Drummers in 2023: Do you need them?

The role of the modern drummer has changed a lot over the years – and that’s putting it lightly. To examine the purpose of drummers, the question needs to be “What do people want from the drums?” The answer has usually been “A rhythm or beat which supports the song.” So, what happens when drum machines and samples come along and whisper to songwriters "don’t worry, I got you?"

Queue an existential crisis.

Fortunately, this is only the base of what drummers deliver. Or at least, it should be. To compete with technology that has better time and a wider range of sounds, we need to provide more; creative input, gear, transport, showmanship, fills, and drum solos. These are just some things that will give us the edge over tech.

It’s hard to see what the future holds for drummers when you keep hearing the same drum loops on almost every hit song. But when you look deeper, the reality looks more hopeful. Matt Billingslea, Brendan Buckley, Devon Taylor – some of these guys you probably wouldn’t have heard of, even if you are a drummer. They’re just some examples of top-tier working drummers, playing with the biggest artists on the planet.

That being said, let’s look at the two main situations for performing drummers, and see how “necessary” we currently are.

Studio:

Technology has advanced at such a rate that it has been able to replicate drums and surpass the frequency range. There are thousands of possible sounds available to songwriters, with just as many custom drumkits. Hence, many of us are wondering if there is still enough demand for drummers, or if we need them.

Popular genres such as Rap, EDM and Grime rarely require drummers for recording, although these styles were built on the sampling revolution of the 80s and 90s. It’s not like they’ve got guitarists or bassists either. Still, due to the shift in popularity, it means many artists are now following suit, producing entire songs with the use of a MIDI keyboard.

Another factor is the cost of it all. Drum sample libraries mean many songwriters and producers can buy professional, pre-recorded drums tailored towards their desired sound. It’s a far more convenient and cost-effective option than hiring a studio drummer and going through the hassle of recording. Plus, if you can wrap your head around programming or beat-making, you can create customised drum beats with ease.

For bands and artists who are short on money and equipment or lack good connections, the DIY approach has helped launch careers, allowing artists to release music and attract millions of plays – sometimes without entering a proper recording studio. Naturally, there is less demand for studio drummers than years ago. But this isn’t a challenge facing only drummers – the need for instrumentalists has diminished in the studio environment. At least, in the pop scene.

Genres such as Rock, Metal, and Jazz are still very much centred around bands and musicians. Even R&B and Country use drummers regularly in recordings. While these genres might not feature on the radio as much, or attract the popularity of mainstream pop, they still account for millions of streams and plays worldwide. Due to the nature of these styles, I don’t believe drummers will ever be completely replaced by drum machines.

Besides, drummers tend to have the best knowledge when it comes to their own instruments. If it’s a drummer programming the parts using a machine, chances are it will sound better than a non-drummer doing the same thing. Even if we don’t pick up the sticks - there’s still room for us in the songwriting credits ;)

Furthermore, when artists become more popular, they can afford to hire musicians, which is often still the case with some record-label acts. So, there is still demand – but you’ve gotta be top-notch!

Live:

Even for machines, replicating a live drum sound isn’t easy. Sure, you might be able to hear programmed drums in terms of volume, but that’s only half the pudding. With a live drummer, you feel just as much as you hear. The stick striking the snare, the thudding of the bass drum and the shimmering cymbals. If you’ve ever been to a live gig, you’ll know what I’m on about. There’s only so much a MacBook can match, let alone the energy drummers can bring to the gig. Seemingly minor details such as the aesthetic of the kit and the human connection between the band all add to the experience of a show.

Harry Styles, Drake, Shakira, Taylor Swift and countless other megastars all rely on touring drummers in a live setting, even if they don’t require them in the studio. If you really want to project your music, to bring your songs to life, this requires a backing band – which almost always includes a drummer. This applies to many different settings; musical theatre, cruise ship shows, and instrumental bands. You’ll also have vocal groups or guitarists performing to backing tracks – but it’s never quite the same.

Although, I think the use of triggers and sample pads are used more frequently in live set-ups. Drummers are assuming the responsibility of triggering synths and loops regularly, allowing us to extend our input. Additionally, it has broadened the sounds we have at our disposal. In turn, this has made drummers more adaptable to current music styles, ones which use more samples than acoustic sonics. This hybrid method has kept us on the gig and illustrates how we can stay relevant in the future. Technology won’t stop advancing, so we should work with it instead of trying to compete. The more we can use it to our advantage, the more we can bring the best of both worlds.

Conclusion:

My advice would be, if you can’t afford a drummer for recordings, ask them for tips on making beats. This is something that drummers should know better than anyone. If you get the right advice, your beats shouldn’t sound like carbon copies. The creative spark should start to reveal itself.

If you're in a band or can afford the live set-up, do it. It will make a bigger impression on your audience. Even if you don’t start out with a drummer, working one into your live set will reap its rewards. The same goes for other musicians. We aren’t always necessary, but we will be needed by many.