A cue is a trigger for a musical action to be carried out at a specific time. If it’s at the top (start) of a song it’s called the count-in. Once a song is off the ground most drummers can find the two and four and transport the time from point A to point B. Even if no other voicing is used, well-placed snare hits can make a rock, pop, R&B, or country song cruise along. But actually lifting a song off the runway is one of the most underrated functions of the working drummer.

When we start out listening to the drums and drummers, we’re attracted to the sound of the notes and the feel of the movement. Children start dancing to a song once the movement has reached cruising altitude. The working drummer however has to start dancing well before the song lifts off. This happens during the count-in and the skilled drummer internalizes every subdivision of it – even if someone else is doing the counting. Whether a band leader voices the count or an instrument provides an intro, the drummer has to start “performing” before the song’s first downbeat.

I like to think of the drummer’s head as the pilot and his limbs as a set of jet engines whose job it is to get the aircraft, crew, and passengers up to speed. Planes don’t just take off. And when they’re ready to, pilot focus and engineered precision makes it possible.

So the first cue the working drummer masters is the count-in. Memory, sequence, and anticipation are the skills that make this possible. A good part of my off-the-set practice time involves memorizing structure and phrases I’ve never heard before. When I hear a song for the first time I listen, memorize, and then test myself to see if I got it right. What makes me valuable to bandleaders and producers is that I’ve practiced recalling the architecture of a song making sure I’ve got the parts in the right sequence. When given a set list, I memorize three songs ahead so I can anticipate what’s coming next. This way, my count-ins are confident and solid. In looser, more creative settings I call upon years of anticipating upcoming movements and phrases to predict where the band is going next. In a recent session, the producer wanted to preview the song structure for me by saying things like, “then it goes here for 2 bars.” Fascinated by my special brand of intuition, the guitarist begged him to “just let the drummer feel it.” The result was “freshness” and “tension.” Everyone applauded my sensitivity to feel what was coming next. I inspired confidence in the producer and in the players that I could both memorize and intuit the parts. And, each had their place to get the session done.

In my next article, I’ll explore more ideas about cues, including “head-counting subdivisions” and insights from two counting greats, Dave Weckl and Billy Ward.

© F. Aversano / Rig 7 Entertainment 2010. All rights reserved.

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