Band doesn't understand timing (wat do)

The Tank

Member
So, guys. I just joined a band a few weeks ago. Happens to be full of 15 year olds that are beginners. The guys wanted me to join so bad because they needed a drummer so desperately and even though I told him I wasn't that good a hundred times he wanted me to be a part anyway.

Later on I figured out why.

I may be kind of a beginner, but as a drummer I understand normal time intervals. These people clearly don't. I was rehearsing with them a few times and they were getting frustrated with me because I never knew when to transition, and it was impossible to tell. After listening to their recordings a few times I realized that the drums were completely out of time. They don't know what bars or anything are at all and they were all transitioning whenever they felt like it, which could be like randomly in the middle of bar 3 or bar 2 depending on how fast the guitar goes.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the drummer supposed to dictate where everything is in the song and not anyone else? And by adding in a fill I'm directing the band into a different verse?

I need confirmation. If I'm wrong, just come out and tell me I suck. I won't mind, seriously.
 
NO.
Normally the drums do not "tell" the other musicians when to transition.
The other musicians need to know on their own when to transition. And everyone needs to transition together. A drum fill usually starts after the transition starts.

You could as a group figure out a drum signal to let them know when to transition. But then you the drummer would be directing the song. That would be an abnormal situation, kind of a different approach.

Have the whole band play together with some standard famous song that has been recorded by another band. See how they do.
Sounds like these guys need lots of help.

They need to find one good guitar player somewhere?

.
 
Everyone in the band is responsible for time, it's just that the drums are often the hook, but not necessarily the reference point. Sounds like you have your work cut out, but it's a shared journey. Learning to play with others is just as big a deal as learning the mechanics of playing in the first place (I would argue a much bigger deal).
 
Sounds like your band/tunes needs some structure, ie: intro/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/solo/verse/chorus/end... with the appropriate chosen numbers of bars in each section... if some parts are improvised, then eye contact or some form of signal is required to announce the transitions.

Time and song structure is everyone responsibility.
 
I think it is just a practice issue. If you guys work together for months then you'll likely get it together.
 
Song structure is not led by any instrument....except when talking about jazz and the current soloist...but even that frequently has a bar count reserved for the current noodle-ist.

Sit down and write out the number of bars to the sections...count 'em out and record what you guys play...listen back...identify issues...rinse...repeat.

...and keep a good attitude while having a good time....and bounce out of the situation the minute it becomes about who is right as opposed to what the song needs...and having fun while serving it.

If anyone is taking lessons, consider inviting the teacher to give a group lesson if that teacher is open to the idea.
 
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the drummer supposed to dictate where everything is in the song and not anyone else?

Actually, the song dictates where everything is to be played :)

You could have some crazy music that goes all over the place and changes at seemingly random places but typically, most music is laid out fairly simply.

That said, one of the typical functions of the drums is to give markers to help keep track of where you are in the piece.
 
If it's covers you're playing, the songs already exist and have been arranged and orchestrated for play. So, simply play them as written. If it's original songs, then they need some theory or basic knowledge about song structure.
 
Get out!

Seek out musicians better than yourself, they will push you to succeed greater things. Almost done learning one very difficult song and getting started on another because of a recent meetup with a member much more skilled than I, who helped give me some tips and laughed when I told him I didn't normally learn other peoples songs, haha... Gave me a lot to work with.

But if you're staying with them,

Nah. Probably don't.
 
Back
Top