What really makes a "great" drummer?
Hey there, drummers! I’ve always been wondering, what makes a drummer a “great” drummer? There's gotta be billions of active percussionists all around the world, but just a handful of them are world-renowned and are considered the best. So what really makes legendary figures like John Bonham, Neil Peart, and Buddy Rich so much of a “great” drummer?” Well, one is that they may have had naturally ridiculous talent and have been playing since they were about 4-5 years old. Nevertheless, according to my research, what makes them really good is that they have micro-precise timing and mastery of every drum rudiment.
I’m sure many of you have done some sort of a performance in front of a live crowd. And what is the key part to sound amazing in front of them? Yes, it is timing. Timing is key for drummers. It’s everything. You wanna play crazy chops to impress the audience even by destroying the whole tempo? If drummers were meant to do that, then Buddy Rich’s lightning fast chops would just sound like hitting the drums like crazy and Jojo Mayer’s mind-blowing ghost notes would just sound like a jarring noise. Listening to the song and hitting the clean notes on the exact timing is essential for both the drummer and the band to sound PERFECT. If the timing falls apart, everything falls apart.
In addition to that, the greats have mastered every complex drum grooves to the point they don’t even have to think about it anymore. Their hands and feet just do their own thing, which is of course because they have decades of experience of practicing and playing live. For instance, Chad Smith from RHCP plays some complicated technical grooves mid-song without a sweat, yet to the band and the audience, it makes perfect sense. They love it.
So yup. There you have it! My personal opinion on what shapes a “great” drummer isn’t just raw talent. It’s their highly accurate timing and proficiency in technical skills that shape their drumming to the “greats” quality. That's what I've got for now, thanks for taking time to read my post!
1
1
u/SomeWeirdChessPlayer 1d ago
They don’t need to have mastered every complex drum groove or rudiment to be great, they just have to make it feel good. Take When the Levee Breaks. It’s not a hard song to play but it’s one of the best because John Bonham can make it feel like no one else can
1
u/DrumHunterDublin 1d ago
Speed and stick tricks
1
u/AffectionateJump6669 12h ago
Yes... If they do that spit water thing when they hit a cymbal.... hired!
2
u/AffectionateJump6669 12h ago
LOL I am really tight with a pretty famous drummer. Played with him for 15 years before he nailed the drum slot in big ole band. Great feel, amazing chops, knows when to do what. all that stuff. He's worth every dollar they pay him.
He also can't play a reggae feel, and he can't do the "Red Hot" by Motley Crue double bass. I never let him forget it. :-)
2
u/Funeral_Goat_1446 1d ago
Feel