Metronome for the entire band?

[flanagan0718]

Hmm I'm gonna ignore these drummer comments. :-p  I hear a lot of "learn your trade" and "adaptability" being thrown around. Drummers trade is to keep tempo and structure, not to try and figure out what the guitarist feels like doing when ever he wants. (Not aimed at anyone in particular) I am both drummer and guitarist. Nothing annoyed me more as a drummer than the rogue guitar solo, and nothing annoyed me more as a guitarist than a overly structured drummer. Clicks help everyone during practice, even the guitarist! Just my opinion.:-)


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[midwayfair]

If you can't rely on your drummer playing with clic... might be time to look for another drummer.

This...been there done that.  Got the new drummer to prove it.

Apparently it's raining drummers where you guys live.

It's been two years since Midway Fair had a drummer for live shows. I've more or less given up. Our engineer played drums on the new EP. (He was the drummer for Oxes.)

[rullywowr]

If you can't rely on your drummer playing with clic... might be time to look for another drummer.

This...been there done that.  Got the new drummer to prove it.

Apparently it's raining drummers where you guys live.

It's been two years since Midway Fair had a drummer for live shows. I've more or less given up. Our engineer played drums on the new EP. (He was the drummer for Oxes.)

True, lots of drummers are around...however not to many "great ones".  When you play with a kick-ass drummer, its one of the best feelings in the world.  You pretty much can tell from the first 20 seconds of playing with a drummer if it's gonna work out.  The planets allign, the clouds part, a ray of sunshine beams down, your playing seems effortless, and you look around at the entire band to see nothing but smiles.  If/when you find a drummer like that...you gotta hold on to 'em.

[Muadzin]

Hmm I'm gonna ignore these drummer comments. :-p  I hear a lot of "learn your trade" and "adaptability" being thrown around. Drummers trade is to keep tempo and structure, not to try and figure out what the guitarist feels like doing when ever he wants. (Not aimed at anyone in particular) I am both drummer and guitarist. Nothing annoyed me more as a drummer than the rogue guitar solo, and nothing annoyed me more as a guitarist than a overly structured drummer. Clicks help everyone during practice, even the guitarist! Just my opinion.:-)

I'd say it would depend on what kind of music you want to play. If you play well structured songs, then tempo and structure are king. If you play music with lots of room for jams and loose structure, then you better damn well be prepared for rogue guitar solos and be prepared to figure out what your fellow musicians are doing.

True, lots of drummers are around...however not to many "great ones".  When you play with a kick-ass drummer, its one of the best feelings in the world.  You pretty much can tell from the first 20 seconds of playing with a drummer if it's gonna work out.  The planets allign, the clouds part, a ray of sunshine beams down, your playing seems effortless, and you look around at the entire band to see nothing but smiles.  If/when you find a drummer like that...you gotta hold on to 'em.

I've played with drummers that were exceptionally musically gifted but were truly pains in the asses to be with (both playing and private). I've played with crap drummers that were also a pain in the ass. I've had good drummers who were a pleasure to be with and I've had crap drummers who were also a pleasure to be with. Obviously the 2nd category is the one to shoot for, but I'd rather have the last category then the 1st. Doesn't matter how well talented you are, there is no excuse for being an asshole. The drummer I've had the best connection with ever was a very poor technical drummer. But when the two of us jammed together new music would flow. I often recorded our jam sessions and from one session alone I was able to create 5 new songs.

I think one of the biggest reasons so many bands go belly up is because they ditch one of the nice guys for a better musician, who is all that often not a better person. They think themselves as being professional when all they're really doing is bringing the seeds of destruction into their band.

[Chi_Boy]

Well, our drummer is actually really good and is a good guy too.  All of them are actually nice people and great musicians.  I'm actually the one that is trying really hard to keep up with them musically.   I like to think I'm nice too and that part is pretty cool. Makes practice a lot of fun.

As for our drummer, he's good and nice.  He just plays a wee bit too fast sometimes.  He even says it himself sometimes when we finish a song. 

Lots of great advice coming from a lot of experience.  From what I'm hearing it sounds like the click is the way to go.  Either PA, in ear, or synced.  I'll bounce it off of the boys and see what they think. 

Thanks again!

Cheers,
George