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Timmy, you don't need a 30pc drum kit on stage...


undercool

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Quote Originally Posted by n9ne View Post
Whenever I see a band setup that includes a huge drum kit, I automatically think the drummer probably sucks.....and usually, he does.
I just wanted to quote n9ne because of how freaking ACCURATE he is. I have never once seen a cover band where the drummer had a BIG kit and was good. Why? There's probably some experience and mindset changes in there, but anyone worth his salt in a cover band as a drummer knows some basic facts:

1.) Groove and dynamics is important, not big fills and six chinas
2.) 95% of popular cover songs can be played on a four piece kit
3.) Cover bands are to make money; hauling tons of gear costs time and money

This isn't the case for EVERY cover drummer, of course, but yeah, if I walk into a small venue or a place with a small stage for a cover show and see a huge drum set, I immediately expect to see a weak performance.
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Quote Originally Posted by n9ne View Post
Whenever I see a band setup that includes a huge drum kit, I automatically think the drummer probably sucks.....and usually, he does.
I just wanted to quote n9ne because of how freaking ACCURATE he is. I have never once seen a cover band where the drummer had a BIG kit and was good. Why? There's probably some experience and mindset changes in there, but anyone worth his salt in a cover band as a drummer knows some basic facts:

1.) Groove and dynamics is important, not big fills and six chinas
2.) 95% of popular cover songs can be played on a four piece kit
3.) Cover bands are to make money; hauling tons of gear costs time and money

This isn't the case for EVERY cover drummer, of course, but yeah, if I walk into a small venue or a place with a small stage for a cover show and see a huge drum set, I immediately expect to see a weak performance.
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Quote Originally Posted by wades_keys View Post
In his case: less is less. Lol

"ya wouldn't let me play would ya" -- Ringo Starr referring to having many of his drum parts replaced by studio aces like Bernard Purdie.

Sorry man but Ringo is pretty weak.
According to wiki Purdie just drummed on some of the Tony Sheridan recordings to give it a "punchier sound". That's it.

Another person sucked up into a silly rumor. icon_lol.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by wades_keys View Post
In his case: less is less. Lol

"ya wouldn't let me play would ya" -- Ringo Starr referring to having many of his drum parts replaced by studio aces like Bernard Purdie.

Sorry man but Ringo is pretty weak.
According to wiki Purdie just drummed on some of the Tony Sheridan recordings to give it a "punchier sound". That's it.

Another person sucked up into a silly rumor. icon_lol.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by dparr View Post
According to wiki Purdie just drummed on some of the Tony Sheridan recordings to give it a "punchier sound". That's it.

Another person sucked up into a silly rumor. icon_lol.gif
Well okay but on some of the early live and even studio recordings Ringo drops beats. Heard it with my own ears when playing along. He got better with time.

Punchier sound is what I mean when I say weak. Weak tone and attack. I love the Beatles by the way but I agree with Lennon when he said "Best drummer in the world? He(Ringo) isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles."
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Quote Originally Posted by dparr View Post
According to wiki Purdie just drummed on some of the Tony Sheridan recordings to give it a "punchier sound". That's it.

Another person sucked up into a silly rumor. icon_lol.gif
Well okay but on some of the early live and even studio recordings Ringo drops beats. Heard it with my own ears when playing along. He got better with time.

Punchier sound is what I mean when I say weak. Weak tone and attack. I love the Beatles by the way but I agree with Lennon when he said "Best drummer in the world? He(Ringo) isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles."
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Obviously talking to him is the best way to handle it. Step two would be to have everyone else show up early and put their stuff in place, limiting his space. Step three would be to do the same, but with everyone bringing twice as much gear as they normally use, taking up almost all of his space. When he complains, use the same line he gave you when justifying the need for all of his toys. If you go this route, you might want to have a backup on speed dial.

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Obviously talking to him is the best way to handle it. Step two would be to have everyone else show up early and put their stuff in place, limiting his space. Step three would be to do the same, but with everyone bringing twice as much gear as they normally use, taking up almost all of his space. When he complains, use the same line he gave you when justifying the need for all of his toys. If you go this route, you might want to have a backup on speed dial.

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OP here. For the record, the drummer is top notch. Absolutely one of the best around. Plays like a metronome, is adaptable, can fake it if he doesn't know it, and even sings. Of course, when he is singing you can't see him behind the 3 to 5 toms in the air. Maybe that is the route, as somone said. Appeal to the ego of "they can't see you back there", especially when he sings. We played a Brown's game (which they won...as they do every time we play for the past two years) and he had a stripped down kit to some extent. Was GREAT seeing him back there. So much good input here. We are all about interaction and making it a fun night, so the "I have a huge penis..you can tell by my drum kit" has to be scaled back. He is part of the show and needs to be seen. AND...I would like my amp to be closer than fifteen feet away. Or just stand on the stage at smaller clubs.

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OP here. For the record, the drummer is top notch. Absolutely one of the best around. Plays like a metronome, is adaptable, can fake it if he doesn't know it, and even sings. Of course, when he is singing you can't see him behind the 3 to 5 toms in the air. Maybe that is the route, as somone said. Appeal to the ego of "they can't see you back there", especially when he sings. We played a Brown's game (which they won...as they do every time we play for the past two years) and he had a stripped down kit to some extent. Was GREAT seeing him back there. So much good input here. We are all about interaction and making it a fun night, so the "I have a huge penis..you can tell by my drum kit" has to be scaled back. He is part of the show and needs to be seen. AND...I would like my amp to be closer than fifteen feet away. Or just stand on the stage at smaller clubs.

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Quote Originally Posted by chadd

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Have a hot chick tell him she's disappointed that she can't see him when he's playing.

 

Great idea! Better yet, have her wait for him after a gig, but blow him off when everyone else is done with loadout and he's still packing the chimes and rototoms 2 hours after the show. ;-)
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Quote Originally Posted by chadd

View Post

Have a hot chick tell him she's disappointed that she can't see him when he's playing.

 

Great idea! Better yet, have her wait for him after a gig, but blow him off when everyone else is done with loadout and he's still packing the chimes and rototoms 2 hours after the show. ;-)
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Just tell him he CAN'T. Tell him his small kit is required. Contrary to some opinions, I've always found that the band's mission and in turn, concensus, is enough to get through to any good, professional musician.

Consensus always trumps ego driven, selfish choices like monster kits on small stages or incompatible genres.

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Just tell him he CAN'T. Tell him his small kit is required. Contrary to some opinions, I've always found that the band's mission and in turn, concensus, is enough to get through to any good, professional musician.

Consensus always trumps ego driven, selfish choices like monster kits on small stages or incompatible genres.

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I'd be interested to know how your band handles rehearsals undercool, does the drummer bring his rig to every session? I just mean, if you were turning up at your average rehearsal room, there'd just be a battered five piece Stage Custom there with a couple of stands and he'd have to make do. I'm just thinking of a situation in which you can throw him where he wouldn't be able to run away from a "normal" kit!

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I'd be interested to know how your band handles rehearsals undercool, does the drummer bring his rig to every session? I just mean, if you were turning up at your average rehearsal room, there'd just be a battered five piece Stage Custom there with a couple of stands and he'd have to make do. I'm just thinking of a situation in which you can throw him where he wouldn't be able to run away from a "normal" kit!

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I usually show up early and put down my drum rug to claim my space. The largest kit I've ever brought to a gig was a five-piece with two crashes and a ride cymbal....not huge by anyone's standard. Often I'll have a bass amp on one side, a keyboard amp on the other, and a guitar amp on a stand directly in front. The guitarist also has a guitar rack that holds four guitars that he often sets up in front. Sometimes between sets I feel like just staying behind the kit since it's such a pain to get out and back in. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic.....,yet.

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