By Tim Kamak George’s Music

In this Drum Club issue, I would like to introduce all of you to my good friend…Less Ismore (get it?  Less Is More ).

Ok, enough with the bad jokes.

Defining the Concept

For years, successful musicians, songwriters, producers, and record companies have clearly understood the concept of “Less Is More”.  Playing fewer drum fills, fewer notes or chords on your guitar, fewer notes in your guitar solo, or simplifying your core drum groove for the song.

Believe it or not, even some of your more progressive bands and metal bands use this concept.  As chaotic or incredibly full a metal band may sound, they still understand how to leave room for one another.  Each musician respects the elements of the song’s structure in order to achieve the end result, which is to allow every aspect of the song to breathe.  This often calls for another skill which is “more listening” to one another in order to fully understand what your part will be.

What Can “Over Playing” Affect?

A Solid Foundation

As drummers we tend to think our job is to play a complex groove, with the most intricate parts, and the biggest drum fills ever!  So what happens when we think this way?

Well, first and foremost, we are forgetting our main objective: Keeping time and/or giving the song or band a solid foundation.  That’s our job.  Providing a solid foundation.  Without us, without a solid foundation, the song never gets off the ground, and even more, it frustrates and upsets everything else around us.

Clarity

The next issue with overplaying is that it muddies up the water and can “mask” other cool possibilities.  Let’s say your guitarist came up with the coolest rhythm ever.  I mean it’s COOL!  So cool that’s it’s got you all pumped up that you have now challenged yourself to come up with a drum part just as cool.

Most of the time this ends up in “overplaying”.  Instead, explore the concept of “Less Is More”.  Play an incredibly simple groove that is creative, but doesn’t walk all over the rhythm guitar.  You might choose to “displace a beat”, add accents, or quite simply play 2&4 on the snare and 1&3 on the kick.  Now, lock it in with your bass player, BUT make sure he understands the concept too.  What you have just done is you have allowed your guitarist’s cool rhythm to stand out, and even more, have begun to allow the song to reach its fullest potential.

Sound Quality

The last issue that needs to be mentioned is sound quality.  Have you ever noticed how great, full, and clear your favorite songs are?   Next time you listen, really dig in and pay attention to what they are playing.  Chances are they are allowing room for each other, which in turn, allows all the “frequencies”  and “intricacies” to come through.  You see, if everyone is “chugging along,” meaning the kick drum, the bass guitar, and the electric guitar are all following the same pattern, each part will not breathe and they will muddy up all the frequencies.

Break it up, simplify, and listen to one another in order to stay out of each others way.  This will allow your song to breathe, sound clearer, and when you do something cool, such as an accent, displace a beat, or put in a cool fill, it will really stand out.

Listening Material

My first drum teacher made it very clear to me that part of my weekly drum lesson would be to “listen.”  Listen to other people play, listen to CD’s (records in my time!), and go to concerts.

Here are some classic and great songs from the past that I personally think are great examples of this topic.  Even if the type of music listed isn’t up your alley, take the time to learn from it.  I guarantee that at some point in time your drumming will require you to apply the skill of “Less Is More”!

AC/DC- “Back in Black” Right from the very beginning, the drummer begins with simple hi-hat hits (notice the guitar player chose to accent them as well).  SIMPLE!  Check out the groove.  Simple 2&4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fSEjlLQcRY

Led Zepplin- “When the Levee Breaks” What more can you say than…BIG…FAT…SIMPLE…BACKBEAT!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9cpziwfV90

Led Zepplin- “Dy’er Mak’er“ The groove is simple and the drum fills both at the breaks, and at the end are spacious, simple, and absolutely fun to play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5s9illHQlc

Aerosmith- “Walk this Way” I had to list this “classic” drum intro.  This is a great example of a rhythmically driven guitar riff. Joey (the drummer) compliments and accents Joe Perry’s guitar by keeping it simple and staying out of his way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKttENbsoyk

U2- “Pride- (In the name of love)” It’s been rumored that the simple snare fill in this song is actually paradiddles (RLRR – LRLL), with accents.  Notice the guitar throughout the whole song as well.  The beginning, verse and 1^st chorus are basically identical, but then, the 2^nd verse he totally simplifies it.  Sounds great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY

U2-  “Beautiful Day” This song is really interesting. If you listen closely, there is a very basic drum loop that plays from the beginning to the end.  The drummer, Larry Mullen, actually plays (simple) over the loop while it continues to play through the chorus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8w7f0ShtIM

The Beatles- ANYTHING! Ringo Starr is quite simply one of the most underrated drummers ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoJGDC10lZw

Motown- Anything! Check out Marvin Gaye “Let’s Get It On”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEtx2YTcD94