How has AGE affected your playing style

[ZootELoops]

Just fuel for a conversation:
How has Your Age affected the way you play/listen to music. I' curious to see the average age of the members here and what style of playing the prefer.

My guess (to make a generalization about broads - or something like that), is that the younger members (born in the 80s-90s) are playing more metal/alternative-pop/rock, the members born in the 60s-70s are playing more jazz/funk/classic rock and the members born in the 50s and before can't remember what style they play - they just sit down and spew dust all over their kits - HAHAHA - just kidding grandpa, I love your beats!

Anyway, I'll start: I am very eclectic in my music, I enjoy everything from rock to hip-hop from all decades 50s to today, however I would say my biggest influence (since I'm in my mid 30s) is the british invasion, classic rock and the early to mid 90s alternative movement.

What about you?

[TheGroceryman]

hmm... im 17 and i enjoy any and everything as long as its creative and peaks my interest. i cant really say what that is since i listen to so much different stuff (except death metal...)from avenged sevenfold (not too much of that screamo stuff) to some akon, from the bad plus to zeppelin, i got a ton of classic rock, metallica, miles davis, coltrane, charles mingus, the flobots, muse, just anything really. I'm into Funk, Ska bands like the mighty mighty bosstones.

Often i cant decide what to listen to, as i cant figure out what im in the mood for. really frustrating.

I feel im a jack of all trades drummer as my playing styles range as much as my listening does. I feel i can play a lot of styles decently well with an emphasis on groove.

so yea.

[Drifter in the Dark]

My playing style has definitely changed a lot! When I was about 16, I played in a metal band (one of my first musical ventures). I hit WAY too hard, kept bad time because I was so tense, and when I wasn't dropping sticks I was breaking them. When I was a beginner, I would always play like I had something to prove (meaning I played too many notes!), but now I take pride in laying down a solid groove and using dynamics. I'm only 25 now, so I have a long way to go, but I feel like I've learned a lot about drumming so far.

[zzdrummer]

15, and I feel drumming really changed the music I like. Opened me up to new worlds of music, from jazz, my favorites are John Scofield Band and Joshua Redman Elastic Band, and of course older. Then to soul and funk from James Brown to the Meters and pretty much anything from that. To hip-hop, Flobots the Roots, pretty much most musical rap stuff.
Then, of course, the stuff I started with, Classic Rock, Zep, Steve Miller Band, especially Clapton, saw him with Steve jordan and Derrick Trucks and they were great. Bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters I always liked. Reggae to, especially Matisyahu. And a ton of the 90's, Hootie R.E.M. Semisonic and the such.
But my favorite is stuff like ALO, G. Love Ben Harper Ben Folds, Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson ect.
So to more directly answer the question, I guess the stuff I started off with is what I grew up (and still am) with, but in y 3 1/2 years of drumming that really changed the type of music I liked. It also affected my style, because I came from basic rock, andd now I love to play funk and jazz, and now I put it into the music I love, mixing all styles.

[Ian Williams]

Hello,

As time goes by, I have found to keep it simple on the drums...so much the better and profound for music.

[drummerchick435]

I play all types of rock, funk, gospel, jazz, and "simplified metal" (meaning no double bass)

I am currently learning jazz and once I get a double pedal I will learn heavy metal. I'm pretty good all around with any style of music. Pop/rock is my specialty though.

[Mr. Serpent]

My taste in music changed drastically during the last year. In fact, it's coming up to the 'anniversary of my inception to metal'.

I used to (and still do, just not as much) listen to rap, Eminem was always my favourite (including D12) as well as other artists such as Royce Da 5" 9', Tupac, B.I.G, and more. But enough of that.

My library has expanded exponentially since last November, faster than it ever did whilst listening to rap. I started off with Dragonforce/Tenacious D/Avenged Sevenfold (City of Evil) etc...and couldn't stand screaming, but it slowly grew on me (starting with Killswitch Engage).
I was later introduced to Trivium, which slowly became my favourite band (and still is to this day). I'm mainly a metal-head I suppose, but I also listen to Death Metal (when in the right mood...), Prog Rock/Metal, Industrial.
I suppose my favourite bands are technically Metalcore, but I despise sub-genres, it gets too out of hand.

I couldn't be happier with my music now, I just don't get bored of it.
Also, I'm 16.

[doorstilend]

Just fuel for a conversation:
How has Your Age affected the way you play/listen to music. I' curious to see the average age of the members here and what style of playing the prefer.

My guess (to make a generalization about broads - or something like that), is that the younger members (born in the 80s-90s) are playing more metal/alternative-pop/rock, the members born in the 60s-70s are playing more jazz/funk/classic rock and the members born in the 50s and before can't remember what style they play - they just sit down and spew dust all over their kits - HAHAHA - just kidding grandpa, I love your beats!

Anyway, I'll start: I am very eclectic in my music, I enjoy everything from rock to hip-hop from all decades 50s to today, however I would say my biggest influence (since I'm in my mid 30s) is the british invasion, classic rock and the early to mid 90s alternative movement.

What about you?



lol
im 24 and not affecting me at all, styles? yeah sure blues, jazz, classic rock all the way

[rmandelbaum]

I have become more aware of groove and dynamics

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Well at 60, yes 6-0, I am actually playing better now than when I was younger.
Mainly because I play more than I did then and have had a ton of exposure
to a lot of things through this website. I have also learned to appreciate more types of music and have gone back to the songs of my time and listened again to the drummers
of the era and gained a better appreciation for their contributions.

[stasz]

I'm 16 and I'm a junior in high school. If anything I guess you could say age has helped my playing style because I get to practice fairly often because I don't have a job. I do have extracurriculars and homework but often times my extracurriculars involve playing drums. I haven't listened to that much music in the grand scheme of things, my iTunes has about 3500 songs. I like rock, jazz and funk and just a little hip hop. Nothing too out there. I think as I get older I will get the chance to listen to more music and will broaden my scope.

[Billy Brown]

More subtlety, simplicity, and dynamics. Even when I was thinking seriously about my drumming in high school or whatever, I worked on those things, but I'm much more expressive with them now.

[jay norem]

Actually I think drumming has affected my age. Yes, I don't play with all the bombast and pyrothechnics like I used to, but being a drummer has kept me in shape, kept me mentaly sharp and kept me in the child-like zone of wanting to "play." Since I took up the drums at the age of twelve a part of me has remained that twelve-year-old, just fascinated by the drums and all the fun the drum kit represents.
Remember those cages of bars in the school-yard that were called "jungle gyms?" The drums are my jungle gym. They're my model airplanes, my GI Joe, my Schwinn bicycle, my Mad magazines, they're the girls I want to impress and the parents I want to annoy.
If I'm at all young for my age then it's definitely because I'm a drummer.

[speedwolf]

I have patience now, more than anything. And maybe a little discipline came with age too.

[Abstsbtsb]

21 and into 80's thrash metal, modern thrash like municipal waste and warbringer, gothenburg style melodic death metal, crossover, punk... lately iv been getting into sludge rock and doom.. stuff like high on fire, kyuss, the sword, electric wizard, etc. I also like a few random bands like blind guardian, converge, and darkest hour. I have alot of energy and it shows in my playing. I keep good form yet i still manage to hit hard and fast and on time. I like to play my drumset like its an instrument in the forefront instead of just simply keeping time. Thats the type of drumming i find interesting, the kind of stuff brann dailor and other progressive drummers are bringing to the table nowadays. I guess im still young and it shows in my energetic playing style, but im definately better at keeping time and listening then i was when i was 17.

[DrummerDavid]

I noticed that I am not as stiff as I was in my younger day.

[Jeff Almeyda]

I'm better than ever.

BTW, I'm 41 and I play mostly metal. There are alot of us who were 17 when Metallica came out with "Kill 'em All".

[Trench.one]

at 31 I'm certainly more passionate about drumming now and a lot more open to new styles.
I actually think about technique now as oppossed to how many beers will impare my drumming and how many chicks preffer me to the singer.
It's all good, I've drifted away for short periods but you always come back to what you know and love.

I play everything from traditional Scottish Ceilidh( My dads old band before he passed, but still going strong) to Rock, but my main style is alternative/dance/indie/rock, lots of drum machines,electronics triggers, but I totally love acoustic drums aswell. working on lots of breaks and drum and bass technique at the moment.

into building my own piezo drum triggers now as well , so simple but so effective

[gusty]

but my main style is alternative/dance/indie/rock

Thats more like 4 main styles :p

I'm 15 and I love jazz, funk, fusion, i enjoy rock and generally older pop. Some pop that is classed as "music'...well, i don't exactly agree :p

[2bsticks]

At 55 in some ways I'm playing better than when I was younger. I listen more and play for the song. My dynamics are much better, I feel my groove is better. I know my sound is much better. Thanks to members on this site I can tune a drum that sings now. My speed has slowed but that's due to lack of practice, nothing physical. My ego is also in check. I love to play drums now where as in my traveling younger days it was about how mane females can I *&^% on this road trip and where is the next party. That's not to say my playing was bad but it was not always the top priority. Any gig can be your last so I tray and make them all count.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I noticed that I am not as stiff as I was in my younger day.


They have meds for that now.

[2bsticks]

Hey Gruntersdad, anything good in mind? :-)

[aydee]

Other than having to cut a small hole in my drum seat, I think age has seasoned my brain to play a bit more tastefully than I used to.

I find I don't hit my drums as hard.. which might be age or better ( more evolved technique ).

[Drumsword]

They have meds for that now.

Your avatars alone do the trick....;)

[Oldsticks]

You hit it pretty close. In my younger days I was locked into rock. I practiced hard to play it just like I heard it - no variations allowed! Now, I enjoy all types of music from '60s to present. I listen for the drummer's "intent" and the subtle nuances that I can capitalize. I play better now than ever - and I enjoy it more than ever. I'm 57.

[2bsticks]

You old timers are my inspiration :-)

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Thank you. Its nice to inspire.

[caddywumpus]

I don't age, so I can't actually answer this question. I've been playing for 12 years, but I'm still 17...

[LeeLovesSabian]

Im young, 15 exactly.
So nothing has changed from age. yet!

[GW Drums]

Now I play more simple and with more dynamics. I am better now at 41 but I would never try to "show off" or solo these days- I know my limits. I was more daring at 21.

[John Sharples]

Can't stay awake past 9 PM anymore but play like hell until then though.

[metal overlord]

I'm 19 (20 on December 11) and I play metal and listen to metal. Sure, I play and listen to other stuff but metal is my "big one".

[rogue_drummer]

My advanced age - LOL - helps me to see things in a clearer and more mature fashion. I'm 47 and getting back into it after a very long layoff. But now I'm beginning to fully understand the value of dynamics when playing with electric vs accustic guitars, wind instruments, brass, etc. And the value of professionalism, maturity, structured rehearsals, etc. Music is so much more than the "turn up the volume and break off the knob" mentality.

Ok, my age dates me...47. I like classic rock, any type of jazz, boogie, red dirt, funk, c and w, and classical. I've never gotten into rap or metal.

[DaveyBoy]

I'm 15, but I play pretty much whatever i please. I'm really open minded about styles, but lots of my influence comes from what I listened to when i started playing drums, which was RHCP, which spans out into funk and to heavier rock stuff, but generally I'll play anything.

[LM201]

I'm 14, my birthday is on Wednesday!!

My favorite styles to play are Funk, Blues, Classic Rock, Jazz, and Drum and Bass.


I'm not into that metal music them youngins listen to

[DamoSyzygy]

Age has taught me not to fear space in the music, and I think its mellowed me enough to realize that Im onstage to carry a full band and deliver the music as ONE UNIT, not to feel I have to stamp my own signature on every tune, every time.

I guess for me its kinda like Jenga, but with notes rather than bricks :) - Ill think to myself "Ok, I can play this rhythm and drive the band a certain way - But how many notes could I take out yet still deliver the same effect?"

THAT is what Im finding most challenging (and rewarding!) these days.

[stabmasterarson]

I am 34 and a fairly new drummer about 2 years of serious playing now, I played bass in death metal bands for years but always wanted to drum. I play in a death/thrash band, and I listen to all forms of metal, I have since I was 13. I'm just trying to conquer blast beats and faster than 140bpm kicks right now... once I get that stuff, I'm gonna try to learn jazzier stuff.

[Mr. Dyck]

I'm 33 and I've mellowed a lot when it comes to how I hit the drums. I've learned to relax more and not hit so hard. When I was 15, I was a basher and I wasted a lot of energy now I still hit pretty hard but with a better technique, I don't go through sticks and cymbals the way I used to. I've also discovered the benefits of other percussion. Check me out at www.reverbnation.com/dirtbeggers.

[LeeLovesSabian]

It has made me inexpirienced.
Im only 15, soooo, yeah.

[intooder]

Over the years, I've improved on quite a few areas important to most drummers - time, what fits in a certain musical context, better technique and efficiency (WIP), and maybe some speed.

The other thing I noticed is that, the older I gotten, the more analytical I've become about drumming (this might have more to do with experience rather than age). This is good in ways that I understand a certain groove and the performer's intention better, but on the other hand, it also prevents me from "just playing".

[oldrockdrummer]

Age? My drummer mind still thinks I'm 18 but my body keeps reminding me that I'm 50

[rogue_drummer]

I'm old enough now to realize I don't have to take BS off some egotistical junior high or high school dipshit who thinks he's the second coming of Buddy Rich....

And I can now use my drumming again to get women. It worked once years ago, and it'll work again. Everyone loves the drummer!!

But seriously, since I'm older I'm taking more risks on the drums, experimenting with new sounds, beats, fills, ect. In school bands, if someone stepped out of line regarding a groove or stepped out of the pocket to experiment, they were yelled at. Any my playing has gotten a lot better since I started back up. I'm more aware of drums and drumming. And I now realize that playing in a group is all about the group, not one inidivual player. It's all about collaboration, experimentation, the artistic and development process. The analysis and dynamics, the melody, the chorus, etc. I now listen a lot better to the other players and try to play according to the song's characteristics. Age and maturity have really increased my drumming ability and overall musical ability.