Breathe When the Red Light Is On: Nate Morton on Being a TV House Band Drummer (Episode 24)

You learned how to make music. Nobody taught you how to make a living making music.

Nate Morton is the drummer in the house band on NBC's The Voice. Before that he played in the house band on Rock Star: INXS and Rock Star: Supernova. When he sat down with Nomad for Episode 24 of The Career Musician, the band had just finished the season 15 finale.

Being a TV house band drummer means playing thousands of songs in every style, live, with a contestant's shot on the line. Nate explains how he got there, how he handles the studio and the stage, and why he still gets up excited to hit things with sticks.

Animal, a marching band and an outlet

Nate's first influence was Animal from The Muppets. It showed him it was okay to be a hyper kid as long as you channel it into something. His parents went to Tennessee State University, and the marching band at the football games hooked him. Even on his dad's Grover Washington Jr. records, the drums always stuck out to him.

He was a hyperactive kid, and drums became his outlet. He'd go in his room and play along with songs for hours. Then he went to Berklee and moved to LA in about 1998. He calls those the two best things he ever did for his career, and he says neither would have worked without the other. Berklee gave him the skill set. LA gave him the opportunities.

Listen to everything, play with everyone

Nomad asked about his core principles, and Nate said there's nothing profound. Early on he was told to listen to as much music as possible, play as much music as possible and play with as many people as possible. That's exactly what The Voice demands: a pop or R&B ballad one week, then a country song, a classic rock song, an orchestral arrangement. Nomad's line on it: luck is just when preparation meets opportunity. Luck = preparation + opportunity.

He also picks gigs differently than some players. He's turned down gigs that paid more, or might have advanced his career, to play music he liked with people he liked.

"I've always erred on the side of trying to choose gigs that I found enjoyable."

Nate Morton, 8:23

When he's asked to put a band together, he calls his friends, not the people who might call him back. He says he can't really politic. He feels his way through the business organically. As Nomad pointed out, you're off stage a lot longer than you're on it, so a down-to-earth personality matters.

In the studio, the answer is yes

In the studio, Nate says, your job is to serve the song and bring the artist's or producer's vision to life. Sometimes they dictate exactly what they want, down to which side the crash is on. His internal voice might get cynical, but the answer is yes. Other times, he plays one pass and they say "you're good."

He's spent 90 minutes sound checking a snare drum, moving mics half an inch this way and that. He's also had engineers get drum sounds in four minutes flat. He's heard great results both ways. Walk in with an open mind and go with it.

He's all for offering ideas: a pass on the ride in the chorus, a pass with open hands. But in a session, you offer it without ego. If they like it, great. If not, fine. The rhythm section on the show has played together since 2005, going back to Rock Star: INXS, and they argue like any band. On a session, you're the session guy.

For the playing he can't do on a session, Nate has side projects. Funky Jazzy Stuff, his record with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kenwood Anderson, was a "here are the tunes, go do what you want" kind of record. It gives him balance.

Find something to love in every song

On the show, they've played thousands of songs, and Nate admits he doesn't love every one. But he always finds something to latch on to. If it's the most bubblegum pop tune, his motivation becomes: how bubblegum can I make this?

Nomad didn't hold back here. If you're a career musician complaining about the type of gig you got, that's ridiculous. Whatever gig you're on, treat it as the most important one you've ever played. Be grateful.

When the red light is on

TV is different from the studio. On a record, the artist's path doesn't hinge on his one pass, because everyone else tracks after him. On the show, if he blows a part or doesn't lead a singer into the next section, that's partly on him, especially in the blind auditions, where a singer is performing for their chance to be on the show.

"It does cause me to realize... I'm not playing a cover gig right now in a bar."

Nate Morton, 27:09

His fix is simple: he writes "breathe" on his snare drum head, because he can get in his head and forget to. He's usually more nervous for the contestant than about the millions watching. Once a fan emailed to remind him the entire community of drummers was counting on him.

The live weeks are the most intense. A Wednesday rehearsal with the contestant and their coach, a band review on Thursday, a studio recording on Friday, all-day camera and lighting rehearsals at Universal on Saturday and Sunday, then dress rehearsal and a live show Monday and Tuesday. Ten to fourteen hour days are normal. Getting Thanksgiving off can mean a 15 or 16 hour day after. That's a schedule where Reliability beats virtuosity.

Do it yourself, and find the balance

Nate has never had a manager or an accountant. He's never felt a manager could do more for him than he could do himself. A friend once told him that when you're popular, every manager can get you work, and when you're not, they all suck. He runs his own social media and answers his own email from his garage, even when it means learning video editing from scratch.

His favorite memory from the show is setting up a downstage kit and turning around to find Dolly Parton, who had come over just to introduce herself. Joe Walsh had so much joy when he was on the show. Nate's lesson: don't be the grumpy musician. Low maintenance / no drama.

"In my case, my eyes open every morning and I'm like, I get to go and hit drums today."

Nate Morton, 38:33

For the slow times, he shared advice from a drummer friend: the hardest thing about being a pro is developing a balance. Gigs you love versus gigs that pay the bills. Being busy versus having time to enjoy it. When he was touring, he made himself appreciate the time at home, because when the next run started, he'd be gone.

The takeaway

Listen to everything, play with everyone, and pick gigs with people you want to be around. Say yes in the studio, find something to love in every song, and breathe when the red light comes on. Then trust that the work you're doing will lead to more work. For more on landing the next one, get the free Get the Gig guide. You can follow Nate on Instagram.

Get the gig. Keep the gig. Build the career.

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