Click

[drummin4jc]

Hello LGM,


It's been a while since I've posted here on the board. Hope all is well!

Recently I tried out for the worship band at my home church and I was fortunate enough to be selected out 9 drummers for 1 spot.  It's an amazing opportunity to be a part of an incredible worship band however, I have a problem...

Prior to being a part of my church I've never been a part of a worship band where the click was used as we played. 

Some Sunday nights back I went to play for our young adult/college age ministry service and I found myself really struggling because I was introduced to the almighty click.

I know this is going back to basics for most of you but are there any tips or practice techniques I can use to improve my performance?

Any advice, tips or guidance is welcomed!

Thanks!

[baggettcindy]

Is the click coming through an ear device? How does it effect your playing? I don't have any advice. I was just wondering. I've playing with loops that sometimes had clicks, but it didn't bother me.  If you don't receive advice here, you can also google your question.

[bill m]

How do you count? 1/4 notes (straight beats) are counted 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 etc. 1/8  notes (fills) are counted 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 etc. Practice is the only solution. You must learn to dissect the "click" Don't let it dissect you. I feel stupid telling you this because I play guitar. I wanted to learn how to play the drums so I read books and watched DVD's. That's where I learned how drummers count. I wished our church ran a click. The only prob. is playing with people who never practiced with one. Recordings even in the early days were made with some kind of timed or click track otherwise editing would have been impossible. For a serious musician it is a must. Stick with it. God Bless.

[SabianKnight]

You have to get you r a metronome to practice with. Many will not agree with me because they cane play with a track but not play with a metronome. However, in order to play time in time(in meter), in tempo/on beat in the pocket, YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE TIME/TEMPO.

The basic time/tempo/meter is the count but the feel is in the subdivided syncopation or rhythmic pattern. Rhythm is simply the compilation of the various subdivisions of a one beat notation - the quarter note.
There are 64 possible subdivisions of a quarter note that most humans can play with proper technique and consistent practice. The more natural this becomes... the more you will embody the tempo and the rhythmic patterns will flow out in time.

You ability to control these rhythmic patterns/subdivisions at various tempos will allow you to play to, with and around the click or click track.

The books, Master Studies I and II have a section called the Table of Time which lays out all the subdivisions. Practice these with each limb at the tempo of  various gospel recordings. This will find your weakness(es)... then slow the tempo down on the metronome and learn to control that pattern over extended periods of time. Gradually work you way up to the performance tempo, then push yourself past that... stop when you loose control and work on that until you master that tempo.

Virgil Donati did this in his younger years and demonstrated it on his first instructional video called, Power Drumming. So did Akira Jimbo and Thomas Lang in their own ways. This is how they all became the monster players that they are... CONTROL. This will develop your internal click.

[SabianKnight]

To add to and support some of my commentary above here is a Nashville touring and sessions drummer with music degrees instructing on the necessary fundamentals to being a working drummer. In Nashville and the professional ranks, playing to a click is a must. Here, Rich Redmond (Jason Aldean) shows how to apply the subdivision control exercises learned from sources such as I recommended apply to the drum kit.

http://youtu.be/Xy2zLJarXxE

[SabianKnight]

Here is ye another example in this solo over a click track by Mike Johnston... controlling the subdivided, syncopated patterns in tempo/time.

http://youtu.be/xwIv3SAIMUQ