Stephen Taylor is a drummer I’ve been following for a few years. He has a gift for being able to explain complicated concepts and making them sound simple enough for anyone to understand!
The best part is when you discover this cool cat is also a worshipdrummer! I thought these 3 points were so good that I even took the time to jot down some notes. Even though I included my notes, I highly encourage you to watch the video and check out his playing after the three points (at about the 7:50 mark).
The Golden Rule about playing in church is …it’s NOT about you!
3 Tips For Drumming In Church
1. This Is A Group Event.
- Band + congregation
- Constantly evaluate the group dynamic.
- Volume control
- Give music the space it needs
- You don’t need to play overly complex grooves and fills.
2. Watch Your Fills
- Understand what a fill does to a listener who doesn’t have a lot of musical knowledge
- Watch for the “Carls”. We don’t want to confuse them, but lead them through a song.
- Don’t play large, leading fills in the wrong spots.
3. You’re Responsible For The Time
- Do your homework and know what tempo each song is supposed to have
- If you are not playing for a section of a song, and you notice tempos start to drift, your role is to keep soft time on the hi-hat or shakers, and give a little help and support.
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