I are a drummer

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?
 
I think balance is the best thing. Theory, technique and the drummer's mind can get
in the way of music, but then so can a lack of knowledge.

There are drummers who lose themselves in technical and rhythmical aspects of
music and forget to play music, or can't think musically, maybe just for a while, while
they're absorbing their stuff in their brain, their muscles and their overall musical thinking.

And there are drummers who are limited or try to reinvent the wheel because they're
afraid to use and absorb every knowledge there is. Maybe that is because they've
seen examples of drummers of the above kind?

I'm not saying you are this or that, inneed, those are just my first thoughts on the subject.
No attack intended whatsoever :).
 
I think balance is the best thing. Theory, technique and the drummer's mind can get
in the way of music, but then so can a lack of knowledge.

There are drummers who lose themselves in technical and rhythmical aspects of
music and forget to play music, or can't think musically, maybe just for a while, while
they're absorbing their stuff in their brain, their muscles and their overall musical thinking.

And there are drummers who are limited or try to reinvent the wheel because they're
afraid to use and absorb every knowledge there is. Maybe that is because they've
seen examples of drummers of the above kind?

I'm not saying you are this or that, inneed, those are just my first thoughts on the subject.
No attack intended whatsoever :).

Great response - I hadn't thought of some of these things in the way you mentioned.
 
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?

read up on Brann Dailor

a very successful un schooled drummer

he talks about it here at about the 4:40 mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA5ebFjjVZs&feature=player_embedded#!

this is not something I personally condone generally

but Brann and certain other guys are walking examples that it is not completely necessary to have schooling to be successful

if you have heard his playing....you know he is no slouch
 
It makes sense to me. I've only been playing about 8 or 9 years, and had formal lessons for about 2 years. I gave up because I wasn't getting anywhere with them - not because of the teachers but due to my own feelings of inadequacy etc.

I don't even now feel like I'm "a drummer" because of the lack of formal training and lack of the things you mention, knowledge of terminology, knowing what it is I'm playing (I always believe it probably has a name, but I don't know what it is), knowledge of other drummers even.

Due largely to words of wisdom from larryace, I've just started playing again after a break, starting to believe in myself and enjoy it. I'm enjoying finding "new things", playing what feels right and having a bit of confidence about it - but I don't believe any of it's new, just new to me. I know I'm one of those who are reinventing wheels. It's keeping me interested in my own personal "journey", but I don't know that enjoying discovering these new things - as opposed to having been taught them years ago - is that important in terms of being a drummer. But then I still haven't figured out for myself whether "being a drummer" is a personal thing, or an absolute.

And I don't know if that makes sense either.
 
That is one of the primary reasons I take lessons. I love being taught new rhythms and patterns I hadn't ever thought about, I like learning about them, their roots, how they fit into notation. We'll usually go over some examples, etc... And as an added bonus, the teacher calls me on it if my technique gets sloppy as I'm learning all these new things.

There's a whole world of different music and ideas out there. I take what I'm taught and try to expand on it using my own initiative.

I played for a long time without seeing a teacher. I "came up" in a band with very experienced players and learned a lot in the hard-knocks school, but there was and is a ton I would have either not been exposed to, or learned much later had I not started lessons with a teacher I respected. It's important to learn from other drummers and study them, but always develop your own unique voice at the kit too.
 
I took lessons when I first began but then had a 30+ year break and have forgotten some of what I learned, and what little time I do have to play, I play. I don't spend much time practicing or trying new things except for when I am playing. The only thing we will never know is how good the players that took lessons would have been, had they not taken lessons. We can only assume they are better for it.
 
Whatever inspires you to practice and play is the best approach. Whether it be a teacher, being self-taught, DVDs, books, or any combination thereof. Not everyone can afford a private teacher. If it ain't fun, why do it?
 
This thread can be compared to my "I don't study anyone" thread. If anything, that thread showed me that being indifferent to other influences is a sorry way of looking at things, on a few different levels.
 
I feel lessons from a good teacher are an important first step for kids or the complete newb. Lessons, from the start, can really set you up w/good habits and proper technique for someone starting out would not otherwise know about or understand.

Case in point; my 12yr old, bass playing son, has 3 good friends that ply drums. 2 take lessons from a fantastic pro-drummer (she makes her living playing and she still studies). And 1 is self taught. The self taught kid is probably the most passionate & musical of the 3 but when he's playing, he seems to struggle techniquelly - physically the way he hits the drum, musically w/his understanding of the song structure and his role as the drummer. The other 2 don't seem to struggle as much on these points. Because they've been taught, technique (basic rudiments), songs structure (the teacher plays guitar w/them for part of the lesson) and they know there are others playing (tuff one for kids to get).

Where they go from here is anyone's guess...But I'd say the 2 have a head start and the 1 would be way ahead of the other 2 if he had lessons.
 
Exactly my same thoughts. I am proud of you...Drumming is beautiful & totally free.

This thread can be compared to my "I don't study anyone" thread. If anything, that thread showed me that being indifferent to other influences is a sorry way of looking at things, on a few different levels.
 
Well, if you haven't had the schooling, you're playing the right instrument. The rudiments got silly names like "paradiddle" and "ratamacue" because when young drummers were trained for military service in the civil war, most of them could not read. They would learn the licks by the sound of the rudiment (e.g. Par-a-did-dle - LRLL).
 
Absolutely true. Drumming has being the key communication tool for officers commanding their military troops over the centuries...The instrument that we listen and play is great, isn't it?
 
Absolutely true. Drumming has being the key communication tool for officers commanding their military troops over the centuries...The instrument that we listen and play is great, isn't it?

Interesting you mention that. I was on vacation with the family down in Williamsburg Virginia a couple weeks ago. When I visited the old ammunition magazine building, someone asked the tour guide why there was a drum on display. The guide talked about how drums were so important to the army, because that is how they sent out the orders to the troops, well before they had modern ways of communication such as radios.
 
Drummers were the first to go in. Imagine playing a marching snare in the Civil War as connon fodder and war happened. Talk about pressure!

I feel if I DIDN'T learn technique and discipline I wouldn't know how to break rules when I wanted and also I know a wider vocabulary to serve the music.

I never had set lessons, just typical school band stuff.

It helped me approach things from a well rounded and intellectual level. I stillt hink of each part of the set as a family, and orchestrate my parts in a very "movement" type of way, and think of choruses as reprises.

It totally helps. Without the knowledge I would have gotten frustrated a long time ago.
 
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?

The world of drumming is so wide and so vast, it doesn't matter many or few lessons anyone has had, there are always new things to be discovered along the way.
 
My favorite quote (I don't remember who said) is "learn everything you can, then forget it all and just play". I took lessons for 12 years, and have only realized how to tap into the creativiry recently.
 
My favorite quote (I don't remember who said) is "learn everything you can, then forget it all and just play". I took lessons for 12 years, and have only realized how to tap into the creativiry recently.

How do you tap into your creativity, I'm genuinely interested in your method.
 
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