Only6 months left to drum!!

Beaker

Member
Well not quite...But I'm going to become a father in October so my drumming career (roughly translates as me playing in the conservatory) is going to be put on hold somewhat.

I figure there must be a few drum dads knocking about the forum, how did you guys cope? Did you find time to play and sleep? Can you feed a baby whilst practicing push pull technique? I was thinking I'd maybe just hit pillows for the next 2 years and develop awesome double stroke rolls and/or tendonitis.
 
Well not quite...But I'm going to become a father in October so my drumming career (roughly translates as me playing in the conservatory) is going to be put on hold somewhat.

I figure there must be a few drum dads knocking about the forum, how did you guys cope? Did you find time to play and sleep? Can you feed a baby whilst practicing push pull technique? I was thinking I'd maybe just hit pillows for the next 2 years and develop awesome double stroke rolls and/or tendonitis.

Congratulations!

As a fellow father with an 11 month old and a 5 year old, here's all the advice I can give.

1: Get an eKit. They are what they are... Which is better than not playing.
2: When your child is 9 months old, you may need to get two of these. Each 2-cel section comes off and they're highly configurable.. My eKit fits in a hexagon. My A-kit fits in an octagon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW-4sZdM-CY
 
I'd say get the baby used to an A kit straight away. Big believer in having the baby adapt to the family rather than the opposite. The baby is listening already, so it may be comforting for her.
 
Well not quite...But I'm going to become a father in October so my drumming career (roughly translates as me playing in the conservatory) is going to be put on hold somewhat.

I figure there must be a few drum dads knocking about the forum, how did you guys cope? Did you find time to play and sleep? Can you feed a baby whilst practicing push pull technique? I was thinking I'd maybe just hit pillows for the next 2 years and develop awesome double stroke rolls and/or tendonitis.

My recommendation? Sell the kid. You can get them anywhere! Then use the money to buy a new kit, cymbals, whatever you can get/want. Wife will be pissed and leave. This will save you more money. This will pay for more kits, cymbals, heads, hardware, sticks, etc and you won't have to her any more of her b*tching. It's a win win!

Jk, congrats man and good luck! Get your sleep now and play when you can!
 
"it is the absolute best thing that will ever happen to you in your life.... cherish every minute". I completely agree. I was the last person I thought would marry as well as have kids ((all my friends prayed I wouldn't spawn)-well I married at 31 and then had three of them. I even quit my productive research career to be Mr. Mom for eight years of their lives-the best experience and the thing I'm most proud of-boy was I little equipped. My wife and kids have surprised me with two drum kits over the years and it hid everywhere while I was clueless (but what's new). My daughters are grown now and i have a great relationship with each, and I wish I could do it again just to "cherish every minute" all over again.
 
Drumming for me is primarily a hobby, so with a new baby and a wife who does not get the whole drumming thing, I keep a pretty low profile on the kit.

I use pillows sometimes, or the DW practice pad kit and towels/t-shirts over most of my cymbals. Although I get to bang on a real kit from time-to-time, I try to focus on the basics and deploy my musicianship in other areas (active listening, transcribing, writing music) and I still feel like I am growing as a musician.

Some on the forum base their livelihood on drums so understandably this is something they need to continue doing as much as they can. For others, there may need to be a balance to accommodate a change in your life.

Certainly, when my son gets older I will introduce him to drums and maybe he will be interested and this will be something we can share together.

But even if he never does and I need to play less, I still feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
 
Nothing about your playing should change.
You will be spending a lot of your, now spare time, being a father and husband.

If you are playing now and protecting your hearing and your girlfriend/wife's hearing; just make sure you also protect your child's hearing.


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I've got two kids.

Babies didn't really affect my drumming. Sleep was certainly an issue, but not drumming. I recorded an album, and I have a picture of my first son as a baby at a gig (yes, his ears were protected, and no it wasn't at a bar).

It was when they go older that drumming took a back seat. Who wants to go rehearse or play a a gig when you play cards, boardgames, watch a movies or go do interesting things as a family.
 
Congratulations!

As a fellow father with an 11 month old and a 5 year old, here's all the advice I can give.

1: Get an eKit. They are what they are... Which is better than not playing.
2: When your child is 9 months old, you may need to get two of these. Each 2-cel section comes off and they're highly configurable.. My eKit fits in a hexagon. My A-kit fits in an octagon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW-4sZdM-CY

Thank you! Already got the E-kit, the protection cages look like a good idea!

I've messed up trying to use the multiple quote function (drummers eh?) but thanks all for your kind words and suggestions. Exciting times.
 
But seriously....My kids are 3 and 5. I definitely don't drum near as much as I'd like to. There just isn't enough time in the day between work, daycare pickup, making/eating dinner, getting them ready for bed...putting them to bed and then guess what....you aren't going to be drumming when their asleep (ironically the best time to drum). Again, take this from another guy who isn't a professional drummer, but I just don't see how your drumming time won't take a hit somehow. Are you really going to play at full volume when the baby is napping or sleeping at night? Absolutely not. Unless your wife is REALLY laid back and your kid is an epic sleeper. I try to fit it in here and there but drumming, unless it's your livelihood, is a hobby and will take a back seat to the baby. I'm not trying to be a downer but also didn't want to pretend I don't get frustrated with my lack of free time these days.

On the other hand, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

The good news is there are still ways to enjoy it after they go to bed or when you have time otherwise. If I were you, I'd get one of those DW practice kits, make your own practice pad kit (like I did) or get a beater kit and outfit it with Remo Silentstroke heads. I just got some of these and I think they are great. You can still improve greatly with these practice tools.

Congrats and good luck.
 
For me it was a minefield and I done got myself blowed up.

I stopped playing at home completely but continued playing in bands, though only one at a time.

Now divorced and living in an apartment, I still play in bands and my at-home playing is either on guitar or bass. The divorce part sucked and less time with the kids is a major bummer, but I'm really enjoying the change of musical direction and how it has enhanced my experience of music in general.
 
As has been said, the baby adapts to the family not tother way round. You are the adult ergo you are in charge.
 
My recommendation? Sell the kid. You can get them anywhere! Then use the money to buy a new kit, cymbals, whatever you can get/want. Wife will be pissed and leave. This will save you more money. This will pay for more kits, cymbals, heads, hardware, sticks, etc and you won't have to her any more of her b*tching. It's a win win!

Best advice given, ever.
 
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