Young Drummer's Dad Needs Advice

Drummer's Dad

Junior Member
I joined this forum because I thought it might be a good source of information for myself and my son as he develops over the years.

My son’s name is Bradford Davis. Bradford is left handed, (writing and eating) but seems to throw a ball with either hand and plays the drum set with either type of set up. He has not started any formal lessons; and I’m not sure when I should start lessons for him - and when I do - with who?

He seems to know what type of sounds and rhythms he’s after and does what ever is needed to achieve his objective.

A good example of this was the time he and I were in a Guitar Center store, he was 6 years old at the time. Bradford and one of the Drum Techs, (I can't recall his name) were playing together for awhile. They were doing a “call and response - follow the leader” type of thing with the difficulty level rising slowly on each round. A crowd started to develop with people and employees from other departments watching the “Little Kid” and the “Drum Tech” playing together. The Drum Tech was on a double bass set and Bradford was on a standard 5 piece set up; they were playing a moderate Rock / Funk type of beat.

Towards the end, the Drum Tech started kicking his double bass set up and Bradford, (just trying to follow him) started using his right hand on the floor tom in sync with his foot pedal - while keeping his snare on 2 and 4 and hitting his cymbals with his left hand, without missing a beat. Those who were watching the two of them roared and applauded with approval - while the Drum Tech and I just looked at each other in disbelief, Bradford made it look so easy and natural to do what he was doing.

My point is this, I could use some advice - I don’t want to ruin my son’s creativity by forcing him into some type of mold to become the type of drummer that his teacher might think he should be.

1. Could it be too soon to start lessons?
2. Should I try to find a better set for him and let him develop more?

He doesn’t want to play with ear protection, (of ANY kind - either earmuffs or plugs) and his hearing checks out fine. I’ve copied some links of him playing below hoping these would help those of you who may have an opinion or some advise for us.

Thank you and please forgive the long post.

4 Years Old- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dlfVXTwBTA

5 Years Old-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr7xPFuOv-4

6 Years Old-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05i4KmYMDY

7 Years Old- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14B_CfTsBWI

8 Years Old-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tAxKPGPsho
 
My point is this, I could use some advice - I don’t want to ruin my son’s creativity by forcing him into some type of mold to become the type of drummer that his teacher might think he should be.

1. Could it be too soon to start lessons?
2. Should I try to find a better set for him and let him develop more?

A good teacher will only enhance his creativity.....not ruin it. I don't believe it's too soon to start lessons at all. He's obviously shown a keen interest in the instrument for 4 odd years now. I'd say he's ready and raring to go on the lesson front.

Personally, I'd hang about on the kit......invest the money into lessons for the time being and upgrade as he progresses. As he learns more, he'll gain a greater understanding of what type of kit he's after.

Best of luck.
 
Yeah, get a teacher as soon as possible, you'll see him progress faster than you ever thought possible. Kudos on getting him started early, he's going to be amazing when he's older (he's probably already better than some of the people on here COUGH). A teacher won't force him into a set style. I can see how you may think that, but it's not like math or english or whatever. A teacher will give him the technical ability, by teaching him proper strokes, proper way to hold a stick, developing speed and independence etc, to further express his creativity.
 
Dad,

First and foremost: congrats on being blessed with a special child. I believe he is equally blessed to have a father so focused in helping him reach his full potential.

No one has mentioned this, as it may be of little consequence now, but a good reason to get going looking for a good teacher: to avoid the development of bad habits which could end up in injury over the long run. He's young now, but if he sticks to it (as I believe he's bound to), any bad habits he develops now could end up hurting in the long run (IMHO)
 
And hopefully he will listen to the instructor when he is most certainly told to always, always wear ear protection! He's so young and the potential for permanant damage is so great.
 
re: teacher- gotta learn the rules before you can learn when & how to break 'em.

re: ear protection- without a doubt, absolutely. don't give him an option out.
 
Huge + 1 on Malti & Timmdrum about ear protection. It's not an optional thing. No point in learning to play the instrument he so obviously loves if he can't hear the fruits of his labour. Lessons, absolutely. Take time to find the right teacher, don't just go on price, location, availability, etc. A good teacher will inspire, guide & focus him in equal measure. There's some great teachers (or at least they say they are (wink)) on this forum who are way more qualified than me to advise you. Kudos for your support & enthusiasm.
 
As far as lessons, I have a student that started at 7 and is now 9. He has been through 3 snare drum books, plays mallet percussion, and know a bunch of styles on drum set. I would find the best teacher in the area and sign up for lessons. Where do you live? Maybe someone can suggest a teacher in your area.

As far as ear protection - of course it is not my job to tell someone how to parent, but ear protection is a SAFETY measure just like a helmet or knee pads. Even if his hearing is fine now, remember that unprotected drumming can lead to tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears. Many famous drummers have this ringing non-stop 24 hrs. a day. Again, I am not trying to tell you how to parent, but thought you should know the facts. Here's a link.

http://www.ata.org/for-patients/faqs

Jeff
 
I watched the videos...and your son is now 8. He has an ear, but he obviously has little concept of the techniques that drummers use. .He needs to get familiar with rudiments first of all, and HOW rudiments are supposed to sound, i.e. the techniques of moving your limbs, fingers etc....you NEED to get him to a professional teacher, one that will really open his eyes....you want him to be good, really good? Get him started yesterday.........
 
I started lessons when I was 7 but quit when I was 10....(I thought I knew it all...big regret)...so I would definitely get him started soon. Also have someone who will teach him many styles and not just the ones he is interested in. As for hearing protection it is a MUST!!!...have him try some Vic Firth head phones kid sized. They are similar to ear muffs worn at airports, and they cut down tremendously on the ring and actually make the kit sound better...I don't play without them (but I use the adult stereo version so I can plug them directly into my ipod). While wearing them the drums actually sound eq'd and clear. I play better while wearing them because I can HEAR better, especially the nuances of the different components of the set. You could use that as an incentive to make him want to wear them..."they will make you sound better and play better"....Its either play with hearing protection or play drums with mutes or heavy muffling which is no fun...just my humble opinion
 
.....As far as ear protection - of course it is not my job to tell someone how to parent, but ear protection is a SAFETY measure just like a helmet or knee pads. Even if his hearing is fine now, remember that unprotected drumming can lead to tinnitus...

It's not my job to tell you how to parent, either, but as a fellow parent and a professional musician who hears stories ALL THE TIME from musicians who say that they wished they had worn hearing protection all of those years of playing...DO IT!!! Tinnitus isn't your only worry, but just a general dulling of the hearing that you don't notice which only gets worse over time with more and more loud noise (and the natural aging process, too). It usually starts with your higher frequencies diminished. Every time your son's ears "ring" for a little bit after he plays, that means hearing damage has occurred. Little by little, it adds up!

Plus, when he starts playing live, and he has to deal with monitors and the inevitable feedback that occurs with a PA system, hearing protection (ear plugs) will be his best friend when everyone else is going into the fetal position and plugging their ears, screaming...
 
I watched the videos...and your son is now 8. He has an ear, but he obviously has little concept of the techniques that drummers use. .He needs to get familiar with rudiments first of all, and HOW rudiments are supposed to sound, i.e. the techniques of moving your limbs, fingers etc....you NEED to get him to a professional teacher, one that will really open his eyes....you want him to be good, really good? Get him started yesterday.........

Exactly. Why the wait when you obviously see a natural talent in your son? He could have been studying and getting better over the last few years. The videos show a bit of improvement, but not anywhere near the improvement that can be made with a qualified teacher.

Find a teacher who will teach him reading and technique on snare drum. He should also know how to play mallet percussion (bells, xylophone, marimba) if he plans on playing percussion in the school band. On drum set, the teacher should focus on coordination, styles, and chart reading. Don't just go with the first teacher you call. Talk to them. Look over their bios. Find the best one.

Jeff
 
My point is this, I could use some advice - I don’t want to ruin my son’s creativity by forcing him into some type of mold to become the type of drummer that his teacher might think he should be.


2. Should I try to find a better set for him and let him develop more?
Thumbs up. Gifted young man. Find a teacher, yes. Try to get the young man to wear ear protection. Yes. Good advice from all above on this.
Since that subject is already covered, I'll go for "better equipment" thang.​
Keep an "open mind". Sounds like you're leaning towards this already. Ambidexterity. That's what these video's demonstrate, although they're showcassing Yamaha PHX drums. The first video shows clearly, the pedal system I use (when I use a double pedal). Since your son has no preconceived left/right orientation yet, you can simply "run with that ball".​
Upgrading the drum set, per say, no. Configure it a little different, yes, and you can do it a little at a time.​
That Pearl kit, with some TLC, could last you another 10 years, or more. Easy to "add onto" those kits, on a budget, also. And Pearl hardware, also easy to be found.​
Also, setting up symmetrical will lower the rack toms. That feature might be more important to an 8 year old, that an adult​
I'll let you continue this, if you're interested. If you're not, you're not. Picture of my pedals system below. Lastly, welcome to Drummerworld.​
 

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haha! that kid rocks! he's having so much fun it was a blast to watch his video!

but like everyone else, i would say yes, get a teacher. i had a teacher when i was young (not that young) and he made all the difference in my drumming and taught me things that have stayed with me my whole life.

i noticed that even though your son has some chops and a ton of enthusiasm his technique is pretty bad. a good teacher could straighten him out and get him on the right track!
 
Dad,

First and foremost: congrats on being blessed with a special child. I believe he is equally blessed to have a father so focused in helping him reach his full potential.

No one has mentioned this, as it may be of little consequence now, but a good reason to get going looking for a good teacher: to avoid the development of bad habits which could end up in injury over the long run. He's young now, but if he sticks to it (as I believe he's bound to), any bad habits he develops now could end up hurting in the long run (IMHO)

Yes, thank you so much for your response you've made a very good point!
After reading all of the comments by the other members here to my post, I realize that; lessons - hearing protection - experimenting with other drum placement as well as our family's support will go a long way towards Bradford's future as a musician and drummer.
 
Thumbs up. Gifted young man. Find a teacher, yes. Try to get the young man to wear ear protection. Yes. Good advice from all above on this.
Since that subject is already covered, I'll go for "better equipment" thang.​
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qFmKKa_LWY&feature=related
Since your son has no preconceived left/right orientation yet, you can simply "run with that ball".​
Upgrading the drum set, per say, no. Configure it a little different, yes, and you can do it a little at a time.​
That Pearl kit, with some TLC, could last you another 10 years, or more. Easy to "add onto" those kits, on a budget, also. And Pearl hardware, also easy to be found.​
Also, setting up symmetrical will lower the rack toms. That feature might be more important to an 8 year old, that an adult​
I'll let you continue this, if you're interested. If you're not, you're not. Picture of my pedals system below. Lastly, welcome to Drummerworld.​

Thank you for the welcome to Drummerworld and thank you for your suggestions; we will be looking at the symmetrical set up - it seems to be a natural approach for the way he plays - it looks very efficient and fun... Bradford likes to have fun!

As far as his foot pedal, he is using a DW7000 - single. He likes the feel of that pedal.
After School tomorrow, we'll go to the local music store for some ear protection and we'll look around to see if we can find a symmetrical set up that he can play on for a little while - to see what it feels like for him.
 
haha! that kid rocks! he's having so much fun it was a blast to watch his video!

but like everyone else, i would say yes, get a teacher. i had a teacher when i was young (not that young) and he made all the difference in my drumming and taught me things that have stayed with me my whole life.

i noticed that even though your son has some chops and a ton of enthusiasm his technique is pretty bad. a good teacher could straighten him out and get him on the right track!


Thanks for the positive comments. Yeah Bradford certainly loves to have fun on the drums! I'll start looking for a teacher tomorrow.
 
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