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[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/30/2002, 9:31 pm

I've wanted to learn how to play the drums for years now .. anyone have any suggestions of how I should start? How difficult is it to learn? I don't know much about playing any instruments .. I've fooled around with a guitar before but I suck and I have much more interest in rockin' out on a kick ass set of drums :mrgreen:

Website · by **gravity** » 7/30/2002, 9:51 pm

i can play em....its not too hard if u practice. u should just get a nice set first off.....i have a pearl. used stuff is the way to go with equip.

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/30/2002, 10:01 pm

Did you take lessons or just teach yourself?

by **ArlieKoz13** » 7/30/2002, 10:38 pm

< Wishes she could play the drums, but is too lazy to actually learn.

by **teelow** » 7/31/2002, 12:36 am

Um...take lessons...
I am suprised Susan hasn't posted here, she recently started lesosns.

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 10:18 am

Hey! I just woke up. :mrgreen:

Here I go!

anyone have any suggestions of how I should start?

Listen closely to drummers do their thing.
Eg. Listen to some OLP, but pay more attention to Jer. Try to hear the different sounds of the drums (snare, toms, kick drum) and the cymbals (crash, splash, rides, hi-hats) and they different rhythms.
This is also a good way to get inspired. :mrgreen:

Do your research!
Look at websites, get info from music stores, talk to drummers.
Since you're in Canada, you'll probably be able to find issues of Drums/Muzic Etc. in the music stores. They have neat little cards inside them where you can mark which companies you want info from. Send it in, and get free stuff.
I got a SLEW of stuff from all of the major drum and cymbal companies, and they usually send spiffy stickers with them. :mrgreen:

Once you have an idea of what you want, and what you wanna spend (I estimate about $1200 for starters), go get a kit.
Doesn't have to be anything too special for starters. You can get nice used kits with hardware and stuff from drummers who are giving them up. Sometimes you just have to change the heads and you're good to go.

You can get great new kits for about $1000. Pearl Forum and Export kits, Yamaha, Westbury, CB, and Pacific are easy to come by in music stores.

I have a Taye kit which I got for about 900. I like the hardware better than other kits (has space for an extra cymbal boom on the tom-toms).
Starter kits will most likely come with the hardware and cymbals you need to start off (cymbal stand, hi-hat stand, kick pedal, hi-hat cymbals and a crash/ride cymbal).

Get the kit, set it up, screw around with it a little to get a feel for it.
Then go get lessons from someone who knows what they're doing.

How difficult is it to learn?

Not all that difficult, but this is coming from a person who's taken music lessons in the past (on other instruments). Being able to read music is good, but they'll teach you if you don't know. You just have to hold up your part of the deal and practice a little everyday.
I figure if the 10 year old kid in the room next to me can play well, then you will too.

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 10:49 am

Okay

.. thanks SO much for all your help Susan but most of that when right over my head and far far away :lol:

I guess the first thing I need to do is find out what all of those words mean and where on a drum set they are. I don't know how to read music unfortunately either .. geesh I have a lot to do! I think I'll definitely pick some magazines up and get some free stuff, at least that way I can learn more about drums and hey, free stickers are always nice :mrgreen:

Oh and is it necessary to have your own drumset when you take lessons or do you just practice and learn on something they have wherever you would take lessons? I don't think I'll be able to get my own set for awhile unfortunately ..

I love Travis Barker as a drummer and I think I want to start with him .. I know Jer is an amazing drummer as well but when I listen to OLP I find it so much harder to pick him out from all the other sounds.

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 10:57 am

Hehe! I guess I really went off there.

I guess the best place to start is by doing your reseach for now.

Feel free to throw questions my way.

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 11:25 am

Awesome, thanks! I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions in the next little while! :mrgreen:

Is there any websites you'd recommend?

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 11:50 am

I've got a bunch here for ya.

Info
An explanation on cymbals - http://www.sabian.com/page.php?subsecti ... page=index
Hints & Tips - http://www.nowopen.com/drums/hints.htm

Drum Companies
Preal Drums - http://www.pearldrum.com/
Yamaha - http://www.yamahadrums.com/
Pacific Drums - http://www.pacificdrums.com/
Taye Drums - http://www.tayedrums.com/
Drum Workshop - http://www.dwdrums.com/
Ayotte - http://www.ayottedrums.com/
Ludwig - http://www.ludwig-drums.com/

Cymbal Companies
Paiste - http://www.paiste.com/
Sabian - http://www.sabian.com/
Zildjian - http://www.zildjian.com/

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 12:30 pm

Wow, you're the best, thanks heaps and heaps :love:

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 12:31 pm

You're welcome!

by **Rigger** » 7/31/2002, 8:50 pm

I recommend taking lessons for a year or so and then just practice/teach yourself... I find that drumming to most OLP songs makes for VERY GOOD practice since Jer is quite the drummer! worked for me!

Website · by **gravity** » 7/31/2002, 9:31 pm

i taught myself set but after five or six years of band in percussion.... i guess a few months of lessons are def a must for you......................

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 9:46 pm

A few months of lessons wouldn't be so bad .. I've wanted to do this for so long so I'm excited about it anyway. I just hope I don't suck

by **nelison** » 7/31/2002, 9:53 pm

I wanted to learn to play drums for like the past 2 years... just never had the money for a set, and then two weeks ago i bought the Dashboard Confessional CD and now i wanna get an acoustic LOL

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 9:56 pm

I have 2 guitars, an electric and an acoustic .. they were my dad's .. I tried learning on the acoustic for a bit but I just couldn't seem to get my fingers in the right positions .. I might try learning again or fooling around with it some more but right now I wanna be a drummer :mrgreen:

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 10:11 pm

Yes... You want to be a drummer. :evil:

[ L J ] · by **Joey** » 7/31/2002, 10:31 pm

Yes, cuz drummers are cooler :lol:

by **Susan** » 7/31/2002, 10:33 pm

Back of the stage on risers. It's where the party's at. :mrgreen:

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Can anyone play the drums??

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