Are real drummers "extinct?"

[jimmys69]

At least I have 3 legs to stand on (insert drummer joke here).

Personal opinion alert! IMO, Robbie is not a nice person, and may have issues that we do not need, nor have the skills, to solve for him.

We can all just forget that he came around to insult. We will be better for it.

If that don't work, then we flog with canes...

[Track Rat]

Damn Jimmy. No matter how many times I click on it, I just can't seem to give you anymore rep.

[Chili]

Look - I'm not even a drummer and the whole idea is silly and a little insulting,

It is very insulting. RockinRobby taps out a drum track on his keyboard and calls himself a drummer as if he can stand toe-to-toe with any other drummer. Greg_L called him on it. Justifiably, if you ask me.

[chuckduffy]

Grim I brought up Top 40 and EDM for a specific reason - meaning you and I aren't making EDM and Top 40, so drummers are just as relevant to people like us, and the thousands of alt, indie, roots, blues, trad, jazz and whatever else bands out there... We can't lament the death, when the death isn't even happening. Outside of that - there is lots of great electronica out there, and I have absolutely no problem with loops, programming, samples or anything else. I don't think you and I would really even disagree, if we weren't using this sometimes ineffective medium of communications....

[fuzzsniffvoyage]

I love real drummers, there's only 1 problem. Drummers, they're never around when you need one. I'm not in a band any more, and therefore never play out. The main reason I quit the "band" is because drummers are nutty and unpredictable.

I need a "Drummer Hot Line". To call a guy up and have him come over, listen to a tune apply his talent, give some input about song structure and leave.

I know 4 drummers. They're all different, and add a special something to what ever project I might be working on. They each have different styles, metal, jazzy, classic rock, and 1 is just shitty, but great to jam with anyway.

We all work at the R.R. and scheduling recording sessions is a pain in the ass. We all have wifes & kids and have shit to do.

[miroslav]

RockinRobby taps out a drum track on his keyboard and calls himself a drummer as if he can stand toe-to-toe with any other drummer.

I would like to hear some of his non-real-drummer efforts.

Samples and sequencing are reat tools, and if you work at it, you can get a decent drum track with them...but a real live drummer in the studio can usually trump that most times.
It's true that some of the drum libraries offer fantastic sounding kits, and the options are endless...but sequencing always falls a little short of a *good* live drummer playing to the beat of the song and making the rhythm "breathe" as opposed to just getting tapped out. That's why often in productions, they may replace some or all of the recorded drum sounds with high quality samples....but they keep the feel, the actual beats, of the real live drummer.

I can work both ways....but given a choice, I would prefer to track any good drummer playing a kit to the song instead of tapping out beats with MIDI. I actually like setting up the drum track with a MIDI sequence, so the drummer has an idea of WTF I'm after....and then let him do his thing.

[grimtraveller]

Grim I brought up Top 40 and EDM for a specific reason - meaning you and I aren't making EDM and Top 40, so drummers are just as relevant to people like us, and the thousands of alt, indie, roots, blues, trad, jazz and whatever else bands out there...

I stand corrected. I misunderstood what was behind your bringing up top 40.

We can't lament the death, when the death isn't even happening.

I think death is perhaps somewhat strong. But Robbie's point, whatever his motivations, isn't a new one. As various innovations have happened in music and recording, questions have been raised as to what happens to that which might be being replaced. Recording itself was seen as the death knell for live performance. It turned out not to be, but it changed forever the nature of live performance because people no longer had to go and travel to see a band or singer or buy sheet music and have someone in the household that had to be able to play the piano. They could have the same performance at their fingertips until they died.
I think there are still bags of people that love drums as you pointed out. But significantly, there have emerged over the last 25 years bags of people for whom a drummer isn't a necessity. From the 40s until the late 70s/early 80s, if an artist wanted drums on their tracks, they needed a drummer. A real live human being. Now they have a choice and the choice of many is to not. That means that for them, the actual drummer {not the drum sound and function} is pretty obsolete. It is true of both the pro and home recording world.

I don't think you and I would really even disagree, if we weren't using this sometimes ineffective medium of communications....

In essence, I think that we stand on the same bank of the river, not being those that would say "don't need a drummer". I also need to point out that those for whom a drummer is not a necessity but for whom drums are shouldn't be criticized for making use of the tools available to them.

and I have absolutely no problem with loops, programming, samples or anything else.

Part of the reason why I didn't think the original question was a stupid one or the point an insulting one {in general, not the specifics of whatever Robbie's motivation may be} is that as a home recorder, I've had to face the same issues. I'm very fortunate to know a few drummers and a few keyboardists, clarinetists, flautists, those that play guitar, percussion, oboe, sax and a few things. But there are other instruments that I dig where I don't know anyone that plays them and so I've had to go the VSTi route. And I ain't waiting around till I'm 80 for a sitarist or violinist to appear in my life. So for now, they're not necessary.
Samples and drum software have made that possible. That's really all I meant.

I love real drummers,

I know 4 drummers. They're all different, and add a special something to what ever project I might be working on. They each have different styles, metal, jazzy, classic rock,

The three guys I've recorded with in the last three years are all so different. Their varying styles ensure that they bring very much themselves to whatever we play on. I'm not essentially a one person outfit. I love other peoples' contributions.
Most of the time.

[jimmys69]

Wait a minute, no quote for me?

I actually read all of your posts Grimmy!



Just kidding man.

[RAMI]

(edited for the Holidays)


Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

[VomitHatSteve]

Drummers aren't obsolete, and rock is not dead!

A couple people have touched on the difficulty of recording drums, which is I think an important part of why actual drums are not so in vogue as they once were.
To record drums you need a drummer, a drum kit, space to practice and record, an array of microphones to record with, an interface or recording device with enough channels to handle all those mics, and the skills to track and mix it.
As compared to most any other popular instrument where you just need the instrument itself and one channel worth of recording chain.

So you can see why - especially in the homerecording world - actual drums aren't as prevalent as they could be.
Add to that the changing taste of the pop-music crowd, and you'll hear a lot less drums overall.

As to RR himself, don't feed the trolls, folks. If you suspect that he's just picking fights, ignore his posts.