Single snare and brushes

nick

Right so due to the lack of drummer our band has decided to take a different route and attempt a single snare with brushes drum approach ala Violent Femmes.

=

That sort of thing.

Is there anything special about the snare, or just a standard snare on a stand with brushes and maybe a small splash type cymbal?

DonovanB

Just to be different, get an old pot or tea box and stick a mic inside it.

Keira-WitherKay

Great plan , my percussionist in my jazz duo uses just snare and brushes , at some gigs and it works well for jazz, maybe indie will sound cool too but doubt it'll work for harder rock but get someone who knows how to drum to use it , ? we often rip off drummers but regret it when we perform and the drummer is not skilled , and just using a snare does not make it simpler but in fact more complex as the snare work needs to be way more intricate and yes just use any snare and brushes

arjunmenon

Keira WitherKay wrote: Great plan , my percussionist in my jazz duo uses just snare and brushes , at some gigs and it works well for jazz, maybe indie will sound cool too but doubt it'll work for harder rock but get someone who knows how to drum to use it , ? we often rip off drummers but regret it when we perform and the drummer is not skilled , and just using a snare does not make it simpler but in fact more complex as the snare work needs to be way more intricate and yes just use any snare and brushes

+1. You need a very good drummer, because just a snare & brushes takes away all the gimmickry.

AlanRatcliffe

Snare and brushes still needs a drummer and, as others have pointed out, a better than usual one. If you want to expand the current setup, add in a kick drum that one of your members can play at the same time as their main instrument - a la Mumford and Sons (or Keira ?).

=

I've been experimenting with the kick trigger and module from my Roland drum kit. However, I have to say that I'm finding the independence required to play guitar and kick drum simultaneously is a bit more difficult than the independence needed to play a full kit. It'll take me a bit more time to get right.

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Snare and brushes still needs a drummer and, as others have pointed out, a better than usual one. If you want to expand the current setup, add in a kick drum that one of your members can play at the same time as their main instrument - a la Mumford and Sons (or Keira ?).

=

I've been experimenting with the kick trigger and module from my Roland drum kit. However, I have to say that I'm finding the independence required to play guitar and kick drum simultaneously is a bit more difficult than the independence needed to play a full kit. It'll take me a bit more time to get right.

Willing to give this a bash, while I can play drums (not very well) I did 5 years of side drum in marching bands so hoping it'll just be adapting what I already know ?

AlanRatcliffe

Ah! If you know your rudiments, you are a large part of the way there. You might prefer blasticks/bundlesicks though - they bounce more like the sticks you are used to than brushes (which are their own thing entirely) and they still keep the volume down lower than normal sticks.

...And of course, nothing to say you can't have snare and kick. Snare, kick and hats (or ride) and you have your basic kit anyway - everything else is just variation.

Reinhard

Nick can keep a beat, I am looking forward to this direction we are going in. Doing all the guitar work is going to be ???

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Ah! If you know your rudiments, you are a large part of the way there. You might prefer blasticks/bundlesicks though - they bounce more like the sticks you are used to than brushes (which are their own thing entirely) and they still keep the volume down lower than normal sticks.

...And of course, nothing to say you can't have snare and kick. Snare, kick and hats (or ride) and you have your basic kit anyway - everything else is just variation.

Was actually going to ask if I could rather use those, brushes have no bounce, roughly what do they cost?

Kick and snare could work, but can you do it standing up? ?

AlanRatcliffe

nick wrote: Was actually going to ask if I could rather use those, brushes have no bounce, roughly what do they cost?

About R350 last time I looked, so not cheap, but they last well.

Kick and snare could work, but can you do it standing up? ?

Yup. One pedal is no problem, especially if you play heel down

Jack-Flash-Jr

I'm looking forward to this too... I have to say the only envy I've never managed to conquer was that of drummer's technique.
When's the gig??

DonovanB

Reinhard wrote: Nick can keep a beat, I am looking forward to this direction we are going in. Doing all the guitar work is going to be ???

I find so much more freedom in being an only guitarist. Especially without a full drum kit. You can create and fill so much space at the same time. It becomes a challenge of being creative and using interesting chord structures as opposed to modes and speed like we normally try.

arjunmenon

Donovan Banks wrote:
Reinhard wrote: Nick can keep a beat, I am looking forward to this direction we are going in. Doing all the guitar work is going to be ???
I find so much more freedom in being an only guitarist. Especially without a full drum kit. You can create and fill so much space at the same time. It becomes a challenge of being creative and using interesting chord structures as opposed to modes and speed like we normally try.

AlanRatcliffe

Donovan Banks wrote: I find so much more freedom in being an only guitarist. Especially without a full drum kit. You can create and fill so much space at the same time. It becomes a challenge of being creative and using interesting chord structures as opposed to modes and speed like we normally try.

This. ? This is what I've been grooving on (he said, revealing his vintage ?) the last couple of years. I'm filling bass, guitar, pad and percussion duties all at once and it's making me more creative than ever. And yeah - first thing out the window is the "guitar solo" - not a great loss in comparison to what you gain IMO.

nick

Quite keen to get this going but Im currently eating end of the month salticrax, bring on payday ?

kayDUB

Stop eating salticrax, you'll save money.