Do me a favor? Judge my drumming based on these clips (audio inside)

[Arpanet]

My band finally recorded some songs at a local radio station, and I'd like to hear some opinions on my playing based on a few of the covers we did. Keep in mind that this is completely live. I've been playing for 3 years - how am I doing? What do I need to work on? Thanks much, and don't be afraid of giving harsh criticism.

The Grateful Dead - Hard to Handle (http://www.amherst.edu/~jlenehan08/UVC-Live@WAMH/02%20-%20The%20Grateful%20Dead%20-%20Hard%20to%20Handle.mp3)
Led Zeppelin - Good Times, Bad Times (http://www.amherst.edu/~jlenehan08/UVC-Live@WAMH/06%20-%20Led%20Zeppelin%20-%20Good%20Times,%20Bad%20Times.mp3)
Jimi Hendrix - Fire (http://www.amherst.edu/~jlenehan08/UVC-Live@WAMH/17%20-%20Jimi%20Hendrix%20-%20Fire.mp3)

[Bernie812]

your playings pretty good, but something about it makes you sound like a drum machine, kinda like your not getting in the groove of it.. and maybe slow down to tempo

[Arpanet]

Can you give an example of when I sound out of the groove? I think I know what you mean, I just can't hear it.

[metalhead72]

wow your singer sounds like wesley willis

id say your drumming is on time and pretty solid. I only listened to fire, but you have to make it feel more bouncy, jazzy. Other than that you sound pretty good.

[Bernie812]

well your in the groove with everyone else, but at first i thought it was a drum machine playing the music. i can see in my head like your sitting completly still behind your drum set, not feeling the drums when your playing but it sounds great, your not fumbling around.

[ZeppaMusic]

very good but not as good as Robert or John :P

[Arpanet]

very good but not as good as Robert or John :P

Heh... well yeah :)

Seeing as how two different people think I need to make my playing more fluid, I have to ask - how do you practice fluidity? How do you practice groove? Does it just come with experience?

[Panopticon]

just get into the music. Listen to someone like Chad Smith. His groove is huge. He gets into the music like a mother.

[[Fonya]]

I think a good example of it not grooving enough is the opening fill in good times bad times. It should be nice and fluid like Bonham does it.

[Against-the-Scene]

wow sounds great! the "hard to handle" cover i really liked.

[Arrowsurfer]

yeah i think it lacks energy throughout all the the instruments. There is some there but it wouldn't hurt if everyone got into what they were playing/singing a little more...easy to say but i also have the same problem

[ZeppaMusic]

yeah no point in playing and not loving it, got to ****ing head bash and **** :D

[FockerTheLopper]

Fire is louder hats and they're quaters not eighths for the verse. Sorry for sounding annoying but it makes it sound so much better. Yeah pretty much get your fluidity. You get more into the groove right before and during the solo, thats an example of groove and the intro is less grooving and flowing. You guys are pretty good, I'm listening without being bored and the sound is good. Good job.

[Arpanet]

Cool, thanks for the feedback. I think part of the problem is that sometimes when I'm playing, I concentrate way too hard and end up playing stiff rather than just flowing with the music. I'll work on that.

[some jive turkey]

Fire sounded tight.
I think the "lack of groove" could be easily remedied with some accent studies like from the book "Syncopation". the snare fills could have used some accents, and those funk beats would certainly liven up with some ghosting. It was not bad, but I'm just trying to think of ways to spice it up.

this is based on my one quick listen

oh, and the singer sounds like fat albert.

[FockerTheLopper]

Cool, thanks for the feedback. I think part of the problem is that sometimes when I'm playing, I concentrate way too hard and end up playing stiff rather than just flowing with the music. I'll work on that.
Well thats a good thing to focus, if you go freelancing or you playing in a classic orchestra. If you play in a band one or two mistakes won't kill the band, so you need to focus more on making music rather then not messing up. You have a good attitude, stay on the forums you can learn alot especially with a positive attitude like yours.

[Arpanet]

Fire sounded tight.
I think the "lack of groove" could be easily remedied with some accent studies like from the book "Syncopation". the snare fills could have used some accents, and those funk beats would certainly liven up with some ghosting. It was not bad, but I'm just trying to think of ways to spice it up.

this is based on my one quick listen

oh, and the singer sounds like fat albert.

So... the singer sounds like Fat Albert, Wesley Willis, and my friend thinks he's a dead ringer for Mick Jagger... interesting :D

I actually just ordered Syncopation. As for ghost notes, I've never really learned how to play them well and incorporate them into grooves. Got any recommendations for books?

[Kainen]

Cool, thanks for the feedback. I think part of the problem is that sometimes when I'm playing, I concentrate way too hard and end up playing stiff rather than just flowing with the music. I'll work on that.


I can hear the stiffness myself. Your abilities are good, but like others have said you need to groove more. It sounds to me like your very tense in your single stroke rolls which leaves them without any type of punchiness, though that could be the recording. It also sounds to me like your afraid to crank that snare and those toms, like you just dropping the sticks on them, but once again that could just be the recording. Overall you've got excellent potential. keep it up! :thumb: