Beginning drumming...were you supported or not supported

My folks were very supportive and encouraged me to pursue my drumming from the get go. Meeting my teacher and guru, the late great Eric Hammond at college sealed the deal. My folks got me my first kit when they saw that I was serious and taking lessons. I practiced in the house with no complaints. My folks are awesome and I know I’ve been very fortunate. (y) :)
 
My parents were very supportive, in fact, my dad pushed me into playing the drums instead of the trumpet which is what I wanted to play in 6th grade. I was in concert band in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and for Christmas in 8th grade I got a Percussion Plus kit with roto toms, and I had an hour after school every day to play. Without that support, I'd have probably never gotten into drums.
 
After some initial reservations, mostly from my Dad, both my parents were VERY supportive.

My Dad was symphony violinst. I had been playing violin for 7-8 years when drums came on my radar. I had to prove I was serious before I could get a drum set. After my first year of lessons with one of his symphony friends a set appeared. They also had the area under our back porch enclosed, and built a practice space for me there. My folks, and our neighbours, always knew where I was. :D
 
My parents didn’t support me in drumming nor did they discourage me. This neutrality to music and drums was fine by me, I saved up my paper-round money and bought my own drum kit, paid for my own lessons by washing dishes at weekend daytime. I was lucky in that the school caretaker let me keep the kit under the stage and practice twice a week at set times.

Up until COVID I had been playing constantly for over 36 years because it wasn’t handed on a plate.
 
Adding to my previous post ...

there are instruments laying all over my house and my kids are encouraged to play them whenever they feel like it

they are also encouraged to put on music ...whether its Alexa, the record player, a phone or iPad ... at absolutely any time.

doesn't matter what type of music
 
I was only a guitar and bass guy until I was out of the house, but I was always amazed by an interview I watched with Iggy Pop who started out as a drummer. He said he grew up in a trailer park and that his parents let him set up his drums in the master bedroom since that was the only space big enough. My parents were pretty supportive in most areas, but they were also super concerned about appearances and what the neighbors thought so that would definitely not have happened.
 
Sure...lessons my parents had to drive me to music store, bought me drums and cymbals, driving to band practice, driving to middle and high school practices after school/ weekends.
 
Adding to my previous post ...

there are instruments laying all over my house and my kids are encouraged to play them whenever they feel like it

they are also encouraged to put on music ...whether its Alexa, the record player, a phone or iPad ... at absolutely any time.

doesn't matter what type of music
Do they play them (instruments) at all?

I ask because I also have all kinds of instruments, and no one has any interest but me. I/we have 2 sets of drums, 3 guitars, a bass, a keyboard, a clarinet, and a violin. There is also electronic music software on the PC, but I'm the only one who cares about any of it. It's all available to anyone who wants to play however.

Music gets played a lot however.
 
Do they play them (instruments) at all?

I ask because I also have all kinds of instruments, and no one has any interest but me. I/we have 2 sets of drums, 3 guitars, a bass, a keyboard, a clarinet, and a violin. There is also electronic music software on the PC, but I'm the only one who cares about any of it. It's all available to anyone who wants to play however.

Music gets played a lot however.

they do ...

drums, guitars and ukuleles mostly ... not much interest in other stuff but it's around if they want

I hear them upstairs writing silly songs all the time.

I love coming home and seeing practice pads and sticks strewn about
 
Curious. I got support in that I was given a drumset.

After that? Not so much. My Dad told me it was the biggest mistake he ever made, buying me drums.

People should accept their children how they are, not what they are wanted to be.
Sounds like you were looking in on my household.
 
I got beat up and beat up and beat up.

I know what this is. I was forbidden to play in a band. When I was 14 my father dragged me - almost literally - from a dance gig I had snuck out to play, and beat the crap out of me at home. The embarrassment I felt in front of my friends was even more painful. I despised him for it. I was a musician before I was born but he couldn't accept that. Those who had music handed to them on a platter, so to speak, were lucky in that regard. In spite of him, I persevered and made music my life.
 
Jeez guys, some of you REALLY dealt with serious repercussions from playing music. That is sad to hear.

I had ok support. My father purchased a pair of sticks and a practice pad for me. Then for Christmas he got me a pawn shop special ( with no cymbals). I had no cymbals for quite a while. Now I will note, Dad never had to deal with the Noise of the actual kit, just the pad. Mom and Dad were divorced and I lived with Mom. Mom listened to me play for hours and hours down in the basement. NEVER griped at me that I can really remember.

So, somewhat supportive. HOWEVER, no one in my family EVER saw me perform. Countless band concerts, Jr.high pep band, ISSMA (state competitions), State Fair marching band, and then when I actually played in a few rock bands a few years later. . .still no one in my family came to see me play. I have mixed reviews on "support". :cautious:

My best bro since high school is a drummer, and we've supported each other when others wouldn't. Girlfriends helped! Lol
 
My parents were very supportive. Out of fairness they had to be, given that my brother had Piano lessons from age 4 and French Horn from age 8! I gave up on the Piano (no chance with my brother around - genuine prodigy) and I definitely think they preferred the singing lessons and practice but they were supportive of the drums too and really understood how easily I made friends because of it - something I've always struggled with, what with being an insufferable prat and all.
 
My parents have been very supportive of my drumming. They come to all my gigs at church and school and paid for the set you see me playing on my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOVIcR4n4n3PYsrPB7zudhw

My dad did all the soundproofing and does all the mixing and video editing to get my covers on YouTube and pays me $20 for every cover that hits certain levels on YouTube...yea, I would say they are very supportive indeed.
 
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While mother played some piano, and dad some guitar, they were strictly hobbyists, so not particularly supportive, just open to whatever you wanted to do. Financially speaking, I would say yes in the sense that we lived in a house and had a music room where a piano and a drum set sat. First exposure to jazz was through my paternal grandfather who would smoke cigars and listen to Coltrane, Armstrong, Bird and Ellington. This was in the vinyl days.
 
My dad bought me a guitar package first. But I didn't live with him so easy purchase for him and I turned that into drums via trade in

As for that, thats all I got I grew up poor as shit so my mom worked a 2nd shift job and a night shift job to get by so I was able to play a lot since she was never home and we kinda looked after ourselves.

I remember thinking a 35 dollar bass drum pedal was too expensive for me to ever get so I gerry rigged everything. From my leather strap drive bass pedal to cutting an inch off my snare because it was caving in.


My wife however has been supportive of my drum habits and drum collecting spending habits


LOL I blame my extreme drum buying problem on growing up poor and not having it when I wanted it most
 
I lost my dad to a coma a couple of days before I got my first kit Christmas of 69. My mom bought me more bigger and better drums as I grew up. She always went to every gig I played in town. She put up with a lot of noise, weird musician friends, and she even let us set up in the living room so we'd have more room for rehearsals. I think she supported my playing 100%. I should mention my wife of 43 yr. also. My first words to her were, do you want to hear my band rehearse tonight? By the way, it was in my mom’s living room. She has put up with me all these years. It’s not like I'm out touring but still there’s a lot to put up with.
 
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About 4 years after I got those drums, they bought me a new kit: a 5-pc Ludwig Standard with Ludwig Paiste cymbals included. List price: $532, but they got a deal through a friend who owned a music store - $346. That was at a time when stores typically didn't discount things, but it was still a lot of money. After that I was on my own for gear. :)
My first good kit were Ludwig Standards also about 4 yrs in. I think they were late 60s model 5pc that was around 1972 I played them about 10yr
 
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