School Of Drummers

samthebeat

Silver Member
People who study english or whatever will allways study certain books or plays or whatever. If you want to go into film you will study certain films, some I could name from being a film student, some films have changed the face of film making.

So this being the case as drummers, there a certain drummers we should study. Some drummers define genre, its simply that no one did it better than them at the time, they were head and shoulders above the rest. Like it or lump on of these drummers is John Bonham.

I would like to just open a discussion up I guess and the players you guys would study and the styles they have influenced or invented or defined. This is all subjective obviously, opinions but i would like to hear other peoples, am I limiting myself as a rock drummer by only studying John Bonham and Stewart Copeland?
 
You're limiting yourself by not studying all genres in which their is drumming. Jazz, Latin and classical will help your rock drum set playing very much.
 
Your actual thinking is limiting and locking yourself. With drums and drummers, there are no standards nor square rules to follow...open your mind freely! Good luck mate!
 
I suggest checking out Vinnie Colaiuta. He has incredibly high level techical skills and great musical taste. He plays jazz/fusion incredibly well but also fits in seamlessly and equally well with some of the top artists in many other genres (he has recorded with Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys, Sting etc..). Basically he's toured and recorded with a significant percentage of the most influential artists of the last 30 years. You can probably find a recording of him playing almost any style that you're into. If you are into Led Zeppelin maybe check out Vinnie's work with Sting. It's similiar in the sense that the focus is on songwriting but it also gently and tastefully pushes the technical boundaries of the genre.

That being said I think a good approach is to study music as a whole rather then just the drumming.

Hope that helps
 
I suggest checking out Vinnie Colaiuta. He has incredibly high level techical skills and great musical taste. He plays jazz/fusion incredibly well but also fits in seamlessly and equally well with some of the top artists in many other genres (he has recorded with Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys, Sting etc..). Basically he's toured and recorded with a significant percentage of the most influential artists of the last 30 years. You can probably find a recording of him playing almost any style that you're into. If you are into Led Zeppelin maybe check out Vinnie's work with Sting. It's similiar in the sense that the focus is on songwriting but it also gently and tastefully pushes the technical boundaries of the genre.

That being said I think a good approach is to study music as a whole rather then just the drumming.

Hope that helps


He also did a Megadeth album. "The System Has Failed" if I'm not mistaken.
 
sorry, that didnt really come out right, I meant that hypethatically. I was using John Bonham as an example, the shakepear of rock drumming say, or the Cassablanca of rock drumming.

What im getting at is studying drummers which have defined styles, Vinnie is cleary someone who has raised bar and is worth studying, great suggestion, Studying sting records Ten summoners and Mevury falling has challenged me no end, and opend my eyes to a more artistic appraoch to pop playing, the fact that you can play more if you phrase within grooves is a big thing I learnt from that, still cant get through seven days without stuffing it up though.

And as far limiting myself, i dont believe on can study everybody, so who are the best to study?
 
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In a four-year bachelor of music course, one will not only study and analyze hundreds or works, but also takes up music history to acquire a historical context of all those works. If you want to do self-study on rock, I suggest you read up on rock history first, because by doing so you can pick up on all the major styles, artists, and works as you go along. Then get back to us if you have specific questions.
 
Sorry for being difficult, but I really can't indulge your request. I call into question the whole act of studying someone else. IMO, you are ignoring your own musical identity in the process.

What you seek musically is already inside of you, untapped. Sure you get inspiration from external sources, but the real musical journey is within yourself. Truly, it is. You have to find your essence, and be true to it.

In studying one of the greats, I'm assuming the goal is to one day reach a similar level. If that is the case you have to wonder if the person you are studying approached it like you, or if that great drummer just listened harder to their inner rhythms, and developed him/herself.

I have to say I never consciously tried to emulate anyone, I am too busy trying to parse out my own ideas. I feel I have certain influences that I almost can't help, but I don't consciously try to emulate any person, it's easier to be me. I think it's a better way to use the time you do have to work on music, to develop your own unique rhythmic approach, than to go down someone else's road.

Listening to the greats is wonderful. But don't forsake yourself for them. There's only one you, and no one can do YOU better than you. (except maybe Vinnie lol)

Sorry for being difficult.
 
I hear you larry, lot to be said for that. I never learnt a cover for at least 4 years, i think I limited my influences to chad smith and that was about it. A lot of control and awareness can come from learning other peoples ideas, and ofcourse alot of great ideas. But if you are creative person like yourself with too many ideas to work on alldreay i can defo see how you would continue on your path.

Very interesting about the rock history, never really thought about the history side of it. I guess what I need to do is study some more rock history, que amazon for another book, thanks!
 
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