What got you started playing drums?

Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

Hello, I'm new to DW. So uh, hi there! :p I actually originally started out wanting to play guitar and I took lessons for them for a while before I decided to stop taking them. I just wasn't feeling it with guitar. (which is ironic because my guitar player now wanted to play drums originally.) It wasn't until I was 15 years old and my friend spontaneously wanted to start a band. So we set up my dad's old kit in my basement and decided I'd play drums. I fell in love with them after my dad taught me the basic 4/4 beat and I've been playing since. That simple. :p
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

For me it began after failing in an astounding way at various wind instruments. I just didn't have the "it" that a person must have to be able. I think in some ways it was probably a lack of patience. I started banging around on upside down garbage cans when I was in the sixth grade and then re-joined the school band as a drummer. Snare drum parts seemed so easy. I had learned how to read music (somewhat) but then snare drum parts seemed so very easy. Of course that was a long time ago, with music that was simple but it just seemed like it worked.

Then I started getting more serious about my playing. I started to learn that drums were in fact an instrument and not just a beat.

From there it just became something I could not really live without. I mean, I was unhappy if I could not play. I was always looking for something to play and always looking to learn something new. I can remember learning rolls, learning how to let the sticks do the work, all of it was so much fun.

After a while I started playing a set and loved it even more. I can remember the days of garage bands (playing stuff from Sabbath, Zep, and then newer stuff like Ozzy (solo), Great White, Eagles, Scorpions, and Kiss. Anything rock, anything that felt good.

Today I have learned to love the fast drummers, the slow drummers, jazz drummers and latin drummers. I respect anyone who is in to what they do and works hard to grow. I know the question is what made you want to play drums, which I answered above, but I also know why I keep playing them.

I keep on playing because everything else goes away when I am playing. Work, girlfriend issues, life stresses. It all goes away and I find a place where it is just music. Just music and nothing else and as all of you know, there are just times when you find that place and it is absolutely perfect. Every song, every hit, all your chops and fills and grooves, they all just work. It's when you stop trying to drum and just play.....and as sentimental as all of that sounds, it is so very true.

It is like nothing else, and I have been changed for the better for picking up those sticks.

Best,
Isaacs
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

to answer the question: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

would have to link back to the my influences of the powerful beats of John Bonham, The funk beats of Brain Mantia, The rocking beats of Dave Ghrol

and most importantly the feel you get when you hit the drums!
 
Re: The "how" thread

Music- I dont know what music got me into drums... i guess i just liked hitting things with sticks
Drummer- Same as before.
Person- My drum teacher- Fred Ray. He is better then a large percentage of pro drummers on drummerworld.
Style- Rock followed by jazz then fusion.
Inspirations- Same as first question. But recently i found a pic of myself at an age around 1 or 2 with a pair of small crash cymbals. not finger cymbals crash cymbals.
 
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Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

BonzoJr48 said:
We were all influenced by greats of the 60's 70's & 80's, but before you saw or heard them play, what attracted you to the drums?

My dad used to play drums when I was like 6, I used to sit in front of the bass drums and watch it vibrate and listen to how awesome that sound was. I loved that. After I was old enough to start playing I was then influenced by John Bonham, Neil Peart, e.t.c.

I started because during a sporting trip with my school to another country, I stayed at a guy's house who had and played a drumset. He goes on and plays the basic rock beat with some simple fills. Me having absolutely no experience whatsoever got on and played exactly what he did, and it just clicked in my mind that this was something I could do for the rest of my life. I was 12 back then, now I'm 15 gigging all over my city with classical, blues, jazz, psychedelia, punk, rock, and metal bands. Over these past 3 years I've started learning more and more from my favourite drummers, and my family and friends are all extremely supportive.

What always pushed me back when I was 12 to keep on truckin was watching other kids the same age as me completely rip on their sets, and I have many friends who I still look to for inspiration to practice.
 
Re: The "how" thread

Music- any music that was playing when i was little , first time i heard old metallica.
Drummer- Lars Ulrich , Neil Pert < first two good drummer i heard play , also seeing Mike Portnoy at Gigantour really made me know this is what i want to do.
Person- my mom , and my drums teachers.
Style- a thrashy type of metal thats what my band plays , fooling around with jazz is fun too.
Inspirations- al the great drummers out there , all genres of music that involve talent.
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

I really wanted to play drums in my school band in 5th grade but there was too much drummers. Instead, I went and got drum lessons and my teacher taught me everything. He taught me double bass, pad stuff, and everything else. Since being taught by him, I love drums.
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

brittc89 said:
The chicks

Well duhhh, hahahaha. The ladies tend to have a soft spot for us drummers. Girl drummers look pretty attractive when they're drumming most of the time :p
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

This is actually kind of an odd story, so here it is:

When I was about 11, I found out that we were moving to a new house to be closer to my dad's 7-11 franchise that he bought. I had been a ghetto/gangsta kid who wore clothes that came up almost to my knees, and I never really listened to rock, or any music very much for that matter. When we moved, I found that this town was the TOTAL opposite of where I used to live. So, I liked to go with the flow, and for about a year, I started to grow my hair out, to about my back. Then my older bro, who is 5 years and 20 days older than me(and my sister was born on the exact same day as my bro, were all born in July, and my b-day is 20 days away from both of them, so I'm the middle/trouble child ^L^), started listening to music like System Of A Down. He picked up the guitar, and soon was interested. Then I think that sparked something in me, my brother was like a really close friend to me, and he still sort of is but he's gone at college and comes home every weekend :), and one day, he wanted to get an amp for his new Ibanez Starter guitar, idk what it's actually name was, but he wanted to be just like the guitarist in S.O.A.D. I guess, and I think that's why I always love reading all these posts about you guys and your gear and what you think about other drums and gear, because I always saw my bro looking at guitars and researching on them. Anyway, I was talking to him in the car on the way to Guitar Center (oh ya, and I played Alto Sax for about 3 years, and I was really really good at it too, the best in my band classes at school, but I was never really motivated enough to go to band class in 5th grade cuz I really loved hanging out instead of playing music) and he said "Warren, this girl in band plays drums, and I think you should try them, cuz she says they're really fun", I almost always listened to what my older bro said cuz he was pretty much my second dad, unless I got into those big bro little bro fights with him, so I saw this 200$ Sound Percussion Piano Black set, and I had the money to buy it, I think the guy at GC tried all he could to make this thing sound better than it was in words, and I took his word for it. So I ended up buy a drumset that fits in 1 box, knowing ABSOLUTLEY nothing about drums, I went home, and set it up, with my bro to help me of course. It was funny, cuz I put the drum head OVER the hoop, instead of under the hoop on the bass drum, and I put the hi-hat clamp on wrong, and didn't figure to how to really put it on until 2 years later. But I played it every time I could, I even faked sick a couple of times to get out of school and play the kit. My grandma actually liked me playing the kit, but it kind of made me mad that she would mock me and laugh while saying "go play your boom bang, or what do you call it", then I would hit stuff as hard as I could and she would try to calm me down. I think that's how it all started, knowing absolutley NOTHING about drums, and just following the crowd sort of, and today, I have a Gretsch Catalina Birch Vintage Burst 5 piece shell fusion pack, I think I got ripped sort of, for about 600$, and you could get it off Musicians Friend for 550$ :/, but I'm still happy. I have my old cymbals that came with my Sound Percussion set that sound okay, they're a 16" Ride/crash (at least I think?) and a pair of 12-13" hi's, and a squeeky as hell hi-hat pedal and a really bad no cam bass drum pedal. I'm happy with what I have, and I've merged my floor tom from my Sound Percussion kit with my Gretsch Catalina Birch, and it actually sounds really good. This is my story of how I got into drums, and now I play a lot, but sometimes I don't, cuz sometimes I think that my neighbors think that I suck, but now my mom's getting me a private teacher, and I think I have fulfilled my dream of getting a great set, and now to work on getting a DB pedal, new cymbals, new stands, and working on drumming. Thanks to all of you that took the time to read this.

-Warren
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

hearing the flair of mark brzezicki and the speed of tre cool, and the chance to do something different. iv been involved in music since i was 6 and drums made a nice change
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

A basic need to be in a band and the knowledge that everyone is always looking for a drummer.
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

inever really got into drums, i was a jazz trombonist...which is kinda....not as cool as drums! but in about 10th grade i decided that i would do percussion, and i decided i wanted one...i joined drumline...was bottom bass, got most of the crucial parts, and now im gigging like two years later...it turns out im actually pretty good, but i still play the trombone too
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

Nothing really ever made me want to play. I was playing when I was 5 years old, because my entire extended family played the drums. Some were professionals, and some, like my father were semi-pro. I never NOT remember being able to play the drums or being around the drums. We had drums in my house since the day I was born. My dad said he put my older brother on the drum stool and he cried. He put me on the stool and I started playing! Sometimes it is learned and sometimes it comes naturual.
 
Re: The &quot;how&quot; thread

Music - Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith
Drummers - John Blackwell, Steve Smith,Steve Gadd, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart,Sheila E., My Drum Teacher.
Person - Parents
Style - Anything under the sun. Mainly Rock and Metal.
Inspiration - Drumming Videos and the praise i get from my senior in the school band.
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

going to church, Rev. Clark played a white marine oyster pearl kit don,t remember the make but I used to sit behind the mothers board (second pew that side) just to watch
 
Re: What made you want to play drums more than anything?

Shannon Larkin

I saw a video of Godsmack performing "I Stand Alone" live for some Military gig, and he rocked the hell out on the drums. He looked like he was having so much fun and loved what he was doin so I decided I wanted to join him : D!
 
Re: the &quot;how&quot; thread

YAHAHA said:
I've never been able to sit still; I'm ALWAYS absent-mindedly tapping my feet, hands, fingers, teeth... to some ryhthm or song either on the radio or in my head.

AND there is always some kind of music playing in my head (right now it is Yes' "Hold On"). Some people might say that I'm possessed... yup: possessed with the spirit of music!


Me too, me too! always bin that way, awsome Im not the only one driving people nuts by tapping... ever notice if you are on a bus, and you start tapping something and soon you have a few others start to tap as well? this works! they just start to tap cause they see you tapping...
 
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