What got you started playing drums?

When I was a wee lad I loved playing on toy drums. Granted, I always broke them, but it was out of use, not just because I was destructive.

My percussive activites stalled for years, until I bought Rock Band 2 in December of 2008 and picked it up pretty quickly. It felt a lot more natural than the guitar, and I finally decided to stop playing games and make the leap to real drums last week.
 
When I was a wee lad I loved playing on toy drums. Granted, I always broke them, but it was out of use, not just because I was destructive.

My percussive activites stalled for years, until I bought Rock Band 2 in December of 2008 and picked it up pretty quickly. It felt a lot more natural than the guitar, and I finally decided to stop playing games and make the leap to real drums last week.

That's great. Welcome to the club.
 
Haha, everyone says those games are ruining "real music", but I disagree. They offer a cheap and fun way for people to feel what it's like to play instruments without making the investment. Then, if they like the idea of playing (as opposed to just the challenge of the game), they'll make the hop.
 
When I was a wee lad I loved playing on toy drums. Granted, I always broke them, but it was out of use, not just because I was destructive.

My percussive activites stalled for years, until I bought Rock Band 2 in December of 2008 and picked it up pretty quickly. It felt a lot more natural than the guitar, and I finally decided to stop playing games and make the leap to real drums last week.

Rockband is what got me started back into music itself, drums was what was left after the other positions were taken by my friends. Then I realized that I was better at it either way.

D*mn, I had fun.

With both of my parents as music teachers, it wasn't hard to find good support for the pursuit.
 
I think I was always destined to be a drummer from the days of smashing on pots and pans as a toddler!

When I was about 12 I saw a guy absolutely ripping it up on a drum kit at a school and at the end he said anyone interested could get lessons with him. I'd just given up on my Karate which my parents sort of forced me into doing, and said to my parents I'd quite like to play drums. I think they were a bit apprehensive at first but said I could do a few lessons. Absolutely loved it so for my birthday they bought me a basic drum set and I've tried to drum for every possible moment since then (10th year of drums now!), and I can never imagine being without drums now!

I have tried picking up guitar a couple of times (even around the same time I took up drums) but I can never seem to find the same enthusiasm that I did when I took up drums, or that I have for drumming now. I think I found my main passion in life!!!!
 
My family bought me a toy snare drum when I was three. When I was five years old I would drag fire wood into my bedroom closet and play them with my hands. Then in 1975 I heard Buddy Rich. After watching him play I know I would be a student for life! Thanks Buddy!
 
When i was like a young girl growing up i idolised Avril Lavigne ahah (may be embarassing to some but whatever i thought she was awesome)
and i wanted to be able to play along to her songs like she did, as at the time she was the only mainstream artist on the tv doing so. So i started teaching myself guitar then i wanted to be able to play drums too. I got lessons in drums and then took off from there.

Music-Skater Boy by Avril was the song i was DETERMINED to be able to play aha
Drummer- Matthew Brann, canadian drummer who toured with av back in the day, i knew nothing about drummers or different styles when i was like 12 so he was who i aspired to be.
Person- my drum tutor derek was an awesome guy/teacher/mentor/friend
Style- anything catchy
 
when my dad went to the music store to get piano music... when i was a little kid all i wanted to do was go to the drums department at this place called mars music.... i joined the band in 5th to play snare just to get out of reading and drumming became my high
 
New to the board, in fact this is my first post I think. I was glad to read some others, because I felt stupid that Rock Band playing is what inspired me. But it had nothing to do with high scores, impressing people, or that I was really good at it naturally. I enjoyed that glimpse of what it was like to make music.

Thinking back since, I remember waiting for the bus in 5th, 6th grade watching kids getting ready for marching band practice and loving listening to the drum guys warm up and fool around.

I was never exposed to music as a kid, and now am 39. I figured what the hell, I love listening to music, time to try making it. After a little time on practice pads and a $150 electric kit, I just bought a 6-piece OCDP avalon set, hardware comes in next week, and I am going to get this show going.

We'll see...
 
It was 1968 and I saw Ginger Baker on the T.V. with Cream, and that was it. I started with a 20 quid Olympic kit that I got on H.P. It was crap but it was a start
 
As a child I was always fascinated by marching band drummers. A little older I played the Peter-Criss-solo on KISS Alive II on my airdrums (I positioned books like toms in an armchair in front of me). As a teenager I always stared at the drummer of the dance combo at the annual festival in my village while my parents were dancing to their music. And finally, with 20 years of age, I first time in my life sat behind a drumset of a friend who I met shortly before. I then played for about 5 years, had a teacher, did all the fetish about equipment, gigged here and there and I thought I could make it to a second Simon Phillips. All that was probably too much and too fast at the end, so I gave it up - until last year when I started again in my basement on a newly bought e-drumset (with headsets of course). Very slowly, very disciplined and it all came back pretty quick. Now, 41 years old, I try to avoid all the mistakes I did in the past. I feel things while drumming that I have not felt that time. It's great. I do not want to play in a band yet as I first want to reach a level where I feel confident enough. Let's see how long it will take - I have caught myself already looking at accustic sets...
 
What got me interested/started … actually playing bass

I get to play with a lot of different drummers and was always asking them about and learning about the gear … Four years ago I hooked up with Memphis own W.C. Garrison who has been playing professionally in the Memphis area since 1965, we work as a rhythm section know as Blackkat Bone (kinda like SRV and Double Trouble) we have a great interaction. At about the time I started working with W.C. I was dating a lady that ran a bellydance troupe and they worked with a master doumbek drummer … what he could do with just one drum was inspirational (and you got to watch bellydancers).

Then one night I got to watch Big Harry Peel work his magic on his trademark kit … snare, kick, hats, and one cymbal … all I can say is WOW I gotta try this drum stuff before I kick the bucket.

BigHarryPeel.jpg


The bare essentials ( my version of the Big Harry Peel kit)

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Me on bass with WC who is using my kit in this picture ...

BlackkatBonewWCGarrison.jpg


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And that is the story so far ...
 
I played guitar a lot in high school, and would play my drummer's drums whenever I got the chance. Never got far beyond money beats, and basic variations of them, but it was fun. Then about 10 years ago I started noticing the drums a lot more than I used to in the music that I listened to (mainly because I got obsessed with Tool).

But the straw that broke the camel's back was rockband/guitar hero. When the game finally started getting old, after over a year of obsessively "playing the drums" I decided to try it out for real (about 2 months ago, at the age of 35).
 
I always liked musical instruments(espically drums) growing up,

My first year of high school I was introduced to "music class" an loved it,
I then got to see one of the metal bands play at school which was the first time I had ever seen live music,
I loved the whole idea of a group of friends all playing instruments to create songs,
My first influence towards choosing drums was lars ulrich after buying my first ever cd(metallica's st anger) and knew that's the type of music I wanted to play

So I bugged my parents for a drumkit for my 13th birthday:)
 
I am now 6 months into my drumming journey and I am really loving it...now I have got the ridiculous idea in my head that I want to try and make cymbals...or a single cymbal...from scratch...which may be a challenge...
 
As a child i always had a calling for drums. From their size, look and different sounds, i was amazed. I didn't own a set growing up, so i remember always practicing on things around the house hahaha. I also never got any professional lessons, so i learned by really watching other drummers in church and trying to figure out their stance and positioning of their limbs. Now, i have gained some exposure as a drummer for my former church, and purchasing an electric set years ago. Also, i purchased my Ddrum d2 kit about a year ago, which i am slowing upgrading and practicing everyday. For a guy with no professional tutors & lessons, i know i am a pretty good drummer, and i keep an open mind in improving even more.
 
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