humphrey. Zappa with Art Tripp and Jimmy Carl Black. Genesis with Chester Thompson and Phil Collins. Genesis with Bill Bruford and Phil Collins. Sure, the Allman Brothers with Butch and Jaimoe. Miles Davis with Don Alias and Jack DeJohnette. The Doobie Brothers used two drummers many times over the years. Stuff with Gadd and Parker. One thing I've learned though is that to pull off two drummers is extremely hard. I could never do it justice. I'm far from good enough to make that happen.
 
Derek Trucks does it.

Ranjit and Gary usually do it a little bit at John McLauglin shows.

I often do it at school. It's a good way for the kids to learn to focus on the music and structure or just get inspired by playing along with me. When I do drumset seminars we all play together and I get a band to come in for a little while.
 
Cory Wong's band did it in a couple of records, also sometimes live. Petar Janjic and Steve Goold on a single extended kit, Cory calls it the "Palindrum" which I find quite fitting.

I think they used the concept in "Team Sports" and "Light as Anything". Check them out.
 
I did it a few times playing a handful of Allman covers in a row years ago..........it clearly worked in that context as the music and parts were already existing. It worked fine for that narrow application as we both had the original recordings and live shows to reference as "right" vs. us having to work that dynamic out on our own.

After doing that, I couldn't imagine wanting to do that in an original context, the chemistry between the two drummers needs to really be tight and unique otherwise it feels very antiseptic and an academic exercise vs. feeling alive and moving with the music. That is why the Allmans were special from a percussion standpoint, 2 kits and a percussionist all working together and providing a blanket of rhythm for those guitars to sit on.
 
I'm not really a fan of this idea personally. Unless its strictly a drummer/percussionist relationship, I see no reason for a second drummer. The music that does it doesnt need it, meaning not one of the drum parts is too complicated to require a second drummer. Honestly I think its lame.
 
If there are two drummers playing something very simple together, it sounds big and powerful. Peace and goodwill.
 
It works when you have drummers who are good listeners, comfortable contributing less to create more, and able to leave space for others to do the same. It's a mess otherwise.

Similar to a drummer percussionist situation. Nothing worst than a frustrated drummer playing a percussion rig. ?

Wait... there is something worse. The girl/boyfriend of someone in the band playing percussion :LOL:
 
I've done a couple of full gigs with 2 drummers, (same guy) no rehearsals of course.

All Allman Brothers music all the time ha ha

Our time feel was not what you would call synced up. It wasn't bad for the civilians. I noticed it though.
I had to maintain the time. It was easy for me, I just couldn't listen to him. I had to let him take the lead at certain parts where I wasn't exactly sure of the arrangement.

After the show a patron came up to me and handed be a napkin on which was written...You rock.

I still have that napkin
 
Personally I don’t mind and think it’d be interesting.

We had two drummers who did a rendition of Frankenstein during pep rally’s when I was in grade school and I thought it kicked.

But these three made it work for years. Though Jay Weinberg has replaced Joey and recently Chris is out.6CD579A2-1CEA-4197-A3A6-B421FEAC8A84.jpeg
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I've done it a few times, we took turns holding the groove or doing the fills. I do prefer being in the driver's seat by 'mice elf'.
Of course doing it at jams is different from what 2 drummer bands have going on.
I've done a bunch of covers of Allman Bros and Santana, bands with 2 or more drummers, that takes some extra work to find the right way to duplicate but it can be done. I do like playing with extra percussion especially at solo time.
 
Ransan said:
Personally I don’t mind and think it’d be interesting.

We had two drummers who did a rendition of Frankenstein during pep rally’s when I was in grade school and I thought it kicked.

But these three made it work for years. Though Jay Weinberg has replaced Joey and recently Chris is out.View attachment 102404
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that is more one set guy and 2 percussionists to me

I first saw 2 drummers in 38 Special, and always thought it was sort of redundant...unless they are playing 2 specifically separate parts that work well together, I don't see the need for it

my most favorite use of 2 set players is the Fugazi song "Ex-Spectator"...and it s really just two different takes of the song by one drummer. They are layered together and panned hard right and left...I don't think they actually played it live with 2 drummers though. I remember the story being that they liked both takes, so why not use both


it is fun to play to as one drummer, and to try to cop some of the feel of both parts as one...
 
I watched an incredible drum duo by Godsmack when they supported Metallica, lead singer and drummer, 2 kits, synchronized sticks throws, it was ridiculous!
I have also considered the idea of and tried finding people at one point, for doing like 3 or 4 drummer, industrial techno kinda drum band (think post apocalyptic tribal drumming)
 
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