What are your best traits as a musician/drummer and why?

I look good behind a drum set.

The overall attractiveness of the band becomes higher when I play with them.
 
Back when I used to gig (20+ years ago) My guitar friend (best friend) and I were known as the encylopedia of rock. We knew any and every song there was and could play it (1982 era). We could play anything (rock) from the late 60's up to the era we were playing in. Not note for note but we knew the basic tune and breaks and fills and just the right parts.
I was never (and still not) technically savy but I always knew my part and the breaks and key parts.
That and I was dependable. I'll be there, I was there early.
 
My attitude was always far greater than my ability. It seemed to serve me well. I don't gig much at all these days, but when I did I was seldom out of work.
 
Probably that I record all rehearsals, trim the MP3s and post them on the band's private web page. Positive comments tend to be that I'm creative, solid / tight, play with good feel, knowledgeable, fun, easy to play (music) with and a lovely person.

For balance, I have also been told by various band mates and teachers that I'm crazy, a loony, a psychopath, lazy, undisciplined, flaky, a stick in the mud, overbearing, larger than life, pushy, self absorbed and annoying.

Pah ... I'm not a psychopath ... that came from a lousy wannabe bassist who was cranky about me leaving his crappy band :)

How about you Lindsay Anne? What are yours?
 
I try to play just the right part for the song, and I listen to eveyone else who is playing and/or singing. I also try to like the space between the beats as much as the beats. After over forty years of playing drum set, I have achieved mediocracy. Peace and goodwill.
 
The ability to listen to the other musicians, and a large enough palate of skills and musical vocabulary to be able to respond and interact with them.

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten comments about knowing this song or that, while in fact I had never heard it til we played it.
 
I have been described as a good drummer with a creative approach by both my band mates and people who have listen to my playing, so I guess within my limitations, I can be a good enough drummer in certain types of music.

I always had a friendly and positive attitude in all the bands I played, with a lot of integrity and dedication, the pay off is to be still friend with musicians I played with, even some 30+ years later, the right attitude is as important as the music itself and it has always served me right, long may it continue.



... Grea, you're not a psychopath or undisciplined or even an annoying person, you're just a renegade :)
 
I think I have a good ear and can "feel" a song pretty intuitively. I rarely miss a changeup or a transition. I think I'm pretty good at playing for the song.

More importantly, I'm dependable, have reliable transportation, show up 5 to 10 minutes early, almost never forget anything, always have some extra room in my car to carry gear, know how to set up sound systems, try to have a great attitude at practices and gigs, know my way around website design and social media use, and have my own graphic design business (which means posters, CD covers, etc. for whichever band I'm in at the time). Finally, I do not have a basketload of drama in my personal life which throws the rest of the band off kilter. These traits have been more valuable to me, over the years, than anything I do behind the drums.
 
My best trait is I understand the role of the drummer, I can listen and react as one action, and I know how to make the others look and sound good. I could list a bunch more but one has to maintain a sense of modesty lol.
 
Wow...

I truly have no clue!
 
My best trait was one that I hope all drummers have in common, and that is to relax and play the drums to whatever song I was hired to play, to help make the song become what it wants to be, nice and simple and strong and in the pocket without calling any undue attention to what I'm doing while I'm doing it.
 
I have pretty low exposure...

I've had the eye pop-out response...but its always hard to gague this as I have yet to play in the presence of a drummer that had really well developed skills that gave concerted feedback....effects of living in a small town.

Most musicians I have been around were not that generous...and usually tried to maintain a social coolness/superiority when sober enough to acknowlege their surroundings....prob why I avoid the scene most of the time now.

Need to get out more...in a town with a real music culture....after I get back in musical shape. LOL
 
my best trait is loading the trailer with Tetris like efficiency
 
I've been told by the people I play with now and have played with in the past that I'm a creative and musical drummer. They say I know what to play and what not to play and when.

Also, I've been told that I am hired because I can read and interpret a written chart (roadmap) to become music that they are seeking in their head and can come up with something they never thought of.

I'd like to think that I'm always easy to work with, put the music first and approach any situation I'm in with the "customer is always right" attitude - the customer being the person who hired me or wrote the music.
 
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