One of my friends and i want to play together in a band cause i have a solid beat and he's good at soloing but has horrible time.  Has anyone ever tried this? If so, tell us about it.

I've had some very good experiences playing with a second drummer, though they weren't permanent situations.  My weekend "gig" is playing worship music and we have a percussionist who has congas, bongos, timbales, a Roland HPD-15 HandSonic Percussion Controller w/ two pedals, several cymbals, and tons of other items.  Sometimes it's great what he adds to songs; other times he adds things that just don't help the song.  I have a problem with that because I'm putting my style to a song, accenting where I think it should be, etc...creating the dynamics as I see it....and he's crashing his cymbals or wacking the timbales so loud that my ear drums are going to explode.

I guess my point is that you don't know until you try.  It may work, it may not.  I think it mostly depends on the experience level of each person, how well they compliment each other, and how well they work together as a team and avoid competing for the spotlight.

Tom

I've had the same: a friend of mine plays decent solo's but he can't keep time. So his band asked me to play with them and we set up  two kits for rehearsal. The effect was terrible!

Whenever I was grooving in a song, and wanted to play 'open', he managed to get some freakin' solo in. We never communicated very well and really played so loud together the rest of the band never had a chance  

Just one experience... I have played with a lot of percussionists and that worked out way better.

But - and it has been said before - if your buddy can't keep time alone, he will have hard time keeping time with another drummer as well.
(Drummers who can't keep time, are no drummers. They are a pain in the #ss.)

Cheers,

Erwt

I spent 3 years or so playing in a cover band that specialized in San Francisco rock in general, and the Grateful Dead in particular.   For the first two years, we had two drummers.  The other drummer did have a time problem, sometimes slowing down or speeding up unexpectedly.

We both had some chops, but very different styles.

We handled this by just letting it work.  We didn't criticize each other, and  just basically let things happen.  It took about 6 months or so before we started to really gel.  Once we did, it really worked, most of the time.

During the last year or so, not by my choice, I ended up being the only drummer.  So I kind of got to have it both ways.

Advantages of two drummers:  For one thing, there's kind of a blunderbuss effect.  With two people pushing the beat, it's kind of hard to lose it, when it's working right.  This can be important in a jam band, keeping things going when it gets shaky.  The inherent competition can be fun, too.  It can really push you to do your very best.  And, if you do screw up, the other drummer can carry you through with minimum damage.

Advantages of one:  You're in  the driver's seat, and it's your feel, your beat, your syncopation, all the way.  It's easier to get really tight, because there's only one feel happening.  Also, if you're playing with someone who has occasional time problems, keeping that person centered on the beat can be a chore.  Keeping a jam band together can be a chore, so one less problem is one less problem.

Overall, though, I think I preferred the two drummer version of the band.  For one thing, it gave me a little "fudge factor".   But mostly, the multipercussion two of us could produce simply couldn't be matched by one person.

If you do get into a band with two drummers........be patient, and don't be hypercritical.  Allow things to work themselves out, without pushing your personal agenda.  Give it a little time, and it will probably work out, assuming the other drummer is at least halfway competent.

I auditioned with a band years ago who was looking for a second drummer. I realized when I was doing the audition that the reason they wanted another drummer was because the one they had could NOT keep time at all. When I asked the guitarist during a break, why they weren't replacing him, he replied, "because he does a real cool solo"  

Playing with another drummer that can't keep time would be more embarrassing than having a tone-deaf singer. At least the singer would be spotted as the F'up. With two drummers, both will look bad when one stinks up. IMHO

he's better at drumming overall but i've worked on keeping the beat almost exclusively.  he can keep a decent beat but he's not as good at it as i am.  his fills are ten times better than mine but it works reverse for beat.  just thought i needed to clarify a little!!

I dig that tune.  

Tom

This worked really well in King Crimson's "double trio" lineup, with Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto -- check out the tracks on VROOM VROOM. They're both busy players (either of them often sounds like two drummers on his own), but they're also both very solid and very mature players, as well.

yes, he doesn't do it "VERY well". he's good enough to know he's screwed it but he always does.  he could follow it with someone else to hold the beat down.

goth bands rock!  my band is slayer-ish metal