Tips for Dynamic Drumming

By Jeremy Wolfe, The Jason Lovins Band

As the drummer for the Jason Lovins Band, being on tour means being prepared for any live situation. Whether we are in front of thousands or leading worship in a church of 100, the foundation still has to be strong and solid. The key to any live venue, for a drummer, is not to "over play." This means recognizing when I need to pull back and use brushes or rods and leave the sticks in the bag. It's important to just fit it and not stand out and be a distraction. Be dynamic. To me, being a dynamic drummer can be broken into two categories: how you play and how loud you play it. Sound engineers abroad can all agree that drums can quickly ruin a live mix if the drummer isn't aware of his/her volume levels. Now if your band is headline Madison Square Garden, let it rip, but for the rest of us, being aware of how loud you play is just as important as what you play. Drummers can keep a good mix great or make a balanced mix not so good. I want to encourage you that having energy onstage is great and having good stage volume is even better. I always try to have both. Playing with rods isn't a bad thing either. Just remember that you're using rods and not 5B sticks. Playing too hard with rods defeats the purpose of using them. So be strong and solid in your performance and just try to be a part of the overall mix. Now we venture into how you play. This is not be confused with what you play. Your style is just what happens when you play and the cool thing about music or any expression of art is that there is no wrong way to do it.

There are a few drumming tips to making great music and a great live show. First, less is always more. Even great drummers who have made a name for themselves know when to keep the beat and when to show their chops. That's what makes them stand out. Nothing ruins a groove more than a 32nd note drum fill in the middle of a verse. Use your crash cymbals sparingly, and, again, just be solid. I always try to play for the song in my own way. I'll listen to my favorite drummers and get inspiration from how they play and then add that in with my style. If you are having trouble with slowing down or speeding up a song, try practicing on your own with a click or an MP3 of your favorite song. You can even use a click playing live as some people do. I use a click when we play because we use tracks and it's just necessary. On the other hand, you don't want to become a robot and be so stiff when the band and singer go where it wants to go. Don't stand in the way of that. Remember that practice makes better. Always have energy onstage but be conscious of how hard you are hitting your drums. Do your best to be a part of the band and the live mix, and never stop pushing your creativity. Good luck and God bless.