Stand by Me(Ben E King) on Drum Set,In a Hurry!

Jarobi

Member
Hi! I got a classic 50-60s gig and the rehearsal is tomorrow.

I'm totally uncreative regarding the drum part. The original seems to only have percussion parts so how do I manage it on a drum set?

The bandleader is a session musician with a lot of gigs on his schedule so I don't wanna mess it up.

Would be very helpful for quick answers
 
Very gentle ride cymbal 8th notes.

Hi hat with an open on alternate '2' pulses.

Bring the bass drum in for the chorus, maybe on 1 for the first time round, 1 with "and 3" for subsequent times.

That should get you close.
 
My take is cross stick (°) on just beat 2, kick drum (•) on '1', and the '+' of 2.
Hi-hat 1/8th notes or even 1/4 notes (x) very lightly.


1+2+3+4+
xxxx.xxxx
....°
•.....•
1....+


Even more simplified if you want, same kick drum pattern, no rimclick, and just a single hi-hat stroke on every beat 2.
 
My take is cross stick (°) on just beat 2, kick drum (•) on '1', and the '+' of 2.
Hi-hat 1/8th notes or even 1/4 notes (x) very lightly.
1+2+3+4+
xxxx.xxxx
....°
•.....•
1....+

Even more simplified if you want, same kick drum pattern, no rimclick, and just a single hi-hat stroke on every beat 2.


Yeah I'd go for the light bass drum and a single Hi Hat stroke on every 2 beat.
And you might want to use a little ride cymbal at the same time like James said; just to fill in the sound and so you don't fall asleep during the song. LOL
Great so though.


.
 
Well since I don't have the guiro and the triangle, FWIW, what I do is just play the guiro part (2 and 4) on the closed hi hat with a stick, gently, and just bass drum to the figure around the hi hat. Hi hat and bass drum, that's it. Sparce. I play that way through both verses and both choruses. I hold back. I go to a cross stick backbeat, 8ths on the hi hat, gently, same bass drum pattern, during the violin solo, and stay with that beat till the end.
 
our band plays this quiet, but sort of a samba beat, with cross-stick, hats, ride on the chorus.
 
The drummer on the youtube vid is playing along to the original which, obviously, still has the percussion track on there. He is playing along with it and it is ok... but if you played this with a group so you didn't have the triangle and the cabassa or guiro or whatever it is that is making the 'crich' sound on beat 2, then I don't think it would sound nearly as good.

I have played it live many times and played something similar to Merlin5s suggestion.

My humble advice would be, if you are playing with a seasoned pro, to play something very simple that you find easy and natural - and play it well.
Much better to play simple well, than complicated and maybe come across a bit hesitant because you haven't quite nailed it, yet.
 
My humble advice would be, if you are playing with a seasoned pro, to play something very simple that you find easy and natural - and play it well.
Much better to play simple well, than complicated and maybe come across a bit hesitant because you haven't quite nailed it, yet.

Steven is correct here. The drummer in the video is playing a lot of the string bass part on the toms. It sounds OK.
But if you are playing with a good bass player then you would not need to play the tom parts.

.
 
What Jim highlighted could very much be the #1 most important guideline for successful drummers.

In my world, a drummer who can KIS is held in high esteem. KIS doesn't mean dumbed down. It just means don't throw people off with poorly chosen complexity.

Keeping it simple is an overall general approach, not a literal thing. When dancing is the main goal, people want the drums to feel good, and be somewhat predictable.

People like it when they can understand the music 10x better than music where beats 1, 2, 3, and 4 are hard for them to identify. They need to latch on to a basic thing, and the drums are the obvious thing to latch on to when it comes to moving your body. Straighter drums just plain work better when dancing is the goal.

Very, very well said Steven.
 
Thanks again for your input. I had a another rehearsal today so I will explore your ideas tomorrow. Of course I will apply the KISS-method(Keep it simple Stupid).

One last question though. Can you post som covers of this great tune?
 
Thank you very much for your answers. Luckily for me the rerhearsal is tomorrow so i can practice it today and tomorrow and try out your ideas.

Just 1 more question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYU1qrvxKqs

I really like his interpretation but it is to much/overplaying?

Haha, I hope not, that's exactly how I've played it. They key is playing it softly, and one could eliminate the tom work if you view that as overplaying. I'd agree though the use of toms there is imitating the bass part.
 
Hi again! It went great actually. I followed Merlin5s advice with a heel down

"feathering bass drum almost" ,on the verse with a tambourine mounted onn the Hihat with just quarter notes and the the tambourine on the 2 of course.

Made a more "latin esque2 transition on the chorus than:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYU1qrvxKqs on the ride cymbal

to follow the bass still with a light touch. They seemed to dig it.

Thanks for the support:)
 
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