Like most things in drumming, this is an issue swamped in debate. Let's have a look at both sides:
Groove
Groove is based on the feeling of the music. Regardless of technical ability, a drummer who plays a groove fits perfectly with the music and provides a solid beat. Listen to any song, and work out the beat, regardless of time signature. This tempo, like the click of a metronome, is the basis for your groove. Funk music relies heavily on groove, and drummers like Chad Smith (I know I feature him a lot, but there's a good reason why), who plays a mixture of rock and funk, is someone I respect for his brilliant ear for the groove. Have a listen to him playing the most basic of rock beats and see how he fits with the bass:
Chops
Put simply, this is just technical ability. There are some incredible drummers out there who can play amazing things. This sort of drumming is incredible to listen to with or without a backing track. Just look at Martin Škaroupka here, for instance:
Both
You might have seen this coming, as both of the above drummers have incredible chops and a feel for the groove (in different genres - let's not get into a 'who's better?' argument), but I'm saying that a mixture of both groove and chops is important to be a versatile, exciting drummer. One drummer who is world famous for his amazing ability is Tony Royster, Jr. Watch this if you don't believe me:
But, amazing skill put aside, he also plays for Jay-Z, and plays some solid, simple beats in this gig:
Here we can see that no matter how amazing and talented you are, there are some situations where you should only play a basic groove. Don't try and over-play to prove you're a good drummer. If you're good, people will notice; there's no need to play your most complicated fills and patterns when all the song needs is a sturdy 4/4 beat.
Showing posts with label Tony Royster Jr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Royster Jr. Show all posts
6 Jun 2011
26 Feb 2011
Set Up
We'll start with the basics, and that means kit set up.
I've seen people play a range of kits: some with only the basics, like this sort of set up.
and others who play something on a whole different scale.
For me, I prefer something in the middle: a slight variation of the 'normal' rock kit.
Currently, my set up is as follows (although it's prone to changing from time to time).
Note, I don't play a DW Kit, so ignore the brands of both the drums and the hardware. I only use the Kitbuilder to illustrate set up ideas.
Regardless of what sort of music you want to play, when you set your drum kit up you have to obey one rule:
It must be comfortable.
If your drums are set up so you're stretching or bending awkwardly then you'll soon run into trouble.
Some useful tips when it comes to setting up your kit.
1. Your seat/stool should mean that your thighs are more or less parallel to the ground, with your knees at a 90 degree angle.
2. Your snare drum should sit so that the batter head and rim are just above your thighs. I find this helps avoid either hitting your legs with your hands by accident, or constantly hitting the rim when you play.
3. Your tom or toms should be within easy reach, at an even angle. I see far too many kits where the toms seems to almost face each other. You're the one playing, so everything should face you.
4. Your hi-hat and bass pedals should sit so that your feet rest naturally on them when you're on your stool. Again, they should be angled to face you.
5. Cymbals are touchy ground. Some people like them heavily angled, whilst some prefer them horizontal. Generally, I think they're best positioned at a slight angle (the left side would be the striking surface, in this instance), as such:
If you hit your cymbals horizontally they they're prone to cracking, but if you angle them too much they'll be difficult to hit properly and, let's face it, they'll just look stupid. This really is just my preference though - all that really matters is that when you play, you hit your cymbal at such an angle that you don't split the thing in half.
Again, make sure your cymbals are easy to reach. What's the point in a lovely big crash cymbal sitting so far away you have to stretch over your bass drum to hit it? Or, just as bad, cymbals that are too high. You should be able to look down on all of your cymbal. You'll go through far fewer cymbals if you play down onto them. A great example here, from Jerry Brown:
(Notice the tiny angle of the cymbals, and that they're not up above his head).
6. Your bass drum can really sit wherever you want. Most people use it as the central focus for their drums, setting everything else up around it. The only thing to remember is that having the front of the bass drum raised (only about an inch or so) off the ground helps is resonate properly, and provides a slight angle so your pedal will hit the skin correctly (again, creating a better sound).
7. Put the whole kit on a mat or an old bit of carpet. Not only does this stop anything from sliding about if you have wooden floors, it also stops any oil etc from your pedals ruining whatever's underneath (be it wood, laminate or 'good' carpet). I once moved my kit into a friend's house to do some recording and when we packed up I noticed the spikes on my pedals had dug grooves in the wooden floor. Safe to say, they weren't happy.
So there you go. Hopefully now your kit will look nice and professional.
If you don't think these tips are any good then that's fine - the most important thing is that your kit suits you.
Everyone's different, and every kit is different too.
I've seen people play a range of kits: some with only the basics, like this sort of set up.
and others who play something on a whole different scale.
For me, I prefer something in the middle: a slight variation of the 'normal' rock kit.
Currently, my set up is as follows (although it's prone to changing from time to time).
Note, I don't play a DW Kit, so ignore the brands of both the drums and the hardware. I only use the Kitbuilder to illustrate set up ideas.
Regardless of what sort of music you want to play, when you set your drum kit up you have to obey one rule:
It must be comfortable.
If your drums are set up so you're stretching or bending awkwardly then you'll soon run into trouble.
Some useful tips when it comes to setting up your kit.
1. Your seat/stool should mean that your thighs are more or less parallel to the ground, with your knees at a 90 degree angle.
2. Your snare drum should sit so that the batter head and rim are just above your thighs. I find this helps avoid either hitting your legs with your hands by accident, or constantly hitting the rim when you play.
3. Your tom or toms should be within easy reach, at an even angle. I see far too many kits where the toms seems to almost face each other. You're the one playing, so everything should face you.
4. Your hi-hat and bass pedals should sit so that your feet rest naturally on them when you're on your stool. Again, they should be angled to face you.
5. Cymbals are touchy ground. Some people like them heavily angled, whilst some prefer them horizontal. Generally, I think they're best positioned at a slight angle (the left side would be the striking surface, in this instance), as such:
Again, make sure your cymbals are easy to reach. What's the point in a lovely big crash cymbal sitting so far away you have to stretch over your bass drum to hit it? Or, just as bad, cymbals that are too high. You should be able to look down on all of your cymbal. You'll go through far fewer cymbals if you play down onto them. A great example here, from Jerry Brown:
(Notice the tiny angle of the cymbals, and that they're not up above his head).
6. Your bass drum can really sit wherever you want. Most people use it as the central focus for their drums, setting everything else up around it. The only thing to remember is that having the front of the bass drum raised (only about an inch or so) off the ground helps is resonate properly, and provides a slight angle so your pedal will hit the skin correctly (again, creating a better sound).
7. Put the whole kit on a mat or an old bit of carpet. Not only does this stop anything from sliding about if you have wooden floors, it also stops any oil etc from your pedals ruining whatever's underneath (be it wood, laminate or 'good' carpet). I once moved my kit into a friend's house to do some recording and when we packed up I noticed the spikes on my pedals had dug grooves in the wooden floor. Safe to say, they weren't happy.
So there you go. Hopefully now your kit will look nice and professional.
If you don't think these tips are any good then that's fine - the most important thing is that your kit suits you.
Everyone's different, and every kit is different too.
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