What kind of drummer are you?

stevedrum

Member
I tend to see different kinds of drummers as in mentality, all with different profiles and habits, here are some which I identified (in my opinion):

Rhythm/Chop Drummer:

The aim is to be able to play really good chops and have a brilliant technique. Also he doesn't really pay attention to small details as long as the groove in the song sounds good.

Musician Drummer:

This kind of drummer is the one that wants to know exactly what he's doing, usually he is able to read music and understands what the other instruments are doing. He might not be obsessed with technique as the rhythm drummer but is more focussed on playing the right thing at the exact right time.

Gear Drummer:

This is the drummer that most of all cares about how much or what gear he has. The first thing that comes to his mind is the setup, and how many cymbals, toms etc. he has. He mayh still be a very good drummer though.

One Style Drummer:

This is the kind of drummer that is only focussed on one style for example rock, and does not consider to play anything else besides his style. He listen only to his style and usually looks at other styles of music as a totally different world from his.

Jack of All Trades:

The name I gave it might be misleading. This is a very versatile drummer that focusses on achieving an authentic sound for each style without the necessity of mastering any. He is able to play numerous styles without sticking to one.


These are just a few........Which one of these are you and can you identify any other kinds of drummers?
 
Hello, All.

A heavy and powerful drummer with passion, always open to learn and teach something new everyday.

Cheers,
 
As I read your original post, I thought to myself, "Wow, that's me!" for the first three (Rhythm/Chop Drummer, Musician Drummer, Gear Drummer). I'm kind of like the Jack of All Trades as well, but I feel as though I've attained a reasonable level of "mastery" of several styles. Well, enough of a mastery to get recommended for gigs again and again, at least.

I prefer the term "drummer incarnate" or "absolute drummer" or "drummer extraordinaire". Yeah, that's the ticket! :p
 
I've been trying to figure this out for about thirty years. I constantly play with different people to try new styles. I would have to say that the Jack Of All Trades fits best. I used to play in Rock cover bands that tried for note for note. I liked the feeling of getting it right so to speak but I did tire of it. I like playing in jam bands but I also like some consistency I can't have things to loose. I also like R&B, Country, Blues and Jazz. I do like to mix all these styles together when I play. I don't buy every piece of equipment that I see but I am proud when I get something for the kit thats pricy. Cymbals are my weakness. I also like to perfect my chops. It must work for me because people keep asking me back to play with them.
 
I just play haha I have no clue what to classify myself as.
 
Musician and jack of all trades.

I try to be as well rounded as possible, that includes learning (about) other instruments. I can only play drums and a bit of piano, but I learn how other instruments work.
 
For the entirety of my career I've been the musician drummer, whatever was called for I could play it, but now I'm pretty much the one style drummer, jazz being the style. I have my own band that plays my songs. I'm okay. Lately I've been more focused on writing music than drumming.
I'm certainly not the chops or gear or jack-of-all-trades drummer.
I'm a one-style-basically-okay jazz drummer. But I'm a good cook! You should try my fried chicken and sausage gumbo...MAN!
 
I think I'm both rhythm/chops, and a musician drummer.



Don't bash the Ringo Starr my friends of Drummerworld
 
Aahh I think I am a combination of a Musician Drummer and a Jack of All Trades.

I always care what the other instruments are playing and sometimes I'm trying to give them some tips too ^^

Also I try to play every style. Lately I've been to some Jazz but unfortunately my dynamic feel as far as Jazz is concerned sucks(but I keep trying).

But above everything I like to feel the GROOVE.

Ofcourse I have a little of a Gear Drummer in me. Is there any drummer that's not concerned about his/her gear?
 
Self Indulgent Drummer - A drummer who thinks he's really awesome when in reality he's a pile of sith.

I come across a lot of those in jam studios.

Well, going by your classifications, I'm a Jack of all trades, leaning towards one style (jazz) while being also a rhythm/chop musician drummer.
 
Impulse drummer. Anyone, anyone?

OK - I've got to agree with 805 here, Totally Impulse. I like to try my hand at anything and everything which kind of sounds like "Jack of All" except for I'm not good enough to classify myself as being adept at any kind of Trade.

I love music and the hand-eye-coordination-timing challenges of drumming puts me at ease. And the COOL TOYS. How can you tap on a jam block and not think about where it would fit in your kit.

I've also met alot of musicians - Drummers are by far the least messed up of all.
Guitarist - "Look at me. Look at me. I'm nothing without attention."
Bass - "Man, I'm cool and you can't out-cool me."
Singer - "I don't mean to brag, but I'm even more needy than the guitarists."
Drummer - "Heh, look at this neat riff! Try this, it's FUN! Oh-oh, looks like the rest of the band needs a break. Think I'll go play with these others until they decide to go back to work."
 
I tend to see different kinds of drummers as in mentality, all with different profiles and habits, here are some which I identified (in my opinion):

Rhythm/Chop Drummer:

The aim is to be able to play really good chops and have a brilliant technique. Also he doesn't really pay attention to small details as long as the groove in the song sounds good.

Musician Drummer:

This kind of drummer is the one that wants to know exactly what he's doing, usually he is able to read music and understands what the other instruments are doing. He might not be obsessed with technique as the rhythm drummer but is more focussed on playing the right thing at the exact right time.

Gear Drummer:

This is the drummer that most of all cares about how much or what gear he has. The first thing that comes to his mind is the setup, and how many cymbals, toms etc. he has. He may still be a very good drummer though.

One Style Drummer:

This is the kind of drummer that is only focused on one style for example rock, and does not consider to play anything else besides his style. He listen only to his style and usually looks at other styles of music as a totally different world from his.

Jack of All Trades:

The name I gave it might be misleading. This is a very versatile drummer that focuses on achieving an authentic sound for each style without the necessity of mastering any. He is able to play numerous styles without sticking to one.


These are just a few........Which one of these are you and can you identify any other kinds of drummers?
Hmm, I don't fit exactly into any of the choices given.

But . . . I'd say I'm a "song" drummer first, but I give it as much raw power and big drum tone as I can. I'm hoping that if you heard me play you would think "powerful time keeper" and not miss any "chops" that a more technical drummer might be able to fit in.

I try to stay solid and if that means less notes, so be it. But with less notes comes more tone and authority. I'll kick the bejezzus out of 2 or 4 notes rather than sound wispy on 8 or 16 notes. The power is more important to me.

So wherever that fits me in . . .
.
.
 
Hmm, I don't fit exactly into any of the choices given.

But . . . I'd say I'm a "song" drummer first, but I give it as much raw power and big drum tone as I can. I'm hoping that if you heard me play you would think "powerful time keeper" and not miss any "chops" that a more technical drummer might be able to fit in.

I try to stay solid and if that means less notes, so be it. But with less notes comes more tone and authority. I'll kick the bejezzus out of 2 or 4 notes rather than sound wispy on 8 or 16 notes. The power is more important to me.

So wherever that fits me in . . .
.
.

I'd say I'm close to this. I try to blend into the music and support the song as best I can. I also like to lay into the 2 and 4 and drive the music when it's needed. But in your category's I'd probably fall into a one style/rhythm & chops drummer. (And of course a bit of a gear hound).
 
I'd have to say I'm a mix of Rhythm/Chops, Musician and Jack-of-all-trades.

To clarify, when I was in high school, I was definitely an all-chops-all-the-time kind of dude, my rudiments just had to be faster, cleaner, more powerful. My study block was an hour and a half chops fest Monday to Friday. Lunch, breaks, after school, all spent trying to shred rubber on my pad.

Being in the middle of a classical percussion degree currently, the Musician has definitely taken over. I can now play piano, marimba, vibes, timps, guitar, bass, violin... with enough proficiency that I'm comfortable jamming with anyone I know. And when I'm behind the drums, I just totally lose myself in the full-band sound, whether I'm rocking the funk jams, swinging a jazz group or doing the orchestral gig. I'm too the point where a lot of the time, I'm barely conscious of what I'm about to play - I'm just reacting to and supporting the music of the people I'm playing with.

And I have to say I'm a Jack-of-all-trades as well, because hey, I have to be - I teach four nights a week from absolute beginner up to way-out-there jazz!
 
Back
Top