new drummer playing with experienced

S

sublimeaces

Junior Member
hows it going everyone.

i just started playing drums about a year ago, It's all recreational hobby for me. I do not want to be in a band just yet, just playing drums for fun.

with that being said I had a question. I play drums with my dad alot who is incredible at jazz and funk as well as rock. He played with a lot of greats in jazz his time and had some records with his own band. (rock) i am not bragging, but i did pick up on drums very quickly. no doubt from hearing him play all these years.

And although he is an awesome drummer he is a horrible teacher. Do you think that could hinder my learning? because ill be working on the basics and he always goes off into some advanced version of the beat with lots of short rolls. I hear it and it sounds so good that i can''t see myself playing it. Especially when he plays Funk. I hear it in my head and I feel it but if i try and play it cover your ears!

sorry for the long post. basically do you guys think it would be harder to learn from someone very advanced just because you'll try to sound like them and can't do it which makes you think you don't sound good.
 
you said it yourself he is a horrible teacher. go find another teacher and stop trying to learn from him. some people can teach, others cant.

you may also want to try a different approach with him. tell him to show you a beat without showing off so you can get the beat down first.
 
Your dad undoubtedly just wants to help but it can be smothering. I knew a kid whose dad interfered so much that he lost interest in playing. Maybe ask your dad to think back to when
he was starting and the time and space he had to work things out, play, have fun, experiment etc. There's a balance between his helping you but not pushing you to fast. He probably is just
thinking that jumping in and showing you stuff will save you time so you won't have to go through all he did, but it may be important that you do go through some of that. There is no correlation between playing well and teaching well. Hope you can work this out! Keep playing no matter what!
 
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100% agree with that last one. I do not play "correct" if i were playing with a band. He says that i overplay and most of the beats i come up with are awesome for drummers to hear but would never be put into a song.

he doesn't so much as interfere as he just plays something mindblowing that it drops my confidence level because sometimes i can't comprehend. he was drunk one night and i was sober and i challenged him to a drum off and he said he didnt want to "kill my spirit" haha still think he just didn't wanna play.
 
Use it as inspiration. I remember watching and wishing I could do half the stuff on a drum kit that my old man could. There are times even today I wish I had his touch, feel and creative expression. But the passage of time has also taught me that we have two very different approaches to the instrument. I have to keep reminding myself that there are in fact some cool things I do, that he doesn't....purely because we come at it from different angles. Fear not, you'll get there too when you get some experience under your belt.

That said, there were certainly times in my formulative years that he wasn't the best teacher for me.....but by the same account, nor was I the best student. Sometimes it does pay to get some independant guidance. Don't be afraid to branch out and seek some if you feel you're not quite getting what you need from your dad. Often a fresh set of eyes and ears can help do wonders.
But, if your dad can smoke it......don't be too proud to sit up and take notes either. You don't have to have him as your only "teacher" per se, but I'm sure he has loads to teach you and you'll benefit from his experience in the long run. I know I wish I had've paid far more attention than what I did as a teenager. I'd be a hell of a lot better today if I had.
 
Bottom line: your Dad is a huge drumming asset. Sure beats my Dad's approach of telling me that it's all horrible noise and to go do something useful with myself.

How you use that asset you have is another matter. If he can't teach then it's a matter of absorption, and from what you've said it seems that process is already happening.
 
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