Tag Archive: drummers

What Makes Famous Drummers and Percussionists – the Qualities and Traits They All Share

Every great band has a great drummer or percussionist, but not every drummer who enjoys playing percussion instruments becomes famous, so the question obviously arises: what skills are necessary to become a great percussionist? What are the skills shared by all excellent drummers? Here are a few of the abilities and qualities that you need.

drummer playing the drums

Getting the Rhythm Right

A good drums Denver performer must  have a very advanced sense of time and meter – they not only know when they should come in, they feel it, too. Many famous drummers and percussionists say that they feel the music and playing the drums feels as if that they had some sort of an inner clock to help them provide the rhythm for the melody naturally and effortlessly.

Resistance to Stress

The drummer or the percussionist is the member of the band who provides the rhythm for the songs played and also the person that the others rely on to help them get back in tune if they get lost in the music. If it happens the other way around and the drummer follows the other musicians, the entire song can get messed up, so a great drummer is able to carry the responsibility of being the foundation of the band without freaking out.

Excellent Body Coordination

To play the drum really well, you need to be able to move your limbs separately. The most famous drummers and percussionists are able to use several instruments at a time, operating some of them with the hands and playing others with the help of foot pedals. In many cases, all the instruments play a different rhythm and the drummer needs to master them all simultaneously.


Playing the drum might seem like an activity that requires less regular practice than other instruments, but it is only an illusion. As a matter of fact, famous drummers and percussionists are not only talented and have an innate sense of timing and coordination, but they are also disciplined people who are aware of the importance of regular, focused practice that lasts around 4-8 hour a day. Drumming and playing other percussion instruments are also physically demanding activities, so great drummers and percussionists also know how important it is to take care of their body and to keep physically fit.

Technical Skills

Many people think that drums don’t need to be tuned – they cannot be more wrong. As a matter of fact, drummers need to make more extensive adjustments on their instruments than any other member of the band and tuning a set of percussions requires lots of practice, learning and the ability to use various different tools as well.

A Humble and Cooperative Attitude

The drummer is the player in the band who actually serves the song with his playing, who provides the base, the rhythm that the other instruments rely on. The drummer does not want to come to the foreground and to impose the sound of their instruments on the other instruments. They are aware that there is a time for everything and accept to come to the limelight only when the structure of the song permits it, usually in the forms of solos.