I am a songwriter’s drummer. I try to capture the meaning and mood of the song and play my part to support it. I use space and dynamic more than fills. Drumming can be the main catalyst that makes the listener feel whatever emotion the songwriter is communicating. Theory and technique are important, but the key is to step inside the song and walk around for awhile. Otherwise, it’s just drum by numbers.
I have always been a "less is more" type of person when it comes to gear. My college drum instructor showed me how I could make the same sound with a 5 piece as a lot of people do with much bigger kits. It's interesting how certain genres always have a huge drum kit with racks and racks of toms and cymbals. To me, that is just more stuff to lug around. The one thing I do wish I had a lot of is abstract percussion stuff. Glenn Kotche of Wilco is one of the best, he's throwing shakers around, playing xylophone with one hand and doing fills with the other, has cans of sand taped to his hi hat, very entertaining to watch. And yet, he still serves the song.
So the key is to find that balance between flash and substance. Obviously the show must entertain, as much as possible. But every note and every instrument played onstage should have a purpose beyond simply showing off.
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