Drummers and click tracks

[Doink]

What do you guys think of drummers who can't play to a click? As in whenever they try, they end up having to slow themselves down, especially after a fill, due to their natural tendency to speed up.

Of course this is all dependent on the style of music. For punk or that screamo/hardcore stuff, I don't think a click track would be a good idea.

Sure there are plenty of name drummers that don't play to a click. But when the producer, engineer, and all of the other band members think it suits what they're after, and the drummer tries and practices to it, but still can't settle in, and he makes up excuses by saying he feels more comfortable playing without it, and saying he thinks it ends up being more natural and more emotional without it....

I think it exposes a flaw in the foundation of their playing and style.

[ibanezdiehard]

we've got 2 drummers in my band.
The main one who we started this band with is in like 5 other bands so he can't always be free for gigs.
He is a human click track, perfectly in time all the time

our other drummer was from the last band i was in and he is more metal orientated.
He can play to a click but when we are jamming he does speed up and slow down depending on the feel of the particular part

i like them both equally, i don't think that you have to be solid in that sense to be a good drummer, Cause in some ways spontinaity is better, it just depends on what sort of a musician you are whether your MR TEXT book, or more based on feeling and mood. thats just my take on it

[bammbamm]

I think any GOOD drummer SHOULD be able to play to one.
If you have a guy (had one) that can't, it can't be a god sign, ya know?

[The Euphor]

How the click track is made could make a difference. It's important to make it swing, not just a metronome click. Try it yourself with a guitar, if you have to listen for the click, then it's impossible. You have to be a part of it.

I think all musicians should be able to play after click, and with a human raise/drop in tempo.

[StevenMikel]

I know this is an ancient thread but,I just have put my 2 cents in.Everybody should be abel to play to a click-track and/or a metronome,especially drummers.Playing to a click track is vitaly important when you're recording for everybody.Keeping a beat and staying on tempo is the drummers job and,along with the bass player keeping the groove going.If anybody in a band gets off beat and can't get back everything falls apart,how are they supposed to get back on beat if the drummer can't maintain tempo.

[6fingers]

Originally Posted by StevenMikel

I know this is an ancient thread but,I just have put my 2 cents in.Everybody should be abel to play to a click-track and/or a metronome,especially drummers.Playing to a click track is vitaly important when you're recording for everybody.Keeping a beat and staying on tempo is the drummers job and,along with the bass player keeping the groove going.If anybody in a band gets off beat and can't get back everything falls apart,how are they supposed to get back on beat if the drummer can't maintain tempo.

Yes and no.
There are bands who LOVE keeping the beat floating.
Generally they only need a count in just to start in the right beat, some parts will be slower or faster depending on the feeling of the song. I recorded so many already and some prefered recording like live situation, everybody playing at the same time.
Of course if you'll record a 4x4 pop rock which the artist/band/producer wants to keep it straight to the same beat, a click track is a rule.
There are so many different situations so you cannot put all of them in the same package like everybody should record with a click track.
What about jazz songs which their beats are changing in every bar?
In this case a click track would be against freedom, creativity and to what those bands wanted

[Petie]

Depends on the band. I just got back from seeing Avenged Sevenfold and they play to a click, with a small amount of prerecorded stuff to sync up to - mainly piano and a few extra vocal parts (but not in a lip sync kind of way. More like guest vocals etc). They still had plenty of looseness and life. I've seen other bands (including a lot of local prog bands) play to a click or backing tracks and sound totally messy.

[Ekim]

Eh. Perfection can be boring and is overrated. If you're not free to feel things out, what's the point of playing live music? Sloppy bands can feel great. Perfect bands can sound lifeless.

So long as it grooves, I could care less about any metronome.