Drummers Who Play For The Song (And How to Do It)

[@td-12kx53]

“Nobody’s walking around humming drum solos!” LMAO😂

[@rainerbuechse6923]

How wise, Love it

[@rodneyvandenoever]

Oh, I can totally sing Steve Gadd's Aja solo!

[@5ycey7.n.84]

@@rodneyvandenoever any drummer who can't is missing out I'd say

[@Nowhy]

Being nobody isn't so bad.

[@magohipnosis]

Lol, nigga don't know about beatboxing around

[@mogglie]

Agree. When I was the most active drumming some 15 years ago. We constantly had this mantra. “Play for the song”. We insisted that everyone should off could sing the melody in their head off out loud when playing a song. To lift the music to the abstract or emotional experience. Then it gets communicative. And moves people. All technical stuff needs to be a foundation to lift to an emotional reaction.

[@artpereira]

I am one of the few drummers that are not a fan of solos or going nuts on chops. I am definitely a "serving the song" kind of drummer

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

Brilliant advice. Tbh I find this channel more valuable than most that actually are for my instrument.

[@markciocco2509]

Totally agree. If you’re not allowing the song to guide you, you should pack it up. The higher order I usually strive for is drum parts that are unique and well tailored to the song. It’s tough.

[@baileywatts1304]

gotta put this out here: Laundromats are a great place to busk if you can convince the folks running the joint to let you. Everyone is just there for a while so you get good crowd turnover. I'm a midwesterner so we don't have subways. Laundromat is how we make do.

[@crifox16]

great lesson nate, especially the part at the end about trusting yourself with what you play. it's so important and does so much for your stage fright, regardless of what instrument you play

[@DrumTrainerbyJunghoKang79]

"Jamming along with yourself" best qoute of my day. Thanks.

[@samuelmaney1250]

Love this! Yeah my most influential growing up was always the ones just interconnected with the band. Not just locked with grooves but feeling the music and going out of bounds with it. Experimenting!

[@digable_celestial_dwarfs6778]

For my money, there has never been a better "serve the song" drummer than Glenn Kotche. He's probably not on anyone's list for "best" in a specific technical category (though maybe stamina if you've ever watched him play a full set), but the parts he comes up with are quietly genius and he's probably the most "musical" drummer I've ever heard.

[@drumming4p]

The clip..where your highlighting your talking over the drummer drumming was the perfect analogy of not playing for the song

[@mdp303]

Playing for the song…if I had to say one thing that describes his style.that would be Steve Gadd.

[@byronjohnson-blanchard6765]

Joey Baron is one of my favorite drummers who knows how to play for the song.

[@matzabean]

“They’re always trying to fit their thing into the music,” is the way you describe drummers who play for the song. Respectfully, this feels off to me. Your description still gives the sense of a drummers ego finding a “good” way of asserting itself into a song, and it carries the sentiment of someone who’s spent hours upon hours in the practice room and wants everyone to appreciate that, while asserting that the song comes first. It’s my sense, and my experience as a player and listener, that those who play for the song (drummers and otherwise), are not trying to fit “their thing” into the song, but they’re letting the song determine who they are and what they play in the moment. The song pulls music out of them they didn’t know would arise in that way, and the time practicing was about developing the capacity to respond rather than developing the strength to assert. I know this may sound semantic, but it’s real. Give it a thought. Thanks.

[@TylerHNothing]

0:37 "it's never about them, they're always trying to fit their thing into the music. and that's a way of being behind the drums - it's not the only way, but it's a good way"

[@matzabean]

@@TylerHNothing I appreciate you adding the context, and it does make a difference. Indeed, there are many ways to interact with the music. There is, though, some conflict within the quote. “Never about them… trying to fit their thing.” Followed shortly after by something akin to, ‘We’re drummers. Let’s face it, we like chops.’ It feels off to my ear, and it’s not how I understand playing for the song. Like he said, though, there are many ways.

[@michaelvarney4723]

"trying to fit their thing into the music" can also be interpreted as How can I make my thing fit the song? It might not be the best choice of words, but 80/20 knows what he meant by "trying to fit their thing into the music" and I have no need for trying to guess what he meant. Yes, we like chops. We love chops. And, IMHO, the best ways to display chops are in a solo or when the music demands it. But we don't see that very often.

[@Carlo24515]

I think "They’re always trying to fit their thing into the music" is pretty accurate. When listening to a lot of the legendary studio drummers, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Bernard Purdie, Hal Blaine etc. - I notice that they all have an identifiable sound. They put themselves into the song in a very tasteful way. It doesn't sound like any of them are "letting the song determine who they are". I mean Gadd has been playing the same 6 licks for 50 years, and they still sound awesome every time because of how applies them. Ultimately, I believe good drummers get called because they have an identifiable sound that people like.

[@8020drummer]

Tbh I find this a kind of old school puritanical way of looking at it. And maybe a little postmodern. (“We have to decenter the Drummer’s ego”.) Experientially, when you’re in flow state, letting the music guide you, are you going to interrogate whether it’s you trying to be you or you really feeling the song? It seems like it’s asking drummers to feel guilty and distrust their instincts.

[@webstercat]

Here is non choppy drummer idea. Chasing Pirates. Really not sure if this was the drummer or producers idea but it is super cool just by placement. Start Me Up Stones. Same idea….

[@Doublebasist]

Great show and it connected with me as i hope and strive to play for the song. All the exercises made sence and some i do already so great to know that its a thing. I do publish my drumming on my instagram and it largely gets very ignored but i still love putting it out there. You the man nate so thanks again and great show.

[@TimHarrisonPlus]

I’d love to see the performance course, Nate.

[@andsuaz]

That Kneeboy concert at the blue whale its soooo overwhalming

[@alfamaize]

Another +1 for the Performance Course- if there's one thing that has always defined my drumming is being afraid of doing it badly.

[@Spladoinkal]

oo yeah, definitely don't want to do that. I've played over 20 years, 10 of which were professional. I've had songs where I've played too fast, to slow, the complete wrong feel (like playing 4/4 on a 6/8 song, etc.), even songs that started so bad we had to completely start over all LIVE in front of packed houses. You just have to roll with it. You WILL make mistakes but most of the time, only the people playing on stage with you will know the difference. Others in the band will also make mistakes. You just keep going and don't draw attention to it from either side.

[@FIREWEED]

Would love to know more about the performance course!

[@Josiah-ve6su]

Check out Joey Baca of The Contortionist for very technical drumming which still serves the song, really really well

[@hungarianbagheera249]

Great work 👏

[@bernardobuffa2391]

IMHO one of the king of Playing For the Song approach is Carter Beauford

[@zhongxina8426]

Ngl I thought Putin was in the thumbnail.

[@td-12kx53]

I think a good example of a well-placed choppy drummer is in the song, “Hocus Pocus“ by focus. Very choppy, yet very appropriate for the song.

[@5ycey7.n.84]

All time banger right there. By far one of the catchiest songs with no lyrics. Also, I never hear anyone mention it.

[@jaakkot9661]

Agree! Some crazy six stroke roll-applications in that tune's live version.

[@koho]

Curious if you've followed/covered Ches Smith of Ceramic Dog. Beast.

[@t3hgir]

Maybe not most people's idea of "playing for the song" but Mike Portnoy wrote some of the best drum parts for early Dream Theater material. Sure his "chops" got quite stale later on but IMO he's the Ringo Starr of prog metal.

[@jtdevrieze]

Thank you ever so much

[@joeo4117]

Tony Allen always seem to play to the song but sound so distinct

[@bernardobuffa2391]

Are the drums in a band the equivalent of consonants in a language?

[@bikemayer1]

Dave Grohl is the best pop/rock drummer at coming up with hooks.

[@ignacioperezdelcastillo3182]

Gracias

[@veenoir1991]

Mitch was a highly underrated drummer. Bound to happen when you drum for fkn Jimi though.

[@valteraugusto6617]

Who's the drummer in 0.52?Can anyone tell me?

[@PeartDisicple481]

Good

[@webstercat]

The idea that any drummer would play for any other reason is understandable due to the fact chops are easy to see & hear. Dynamics & shading are not. To my taste Charlie Watts intro to Start Me Up is an example of being super tasteful with the placement of one single note. So hip so simple… As always thanks for content….

[@kellerc73]

Great video!!!!

[@jorgeparedesaponte4045]

Richard Spaven!!!

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

Anyone else here always airdrum his intro theme?

[@tylerbailey9329]

I've personally seen far too many drummers use the "less is more" argument to excuse straight-up not doing their jobs properly.

[@TheMellowYellowDrummer]

Look like Putin in the thumbnail

[@stixplayer]

Charlie Watts..Peter Erskine.

[@mediumstudio]

Basically drums should be the center of every song - there should fills all over the place - end of story

[@8020drummer]

thank you

[@rainerbuechse6923]

Ringo

[@DavidHimmelPerforms]

32ND NOTES ARE THE POINT OF MUSIC

[@briloheim]

great video man.. wtf is up with your comment section people salty af lol

[@8020drummer]

really? I must be desensitized to it by now. You guys can't see the like ratio now cause youtube is stupid, but it's like 97%. So I usually assume harsh critiques are a vocal minority.

[@briloheim]

@@8020drummer I agree. The like to dislike ratio, that everyone could see, was an important feature that people who make their living creating on YT worked hard for. And at least was a type of signal. (But signals, and things like open and uninterrupted communication are important for most people. But what do I know. Insert Kermit sipping some tea Lol) Glad it’s mostly positive.

[@gabrielemartino2466]

I thought the guy in the thumbnail was a young Vladimir Putin

[@DenEz_TV]

Nate Wood

[@mullrump2]

fandabydozzey...

[@Turkentorque]

Is that a 30 yo Putin in the thumbnail?

[@MrHDfreak]

Why is Vladimir Putin on thumbnail?

[@vladtepes97]

is any mainstream instrument more reviled and disrespected than the drum set? not even the viola gets this much grief.

[@CharterSauce]

love your vids but an intro 2:30 into the video should be illegal.. im tuned my man i clicked on your video! put that shit in the beginning

[@EricT43]

"Some people have great chops, and other people are more organic players." I'm an organic player.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

In all my years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a professional (or even upper level amateur) drummer not “play for the song.” This is such a tired way to talk about composing a drum part, and one that makes “good drumming” completely vapid and esoteric.

[@СемёнЗаболотский-ц8г]

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