Grooving and the average drummer

[five eight]

I've got some sugar cubes left over from Woodstock II. They go best with Keith Moon Pale Ale but I recommend taking not one but two, Me2. Always good talking to you = )

your equestrian friend and neighbor 5/8
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Neil Peart: Sometimes less is more but sometimes less is less too.

[FlamTriplet]

Grooving and the average drummer. Let's make this the average drum grooves. Most "hit" songs have the same beat, as played hundreds of times before it. Vinnie, as an example, has played numerous forgetful sessions from a drumistic point of view.

A good song can survive without a drum part. The trick is playing a part that does not detract from the song. It's just like seeing a bass player in a pop band live. If you notice his playing, then he probably sucks and is not playing with the music. His job is to blend, and provide low harmonic enhancement of the music.

But us musicans who call ourselves drummers tend to like virtuosity. We need rhythms that tickle our heads, because most pop music is intellectually boring---especially in a drum sense. Unless you listen to Purdies hihat articulation:?

We need fusion, we need people like Vinnie, Virgil, Weck etc... to forge ahead in our chosen craft. We need Vinnie's hihat tricks, Virgil's double feet and Weck's arrogant 12" splash.

But all in all, record yourself playing some moronic song, or a band rehearsal. Listen to it. Did it feel good? Was the tempo solid? Did you do a stupid fill with too many notes? Did you play anything to detract from the feel of the song? Does your stomach ache when listening back?

If you and anyone else can say no to all these questions, then by golly, you've got groove. I've listened to some old rehearsals of mine from 5 years ago, and thought "Damn, what the Fudge was I thinking? That fill sucked, the 2nd verse was a hair faster etc..."
If you can rock it solid, with no click, you've got groove. If you can rock it solid with a click, you've got groove. But can you make a memorable drum part from the mentally challenging world of pop? If so, then you are great.