Episode 95 – Performing With Vocalists featuring Dave Johnstone

“What tempo would you like for this song? Too fast or too slow?” – drummer to singer

Musicians like to analyze and complain about the tenuous relationships that they have with other players in the band. However none of those associations compare with the relationships between the vocalist(s) and the rest of the band. There are copious tales and jokes that solidify that point. In this episode we discuss working with singers and welcome back, power listener and previous guest, Dave Johnstone. Dave stopped in Atlanta on his way to Augusta to play with the dynamic vocalists (and trombonist) Aubrey Logan.

After catching up for a bit we tackle this topic by acknowledging that not only do we occasionally have to learn ‘singer speak’ but sometimes have to depend on our instincts and musical depth to allow us read into what singers are telling us. We also discuss the importance of compromise, supporting a vocalist, count-ins, volume level, setting up phrases, knowing when to correct a singer’s tempo, and much more.

Make sure you visit Dave Johnstone at his personal web site. You can find him at: www.davejohnstone.com

Also follow Dave at his instagram account. He’s @johnstonedrums

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