Ladies DrummerWorld Drummers?

During the seventies I played in an all male Drum Corps. The leader decided to make it coed. A girl joined our Drum line. Three guys quit the corps! They refused to play with a girl. I never understood why? I stayed and she and I got along fine. I enjoyed her friendship as well as playing with her. She taught me a few drumming tricks. I worked harder to stay equal to her. I learned an important lesson about respecting the abilities of woman.
 
During the seventies I played in an all male Drum Corps. The leader decided to make it coed. A girl joined our Drum line. Three guys quit the corps! They refused to play with a girl. I never understood why? I stayed and she and I got along fine. I enjoyed her friendship as well as playing with her. She taught me a few drumming tricks. I worked harder to stay equal to her. I learned an important lesson about respecting the abilities of woman.


Great story Bobadrumma! It's good to hear that some guys learn! Just kidding. But yes, some guys are naive about the girl drummers. I actually just showed up at my to-be band practice because we talked over the phone, not ever have met each other, and they needed a drummer for the gig quickly. They knew I was a girl drummer, but I guess they were desperate to just have a drummer. When we ended our first practice, they told me that I was better than their first drummer (honestly I was nervous the whole practice, but all the songs felt right, it was great!).
 
I have always admired female musicians. Just their approach to the creative process
somehow inspired me to explore different techniques with my own influences.
I invite any of you interested in finding more females drummers to check out my myspace
link in my signature. The front page has a few in my friends list.

The drummer with the screen name "DrumBlonde" is one of my favorites. Not only
do I respect her for her talent, but she is such a hard worker. Currently playing in
several projects both in the states and in europe. I encourage you to check out her
videos. I think you will appreciate her work.
 
Well thats what I mean. Why are girl drummers (or bassists or guitarists) such a minority?

I think it's considered a more of a masculine instrument. Not that you girls are all toy boys though!

Edit: agreed with Big_Philly!
Edit: and Kristen!

Some guys are also kind of naive when they invite you to play in their band without even hearing how you playing, but just know you're a chick...................
I've never really done this but all the drummer girls I've seen around and about have been pretty hot so I can see why!
 
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I remember a Target commercial a few years back with Tory Castellano from The Donnas and Bun E Carlos. I liked listening to her and I remember listening more to her and The Donnas after seeing the commercial.
 
You know, when I first started playing the drums, I did it because it was something new to try out. I never saw any wrong with a girl playing the drums (or even guitar), I'd always been considered one of the guys anyways. I found that a lot of guys didn't want me in their band just because I was a chick. They never listened to my playing and they definitely didn't give me a chance. I've always been the one in the band who works harder than the rest and who schedules practices. I can't see why a group of guys wouldn't want me. I'd definitely keep them in line.
 
It shrinks their head down a little bit.

))) Boys!!! We'll show you how we can't hold sticks!!!!!

*Trying....to...hold...back...tasteless...joke....Arrgh!...Resist...the...urge...*

Whew! That was a close one. I had to summon up all my Southern Gentlemanhood to suppress a, "no pun intended!" comment. Yikes! One slipped out! I better eject now.




But seriously folks...
As a hobby drummer of relatively limited skills, I enjoy finding inspiration from all drummers. There are plenty of 10 year olds that can rudiment my pants off...wait...not what I meant. That are better than me. Plenty of females, too, that can out perform me. Plenty of 10 year old females for that matter. Probably lots of 10 year old, Ukrainian, female, photographers as well.

Anyway,I think that's one of the underlying beauties of drumming, and music in general: "It doesn't matter the source. It only matters the sound."

Hey, I just made that up. I've almost redeemed myself from the sophomoric, low-brow stuff I started this post with. Almost.

Keep on rocking, ladies. And everyone else for that matter.
 
Why the thread in the first instance? Surely a drummer is a drummer. Do we need people to add there gender to posts? I answer or respond to threads that interest me, the gender of the OP is not relevant. I am male, by the way, and support any drummer as I believe we are all family.
 
Why the thread in the first instance? Surely a drummer is a drummer. Do we need people to add there gender to posts? I answer or respond to threads that interest me, the gender of the OP is not relevant. I am male, by the way, and support any drummer as I believe we are all family.

You're right, gender doesn't make a difference in the ability to perform. I was looking through old posts from ages ago when I first joined, and was attempting to just reach out, and say "hi" again to any female members that still posted on here. We are a rare bunch.
 
Well while it was Buddy Rich that first turned my head with his playing, Karen Carpenter was very popular when I was very young (under 10 years old) taking lessons. She was cute and I had a crush on her but I really enjoyed watching her on TV shows when she was showing her skills outside of the Carpenters pop music. The crush thing had more to do with her looks and voice. Her drumming was separate in a way to me. Just saw her as a very good drummer.

And in my drum corps and taking lessons from the same instructor was a girl who I competed against numerous times. It was simply a rivalry, not a boy/girl thing. She was good and our competitions helped drive my learning.

It is only the lack of professional/commercial drummers when I was a teen that made me even think about the drummers gender.

So glad we have good drummers on this forum regardless of gender. I learn so much here and I never think about if the poster is male or female.
 
I read a Down Beat interview long ago with jazz pianist Joanne Brackeen. She was asked why there were more male than female jazz musicians. Ms. Brackeen said it was because not as many females were putting in the time to become jazz musicians. I admire her honesty -- and her musicianship.

While at Modern Drummer I interviewed Teri Lyne Carrington, Shiela E., and Barbara Borden and Carolyn Brandy with a group called Alive! None of my questions were gender-specific. I didn't get into the whole male/female thing. Did they all play well? Yup. That was all I needed to know.

I never once asked a male drummer about how his being male affected his drumming. Reserving such questions for female musicians seemed very condescending.

My two cents....

Best,
skf
 
Honestly, what's the problem with someone asking if there is anyone else around who may share similar experiences to themselves?

It shouldn't matter what grip we use either. Or what brand of drums we play. Or cymbals we hit. Or what country we come from. It shouldn't matter whether or not we listen to metal or jazz or country and western. Yet I've seen dedicated threads or even social groups created to address each and every one of those other groups.

People like to seek out those with which they may have some common ground. Sometimes the fact that "we're all drummers" just isn't enough......not by a long shot. I just don't get how anyone can get their tits in a tangle because one female dares to ask if another female might be present on the boards.....especially given their numbers are few by comparison. I think it's completely understandable and the basis for the thread is entirely reasonable.
 
A girl playing a fast train beat with traditional grip. Now that's something I'd pay to see. :)
 
In all seriousness, years ago while in the UTA drumline, we had several female drummers and percussionists in the drumline who were exceptional drummers and musicians. I never really thought about the whole gender boy/girl thing then, only how they well they played. And it was more of a friendly competition seeing who could beat who in a jam session. I can't think of a time where gender played any part of what we were doing.

Nowadays whenever I hear a drummer live, male or female, I always have to really look and listen to how they are playing and what they are playing to see what I can take away from the experience, whether it's a groove, their unique kit setup, etc. The learning never stops.
 
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