Is country drumming boring?

[mydadisjr]

Depends on what kind of country you play. I've been playing traditional country, western swing and rockabilly for nearly 25 years. It's anything but boring.

That being said, I don't get into the new twang pop/redneck rap stuff.

Second that... I spent 25 years playing in three different very successful bar bands in N. Arizona... we were definitely "country" bands but we played EVERYTHING... CCR, Bob Seger, Eagles, Beatles, Disco, Warren Zevon (!), 50's Rock oldies, PLUS all the old Merle, Hank, Waylon, Buck, George Jones, plus lotsa Bob Wills type western/country swing.

I learned to swing from playing country, and also learned to lay down a REALLY SLOW half time (6/8 feel) waltz (Waylon style... "Amanda", "Mamas" etc). Also learned a passable train beat.

Aside from all the rock/pop we did, I felt there was PLENTY of variety in the "country" music to keep me interested. I never woulda played all that swing and really slow stuff if I would have been playing AC/DC and AEROSMITH all night.

 

[blueshadow]

If you like the music it's not boring.

 

[Frank Godiva]

Wonder what @Trey Gray thinks?

 

[Houndog]

If you like the music it's not boring.

THIS !!!!

I love Country music !!

 

[Squirrel Man]

I'd play in a country band right now, old school variety.

 

[wflkurt]

I have played modern country for years now and I think it's pretty fun. I was in a band called The Shana Stack Band for 10 years and we played everywhere. I even got to play on the big boy stage opening for Toby Keith and I never would have done that had a kept playing the same old classic rock. I would probably still be going strong with that band had our male singer and songwriter of our original songs not passed away from cancer in 2020. I did a few more years after that with just our female singer but it was never the same again. Now I play a mix of country and classic rock in a completely different band. I miss doing originals though as I was free to add as much input as I wanted. This was the only pro made video we did. I wish we had done more as this was so much fun to do.

 

[BennyK]

I'm a reasonably good brush player because it was required when I first started out . I have friends who went exclusively into rock and now in their later sixties don't have much facility outside of that genre . Traditional country drumming is as hip or as square( " boring " ) as the drummer doing it . When playing rock or funk , I speak the language of those styles and am fortunate to have internalized the fundamentals of others as well , including country and western .

 

[CherryClassic]

Get that tape off the drums; tune them rascals and lets play some COUNTRY.

I love it it's a blast, you got to get your hear into it and improvise the heck out of it. Your playing live, it doesn't have to be exactually like the record Uoops!!///, Recording. Have some fun enjoy life and get to know the people. You provide the rhythm that makes it fun to dance and the people will love you. They will 2 step the heck out of the dance floor.

I remember one night as we were going on a break; this lady walked up to the stage and said; I want to hug that drummer, he makes me want to dance. LOL

We play just about anything from Bob Wills to the George Strait time frame, we do not play the new Country Rock and we have fun doing it. If it's boring, you don't have it in your heart and not doing it right.

sherm

 

[D. B. Cooper]

It's not boring at all! Engage with it and you'll like it.

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

Grew up in Houston. Raised on real country music. YES country music is boorish to play.

 

[Houndog]

Grew up in Houston. Raised on real country music. YES country music is boorish to play.

Real Country eh ??

Have you seen the Ken Burns documentary?

The definition of real country is up for debate as the genre has gone through several changes through the years .
It usually irks the “ Gatekeepers “ such as yourself .

Todays Country is Country music whether you or I like it or not .

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

I was asked a question. Gave my answer and my reason.
Todays “country” is a talentless commercialized attempt to break into the mainstream, all the while sounding like really bad southern rock

 

[BBeyer]

If we’re talking about modern pop country.. then yes it is boring. Every fill and change is SO predictable and all of these drummers play the same exact way

 

[twangbang]

Most of my gigs are guitar and pedal steel. I play drums because I like to play drums - I rarely gig on them because, well, there aren't a lot of pedal steel players around here, to say the least. I mean, steel has even cut into how much I gig on guitar even though I've been playing guitar seriously since the 60s. But there are lots of guitarists and drummers.

On guitar, I play a lot of different styles. Started out playing blues, rock, folk, jazz, rockabilly, whatever, guitar a long time ago. Country and steel came later, but I've played a lot of it in the last 25 years. I only started getting serious about drums later also. My opinion is that 'classic' country drumming (and bass, for that matter) is definitely more subtle. I mean, they didn't allow drums on the Grand Ole Opry until what, the late 50? And many of the stalwarts were opposed to drums even then. But IMO, good country is more sophisticated than many people think. Yes, the bluegrass/rockabilly-influenced stuff can heavily lean on train beats. Which can be fun in and of itself if done well. And there are lot of straight 8's. But if you think about it, a lot of classic country - especially the more 'countrypolitan' variety - is basically pop music - to me the drumming is more like jazz/pop drumming. Side stick and brushes are often mandatory with a lot of classic and countrypolitan drumming. And how about country shuffles? Western swing influenced stuff? Waltzes and 6/8 stuff? Buck Owens/Texas type polkas/two-step? Or the 70s disco-country (yes, there was a lot of that, I try to forget about that.)

Anyway - I can usually hear it when a rock drummer in a country band hasn't ever played this type of classic country. Same as I can hear when a rock guitar player in a country band hasn't ever played country. Or when a classic country player who hasn't ever played rock tries to do that. They all have things that must be mastered.

Now, as far as modern country goes, a lot of it is heavily based on rock - especially 70s, 80s, and maybe 90s somewhat, and definitely with a strong southern rock influence. And sometimes even funk or hip-hop. When I'm at a country bar/club, it might as well be techno/dance/hip-hop on set breaks, but of course with the mandatory fiddle/steel to give it that 'country imprint', LOL. I'm working with a modern-ish country band right now. We don't go much further back than Alan Jackson, George Strait, Waylon, Hank Jr., and so on, and do quite a bit of more modern material, including quite a bit of original material. The drummer is rock-oriented, but nails everything 'cause he's a good drummer and has been playing it for a long time. We talk about drums sometimes, I don't think he's bored. I would not be bored. But I confess that I'm definitely not a 'progressive rock' type of player. But I think there are lots of interesting ways to play country music that still are appropriate in the realm of playing country music. Of course, if you dislike country music, you will probably dislike playing country music, so YMMV.

 

[Azoth]

Yes or no?

Endless train beats?
Or deep, groovin’ pocket?

Feel free to elaborate…

Really depends on how you approach your own playing. Playing traditional country takes impeccable timing, touch, knowing how to shuffle, 16ths, staying in pocket, solid use of brushes, etc. Listen to Miles Miller (Sturgil's drummer). Excellent example (IMO) of a disciplined traditional country drummer, who can also move around other genres.

 

[rkingston]

My current main gig is a John Prine tribute. (Nice theatre/concert gigs for a change)
Lots of quirky drum/percussion parts to keep me busy.

Who else would write a song with a
4/4 verse
3/4 chorus
Both at different tempos

Nice!
Great song. Not boring.
Some friends of mine and I produced a tribute to Prine after his passing at the start of the pandemic.
Selfish, mostly shameless plug:

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

Real Country eh ??

Have you seen the Ken Burns documentary?

The definition of real country is up for debate as the genre has gone through several changes through the years .
It usually irks the “ Gatekeepers “ such as yourself .

Todays Country is Country music whether you or I like it or not .

Sir,
Idk what you mean by gatekeeper…
I was asked a question. Gave my answer and my reason.
So here we go.
To expand upon my opinion,,,
Todays “country” is a talentless- commercialized attempt to break into; and be accepted into the mainstream, all the while sounding like “wanna be” bad southern rock.
Explains why CMA crams tv show after show after show down our throats on prime tim. Dont they have a station to air that noise on? Yes, CMT.
Its a gig i would never, take no matter the money because it Is boring remedial, prattle and blather.
NO ORIGINALITY ANY LONGER.
Good day, sir.

 

[Houndog]

You want to play Bakersfield style you better have your fast shuffle down !!!

 

[Houndog]

Sir,
Idk what you mean by gatekeeper…
I was asked a question. Gave my answer and my reason.
So here we go.
To expand upon my opinion,,,
Todays “country” is a talentless- commercialized attempt to break into; and be accepted into the mainstream, all the while sounding like “wanna be” bad southern rock.
Explains why CMA crams tv show after show after show down our throats on prime tim. Dont they have a station to air that noise on? Yes, CMT.
Its a gig i would never, take no matter the money because it Is boring remedial, prattle and blather.
NO ORIGINALITY ANY LONGER.
Good day, sir.

By Gatekeeper I mean Judgemental and close minded like you are being ..
It still takes talent to play modern country just look up a Josh Redman clinic video ….

 

[1988fxlr]

You want to play Bakersfield style you better have your fast shuffle down !!!

And if youre gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band?