Are you glad drumming doesn't have crazy practice tools like golf?

MrPockets

Gold Member
You only really need two sticks and a surface to play one to practice drumming.

Could you imagine having a stock pile of pool noodles, PVC pipe, hula hoops, coat hangers, etc.?

I mean look at it!

golf-slice-fix-golf-fix-get-rid-of-your-golf-slice-fix-left-handed.jpg
 
Well, I suppose you’re right. But there are a plethora of products that help us “practice” - and vendors tout the stuff all the time. Like everything else, drummers just have to commit and do. But a lot of us keep searching for that silver bullet to help make us better. Any trip to the NAMM show reveals all kinds of useless stuff to make you practice better.
 
Well, I suppose you’re right. But there are a plethora of products that help us “practice” - and vendors tout the stuff all the time. Like everything else, drummers just have to commit and do. But a lot of us keep searching for that silver bullet to help make us better. Any trip to the NAMM show reveals all kinds of useless stuff to make you practice better.

This. One need only open a recent copy of Modern Drummer to see the rampant consumerism that plagues this trade. It's the same in any activity nowadays, even niche hobbies that have relatively small communities.
 
Or go see the Blue Man Group for quite a collection of PVC
 
Wonder when someone will come up with a break away stick to improve technique, like the golf club with the break away head that is supposed to improve your swing?
 
There are tools like these for any activity.

They are useful for some, but in many cases it's individual issues, rehabilitation or refining that just isn't relevant unless you're on a certain level reaching further.

It's always part of something and there should be a balance.

Issue with drumming and technique is that more effort should probably be spent elsewhere, just playing or developing time, mmemory and aural abilities. There are tools and techniques to help, but if we just do it in the right frame of mind, what we need to do will usualy present itself, sometime with a bit of input from a teacher or someone else.

Recording and today also easily with video are the greatest tools. No need to share if one doesn't want to. We generally hear and see things very well ourselves when we're not focused on playing.
 
I gave up on golf. Couldn't connect with it at all.

I agree. Hitting the ball is okay, chasing it around and trying to put it in a hole just doesn't make sense to me.

I traded my golf clubs and an end table for some drums. That was a hole in one!
 
Wonder when someone will come up with a break away stick to improve technique, like the golf club with the break away head that is supposed to improve your swing?

The Medicus drumstick would be a hit!
 
The Medicus drumstick would be a hit!

Someone would make bank on it, that's for sure. Just attach the words "faster", "play longer", and "less work" to it, then get someone with a name to endorse it and Voila!, instant millionaire.
 
Every sport, hunting, fishing, all have gadgets and the "must have" thing. Ironically when they finally do "invent" something useful then they keep mucking with it and screw it up. "Mr.Coffee" did that with their damn carafe that initially worked great but since everyone spills more than hits your cup-it's some sort of conspiracy with the coffee makers LOL. I spent years "boating and fishing" on the Gulf of Mexico but now it offends me as being too technology-gadget driven (I had a radio, compass and map, now who needs it with GPS) and elitist cause it's a dang expensive hobby. So I surf fish now find my own bait-digging up sand fleas, or a net for small bait fish and shrimp. I usually catch and release but will keep some pompano or redfish for a meal. I'm on the beach socializing with everyone-everyone loves to see what I catch and "What is it?", don't pollute with gas and boat, if fish aren't biting play bocce ball or corn hole (yeah it's a generational thing that name "cracks" me up), I love it. You know what you need to be good at golf-practice just like drums. I haven't played golf in years but I guarantee you I can go to a range and slam a driver 350 yards (I've done it repeatedly shutting up golf crazy doctor friends)-can't say where it will go-but it will fly. But golf is really a short game skill-irons and putting that long drive can get you in more trouble than benefit. My best friend and I played together all Summers I could out drive him by a mile-but I rarely beat him till I figured I need to spend more time putting and short irons. Practice, practice, practice you just need a club and ball-maybe a tee. Drumming just need a stick, something to whack, but an added benefit is some objective measure of time-so metronome or music. Cause whatever you call it-feel, inner clock, assessing time-it's something that can tricked and we have to work on it to be proficient so we are in time with music or metronome. I don't think we can subjectively discriminate how good our time is-without an objective measure to compare it to-a metronome or being in time with the music. It's a learned skill (we acquire as we develop, but can be taught earlier so is a learned skill) so knowing that why stop learning?
 
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There were also the sticks with the hinged parts at the end for playing faster hihat licks. Looked for a photo but to no avail.
 
Not really. I like crazy practice tools.

I really like your wacky threads.
 
If drumming resembled golf, I'd be a bassist out of principle!

Unfortunately there's tonnes of crazy overpriced and totally useless gizmos and gadgets designed to trick people that you can master your craft without the years of hard work of practice and gigging.
 
Just did a search for "practice pad" at Musician's Friend, and it yielded 103 results.
 
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