| Lots of thoughts....
For a start - what do you mean by "drum playing in music"? Certainly in popular music or "manufactured" music, loops and synthetic drumming are used loads already. It's cheap and programmable and the result is often decided before the process. In that case, I have to ask the question, is that really "music" in the truest sense?
Ther will ALWAYS be a call for people who make noise for noise's sake, maybe they won't make a living from it but like attracts like and someone who thrashes a guitar because they can't help themselves will be attracted musically to someone who bashes wooden cylinders and metallic discs because for some reason they have to. It's just the way humans work.
Maybe I'm digressing, but I think the divide here is huge...
A lot of "artists" use sampled drums on record but then get a live drummer in for tours. Why? Many reasons I'm sure. Looking at it cynically I'd say it ticks the "cred" box, like using a standard string arrangement on a pop song. Instant cred, and usually rubbish. Coming from a slightly less harsh angle I'd say the artist wants the feel of a real drummer when they perform live. But even then the motives are questionable.
Take someone like Tool, and Danny Carey. His drum parts could be sampled and sequenced with no trouble, but the fact that all the drumming is his, and is so precise, makes it special. I'd go so far as to say his playing is bordering on disturbing (it's certainly dark) because it's SO precise, there's something extra in there somewhere because it's all about performance. That will never be replaced.
If you feel like you're competing for a drumming "job" then I'd argue you're better off without the employer. Get with like-minded folk and concentrate on what's important about your playing.
(Darn - I'm quite drunk, all the above is meant in the spirit of friendly discussion)  |