Pet peeves about drumming, other than schlep

calan said:
I suspected as much, but I'm not so deep into the bass and guitar world, and thought I may be being a bit too overly reductive about it.

So I guess my pet peeve about drums is the barrier to entry. It costs more. It takes up more space. It bothers more people. It takes even more time and money to make it them sound like you hear in your favorite song.
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It sure does. But I didn't let that stop me when I got my first toy drumset for Christmas when I was 6 (this one actually had tunable heads), and it's not going to stop me when I'm 60 and only act like I'm 6.

You can spend as much or little on either as you want, though, but for bass, you can go Bass > DI > Amp, and you're fine. And a $60 Whirlwind Director is a solid choice if you want a quality DI for cheap.
 
JimmyM said:
That's because drummers generally don't take direction well, and you hit things and scare us. A lot of musicians don't take direction well so I'm not isolating it to just drummers, but because a lot of chordal/melodic musicians don't understand percussion and many percussionists don't understand chordal/melodic, we tend to get into our little dustups more than most. I think all chordal/melodics should double on percussion or at least know how beats are formed and sit behind the practice pads now and again, and all percussionists should know how to at least form chords and melodies on a chordal instrument, with piano being the most preferable.
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I'd doubt that you're one of the offending musicians I refer to. As mentioned it's more about the subtle stuff that maybe doesn't even enter into the mind of a non-drummer. Being able to regurgitate zeppelin or rush songs perfectly, or blast out double bass at 250bpm doesn't mean you're any good at composing, or using dynamics in response to what's being played, or having any sense of what or how to play something creative or new. "Taking direction" as you refer to it could be something as simple as you not explaining your vision in a way that is clear.

The other night a guitar player was using a drum loop while we took a break, and when he saw me come near he made sure to ask if I was "offended" by the drum machine. I guess the implication is that the drum machine might be taking my job or something.

I told him I'm probably less offended than the bored people watching you wank to a machine playing the same 4 notes "perfectly" over and over without any human thought or creativity.
 
PorkPieGuy said:
I have a huge roadcase I carry everything in.

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Do you drive a semi truck and trailer?
 
JimmyM said:
Bass by far, especially now with micro amps and cabs. A small combo that puts out 300w with a couple of 10's or a 15" that can handle 250w cleanly, a cheapo Fender type bass with decent fretwork and a pickup you like if the one in it bothers you, and you're sorted for life or until something breaks.
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Just out of curiosity, what exactly would you recommend?

Regarding drums, don't you think that a Yamaha Stage Custom is really all anyone needs?
 
As another also-bass player, I agree that getting a bass rig together is easier by far than setting up a drum set, and the bar for a giggable instrument is lower also. Depending on goals and intent, one could get a decent bass and amp for $300-350 (less, really), and a rig you could gig with for $500-600. I know this, because I have done them both.

Meanwhile, my cymbals cost around that, without stands.

(note-used prices apply above)
 
ricky said:
Just out of curiosity, what exactly would you recommend?

Regarding drums, don't you think that a Yamaha Stage Custom is really all anyone needs?
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As far as "all anyone needs", opinions vary.
That said, I think a comparable bass rig to the SC would probably be a Fender (or Squier) Jazz Bass and a Fender amp. Solid, reliable, just fancy enough visually, useful in many settings, still allowing expression without constraint, and not expensive, especially used.

Personally, I have a lot of basses (for me, anyway) , a bass combo for home use, and a larger rig for clubs and similar which also has a DI out for larger gigs, (or can always use an external DI) and can add an additional speaker cabinet. The combo could still be used live in a small setting...with the right musicians. ;) All gear gotten used, decent stuff for a lot of cheap. :D
 
Dr_Watso said:
I'd doubt that you're one of the offending musicians I refer to. As mentioned it's more about the subtle stuff that maybe doesn't even enter into the mind of a non-drummer. Being able to regurgitate zeppelin or rush songs perfectly, or blast out double bass at 250bpm doesn't mean you're any good at composing, or using dynamics in response to what's being played, or having any sense of what or how to play something creative or new. "Taking direction" as you refer to it could be something as simple as you not explaining your vision in a way that is clear.

The other night a guitar player was using a drum loop while we took a break, and when he saw me come near he made sure to ask if I was "offended" by the drum machine. I guess the implication is that the drum machine might be taking my job or something.

I told him I'm probably less offended than the bored people watching you wank to a machine playing the same 4 notes "perfectly" over and over without any human thought or creativity.
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I might have thought that but not said it :D Hey, he's doing his thing. Dog eat dog world in music.
 
One of the best things I've found so far for vacuum cleanup around the kit (besides a suspended lower tom) is a Dyson vacuum- it really does pivot and roll around a lot of things that can impede a traditional upright.
 
ricky said:
Just out of curiosity, what exactly would you recommend?

Regarding drums, don't you think that a Yamaha Stage Custom is really all anyone needs?
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As a Yamaha endorser by way of Ampeg amps, absolutely on the Stage Customs, then get the choice Recording Custom kit when you're ready to make THE move :D I'd have Stage Customs already if I got deals on Yamaha drums. However, I haven't seen or played the line below that yet. Who knows? I might just like them.

I am a huge Fender/Ampeg fan when it comes to basses because they can do everything and I don't like switching. Anything not made of basswood, sort of looks like a Fender, has decent to good fretwork, and a pickup that sounds legit vintage and doesn't pretend to be vintage, will do for me. But while I'll get a good sound out of any amp, some make it hard for me, but never Ampeg. Tube amps preferred, but I'll take any except the B series from the 90's and 2000's. I think their micros and combos are as good as it gets and dirt cheap, too. And I did recently get a Yamaha BB435 5-string that feels really nice in the hands. $350 street price...not too shabby.

But until I get good enough to do a double endorsement, I'm playing cheapo DDrum shells and a Ludwig vintage wood snare. Hard enough to get your first good set together without paying a lot when perfectly good cheapos exist and it's a buyer's market used. And unlike basses, I like basswood shells. Lots of attack but nice warm overtones. Can't believe you can spend $450 on a new 4-drum shell kit and get the quality of tone and construction that you get.
 
My peeve: stage real estate.

Guitar player and bassist get set up in 10 minutes and pile their crap in my way. I'm dodging and moving their crap for 45 minutes!

Over time, I found it best to show up hours early or even the day prior. Set up. Claim my territory and let them position themselves around me. That's the way God meant it to be! 😆
 
A J said:
My peeve: stage real estate.

Guitar player and bassist get set up in 10 minutes and pile their crap in my way. I'm dodging and moving their crap for 45 minutes!

Over time, I found it best to show up hours early or even the day prior. Set up. Claim my territory and let them position themselves around me. That's the way God meant it to be! 😆
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I always get enough space, but then amps, extra guitars, monitors and everything get crammed in around me, and often times, I am not left enough room to get out.
 
I didn't get a chance to finish this yesterday. Listening to all you guys, no disrespect, talking about cleaning and vacuuming - pretty funny, thanks for that!
Getting back to point of the post: I think my pet peeve other than load in/out would be the prejudice of musicians including drummers against e-kits. Its been 25 years since I first started to play them, and I still hear people disparage them, mostly out of ignorance of the instrument.
 
Janet Tambour said:
Not everyone on the planet has FB, and no matter what I've tried I can not access FB posts.
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Sorry. I actually checked this in chrome to see if it would work in incognito mode, and it did even though I wasn't logged into FB. Sorry if you can't see it.
 
wraub said:
One of the best things I've found so far for vacuum cleanup around the kit (besides a suspended lower tom) is a Dyson vacuum- it really does pivot and roll around a lot of things that can impede a traditional upright.
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A Dyson is great on dog hair on the flat rug (we have GSDs and one of the breed nicknames is German Shedders). I thought our old vacuum was pretty good, but the new Dyson pulled up hair that was down in the rug fibers. I was shocked how much came out---It was like getting a stray dog up out of the carpet!
 
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