No It isn’t the one about the drummer that………..

How many drummers does it take to change a light bulb? Five: One to screw the bulb in, and four to talk about how much better Neil Peart could’ve done it.

Okay so we have all heard the extreme amounts of drummer jokes out there but a serious and good point came up this week.

Should drummers be in a class of their own (not musicians) ? It wasn’t too long ago since drummers were classed as second class musicians and not even paid the same!

The question is though, are they actually musicians? Yes? No? Maybe? In the case of my good friend Greg the drummer, NO! What? A drummer proclaiming “I am not a musician I’m a free…. (nope still just a drummer to us) So his conclusion is that because he doesn’t play scales or melodies he cant class himself as a musician. Now on the other hand we do have drummers who tune their drums to play melodies etc. He believes those players should be classed as musicians and “normal” drummers just as drummers. I think everyone should be paid the same no matter what the instrument, but does he make a good point.

1. A musician who plays melodies, chords and scales etc.

2. A musical drummer who plays melodies, chords and scales etc.

3. A drummer.

I’m in two minds about this classification, on the basis of hearing a great drummer groove and play melody parts then a standard drummer doing what they do best. I agree that they should all be paid the same but, Are they the same? Are they different? Do you agree?