I have been on the forums for a little while, not too long though and I have noticed that most of the drummers on here are either metal or jazz drummers. This got me to wondering...ok, so you can do the metal and jazz complicated stuff, but that doesnt always flow with some stuff. The real question is, can YOU keep it simple and still make it sound good. Now I know that you might have worked hard on being the most "amazing" metal or jazz drum for 100 miles and you like that title, but have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, that it doesn't have to be so complicated? I am pretty simple when I play, by choice and because I'm not all that great yet, and I have walked off stage after playing some of the easiest beats known to man and complete strangers (friends don't always count, sometimes they are too nice) and people from other bands that I don't even know have told me that I was one of the best drummers they have seen in a long time. But again, can you keep it simple and sound good or do you think you always have to be the fastest, most accurate, and most godly of all?








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I just read a great article about that yesterday, written by Steve Bowman.

I do what I can to keep things simple and it does get a lot more work. I've said this before, I've replaced more than one technically superior drummer because I lay it down and pick small spots for tasty licks. I don't do anything amazing, but people seem to like it. Lucky for me, hahaha.








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Dr. Rodney McKay wrote:

Well, I only know one thing and that is that flying darkness that eats energy can only be very, very bad.

http://www.MySpace.com/PageFive

My primary gig is a Reggae band. It doesn't usually require too much in the way of complicated arrangements except for the occasional intro or outro. Other than that, it's one drops, roots, rockers and rock steady grooves.

I play for the music. Hopefully, so does everyone else, but we know that's probably not the case. The fact is that playing a complicated rhythm may compliment the music quite nicely. A simple groove may do the same thing, but if we all approached the music from the same point of view, what would the point of music be anyway?








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nate wrote:

can you keep it simple and sound good or do you think you always have to be the ... most accurate... of all?

I did a little snip there because I don't think you can seperate simplicity from accuracy. I would think 'accuracy' is one of the basic skills of timekeeping; accuracy is essential no matter what you're playing. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your meaning though.

Everything depends on the music you're playing, to me. What does the song call for?

I think this is one of those topics that it's very hard to talk about without offending people, but it's worth a try.
Personally, I'm not drawn to 'simple' music.
I like practicing basic patterns sometimes, for a good metronome workout, but when it comes time to compose or perform music I don't like to set the parameters to 'simple.' I like to see what comes out. Why restrict your self-expression?








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Can you keep it simple? NO

Kidding... some of the most succesful drummers on the planet are one's who play simple.
The drummers who don't have their pictures in every drum magazine know to man, or top billing in band. They just quietly play on 100's of cd's, and simply play the songs.

I'm neither a metal or jazz drummer.... just plain rock I guess. For me it's not about throwing in complicated technicle licks every chance I get, it's more about the feeling of that particular song. I'd rather have a crowd of people reacting & moving to the groove, instead of a bunch of musicians standing around grading my skills.... but that's just me








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Sneaking into the lives of strangers and letting them fall apart to a new rhythm just to feel better

m wrote:

nate wrote:

can you keep it simple and sound good or do you think you always have to be the ... most accurate... of all?

I did a little snip there because I don't think you can seperate simplicity from accuracy. I would think 'accuracy' is one of the basic skills of timekeeping; accuracy is essential no matter what you're playing. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your meaning though.

Everything depends on the music you're playing, to me. What does the song call for?

I think this is one of those topics that it's very hard to talk about without offending people, but it's worth a try.
Personally, I'm not drawn to 'simple' music.
I like practicing basic patterns sometimes, for a good metronome workout, but when it comes time to compose or perform music I don't like to set the parameters to 'simple.' I like to see what comes out. Why restrict your self-expression?

To me, it's not really about playing simple, it's about not over-playing. Finding what fits a particular song and rocking it with emotion instead of thinking about the next fill you're going to do. And when that fill does come up, do you play a fill that fits with the song or is it going to stand out for the sake of being fancy? To paraphrase Omar somewhat, sometimes a part calls for a tom run that's a million miles per hour but sometimes it calls for something that's more melodic and has fewer notes.

This is the article I mentioned in my first reply; http://www.drumforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2883.

JAdrums2k wrote:

...a bunch of musicians standing around grading {everyone else's} skills...

You just described my local pretentious "scene".








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Dr. Rodney McKay wrote:

Well, I only know one thing and that is that flying darkness that eats energy can only be very, very bad.

http://www.MySpace.com/PageFive

SGarrett wrote:

To me, it's not really about playing simple, it's about not over-playing. Finding what fits a particular song and rocking it with emotion instead of thinking about the next fill you're going to do.

that's a really good way to explain it.

You never see thread's asking, "so who likes to overplay!"

Do you guys think it's possible to 'underplay?'
that's one you don't hear about too often either...








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analog missionary
M=yspace

SGarrett wrote:

You just described my local pretentious "scene".

Lotta that goin around.... it's just as bad here.








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Sneaking into the lives of strangers and letting them fall apart to a new rhythm just to feel better

[quote="nate"] I have walked off stage after playing some of the easiest beats known to man and complete strangers (friends don't always count, sometimes they are too nice) and people from other bands that I don't even know have told me that I was one of the best drummers they have seen in a long time.


I get that all the time..I think to myself..Who, me ? When the kit souds great ( um like mine does..hehe ) it's fun to play simple, as in simple for a particular piece...!!








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Not into all that competetive who's better crap..Just love to have fun when I drum..!! <|:O)

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I've never bought into that "less is more" argument. To me the question is always: Can you play what the song needs? It's pretty simple. Not every song requires mastery of a ton of rudiments, flourishing tom runs and the such. Can I? Yes, I do it all the time. And, when it's time to up the ante and get more intricate, I do that as well. It's also a differnce in knowing what your role is in the band you're playing with. If you're expected to play time and keep it simple, than you should be able to do it and do it well.

Hard to believe as it may seem, but I think that "less is more" is really just a way often for some drummers to have something to hide behind because they don't have much in chops, but they have decent meter. Meter trumps chops it is true. But, I often think that sometimes what some think of as "overplaying" is really nothing more than the drummer taking the song in another direction. And, that goes into knowing the mindset and abilities of the players you surround yourself with.








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Alden Merrill

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Atmerrill wrote:

I've never bought into that "less is more" argument. To me the question is always: Can you play what the song needs? It's pretty simple. Not every song requires mastery of a ton of rudiments, flourishing tom runs and the such. Can I? Yes, I do it all the time. And, when it's time to up the ante and get more intricate, I do that as well. It's also a differnce in knowing what your role is in the band you're playing with. If you're expected to play time and keep it simple, than you should be able to do it and do it well.

Hard to believe as it may seem, but I think that "less is more" is really just a way often for some drummers to have something to hide behind because they don't have much in chops, but they have decent meter. Meter trumps chops it is true. But, I often think that sometimes what some think of as "overplaying" is really nothing more than the drummer taking the song in another direction. And, that goes into knowing the mindset and abilities of the players you surround yourself with.

No doubt about that....
I've played in quite a few bands where the drums really pushed the music in a new direction. It just naturally fit the music without changing what made the song .....

There's also the occasional night where you just have to step it up. If someone's not playing up to par or something's just lagging. You need to kick it up just to keep people interested and keep yourself interested too.








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Sneaking into the lives of strangers and letting them fall apart to a new rhythm just to feel better

[quote="SGarrett"]

JAdrums2k wrote:

t playing simple, it's about not over-playing. Finding what fits a particular song and rocking it with emotion instead of thinking about the next fill you're going to do. And when that fill does come up, do you play a fill that fits with the song or is it going to stand out for the sake of being fancy? To paraphrase Omar somewhat, sometimes a part calls for a tom run that's a million miles per hour but sometimes it calls for something that's more melodic and has fewer notes.

JAdrums2k wrote:

...a bunch of musicians standing around grading {everyone else's} skills...

You just described my local pretentious "scene".

Hear, hear!!! You're like the brother I never had!








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\m/ Grind On \m/,

Jim
www.cardiacarrest666.com.com
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Endorsed by: Axis Percussion & Grindstix

nate wrote:

I have been on the forums for a little while, not too long though and I have noticed that most of the drummers on here are either metal or jazz drummers. This got me to wondering...ok, so you can do the metal and jazz complicated stuff, but that doesnt always flow with some stuff. The real question is, can YOU keep it simple and still make it sound good. Now I know that you might have worked hard on being the most "amazing" metal or jazz drum for 100 miles and you like that title, but have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, that it doesn't have to be so complicated? I am pretty simple when I play, by choice and because I'm not all that great yet, and I have walked off stage after playing some of the easiest beats known to man and complete strangers (friends don't always count, sometimes they are too nice) and people from other bands that I don't even know have told me that I was one of the best drummers they have seen in a long time. But again, can you keep it simple and sound good or do you think you always have to be the fastest, most accurate, and most godly of all?

I always try to be a technical as possible that way I'm always playing my hardest, that way.. I always get better.








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Metal.
www.myspace.com/legionsofassyria
www.myspace.com/mrsmashdrum
www.smyspace.com/triggermetal

i keep it pretty simple for the most part...i do some flashy fills, and some big endings, and some pretty fast/intense stuff, but i am a believer in "less is more".








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personally, I'm drawn to music with awesome* drums. I'm sure its because I'm a drummer, but even before I played the drums I always liked music with cool sounding drums. So I'd much rather to listen to a band with a drummer willing to stand out than a drummer who is there solely as the back bone. Nothing wrong with a drummer who likes to play less. But on the other end, to me, there is nothing wrong with a drummer who likes to complicate things. Of course, if you're going to complicate things, make sure you can do it well before you play it. I make the mistake all the time playing past my ability and messing up. Less now than before, but thats because I learned not to do things I can't do 100%. Anyways, back to the topic, its personal preference. I'm a drummer, I want to hear the drums and I want to think about what the drummer is doing. I don't care about the singer. Most the time I just wish they'd shut up....

*before anyone says anything, I realize you don't have to play complicated to play awesome drums, but to me complicated is awesome. I could have very well replaced the word "awesome" with "complicated" but I'm in an asterisk kind of mood today.