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Drummer Tips


rewand

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Hey Drummers, I would like to get some words of wisdom to whom would like to listen. I have played drums since I was Four and have been playing and teaching( professionaly, meaning getting payed).. for about 10 years.

 

One thing I would like to share is something that has been on my mind for a while, Drummer etiquette.

 

Doing the hard road, you and your band are playing band comps, support gigs, CD launches and other crappy stuff on the way to stardome. The one thing with doing this is you are playing along side other bands, sometimes up to five or six bands in the one gig. Anyway, your band is third on the nite and your setting up your monster kit ready to chuck on stage and blow everybody away. The band on before you are sweating their tits off on the last song, the drummer hits the last crash and their done. Your ready to go pumped with enthusiasm and you look up and the last bands drummer is still on stage, he's looking around for reconition, laughing and drinking his beer, not even thinking about whose on next, how late they are running and here's you holding on to your bass drum at the stage side waiting to get on and do your stuff.

 

Drummers out there who have experienced this are going to love it if you other guys have a tiny bit if common sense and think about the other drummers your playing with and try and get your stuff off stage and maybe even help the next person up with their drum kit. Us drummers are known to be easy to get along with and a bit of friendly help and etiquette towards other musicians goes along way.

 

Happy Drumming...............................................Rewand

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medleys are NOT clever,especially when done very,very badly.

 

check out the gladstone technique,or the moeller technique,as far as i can tell they're similar and both the ideal way to play,if not for the speed and control then for the saving of your wrists from injuries-tendonitis sucks.

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Originally posted by rewand

Hey Drummers, I would like to get some words of wisdom to whom would like to listen. I have played drums since I was Four and have been playing and teaching( professionaly, meaning getting payed).. for about 10 years.


One thing I would like to share is something that has been on my mind for a while, Drummer etiquette.


Doing the hard road, you and your band are playing band comps, support gigs, CD launches and other crappy stuff on the way to stardome. The one thing with doing this is you are playing along side other bands, sometimes up to five or six bands in the one gig. Anyway, your band is third on the nite and your setting up your monster kit ready to chuck on stage and blow everybody away. The band on before you are sweating their tits off on the last song, the drummer hits the last crash and their done. Your ready to go pumped with enthusiasm and you look up and the last bands drummer is still on stage, he's looking around for reconition, laughing and drinking his beer, not even thinking about whose on next, how late they are running and here's you holding on to your bass drum at the stage side waiting to get on and do your stuff.


Drummers out there who have experienced this are going to love it if you other guys have a tiny bit if common sense and think about the other drummers your playing with and try and get your stuff off stage and maybe even help the next person up with their drum kit. Us drummers are known to be easy to get along with and a bit of friendly help and etiquette towards other musicians goes along way.


Happy Drumming...............................................Rewand

The more common scenario I've been subjected to is the drummer who feels he has to break the entire kit down before he gets it off the stage and/or refuses your help and takes an eternity unloading the stage.:mad: But I believe in karma so these people have something coming their way that they'll find equally annoying. :D

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I usually avoid gigs like this like the plague. However, when it's opening for a national touring act and you'll be playing in front of a thousand people I'm not going to turn that down.

 

In the 2 times over the past year where I've had that opportunity, the particular club we were playing had a stage crew that made sure every band got their stuff on and off the stage as quickly as possible and helped out quite a bit. There was a bit of a cluster {censored} of band equipment off to the side of the stage and it was a little cramped but it worked quite well.

 

The better shows are run like this but it's still a minor hassle. That's the price of playing a show like that. I refuse to play in a situation of more than 2 bands unless there is a guaranteed huge crowd.

 

But, I have lived through the experience you're describing. It is plain bad etiquette.

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Originally posted by Scheming Demon

I usually avoid gigs like this like the plague. However, when it's opening for a national touring act and you'll be playing in front of a thousand people I'm not going to turn that down.


In the 2 times over the past year where I've had that opportunity, the particular club we were playing had a stage crew that made sure every band got their stuff on and off the stage as quickly as possible and helped out quite a bit. There was a bit of a cluster {censored} of band equipment off to the side of the stage and it was a little cramped but it worked quite well.


The better shows are run like this but it's still a minor hassle. That's the price of playing a show like that. I refuse to play in a situation of more than 2 bands unless there is a guaranteed huge crowd.


But, I have lived through the experience you're describing. It is plain bad etiquette.

 

When we opened for BB King, there was plenty of help to get stuff on and off the stage,,,, they put my whole bass rig on a rolling cart before the show,, and it stayed on it until I loaded it back into my car after our show,,, we parked indoors,, behind the stage,, with all the BB King tour busses,,, it was pretty cool... we got to meet KWS, Robert Cray, the folks from Indiginious, and of course,, the King of the Blues, Mr. BB King...

 

99% of our shows,, we don't have an opening act.. so set changeovers aren't an issue.... the other 1% ,, generally,, everyone is always welcome to use the backline that's already up there...although,, I prefer to use my own guitar amp(usually)...the only time it may be different is if we're opening for a national... I can't remember ever using anyone's gear who was an "elite" artist.... hmmmm,, now you got me wondering,,,, are they a little snobby?...:D

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