Subscribe or I'll steal your cymbals: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb Check out the new podcast here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drum-show/id1482650244 Playing the drums is great. We love it...right? But everything has a downside as well. Here are my top 10 most annoying things about being a drummer. What annoys you the most?
daniel p oh man, agreed. I’m just as passionate about drumming as any pianist or guitarist, but when I practice it’s annoying, lol, and I’m definitely not likely to bring my kit out to a park to serenade a lovely lady. I doubt she’d appreciate it, and there’s no way I’m carrying that much gear for romance’s sake.
Recently, my neighbor's filed a complaint to my landlord about me. For context, i live in a fully detached bungalow (like atleast 20 meters to the nearest house) and because they're old and my drumming was interrupting their afternoon nap they filed a formal complaint. I dont play after 6pm or before 8am so im not being unreasonable, they just dont like me.
Huge problem for sure! Even with an electronic kid run through headphones, people still complain about the "percussive" sounds vibrating though the paper thin modern construction.
I had to find a house with a basement. And wanted to look for one that didn’t have small children as next door neighbors. One side is a man who doesn’t mind since he is in his basement) and the other side are jerks who wake me up at 4am arguing. No worries about the jerks. I figure we are even. If the old man ever asked me to quiet down, I would just see what his schedule is so we could work with it. My old neighbor played drums constantly upstairs in his bedroom with the windows open. We both had land but our homes were next to each other. I didn’t mind with a musicians background... my father and everyone else hattteeedddd it. Neighbors didn’t mind me practicing on acoustic stringed instruments out in the woods. I’m sure if I plugged in and turned up to 11 I would have been in the same boat as my neighbor drummer. (He has a basement)
Yaaa you are so right 🤣 I switched to percussion now but the same thing happens. Waiting until the other band members finished their discussion about which chord or lyrics should be where hehe
TRUE!!! I'm apart of a School of Rock in Mason, Ohio and during our show rehearsals I can't tell you the number of times where I'm sitting there bored because people don't know their parts when they should know them. First few rehearsals, it's understandable, but I'm talking about a few rehearsals before show weekend!
This issue motivated me to build a drum rug with wood blocks (2x4 pieces about 4” square) to resist the kick drum spurs. Spurs sit behind blocks. The underside of rug has corresponding blocks (1x4) to screw top blocks into. I also installed grip tape on bottom blocks. I’ve never had a kick drum walk on me again. Rug is a typical commercial grade entry mat, 3x5’ black rubber with black carpet layer on top. Can buy these in the states at Home Depot, etc. Wood blocks are painted black.
I play with my twin brother. Its incredibly frustrating when you're jamming and playing well, finish a song and getting ready to play the next song. "Hold on just need to tune." Or worse yet, "Let me twig the effects."
This is about being a percussionist: I HATE it when people tell me, "Percussion is the easiest thing ever. You just hit stuff with a stick." Even though that's super annoying, my BIGGEST pet peeve is when wind players randomly come and randomly take the mallets/sticks and start playing the percussion instruments! Who else hates this???
Dude... jam sessions are a complete waste of time unless the sole point IS to waste time or you somehow enjoy improvising on stuff that you have never heard. If you're serious, and want to produce music, avoid them.
@@TheWitchOvAgnesi You're kidding. Half the time I play, I'm LIVE when I'm in the intro and never heard the song. They don't even tell me the BAND, much less the song. I manage. I learned from a guy great at it and it's an extremely valuable skill to have. You also get REALLY good really fast like this.
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 What in the world are you talking about? Playing covers? You're obviously not replicating the song if you've "never heard" it before. And you must be playing music that is mind-numblingly simplistic and repetitive if you can "fake" your way through it. What's the point?
I'd really recommend learning as much theory as you can. It comes in handy when you are able to pinpoint problems like those. It will also help stop the idiot drummer stereotype. You might even start being seen as a leader. :)
I have the musical vocabulary to explain it to them, but most guitarists dont generally take me seriously because Im the drummer. Ive worked with some very egotistical guitarists.
I find that the things that bother me the most are: 1. Other “drummers” who want to sit in on your kit to play a song with the band. 2. The specificity of placement for drums and cymbals and finding the right balance when setting up and tearing down. It seems like if that tom is one inch off or that cymbal is a little low our muscle memory betrays us and causes sticks to go flying. 3. Drummers are usually stuck in the back of the stage. Can’t get no respect. 4. Hot rods. They are an abomination.
Number 2 is so relatable. If a crash isn't set up exactly the way my body finds comfortable, I'll drop my sticks occasionally, or make silly little mistakes. That, and my hi hat or slave pedal taking turns to move around the stage (or even the bass drum).
@@marcusking8507 Don't be that jackass playing live on a nice jam kit, takes 20 minutes to screw with it. And STILL sucks. Play it as it lays like in golf unless it's REALLY unlive-able.
"But...how can you 'learn' to play drums? Like actually have lessons and practice and stuff? Like REALLY. It's not like learning a proper instrument, like piano or whatever. It's all basically improvised, isn't it? It's not like there's sheet music for drums, is there?!" - "No, no, there's definitely sheet music for drums." "But not like for drum KIT drums though? How would that even be possible?!" *digs out sheaf of drum scores* "What the...what the FUCK is that?"
I quit a band for that very reason.. mostly because he stopped the song because he was fucking up so bad that I was trying to compensate for him fucking up and it was fucking me up... The last straw was when he stopped the song and said to me, "Kevin, what the actual fuck?" This from a wannabe bass player with less than a year playing...
Drunk people trying to play your drums during breaks. I'm like "they cost me a lot of money man" and they're like "but you just hit them all night"...oh boy. I don't just hit them I play them!
_Other drummers_ trying to play your drums. I have some interesting marks in a couple of heads that I did _not_ put there myself.... (I'm assuming whoever did it is quite a bit taller than my 5'5".)
Goes hand in hand with people who hire you for gigs - especially weddings - where sometimes they think they own the band and all their gear for the night.
When talking to a stage manager about a venue’s back line: SM: “Just bring your cymbals, the kit is solid.” Me: “Would you mind sending spec and a few photos of said kit?” SM: “Sure.” Receive photos of something that looks like the charred remains of what MAY HAVE been a drum kit prior to a house fire.
Guitarist: Hey hey, can you play a fill like this (plays ridiculous digitally created drum fill) during the bridge? Drummer: Yeah, you got four more arms and two more legs for me?
God yes. I fucking hate guitarist trying to tell you what to do. It's clear they've never sat behind a kit but guitarists usually have their heads up their asses
Guitar player: hey man this amp is really heavy can u help me? Sure Drummer- i got 17 heavy things can you help me now? Guitar player- OHH NO NO NO i gotta git in tune or some other bullshit that takes longer than the show to avoid work
Maybe I was just lucky. . I have only played in a few bands quite a few years back. . But the other musicians always helped me "shlep" my gear in and out. And I always helped them b4 or after. . .and when the band had a following some of the regulars would help us load in and out as well😁 . . As a reward we would occasionally invite them to rehearsals. The kind of fans that help you shlep also generally sit quietly sipping a beer and don't interfere. They enjoy hanging out with and knowing the band. . . Gr8 people around music generally. . . But as I said, I think I was just lucky. .
I hate when I bring my cymbals to a gig and another drummer wants to use my cymbals that night for his or her set and they bash the crap out of them. Meanwhile, I'm in the back praying they don't break my cymbals! Lol
sammy sabbah some kid playing bongos for a group wanted to borrow my "gong" after our set. I didn't know wth he was talking about at first then he pointed to my China. I let him just because I was curious to hear where he was gonna use it in their songs since apparently him nor the drummer had a china lol. It was pretty interesting.
or you say, no you can't borrow them and get treated like your an arsehole all evening! Happened to me at my last gig and puppydog eyes from the drummer and others who judged me for it
OK, this just happened... I got home about an hour ago from a showcase/video shoot with a small audience at a somewhat upscale rehearsal room/soundstage in NYC. I was sent the set list in advance and learned any material I didn't previously know. I also was asked to sing lead on one song and backups on a few others. No problem... Sound system was all good quality stuff; Midas M32, QSC mains & monitors but, when one of the 3 front-line monitors failed, they took mine away. "You don't need it as much". Of course I reminded them that being all the way in the back of the band, I would pretty much hear nothing without a monitor. They were unfazed... THEN, about 3 tunes into the show, the leader went off the set list and started calling audibles into his microphone (which, of course I couldn't hear). THEN, he gave me the hairy eyeball when, on one song, I waited a couple of measures to come in. You can't make this stuff up...
Literally had this 2 months ago ... AT A SHOW ... this guy walks in during sound check and starts complaining that we're being too loud and tells us to turn down... i look at the guy and say "Yeah let me just find the volume switch" ... its a live music event what were you expecting!?!?
In my school they have an old Gretsch Black Hawk kit that is soooo out of tune and everytime some kid goes to play he tunes it like a grandma...has no ears and just makes things worse
When non drummers, admittedly out of the goodness of their hearts, offer to help you break down your kit after a gig. I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve been handed the upper section of a cymbal stand with said cymbal still attached, while the person holding it looks both pleased with themselves AND quizzical all at the same time
I think we need a law for UNIVERSAL hardware! Don't you LOVE messing with rusted worn-out crap in the dark and can't SEE or feel what type of hardware you're dealing with...?
Another worst: Getting house mix in your ears during sound check and then when the set starts you only have a little backup vocal and some keys. Then while trying to flag the sound man he cuts all you in ear monitor feed and replaces it with the intro track mid song. Random careless drum monitor mixes just as the show starts- YAY good times man!
Yeah, I've been sitting in on songs I didn't know.. Trying to ask what the feel/tempo should be, and they'll spend 5 minutes explaining how the 2-bar intro fill is supposed to go.
Tbh - I'd rather have non-drummers explain it to me this way than to use a veritable moodboard of adjectives, which is what usually happens. Just sing it to me, even if it sounds stupid, that gives me more to work with than 'yeah it should sound sort of Elvin-esque, but not so pushy, sorta laid-back you know?'
@@lucasroorda5929 Really? In my experience, a non-drummer 'writing tab' for me rarely goes well.. I'd much rather just know the mood/tempo/genre, and make up my own part. Even if they ARE a drummer and know exactly how the part goes, 30 sec. before the song isn't a great time to learn something new.
@@therealandrewlund yeah true, what I meant to say was that singing approximately what you want to hear works better for me than explaining it with words, if you're not a drummer. Hearing what you hear in your head helps me more with building my part than trying to find out what a singer actually means when he says "moody drum pattern" or something like it.
People don’t understand that acoustic drums are naturally loud and it’s not always just me being obnoxious!! That’s my biggest pet peeve ever!!! People around me only ever listen to drums that are in songs or that are recorded and mixed, they don’t know what being in the room is like, my parents are always like all the people on the internet are quieter, and I’m like yeah that’s because everything is mixed and you’re hearing it through a controlled speaker!!!!! SMH
Jacob Beair I enjoy the challenge of playing quiet while still making it feel good but that’s if the song suits it. It drives me nuts if they want to play a rocker and still expect me to be quiet. Pick a different fucking song😉
#1 - "Sound engineers" that don't know drummers sing, even when being told that this one will during this show. #2 - Being told to change tempo in the middle of the song/show by over excited bandmates that don't remember rehearsal.
One band I work with gives me a lot of vocals. I usually sing lead on the first song of the show. At an outdoor concert last summer, the sound guy seemed a bit stunód, but the couple of songs we played for a sound check went OK. I made a point of telling him that I sing lead on the first song and everybody else sings backup, so please have all the mics on at the beginning. With about 2000 people in the audience, we kick off the first tune and... nothing. When I asked him what happened he said, "You were in the back and I couldn't see you singing." Of course I reminded him that singing isn't something you actually see...
"You're so far to the left your not even in the song" HA! Our church moved to in-ears years ago and I provide a click channel for everyone to use out of Ableton live. Our lights (too small a church for a light guy) and the occasional Pad or aux percussion are snapped into Ableton also to fill us out. So we need to stay on grid. Most common response. "I don't like that click sound in my ear while I'm playing so I just turn it off and follow you. "Well how about intros and breakdown's where I am not playing..." "do you think you could just play something in there to keep us together like the high hat on every beat" "so play the High Hat... on every beat..., like a click..." "Ya, do that, that helps" ***head desk***
"do you think you could just play something in there to keep us together like the high hat on every beat" You probably need to do that anyway... when the audience starts clapping in "tempo", it's guaranteed that the front line will follow the claps instead of their click.
When the guitar player sets the tempo on the intro then doesn't like the tempo so they look at you and say "it's too slow(fast). I'm like, "you started it". Other things in general for me to whine about. NO MONITOR! Apparently it's just not a priority for a percussionist to have one. Have done whole gigs by watching the guitar players hands.
A good reply to something like that is "I don't have perfect pitch, is G the tonic?" (tonic is the key of the song). You'll start to figure out quickly if they're going back to the top, bridge or wherever.
I use this as needed. Duke Ellington Quote: It's not just the drummers job to keep time, it's everyones job to keep time. Great seeing you at PASIC. Keep up the great work!!
Eh, I like constructive criticism about ergonomics. However comments about lower quality cymbals are not welcome. Of course it'd sound better with HHX complex series, there's a reason I have B8...
Lots of good comments here. I can relate to the one about playing at church with a click. I don't mind not using one sometimes. But sometimes its a good idea to use it. And using in ear monitors really lets me hear just how much people have trouble keeping the beat. I'm surprised at how many people are uncomfortable or reluctant to play to a click. Learning to do so will only make you a better musician. But above all, for myself, its when some other drummer comes in and rearranges my set up or retunes the snare drum. Seriously irritating. 😬 Also, playing someone else's set. It's like wearing someone else's underwear.
At least a couple times a month someone will think they're being hilarious when they mention the key of a song or a chord and feel the need to turn to me and say, "you got that?" or "that doesn't mean anything to you!". Naturally, it has me in stitches every time...
Man, if babysitting the tempo isn't my biggest pet peave! I had a band leader tell me that I was dragging every time that I did a fill and that I "dropped 1." That gig didn't last long.
When you have a gig in a place that "has a drum set", such drumset: the heads are eight years old, the hardware its old rusty, can't adjust it or can't hold cymbals, no snare stand and of course the drum throne is a box shortes than the basa drum. Oh, abd they don't have a carpet to set up
I learned how to keep solid time from a bass player. I hate to admit that I was schooled by my bass player, but he told me how to nail that timing down around the snare drum crack. Looking back I still hate to admit that bass player taught me how to keep solid time, but that's my story.
Great video! Here are a few in no particular order... 1. Everyone else in the band thinks they are your boss. 2. You hear a problem with the harmonic part of the music, tell the band politely, but they don't believe you (because you're the drummer). 3. The band doesn't bother to tell you which song is next, they just start playing. 3a. The bandleader has a discussion with other band members that you can't hear about which song to play next. When you ask what it is, he says "rock" or "shuffle" or whatever instead of the name of the tune... 4. "Bring your smallest kit" then the guy who called you shows up with an 88-key, 2 tier keyboard rig and 2 amps. 5. You are given a "load-in time", but there's no crew to load you in. 6. You sing, but are not given a monitor. 6a. You don't sing, but are not given a monitor. 6b. You sing, but have to ask 6 times for a mic (despite the fact that it was discussed in advance). 6c. You sing, finally get the mic you asked for, test it, but the sound man doesn't turn it on during the show. 6d. You always get the broken boom stand for your vocal mic. There are more, but I'll save them for another time... Cheers!
Small spaces and small drum risers! Uneven surfaces. Not having a monitor. Band leaders who suck at leading a band. Guitarists who expect me to listen to the back of their amp all night. Everyone offers to help load out while I’m packing up but, they are gone when I’m loading out.
things I hated... I'm doing a recording gig and we spend a couple of hours recording and trying to figure aout where in the HELL the rumble is coming from... and we're filtering and cutting and moving mics and changing cables... and one of the techs comes in from lunch and asksif we knew that there was a tractor trailer sitting out front idling. I'm on another recording session and the lead guitarist (Preeema) is telling the recording knob guy to crank the click because we're not in the pocket... and I'm saying Please turn the click down and turn the two guitars down because THEY aren't in the pocket.... I have blood coming out of my tear ducts... we argue.... I get done and leave because "Being the drummer I certainly can't know what I'm talking about" ....that band broke up only a few weeks later.... I thought about those guys a few weeks ago... (the singer and the bass player weren't GREAT musicians, but they were good... and nice peeps) and I found the recordings.... The lead guitarist ... horrible pocket.... but what do I know I pull up to the gig... (fancy hotel in Washington DC a few blocks from the White House ..Yeeeeears Ogo) I load up my 4 wheel hand cart and I get three steps into the lobby heading for the elevator...when the Matre D Nazi says... "Sir, the help comes in through the back"... ( as in 3 flights of steps) ... ok the good part ... I ignored him. Same gig... it's a big band... wedding reception ... black tie... The band is very good but the Guy singer thinks He's Barbara Streisand... One of the band leaders calls "Memories" from Cats... and it's an instant train cluster.... I'm playing in threes.... and the singer turns back and yells "Society!!!".... and the bass player is mouthing ... "2 beat".... oooh.... thx for the heads up Different gig in either Potomac MD or Cheddar Cheese... another money gig... summery saturday afternoon .... and somebody says... "Oh and we're going to have the band set up over there ".... as in... in the middle of the freakin tennis court.... (I had my Rogers Red Onyx drum set) ...I told the boss yea... no...... they moved us Another gig ...I'm still in college ... I drive almost two hours to get to our "almost" every Friday and Saturday evening house band gig in Potomac MD .... My 1974 datsun wagon has no A/C... so my M.O. is 1) get there early... 2) get my stuff in... 3) get in to the bathroom to break out my wash cloth and do a spit bath and re-deordorise... so i can put on my tux without being radio active... and the boss tries to tell me that even tho I'm there at 6:30 for an 8:00 start... i need to be in my tux when I get in to the parking lot.... nnnooop. I did a reception at the Kennedy Center for the Opening night of "All That Jazz"... Butch Miles was the drummer in the "Pit" and was asked to sit in... at the reception....on my kit..... I officially suck I toured with a "Version" of one of the famous 50s groups.... Great Pretender... Smoke gets in your eyes... 5 band members... 6 singers... we get to the gig and its raining.... guess who hauls all of the equipment 5 guys) vs who walks in and sips drinks ( 6 guys)... I bailed in under 2 months. The WORST thing.... I played with guys who kicked my butt every night... ( a lot of the players from the DC versions of the (Navy) "Comms", (Air Force) "The Note" and some DC gunslingers) .. but they kept calling me back.. I went home bruised up a lot.... and I miss them and that time so dearly. I hated being the weakest link.... but I REALLY couldn't stand being the best musician in a band and getting paid $40.
Nailed it on moving drums. There's a bar in Wyoming where you play upstairs and the steps are covered in four inch deep encapsulated foam! Lots of fun going up.
I'm glad you brought up "drum face" and glad to know it's not just me. I've heard so many comments about my tongue sticking out of the corner of my mouth and such that I've actually thought of setting up a few cheap cymbals and stands that I have from long ago out in front of me just to block the view. lol
"Play quieter!" So I turn down an imaginary volume switch, and ask the smartash if that is better! Had one guy tell this band I helped get started that he wasn't going to play with me in the band anymore, because I played too loud. I asked what the hell did he expect, with his amps and speakers blasting in my ears?!!! He was just scamming to get a duet act going with the lead singer, that was all. He was told by her to take a hike!! As for non-drummers telling you how to do your job; I always stand up, hand them the sticks, and tell them to park their butt back there, and show me how it's done. Otherwise, SHADDUP!!! And lastly, like was said about other band members & singers saying the drummer is throwing them off time: I know a few like that. I say they couldn't keep a steady tempo if they had a metronome shoved up their backside!! I have pointed out to them how they seem to have a problem, but I then play with others, and we're spot on! But I might as well yell at a tree. But I've been a musician for 50 years, and I have learned to let a lot of that roll off my back.
That triangle one 😂. I have to play the triangle in this piece in my school orchestra and the other day in rehearsal I had zoned out completely and just forgot to play any of my part. It's also annoying when my friends say they want to jam so we go to the drum room and one starts playing guitar another singing and one on piano and then I drum and am called annoying and told not to play...
Had a sound guy come up once and say he wanted to cut a hole in my bd head to stick a mic in. I was like, sure, if I can weld the mic cable to your sound board. ...Problem went away.
Right now, my band is playing 7 Nation Army and it’s so easy on drums, but our bassist can’t be bothered to practice so he’s terrible but apparently it’s all my fault because ‘I’m going to fast’ or ‘that snare was in the wrong place’, and I’m like bruh what is a snare I bet you don’t know and then he pointed at the ride and I was like ‘Your telling me that I got that snare in the wrong place, yet you don’t even know what a snare is’ And people say being a drummer is easy. Like yeah, you hit things with pieces f wood but it’s way harder than that. And you’ve got to put up with singers who bring tambourines in a metal song and guitarists who only let you play 3 bars because they do the solo.
I will never forget when I was subbing for a friend. We get on stage and the female singer sets her drink on the top of my bass drum and leaves it there. If I would have had a gun she would not be around this day. It was a brand new kit with a beautiful pearl finish. I later spoke my mind and dropped her mic in a beer bucket!!! Vincent D
My dad told me of some ofhis band members who played percussion in the local symphony orchestra, having only a minor part in the second half of the concert they would go get hammered, come back and miss the part.
Sure it is. So just sit down, here are the sticks, now your left foot does one thing, your right foot does something else. Your right hand does this and your left hand does that. Got it ? Wait ! What ? You don t know how to hold the sticks ? It s E Z.
Ha! Jens Hannemann (Fred Armisen) demonstrating "Polynesian Nightmare". Fun fact: Fred was in Blue Man Group and the footage for these mock clinics were all filmed in the Blue Man Group 3rd Street Production space in NYC...they used pretty much every drum in that production space for those videos. Stephen, I love your videos, brother, and you're a great player as well. Much continued success to you!
Excellent video and grooves. I would add: Men who, after a few beers, walk up to the kit in intermission intending to sit down and "have a go". They don't ask, they just walk up. If someone does ask if they can "have a go with your drums" my stock response is "Only if I can have a go with your girlfriend" Also, being delayed on the way to a gig only to find your bandmates have left ZERO space on stage for you Also bandmates turning up at rehearsal unprepared, and if you point out that you've taken the time to learn the song, they say "Yeah, but yours is the easiest bit!" Also, singers who play to their own internal clock and don't follow the drums. I see this A LOT in theatre productions On the plus side, I love it when people, especially singers, underestimate me. Especially when a show is being filmed, where my Kieth Moon impression will guarantee the camera's pointing at me, not them. Childish I know, but a whole lot of fun!
Always be aware of where the camera is. If you make a cool expression or movement at the right time, the editor will use it. I wouldn't say childish... a bit mischievous maybe, and definitely fun!
B.B.Rimshot had a floor tom stolen one night from a gig. After that I never let other bands use my set just because "hey it's already micd up and sound checked". Yea buddy fuck you my shit gets packed and locked up soon as the last song I play is over.
I've gotten a lot of shit for not sharing my set. Or for not leaving it setup in somebody's basement, bar whatever. BUT...I've never "lost" any gear unlike my guitar buddies who are so "generous".
Same here, they wanted to use my kit in a gig, few guys came and took my kit but while returning nobody seemed to be bothered or interested, cursed them all in the face and never let anyone use it thereafter, I straight up deny these days
The getting called out about being off beat when its someone else's fault really hit home. I loved being in the band in high school and ended up quitting for this reason. The director had a hard on for the trumpets and refused to acknowledge that they were off beat and kept blaming the percussion section and me specifically. I got sick of it and walked out and never looked back. He didn't understand why I quit after he came and found me and talked to me about it...
Really good one, Stephen! Back when I was gigging regularly, I had a tendency to speed up, so many of the tempo mistakes WERE mine. In my defense, we were a cover band whose main purpose was to get people dancing. If the crowd was up and moving, it made sense to me to push it a little during, say, the sax solos in Junior Walker's "Shotgun". You're dead-on about the gear. Luckily for me, my kit's been safely parked in my basement drum room for 22 years now. Here's my pet peeve about being a drummer: People assume either that you're some sort of savage at heart (the Muppets played a big role here), or they think, at least, that playing drums involves hitting things really hard. Just recently, in fact, I received some bad news from someone. After we'd talked for a while, his parting words to me were "I'm glad I'm not your drums tonight." I wanted to tell him that it's more about technique and finesse. But what are ya gonna do? Thanks for a fun video, Stephen.
When you're playing in a little venue, and you have to play really quietly event though you're playing rock or metal, while the other musicians can have fun
I remember those days, my thought was to just play really tight and in the pocket while staying hyper-focused on the different parts of the song really connecting to the song.
Every time I had band practise (small orchestra) I set up all the equipment (all of it, including the bass and stands for all the players) but I was never allowed to move the drums before playing. I also had to set up other percussion instruments for other band members that never showed up, eventually I got sick and tired of it and I decided to quit.
10 worst things about being a drummer according to me, Dropping sticks when playing Tuning your drumset (especially if its a bad drumset) Setting up the drums and tearing it down Smacking your fingers on the snare Hitting cymbals too hard till they crack And the last Watching other drummers who are better than you Thanks for the video Stephen! Loved it!
So glad you mentioned band's telling drummers they are the reason why it's speeding up or slowing down. SO many examples . And yep best way to shut them up is to have them play to a metronome !! Becomes real obvious to those of us who actually practice with metronomes !!
One guitarist I used to be in a band with admitted to me that he never actually listened to my drumming while we were playing together. It’s amazing that we were ever in time with each other.
My band always tell me to shove it when I try to suggest or write songs because I'm just the drummer and apparently incapable of understanding music theory or song structure.
Triangle yes ! I played timpani and had a 125 measure rest before my big solo , during practice i'd fall asleep because i also had a night job playing drums at a club... eventually had to give up the timpani job because of conflicting gigs.
That moments when you are playing in a band with a lot of people and evereyone has their own ideal tempo for the song. It would be like one player says to go faster and another at the same time to go slower.
this drives me nuts !! Or when others tell me what and how to play . FFS , I'm not telling the guitarist how to play the freaking riff or the solo , don't tell me how to play my part !
Someone mentioned a practice space where you don’t piss off the neighbors. Definitely ran into that one a lot until I got to the place where I live now. But babysitting the tempo is definitely my top one as well.
I am a guitarist Saturday I was born. But I absolutely love the drums. So I bought myself a set, and I enjoy the crap out of it but I don’t know if I necessarily want to look my set to every single gig. but I’m just teaching myself to keep time as the one in the back of the band as opposed to the guy upfront on lead guitar and rip off a lick whenever he wants .. keeping the time for the band,... it’s a lot harder than it looks.
Ok, this has happened several times. My band plays wrong in the middle of a song when we’re playing live and they blame it on me because they say that I play wrong, when I’m actually playing everything right!
To go along with extra percussion thing, when I played a Woodstock tribute show with school of rock Mason, we had all the extra cast members who weren't playing all go and grab some percussion instruments and play along. Tbh it was kinda fun, but it got annoying when it felt like they were overpowering the song
This was great. My biggest pet peeve is the equipment issue, and trying to play and a respectable noise level when practicing as to not irritate others
Another one (YMMV) the space you take up on stage. Of course some guitar players will have big sets of amps and stomp boxes and keyboards definitely can take up space, especially full 88 note stage pianos, actual pianos or Hammond organs. But for simple bar bands we usually take up the most space.
• The feeling that practice time is disturbing someone, and even if they don't complain, you think they're just being nice to support you. but deep down, they'd be thrilled if you skipped a practice day. • Sweaty drum throne butt. Vinyl doesn't breath, so why do they make drum throne cushions out of it? • The amount of space it takes to have a kit. In most cases, you need an extra room that isn't being used for anything else. There's a current housing shortage in many cities in the US so renting/buying a place with an extra room you'll never need for anything else can be difficult.
Been a drummer many decades Steve and my head is shaking yes to everything. But one thing I found is if I have a top shelf bass player then I don't have a problem. He keeps me spot on as I do him. I've had bad ones and I've had superb ones. When I have a good one our instruments compliment each other. Just my opinion. And great channel Steve. I've just subscribed.
Subscribe or I'll steal your cymbals: bit.ly/2AyH1Fb
Check out the new podcast here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drum-show/id1482650244
Playing the drums is great. We love it...right? But everything has a downside as well. Here are my top 10 most annoying things about being a drummer.
What annoys you the most?
You don't wanna are my cymbals. It's not Zildjian. It's Sabian. Haha
When people ask you to play like Mike Portnoy and you’ve only been drumming for 15 years
H4RMON1ZE I’ve been playing for 7 years YES 7 and a guy came to me and said “play Hot For teacher and then imitate Portnoy” I walked away😂
NO DON'T STEAL MY CYMBALS. I enjoy you lessons keep it up.
When the rest of the band says your drumming to loud when your not 😕
You've missed out the biggest issue: finding a place to practice and dont bother anyone. Huuuuge problem..
daniel p oh man, agreed. I’m just as passionate about drumming as any pianist or guitarist, but when I practice it’s annoying, lol, and I’m definitely not likely to bring my kit out to a park to serenade a lovely lady. I doubt she’d appreciate it, and there’s no way I’m carrying that much gear for romance’s sake.
I think this is the number 1 problem of most drummers out there including myself...
Recently, my neighbor's filed a complaint to my landlord about me. For context, i live in a fully detached bungalow (like atleast 20 meters to the nearest house) and because they're old and my drumming was interrupting their afternoon nap they filed a formal complaint. I dont play after 6pm or before 8am so im not being unreasonable, they just dont like me.
Huge problem for sure! Even with an electronic kid run through headphones, people still complain about the "percussive" sounds vibrating though the paper thin modern construction.
I had to find a house with a basement. And wanted to look for one that didn’t have small children as next door neighbors. One side is a man who doesn’t mind since he is in his basement) and the other side are jerks who wake me up at 4am arguing. No worries about the jerks. I figure we are even. If the old man ever asked me to quiet down, I would just see what his schedule is so we could work with it.
My old neighbor played drums constantly upstairs in his bedroom with the windows open. We both had land but our homes were next to each other. I didn’t mind with a musicians background... my father and everyone else hattteeedddd it. Neighbors didn’t mind me practicing on acoustic stringed instruments out in the woods. I’m sure if I plugged in and turned up to 11 I would have been in the same boat as my neighbor drummer. (He has a basement)
When the other musicians don't know the songs before practice. Because that leaves me sitting for 90% of the practice doing absolutely nothing. 😂👌
And I just kept quiet because I thought I might be overreacting. Thank you!
Yaaa you are so right 🤣 I switched to percussion now but the same thing happens. Waiting until the other band members finished their discussion about which chord or lyrics should be where hehe
So true 😷💀
TRUE!!! I'm apart of a School of Rock in Mason, Ohio and during our show rehearsals I can't tell you the number of times where I'm sitting there bored because people don't know their parts when they should know them. First few rehearsals, it's understandable, but I'm talking about a few rehearsals before show weekend!
My equipment slowly walking away from me as I play lol
Rory Smith walking drums are the WORST
especially the kick drum
@@attempt58 I decided years ago - a square of carpet t is part of the kit!
if you didn't notice i was kidding
This issue motivated me to build a drum rug with wood blocks (2x4 pieces about 4” square) to resist the kick drum spurs. Spurs sit behind blocks. The underside of rug has corresponding blocks (1x4) to screw top blocks into. I also installed grip tape on bottom blocks. I’ve never had a kick drum walk on me again. Rug is a typical commercial grade entry mat, 3x5’ black rubber with black carpet layer on top. Can buy these in the states at Home Depot, etc. Wood blocks are painted black.
Missed one: the temptation to play while the guitarist is tuning
That doesn't suck, it's always fun to piss of a guitar player
@@camron7910 you like the piss of a guitar player? gross
@@mckayhigley9287 I mean it does feel good😏😏
I play with my twin brother. Its incredibly frustrating when you're jamming and playing well, finish a song and getting ready to play the next song. "Hold on just need to tune." Or worse yet, "Let me twig the effects."
😂
Everyone thinks they can play the drums and that you have the easiest instrument.
Except for those that have sat behind your kit for 30 seconds and tried it themselves ;)
Its actually the most difficult to make music. But easiest to make noise.
Terrence N Banbury yeah you just gotta tap it with a stick an Bam you've got sound
Untill they actually get behind the kit
I was thinking about this the whole video
This is about being a percussionist: I HATE it when people tell me, "Percussion is the easiest thing ever. You just hit stuff with a stick."
Even though that's super annoying, my BIGGEST pet peeve is when wind players randomly come and randomly take the mallets/sticks and start playing the percussion instruments!
Who else hates this???
Say to the wind player, "Put down the sticks, blow my Skin Flute!"
Percussion is hitting stuff with sticks and *technique*.
We one time spent half of a 48 minute rehearsal for one of our pieces on every one else's clapping part
Maybe you should turn them on to Allah Rakha!
Same
All of your friends posting "amazing 8 year old drummer covers (whatever song)" to your social media pages....
This one hit me
Kids always look so concentrated when they're drumming
Or anyone younger than you already better at playing than you are leaves you dead confused XD
Child prodigy drummers are so annoying to see
So true!
When you’re jamming with someone and they only want to play songs you don’t know, then just expect you to learn the song immediately.
Yes
Dude... jam sessions are a complete waste of time unless the sole point IS to waste time or you somehow enjoy improvising on stuff that you have never heard. If you're serious, and want to produce music, avoid them.
@@TheWitchOvAgnesi You're kidding. Half the time I play, I'm LIVE when I'm in the intro and never heard the song.
They don't even tell me the BAND, much less the song.
I manage. I learned from a guy great at it and it's an extremely valuable skill to have.
You also get REALLY good really fast like this.
@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 What in the world are you talking about? Playing covers? You're obviously not replicating the song if you've "never heard" it before. And you must be playing music that is mind-numblingly simplistic and repetitive if you can "fake" your way through it. What's the point?
Amen
When you hear a mistake by someone in the band but you don't have the musical vocabulary to explain it to them.
This is so freakin true man!! Ugh happens almost on a weekly basis
I'd really recommend learning as much theory as you can. It comes in handy when you are able to pinpoint problems like those. It will also help stop the idiot drummer stereotype. You might even start being seen as a leader. :)
When you hear a mistake by someone in the band, you *DO* have the musical vocabulary to explain it to them but they *DON'T* .
I have the musical vocabulary to explain it to them, but most guitarists dont generally take me seriously because Im the drummer. Ive worked with some very egotistical guitarists.
@@jakegreene4313 Very much agreed!!!
I find that the things that bother me the most are:
1. Other “drummers” who want to sit in on your kit to play a song with the band.
2. The specificity of placement for drums and cymbals and finding the right balance when setting up and tearing down. It seems like if that tom is one inch off or that cymbal is a little low our muscle memory betrays us and causes sticks to go flying.
3. Drummers are usually stuck in the back of the stage. Can’t get no respect.
4. Hot rods. They are an abomination.
You sure about that 3?
Number 2 is so relatable.
If a crash isn't set up exactly the way my body finds comfortable, I'll drop my sticks occasionally, or make silly little mistakes.
That, and my hi hat or slave pedal taking turns to move around the stage (or even the bass drum).
Fuckin hot rods
I like rods... its like playing with air that makes noise.
@@marcusking8507 Don't be that jackass playing live on a nice jam kit, takes 20 minutes to screw with it.
And STILL sucks.
Play it as it lays like in golf unless it's REALLY unlive-able.
You just know those 6 downvotes are butthurt guitarists who are still convinced that the tempo issues are always the drummer's fault...
Art Ralston lol
I tell em " If I own the tempo, then you are always wrong." Quite simple actually.
"But...how can you 'learn' to play drums? Like actually have lessons and practice and stuff? Like REALLY. It's not like learning a proper instrument, like piano or whatever. It's all basically improvised, isn't it? It's not like there's sheet music for drums, is there?!"
- "No, no, there's definitely sheet music for drums."
"But not like for drum KIT drums though? How would that even be possible?!"
*digs out sheaf of drum scores*
"What the...what the FUCK is that?"
its easy, you just play it
Always fun when the guitarist goes, "Just play this, bap boo bada bam boom bop crashhh"
i understand that tho
as a "drummer" i do that too
Oh fuck, so relatable 😂😂😂
Yyyeeesss
"Hey, man. Play a drum solo. Just go crazy." Followed by drum influenced vocal sound effects demonstrating a drum solo.
that is harder to say out loud with my mouth, let alone with sticks!
When you bust a knuckle on your snare rim. That’s the WORST
You haven't cracked your own thigh or smacked yourself in the head yet, huh? Lol
You’re finally experiencing “full contact drumming”. I have tee shirts if you’re interested.
Welcome to the Kumite. It’s definitely a blood sport
I had a nutshot by one of my drum sticks when practicing. That hurt quite badly.
or cutting your fingers on cymbals trying to choke them
Trying to be polite when the guitarist has no sense of time
I quit a band for that very reason.. mostly because he stopped the song because he was fucking up so bad that I was trying to compensate for him fucking up and it was fucking me up... The last straw was when he stopped the song and said to me, "Kevin, what the actual fuck?" This from a wannabe bass player with less than a year playing...
Keeping a steady meter while waiting for the guitarist to get back in time.
Yes omg I hate this too
Or humor
I tried polite, but I don’t know if this one dude has a single drop of musicians blood in him. Always playing then dropping like, wait a second boi.
THE COST OF BEING A DRUMMER.
Where else cam you see a cheap kit for 399.99 (Sonor Martini)and leave 1,600 in the hole? Hardware, pedals, and Paiste jelly bean cymbals. And heads.
Drunk people trying to play your drums during breaks. I'm like "they cost me a lot of money man" and they're like "but you just hit them all night"...oh boy. I don't just hit them I play them!
My mates a drummer and he is really good , can he come and play some songs with your band ...... That one always gets me wound up ....
_Other drummers_ trying to play your drums. I have some interesting marks in a couple of heads that I did _not_ put there myself....
(I'm assuming whoever did it is quite a bit taller than my 5'5".)
Goes hand in hand with people who hire you for gigs - especially weddings - where sometimes they think they own the band and all their gear for the night.
I've threatened beatings at times lol
Yup had that until i launched him ...he never did it again 👊doosh
When talking to a stage manager about a venue’s back line:
SM: “Just bring your cymbals, the kit is solid.”
Me: “Would you mind sending spec and a few photos of said kit?”
SM: “Sure.”
Receive photos of something that looks like the charred remains of what MAY HAVE been a drum kit prior to a house fire.
The. Kit. Is. NEVER. Solid.
lol
The only thing that’s ever solid about 99% of back line kits are the floorboards beneath them.. MAYBE.
Absolutely love your channel!
@@StephenTaylorDrums No it is not! lol
@@StephenTaylorDrums disagree. I've played some real gig pigs at school or Jan nites or spaces. Didn't look so hot but usually sound excellent
Guitarist: Hey hey, can you play a fill like this (plays ridiculous digitally created drum fill) during the bridge?
Drummer: Yeah, you got four more arms and two more legs for me?
Yeah! Or they beat box some rhythm vocally that I'm supposed to do. WTH?!
Yes
God yes. I fucking hate guitarist trying to tell you what to do. It's clear they've never sat behind a kit but guitarists usually have their heads up their asses
If they want beatbox rhythms, get a beatbox. If they want to play with contraptions and not musicians, do so. But dont disrespect percussionists.
Seriously? If you can’t play a simple beat that comes out of a stupid guitar players mouth than what even are you?
Guitar player: hey man this amp is really heavy can u help me? Sure
Drummer- i got 17 heavy things can you help me now?
Guitar player- OHH NO NO NO i gotta git in tune or some other bullshit that takes longer than the show to avoid work
Maybe I was just lucky. . I have only played in a few bands quite a few years back. . But the other musicians always helped me "shlep" my gear in and out. And I always helped them b4 or after. . .and when the band had a following some of the regulars would help us load in and out as well😁 . . As a reward we would occasionally invite them to rehearsals. The kind of fans that help you shlep also generally sit quietly sipping a beer and don't interfere. They enjoy hanging out with and knowing the band. . . Gr8 people around music generally. . . But as I said, I think I was just lucky. .
I hate when I bring my cymbals to a gig and another drummer wants to use my cymbals that night for his or her set and they bash the crap out of them. Meanwhile, I'm in the back praying they don't break my cymbals! Lol
Completely agree! That crap drives me NUTZ!
JOEY DOESN’T SHARE CYMBALS!
sammy sabbah some kid playing bongos for a group wanted to borrow my "gong" after our set. I didn't know wth he was talking about at first then he pointed to my China. I let him just because I was curious to hear where he was gonna use it in their songs since apparently him nor the drummer had a china lol. It was pretty interesting.
or you say, no you can't borrow them and get treated like your an arsehole all evening! Happened to me at my last gig and puppydog eyes from the drummer and others who judged me for it
that'S why as drummers we act selfish
OK, this just happened... I got home about an hour ago from a showcase/video shoot with a small audience at a somewhat upscale rehearsal room/soundstage in NYC. I was sent the set list in advance and learned any material I didn't previously know. I also was asked to sing lead on one song and backups on a few others. No problem...
Sound system was all good quality stuff; Midas M32, QSC mains & monitors but, when one of the 3 front-line monitors failed, they took mine away. "You don't need it as much". Of course I reminded them that being all the way in the back of the band, I would pretty much hear nothing without a monitor. They were unfazed... THEN, about 3 tunes into the show, the leader went off the set list and started calling audibles into his microphone (which, of course I couldn't hear). THEN, he gave me the hairy eyeball when, on one song, I waited a couple of measures to come in. You can't make this stuff up...
“Oh, you don’t need to bring your kit with you. We already have a house kit.”
Lol. At that point you know the kit is trash and bring your own anyways.
Pisses me off!!! But I really hate when I’m forced to play shitty electronic kits
House kits suck, the one my drum teachers boss provides is absolute trash
A really great, really crappy kit. Old heads, lousy hardware with stripped threads, crappy pedals, missing lugs and screws, cracked cymbals, really wobbly stool/throne.
What about "you can play my kit but don't adjust anything"
"Can you play quieter?" I hate that one.
Literally had this 2 months ago ... AT A SHOW ... this guy walks in during sound check and starts complaining that we're being too loud and tells us to turn down... i look at the guy and say "Yeah let me just find the volume switch" ... its a live music event what were you expecting!?!?
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME
My mother always says this to me and I'm like: "No mum, I can't. I said you this yesterday!
I'm not allowed to play open high hats 😢
Same here on my band everyone says that. Like i mean the song was a metal song =_= what do you expect?!?!?
The worst : shared kits with «drummers» who never learnt how to tune nor thought about how a kit is meant to be placed in space...
In my school they have an old Gretsch Black Hawk kit that is soooo out of tune and everytime some kid goes to play he tunes it like a grandma...has no ears and just makes things worse
When non drummers, admittedly out of the goodness of their hearts, offer to help you break down your kit after a gig.
I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve been handed the upper section of a cymbal stand with said cymbal still attached, while the person holding it looks both pleased with themselves AND quizzical all at the same time
DarthAnubis1138 hahaha! This is truth!
I think we need a law for UNIVERSAL hardware!
Don't you LOVE messing with rusted worn-out crap in the dark and can't SEE or feel what type of hardware you're dealing with...?
And you forgot how drunk they are.
Another worst: Getting house mix in your ears during sound check and then when the set starts you only have a little backup vocal and some keys. Then while trying to flag the sound man he cuts all you in ear monitor feed and replaces it with the intro track mid song. Random careless drum monitor mixes just as the show starts- YAY good times man!
"It goes something like, dum dummy dum dum diddy dum dim dim dum did, then goes dum at the end". *sighs in drummer face*
Yeah, I've been sitting in on songs I didn't know.. Trying to ask what the feel/tempo should be, and they'll spend 5 minutes explaining how the 2-bar intro fill is supposed to go.
Tbh - I'd rather have non-drummers explain it to me this way than to use a veritable moodboard of adjectives, which is what usually happens. Just sing it to me, even if it sounds stupid, that gives me more to work with than 'yeah it should sound sort of Elvin-esque, but not so pushy, sorta laid-back you know?'
@@lucasroorda5929 Really? In my experience, a non-drummer 'writing tab' for me rarely goes well.. I'd much rather just know the mood/tempo/genre, and make up my own part. Even if they ARE a drummer and know exactly how the part goes, 30 sec. before the song isn't a great time to learn something new.
@@therealandrewlund yeah true, what I meant to say was that singing approximately what you want to hear works better for me than explaining it with words, if you're not a drummer. Hearing what you hear in your head helps me more with building my part than trying to find out what a singer actually means when he says "moody drum pattern" or something like it.
When you’re trying to practice and the “drums are too loud”
People don’t understand that acoustic drums are naturally loud and it’s not always just me being obnoxious!! That’s my biggest pet peeve ever!!! People around me only ever listen to drums that are in songs or that are recorded and mixed, they don’t know what being in the room is like, my parents are always like all the people on the internet are quieter, and I’m like yeah that’s because everything is mixed and you’re hearing it through a controlled speaker!!!!! SMH
Jacob Beair I enjoy the challenge of playing quiet while still making it feel good but that’s if the song suits it. It drives me nuts if they want to play a rocker and still expect me to be quiet. Pick a different fucking song😉
To help this issue I play with jazz sticks and to be a lot quieter, I play with light to medium Hot Rods.
Aaaaa man you are so right😠
#1 - "Sound engineers" that don't know drummers sing, even when being told that this one will during this show.
#2 - Being told to change tempo in the middle of the song/show by over excited bandmates that don't remember rehearsal.
One band I work with gives me a lot of vocals. I usually sing lead on the first song of the show. At an outdoor concert last summer, the sound guy seemed a bit stunód, but the couple of songs we played for a sound check went OK. I made a point of telling him that I sing lead on the first song and everybody else sings backup, so please have all the mics on at the beginning. With about 2000 people in the audience, we kick off the first tune and... nothing. When I asked him what happened he said, "You were in the back and I couldn't see you singing." Of course I reminded him that singing isn't something you actually see...
@@CardinalEgan Yup, I've been there.
"You're so far to the left your not even in the song" HA! Our church moved to in-ears years ago and I provide a click channel for everyone to use out of Ableton live. Our lights (too small a church for a light guy) and the occasional Pad or aux percussion are snapped into Ableton also to fill us out. So we need to stay on grid. Most common response. "I don't like that click sound in my ear while I'm playing so I just turn it off and follow you. "Well how about intros and breakdown's where I am not playing..." "do you think you could just play something in there to keep us together like the high hat on every beat" "so play the High Hat... on every beat..., like a click..." "Ya, do that, that helps" ***head desk***
this one right here
*You're. *There
@@attempt58 LOL, do you spend you're days corecting the gramor on posts of drumer's! Good Luck
You should be on top.
"do you think you could just play something in there to keep us together like the high hat on every beat" You probably need to do that anyway... when the audience starts clapping in "tempo", it's guaranteed that the front line will follow the claps instead of their click.
When the guitar player sets the tempo on the intro then doesn't like the tempo so they look at you and say "it's too slow(fast). I'm like, "you started it". Other things in general for me to whine about. NO MONITOR! Apparently it's just not a priority for a percussionist to have one. Have done whole gigs by watching the guitar players hands.
Bull's Eye...and "you have gotten much louder during the chorus".
The cajone thing for sure...
Hate em.
When the rest of the band says "let's go back to the G after the 1st chorus"
A good reply to something like that is "I don't have perfect pitch, is G the tonic?" (tonic is the key of the song). You'll start to figure out quickly if they're going back to the top, bridge or wherever.
When you are warming up but the guitarist shushes you
Me: *distorted kungfu panda face*
For me its my Bassist. Always the first to whinge at me for warming up ... always the first to play over us talking lol
maybe he was tuning up.
@@attempt58 Most electric guitar tuners I know are connected by cable, so no need for silence.
800x yes. SO much and issue when we are starting a jam/practice sesh in drop D
NOOOO!
Its when you are trying to tune and the drummer wont shut up!
I use this as needed. Duke Ellington Quote: It's not just the drummers job to keep time, it's everyones job to keep time. Great seeing you at PASIC. Keep up the great work!!
Great to see you as well David!
When another drummer gets behind your kit and proceeds to tell you that all of your heads and cymbals are bad and wrong.
Eh, I like constructive criticism about ergonomics. However comments about lower quality cymbals are not welcome.
Of course it'd sound better with HHX complex series, there's a reason I have B8...
Thats where the phrase "ok then just use your own" comes into play
First comment like that and he's getting off MY throne. Pronto.
no man it's just your opinion. I don't care what you think about my cymbals and heads. I like these. Cange my mind i dare you
I ask for financial donations and let them know I accept cash, debit cards, and paypal.
I love the old video of Fred Armisen you inserted at 1:03. "Hopefully you have the 17 toms" priceless
Lots of good comments here. I can relate to the one about playing at church with a click. I don't mind not using one sometimes. But sometimes its a good idea to use it. And using in ear monitors really lets me hear just how much people have trouble keeping the beat. I'm surprised at how many people are uncomfortable or reluctant to play to a click. Learning to do so will only make you a better musician.
But above all, for myself, its when some other drummer comes in and rearranges my set up or retunes the snare drum. Seriously irritating. 😬
Also, playing someone else's set. It's like wearing someone else's underwear.
I dunno about you, but I'm not moving drums if I can flail on someone else's stuff to get banged up.
People that don’t want to use them are most always the one in the band that drops time every 8 bars or so.
At least a couple times a month someone will think they're being hilarious when they mention the key of a song or a chord and feel the need to turn to me and say, "you got that?" or "that doesn't mean anything to you!". Naturally, it has me in stitches every time...
Man, if babysitting the tempo isn't my biggest pet peave! I had a band leader tell me that I was dragging every time that I did a fill and that I "dropped 1." That gig didn't last long.
A pet peeve of mine is when the club or the other band members say "there's a house kit!! You should just use that!!"
As a drummer even a small mistake is glaring to everyone. No pressure.
When you have a gig in a place that "has a drum set", such drumset: the heads are eight years old, the hardware its old rusty, can't adjust it or can't hold cymbals, no snare stand and of course the drum throne is a box shortes than the basa drum. Oh, abd they don't have a carpet to set up
I learned how to keep solid time from a bass player. I hate to admit that I was schooled by my bass player, but he told me how to nail that timing down around the snare drum crack. Looking back I still hate to admit that bass player taught me how to keep solid time, but that's my story.
My teacher told me years ago... "Think of the click track as a really good bass player."
Great video! Here are a few in no particular order...
1. Everyone else in the band thinks they are your boss.
2. You hear a problem with the harmonic part of the music, tell the band politely, but they don't believe you (because you're the drummer).
3. The band doesn't bother to tell you which song is next, they just start playing.
3a. The bandleader has a discussion with other band members that you can't hear about which song to play next. When you ask what it is, he says "rock" or "shuffle" or whatever instead of the name of the tune...
4. "Bring your smallest kit" then the guy who called you shows up with an 88-key, 2 tier keyboard rig and 2 amps.
5. You are given a "load-in time", but there's no crew to load you in.
6. You sing, but are not given a monitor.
6a. You don't sing, but are not given a monitor.
6b. You sing, but have to ask 6 times for a mic (despite the fact that it was discussed in advance).
6c. You sing, finally get the mic you asked for, test it, but the sound man doesn't turn it on during the show.
6d. You always get the broken boom stand for your vocal mic.
There are more, but I'll save them for another time... Cheers!
Waiting on the rest of the band while they take a million years to tune up
Crap. They are just lying around while you're setting up.. The second you sit down to play seems like the perfect tunning time
Facts! As a drummer, bassist, and guitarist you shouldn't take more than a few seconds to tune
Man your right and the looks I get when I decide to tune my kit !!!
Nicholas Wilson being told to shut up every 2 seconds
But don't you dare touch a drum!
Small spaces and small drum risers!
Uneven surfaces.
Not having a monitor.
Band leaders who suck at leading a band.
Guitarists who expect me to listen to the back of their amp all night.
Everyone offers to help load out while I’m packing up but, they are gone when I’m loading out.
things I hated...
I'm doing a recording gig and we spend a couple of hours recording and trying to figure aout where in the HELL the rumble is coming from... and we're filtering and cutting and moving mics and changing cables... and one of the techs comes in from lunch and asksif we knew that there was a tractor trailer sitting out front idling.
I'm on another recording session and the lead guitarist (Preeema) is telling the recording knob guy to crank the click because we're not in the pocket... and I'm saying Please turn the click down and turn the two guitars down because THEY aren't in the pocket.... I have blood coming out of my tear ducts... we argue.... I get done and leave because "Being the drummer I certainly can't know what I'm talking about" ....that band broke up only a few weeks later.... I thought about those guys a few weeks ago... (the singer and the bass player weren't GREAT musicians, but they were good... and nice peeps) and I found the recordings.... The lead guitarist ... horrible pocket.... but what do I know
I pull up to the gig... (fancy hotel in Washington DC a few blocks from the White House ..Yeeeeears Ogo)
I load up my 4 wheel hand cart and I get three steps into the lobby heading for the elevator...when the Matre D Nazi says...
"Sir, the help comes in through the back"... ( as in 3 flights of steps) ... ok the good part ... I ignored him.
Same gig... it's a big band... wedding reception ... black tie...
The band is very good but the Guy singer thinks He's Barbara Streisand...
One of the band leaders calls "Memories" from Cats... and it's an instant train cluster.... I'm playing in threes.... and the singer turns back and yells "Society!!!".... and the bass player is mouthing ... "2 beat"....
oooh.... thx for the heads up
Different gig in either Potomac MD or Cheddar Cheese... another money gig... summery saturday afternoon .... and somebody says... "Oh and we're going to have the band set up over there ".... as in... in the middle of the freakin tennis court.... (I had my Rogers Red Onyx drum set) ...I told the boss yea... no...... they moved us
Another gig ...I'm still in college ... I drive almost two hours to get to our "almost" every Friday and Saturday evening house band gig in Potomac MD .... My 1974 datsun wagon has no A/C... so my M.O. is 1) get there early... 2) get my stuff in... 3) get in to the bathroom to break out my wash cloth and do a spit bath and re-deordorise... so i can put on my tux without being radio active... and the boss tries to tell me that even tho I'm there at 6:30 for an 8:00 start... i need to be in my tux when I get in to the parking lot.... nnnooop.
I did a reception at the Kennedy Center for the Opening night of "All That Jazz"... Butch Miles was the drummer in the "Pit" and was asked to sit in... at the reception....on my kit..... I officially suck
I toured with a "Version" of one of the famous 50s groups.... Great Pretender... Smoke gets in your eyes... 5 band members... 6 singers... we get to the gig and its raining.... guess who hauls all of the equipment 5 guys) vs who walks in and sips drinks ( 6 guys)... I bailed in under 2 months.
The WORST thing.... I played with guys who kicked my butt every night... ( a lot of the players from the DC versions of the (Navy) "Comms", (Air Force) "The Note" and some DC gunslingers) .. but they kept calling me back.. I went home bruised up a lot.... and I miss them and that time so dearly.
I hated being the weakest link.... but I REALLY couldn't stand being the best musician in a band and getting paid $40.
some good war stories ya got there
Oh I hear ya...Had Bobby Rosengarden play on my kit at a clinic one time. Boy, yea did I suck.
Nailed it on moving drums. There's a bar in Wyoming where you play upstairs and the steps are covered in four inch deep encapsulated foam! Lots of fun going up.
I don't know how"they're too loud!" Didn't make the top ten.
I'm glad you brought up "drum face" and glad to know it's not just me. I've heard so many comments about my tongue sticking out of the corner of my mouth and such that I've actually thought of setting up a few cheap cymbals and stands that I have from long ago out in front of me just to block the view. lol
Being told at a open mic that "this jam is only for acoustic instruments"!
Metric Modulation , when you go from sixteen to triplets and all the musicians don't know what's up and you get the tempo face.
Hahahahahaha omg this hits HARD
that's why you don't use the drummer to listen to the beats.
@@attempt58 What . Sorry man I didn't get you?
@@dbmdrums1105 that's why you dont use the phone to make a call
@@attempt58 that's why you dont go to school, to learn
"Play quieter!" So I turn down an imaginary volume switch, and ask the smartash if that is better! Had one guy tell this band I helped get started that he wasn't going to play with me in the band anymore, because I played too loud. I asked what the hell did he expect, with his amps and speakers blasting in my ears?!!! He was just scamming to get a duet act going with the lead singer, that was all. He was told by her to take a hike!! As for non-drummers telling you how to do your job; I always stand up, hand them the sticks, and tell them to park their butt back there, and show me how it's done. Otherwise, SHADDUP!!! And lastly, like was said about other band members & singers saying the drummer is throwing them off time: I know a few like that. I say they couldn't keep a steady tempo if they had a metronome shoved up their backside!! I have pointed out to them how they seem to have a problem, but I then play with others, and we're spot on! But I might as well yell at a tree. But I've been a musician for 50 years, and I have learned to let a lot of that roll off my back.
“Sorry, no drummers are allowed at this open mic night.”
(Holds pointed middle finger down)
"Can you hear this?" Maybe I should turn it up...turns hand
There's usually no drums at an open mic as it's usually for comics or singers - literally an "open mic". You're thinking of jam nights.
That triangle one 😂. I have to play the triangle in this piece in my school orchestra and the other day in rehearsal I had zoned out completely and just forgot to play any of my part.
It's also annoying when my friends say they want to jam so we go to the drum room and one starts playing guitar another singing and one on piano and then I drum and am called annoying and told not to play...
Had a sound guy come up once and say he wanted to cut a hole in my bd head to stick a mic in. I was like, sure, if I can weld the mic cable to your sound board. ...Problem went away.
Greg Ryan oh, I’ve had MANY discussions like this one with sound guys.
Right now, my band is playing 7 Nation Army and it’s so easy on drums, but our bassist can’t be bothered to practice so he’s terrible but apparently it’s all my fault because ‘I’m going to fast’ or ‘that snare was in the wrong place’, and I’m like bruh what is a snare I bet you don’t know and then he pointed at the ride and I was like ‘Your telling me that I got that snare in the wrong place, yet you don’t even know what a snare is’
And people say being a drummer is easy. Like yeah, you hit things with pieces f wood but it’s way harder than that. And you’ve got to put up with singers who bring tambourines in a metal song and guitarists who only let you play 3 bars because they do the solo.
drummers never get to pick the songs at the jam
the trick at a jam is to just lay down a groove (after a few songs/jams) that is irresistible for the others to not join in
Lol i lead my band . be the backbone the band needs.
For me a jam is about improvisation, playing covers is different thing imo
*F*CK YES!*
Hell they don't even tell back what BAND it is, much less what song!
Much less let ME pick one
Way around this is to ALSO know a few piano tunes...
I will never forget when I was subbing for a friend. We get on stage and the female singer sets her drink on the top of my bass drum and leaves it there. If I would have had a gun she would not be around this day. It was a brand new kit with a beautiful pearl finish. I later spoke my mind and dropped her mic in a beer bucket!!! Vincent D
House kits! I don’t care if I have to play Stephen Taylor’s drums, I HATE playing a drum set that isn’t my own.
I play in a drum cage and everyone else will be talking about music changes and not speak into the mics, so I have no idea what is being said.
‘The best musicians, make the ugliest faces.’- Santana
I can't stand Carlos Santana. Never could. There are guitarists and keyboardists that practice making faces in a mirror.
garyhope2 Well gar, he ain’t one of em. Those people who practice their faces aren’t musicians.
As long as the ugly stops when the music's over, you awright.
My dad told me of some ofhis band members who played percussion in the local symphony orchestra, having only a minor part in the second half of the concert they would go get hammered, come back and miss the part.
When people think that drumming is the easyest thing ever
Sure it is. So just sit down, here are the sticks, now your left foot does one thing, your right foot does something else. Your right hand does this and your left hand does that. Got it ? Wait ! What ? You don t know how to hold the sticks ? It s E Z.
Just play 1n2n3n4n tadaa you've mastered 40-50% of the songs
Ha! Jens Hannemann (Fred Armisen) demonstrating "Polynesian Nightmare". Fun fact: Fred was in Blue Man Group and the footage for these mock clinics were all filmed in the Blue Man Group 3rd Street Production space in NYC...they used pretty much every drum in that production space for those videos. Stephen, I love your videos, brother, and you're a great player as well. Much continued success to you!
Getting hit on by the other members girlfriends. Man does that get old after awhile.
The struggle is real, brother. ;-)
I can relate....
Can we help it if we're known for our superb rhythm and sense of time and timing?
That's are reward back for all the drummer jokes and bullshit a drummer has to go through. Lol!
@@garyhope2 our sense of time AND timing?? Mind blown
Excellent video and grooves. I would add:
Men who, after a few beers, walk up to the kit in intermission intending to sit down and "have a go". They don't ask, they just walk up. If someone does ask if they can "have a go with your drums" my stock response is "Only if I can have a go with your girlfriend"
Also, being delayed on the way to a gig only to find your bandmates have left ZERO space on stage for you
Also bandmates turning up at rehearsal unprepared, and if you point out that you've taken the time to learn the song, they say "Yeah, but yours is the easiest bit!"
Also, singers who play to their own internal clock and don't follow the drums. I see this A LOT in theatre productions
On the plus side, I love it when people, especially singers, underestimate me. Especially when a show is being filmed, where my Kieth Moon impression will guarantee the camera's pointing at me, not them. Childish I know, but a whole lot of fun!
Always be aware of where the camera is. If you make a cool expression or movement at the right time, the editor will use it. I wouldn't say childish... a bit mischievous maybe, and definitely fun!
One thing I don't like about drumming is when other drummers try to take your gear
B.B.Rimshot had a floor tom stolen one night from a gig. After that I never let other bands use my set just because "hey it's already micd up and sound checked". Yea buddy fuck you my shit gets packed and locked up soon as the last song I play is over.
I've gotten a lot of shit for not sharing my set. Or for not leaving it setup in somebody's basement, bar whatever. BUT...I've never "lost" any gear unlike my guitar buddies who are so "generous".
@@gsxerwhite that is why I stopped letting everyone use my stuff
@@terrencenbanbury5220 same here man
Same here, they wanted to use my kit in a gig, few guys came and took my kit but while returning nobody seemed to be bothered or interested, cursed them all in the face and never let anyone use it thereafter, I straight up deny these days
The getting called out about being off beat when its someone else's fault really hit home. I loved being in the band in high school and ended up quitting for this reason. The director had a hard on for the trumpets and refused to acknowledge that they were off beat and kept blaming the percussion section and me specifically. I got sick of it and walked out and never looked back. He didn't understand why I quit after he came and found me and talked to me about it...
Showing up to an open jam and there are 2 guitarists, 1 bassist and 12 drummers on the list
Well, dumbass, start on piano or saxophone and you'll be the only one
Lol :) jk.
Done this.
Really good one, Stephen! Back when I was gigging regularly, I had a tendency to speed up, so many of the tempo mistakes WERE mine. In my defense, we were a cover band whose main purpose was to get people dancing. If the crowd was up and moving, it made sense to me to push it a little during, say, the sax solos in Junior Walker's "Shotgun". You're dead-on about the gear. Luckily for me, my kit's been safely parked in my basement drum room for 22 years now. Here's my pet peeve about being a drummer: People assume either that you're some sort of savage at heart (the Muppets played a big role here), or they think, at least, that playing drums involves hitting things really hard. Just recently, in fact, I received some bad news from someone. After we'd talked for a while, his parting words to me were "I'm glad I'm not your drums tonight." I wanted to tell him that it's more about technique and finesse. But what are ya gonna do? Thanks for a fun video, Stephen.
When you're playing in a little venue, and you have to play really quietly event though you're playing rock or metal, while the other musicians can have fun
I remember those days, my thought was to just play really tight and in the pocket while staying hyper-focused on the different parts of the song really connecting to the song.
Every time I had band practise (small orchestra) I set up all the equipment (all of it, including the bass and stands for all the players) but I was never allowed to move the drums before playing. I also had to set up other percussion instruments for other band members that never showed up, eventually I got sick and tired of it and I decided to quit.
10 worst things about being a drummer according to me,
Dropping sticks when playing
Tuning your drumset (especially if its a bad drumset)
Setting up the drums and tearing it down
Smacking your fingers on the snare
Hitting cymbals too hard till they crack
And the last
Watching other drummers who are better than you
Thanks for the video Stephen! Loved it!
Antonio Guinoo oh man, the finger hits are the worst
Or splitting a finger when you go for the cymbal mute
Zachery Hull ooof yep forgot that
Especially like 6 yr old drummers who just kick ass. I love them and they depress me at the same time, as a 48 year old beginner, lol.
Stef F. Yep really better to learn and start young
So glad you mentioned band's telling drummers they are the reason why it's speeding up or slowing down. SO many examples . And yep best way to shut them up is to have them play to a metronome !! Becomes real obvious to those of us who actually practice with metronomes !!
One guitarist I used to be in a band with admitted to me that he never actually listened to my drumming while we were playing together. It’s amazing that we were ever in time with each other.
Works out. I normally ignore them, lol
My band always tell me to shove it when I try to suggest or write songs because I'm just the drummer and apparently incapable of understanding music theory or song structure.
@MorbidManMusic good suggestion. These days drummers need to be more musically diverse and it's easier with today's tech gear.
@MorbidManMusic Thanks for the suggestion! I'll give it a shot.
Triangle yes ! I played timpani and had a 125 measure rest before my big solo , during practice i'd fall asleep because i also had a night job playing drums at a club... eventually had to give up the timpani job because of conflicting gigs.
That moments when you are playing in a band with a lot of people and evereyone has their own ideal tempo for the song. It would be like one player says to go faster and another at the same time to go slower.
this drives me nuts !! Or when others tell me what and how to play . FFS , I'm not telling the guitarist how to play the freaking riff or the solo , don't tell me how to play my part !
DON'T LISTEN TO ANYBODY. JUST PROGRESSIVELY PLAY FASTER AND HARDER and you should be good.
Someone mentioned a practice space where you don’t piss off the neighbors. Definitely ran into that one a lot until I got to the place where I live now. But babysitting the tempo is definitely my top one as well.
"Do you really NEED eight channels?"
"No, I WANT fourteen, I NEED nine, but we compromised' on eight."
I could use all 16 on my kit alone
I gave up and started bringing my own 16 channel mixer to patch in to the snake.
@@HitManActual112 That's not giving up, that's WINNING!
@trublgrl I guess you’re correct. I was just tired of the compromise with the sound guy. I’m sorry, the sound engineer.
I am a guitarist Saturday I was born. But I absolutely love the drums. So I bought myself a set, and I enjoy the crap out of it but I don’t know if I necessarily want to look my set to every single gig. but I’m just teaching myself to keep time as the one in the back of the band as opposed to the guy upfront on lead guitar and rip off a lick whenever he wants .. keeping the time for the band,... it’s a lot harder than it looks.
Having other people dissappointed in you because they had really high expectations for you
ua-cam.com/video/YkeXxGGhBhM/v-deo.html
Bahaha
That's everybody in all of life. Wait. What? It's just me, you say? Whaaaa....sniff.
Look at it this way... If somebody has high expectations of you, it means they think you're good...
Ok, this has happened several times. My band plays wrong in the middle of a song when we’re playing live and they blame it on me because they say that I play wrong, when I’m actually playing everything right!
you: *moves from kit once*
guitarist: hey man can I play your drums?
To go along with extra percussion thing, when I played a Woodstock tribute show with school of rock Mason, we had all the extra cast members who weren't playing all go and grab some percussion instruments and play along. Tbh it was kinda fun, but it got annoying when it felt like they were overpowering the song
When they tell you everyone is using the house kit, and no one other than you actually uses the house kit.
Absolutely!
Me being a drummer for a local "big shot band" for a while i really can sympathise with these things. Love from sweden Stephen! You're great!
When you're still setting up at a gig, and your guitar player starts playing the set
This was great. My biggest pet peeve is the equipment issue, and trying to play and a respectable noise level when practicing as to not irritate others
When they tell you to play softer when ur already at 1in inner beats and 3in accents.
What else do I do, not play.😂
Another one (YMMV) the space you take up on stage. Of course some guitar players will have big sets of amps and stomp boxes and keyboards definitely can take up space, especially full 88 note stage pianos, actual pianos or Hammond organs. But for simple bar bands we usually take up the most space.
Drummers wanting to "sit in". NO! You want to play in a Band go start one.
• The feeling that practice time is disturbing someone, and even if they don't complain, you think they're just being nice to support you. but deep down, they'd be thrilled if you skipped a practice day.
• Sweaty drum throne butt. Vinyl doesn't breath, so why do they make drum throne cushions out of it?
• The amount of space it takes to have a kit. In most cases, you need an extra room that isn't being used for anything else. There's a current housing shortage in many cities in the US so renting/buying a place with an extra room you'll never need for anything else can be difficult.
When the audience clap on the 1st and 3rd beat...
This...
@@bananbom hah, have you been unfortunate enough to experience this too, my friend?😂😂
... and the song is in 7/8
Been a drummer many decades Steve and my head is shaking yes to everything. But one thing I found is if I have a top shelf bass player then I don't have a problem. He keeps me spot on as I do him. I've had bad ones and I've had superb ones. When I have a good one our instruments compliment each other. Just my opinion. And great channel Steve. I've just subscribed.