I like drum solos. I don’t feel compelled to play one on every song, but if it’s the right time — then I’m there! I really like supporting other people when they solo, yet when it’s time for the drum solo most musicians stop playing. It has the potential to turn into “solo drums.” To me, that’s OK and I’ve done this plenty of times. I sing the song to myself and solo over the form — as the entire band did for the other instrumentalists who have already soloed. Not every drummer approaches it this way and that’s fine, but I like relating my solo to the song.
What can be a lot of fun for me, is when the band keeps playing and I solo. This could be over a funky vamp or over a set of changes — the tune. The entire band may not be necessary — it may be just the bass player (yes!). It still feels like the song, because it is! The vamp and/or changes could be fairly sparse and may even be a new section of the song entirely. But it’s still the song and I like that.
Solo Drums are very cool, but for my money I’d rather hear and play a drum solo with the band.
Add Comment