What do you play?

wraub

wraub

Gold Member
I'm curious how others spend their time playing on their sets as opposed to pad work...

Do you play along with recordings? Work on technique? Just thoughtlessly play? Work on studies or solos? Other?

Thanks. :)
 
My independent practice sessions (when I'm not accompanying other musicians) are split between the pad and kit. The pad keeps me conditioned, both for endurance and dynamic precision, and it's where I challenge myself the most. On the kit, I primarily play backbeats to drumless tracks, cruising in the pocket and nurturing the groove. I do apply pad excersies to the kit at times, but I'm a country/rock/pop drummer. Backbeats occupy nintey-five percent of my music world. I don't devote inordinate effort to the pursuit of chops I don't intend to use. My younger years were a different story, but I've learned to embrace pragmatism.
 
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C.M. Jones said:
My independent practice sessions (when I'm not accompanying other musicians) are split between the pad and kit. The pad keeps me conditioned, both for endurance and dynamic excellence, and it's where I challenge myself the most. On the kit, I primarily play backbeats to drumless tracks, cruising in the pocket and nurturing the groove. I do apply pad excersies to the kit at times, but I'm a country/rock/pop drummer. Backbeats occupy nintey-five percent of my music world. I don't devote inordinate time to the pursuit of chops I don't intend to use. My younger years were a different story, but I've learned to embrace pragmatism.
Click to expand...
You saved me a lot of typing. THIS ^^^^^

Only tweak for me is I leverage plenty of tracks with drums to play along with and I haven't touched a pad since 1996.
 
wraub said:
I'm curious how others spend their time playing on their sets as opposed to pad work...

Do you play along with recordings? Work on technique? Just thoughtlessly play? Work on studies or solos? Other?

Thanks. :)
Click to expand...

I went through a heavy pad phase...and I noticed that when I went back to the kit it felt really foreign.

So if I travel with a pad, I'll use it for like 20 minute exercises just to warm up for keep the hands moving....but I really don't think that pad work translates to the kit as well as some people think.
 
C.M. Jones said:
Backbeats occupy ninety-five percent of my music world. I don't devote inordinate effort to the pursuit of chops I don't intend to use. My younger years were a different story, but I've learned to embrace pragmatism.
Click to expand...
This.
I'm doing blues at the moment & it's a pretty automatic beat. Dynamics is the challenge with it though as I push & pull the volume for effect & feel.
Pad work is good for my continued hand development and playing to recordings is good for my overall 4-way independence.
 
I play along with albums;
do rudimental/hands/chops work;
(should be) playing mallet percussion more;
work on grooves and new beat systems alone;
learn covers;
play in a community wind band once a week;
play bass and drums in musical pit orchestras during this time of year
also play in 3 bands, so am always working on that stuff too
 
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I pick a song on Spotify and play along, then I try to play along with the next song it picks.

I'm a classic rock / hard rock guy so I'll pick a different genre of song to start with. Last night I picked Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips which brought up lots of Motown classics which can be a good challenge for me. Barry White, wow that hi hat pedal gets a lot of work.

Besides, Midnight Train to Georgia has a bunch of spots near the end where I can work on different fills and is a really groovy tune so I get right into it.

 
The Shepherd said:
I pick a song on Spotify and play along, then I try to play along with the next song it picks.

I'm a classic rock / hard rock guy so I'll pick a different genre of song to start with. Last night I picked Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips which brought up lots of Motown classics which can be a good challenge for me. Barry White, wow that hi hat pedal gets a lot of work.

Besides, Midnight Train to Georgia has a bunch of spots near the end where I can work on different fills and is a really groovy tune so I get right into it.

Click to expand...

man, that was the stuff I grew up playing. Sooo many good memories of that dong and me imagining I was on stage with her and the Pips..
 
Most of my practicing these days is done on guitar. 😄
But when I do practice drums I am continually trying to develop my left foot with different exercises. I've also been working through John Macaluso's book (lots of metal and prog elements). And if we're getting ready to hit the studio I will practice the songs with a metronome to make sure I'm ready to go once we start recording.
 
I play for a half hour to an hour everyday. I have a holder for my iphone on my hi-hat stand that bt's music to a small mixer and my headphones.
I pick and choose different favorites (currently 103 songs) depending on mood, and if during the day I hear a song I like while working in my shop, I will add it to the list.
At night, I have a pad that slides out from my office desk, and I practice sticking along with instructional videos on you tube. I do not do this every night, although I probably should.
 
I tend to just get on the set and play. Within about a minute, I'll have found something that's not the way I want it, so I'll stop and work on that.

I haven't played along to music in years.

Right now I have been working on one thing for a few months now and I'm starting to make some progress finally. I've been working on comping to a strict spang a lang jazz ride pattern. Comping would always throw off my JRP. Now I can do some basic comping while maintaining a strict JRP. I'm just starting to crack it.
 
The few times I practice without a band, I just play songs with my IEM’s and my phone.
 
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