A well produced pop song usually has a set tempo.<\/strong> You might think the speed is moving, but in fact it\u2019s only the dynamics that are changing. A drummer\u2019s natural tendency is to speed up and there are number of reasons for that. Speeding up after a fast fill is a common problem. When you play something complex, panic can set in as you try to get round the fill and return to back in time. Adrenaline is to blame and if you don\u2019t rein it in you\u2019ll finish ahead of the beat. So again, practice your fills using with a click, but don\u2019t use a live situation as practice time \u2013 if you\u2019re unsure of your ability to pull a fill off cleanly, simplify it.<\/p>\n Adrenaline allied to nerves, are to blame for racing tempos. If you find that you are constantly starting songs off too fast, rehearse the tempo in your head<\/strong> before the song and then shave off 3 or 4bpm. Alternatively sing the chorus or biggest part of song in your head before you click in. Michael W Smith\u2019s \u2018Alleluia\u2019 is a classic example, if you sing Holy, Holy it should give the right tempo to start with.<\/p>\n Bodily tension doesn\u2019t help tempo either, so try to relax<\/strong>. Don\u2019t grip sticks too tightly and try looking down at your snare after maybe the 4th<\/sup> or 5th<\/sup> bar of the song. Where are you hitting it? Great drumming is all about control and consistency so try to make sure you hit centre of the snare cleanly every time.<\/p>\n Leave big fills until last<\/strong> \u2013 many musicians plough straight into a song with their biggest fills and don\u2019t let the song gather momentum. We are all tempted to try something impressive especially if there are other musicians watching, but try to resist. Remember to play for the song and serve the worshippers. If you have thrown the kitchen sink at the song within the first four bars, you\u2019ll have nowhere to go. Also, if you use the emphasis of the lyrics to help you build an appropriate groove you\u2019ll improve the feel of what you play.<\/p>\n Make sure you can see the face of your worship leader<\/strong>. Set up side-on if necessary. Communication is so much easier if you can see other musician\u2019s facial expressions and much more difficult if you can only see the back of their head.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re using a click track try to get the worship leader to have the click in their ear<\/strong> as well so they can help govern the time, too. Another option is to integrate an audible loop into the song so that it becomes part of the groove. Make sure it\u2019s loud enough in everyone\u2019s monitors and try to get it in your headphones which will be much easier to pick out than if it\u2019s just in your drum wedge.<\/p>\n Although tempos should stay fixed, there are instances when we can legitimately pull back the tempo at specific song junctions to create a sense of tension and release. These are known as Rits and Ralls<\/strong>. For instance, in the bridge of Here I am to Worship before the final chorus, slow down on each word of Here..I…am……to\u2026. ,and then bring the tempo back on \u2018worship\u2019. Rits and Ralls can be a useful tool if you have a congregation that loves classical music and struggles to engage with contemporary rock styles.<\/p>\n If this goes wrong it can be horrible, so be aware of a few key things. Firstly, make sure everyone is aware that this is going to happen, otherwise it sounds like someone has fallen down the stairs. Communicate visually with your expressions and body language<\/strong> so everyone can follow easily. You may need to start the slowdown earlier than you think and increase the volume as you pull back each beat. This will help you gain control of the band and congregation. Most importantly, you MUST come back to the original tempo afterwards. Make sure you are confident you can pull it off, so if there are any doubts, don\u2019t try it live until it\u2019s well rehearsed. Lastly a movement like this can become really irritating if you overuse it so choose your moments carefully and worshipfully.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do you have any tips to add?<\/p>\n The Musicademy Worship Drums DVDs<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other posts you might like:<\/strong><\/p>\n Why and how to play to a click \u2013 a guide for worship teams<\/a><\/p>\nDon’t peak too early<\/h2>\n
Work with the worship leader<\/h2>\n
Times when its permitted to change the tempo<\/h2>\n
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