Good stuff Kade... We've run the full gamut on this issue over the past decade at our Church- went from hand percussion to V-drums to a live kit in an enclosure lined with sound panels and a top. One of our drummers plays super-hard (think shattered bamboo everywhere) and the other has a fairly light touch. Both are very talented but very different. Your emphasis on well-timed energy is spot on: if you get too big too fast there's nowhere left to go. I know you are keeping the video brief, but I would add that energy should not only build, but fluctuate (rise into the chorus, back off in the verses. Never want to just "coast through" those transitions.) I also think it's important to "play to the room." This is a learned art, some of the best drummers I've heard can play with a jazz trio in a restaurant and wow me with pure finesse, yet patrons can have a conversation from a few feet away... then blast my socks off in a concert setting. Drumming is definitely an art form with a wide range of possibilities, but it takes a lot of work to develop various styles!
Excellent explanation of how cymbals affect energy and how that energy can be expressed even at a lower volume. Beatboxing is also a great way to communicate with your drummer. Most drummers play by ear so simply singing what you're wanting can help a drummer figure it out. A model of bundled sticks I've discovered are Vater Whips (wood handle). They are more durable than wooden dowels and the wood handle allows for a good cross stick sound not easily achieved with wooden dowels. Thanks for always producing great content! Love the new setup.
This is so good. As a worship leader, communicating with drummers is the trickiest part of stewarding a band for me! The "energy" bit is sooo good. When we'd have a drummer absent and wanted some more rhythm, I've played cajon a few times and simply asked (pleaded) for Jesus to take the wheel. haha
Blessings Kade. Drummers are a unique blessings to music. Our tip, recommend worship volume instead of concert volume. Sometimes it works. Else, provide Promark c-rods or h-rods. Cymbals are definitely the main transfer of energy.
The problem I have in my own church is that, our drummer doesn't listen to me. It's like when he gets into that energy, there's no getting him out. I will still - one of these days - walk up to him and collect the sticks during one of our worship sections 😂. God knows. Thanks Kade
As far as collaborative creative input is concerned the drum-kit is where it’s at. Thankfully I have a great relationship with our drummer, because I pamper him 😊 buying and trying out new mic setups, and sticks to try out and give feedback on. And I don’t understand why churches have drum enclosures. I’ve been to plenty of gigs and concerts big and small and never once seen a shield or enclosure.
Whoa buddy... you are stepping on a sacred cow when it comes to criticizing the drum enclosure. 😬 But, I agree. Drum enclosures are not needed. There are better solutions.
I play everything a little and run our sound techs at church. This video definitely will strike a chord (haha) with many church worship teams. One thing I use to decrease energy on the drums is going to a beat where the snare hits half as often. I call it half time but I don't think thats the correct term. Basically the drum beat stays similar but the snare hits on only the 4 count. I have more problems with the drummers not turning it loose when the time comes! Jesus is in heaven, if you want him to hear it, you better crash that cymbal! J/K!
I am an avid drummer since 5 Years old and have played at multiple churches for a few years. Basing the "energy level" of drumming on just cymbals sounds TOO basic in my opinion... In a basic set, you have 3 cymbals (Ride, Crash, High-hat) and 5 drum heads (snare, 2 toms, 1 floor tom, and bass). You have a plethora of different rudiments that can be distributed virtually infinitely amongst the different parts of your set, not even mentioning dynamics! I rebuttal your "energy level" argument regarding cymbals and say that I can introduce a song with ONLY cymbals: -A simple trill every 4 bars on the ride, with a variant of hitting the bell on 1 after the "and a" after 4 (option to add "and 3"). -Hitting the ride at mezzo-piano on 2+4 -Crescendos with mallets to bridge phrases -Any combination of the above examples Cymbals can ACCENT key nots in the beginning of a song before establishing a beat! Of course, all of this depends on the song and what the song calls for... what "environment" it is trying to create, etc. You could start a song with just quarter notes on the Bass Drum! You could start a song with an army "drumline" feel on just the Snare! To be honest, I was a little offended when you limited the creative potential of us Drummers to just our Cymbals... It's like if I said: "The 'energy level' of a guitarist is based on how much he uses his 6th string." To be fair (when regarding the Cymbals), your recommendation DOES hold merit in the fact that the closed High-Hat is typically the quietest out of all the cymbals, followed by the Open High-Hat, then the RIDE, then the Crash. I agree that the average drummer tends to "hit peak" too early (not to mention gain time! lol). Staying "in the pocket" is a real discipline for ALL drummers! Cymbals are a unique sound that stands out in any song, so I can understand where you are coming from, but simply stating the AMOUNT of cymbals used to determine dynamic is just not entirely true...
Thanks for the comment man. The goal of this video is to give non-drummers a simple approach to communicating with their drummer when things aren't going quite right. You're right. Drums are MUCH more complicated than what I explained in this video. But, I'll save the complicated talk for drummers. This video is simply to narrow the communication gap between the worship leader and the drummer.
The title is meant to be provocative , but the author’s approach is really simplistic take on what should be a nuanced discussion. It feels like an extremely rushed (even uninformed at times) attempt to capitalize on a divisive topic that is front & center during these “culture wars.” Think click-bait… but with chapters.
Good stuff Kade... We've run the full gamut on this issue over the past decade at our Church- went from hand percussion to V-drums to a live kit in an enclosure lined with sound panels and a top. One of our drummers plays super-hard (think shattered bamboo everywhere) and the other has a fairly light touch. Both are very talented but very different. Your emphasis on well-timed energy is spot on: if you get too big too fast there's nowhere left to go. I know you are keeping the video brief, but I would add that energy should not only build, but fluctuate (rise into the chorus, back off in the verses. Never want to just "coast through" those transitions.) I also think it's important to "play to the room." This is a learned art, some of the best drummers I've heard can play with a jazz trio in a restaurant and wow me with pure finesse, yet patrons can have a conversation from a few feet away... then blast my socks off in a concert setting. Drumming is definitely an art form with a wide range of possibilities, but it takes a lot of work to develop various styles!
Great advice, Bill. Thank you!
Excellent explanation of how cymbals affect energy and how that energy can be expressed even at a lower volume. Beatboxing is also a great way to communicate with your drummer. Most drummers play by ear so simply singing what you're wanting can help a drummer figure it out. A model of bundled sticks I've discovered are Vater Whips (wood handle). They are more durable than wooden dowels and the wood handle allows for a good cross stick sound not easily achieved with wooden dowels. Thanks for always producing great content! Love the new setup.
Thanks for the tips, Kasey!
This is so good. As a worship leader, communicating with drummers is the trickiest part of stewarding a band for me! The "energy" bit is sooo good. When we'd have a drummer absent and wanted some more rhythm, I've played cajon a few times and simply asked (pleaded) for Jesus to take the wheel. haha
:D
Is the ride cymbal not an energy level too??
@@duncanmacinnes4813 It definitely is. You can either lightly tap it for quiet moments of a song, or crash it during louder moments.
Blessings Kade. Drummers are a unique blessings to music. Our tip, recommend worship volume instead of concert volume. Sometimes it works. Else, provide Promark c-rods or h-rods. Cymbals are definitely the main transfer of energy.
Great tip. Thanks Luke!
The problem I have in my own church is that, our drummer doesn't listen to me. It's like when he gets into that energy, there's no getting him out. I will still - one of these days - walk up to him and collect the sticks during one of our worship sections 😂. God knows.
Thanks Kade
😂
As far as collaborative creative input is concerned the drum-kit is where it’s at. Thankfully I have a great relationship with our drummer, because I pamper him 😊 buying and trying out new mic setups, and sticks to try out and give feedback on.
And I don’t understand why churches have drum enclosures. I’ve been to plenty of gigs and concerts big and small and never once seen a shield or enclosure.
Whoa buddy... you are stepping on a sacred cow when it comes to criticizing the drum enclosure. 😬 But, I agree. Drum enclosures are not needed. There are better solutions.
@@collabworship 😂. So why do, churches put drums in an enclosure?
@@PanRider939 Honestly, I think someone just did a good job marketing them. :)
I play everything a little and run our sound techs at church. This video definitely will strike a chord (haha) with many church worship teams. One thing I use to decrease energy on the drums is going to a beat where the snare hits half as often. I call it half time but I don't think thats the correct term. Basically the drum beat stays similar but the snare hits on only the 4 count.
I have more problems with the drummers not turning it loose when the time comes! Jesus is in heaven, if you want him to hear it, you better crash that cymbal! J/K!
Great tip, Andy!
I am an avid drummer since 5 Years old and have played at multiple churches for a few years. Basing the "energy level" of drumming on just cymbals sounds TOO basic in my opinion... In a basic set, you have 3 cymbals (Ride, Crash, High-hat) and 5 drum heads (snare, 2 toms, 1 floor tom, and bass). You have a plethora of different rudiments that can be distributed virtually infinitely amongst the different parts of your set, not even mentioning dynamics!
I rebuttal your "energy level" argument regarding cymbals and say that I can introduce a song with ONLY cymbals:
-A simple trill every 4 bars on the ride, with a variant of hitting the bell on 1 after the "and a" after 4 (option to add "and 3").
-Hitting the ride at mezzo-piano on 2+4
-Crescendos with mallets to bridge phrases
-Any combination of the above examples
Cymbals can ACCENT key nots in the beginning of a song before establishing a beat!
Of course, all of this depends on the song and what the song calls for... what "environment" it is trying to create, etc.
You could start a song with just quarter notes on the Bass Drum!
You could start a song with an army "drumline" feel on just the Snare!
To be honest, I was a little offended when you limited the creative potential of us Drummers to just our Cymbals...
It's like if I said: "The 'energy level' of a guitarist is based on how much he uses his 6th string."
To be fair (when regarding the Cymbals), your recommendation DOES hold merit in the fact that the closed High-Hat is typically the quietest out of all the cymbals, followed by the Open High-Hat, then the RIDE, then the Crash.
I agree that the average drummer tends to "hit peak" too early (not to mention gain time! lol).
Staying "in the pocket" is a real discipline for ALL drummers!
Cymbals are a unique sound that stands out in any song, so I can understand where you are coming from, but simply stating the AMOUNT of cymbals used to determine dynamic is just not entirely true...
Thanks for the comment man. The goal of this video is to give non-drummers a simple approach to communicating with their drummer when things aren't going quite right. You're right. Drums are MUCH more complicated than what I explained in this video. But, I'll save the complicated talk for drummers. This video is simply to narrow the communication gap between the worship leader and the drummer.
That book being in the background tells me all I need to know about you and your ministry. Disappointing to see this.
Might want to read the book before criticizing it. :)
The title is meant to be provocative , but the author’s approach is really simplistic take on what should be a nuanced discussion. It feels like an extremely rushed (even uninformed at times) attempt to capitalize on a divisive topic that is front & center during these “culture wars.” Think click-bait… but with chapters.