If I knew then what I know now

H

howidied

Member
what would you change if you had the possibility to return to your past self with your today´s knowledge?

me I probably wouuldn´t rush so much with everything a slow things down which wouldn´t result in being so sloppy as I am now.
 
Learn the fundamentals / rudiments properly.
Be a lot more systematic and focused with my practise.
Concentrate on relaxation.
Find the teacher I have now.
Procrastinate less.
Learn the other instruments I've just picked up now (better late than never) and stop wasting time.

That about covers it ;-)
 
Like many sloppy self taught players my first thought is that I would have had lessons and used a practice pad and a metronome from the start so that my grip and stroke were efficient and my time was clean.

But ... given my life situation and disposition in the 70s there's no way I would have stuck with drumming if it was disciplined. I would have quit it the way a million kids quit piano lessons.

Back then music / drumming and the family pets were the only happy things in my life. Music was my lifeline. Without those loud, exciting, undisciplined, cathartic and fun experiences with idiotic, reckless (but usually sincere) friends in raw, crazy bands I may well be not around today to tell the tale.

"What ifs" are never just a straight swap ... as they say, when using a time machine you dare not change the past because you don't know what kind of "butterfly effect" it may have ;-)
 
There was an old Star Trek episode that dealt with this topic, and the main character got to change one thing in his life at the beginning of his career and when he was allowed back to his regular life, everything had changed for the worse. And I look at what I know and how I've lived, and I'm not sure I would've changed anything either. Who I am is really based on what I've done. I might regret some things, but I don't think it was so bad that I wish I could've done something differently.

Maybe one thing: I forced myself to play right-handed to march drum corps, and it really screwed me up for a couple of years when I re-dedicated myself to left-handed drumset playing. But then again, people like how I play to day anyway - so maybe it was a good thing. See how that works?
 
Procrastinate less: not just with drumming, there was a period of maybe 2/3 years (I've been playing for around 9, but you wouldn't believe it..) where I hardly even practiced and I'd spend all my time playing video games, being fat, doing no exercise, having no life .etc. I didn't know if I wanted to be a professional musician or not at that point, but I wasn't exactly doing anything productive to make up for that desire which I now have.

In regards to drumming, I'd say:
Practice more
Learn how to use my left hand
Buy a double bass pedal earlier so that I don't sound like a complete noob at it now
Read and study books
Stop playing along to Buddy Rich CDs and being like "I can kinda play along to buddy rich, therefor I am as good as buddy rich and never need to practice again" (THAT IS THE WORST ATTITUDE TO HAVE EVER, BELIEVE ME I KNOW).

:)
 
I would have worked two extra jobs and sunk all the earnings into Apple and Microsoft.
As a drummer I would protect my hearing better than I did and also would have left the booze alone.
It's never too late but it's a one-way trip.
 
I would have played a smaller kit long long ago
...and I would have started playing jazz as a youngster
 
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Like others here, I subscribe to the Sound Of Thunder theory that changing something I did may have had unforeseen consequences that would make things turn out worse. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at as a musician, and the things I want to improve on, I find I can still get better at. So there's still time to fix what isn't where it should be.
 
I would have spent less time of technique and more time on songwriting. And I wouldn't have played in cover bands. I should have focused on a career as an artist. Then again, I had a kid at 24, so I really didn't have a choice. And it turned out okay.
 
for real earplugs! and fundamentals with a metronome, and an ego check or two!.and there is a difference in playing and practicing.and teachers can actually help.and learning technique will not kill the "soul" in your playing.and drugs and alcohol are not part of the show.
 
It took me years of 'playing' before I actually started systematically practicing and I would be better if I'd caught on earlier. But then I think I might have missed out on something if all I did was "practice" too. I don't think it could have come earlier because I didnt have the drive or discipline that I do now.

I could also wish that I'd gone to a teacher for technique, but hitting a wall with my crap hands meant I learned to work with less as well as develop my feet, so that was more of a detour than a setback. I can't regret anything. I tend to change once I stagnate, and I could argue that the things I've overdone and become tired of are more deeply ingrained, they will remain and make part of my personality. Everything runs its course, its all good. I put as much into drumming as I'm comfortable with and I've learned what I wanted to, when I wanted to.

Right now I practice quite alot (I was made redundant from work recently), and I think there will be times in future when I won't have the time, or the drive, and I like to think that's not a reason for me to feel disheartened or quit, because what I gain now, I will keep to some degree.
 
Mark_S said:
Learn the fundamentals / rudiments properly.
Be a lot more systematic and focused with my practise.
Concentrate on relaxation.
Find the teacher I have now.
Procrastinate less.
Learn the other instruments I've just picked up now (better late than never) and stop wasting time.

That about covers it ;-)
Click to expand...

Except for the other instruments I fully agree with this. I so wanna learn how to be creative and play Gospel Chops. These drum battles between these Gospel Chop drummers with their 5 stroke licks, custom licks and especially their feel is so friggin cool!! I actually wanna find a church where these guys play locally and walk in and be like teach me O great one's lol! Although I'm not sure how well that would go over LOL! :D
 
When I had a drum kit for a couple of years in my early 20s I should have actually learned how to play properly instead of just banging out a few grooves I'd picked up from records.

But then I was too stupid back then. To repeat an old aphorism . . it's a shame youth is wasted on the young.
 
I'm not even sure these existed back in the mid-1970's:
- Ear protection
- Good seat with a back

I don't think I would change much about my course of study / playing though. I was fortunate to have wonderful teachers who I feel did the best they could for me throughout.
 
-Start playing double bass a lot earlier

-Made banding & gigging my priority rather than simply getting better at music. I feel as if I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm only at about 100 gigs, but that could have been a LOT more.
 
Mark_S said:
Learn the fundamentals / rudiments properly.
Be a lot more systematic and focused with my practise.
Concentrate on relaxation.
Find the teacher I have now.
Procrastinate less.
Click to expand...


These. Absolutely these.

The one I'd add: listen to the greats more. If I'd been as influenced by the Colaiuta's, Weckl's and Riley's as I am today, I'd be all the better for it.
 
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