| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
GalacticDeath 
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
 Topic: Playing shows with no drummer?
Posted: November 11 2011 at 10:02 |
So my drummer recently left the band but me and my bassist are really itching to play some shows.
What are your opinions? Should we go for it?
We would have to use programmed drums when we play but I've spent a lot of time making the drums sound as real and expressive as I could. At this point it seems like our only option if we want to play shows because there aren't very many drummers around here. However, I've never seen a guitarist and bassist play shows with programed drums before, so I'm still a little hesitant.
What do you guys think?
Also, we play intrumental prog if that makes a difference.
|
 |
irrelevant
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 07 2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 13382
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 10:06 |
Go "unplugged" so to speak. 
|
|
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 10:51 |
 irrelevant wrote:
Go "unplugged" so to speak. |
Yeah we thought about that too, but not sure how we would pull that off in bigger venues. Also, we don't have very good acoustic instruments. :(
So our best option I think would be programed drums.
|
|
Vompatti
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: October 22 2005
Location: elsewhere
Status: Offline
Points: 67407
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 11:04 |
|
There's nothing wrong with programmed drums as long as you don't try to make them sound like real drums.
|
|
Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 11:18 |
|
There's nothing wrong with programmed drums sounding like real drums.
|
|
|
|
Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 11:18 |
Do either of you play drums?
I'm thinking backing tape here.....
|
|
|
|
Atoms
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 12 2010
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 546
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:14 |
|
The only logical solution here is to copy yourself and make your copy the new drummer.
|
|
Vompatti
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: October 22 2005
Location: elsewhere
Status: Offline
Points: 67407
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:18 |
Snow Dog wrote:
There's nothing wrong with programmed drums sounding like real drums. |
But it does result in an inevitable and unwanted estrangement effect.
|
|
Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:19 |
Vompatti wrote:
Snow Dog wrote:
There's nothing wrong with programmed drums sounding like real drums. |
But it does result in an inevitable and unwanted estrangement effect. |
For you maybe. 
|
|
|
|
Vompatti
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: October 22 2005
Location: elsewhere
Status: Offline
Points: 67407
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:20 |
Do you find it completely normal to hear drums being played when there are none to be seen?
|
|
Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:25 |
Vompatti wrote:
Do you find it completely normal to hear drums being played when there are none to be seen? |
Every time I listen to my stereo. 
But I see what you mean.
|
|
|
|
Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 12:31 |
If playing to a backing tape (tape being the operative word - CDR is not recommended in a live situation - find an old DAT machine or use a disc-based DAW as they are far more reliable in that environment), ear pieces are a good idea as the playback through the stage monitors cannot be counted on, especially if you are used to playing with a loud live drummer (anyone know where the volume control is on a drum kit?).
But yeah, go for it - playing without a drummer is better than not playing at all.
|
|
What?
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 15:01 |
Vompatti wrote:
There's nothing wrong with programmed drums as long as you don't try to make them sound like real drums. |
Hmm I think you're on to something there. If the drums sound too crazy and busy than it might be a little weird. I'll try to tone it down a notch.
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 15:04 |
Snow Dog wrote:
Do either of you play drums?
I'm thinking backing tape here..... |
I play but not well enough to play the parts unfortunately. Also, we don't have proper mics to record drums.
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 15:04 |
Atoms wrote:
The only logical solution here is to copy yourself and make your copy the new drummer. |
haha yeah that could work lol
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 15:11 |
Dean wrote:
If playing to a backing tape (tape being the operative word - CDR is not recommended in a live situation - find an old DAT machine or use a disc-based DAW as they are far more reliable in that environment), ear pieces are a good idea as the playback through the stage monitors cannot be counted on, especially if you are used to playing with a loud live drummer (anyone know where the volume control is on a drum kit?).
But yeah, go for it - playing without a drummer is better than not playing at all.
|
Thanks for the advice! So you think we should play the drum track directly from the DAW? I was thinking about just rendering it to wav or mp3 and playing it through itunes or another media player. Your way makes more sense though.
|
|
The Neck Romancer
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 01 2010
Location: Brazil
Status: Offline
Points: 10185
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 15:58 |
4 posts in a row, eeek
How big is the town you're in? It's not really hard to find a nice drummer.
And Dean's advice is good advice.
|
|
|
|
GalacticDeath
Forum Newbie
Joined: September 17 2011
Location: Toledo, OH
Status: Offline
Points: 27
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 16:30 |
Polo wrote:
4 posts in a row, eeek
How big is the town you're in? It's not really hard to find a nice drummer.
And Dean's advice is good advice. |
We've actually been looking for several months now and we've had no luck. The music scene here isn't really all that big. We have auditioned a few drummers but none of them fit the bill. Mostly because they couldn't keep up with the odd time signatures and tempo changes.
And yeah I wasn't sure how to put multiple quotes under one post, sorry about that haha
Edited by GalacticDeath - November 11 2011 at 17:09
|
|
Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23104
|
Posted: November 11 2011 at 16:45 |
|
Hhhmm ok, I was just about to ask you if you had lots of odd timesigs and the works, or else I´d highly recommend using a sequencer. Makes the guitar and bass seem all the more prominent and otherworldly, and personally I think it is used far too seldomly these days, but it sounds pretty unrealistic seeing what you just wrote.
The best sort of sampled drums out there - I find to be of a more percussive nature, but again it all boils down to what kind of feel you want to add to the music.
|
|
“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
|
|
Triceratopsoil
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 03 2010
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 18016
|
Posted: November 12 2011 at 13:34 |
|
If you aren't opposed to, say, playing a slowed-down cleaned-up version of your music, it can be cool to put a wooden box upside down with a mic under it and step on it
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
Playing shows with no drummer?
