...Hi, I'm new to this.

wraub

Gold Member
Hi, again...

I've been an on-and-off semi-pro bassist for the last couple of decades, but, full disclosure..?
I've always wanted to play drums. Literally, since I was ten or eleven years old...drums.
The band leader at grade school said, "Every kid wants to play drums!" and gave me a trombone.... Hence, bass.

Forward to now, after years of random hitting on kits in rehearsal rooms and practice sessions, the drum bug still beating on my head, and a chance thrift store find of a Sonor Force 2003 bass drum with two unmatching (to each other or the bass drum) Tama toms led me on an almost 3 years long journey to here...

I am now the owner of an actual drum set , and I am definitely enjoying every minute of it. :)

I have a very basic ten year old starter set of shells (upgraded to Evans heads), 3 different snare drums, 2 sets of cymbals (I lucked into a pretty good set, and a better set) and a full-time addiction. I am doing paradiddles while I drive...and I drive all day for my job. It's good. :)
I am learning about cymbals... lots there I didn't know.
And, I'm finding that I've improved as a bass player, with counting and anticipating the beat and just over all groovishness.

I hope I can keep learning, and keep growing as a musician, and as a drummer... It's really fun!
Drummerworld has been very helpful. Thanks for having me. :)

I'll resume lurking now...
 
wraub, you seem like you have a good grasp of things. Welcome to the site! TONS of good info and very helpful peeps here.

Any lessons in your future? Have you used YouTube much? Plenty of great videos.

Good Luck.
 
Thanks, I'm trying... so much to learn. :)
I do watch a lot of instructional vids, and youtube can be useful... I'm a fan of Rob Brown, but if you have suggestions please let me know. I am all about learning and growing.

I am just at the point where I am thinking good instruction could be beneficial... I can play a little, but better is always the goal. ;)


wraub, you seem like you have a good grasp of things. Welcome to the site! TONS of good info and very helpful peeps here.

Any lessons in your future? Have you used YouTube much? Plenty of great videos.

Good Luck.
 
Rob Brown is great. I watch him weekly. Sounds Like a Drum, Drumeo.

I guess it depends on what exactly you're after. Stephen Taylor, Stephen Clark also provide some good information.
 
oh man, being a band director my self, I HATE hearing stories about kids being driven away from what they want to do at first...so frustrating!! And such an old school thing...that sadly still happens.

I am also a semi-professional bass player as well as drummer, so I have (luckily) lived in both worlds for the past 35 years. Neil Peart got me into drums, and I also then followed Geddy Lee into the bass world

hopefully this site will help you with your journey into percussion!!!

Are you a double bass player? Electric? both?
 
I have played double bass, in college, but not since... I do play fretless bass, though, at times. I really prefer it, but most gigs don't want it ime.

oh man, being a band director my self, I HATE hearing stories about kids being driven away from what they want to do at first...so frustrating!! And such an old school thing...that sadly still happens.

I am also a semi-professional bass player as well as drummer, so I have (luckily) lived in both worlds for the past 35 years. Neil Peart got me into drums, and I also then followed Geddy Lee into the bass world

hopefully this site will help you with your journey into percussion!!!

Are you a double bass player? Electric? both?
 
I watch Sounds Like A Drum also, I have yet to fully explore Drumeo. Rob Brown speaks to me. ;)

I am looking for, everything, really- I'm kind of a knowledge junkie and a researcher of info. Currently, I'm working on limb independence and paradiddles (always), and watching almost every video I can of people playing drums, from basic to bodacious. :)
I'm also just sitting at the kit and playing, with and without music, as often as I can.


Rob Brown is great. I watch him weekly. Sounds Like a Drum, Drumeo.

I guess it depends on what exactly you're after. Stephen Taylor, Stephen Clark also provide some good information.
 
Welcome. It's never too late to jump into the water. Enjoy.
 
If I could go back in time, I would give myself 3 or 4 pieces of advice:

1. first master Morello’s Stone Killer exercises
2. Also work on linear drumming a lot, early on
3. Lift your sticks higher to play loud, don’t force them into the head
4. Work on being able to bury the click at 10 bpm without subdividing
5. Just enjoy the process, and embrace all styles of music. Have fun. Let the audience feel your love for the music. That’s what matters.
 
I keep coming back to this... Thanks.

If I could go back in time, I would give myself 3 or 4 pieces of advice:

1. first master Morello’s Stone Killer exercises
2. Also work on linear drumming a lot, early on
3. Lift your sticks higher to play loud, don’t force them into the head
4. Work on being able to bury the click at 10 bpm without subdividing
5. Just enjoy the process, and embrace all styles of music. Have fun. Let the audience feel your love for the music. That’s what matters.
 
4 months later-

I have a "better" kit now, and play as often as I can. Still doing pad stuff and working on independence- left foot has other plans. It'll happen.

I really enjoy this site, and the people here. I have learned a lot. My thanks to all of you.

I have basses, and play bass, but I think I may just be a drummer yet. :)
 
Hi, again...

I've been an on-and-off semi-pro bassist for the last couple of decades, but, full disclosure..?
I've always wanted to play drums. Literally, since I was ten or eleven years old...drums.
The band leader at grade school said, "Every kid wants to play drums!" and gave me a trombone.... Hence, bass.

Forward to now, after years of random hitting on kits in rehearsal rooms and practice sessions, the drum bug still beating on my head, and a chance thrift store find of a Sonor Force 2003 bass drum with two unmatching (to each other or the bass drum) Tama toms led me on an almost 3 years long journey to here...

I am now the owner of an actual drum set , and I am definitely enjoying every minute of it. :)

I have a very basic ten year old starter set of shells (upgraded to Evans heads), 3 different snare drums, 2 sets of cymbals (I lucked into a pretty good set, and a better set) and a full-time addiction. I am doing paradiddles while I drive...and I drive all day for my job. It's good. :)
I am learning about cymbals... lots there I didn't know.
And, I'm finding that I've improved as a bass player, with counting and anticipating the beat and just over all groovishness.

I hope I can keep learning, and keep growing as a musician, and as a drummer... It's really fun!
Drummerworld has been very helpful. Thanks for having me. :)

I'll resume lurking now...
WELCOME WRAUB, Looks like the bass is in your hands,but the drums are in your SOUL. Be glad to help in any way !
 
I switched from a old starter PDP set to an old Yamaha Power V Special set. The notes have clarity and definition now, the tuning is easier, and the tom mounts are dead simple and movement-free.
Technically "outdated", it sounds very good and cost me a lot less than my budget for a massive increase in quality.
New snare and cymbals, too. :)


Did you upgrade your drum kit?
 
4 months later-

I have a "better" kit now, and play as often as I can. Still doing pad stuff and working on independence- left foot has other plans. It'll happen.

I really enjoy this site, and the people here. I have learned a lot. My thanks to all of you.

I have basses, and play bass, but I think I may just be a drummer yet. :)

you can be both!!!

I have been a bassist/drummer for 35+ years, and it is great. Best of the music worlds mixed together
 
Hi wraub,

I'm in the same boat - been playing bass forever but always have been interested in drums. I took lessons in the 90's for about a year. That was really helpful - my teacher was excellent.

In Feb of 2019 I converted a Ludwig Accent Combo kit someone gave me in 2018 to edrums. I did a deep dive on DIY edrums with the goal of creating a kit acoustic drummers don't hate playing. With the addition of a new product called the eDRUMin (translates hits from pads and cymbals and foot pedals to midi) and Superior Drummer software I have exceeded my goal - I'm now helping a drummer who came by and played the kit to convert a kit one of his students gave him. I know a lot of drummers just hate edrums but it allows me to practice at night and this kit plays well - the hi-hat is especially good.

I have collected a lot of YouTube videos from all the great teachers mentioned above. I'm signning up for Stephen Clark's song learning course https://the-non-glamorous-drummer.mykajabi.com/song-learning-university hoping it helps me learn covers faster. I have about 20 songs down now that I can play through from start to finish. It was a lot of work getting from 0 to 20 songs. My goal is to get that up to about 200 at which point I can do some "substitute drumming" locally.

Stephen Clark has an excellent interview online where he talks about how he learned "the business of drumming covers" as a 20 year old in New Orleans:

 
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Your story is almost an exact mirror of mine, Im 61.
Played an end of term school mime show at 13 and was "told" to only pretend to play a pair of hand drums and not to hit them, yeah right teacher! Bear in mind too back then kids didnt have electric gear the way they do now.
Turned out I was the star of the show...the guitars were only miming to Get It On, not me, I found some sticks and had that greasy groove pat down with the two hand drums balanced on a chair in front of me...teacher was not happy but I reckon maybe just a little impressed with the groove.
Fast forward after forty yrs playing bass and I just did it...bought a kit and now after two years from scratch I'm playing in a pretty good bar band. I will never be able to do double BD, nor will I ever have chops...but I'm solid with minimal arm movement and now and again the band go.....wow man that was cool. I'm happy.
 
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Welcome great thread - I bought a bass a few years back cause I always wanted to play a string instrument and bass has fewer strings so I naively thought might be easier- NOT! Bass and drums go together like peas and carrots though. This is a great site-often my therapy board.
 
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