Growing up doing drum lessons I had good teachers. They taught me rhythms and rudiments. The foundation of a drummer is his order of sticking. You learn the basics by playing on one drum – the snare drum. This is the military sounding drum with the white head. It makes the distinct sound because of metal rattles on the under side of the drum. So, one example is a ‘paradiddle’ where you play right-left-right-right-left-right-left-left.
Of course, a drummer feels and keeps the rhythm for the rest of the band. It seems simple but it is in fact the hardest part of playing the drums. You think you’re keeping a steady beat, meanwhile that sometimes is just your own perspective. Listen to a recording and it often slows down or speeds up many times through the song. It’s almost like how we experience time at a different pace, a drummer will assume a steady beat even though the audience hears up and down. This is where practice with a metronome comes in.
Believe it or not, apart from simply speeding up or slowing down you can also be on the WRONG side of the beat. A millisecond ahead of the band or a millisecond behind the band and it makes a completely different feel. If you’re a split second ahead it feels like you’re ‘pulling’ the band forward. “Relax Will” they would sometimes say. “It feels like you’re pulling the band forward. Try to relax and be on the back end of the beat”.
It seemed so strange for me as a drummer to be on the ‘back’ end of the beat. Aren’t I supposed to be LEADING the band? To be on the back end seems like I’m following, when I should be the leader in charge of the beat.
Sit back.
Breath.
Don’t try to create the beat – enjoy it.
Receive it as it comes – for it is a much more relaxing ride.
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