I am somewhat surprised at that statement, John, as I feel a vocalist can certainly put a lot of emotion into a song, even while playing an arranger kb ... It comes from the telling of the story of the song, in the phrasing, etc. ... Even when playing an instrumental, the player can put emotion into a song by 'stretching' notes out, cutting notes short, and especially by not playing 'note for note', 'beat for beat' as the song is written on paper ...

All that being said FOR ME, nothing beats playing with other musicians, especially if you know them well ...

I did it twice, luckily with a former sessions drummer from Sony studios in NY, so he could follow bass with a monitor. Tried with one other for a song or two and didn't work. Depends on drummers experience.

A good drummer can play right along and add the icing as needed. I've done it many times ... with up to 8 pieces.

Takes some practise to get it right:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_3fzvBvAe8

Let the arranger drums play STRAIGHT and the drummer does the fills, breaks ... etc. Mute the KICK drum of drummer ... but don't forget to unmute when he is playing 'alone'!

Tony, in most types of music there is a volume change and a slight tempo change to accent important parts of a song. I am being critical here, but when I played rhythm with my guitar, I had three choices. On the beat. Before the beat, or just after the beat. On the beat for Latin music. Ballads, just after the beat, and up tempo, before the beat.

Playing after the beat creates a drag, a holding, just what is needed for a ballad. Playing before the beat creates tension – up tempos need that for excitement. Again, I am being critical, but I am talking about creating a feeling in your music.

Dancers respond to volume and tempo changes. An up tempo needs excitement --- the volume increases and the tempo moves up slightly. (not in all music) This is what is happening in a song like Mack the Knife. Without volume, key changes and a slight tempo change the song the song is not that great.

Now in my post it was the first time I used a electronic drummer. After a short time I became used to playing with it. BUT, my music lost something—and there is the difference between an arranger keyboard and playing live, we lose something.

John C.

Before, after, and on the beat are all viable techniques I subscribe to, and use, but the drummer need not. Playing expressively to a rigid track is not a stretch. I think having a constant beat is so much better than fluctuating to accommodate skill level, or volume changes. All the expression can come from the other instruments.
As a soloist (horn player/singer) I often take liberties with the feel while my track, or band members stay solid. Since they were invented, I always said that ALL drummers need to own, and play with a drum machine. It makes them better drummers.
Just my take on it.

Definitely, Dave. Have a rock steady drummer and you can do all the befores and afters with the comping and vocal phrasing. Arrangers afford that.

Great comments and thanks AJ for showing an actual example. I’m getting together with the drummer before the gig and will report back and perhaps try to record an example.

A few times, when the seq/arrangement was rather intense, and full of complex parts, I've suggested that the (live) drummer avoid using the kick drum. He'd simply place his foot on the ground, and go through the same motions as if he were hitting the drum. It kept order, and wasn't prone to drift off the beat. We always had the digital drummer as a metronome, but with the live drummers embellishments.

This is exactly the approach I was going to suggest! Let the live drummer color the groove and do all the fills. I can see how the live/acoustic bass drum and the bass drum coming from the auto accompaniment could conflict and sound like a muddy flam