Tim B. - SDS Staff Teacher

@Bruce hey! You are not the first, or last, drummer to experience this type of thing. Like Stephen said, now that you know the room is what it is, and that fills can sometimes muddy the situation - you can plan for it. I have a few other things to think about too: - Watch your dynamics on fills. As drummers, fills serve to add excitement and signal transitions - but that doesn't mean we have to play LOUDER. Excitement doesn't have to equal playing with more volume. If the groove is a basic kick, snare, hat groove and you want to fill into the chorus - just breaking the constant hi hat motion is a pretty big change and then if you start an 1/8th note build on the toms that starts SUPER quiet - now you have room to grow in that tom build back up to the volume you were grooving at. The dynamic contrast of starting the measure super quiet gives you "head room" to make the fill grow, but because you start the fill quieter than the groove you are about to get into, it seems as if you are "getting louder". - I might experiment with different tuning and muffling. You can't change the room you are in, but you can change how your drums will react in the room you are in. If I find myself in a big room and needing to play really quiet, the first change I make is my snare. I'm going to dampen it a TON. Dampening makes a drum quieter and shortens the sustain of the drum - both of those things with will help with volume and making a live room sound "muddy". I might also put gaff on my cymbals to make them less bright and ringy. Then it is about playing dynamically. We all want to bash and wail on our drums because that is the MOST fun way to play, but everything will benefit if we play at the proper dynamic range for the setting. I've played a TON of shows playing half the volume I wanted to play, and honestly it probably would've been fine if I had played louder - but on those shows I almost ALWAYS have the vocalist say something like, "wow it was so much easier to hear myself and sing today" - that is a job well done.

Zildjian really knows what they are doing. I have THREE of their rides (20" and 22" K Com Med Thin Low and a 23" K Sweet Ride). But my favorite is a pair of 15" A hats from the 70s. Bought those off a backline company at a gig for $200.

@Bruce the "perfect" stick probably doesn't exist. haha. But I think you can find a few pairs of "go to" sticks that will get you what you need in every situation. I use two pairs of sticks for every single gig/session I play: 1. Vic Firth SD2 Bolero. I use this for lighter playing (jazz or in a recording environment) because the stick tip gives CRAZY definition and even though it is a light stick it is very thick so it is light but produces a nice fat sound. 2. Vic Firth 5B Barrel tip. This is the stick I use for EVERYTHING else. The barrel tip gets more articulation and definition from cymbals and (to me) has a fatter sound than the traditional acorn tip most companies use on 5Bs. Also, a 5B is heavy enough to feel good when needing to play super loud but not so heavy it is hard to play quieter dynamics. I would say the goal might be to find a stick that can cover 80% of what you normally do, and then find a different stick that "fills in the holes" of what that stick can't do. That might relieve some stress about "finding the perfect stick". Also, part of the problem might be...you aren't playing Vic Firth sticks! haha. Just kidding, but I do think what they offer is the best on the market in the stick department. But I'm biased!

@Bruce that is a pretty GREAT selection of rides you have/want to try. My favorite ride of ALL TIME is my Istanbul Signature Agop 24". OHHHHHHH it is so beautiful. Second is probably my 22" Constantinople Medium Thin Low ride.

Hey @Tony. This is a great question. Firstly, @Stephen and I approve of you choosing Vic Firth (they are the best sticks out there). haha So, I would say the most "industry standard" stick on planet Earth is a 5A. A 5A stick is not too heavy or too light. As the number goes down in size, the stick is actually getting heavier (so a 3A would be heavier/thicker than a 5A) and as the number goes up the stick gets lighter (7A is a super light and thin stick). But these are mostly just numbers on a stick. They don't mean a whole lot when it comes to sitting down behind a kit and playing. So a few things to think about that will affect your experience while playing: 1. Stick weight. Do you like a heavy or light stick? 2. Stick tip. Do you like a tear-drop tip or a barrel tip? This really only impacts playing on an acoustic kit ESPECIALLY cymbals. 3. Stick length. Some people like short sticks as they feel it makes them "quicker" and get around the kit easier. Some people like super long sticks so they can choke back and get more power. I recommend you just go to a music store (Guitar Center, etc) and just try several pair. Play them on a practice pad and see what you like. Once you settle on a pair, try it for a while (a few months). Every stick switch is going to take some adjusting, so I like to let them settle for a few weeks/months before I really make my mind up. Last thing, if you are playing on an electric set - I would stay away from sticks with a colored finish. Actually even if you are on an acoustic set, I would stay away from colored sticks. They can (not always) leave marks and residue that normal sticks wouldn't leave.

Agreed! Really Brian's playing on ANY album is pretty savage haha.

For sure. I think that is why it is important in a studio environment to have different options. Playing a very muffled snare is going to make me totally change the ideas I break out as opposed to a super wide open and ringy snare. This is also why, when someone says they are bored of their ideas, I suggest to mix up your tuning and set up. Different tunings and drums will make us have different ideas.

hahaha. You just like him because he plays DW Drums @Joshua...

I've transcribed a TON of Nate Smith's playing. He is a legend. Here are a few: https://youtu.be/Oo0SReYA4po https://youtu.be/tIdzPYMUEys

The stick size, tip, etc can make a HUGE difference. As for how they change how the drummer actually performs - I'm of two mindsets. One side of me is like, "that makes sense." When I use my Vic Firth Bolero sticks versus my Vic Firth 5B barrels I play different because I use them for two different things. The 5B is for heavier stuff that I need a little more beef behind. The Bolero is for moderate to light stuff and jazz. But this is because the 5B are pretty significantly heavier than the Bolero. As well, the Barrel 5Bs and the Bolero have WILDLY different tips (which I've shown Joshua and Stephen and finally convinced them that it matter). So it makes sense that those sticks will make me play different. The other side of me has met a TON of drummers that were playing Vic Firth 5A sticks and switched to some other companies 5A sticks and is like "oh I can play so much faster and sound so much better." I think there is a LOT of psychology at play here. Most 5As made by any company have some sort of acorn/tear-drop tip and are almost the same length and weight. I think for the people that "feel so much faster" with certain sticks it is mostly psychological, they just like the feeling of "new" and are inspired. Now, that isn't to de-legitimize the sort of "placebo effect" but I think sometimes people use sticks/heads/kick pedals as a crutch to say "oh I'd sound so much better if I had my gear". We should avoid relying too much on gear to get our sound. I've seen Brian Blade play my drums, not move them, not tune them - and guess what? He sounded EXACTLY like Brian Blade. Because he (the person) IS the sound. Sure certain cymbals and sticks will help him get to his sound faster or easier - but someone who is a master of their craft will still be able to make anything in front of them sound like THEM. Just a few thoughts on the topic.

That kit sounds great. I think having one or two electronic pads like shown here is ideal, let's you trigger the occasional clap/808 very easily. Tambo and splash cymbals seem to be a bit much...haha. But I'm into it.

@Joshua I believe @Stephen has one of those and uses from time to time right?

This is a great question! Two great ways to start is just by talking with and meeting your worship leader or the current worship drummer. Or both. They will be the best place to start as you can get a feel for the culture of the worship team and ask them how it all works.

@Joshua I would stay in the K world. The A's are inexpensive (compared to anything with a K on it) but I don't think they sound great recorded. This doesn't always matter if live playing is most of your bag, but the A's really really sound thin and cheap when recorded. One man's opinion.

David. This is a GREAT question. There will actually be a lesson released a few weeks from now where Scott Williamson (from the recent member's live stream Q&A) talks about pocket. Pocket is really referring to how the groove/fill/solo/song/etc FEELS. And what I mean by "feels" is - does it feel "good"? Does it "groove"? Think about a metronome ticking constant 16th notes - it is metronomically perfect (because it is a metronome haha) - but it doesn't really FEEL GOOD. There is no dynamic contrast, there is no vibe - it is just constant 16th notes. BUT. What if you make the metronome play each downbeat very strong, then make the "ands" 50% quieter, and the "e" and "uh" 75% quieter. NOW it isn't constant 16th notes at the exact same dynamic...it is something with push and pull, and dynamics. Still metronomically perfect, but now it FEELS better. So there are many different types of pocket. But it is basically striking that balance of "in time with the music" and "adding a human feel to the groove to give it life". I would say pocket is the unique feel a drummer gives everything they play. Vinnie Colaiuta has a certain pocket that is VERY different than Brian Blade. Travis Barker has a different pocket than Dave Grohl. But they all know how to take a groove and make it feel "good". This is also where music becomes totally subjective because the way that Travis Barker plays "pocket" can be a huge turn off for a lot of people because they think it is "too loud" or something like that. But it is HUMAN and it has a time and a place that fits into the music he plays. So the short answer is "being in the pocket" is making a groove or fill "feel good" and making it fit in the music you are playing with. The long (and more philosophical answer) is that "pocket" is the unique fingerprint every drummer has, it is the essence of "their sound".

What is your exact goal with the cymbals and what type of cymbal are you looking for? If you go on ebay and search for CB Drums hi hat cymbals. They are VERY CHEAP, VERY THIN, but actually sound kinda awesome if the gritty, trashy, short, thin thing is what you are after.

My set up changes a lot, but here's what I use the most: - 15" 1970s Zildjian A hats - 18" HHX-Treme crash - 20" K Constantinople Medium Thin Low (I use it as a crash and a ride depending on the vibe) - 22" K Constantinople Medium Thin Low (I use it as a crash and a ride depending on the vibe) - 23" K Sweet Ride - 24" Instanbul Signature Agop Ride (this is for jazz and light stuff but easily my favorite cymbal I own) Every now and then I use a pair of 18" hats made out of a cheap 18" sabian cymbal and the HHX cymbal above. They are amazing and probably my favorite hi hat sound, but I don't record them on everything since they aren't always the right vibe.

My set up changes a lot, but here's what I use the most: - 15" 1970s Zildjian A hats - 18" HHX-Treme crash - 20" K Constantinople Medium Thin Low (I use it as a crash and a ride depending on the vibe) - 22" K Constantinople Medium Thin Low (I use it as a crash and a ride depending on the vibe) - 23" K Sweet Ride - 24" Instanbul Signature Agop Ride (this is for jazz and light stuff but easily my favorite cymbal I own) Every now and then I use a pair of 18" hats made out of a cheap 18" sabian cymbal and the HHX cymbal above. They are amazing and probably my favorite hi hat sound, but I don't record them on everything since they aren't always the right vibe.

Being in Nashville, most churches I know have a DEEEEEEEP roster of drummers. Whether that is people that just go to the church or professional players that play every-now-and-then when they aren't out on the road. There are so many musicians in Nashville that there is rarely a church that has a hard time finding someone to play any instrument.

I'm originally from Chesapeake, VA (near Virginia Beach) and moved to Nashville 10 years ago. Got a music degree from Belmont University while touring a little bit while in school. Then I graduated from Belmont, toured full time for several years and recently am doing more of the studio thing in Nashville. And obviously transcribing and teaching with SDS and what not.

Every song is a bit different, but generally I will learn the part exactly like it is on the record. Most modern songs have 2-4 bar loops for each section so this isn't too hard. I don't learn the exact fills people play, unless I think the fill is an integral part of the song (i.e. opening fill to "Brickhouse" or the Phil Collins fill "In the Air Tonight"). I will make the parts my own if I feel the part on the record doesn't feel great live. A lot of songs have a ton of programming or drum loops that won't be there when we play it, so I choose to fill in what I can from that stuff if I feel it is needed. Another common tweak I find I have to do it a lot of modern worship songs either have REALLY BORING kick patterns (4 on the floor, 8 on the floor, or 1+ 3+ are super super super common) or sometimes the kick patterns are TOO complicated and don't feel good at all (as if in the session they thought, "this is boring let's spice this up" and just played some busy kick pattern for the sake of being "different"). In those cases, I'll communicate with whoever is playing bass and maybe suggest we do our own thing. On good days, I don't even need to verbally say anything to the bass player, and I'll play something different from the record and they will look over and give me a nod like "yep, let's do that". But it is key that WHATEVER you are changing, the bass player and band leader are on board and that you have a musical REASON for the change. I find that having a shaker can also help for down parts of songs. Many worship songs don't have drums come in until the first chorus or second verse, and instead of making the audience rely on getting a time feel/reference from the vocalist or something - I'll just play light shaker in the background. Sounds really simple and like it wouldn't do much, but shaker fills up more space (in a good way) than you think and it gives everyone on stage and in the audience/congregation a timing foundation without being too intrusive. This goes for parts of songs where drums aren't playing, and also grooves where it might just be a very broken tom pattern and snare every other beat 4 or whatever, having a shaker there to glue everything together can really help anyone on stage or listening lock into the groove.

Hey @Brian - I think it all depends on the kind of drummer you are and what you want out of it. I would say, for worship music being able to have a nice defined ride sound AND be able to lay in and crash it are pretty useful for today's big modern worship sound. The "bell" isn't used much in modern worship, but it is always nice to think about gear on a bigger level that "what do I need right now". If that makes sense. I would say the K Sweet rides (21"+) fit really nice into this category. I have a 23" Zildjian K Sweet and it rides, crashes, and also has a nice bell to it. I agree with Joshua, the Zildjian K Light stuff also works really well. I play a 22" K Light at one of the churches I play at and it does great. I really only use hats and ride for that set up because the K Light has such a nice crash to it. Although, I think the K Light stuff does lack a nice "bell sound" to it.

@Aaron very cool! Thanks for sharing. People really sleep on their foot technique (ESPECIALLY the hi hat foot). But just about every one of my drum heroes has quite a bit of control over the hi hat with their foot. People don't realize the hi hat foot isn't just for "stepping time" in ride grooves or jazz haha. Can be a whole new voice on the drum kit if learned to play with dynamics and different sounds.

I play at a few churches. One has a PDP, one has a (not great) Yamaha kit of some kind, and one has some kind of entry/midlevel Gretsch. Honestly, the PDP is the only one I don't like at all. The other two have pros/cons of their own.