Metronome?

11top

11top

Cousin Eddie's cousin
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I’m in a band with a drummer who can’t keep time. :(:mad: It drives me freakin’ nuts. Don’t ask me how a drummer can’t keep time. We’ll start a song, and by the end it is completely dragging. He uses every imaginable excuse rather than manning-up to it. Anybody else have a similar issue going on? Anybody use a metronome with the band? If so, what works?
 
There’s nothing you can do but tell him it bothers you and it’s a problem he needs to address, or find another drummer.

Ive had to have that conversation a hundred times as a band mate and as a record producer, it’s never easy, feelings will get hurt, accusations will be made, excuses will fly, and unless you’re really committed to the guy... it’s similar to getting someone admit they have an addiction, or if you had a tubby girlfriend that would be perfect if she lost a hundred pounds.

Now, you can put in the effort, practice to a click, record your rehearsals and shows and have listening sessions where you point out fluctuations, buy this box called a “Russian Dragon”, and work with them. It is possible you’ll help them, and that they’ll get better...

but then just like the addict that got clean and the tubby chick that’s now “hot”, they’ll leave you in the end. Because now they’ve got their sh!t together and they’ll be attractive to other bands, and they’ll most likely carry the resentment of you with them until their last days, and they’ll have something to prove to you and themselves, so they’ll get a hotter boyfriend or band.


I’m telling you... without a shred of exaggeration or hyperbole, I’ve seen and been through this tens of times, and always to the same end. Find another drummer, or adjust your expectations.
 
Everyone in a band is the time keeper, and everybody must LISTEN, really listen.

I know a drummer I hate to play with because he just seems to enjoy zoning out on his own thing, which is the point where he just quits listening and enters his private comfort zone.

Any other instrument that says, “I just play what I feel,” can be put right with a quick, “Well feel something in Bb because that’s where the rest of us are!”

Won’t work with drummers because they think they’re IT, as far as rhythm. But some version has to snap them into the present moment because, “That’s where WE ALL are at mfr!”
 
I've loaded an app on my phone called LiveBPM, and placed it on a music stand in front of the drummer. I then say that the song is done at 120 bpm (or whatever), and keep an eye on it, as can he. As you play, the app does a great job of showing the BPM in real time.
It doesn't take long for reality to be exposed, and sorry drummer, but you have one job... time. Trills and fills are fun, but time is EVERYTHING.
Can't do time reliably? Then you have no business with trills and fills.
I'm with Sergio... if you can't get him to see the light/reality, then move on. Life is too short.
 
you're worse than james brown! rats off to ya

dmatthews said:
I've loaded an app on my phone called LiveBPM, and placed it on a music stand in front of the drummer. I then say that the song is done at 120 bpm (or whatever), and keep an eye on it, as can he. As you play, the app does a great job of showing the BPM in real time.
It doesn't take long for reality to be exposed, and sorry drummer, but you have one job... time. Trills and fills are fun, but time is EVERYTHING.
Can't do time reliably? Then you have no business with trills and fills.
I'm with Sergio... if you can't get him to see the light/reality, then move on. Life is too short.
Click to expand...
 
jxe said:
click track in his in-ears?
Click to expand...

I have a drummer friend who replaced another guy in a professional touring band. His predecessor's time was so bad they did exactly that. They then fired the guy and hired my friend, who can keep time without a click.

I experienced the dragging drummer issue when we were getting the blues band going this summer. He simply didn't work out and we have a great drummer now.
 
Last edited:
It doesn’t have to be a click track, just a sequence track...think the intros to nearly every early Linkin Park tune. OTOH, a good bassist can lock-in a drummer, too. Maybe push the bassist to focus on the kick and get the two of them to fix the problem? Delegation is always a good approach. :D
 
When I joined the last band I was in, they had a VERY erratic drummer. Songs would speed up and slow down, fills never landed on time, cymbal hits were off time. It messed with my ability to learn their songs. As the new guy, I pulled the founder, Craig, aside and told him that the drummer's ability level wasn't on par with what I was expecting, and that he was holding the band back. It was a shame because he was a nice guy and had a DW drum kit (finding drummers with GREAT kit is tough in these parts!), but I personally felt embarrassed every time we did a show. The drummer's timing issues made me look bad as a player.

After a few conversations, hurt feelings, and tense rehearsals, the band founder fired the drummer and we brought in my friend, Vance as the new drummer.. It was the greatest decision Craig ever made. The band jumped to the next level. Vance and I had played in bands together for a little over 10 years, doing several hundred gigs. Everyone locked in quickly and we got more gigs which we played with consistency.

My point? Sometimes being the "new guy" gives you a perspective the others may have forgotten....kind of like how you can go "nose-blind" to odors you are used to smelling, lol. Know your place - its not YOUR band - but I am sure you know who the "leader" is...talk to that person. Feel them out. Talk about the issue. See is it can be resolved, via a click OR replacement.

As far as using clicks go.....

Vance and I joined a thrash band once. EVERY song was 230BPM or faster. He hadn't played that quickly since being a kid. He needed to use a click while playing these songs. The whole band didn't need to hear the click since we followed what Vance was doing. He used his Tama Rhythm Watch with his headphones plugged in. He had a fancy little footswitch to change the programs. The band was TIGHT.
 
Boogie said:
It doesn’t have to be a click track, just a sequence track...think the intros to nearly every early Linkin Park tune. OTOH, a good bassist can lock-in a drummer, too. Maybe push the bassist to focus on the kick and get the two of them to fix the problem? Delegation is always a good approach. :D
Click to expand...

This. I saw a video with Omar Hakim years ago (Sting era), and he was using a drum machine for a click track. He said if he heard the drum machine, he knew he wasn’t quite on the beat, but he could use that sound to push or drag the beat. My DAWs do the whole click thing for recording, but usually I slap a drum pattern in a track and use that. Better than the monotonous beep.
 
11top said:
I’m in a band with a drummer who can’t keep time. :(:mad: It drives me freakin’ nuts. Don’t ask me how a drummer can’t keep time. We’ll start a song, and by the end it is completely dragging. He uses every imaginable excuse rather than manning-up to it. Anybody else have a similar issue going on? Anybody use a metronome with the band? If so, what works?
Click to expand...

We've jammed with our drummer playing to a click. There's a downside as well. If the guy gets too fixated on being in perfect time the groove can suffer.
 
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