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The Life of a drummer


drummer_jay

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I guess more like a musician...

 

Anyway... We get no respect for the most part..... Although take us away, and what do you got?? Alot of bland boring crap!

 

I post this, because I was wondering if anyone else goes in waves...

 

Like, I'll play a show, and several people including fellow drummers will tell me, "man, your on tonight" ..... "you rock".. etc..

 

One time i was told by a 50 year old touring pro that I was the next neil peart... While I took this as a compliment, I didn't get big headed!!

 

I've been told I'm like a "machine" alot too........ meaning my tempo is rock solid!

 

right when I start to think....... Yeah, I am good... I am just that damn good... I watch someone who is really really good.... Carter, Neil... Tony Royster Jr.. etc.........and I go right back to... damn... I really suck!!!

 

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Used to be...not any more...I'm just that f#$%ing good now! :D

 

Just kidding, of course. I really don't think that way anymore, though. I guess I've gone through that cycle enough times to learn that there's ALWAYS the opportunity to get better, and I'll NEVER be as good as I can be. Once I figured that out, I find that my analysis of my playing is much more specific to what I'm doing RIGHT NOW. For example, RIGHT NOW, my speed and stamina are pretty good for me because I'm playing a lot. I could always get faster or stronger, and some days for whatever reason I can't play as well as others.

 

As long as I continue to expand my abilities, I'm happy. I enjoy getting compliments on my playing, but drumming has become much more personal to me now. I know if I played well or not, and I don't compare that to other drummers. Instead I measure it against my own abilities and whether I met, exceeded, or fell short of my own abilities and potential.

 

Basically, I've just become a cranky early middle aged man. Now get off my lawn, ya punks!! :mad:

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Steve, right on man. Sometimes I get pissed at myself for not spending time doing all these technique exercises and things that a student of any instrument should do. But I've realized, for much of my musical life, I've honed my abilities simply by playing as much as freaking possible and listening carefully to what I'm getting back.

I know when something sounds "right" or "wrong" and if it sounds wrong, I simply work it out. It's like I improve by tackling personal "obstacles" that I create for myself rather than "obstacles" handed to me in a technique book. I may hear in my head exactly what I want to play, but can't quite execute it because it's beyond my skill level. I'll just work at it and eventually get it right and move on to the next riff, fill, phrase, etc.

I don't get much pleasure out of learning other people's tunes either, and I feel this hurts me as a player, but at the same time, it helps me stay original. There's little influence on my playing but through the subconcious of what I enjoy listening to (mostly prog-rock).

 

Jay, I hear ya, but usually when I see a monster player I enjoy it, soak it in and just sit in awe of the player's skills. When I watch a guy like Peart or Chambers or Petrucci, I usually just find myself smiling and shaking my head once in a while amazed by what the hell they just pulled off with utter ease.

 

I don't really get "upset" per se and think, "damn, I suck" as long as I know I'm playing my music to the best of my abilities. I mean, it would be great to be able to do 16th-note double-bass patterns at 360bpm ;) but until I find a song where I feel inclined to play that, I'm not going to try tackling that skill.

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Originally posted by ulank

Jay, I hear ya, but usually when I see a monster player I enjoy it, soak it in and just sit in awe of the player's skills.

 

 

I often find myself doing the same thing, then immediately (like a reflex) start figuring out how they just did what they did. Sometimes I'll even try to quickly transcribe bits and peices of what they just did, then take that back to my personal practice to play around with it.

 

I end up trying to duplicate what they did, then spend some time playing around with a variety of permutations based on that one part. I've found that by expanding on something I heard I can explore ideas that I may not have thought of on my own.

 

Never let someone else make you think you suck. If you ask yourself "why can't I do that?" when you see or hear somoene do something that just drops your jaw, you'll start figuring out why you can. Put some time in to do it, and the next thing you know, you're better than you were before.

 

To me, that's one of the best and most worthwhile questions to ask yourself.

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Originally posted by Kyrrinstoch

I end up trying to duplicate what they did, then spend some time playing around with a variety of permutations based on that one part. I've found that by expanding on something I heard I can explore ideas that I may not have thought of on my own.

 

 

Definitely agree with the permutation thing. It's great to just take something, tweek it slightly and suddenly discover a whole new direction to take it.

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Originally posted by drummer_jay

I guess more like a musician...


right when I start to think....... Yeah, I am good... I am just that damn good... I watch someone who is really really good.... Carter, Neil... Tony Royster Jr.. etc.........and I go right back to... damn... I really suck!!!


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In my experience, those who think they are great either suck, or have such huge egos that they are impossible to play with. Those who recognize they have a lot to learn are generally already solid, and are humble and easy to work with. Usually, the more you learn about music, the more you realize how much more there is yet to learn.

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Hey, we all have egos, that's ok. I sure don't mind when some little chickita in a miniskirt tells me how cool I am! :D I just usually don't let it go to my (big) head because she may or may not have any clue about drumming. If a fellow drummer gives me a compliment, I appreciate it, but even in those cases I occasionally get told something was good when I know I've done it better.

 

Bottom line, everyone likes to be told that they did something good. Hell, that's a big part of performing for me...being able to entertain people and bring them enjoyment.

 

As for watching other drummers, I enjoy watching a good player play. I'm seeing Primus on Friday night and Tim Alexander is back with the band. I've never seen him play live, and I KNOW I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it. Like watching any great player play, I know I'll pick up something new or get inspired to try something different...that's just being open to influences and learning, which is totally different than copying something.

 

One thing I know I have to work at ego-wise is sizing up other drummers when we play with other bands. It can be very hard to avoid watching another drummer who you'll be sharing a stage with and NOT trying to get competitive. When a guy is better than me, I can't help but to get a little intimidated, and when a guy is having an off night, I can't help but feel a little superior. I just gotta keep telling myself, "worry about yourself...it's not a competition...play YOUR songs as well as you can..."

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yeah, I hear ya!!

 

I've always been humble about my playing.. I know I've been blessed with the basic tool for the job, but I also know that I've got so much to learn and improve on!

 

I do have hard time excepting compliments though! I just say ... NAH, I suck!! It's like my defense mechanism!

 

I really don't get impressed all that easily when I watch other drummers.... UNLESS THEY are DAMN DAMN GOOD!

 

Alot of times, band mates will say... Damn, he's good..... and I just look at them and say...... OK !!

 

Ofcourse I always compliment the guy if possible, i would never say... DUDE YOU SUCK!

 

It is VERY hard not to get competitive!! I gotta admit though.. It feels kinda good when your rockin your kit all night, and a dude goes and sits back there and sucks on a few songs!!

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Well my life as a drummer is interesting because my ex-bandmates thought I was amazing, my drum teacher thought I could drum for a career but he said I'd have to work for it as I have little natural talent, which I agree with, and my other thoughts are at the moment I'm good for 2 years of drumming but I need to get back into lessons and a band to get better.

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