Some Advice For A Drummer

I recently talked with a guitarist who used to live in Nashville, trying to get his music going. I asked him about his advice for making it as a musician as a profession, specifically, a drummer.

First thing he said was play with a click every day of my life and learn to stay in the pocket.

Second was to listen and play along with Motown and some Led Zeppelin.

Then he went on about trying to land a gig, and if they like you they'll recommend you and so on and so forth.

He also talked about developing hat, kick, and snare more than anything. That staying in the pocket is the most important thing.

What are your thoughts on this? Anything you agree/disagree with?

I loved what he had to say, he seems to know what he's dealing with.

If you tune in to any Country station you'll hear exactly what he's talkin' about.

I just don't understand why Zeppelin in particular.

I think that's good advice.

FYI. In the June 07 Modern Drummer there is an article on, "How to make it in Nashville."

All that was excellent advice.

Your first job as a drummer is to keep good time. The second and third job as a drummer is to keep good time!

You must provide a good feel in the music you are playing. Listen to different genres of music and figure out what is the correct way to play those genres. Nobody want to hear Mike Portnoy-type drumming on Motown songs. Nobody want to hear Ringo-type drumming on Planet X songs.....dig?

Don't step all over the vocals with your fancy fill idea. Pick your spots carefully. Always remember you are playing a song, not a drum solo. There is nothing worse than a drummer "expressing himself" and playing to much on a particular song...it sounds like racket...and really, nobody cares anyway. People are listening to songs and lyrics, not the "stand-out" drummer. And the only reason the drummer is standing out is because he is making a bunch of noise, playing a drumfill at the end of each measure. Again, a time and place. There are musics out there that cater to busier drumming.

In any case, if you learn to GROOVE and have a deep POCKET, you will work more and get called back. Groove make the music feel good, regardless of genre. Work on your pocket. Watch, when you are laying it down a stinky 2 and 4, people will react in a positive way, I garauntee it!

The guy you were talking to is a pro, and know what he is talking about.

He said to listen to Zeppelin because Bonham had great time, feel, and pocket skills, a lot like the Motown drummers did. Listen to Zep tracks like Good Times Bad Times, The Crunge, or Misty Mountain Hop to hear it.

True. Just the style doesn't correlate with pop Country. My take on good country drumming is it's not just grooved in there, it's built in there. Musta been Fred or Jed Zeppelin.

No no, he just said he's FROM Nashville. The question was how to become a good player, not how to become a pop-country player. He's dead on. And if you need closer correlation to the genre, listen to Hot Dog on In Through the Out door, or find some of the live stuff where they FREQUENTLY would rock a country vibe in extended jams, whether it was 50s or stomp. Actually you can hear them break into Hello Marylou, Goodbye Heart on How The West Was Won, the live record on a jam in Whole Lotta Love.