inneedofgrace
Platinum Member
I have been playing drums for 30+ years, but I am totally unschooled in drumming, and have never taken a lesson in my life. I've read a lot (and watched videos) about drumming and music in general, but never actually sat with a teacher. Over the years I've heard a lot of drumming terminology thrown around, and some of it I understand and some I don't. I know there are a ton of threads on what is best - lessons vs. no lessons, so my intent is not to start that debate again.
What I find interesting is that at some practices (and even sometimes at gigs), I stumble upon some new (to me) type of rhythm or sequence to work into a song. This usually happens when I'm playing on a song that I've never heard before (original) or a cover tune that I'm not too familiar with. I play it, it feels right to me, and the other band members like it, so I go with it. And I'm not knowledgable enough to even know exactly what it is I'm playing.
I would never advise a new drummer to avoid lessons, and wish I had taken some when I first started. But it's almost like me being naive about technical stuff allows me to really enjoy discovering new things along the way.
Does that make any sense?
What I find interesting is that at some practices (and even sometimes at gigs), I stumble upon some new (to me) type of rhythm or sequence to work into a song. This usually happens when I'm playing on a song that I've never heard before (original) or a cover tune that I'm not too familiar with. I play it, it feels right to me, and the other band members like it, so I go with it. And I'm not knowledgable enough to even know exactly what it is I'm playing.
I would never advise a new drummer to avoid lessons, and wish I had taken some when I first started. But it's almost like me being naive about technical stuff allows me to really enjoy discovering new things along the way.
Does that make any sense?