Starting out on drums, advice welcomed!

originally posted by: Kandinsky
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.

I know. I'm trying to wait a bit. I think I am going stir crazy with the advice to not to do anything- I have been not doing anything for five months now.

This sounds crazy, but I am starting to form this idea in my head that on some sort of deep spiritual level, I developed my problem because I was forcing myself to do an activity I hated. My mind insisted, so my body rebelled.
I'm coming to the vague conclusion that at this point, the only answer is to stop what I was doing and hating (done), and do things I am loving with my arms instead.

Might be a very bad idea, but often when I get these impressions, they end up being accurate and working!
(Maybe it's the placebo effect, but whatev)

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
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.

Oh, okay!LOL!

Actually, I'm in the ideal place - we live high on a mountaintop pretty isolated. And we renovated our old stone barn, making a big room we just call the game room, but are not using yet. It has three foot thick stone walls. So I'm thinking of moving all the amps and guitars and keyboard and stuff that belongs to the rest of the family in there and making a music room!
No one but the deer and boar will hear us (too bad for them!)

a reply to: Bluesma

Just be careful.

I got a runner's injury, a strained ITB, and made it so much worse that I couldn't run for several weeks and lost the high level of fitness. I used my 'intuition' to justify running through the pain and kept coming back too soon.

Listen to your body. Play drums and completely stop if the elbows so much as whisper quietly that they don't like it.

I know that sounds bossy, but you know I don't mean it that way.

a reply to: Bluesma

Okay. Just invest in some really good ear plugs and try not to poke your eyes out with a stick!

a reply to: Kandinsky

I think this is the same advice they give to little boys that get caught doing you know what...about going blind if they do it to much!

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree
Kandinsky is justified here - I have been suffering from epicondylosis (a sort of tendinitis ) in both elbows. So I really shouldn't jump in to fast.

Also, ACDC is a perfect place to start.Simple yet solid beats.

originally posted by: CallYourBluff
Also, ACDC is a perfect place to start.Simple yet solid beats.

I've had some ACDC and a LOT of Metallica running through my head. Probably a bit too ambitious as of yet, but inspiring!

a reply to: Bluesma

Learn the moeller technique, it will save your elbows/wrists. You will learn to use your whole arm instead of certain parts of it.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: Bluesma

Okay. Just invest in some really good ear plugs and try not to poke your eyes out with a stick!

Never poked myself in the eye but I have nailed my left knee a number of times by missing the hi-hat after a fill. That hurts.

originally posted by: Irish614
a reply to: Bluesma

Learn the moeller technique, it will save your elbows/wrists. You will learn to use your whole arm instead of certain parts of it.

Googling now....

a reply to: Irish614

I got a bone to pick with you and Bob Gatzen there. Bloody hell, that tuning crap is ridiculous. No one ever told me how this was done and now I'm even more confused. I didn't even get into the snare tuning part of the video. I had to stop because it was hurting my puny human brain.

I guess it falls into the learn something new everyday category. Maybe. I do think, at this point, it's unlikely I'll ever record anything so I don't really need to worry about it but I really was hoping I could get this tuning thing. Yeah, no, I don't see this going well.

I would begin in a trance,
a heart beginning to manifest vibrancy.

Experimentation before formalism.

a reply to: Bluesma

I do have a little for you. Craigslist, or whatever it's called over there, is a great place for drums. I've seen kits that are thousands of dollars go for under $1000. Not that you need that but a nice kit, not some cheap and crappy sounding beginner kit, just a simple 5-piece or so can be purchased there, at the right time mind you as you will have to search for a while unless something is there right now. For around $300 I've seen, again, at times.

Look for the name brands, Pearl, Mapex, Tama, DW, (any I forgot?) and you might find something with cymbals and stands, possibly, for dirt cheap. Even then, as a beginner you won't need much and C and S can be got also cheap. If it doesn't work out you can sell it for what you got or possibly even more. Beginner drums sound slightly crappier than your crapper would if you beat on it and at about half the price of a real kit. It's worth it for something that will not sound like you are beating on pots and pans.

I say, bow down to the Greek God of lumpy athletic shoes and "just do it". And don't try and even learn to tune the damn things, don't go there. Just make them sound the way you think they should sound then bash away. Play along with some AC/DC or some "easy" stuff and you will know soon enough if you have it or not.

Before you know it, you might be playing Magma tunes(ok, probably not but who knows?).

originally posted by: TheSpanishArcher
a reply to: Irish614

I got a bone to pick with you and Bob Gatzen there. Bloody hell, that tuning crap is ridiculous. No one ever told me how this was done and now I'm even more confused. I didn't even get into the snare tuning part of the video. I had to stop because it was hurting my puny human brain.

I guess it falls into the learn something new everyday category. Maybe. I do think, at this point, it's unlikely I'll ever record anything so I don't really need to worry about it but I really was hoping I could get this tuning thing. Yeah, no, I don't see this going well.

HAHA! Keep the faith, I'm not saying follow him word for word but he does provide outstanding advice. I just use his techniques as a starting ground, then do what I think sounds good. Youtube I have some recorded stuff that I did on one of my Youtube channels. It was recorded after a year without playing so be kind lol!

Came home a couple weeks ago to find my husband surprised me with a drum set!!
It is a Pearl, and I am not experienced enough to say whether it is good quality or not, only that it looks pretty.

I'm currently putting on some of my favorite songs, watching videos, and trying to copy... studied sheet music a bit, but decided that at first, I want to try to get a general "feel" for it. I am very timid and rigid, awkward and stiff, which will not get better if I am trying hard to conform to sheet music.
I thought I should get a taste of some joy and abandonment in it first, then maybe get a teacher, and get more serious about basics- so that I've had that taste to motivate me through boring and repetative exercises.

I may be going about things backward, but hell, this is for fun anyway... I'm not going to ever be great, starting at this age, so what the heck?

a reply to: Bluesma


Lets hope one day you may get to this level.



Good luck

Sssshhh!!!

a reply to: alldaylong

Hahaha! Not going to happen anytime soon!

I'm all excited because I have part of Enter Sandman down. But I need more crash cymbals.
My dad says I am afflicted with GAS. - Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
Sounds about right. At least it comes without a smell.

My dad my brother and my cousin are all drummers. My cousin is great, he had lessons and so did my brother. You won't need many, just the basics. Have fun.