Brian Tichy: The Importance of Consistency

Scott K Fish

Silver Member
SKF NOTE: I don't know Brian Tichy, neither am I familiar with his drumming. But his advice here is spot on for drumset players in all kinds of bands. I will have to give Mr. Tichy a listen.

DRUMMER BRIAN TICHY (INTERVIEW)
November 24, 2014 by Leslie Michele Derrough

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Q. What do you think is the most important thing a drummer can do for a band?

There really is only one most important thing and it’s keeping good solid time, and solid doesn’t mean you have to hit everything and smash it as hard as you can and all that. It just means no matter what you’re doing up there, whatever it takes to make that band sound right and groove right and drive the band correctly, the way the band should be....

And I don’t want a drummer to change it up too much. But the main thing is the groove and the timing. And the first and foremost thing you can teach a drummer is the importance of consistency. Every time you hit that bass drum, every time you hit the snare, every time you hit a cymbal, it’s got to sound like one instrument. You can’t sound like a drum, a cymbal, a this, a that. It’s got to sound like a drum set and once you can keep that thing sounding powerful in the band with confidence in your capability, then they’re not worried, they’re not turning around looking at you, and that makes the band play better, makes the guitar player not worry about anything else. That’s the main job of the drummer. You hit the damn drums, you keep it in time and you make everybody feel good about it (laughs).

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Tichy is one of the best rock/hard rock drummers out there right now.

I've seen him several times in a variety of settings, and he's rather amazing.

And he's a really good guitar player too.
 
"There really is only one most important thing and it’s keeping good solid time."

This isn't exclusive for the drummer, all musicians should learn how to play in time, but since a lot of them don't emphasize time, they look to the drummer as a scapegoat.

If a musician onstage has poor time, no drummer can save them, its going to reflect on the band as a whole.

Its simply every musicians responsibility, no matter what they play, to learn how to play in time and make their instrument sound consistent.

This whole 'The drummer keeps the time for the band' thing is over done, its only out there for lack of a deeper understanding. Its the drummers job to play the groove of the song, and whatever is in that groove, set up, accents etc. Of course they should be able to play it in time, just like the singer 'should' be able to sing in time.

The time of the song, the speed the band plays any given song at 'can' be determined by the drummer on a count off, but ultimately it has to be agreed upon by all the musicians playing the song, that count could change as the song progresses.

If Im out front singing, Im not following the drummer, Im leading, the drummer follows me.

Its the drummers job to play the groove, to play the song, just like its the guitar players job to play the guitar part, and the singers job to sing the song, they should all be able to do their parts in time, no one should need a babysitter.
 
Very well said Les. It's obvious the drummer, should keep good time, but like you said, all in the band should.

I think we could say one of the most important, or the most important thing for the drummer to do is make everyone feel confident and comfortable while performing.
 
I agree with Tichy ...he is right on spot..but..... if the guitarist/ song writer/leader in the band decides to deploy his guitar in an almost painterly fashion, offering framework and texture rather than directive and chops, trying to play irregular like Moonie is the only option to make the whole sound cohesive.
 
If Im out front singing, Im not following the drummer, Im leading, the drummer follows me.

For the rest of what you stated, I would agree. However, I have far too many experiences with singers who think that I should just follow them when, actually, they should know the form of the song and leave me to do my job. They don't know the song and tend to sing the parts they enjoy singing. It's my job to keep good time and introduce the next phrase of the song with a fill. If the singer thinks that I should stay out of their way because, after all, they are the lead singer, then they aren't really leading anything. A few I work with on a regular basis think that it is professional to hold up one finger for a verse and 2 fingers for a chorus. I never see Jason Aldean do that.

After all, which part is usually recorded first in the studio, drums or lead vocals?



Mike

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This isn't exclusive for the drummer, all musicians should learn how to play in time, but since a lot of them don't emphasize time, they look to the drummer as a scapegoat.

If a musician onstage has poor time, no drummer can save them, its going to reflect on the band as a whole.

Its simply every musicians responsibility, no matter what they play, to learn how to play in time and make their instrument sound consistent.

This whole 'The drummer keeps the time for the band' thing is over done, its only out there for lack of a deeper understanding. Its the drummers job to play the groove of the song, and whatever is in that groove, set up, accents etc. Of course they should be able to play it in time, just like the singer 'should' be able to sing in time.

The time of the song, the speed the band plays any given song at 'can' be determined by the drummer on a count off, but ultimately it has to be agreed upon by all the musicians playing the song, that count could change as the song progresses.

If Im out front singing, Im not following the drummer, Im leading, the drummer follows me.

Its the drummers job to play the groove, to play the song, just like its the guitar players job to play the guitar part, and the singers job to sing the song, they should all be able to do their parts in time, no one should need a babysitter.

Well said! A good band is a team. A good drummer can be the reference point for the meter of a song and should be imo...to keep things anchored. Everyone is responsible to police themselves to stay on reference and be part of the team.

An impressive band sounds good because everyone understands that their first job is to make the song sound and feel authentic....when everyone supports the collective is when you get the thing cooking. It takes time to develop that. It takes time for a musician to understand that the endgame is band sound, not self and how impressive they are.
 
This isn't exclusive for the drummer, all musicians should learn how to play in time, but since a lot of them don't emphasize time, they look to the drummer as a scapegoat.

this right here is the underlying problem with a lot of musicians

they hear so often that the drummer is "the time keeper" that they believe this enormous misconception

so amazingly unfortunate ..... mostly for those who have to play with them
 
I agree with Les too.

Good time comes from everyone in the band.

But that doesn't change that Tichy is one heck of a good rock drummer.
 
However, I have far too many experiences with singers who think that I should just follow them when, actually, they should know the form of the song and leave me to do my job. They don't know the song and tend to sing the parts they enjoy singing. It's my job to keep good time and introduce the next phrase of the song with a fill. If the singer thinks that I should stay out of their way because, after all, they are the lead singer, then they aren't really leading anything.


If Im out front singing and I signal the band to speed up, you'll follow.

If not, I'd sock you on the nose during the break.
 
If Im out front singing and I signal the band to speed up, you'll follow.

If not, I'd sock you on the nose during the break.

No, and no.

We will hammer out those problems either at rehearsal or on a break. My responsibility, as the drummer, is to know those songs and tempos (just like Bermuda said in his clinic). The singer's job is not to act like he is the alpha male stroking his ego in front of the crowd; his job is to sing on key and within the framework of the tempo and the form of the song not act like a dictator.

Otherwise, he might end up like Mick Jagger upon Mick's first meeting with Charlie Watts.

Mike

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http://twitter.com/mikemccraw
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No, and no.

My responsibility, as the drummer, is to know those songs and tempos (just like Bermuda said in his clinic).

The singer's job is not to act like he is the alpha male stroking his ego in front of the crowd; his job is to sing on key and within the framework of the tempo and the form of the song not act like a dictator.

Its everyones job to know the tempo/general starting point, which is subject to change nightly in a good band scenario. As a drummer, you're backing up the singer, a good singer will be in control and thus lead.

Singers job is to read the crowd and entertain, and 99 times out of 100 direct/give cues to the band. Ego stroking is optional, whatever works.
 
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