rogue_drummer
Gold Member
Is is just me, or do all the other drummers out there have to constantly put up with other musicians, especially guitar players, telling us what to play and how to play?
What I've primarily noticed is that once a musician begins to learn an instrument, especially guitar players, they automatically think they know drumming and can tell drummers what to play, how to play, and begin to relate what other drummers they've seen have done, and we should do it also.
This absolutely drives me out of my head!! I don't tell these people what guitars to buy and how to play or tune their guitars.
I don't tell a horn player he needs to hear the way Al Hirt plays beause it sounds cool. Or maybe tell a sax player to play the way "Blue" Lou Marrini plays sax. Or tell a guitar player to tune their guitar the way Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top tunes his guitar, because "I think it sounds cool".
Why is it once someone learns an instrument, they automatically know everything there is to know about drumming?
I recently had a guitar player tell me that I should "pop" the snare drum because he thought it sounded cool. I told him if he'd wait until I finish hearing this particular song FOR THE FIRST TIME, I'd fit the snare part to the song. I had no music or charts to follow, so I had to make up the drum part. It was in standard 4/4, so I replied usually the snare is on 2 and 4 with variations off that to give the backbeat a unique sound. He gave me a blank look, which obviously gave away he didn't know what the hell I was talking about.
Is it just me being too sensitive, or does everyone else have this same problem? How did you handle it in a diplomatic way?
What I've primarily noticed is that once a musician begins to learn an instrument, especially guitar players, they automatically think they know drumming and can tell drummers what to play, how to play, and begin to relate what other drummers they've seen have done, and we should do it also.
This absolutely drives me out of my head!! I don't tell these people what guitars to buy and how to play or tune their guitars.
I don't tell a horn player he needs to hear the way Al Hirt plays beause it sounds cool. Or maybe tell a sax player to play the way "Blue" Lou Marrini plays sax. Or tell a guitar player to tune their guitar the way Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top tunes his guitar, because "I think it sounds cool".
Why is it once someone learns an instrument, they automatically know everything there is to know about drumming?
I recently had a guitar player tell me that I should "pop" the snare drum because he thought it sounded cool. I told him if he'd wait until I finish hearing this particular song FOR THE FIRST TIME, I'd fit the snare part to the song. I had no music or charts to follow, so I had to make up the drum part. It was in standard 4/4, so I replied usually the snare is on 2 and 4 with variations off that to give the backbeat a unique sound. He gave me a blank look, which obviously gave away he didn't know what the hell I was talking about.
Is it just me being too sensitive, or does everyone else have this same problem? How did you handle it in a diplomatic way?