The Watering Hole

With my sons TD-15KV drumset I've been attempting to play some basic stuff, and surprised myself in that I can actually keep time just about ok on a drum kit.

BUT, I then tried playing along with a click track counting 4/4 or 3/4 but just could not keep time with it at all...until I introduced the '&' beat to the click track and all of sudden it's like night and day, so much easier to keep on the beat when the click is counting    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & etc instead of just  1 2 3 4.

I just did a very loose 5 minute bluesy jam using a 6/8 click track recorded using the zoom R16 (with it's nice built-in click track feature). Put down the guitar first, then the bass and then the drums.  Mostly came out not too bad, although I slipped up a bit here and there and added an extra note that pushed the whole thing out of whack for a bar or so :)     I do tend to lose my way a bit without a visual aid to know where I am within a song (if you can call it that) so I definitely need to plan things out before I hit record and then write out a crib sheet of the song structure so I know which bar I am at etc. Doesn't need to be any more elaborate than that, just a visual aid to ensure I change int the right place etc but I think this is definitely the way forward for recording for me.  I will continue to use the computer for mixing the tracks from the R16, but for recording it's just so quick and handy.....and so easy to just take it from one room to another to record the different instruments by running it on batteries.

No samples yet, not sure I'm ready to release my fucked up timing slips, but actually what the hell, I will mix it later and put it up for the hell of it.....be gentle :)

Well here's a little bit of the one man band jamming session.  The mix is probably way off as doing it in headphones as usual. However the main point of this was to see if I could actually play the drums in time and I think it just about holds together.

Shoot it down if you will, I can take it  ;D

so in this I:

played the guitar to click track first
then played bass to click track
then played drums to click track.

Can't get used to the eq of the vdrums, very very bass heavy straight out of the TD-15KV

anway, for you pain or even more pain, here it is  ;D

dude, that's pretty good on timing - are you using quantize? - the drumming is a bit random but that's cool, how much of a "beginner" are you? I'm curious because I've thought of going this route for years but have zero drumming experience... I'm sure natural talent is playing a big role in your clip but... if you're getting into it that fast, there might be hope for me! heh.

ironsheep — Oct 29, 2013dude, that's pretty good on timing - are you using quantize? - the drumming is a bit random but that's cool, how much of a "beginner" are you? I'm curious because I've thought of going this route for years but have zero drumming experience... I'm sure natural talent is playing a big role in your clip but... if you're getting into it that fast, there might be hope for me! heh.

No quantization on this, simply recorded the audio coiming out the roland kit.   BUT, I have to play along to a click track...without that my timing wanders all over the place.   I am an absolute beginner where drums are concerned and have no idea what I'm doing really hence the randomness of my playing and missing the snare here and there and adding an extra kick instead, but hey ho that's the way it goes  ;D

I set the click track to 6/8 doing 123 123 123 etc and then just tried to keep with it.  So easy to get lost when doing a fill because if you don't finish the fill at the right point then there is nowhere to come in for the next bar.

Again, yes absolute beginner on drums, never played them before I bought my son a drum kit earlier this year.

It's good exercise if nothing else  ;D

Thanks for your comments

A good policy when you're starting on drums is to do less... don't try to throw in any fills, or many fills.  Try to hold the beat, make it as solid as you can...  Resist the urge to fill, though the urge is huge.  Then try simple embellishments... then try to add a fill once every phrase, with smaller fills every 8, etc.  Just keep it simple.  And slowly blend in the fills.  A fill is essentially just an extension of the beat, a subdivision of notes, not an explosion or acrobatic flurry.  It's just a little more, a bridge between parts, an extra word in the phrase.  Sit upright and back and play the drums, and straighten up when you find yourself leaning over them... relax...

I was thinking about starting out with a cajon and going from there... maybe a tambourine and shakers too. I'd love to have a Roland kit play with... but, damn, they're expensive. spend 5-10% and see if I have any percussion talent at all maybe... heh.

Yeah, you can do a lot with a Cajon, I've done gigs where the cajon covered the drum parts pretty well.  If you want to try kit, get a practice pad and some lightish sticks, and work on getting your left and right hand to hit evenly... rolls, flams, etc.

A cajon seems like a good idea.   Especially with this lady as a teacher http://youtu.be/K14yg6twVH8.  :)

The most disappointing thing with drums for me is the first time I tried it I realised that I had no idea what I was doing.  My son has been having lessons for a while now so I just watched what he was doing and tried some of that.  I have a new found respect for drummers as keeping a solid beat is by no means an easy task, hence I have to play to a click track otherwise I just meander off in all sorts of directions.  But, it's certainly quicker to just play a drum part than spend hours programming the damn thing.  I will try just grabbing the midi data from it next and run it through superior 2.   I think my best bet is to play the drums to my slowed down track and record just the midi data and then play it back at normal speed.

Jon — Oct 30, 2013A cajon seems like a good idea.   Especially with this lady as a teacher http://youtu.be/K14yg6twVH8.  :)

The most disappointing thing with drums for me is the first time I tried it I realised that I had no idea what I was doing.  My son has been having lessons for a while now so I just watched what he was doing and tried some of that.  I have a new found respect for drummers as keeping a solid beat is by no means an easy task, hence I have to play to a click track otherwise I just meander off in all sorts of directions.  But, it's certainly quicker to just play a drum part than spend hours programming the damn thing.  I will try just grabbing the midi data from it next and run it through superior 2.   I think my best bet is to play the drums to my slowed down track and record just the midi data and then play it back at normal speed.

Although, playing slow is sometimes even harder than playing at a medium tempo... there's just no getting around it, there is nothing that prepares you for how hard it is to play drums.

I have been having another go at playing drums tonight and I really do suck at this. It's funny that was seems fine when you are playing is mostly not "tight" at all when playing back a recording of it.  I will leave drum duties to my son from now on as his timing is nice and tight.    I will stick with my drum loops  ;D

Jon — Nov 01, 2013I have been having another go at playing drums tonight and I really do suck at this. It's funny that was seems fine when you are playing is mostly not "tight" at all when playing back a recording of it.  I will leave drum duties to my son from now on as his timing is nice and tight.    I will stick with my drum loops  ;D

How long did it take you to get good at guitar?  Drums take equally long.

charger — Nov 04, 2013[quote author=Jon G link=1382803968/0#9 date=1383339447]I have been having another go at playing drums tonight and I really do suck at this. It's funny that was seems fine when you are playing is mostly not "tight" at all when playing back a recording of it.  I will leave drum duties to my son from now on as his timing is nice and tight.    I will stick with my drum loops  ;D

How long did it take you to get good at guitar?  Drums take equally long.

Still trying !