What is your state of mind, as a drummer?

EarthRocker

Senior Member
I've been playing for around ten years now. That's pretty much half my life, consider I'll be twenty-three years old in March. Let me start by stating that this thread has nothing to do with modesty, or a critique of my own skill. I see myself as an appreciator of drums - quite honestly, I'm obsessed with the instruments, rather it be old drums, new drums, different drums, cymbals, equipment. I just get a certain "high" from being around drum equipment. It's almost like I experience a romantic (not sexual) attraction to the shear beauty of everything about drums.

I do consider myself a decent drummer. I keep time, and I can play to fit the music. The best quality about my drumming is the pocket, because it's the single thing I've been complimented on several times, much to my pleasure and boosting of my confidence. It's no secret that I would love to be a part of a working band, and provide for myself and my family by playing drums for a living.

I just consider myself a drum enthusiast more so than a musician. The drums themselves are almost more of a treasure to me than playing them. And if I had the cash to spend, I'd have to build my own climate controlled storage area, because I'd be buying every vintage drum kit I could get my hands on - it's a dream of mine to be a collector.

Anyone else feel they they are more of a drum admirer than a drummer?
 
I'm an admirer of great players. Always have been always will be. Not a gear head so I can't say that I'm am adorer of gear but do love to study the history of the instrument (if this makes any sense).

At the end of the day I define myself as the epitome of a student of the instrument that loves to pass along the knowledge of the instrument to others in a meaningful and inspiring way. Add to this, a burning desire to play with jazz musicians who are open and interested enough to allow me to do so.
 
It gives me a sense of satisfaction knowing that I do something that people appreciate and admire. It gives me a little more confidence, self-worth and a certain sense of accomplishment. My job sure doesn't do that for me. Sad, I know.
 
While my username says it all, I have no wish to have a collection of drums, past or present, my love is in the playing, and like David, I'm an admirer of great players.

There's something magical when you hear a drum beat, a groove, a fill, a solo, a feel, a lick, every time it amaze me, even after all these years.

As far as my own playing goes, it's kinda funny, because I've been going back to the basics, both in terms of playing and drums configuration for about 3 years, now I play a 4 piece kit and put all my emphasis on feel on simple grooves, but as a listener to other drummers, I still enjoy many of the "monsters" of the instruments.

I love drumming, I love music :)
 
I love the power of drums. I get off on it. The power to move, to augment, to accent, to build. I love the dynamic ability of the instrument, that's the key to it's expression. My personal pleasure is teasing out sounds, both as a player (although much of that is lost on my current band), & as a joint creator of fine drums. They smell great too :)

Slightly off subject, but I'd love to spend a week in the studio with Alessio & the contents of our workshop :)
 
I love the creativity of playing the instrument. I try to make interesting sounds or combination of sounds to enhance the listening of the audience. Even if they don't notice or appreciate the subtleness of the uniqueness, it makes me happy and keeps me on my toes.

On the flip side I love to play a song in the groove and watch people get up and dance to the music.
 
Not at all, I do now consider myself a musician after somewhat of a musical epiphany last night.

Only briefly have I ever done anything but hit skins until now.
 
My high comes from playing music, not looking and admiring the instruments. I am a player and musician first. I would rather have a pearl export set and be able to play than to have a DW set and have a disease or injury that wouldn't let me play.
I get into all the info too about how things are made and vitage stuff as well and even have a few reviews of gear on my youtube channel BUT I am a player first.

I know some guys that just totally get into the whole way the drum is made and the woods and glues and finishes but to me it is the actual playing and watching others play that gives me my rush.

I know guys that have 5000 dollar sets and they can hardly play, primarily because they HARDLY play. They can tell me all about how the drum was built and what it's made of but when I say get up there and let me hear the drums it's horrible. I don't know what to say about this but it has always struck me as odd.

Good topic.
 
ha, earthrocker, I know what you mean, and it's hard to put into words. I started playing drums late in life (47) and just so stoked most people don't get what I'm mumbling about, except unlike alot of drummers, I find myself moved by simpler things sometimes, maybe just where someone chooses to crash, that I didn't see coming, or a fill, that is simple but tastefully perfect. I've have played guitar all my life, and classical piano all in college, but I'm more crazed about drums than either of them. I'm lucky to know many working muscicians in my life, I'm looking forward to moving out of the city next year, where I can play loud as I want, and really start learning.
 
Anyone else feel they they are more of a drum admirer than a drummer?

I'm certain you are not alone but, I'm less sophisticated.

My relationship with drums is like my relationship with guns. I don't care about the details, I just like to shoot stuff.
 
For me, it's all about the flow. Feeling the rhythm and working around the music I'm playing with is a huge part of how I play drums. It's actually somewhat detrimental at times, as the technical aspects of my playing sometimes take a hit because of how feeling-based I am. I mean, up until a few months ago I'd barely learned any of the rudiments, and that was after playing drums for four years. As I've matured as a drummer, though, I've learned that the technical aspects of playing have to be present before you can properly feel your way around a kit.
 
I like gear, and I like drumming, it's pretty balanced for me. I buy gear to the extent that I will either use it, or that it's highly collectable, and sometimes it's both. I rarely buy something just to have it, and certainly not because drums or drumming are an obssession. Drums are part of my life, not the other way around. Drumming happens to be what I do for a living, I enjoy it greatly, and I'm grateful for the privilege to make music on a successful level. But I would never say 'drumming is my life', there's more to me than that.

Bermuda
 
It would be an inspired and brilliant "classic" recording Andy :) (pun intended)
Yes Henri, I love Ale's sonic "feel". He has a special ear indeed :)

In general, I play for the "that's it" moment. That time when everything aligns & the whole performance sounds just right. Being a part of that is a big high for me. It's often a soundscape rather than out & out performance.
 
I play drums and music for the love of sound (including a lot of sounds that others dislike intensely) and The Zone, be it when practising, in the studio or playing out.

In the house drums are a beautiful piece of art but I don't know crap about 'em. I've never worried much about drums because all objects have their own sweet spot/s and are capable of pleasing sounds or sensations. It's just a matter of working out how to coax those sounds out of them. I'm fussier with cymbals than with drums.

I thought I was pretty good at pulling sounds from instruments until I had some lessons a couple of years ago and was stunned at the response the instructor could gain from a truly diabolical practice room snare drum filled with foam ... he made it sound like an instrument. Amazed. There's always more you can do to get your touch just right. To me it's a matter of feel, like massage or cooking.

Over the years I've come to the realisation that I'm not all that well suited to being a musician, either physically or temperamentally, but I am masochistic enough to keep trying!
 
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Started late (37) and only a few years in but to me its the range of emotions the kit can bring out of people that gets me.

Think of how energizing the beat is in "Beat it" or "Shook Me All Night Long" or how relaxing it is in "Us and Them" or how the gritty and funk nasty the opening to "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" is or the opening to "Know Your Enemy" and the anticipation they build . Incredibly different emotions from (usually) just kick, snare, hats and maybe ride...

Love the personal feeling of accomplishment and every little lesson learned. So gratifying to work hard for something and get it.

There's no easy way and when you see a real player getting it done, you know what he has done to get there.
 
I'm a musician first.... playing for the love and for the feeling you get when multiple people get so locked into a flow and that euphoria that comes with those magic moments ......like a heroin addict chasing that first high ......and oh yeah....the pay can be ok to

but I also absolutely love gear.....mostly vintage gear

for the romance, the sound, the construction, the aesthetics

the price is never what matters.....

I have found drums on the curb on junk day that sound better than something fresh out of the box from any of the big names

I have also had custom drums built by a popular drum company that I absolutely hated ...(coughcoughSpauncough cough )

so you never know what you are going to get
 
I love the playing and the music a lot more than the equipment. I was the most ignorant gear guy in the world until a few years ago, when I really got up to speed on all of it. Now, I've gained an appreciation for it and it's a little more important to me. But I want to be a great player more than I want to own great gear. I just happen to be at a point in my life where I can afford to buy some nice gear.

I'm a jazz drummer who plays a lot of rock and dance music. That's my state of mind. And it pisses me off, to be honest.
 
I love music. It is an honor to be able to create music, and I like the gear it takes to make music. Peace and goodwill.
 
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