Seems like the gigs I've played that involved a style or selection of music I didn't particularly car for were the best paying gigs for the most part. I had to wear a tux to play a gig this past Saturday. You know we weren't playing the funky/bluesy stuff I love. I'm talking rhumbas here!

I grew up as an aspiring rocker that played gigs with my father's C&W band when he asked (told) me. I hated that "hillbilly crap" as a 15 year old, but I learned how to play it correctly, made some decent money, and guess what?..........I actually appreciate a lot of country music now. Still do country gigs, occasionally.

I hated jazz.......dig it now.

My advice: Play with as many bands/musicians as you can.

Versatility=Profitability.

Ditto with Stallwart on this one.We might not like the styles of music that we play but one thing is guaranteed-we learn from it all and that makes us a much better well rounded player in the long run.Just because we may specialize in certain forms of music doesn`t mean we have to cut out all the others.Learn as many different styles as you can and sometimes we have to prostitute ourselves in order to achieve that goal.I know that playing music that you don`t enjoy is a burden but you`re gaining much needed experience at the same time.So to answer your question...you`ll play better when you`re into the music you like,but you`ll learn more by playing the music you don`t.Sorry for the long winded rant.

Wayne

I've gone through similar situations many times in the past. Not enjoyable. I now play in a six piece group which I enjoy immensely! I write a lot of the lyrics along with the guitar player. Both of us have a hand in composing the music. I haven't played a cover tune in years. We play where and when we want to. The audiences are very receptive and every gig is a pleasure! I'm a lucky guy to be able to do what he loves!!!

Brian

+1 brother! Good work if you can get it. I always have a dozen gigs on the go. Some styles i'm naturally better at (or more versed in) and other styles require more work.

I do a gig once or twice a year accompanying a world music dance troupe and the repertoire scans Serbia, Romania, Estonia, Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, France, Spain, Israel,USA, etc... Every year it scares the bejeesus out of me, but I dive back in and find each year that my zone of comfort has grown. I don't have to count some of the weirder odd-time stuff like a i'm treading water. Now I can concentrate more on getting the feel right. The more a style is foreign to me the more it requires a kind of "method acting" and ultimately I end up with more tricks up my sleeve so to speak.

Yes Sir+10! Any of us who have played for 20, 30, or 40 plus years will agree that the more exposure you get accompanying diverse forms and styles of music, the better player you will become. And diverse doesn't mean various forms of Pop music (rock, R&B, Country, Dance music, etc). I've been very fortunate in the last 46 years to have been involved in all forms of Pop, jazz, folk, orchestral classical, drum corp, marching band, concert band, and world music. You learn something new in each form and then apply it in other forms. And it doesn't hurt to be able to read charts.

Versatility=Capability

Mike

Stallwart said it all! More than anything, I love jam bands and jam sessions. You get to play every style of music and with all kinds of musicians. What I dig is the challenge of coming up with the right groove and fills for any song/number they can throw at you.

Learn to love all kinds of music. The fun is in playing. How do you grow and learn as a musician if you never leave your comfort zone? Where's the fun in playing only one style/kind of music? That approach to music would get stale with me real fast.

Viva variety! I can have as much fun playing Hava Nagila, Klezmer style, as I can playing Going Down by Freddy King with a stomp-down Blues band! If you love drums and you love music, get out there and push the envelope, get out of your comfort zone once in awhile. That Prima Dona stuff about only playing with a band that plays certain tunes/music isn't going to get you into a whole lot of bands, or gigs. It's nice when you find a band you personally really click with stylistically, but those are few and far in-between as any of the more experienced guys will tell you.

Gotta do it for the love of music and the instrument. Your job as a drummer is to listen carefully to what is going on around you and to feed the groove whatever it is asking for.

John

Mexican this week for me (Cinco de Mayo). It's growing on me. Plus I'm having to learn what those lyrics mean. I've had a couple of years playing like salty 1322 where you run up on the stage, do your few tunes that nobody has ever heard and run back off. That was very interesting too if you found the crowd responded to one or two that you and your mates had pulled together. Of course, they also gave appropriate response to the dogs.

been in the same band for the last 12 years (my very first band) music has changed and so has my playing. we went from 2 guitars, bass and drums to 1 guitar, keys, bass, drums, sax, trumpet and backing vocalists...absolutely love the big band thing.

I play a covers duo thing with me and a guy on acoustic guitar with a didge...love doing that and get put on the spot with the tunes, was scary at first, but it has helped my playing and given me more confidence.

I drum for a soul/pop singer (she can sing, but is very unreliable when it comes to rehearsing) half a dozen times a year doing originals and its a blast.

I filled in one night with my cousins cover band (aboriginal singer/songwriter covers here in Australia) 28 songs in the one set...all types of music, from country, country rock, rock, reggae etc. it was a great experience and I really enjoyed it. no rehearsals, put straight on the spot and I knew most songs, but I had never played them before. I didn't like all the songs, but I made sure I done them all justice. you never know who is watching and it will lead to more gigs. I have been asked to play drums for heaps of acts since then and now I want to learn different styles. oh and I am 36, been playing drums for 12-13 years and I am pretty much self taught.

For me personally, I could never see myself not playing with a band. I have always played in a band and have always created original music. It's my thing. I enjoy playing/practicing alone also, but ultimately I am happiest playing in a band.band3