Kind of Lame

This thread went from how a forum is used to how people critique and then eventually to porn.

WhatisthisIdon'teven
 
The other aspect is not all drummers are driven to get "better".

From working in drum shops, you do meet some drummers who are constantly practicing and learning new things.

Some drummers spend their youth getting to a certain point, and then they slow down learning once they have the skills they need to do the gigs that they do.

A large percentage of drum buyers aren't really into practicing a ton. They have other interests, and drumming is something they do on a Saturday afternoon after a long week of working in their primary career. Drumming is an outlet, a hobby, or just a fascination. Many high end kits are sold to Doctors, lawyers and other professionals who just want to jam in their room at home, with no interest beyond that. Much like car collectors buy, build, work on exotic cars, but don't actually drive them for getting to work or racing. Or people who collect anything else.

And you know, that's OK too. There is no rule that you have to gig regularly, or be a certain level of player to have an appreciation for drum gear.
 
It's easy to talk about gear online.

Technique is difficult to get into much depth in an online, text only forum, because most conversations about technique in person involve someone showing someone examples, saying something like "watch my finger" of "see how the ankle moves" and other such stuff that just DOES NOT come across in a typed message.


Why? Easy.......this one^^

Just how do you correctly respond to someone who asks "What's wrong with my grip?". You can't see his/her grip, you can't show him/her your grip. Relying on the written word to provide advice on technique issues is incredibly difficult, I find. If you're misinterpreted, then you run the risk of hindering rather than helping. Easier to answer broad questions (should I learn rudiments) and leave the nitty-gritty's (what's wrong with my grip) to a qualified teacher.
 
Last edited:
For some reason, this thread has mostly been covering Gear vs Technique, maybe because of Brady's reply. Zak appeared to be thinking more generally.

A sax player can buy a Selmer and stick with it for life and have no thoughts of gear whatsoever, apart from maybe finding a quality brand of reed that doesn't have 7 duds in a box of 10. They tend to have a more personal relationship with their instruments than we do (maybe because they spend all their time kissing them?)

Drummers, on the other hand, are terrible gear sluts. I revived my old love affair with Paiste 2002 only to cast it aside months later for a new sexy Zildjian A. The gear section is like dating feedback for drum gear. Most think that ZBT and Pitch Black are creeps while drooling over K and Istanbul.

We post drum porn (like the hot little rosewood number DMC's been dating) and Bob talking about his Rhythm Traveller was akin to telling everyone that he's been dating the fat girl with glasses that nobody rates ... but he found she had hidden pleasures (hence all the posts in his thread).

Yet it's safer to talk about our lovers, er, gear than what we do with them. That's personal. Then again, it can be like esoteric scientific research - you know it's useless but you continue hoping that you'll eventually stumble on to some super-valuable insight in your travels.

I can conceptualise till the cows come home, but once the band strikes up Summertime or I Can't Stand the Rain, all I can do is try to ensure everything is grooving and vibing. More than anything, that depends on whatever the tuned instruments and voice are doing on the day, and what I'll play will invariably be cookie-cutter stuff.

For me, almost everything hinges on how tuned in I am in the moment. I might practice flammaparadiddlysquatamacues or Texas shuffles to increase my arsenal, but if I'm not tuned in on gig day I'll play those songs worse than before I learned that great new rudiment.

You trust that there'll be some flow-on effects from learning new stuff, even if you don't use them - more control - but I don't find the relationship to be all that direct in the short-to-medium term. It seems to me that nothing helps my playing more than completely subsuming my individuality to become an anonymous part of the band sound. That doesn't leave much to talk about. Once you cover metronome use at slow tempos and building up, relaxed shoulders, and soft hands that allow the sticks to resonate that's pretty well it. From there it's just how lucidly and spontaneously you react in time.

And, of course, it can get political, something that polite people avoid. Gear vs Technique is a much safer topic than Feel vs Technique. I know, because I came out of that one with two black eyes and a broken little toe (from a miscued kick ... through technical shortfalls, no doubt).

In short, it all boils down to Shut up 'n play yer drums, but it's nice to have a chat :)
 
It's not only drummers that are gear junkies.
Guitar players are just as bad.
Most of them own at least 20 guitars and amps during their lifetime.

I tend to collect percussion gear, become attached to it, and almost never sell it or trade it.
I did manage to part with about 6 cymbals a while back. It was the first time that I parted with a cymbal in 25 years. It was a mistake, because I miss them! I will never trade a cymbal again!
I only sold one drum kit in my 40 years of playing. My parents made me sell it because I had too many drums in my room! It wasn't my choice to sell.
Percussion gear is the only thing that I own that I really covet.
I don't buy just anything, I agonize over every purchase that I make. I don't binge buy. I look for a long time before I buy. I don't only buy the most expensive stuff. I just like something and I buy it. The Rhythm Traveler is prof of that. I love that stupid little kit as much as I love my old Gretsch!
The hunt is more fun than the kill!

And yes Keep It Simple, My playing is as lame as yours! LOL The thing about playing is this, If it took you days to master a simple beat, It's the same personal feeling of accomplishment as a pro mastering something complicated. Like Einstein said, Its all relative to your relationship between time and space!
Polly, I liked your Fat Girl analogy! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
 
Last edited:
It's not only drummers that are gear junkies.
Guitar players are just as bad.
Most of them own at least 20 guitars and amps during their lifetime.

... Polly, I liked your Fat Girl analogy! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Good point. Yes, guitarists are keen too. And bassists are always looking for a rig that will get them the right kind of fatness in their sound.

Or maybe the RT is more like a an anorexic, knobbly-kneed, flat-breasted slip of a girl? :)
 
Good point. Yes, guitarists are keen too. And bassists are always looking for a rig that will get them the right kind of fatness in their sound.

Or maybe the RT is more like a an anorexic, knobbly-kneed, flat-breasted slip of a girl? :)
I have an RT surprise coming up in the next week or so. I am in the process of making some more changes to the RT. I'll post when I'm ready.
I'm calling it "The RT Amalgamation kit!"
I'll give you a hint, ddrum has a part in the project.
 
I have an RT surprise coming up in the next week or so. I am in the process of making some more changes to the RT. I'll post when I'm ready.
I'm calling it "The RT Amalgamation kit!"
I'll give you a hint, ddrum has a part in the project.

OMG - a monster double kick RT Frankenstein - a world first! Are you planning on changing direction to light metal music? A double kick RT, acoustic guitars and a vocalist doing death purrs :)
 
OMG - a monster double kick RT Frankenstein - a world first! Are you planning on changing direction to light metal music? A double kick RT, acoustic guitars and a vocalist doing death purrs :)
You must wait and see, you must wait and see!
 
OMG - a monster double kick RT Frankenstein - a world first! Are you planning on changing direction to light metal music? A double kick RT, acoustic guitars and a vocalist doing death purrs :)

Oh man, I think I have a new goal in life, to be a light metal band! hahaha
 
I suggested electro / techno blues a while back and no one was keen. I might chalk up a new genre yet!

You have all the sub-genres too - Al metal (as per GD), or the most explosive types like Na (or SODium) Metal or especially wild stuff ... POTassium (or K) Metal ..,
 
I suggested electro / techno blues a while back and no one was keen. I might chalk up a new genre yet!

You have all the sub-genres too - Al metal (as per GD), or the most explosive types like Na (or SODium) Metal or especially wild stuff ... POTassium (or K) Metal ..,

I hear it all in my head!

I can do it. I just need to find a banjo player who can play shred licks.

If not, maybe Thaard can just do sax solos over it all.
 
Back
Top