I'm gonna be a drummer! (again)

Well, about 9 months ago I bought my first snare drum just to kind of get into it a bit and see what I could do. But I'd be sitting there drumming on this snare drum, and I'd have this urge to hit something else like a tom or snare. So, tonight I ordered my first set: A 2003 Pearl Export Select. Music123.com had a closeout on last year's model in the very color I had been wanting earlier, Amber Mist. It will probably be at least Monday or Tuesday before they arrive though. I'm excited!

Should I just go on trying to teach myself, or should I try to get a video? A friend of mine used to play, so I'll have him show me some basics at some point.

Your BEST option would be to go find a teacher. The one thing a video can't do is look at what you're doing and correct it. Sometimes you may think you're doing it just like the guy on the video, when in reality you're not. Teachers are also interactive...you ask questions, and they answer...stuff like that.

You don't have to enroll in drum lessons for the rest of your life or anything, but IMHO having a human show you stuff is the best. Maybe your ex-drumming friend can help you out.

Anyways, congrats on the set. Now's the hard part....waiting for delivery. I hate that...every time a truck drives by, running to the front door to see if it's the UPS guy....going online to track your packages every step of the way....

Originally posted by Old Steve Your BEST option would be to go find a teacher. The one thing a video can't do is look at what you're doing and correct it. Sometimes you may think you're doing it just like the guy on the video, when in reality you're not. Teachers are also interactive...you ask questions, and they answer...stuff like that. You don't have to enroll in drum lessons for the rest of your life or anything, but IMHO having a human show you stuff is the best. Maybe your ex-drumming friend can help you out. Anyways, congrats on the set. Now's the hard part....waiting for delivery. I hate that...every time a truck drives by, running to the front door to see if it's the UPS guy....going online to track your packages every step of the way....

yah i agree find a teacher and a good nome (metranome) and u'll beset i wish i had the money to get lessons.

Heh, I barely had money for drums, cymbals and sticks, so I can't afford a teacher. I'll just mooch off my drumming friends as much as I can.

I know how it is. I'm trying to actualy "learn" to play on some level (as opposed to my inherent abbility to hit things with sticks). I also can't afford $120/mo for proper instruction right now. the two things I bought to help me along were Dave Weckl's "Back to Basics" video, and Stone's book "Stick Control".

Watch the video and pick up as much as you can. He goes over how to hold your sticks and junk like that. It's pretty good.

Take your new knowledge and practice the rudiments in Stick Control with yer metronome and a snare drum (or practice pad). Then on your whole kit, take the rudiments and apply them to other drums. So, instead of just R or L hand, replace you R hand with you kick drum. Then switch them up, and stuff. Be creative. Find things that you can't do to well, and work the hell out of them.

I just found this, and it's got TONS of good stuf.

http://www.vicfirth.com/education/technique/wessels.html

I started teaching myself about a year and a half ago, i used a combination of videos, internet resources and books to help me. I`m no Mike Portnoy but i am very pleased at how far i have come considering i am self taught.

I also find forums like this are handy, if you have a problem with a certain technique most people on here are more than happy to help.

I would recommend the Hal Leonard "Play Drums today" volumes, very cheap, good for picking up your first beats and working on co-ordination.

When I first got started I only used a snare drum. I was in the school band. It was a good experience because I learned quarter notes, eighth notes, rests, rudiments and all that other stuff. Then a year later I got my first drumset. It takes some getting used to doing one thing with one hand and another with your other hand. But in the end it was a good thing that I learned all that stuff before I got my set. If was you I would learn to read music and be able to play it on one drum. Then take that to the set.

That's called "free lessons" in my book. Nothing wrong with that.

I can read music more or less. I played trumpet for nearly 9 years, but sightreading was never my bag. I've been practicing without the drumset trying to get two hands a foot to do different things at once. It's tricky, but I can get it done sometimes. Adding that fourth foot is going to be the real kicker I think.

To my surprise, it arrived today! The cymbals and sticks and other extras I ordered weren't shipping from the same place though, so they aren't here yet. And unfortunetely, I can't find a pair of sticks anywhere! I know I have two for my snare drum, but I've been playing it with brushes lately and can't for the life of me find the sticks! So now I've got this gorgeous drum set sitting here, and just a pair of brushes.

There's a book by Carmine Appice called The Updated Realistic Rock Drum Method.

It gives a fantastic grounding in standard rock drumming and comes with 2 CDs to play along to the beats with.

I used it when I was running out of inspiration when teaching my first pupil. (By pupil I mean 'mate who wanted to have a bit of a blast')

The two most important things to realise are:

- It takes time, patience, more time and a bit more patience until things will start falling into place.

and

- Never, ever tense up. Stay relaxed and everything will be cool.

Best of luck, and welcome to drumming.

Stu

Originally posted by u6crash To my surprise, it arrived today! The cymbals and sticks and other extras I ordered weren't shipping from the same place though, so they aren't here yet. And unfortunetely, I can't find a pair of sticks anywhere! I know I have two for my snare drum, but I've been playing it with brushes lately and can't for the life of me find the sticks! So now I've got this gorgeous drum set sitting here, and just a pair of brushes.

I had that exact problem.

Now, go to the kitchen and grab two of your finest wooden spoons, hold them by the scoop and voila! Two perfectly useable drum sticks.