How drummers can improve playing with a click track

[@jnj2233]

Great tips! Just had my first click/tracks worship gig. Did well considering it was my first time. These monitoring tips I think will help tremendously. Be one with the click! It’s the way…

[@lavelllucas]

I prefer supplemental perc tracks with conga or something on the "ands". I turn the vocals way down, and the band kinda half-way. I use visual ques to ensure where we are, as well as memorization. Tracks are good for a drummers blood pressure because we don't have to deal with "Too fast", "Too slow" from different people. With the track, there is no discussion.

[@rossrinkenbaugh4005]

Hello, and God bless. I'm a new subscriber and thankful I found this channel. After over 25years of playing drums, I'm looking forward to the new worship leadership in our church as they mentioned in IEMs and click tracks will be available for us. The last time I used a click track was in the studio work I did over a decade ago. It's looks like it's gonna take some getting used to. But with God's guidance it will all work out. Thank's for the insightful videos. 🥁🙏💯

[@JordanJMSDrums]

I personally use click and track all the time. It has helped me become more solid in my simple grooves and in my fills. The hardest part was just JUMPING into doing it. Mind over matter when you start off. Really enjoyed the wisdom of this video

[@edjones2199]

Fantastic simply put fantastic I’m a 65-year-old drummer UUU finding the pocket for the first time It’s it’s coming, but I feel like a total beginner but I love it new passion, the whole thing Keep up the good work bro

[@timdaulby]

I played with a click track in a worship band for the first time this week, it was so hard! These tips are so helpful, thank you so much

[@practicalworship]

Excellent! Keep at it!

[@davidkeller5664]

At 4:30 you speak of mixing the click right of the band mix. Rookie question I know, but what equipment would I need to accomplish this? I just picked up a Boss DB-90 to get started, for what it's worth. Thanks!

[@jdogdaddy]

Great advice and tips - concise and pertinent!

[@13bluestars]

Great stuff here! Thanks for putting all these thoughts together! Keep it coming.

[@practicalworship]

Thanks Philip!

[@drumincritter]

Re: Fills and Tom builds, make sure you are breathing normally through them, when we do something that is hard, or harder than usual, we tend to hold our breath. Thus the natural instinct is to speed up that process so that we are no longer depriving ourselves of oxygen and can breath normally again. If you can breath 'normally', or concentrate on your breath, it will help immensely with your speed and control. (Note you should actually be breathing with the phrasing, but that's a different topic...)

[@practicalworship]

👆🏼 this is SOLID advice!

[@pdstix78]

#GUILTY

[@melvinamadasun5767]

Thank you for this.

[@lukash1350]

thank you for this video, so helpful!!! 😁👊🏽. Godbless

[@robsharp2941]

I pan the instruments left and right and leave the cue, click and drums and bass in the center. But similar concept. Great tips! Especially turn down the vocals I tell that to my band all the time.

[@practicalworship]

That's a great suggestion too!

[@elliotignasiak5152]

good tips!

[@groove-coachtv5215]

These are really helpfull tips. Thank you.

[@PedroBrandaodrums]

This is gold information appreciate it very much, God bless

[@Whopcap]

How does it work during transition? Great video!

[@practicalworship]

It depends. Since we run tracks with Ableton, the transitions and tempo changes are programmed into the set. But if you’re running a click off an app, the people I know will stop the click a few bars before the ends and get the next song ready on the playlist.

[@reebokgoalie256]

Thanks great advice!

[@ivanp2490]

Tons of drummers advise using a click but what does that mean? All i hear is click click click at different tempos but im i supposed to hit a note at every click?

[@practicalworship]

A click typically is just counting the quarter notes of the measure, like if someone was counting “1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4” and you play your part to that.

[@charlschuck6]

Do you know of an android app or windows way I could use a click that sounds good like noticeable , usually we don't use click but this hasn't been an issue in our band but now I noticed we need it our new drummer has difficultyy keeping track when we speed up or just slow down randomly and bass tries to make it come back but , I would like your recommendations . To help us . blessings love your educational videos

[@Yaboroqe]

Spot on!

[@cringe2474]

Do the drums sound quieter with the headphones? I never used them haha!

[@practicalworship]

You definitely want to bring some of the drum mics into your IEM mix...

[@cringe2474]

@@practicalworship so what I hear in the headphone is a mix or just the actual kit?

[@practicalworship]

@@cringe2474 In the ideal situation, you’d have a custom mix of all the channels-the drums, the other instruments and singers and the click. So you could hear yourself, others and the click track.

[@cringe2474]

@@practicalworship is there any sound bleed from Amps and stuff like that?

[@danisantos1423]

Hi my question is do you only practice with a click track or even the over all worship has the click track in it? Does the congregation hear it too? Also is the drummer the “leader” the one who starts every song? Or is the worship leader the leader? Sorry for all the questions just looking for some guidance

[@practicalworship]

Hi Dani, these are great questions. We use a click the entire time-both in rehearsal and during the actual service. Yes, everyone in the band (singers included) hear the click. But, no, the congregation does not hear it. As far as who starts the song, it depends on your context. We use pre-recorded guides (vocal cues that count us in), but the drummer would be the best person if you don't have something like that.

[@wahoo236]

Greetings, I'm the sound engineer for a 750 seat house in the mid-west. When our church made the big move from an analog board with floor wedges to a digital board with in-ear monitors, I put my foot down on a two things. First: Everyone in the worship team will use an in-ear monitor. No more floor wedges (except in the case of special music like a guy singing to a CD for the offertory). This was to TOTALLY eliminate the sound reflections coming off the stage from the many wedges. Second: Everyone uses the click track, no exceptions. This was a shock for some of our people. I had to continue to check their mixes for a while, looking for people that had turned down (or off) the click track. We had some people that whined more than others, but after a few weeks, even the most resistant guy admitted that he would not want to go back. Now it is just "the way we do things." New members don't even question it. I realize that this video talked specifically about the drummer follows the click, and the band follows the drummer. But for what it's worth, I think our band has better overall tempo when they all hear the beat.

[@practicalworship]

Totally agree! Our team has grown to really appreciate the click track. It offers security and comfort for them. And it has made the band play better together.

[@david8252]

That’s good, though it seems like a bit of overstep there lol.

[@josiahsmith5698]

Sounds like you're overstepping your bounds a little bit there, unless you're also the music director.

[@adamdiazzz]

what does it sound like

[@practicalworship]

Mine sounds like a wood block, but many others sound like a computer beep (like the default click track in ProTools or Ableton).

[@adamdiazzz]

Practical Worship should i invest in in ear monitors?

[@practicalworship]

It depends on your situation. What are you using right now to hear yourself?

[@mr.d3916]

For me, to use a click, not only the drummer should have but also the entire band members. The hardest is in the transition from the next song.

[@practicalworship]

Totally agree! If technology allows, everyone should have click in their ears.

[@stevepompei3694]

If Stewart Copeland saw this video way back he would be a entirely different drummer, im so glad he didn't.

[@rowifi]

So true

[@isaachughes8130]

Time is one of the dimensions of musical expression. Lock into a grid and you take away one dimension. Overcompress your dynamics and you take away another. Any wonder why so much of the music today sounds the same?

[@MrGilperc]

You really can't afford to turn down the vocals in your IEM's when you also sing harmony as a drummer.

[@practicalworship]

That’s definitely true!

[@SrTubular]

Trying to put a metronome on AC/DC? Good luck! Hahaha, great example.

[@practicalworship]

IKR?!

[@dsdbergeron03]

To me click tracks take the feeling out of the music. Some times you may want to go into another chorus or just slow it down a bit during a certain point of worship. Tracks have turned worship into a concert, we have taken the worship out of it. All churches are starting to look and sound the same, all these worship leaders want to be the next big thing. And I have been playing in church since 2004.

[@BluesLicks101]

30 years playing worship music in some of the most prominent groups in my area ...and I HATE click tracks. They have RUINED music.

[@practicalworship]

I've grown to ❤️ click tracks, no matter what the genre is. It has become my safety net. I don't have to worry if I'm dragging if I'm too tied or rushing because I'm too excited. Clicks don't lie...

[@asmallpug]

BluesLicks101 your comment is the most uneducated comment I’ve ever heard, if you think you don’t need it, then you need it. I’d go on with this reply but I don’t want to waste my energy.

[@blackhats9743]

Blues you are right if you can play then why do we need the click tracks it has ruined the music

[@KyleThurmanMusic]

@@asmallpug genre on music is def a factor in this. obviously you like blues... which in blues music, youre right, ditch the click... that is, if you can actually play well. but most worship music needs to have a more tight tempo. blues music more so has a great back beat.

[@KyleThurmanMusic]

that was meant for @bluesLicks101

[@Megaseawolf]

Great advice! Hail Satan though! 🤘

[@practicalworship]

Thank you for watching! I’m glad it was helpful...

[@AL-cw3sz]

Idiot

[@isaachughes8130]

Please stop. Stop doing worship sets to click tracks. Your killing the music. Why did we decide in the 80's that music should always be at a constant tempo? Grid does not equal music.