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rummers
are at a disadvantage by the very nature of the
instrument that they play. Virtually every other
instrument can lend itself to a solo performance for
extended periods of time, whereas drums are almost always
used in conjunction with some other form of ensemble -
band - etc. Honestly, how many drum solos can you do in a
row before people start to lose interest? What this means
to the drummer/percussionist is that there are two areas
that absolutely MUST be developed (in addition
to basic performance skills) in order to work effectively
in the variety of situations that any drummer might find
himself in over the years. In other words, if you want
the gig for more than an hour, pay close attention....
FOCUS -
1. You
must be able to separate yourself from what you're
playing in order to hear the rest of the band. (For
simplicity's sake, the rest of these discussions,
unless otherwise noted, will refer to working within
a guitar player/keyboard/bass/drums type of band or
worship team) You need to develop the ability to hear
everything, and decide if what you are doing is
helping or hindering the song in question. Just as if
you were the audio engineer on a recording session,
you need to decide what your position should be in
the mix. How much is required of you in order to:
A.
Keep the song moving in the direction, speed, and
level of intensity that the writer or band leader
needs, and
B.
What percentage of the sound do you need
to provide?
I like
to use the term percentage because I believe
that it gives you an almost visual reference point
for an intangible idea. This goes way beyond the
viewpoint of the drummer, to the viewpoint of the listener.
What is going to be most pleasing to them? If you are
a drummer playing with just a keyboard , then you are
responsible (to some degree) for roughly 50% of the
sound. If you are in a keyboard, bass and drums trio,
the bass fills up a certain bandwidth in the audio
spectrum, and you need only fill approximately 33% of
the sound. In a big band, you might be just one of
25-30 musicians, and be filling a very small role in
a very large sound. Again, this is a very coarse way
to express the concept of finding your place in the
sound, but the idea is to listen to every instrument
within the band and find your "niche". Make
yourself mental notes of each song as you learn them,
and collect them throughout the rehearsals for
performance. Write them down if necessary. Here are a
few points to watch for that are very common:
A.
Are you listening to the bass player, and landing
on the downbeats and chord changes with him to
give emphasis and solidity to the
"bottom"? You two are considered the
"Rhythm section", and should be kicking
most accents, syncopated beats (punches), and
chord movements in unison. This gives a more
solid cushion for the rest of the band to float
on, and keeps the time much more even. It also
makes your kick drum sound a whole lot bigger...
B.
Is the keyboard texture soft, sustained, and
transparent while you are still "rockin'
down the highway"? Again, listen to your
notes, textures, and volume against the other
players. Nothing will make an enemy out of a
fellow musician faster than if they have created
a truly breathtaking moment in sound, only to
have it crushed by a tom fill that could
have waited. Always ask yourself first "What
does this song require?".
C.
Are you burying a crucial cue from the guitars to
the singers with a drum lick that you made up in
practice at home and that you have been waiting
to cram in somewhere? Singers look for simple
cues that tell them where they are - as we all
do. It is fun and part of the creative process to
add things in order to keep things fresh and
interesting, but "To everything there is a
season..". STAY IN TUNE WITH YOUR
SURROUNDINGS. LISTEN TO EVERYONE.
The
key to success is to change your mindset from
"What can I do here that will really sound
cool?" to, ONCE AGAIN, "What does this song
require from me to best portray the energy,
emotion and message that the author intended?",
and then be able to expand that to a corporate
"What does this require of US, working as a
team/band?" I will expand on this later in
"Playing in Context".
The second
skill to develop and refine is:
FLEXIBILITY
2.No
matter how you try to say it, this simply boils down
to people skills.
Being
able to work with other musicians in a productive and
mutually beneficial manner, in order to conceive,
arrange, and perform musical selections to the
maximum potential of everyone involved (and in a
Worship environment, focusing on the glory of God).
Simply put, swallowing your ego (and as a drummer
myself, I happen to know that they are a built in
feature) when the keyboard player tells you that
you're too loud, and having a solid enough
relationship with the rhythm guitar player that you
can tell him/her that they are speeding up without
them throwing a cup of coffee at you... This all
hinges on respect and having a mutual goal, and being
willing to LISTEN to everything that is going on
around you both musically, and conversationally. One
of the best things that you can do for your career
(full or part-time) as a drummer is to earn the
reputation as someone who is easy to work with,
reliable, and willing to listen... FLEXIBLE ... able
to bend and change with the environment. For example,
a record producer will only hire you for a session if
he thinks that he can work with you and YOU can work
with whoever else is in the session. In session work,
or practically any "work for hire"
situation, time is money, and there is no time for
settling differences or stroking over-inflated egos.
If you gain a reputation as an "ego" or as
someone who plays what he wants because it's his
style you will find yourself not being called much.
Remember,
you are there (in any situation) to contribute what
the particular piece of music REQUIRES - there's that
word again- to fulfill the original authors' intent,
not to "show your licks". Being friendly,
polite, and on time goes a long way toward building a
productive relationship within any musical framework.
As a band member, it's the mutual relationship and
ability to communicate that fuels the creative fire
to keep you playing together. In a Worship
environment, those attributes create the same
"fire", and glorify the Father with concern
for one another and desire to serve Him.
Phil.
2:3-5. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you
regard the other as more important than himself; do
not look out merely for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others. Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."
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