Moderators Lee Knight Posted November 24, 2009 Moderators Share Posted November 24, 2009 Something that might help is to have her learn the way musicality works with dynamics. But honestly.....drums are drums. They are loud instruments. Really what you probably need is better PA equipment and amps and such. Think about drummers like Dave Grohl and John Bonham who beat the hell out of the drums. They are an acoustic instrument, so you have to have the right equipment in your system to balance that out. Hope this could help. Also maybe have her listen to some drummers like Dennis Chambers and Dave Weckl! I have no doubt Grohl and Bonham would adjust very well to the volume of a band. A great drummer is a musical drummer. Musicality requires ears. Both of those have/had ears. Neither of them are bashers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stevieb Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 Sounds like you don't want to dump her, which is admirable. My humble suggestions: 1. Mesh heads and triggers for short-term relief; 2. A good come-to-Jesus talk with her, tell her you want her to stay, but you need more dicipline from her, she needs to take some lessons, and needs to listen in-session better. It will all make her a better drummer (Q: What do you call someone who hangs out with musicians? A: A drummer), band will sound better, etc. Be honest but gentle with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scafeets Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 Sounds like she went to the Meg White school of drumming. :thu::):thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 dB meter. Whenever it says 105 or louder, ATM/gape. She'll either learn, or you'll have a better hobby than music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Catfish Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 I have no doubt Grohl and Bonham would adjust very well to the volume of a band. A great drummer is a musical drummer. Musicality requires ears. Both of those have/had ears. Neither of them are bashers. Grohl didn't seem to be playing very loudly on the Unplugged set. Bonham laid back on Zep's mellower tunes, too. Niether of those guys is a good example of a "basher." Both are/were very dynamic players. With a drummer, the only thing possibly more important than dynamics is tempo/timing. I guess it depends on how far she has to go to get there. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kurfu Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 A drummer that has no control over their dynamics is sorely lacking a crucial skill... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 A drummer that has no control over their dynamics is sorely lacking a crucial skill... True The problem is how do you get a drummer to take some lessons after they already consider themselves a drummer. Not to pick on drummers. I never took a music lesson on any instrument that didnt help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDLMUSIC Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 I played a gig last week with my rock and roll trio. We were basically supposed to be background music for a women's club function at a big hotel. They originally wanted smooth instrumental jazz (which I don't play), but the club organizer convinced them that we could pull it off by doing easy listening and rock and roll songs at a quiet level. So that's what we did. The bass player kept it at about 1/2, I ran my vocals and guitar through the PA, so I could easily control that volume. I was a little concerned about the drummer. I had worked with him on both outdoor festival gigs and indoor clubs and I knew he could be loud when that was called for, but I wasn't sure how he'd do in a situation where we were supposed to keep the noise at no more than the conversational level. He did a great job. He only set up a kick drum, snare, hi-hat and ride cymbal. He used a light stick in his right hand and a brush in his left. A lot of the songs he used side sticking. Even at that we managed to do a bunch of songs that you would probably not consider "easy listening" (Black Magic Woman and Shake Rattle and Roll come to mind), but we got a lot of compliments on both our volume and song selections. Not only did the organization ask us back for next year, but the hotel manager told me she wanted to book us in the lounge. Plus they fed us. Totally a win-win situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stevie j Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 A drummer that has no control over their dynamics is sorely lacking a crucial skill... So true, same goes for any instrument. How many guitarists do you know that can play both loud and quiet and anywhere in between by just adjusting their picking hand while sounding powerful at any volume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sorocknroll Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 Whenever I'm too loud, my boyfriend just pushes my face into the pillow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chip Stewart Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 Many years ago when I played drums, I played in a Folk Rock trio which consisted of two acoustic guitars and me on drums. I remember the singer/songwriter/band leader commenting to me once that I was the only drummer he ever had that could actually play well. While I was not lightning fast, I did have very good control of dynamics and rhythm. For him, a drummer had to be able to control dynamics and rhythm to be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Austincowbell Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 Whenever I'm too loud, my boyfriend just pushes my face into the pillow please tell me you're a girl. Not that there is anything wrong with it if you aren't... just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tacdryver Posted November 24, 2009 Members Share Posted November 24, 2009 please tell me you're a girl. Not that there is anything wrong with it if you aren't... just saying. Yeah it is wrong, but funny. Maybe you can put some pillows into the drums, then let her bang away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TrickyBoy Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 please tell me you're a girl. Not that there is anything wrong with it if you aren't... just saying. I'm looking for a bowing down avatar - can't find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tobin1634 Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 yeah dude, get rid of this chick, unless you are trying to hook up with her, then you gotta decide what's more important. Now if someone else in the band is hooking up with her, just get rid of her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted November 25, 2009 Moderators Share Posted November 25, 2009 Many years ago when I played drums, I played in a Folk Rock trio which consisted of two acoustic guitars and me on drums. I remember the singer/songwriter/band leader commenting to me once that I was the only drummer he ever had that could actually play well. While I was not lightning fast, I did have very good control of dynamics and rhythm. For him, a drummer had to be able to control dynamics and rhythm to be good. I play with this drummer occasionally (shout out to Larry Grano!!) who has the uncanny ability to make quiet drums rock. He has such spot control over how hard, where, when and why to hit a particular drum. I love him and want to marry him and I'm not even gay. That's how much I love his drumming. When he ROCKS... step back and cover your crotch. And in an instant if called for... he's down to a whisper, 2 and 4 on his hat... and it still sounds urgent and rocking. If you do an acoustic thing, he can pull out the watchamacallit wood brush things and make it happen. And it never sounds like a compromise. It sounds right. OK... I don't want to marry him... but he is really good. Had to share. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 Don't know what kind of stages you play, but if you have enough room... The plexi shield is good for two reasons. Sheilds you & your mikes, also concentrates her sound to her. If you can also up her Vol in her personal mon (without it making things worse for the rest of you), she'll have to lay back to hear the rest of you. Sometimes this works. If she's listening at all. If not, my condolances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1960LesPaul Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 It appears she is playing for herself only without any concern for the band. That is selfish and good reason to be replaced because putting herslf before the band makes not only her but the rest of you look and sound like amateurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 It appears she is playing for herself only without any concern for the band. That is selfish and good reason to be replaced because putting herslf before the band makes not only her but the rest of you look and sound like amateurs. I think its just a matter of she doesnt know any better. Loud pounders are nothing new in start up and bar bands. she needs some lessons to work on the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oregonjoe Posted November 25, 2009 Members Share Posted November 25, 2009 She needs to visit Dr Robert for some medicinal green stuff. There's nothing wrong with a little attitude adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ThunderGodX Posted December 1, 2009 Members Share Posted December 1, 2009 Put a good full range speaker or bass cabinet behind her for a monitor.Mic her up and sub her lines to that monitor send.Be sure to have a good amp on that sub.Give her all she wants out of that. No-make that MORE than she wants. Tell her to make herself comfortable. Adjust to taste. Ideally she will back off until she can stand herself, at which time you will be getting a logical level from her. Same cure with any woman for any problem: Give her MORE than she wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted December 1, 2009 Members Share Posted December 1, 2009 She needs lessons. Chops means skill. If she can't stay in time and play at the right level, she ain't got chops. A teacher can help with that +1 zillion, and then some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted December 1, 2009 Members Share Posted December 1, 2009 I could not live with that, period.Someone who refuses to LISTEN and adjust.That kinda crap kills my buzz, ruins my fun, rains on my parade, really quickly.Either she would shape up, quick, or one of us would be outta there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WaterMoc Posted December 3, 2009 Members Share Posted December 3, 2009 LOL, I got paranoid at first because I'm female and a guitarist in my band is hassling me about volume. He's a great player but one of those guys who has to use lots of distortion, so he seems loud to me. Add in his stereo amps and the other guitarist's stereo amps, plus a tired bass player who can't seem to tell how loud he is, plus multi floor monitors screaming, I feel like I'm really getting hammered. Only my kick is mic'd. I've been wearing ear plugs for years, and he makes comments about that and says that's why I play so loud. I do try to compensate for that. I'd love to play without them, because I miss the sound of my cymbals, but just can't do that to my ears anymore. Plus I can hear myself singing better this way. The volume is all perception, for sure. But I played in very quiet bands in small venues for years so I know how to do it. Hell I used Combo sized sticks even. But I feel like I am getting buried in noise in this band. Anyway this discussion has convinced me to buy a decibel meter at Radio Shack just so I can see what's really going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tacdryver Posted December 6, 2009 Members Share Posted December 6, 2009 I had to wear ear plugs once because of the drummer...really loud..felt like a grenade going off in my left ear, over and over.....his replacement was perfect, same music...put he earplugs away... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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