When do you use drums in a song???

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kimmygirl_13_20

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I am a songwriter! I want to put drums in most of my songs!!! But I don't know when I should put drums into my songs? Can anybody assist me??? :p
 
acoustic intro..........going nice building along with a vocal line &.......................................................................................................................kick into the chorus from a big tom fill & maybe bring it back a wee bit in dynamics

it's all horses for courses really kimmy......I'm also a song writer & sometimes drums just aren't needed

it helps if you understand (if you don't play) drums to help you decide where to put them

the musical style or vibe of the music in question has a lot to do with what drums will be put down

what sort of stuff is it BTW

ciao
slidey
 
you ask us drummers we are ganna say ALWAYS even when there isnt any other instruments :p but if you want drums put them where you want them there are no rules about it, and if you dont think you could do well start a band and have the drummer and the other band memebers help you decide where to put them and how they should sound (alot of songwriters i know just do lyrics and either piano or guitar and then the rest comes from their bands)
 
kimmygirl_13_20 said:
I am a songwriter! I want to put drums in most of my songs!!! But I don't know when I should put drums into my songs? Can anybody assist me??? :p
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Only when there is a full moon, and it's Wednesday, in the Winter, should you NOT put drums in a song! :rolleyes:
 
SMC Productions said:
Only when there is a full moon, and it's Wednesday, in the Winter, should you NOT put drums in a song! :rolleyes:
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yeah warewolves are scary so are drummers, but a warewolf drummer is scarier than the both of them combined.... or maybe it is just the both of them combined :p
 
kimmygirl_13_20 said:
I am a songwriter! I want to put drums in most of my songs!!! But I don't know when I should put drums into my songs? Can anybody assist me??? :p
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You can do entire songs without one shred of percussion, though it's pretty rare these days. The trick is in using percussion tastefully in ways that complement the rest of the song.

I find that it is usually distracting to have no percussion and then throw it in the listener's face, but that doesn't mean that you need to use the kit all the time. It's amazing how much you can get out of just a suspended cymbal(either a ride with sticks or a crash with mallets) and rim shots or stick clicks. Then bring in the kick and snare on the first chorus or when the vocals come in or at whatever point where the feel suddenly starts to be more driving... or don't bring them in at all, depending on the piece.

I have entire songs that use nothing more than a set of congas, wind chimes, and suspended cymbal rolls. It suits the mood of those songs. On the other hand, for a driving rock ballad, I like a kit with -lots- of crash cymbals. :D For something with a slow feel, you might live on the ride cymbal, hat, kick, and maybe the toms and never touch the snare (or use just the rim).

Hand percussion is your friend. Get a shaker (or Eggz or both) and a tambourine if you don't already have them, and get comfortable with them. (Remember, for maximum control, playing shaker is all in the wrist, not the arm.) They can add variety, as can bongos or congas (though the latter costs enough that it probably makes more sense to do the former).

Sorry for rambling.

Or were you asking whether to lay the drum tracks down first, last, or somewhere in-between?
 
kimmygirl_13_20 said:
I am a songwriter! I want to put drums in most of my songs!!! But I don't know when I should put drums into my songs? Can anybody assist me??? :p
Click to expand...

You answered your own question with your first line. You are a songwriter! If you have a part that you feel needs drums, guess what? That part needs drums. Think of the composition in your head. What does it sound like to you in your head. That will tell you right then and there.

Make sense?

That's why it's art!!
 
PhilGood said:
You answered your own question with your first line. You are a songwriter! If you have a part that you feel needs drums, guess what? That part needs drums. Think of the composition in your head. What does it sound like to you in your head. That will tell you right then and there.

Make sense?

That's why it's art!!
Click to expand...

YOUZZA

that's it.................I have the whole thing in my head when writing & it changes through time & eventually when it comes to comitting to hard drive, all the parts are there ready to go albeit they don't always end up as I had heard them in my head...

BTW I am on my own working with my ol' man (who is off the hook as a muso & a person ;) ) so a lot of the time there is no other musician involved except me

& y'all forgot about the werehaggis, particular to caithness in the far north of scotland AND!!!!!!!!!!!!! trust me you don't want onbe of them playing drums for ya...................damned things have 3 legs :p
 
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