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Starting out on drums, advice welcomed!

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posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 03:59 AM
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I have always wanted to play drums, but it was one of those things I kept telling myself I had time for later...

I've suddenly become determined to do it, realizing that it is getting quite late (I am 47!)

When my son is here, he spends his time playing guitar, and it just makes me want to play along so bad!
So I started looking around at sets for sale around me, and researching what everything is called, how to read sheet music for them, and beginner videos, which I am starting some early exercises just with pens and stacks of books to tap on.

For anyone who is experienced... what kind of advice would you give me?

I am somewhat turned off by the electronic types of drums, I want to feel the real thing. But in some cases, people sell them cheaper. Is there any benefit to starting with those?

Is the quality of the instrument important when just starting off? Or is it reasonable to begin with less and invest more when skills have been aquired?

Is it reasonable to consider learning from videos, as so many exist out there today, and it seems very tempting to do that (if one is used to learning alone and has the self discipline necessary) ?

I realize that much of learning such skills is repetition for hours, on simple tasks at first, to develop muscle memory before going on to more complexity and combination, but even that I find somewhat pleasurable. The sensual aspect of this instrument is awesome.

(I used to play sax when young and just didn't get that same thrill , though I imagine it might come with mastership... it is only with drums that I feel it right away). I know it is weird, being an old lady and all, but my husband and kids are being amazingly supportive. My son and his friends are actually looking for equipment for me, urging me on. They're awesome.

Any advice and guidance from other drum players would be appreciated!



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 04:18 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma




For anyone who is experienced... what kind of advice would you give me?

Starting out with pens on books is a positive start , you are lucky learning today due to the instructional videos freely available on youtube , learn the basic 4/4 beat and away you go , although I would recommend seeking a local tutor.

As a starter the quality of the kit isn't really important , you don't want to spend lots in the beginning in case your enthusiasm wanes further down the line , once you've learned the basics then you may want to upgrade.

Good luck , I've played drums in several bands over the last 25 years and have to say it is the best instrument , it's harder to learn than most expect but if you stick with it the feeling of playing drums is not easily beaten.



edit on 4-7-2015 by gortex because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 05:25 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma

Advice? Watch your damn elbow!

Drummer's elbow (pdf)




posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 05:25 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma

Hello Bluesma, may Peace be upon you!

I am a seasoned drummer. The quality of the wood, heads, cymbals, and even sticks is important and makes a big difference! But that's if we're talking about live-shows or recording. Getting a high quality kit can be very expensive,... I would suggest starting on a cheap used set and gradually do single piece upgrades as you go. Personally, I'm a fan of Pearl drums, Remo heads, and Zildjan cymbals. Tama and Ludwig also make good quality drums, and Sabian cymbals are great as well. Also, within the name brands are various product styles. The particular sound, feel, and music type you lean towards will determine which style of which pieces to get.

Electronic drums, in my opinion, are only good if you want to play as quietly as possible, or to have an easier time doing plug-in recording sessions. Electronic drums just can not compare to the sound and feel of a real kit. I'd suggest investing in a real kit over electronic any day!

In drumming, the absolute basics are known as rudiments. I would highly suggest you learn and practice either the "26 American" or "40 International Percussive Arts Society" rudiments. You can save money here by checking out YouTube videos instead of buying training videos.

Also, it helps to play along to songs that you enjoy. Try to pick some of your favorite songs with the least complicated beats.

I would suggest exercise. Drumming is labor intensive! You'll need some level of cardio, as well as leg and feet strengthening.

And finally, avoid hand blisters! You're going to need to learn a proper form. Don't hold the sticks too tightly, you want the stick to pivot on your fingers and "bounce around" in your palms. Don't hit the drums and cymbals too hard, and don't hit them "flat",... meaning, your hit is not the final motion and you don't want to land or plant your sticks,... you want the tips of your sticks to immediately and naturally pop up and bounce off of the percussion surface. You can also find grip and form instructional videos on YouTube.

But if you have the time and money, lining yourself up with a good tutor/trainer will help also.

I very much enjoy drumming and I wish you the best on your new endeavors!



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 07:08 AM
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Great! I'm 43 and have just recently taken up the drums again. I played as a very young kid for a bit, as my dad played. Weighting my options I opted for electronic drum set for the following reasons.
Space...small house, I can just whip them out set them up in the living room easy, quickly.
Cost, found a good high end older set for 125.00. On Craigslist.
Apps, Yamaha has a really good teaching app that interacts with the drum set so you can see and monitor your progress.
Headphones! I can play along with music, as loud as I want, with regular drums this is hard to do do without the proper equipment. It's harder to hear the music over your own playing with real drums.
Lastly, they have a built in metronome, and a huge list of rhythms to practice to, and lots of fun kits to choose from.

I know I'm never gonna be a rockstar on stage anywhere. If so, I may have splurged on the real thing, but for fun and ease of use, I'm happy with my choice.
Yamaha dtxplorer
edit on 4-7-2015 by Wetpaint72 because: Derp



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 07:31 AM
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originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: Bluesma

Advice? Watch your damn elbow!

Drummer's elbow (pdf)



*turning red*

I know, it is totally irrational. I can't explain it. Perhaps the attraction to breaking limits I perceive as imposed upon me?
I'm trying to wait. Considering I am still trying to heal from epichondylitis in both elbows, it is insane.
edit on 4-7-2015 by Bluesma because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 07:35 AM
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Thanks Sahabi and Wetpaint!

I'm taking notes!



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 07:40 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma

All I can do is shake my head....and wish you good luck.

Think of the consequences and how pissed off you've been being immobile. Will drums still be there after you've recovered fully? Yes they will.

Tut tut tut (chuckling)

You'd tell anyone else in this situation to rest up, recover and come back when they're fit.



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 07:55 AM
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originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: Bluesma

Advice? Watch your damn elbow!

Drummer's elbow (pdf)

Haha,Richard Patterson.We were at school together and he was my first drummer.Teaches at Drum Tech in London now.



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 08:34 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma
And a side note.
If you don't want to feel like a complete failure, steer clear of videos of Stevie wonder drumming, the drummer with no arms, and the 4 yr old drummer.



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 08:37 AM
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As someone who's been drumming for 23 years (29 now) I would suggest starting out with a beginners range kit, just in case your desire to keep playing falls through. However, keep in mind you WILL NOT get the best sound with the crappy drum heads that come with them! I cannot stress this enough, you cannot get a quality sound with crappy drum heads. I originally started out with pots and pans and a set of chopsticks at 6 years old lol. My first kit was some no name brand that I got for my birthday, once I smashed the crap out of the plastic heads my dad said lets get you a real kit so we went to the music store and grabbed a set of Pearl Exports Standard 5 piece with a hi-hat and one cymbal with stand. I played those until I was 20. Learning how to tune the drums is key! Also learn how to properly seat new drum heads.

I upgraded my kit to a Pork Pie custom 4 Piece ($1200) and haven't looked back since. If you want quality sound I would splurge on getting quality heads as I mentioned and quality cymbals, I prefer Zildjians. www.youtube.com... Mike Johnston has some great videos for drummers to get started. Bob Gatzen videos have taught me a TON on how to properly tune drum heads. Personally I never learned to read sheet music and it hasn't hurt me in the least. I grew up in a musical family so maybe I was blessed with musical talent but it does not hurt to learn rudiments and basic fundamentals. Learn what drumsticks you like, your hands will be torn up for a while and hurt like hell when the blisters form, I don't pop them, let them go down on their own and they will callus up. During my gigs if the skin rips open I put a little super glue to keep the skin in place! (NOT RECOMMENDED) just helps me get through the rest of the set.

Other than that, have FUN! That's what it is all about. Congrats on choosing the best musical instrument ever invented lol



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 08:39 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma
Get a metronome. Plenty of Drum Lesson Videos out there.

Make a racket and have fun. Nothing beats a good solid simple beat.



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 12:23 PM
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I second the metronome, it is vital. Once you get some chops, play along with recordings of your favorite drummers to get into the nuance of groove, style, and timing that you won't get from reading and a metronome. Imagine the beat is a ball and there are all types of ways of playing on the front or the back of the beat.

Develop the mental side of music, believe it or not, it is more important than the physical aspects. For instance, take a metronome and and make every click either 2 or 4 of the beat respectively, so now you have to feel 1 and 3 in your head and the metronome click is in between. Do this at all tempos. This is a common jazz trick in practicing. Some musicians even make the click only a certain beat of every other bar (if you can get a metronome slow enough), this will develop your time immensely and you are barely working your muscles. This type of mental practice is at least as important if not MORE important than physical practice. Having great time is more important than chops.

The other mental side is do constant listening.

If you end up with chops without the mental aspect you will be able to do less successfully than if you have the mental side down with less chops.

But most important of all .. HAVE FUN.. IMHO though, if you develop great mental time you'll have more fun jamming with someone than if you are trying monster drum rolls but keep landing wrong or losing the time in doing them. The most fun is when it gets hypnotic.
edit on 4-7-2015 by AudioOne because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 4 2015 @ 04:36 PM
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a reply to: Bluesma

Just a practise pad, sticks and a teacher are all that's required to start. Get the teacher first to adise on all the rest - you don't know if you will stick to it yet so don't spend a lot of money.

Find a teacher. A flesh and blood teacher. The local music store will advise on teachers in your area. This will be where it is worth spending money especially as a beginner.


edit on 4-7-2015 by FyreByrd because: (no reason given)

edit on 4-7-2015 by FyreByrd because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 11:50 AM
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a reply to: Bluesma

Throw them out!



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 12:38 PM
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originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: Bluesma

Throw them out!


Throw what out?



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 12:39 PM
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originally posted by: FyreByrd
a reply to: Bluesma

Just a practise pad, sticks and a teacher are all that's required to start. Get the teacher first to adise on all the rest - you don't know if you will stick to it yet so don't spend a lot of money.

Find a teacher. A flesh and blood teacher. The local music store will advise on teachers in your area. This will be where it is worth spending money especially as a beginner.



Okay, I'll keep that advice in mind. All kinds of depends on work situation and time, if I can have hours free that would work for a teacher. Thanks for your input!



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 12:41 PM
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a reply to: AudioOne

I got a metronome online that I have been listening to, and practicing with a little.
I find myself actually practicing everywhere- while standing in line at the grocery store, counting in my head, tapping my fingers...




But most important of all .. HAVE FUN.. IMHO though, if you develop great mental time you'll have more fun jamming with someone than if you are trying monster drum rolls but keep landing wrong or losing the time in doing them. The most fun is when it gets hypnotic.



Ah... see that is what I dream of getting to! That point where it takes no more thought and deliberate concentration, and creative flow begins!
I've reached that in some other disciplines, and it took me YEARS of hard work, but so worth it! Once you've experienced that, it motivates greatly in any new undertaking! I don't know if I'll get there with this, starting so late, but I sure would like to!

I've naturally got a good sense of rythm, so I'm hoping that will help me make progress.

Thanks !!
edit on 5-7-2015 by Bluesma because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 12:42 PM
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a reply to: Bluesma

The drums and any silly ideas you have about playing them, unless you live in complete isolation, they are annoying. We used to live by this kid who would wake us up at all hours with his drums and I grew to despise them.



posted on Jul, 5 2015 @ 12:47 PM
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a reply to: Irish614

Chock of info there, it's saved! Thank you!

I have been looking at some equipment of these brands, and wondering, so you give me some idea here.




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