Drummers are the butt of way too many jokes. The truth is, they hold a band together.
People say drummers are not real musicians, or they’re not as intelligent as the other band members. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
John Coltrane’s drummer, Elvin Jones, says drummers need to know the song just as well as the bassist or pianist, showing how the drum set is a musical instrument.
“After knowing this kind of musical information one can then begin to construct and orchestrate a musical drum part that has some substance along with a musical shape to it,” he said.
Here are three big reasons why drummers are crucial to your band’s success.
If the drummer goes down, the whole band goes down
Even if the bassist misses a note, the song still moves along. If the lead singer forgets a lyric, the band keeps playing. If the guitarist loses his spot, he can easily wait for a beat or two and jump back in.
But drummers? They have to be perfect, or else the whole band gets screwed up.
If you’ve ever played with a sub-par drummer, you know what I’m talking about. When the rhythm section misses a beat or two, the whole song starts to teeter on the rails like a runaway train. It’s near impossible to right the vehicle.
To use another metaphor, the drummer determines whether a song stays afloat and moving or if it sinks to the ocean floor.
So if you have a solid drummer who can keep the band above water and cruising, thank her or him. Every day.
Drummers are crucial — it’s scientific
Drummers matter — science says so.
Researchers in Stockholm showed that there’s a link between rhythm-keepers and problem-solving. And drummers typically have more white matter in their brains, and that can help them solve problems, plan, and manage time. Plus, they’re usually just all-around complex and thoughtful people.
In other words, drummers are smart – maybe smarter than the other band members.
So maybe your drummer has thoughts about what show you should play next and why that might be good for the band. Maybe your drummer should be in charge of rehearsal sessions time is managed better.
Maybe it’s time to acknowledge and welcome the fact that drummers are crucial to a band. Just look at the science.
Drummers are a huge part of the band’s brand
When you’re performing live, the drummer’s energy can either fuel the rest of the band or suck the energy right out of the whole room. This is not a good look – for them or for the rest of the group.
The way a group looks onstage – their image, excitement, demeanor – can make or break how their music resonates with people. Another way to say this is their “brand.”
One thing that can help a band’s brand is having their name prominently displayed in a design that matches said brand.
And, you guessed it, we can help with that. We offer custom bass drum heads that can help bands look their best.
And if the drummer looks (and feels) their best, that’s good news for everyone involved.