Teeth - drum kits in your head

SAINTDRUMS

Senior Member
Don't flame me because I performed a search for this topic, but does anyone else play the drums by grinding their teeth? Or am I the only one?
 
I did for the first 2-3 weeks that i was playing (mainly when playing along to songs), but I made a conscious effort to stop, and it hasn't been a problem since.
 
Haha, I can't believe someone else does this! I do it all the time, and I'm so used to it, I usually don't even notice! I have a whole bunch of techniques, I can get a bass drum sound out of my molars, and sort of click the incisors together for a snare. I sideways motion allows for very fast stuff, I'm playing some 16th note d&b with my teeth right now. I'm afraid its going to wear down my enamel :p I'm tempted to do a video now... haha, I think I will.

Actually, it just occurred to me that you might have just been talking about gritting your teeth while playing the real drums... in which case, you can point at me and laugh.
 
I read an interview with Dave Grohl and he said he does that.
Clicking and grinding while he's writing parts.

I've never done that, but I can see how someone could do it and not even pay attention until their jaw hurts and they go "wtf??...
 
OOhh.. no Luke, I think I misread... laugh at me instead...

I make so many mistakes, I can't afford to laugh at anyone else, you're safe ;)

I read an interview with Dave Grohl and he said he does that.
Clicking and grinding while he's writing parts.

I've never done that, but I can see how someone could do it and not even pay attention until their jaw hurts and they go "wtf??...

Thats exactly what I do, it helps me think when I'm trying to figure a part out when I'm writing my music. And its so handy, because you don't even have to move your hands to tap on your legs or whatever. It doesn't hurt my jaw at all though, I'm just afraid that it might wear the teeth down over the years.
 
Haha, I can't believe someone else does this! I do it all the time, and I'm so used to it, I usually don't even notice! I have a whole bunch of techniques, I can get a bass drum sound out of my molars, and sort of click the incisors together for a snare. I sideways motion allows for very fast stuff, I'm playing some 16th note d&b with my teeth right now. I'm afraid its going to wear down my enamel :p I'm tempted to do a video now... haha, I think I will.

Actually, it just occurred to me that you might have just been talking about gritting your teeth while playing the real drums... in which case, you can point at me and laugh.

I do this ALL THE TIME in exactly the same manner you described! I've been doing that since I started playing 28 years ago. I used to "sniff" beats through my nose too!
 
Oh man, here's a real life cautionary tale for you. I do it, always have. Unconsciously, the internal dialogue is often times music, and I'm playing my butt off on my teeth.

Over the last year, to be completed in August, I am getting two tooth implants, complete with bone grafts and serious wallet shrinkage. I have run-of-the-mill periodontal disease that comes with age, but the dentist and then the perio guy were surprised to find I had loosened the teeth that I did, they are not the usual victims of this disease. I said that's easy, they are the ones I play on all the time. Over times, I knocked those suckers loose. Tap, tappity tap.

If you can break the habit, I recommend you do. This work is very expensive. Two implants and various other bone grafts and surgery, ten grand. Would have bought a nice set of drums, that ten grand.
 
Holy crap Spregster, that'll stop them teeth a-chattering.

No Mouth Drumming!

Besides, it probably looks moronic. We have enough crap to rise above ha ha..
 
Oh my...I thought I only did that too! I've been doing that since I was a teenager. I've been scolded by the dentist. He said my teeth have the wear of a 60 year old!

So, I stopped going to the dentist...
 
Nope, never do it. My biggest issues are biting my bottom lip while playing or opening my mouth as though I'm catching flies. I also tend to grunt in intense passages - sexy huh?
 
Oh no Polly, I don't do it while playing. I started doing it when I couldn't play, in a situation where even drumming on the table or my legs would be disruptive. Like in school during a test.
 
Still can't imagine it, Jeff. Doesn't your jaw get sore? Poor old Spreg wrecked his chompers. The answer is to do it once and sample it - then you don't have to do it any more :)

The closest I get to teeth clicking is beat boxing.
 
Ok, now I'm convinced that I need to stop. 10k doesn't sound like something I want to be dishing out just so I can look like an idiot and click my teeth.

Nope, never do it. My biggest issues are biting my bottom lip while playing or opening my mouth as though I'm catching flies. I also tend to grunt in intense passages - sexy huh?

I do the grunting/humming thing when I'm playing a tough passage, usually if its a coordination problem for me. I think that one is fairly common. I know I've read that guys like Bernard Purdie have the same problem, haha.
 
Oh no Polly, I don't do it while playing. I started doing it when I couldn't play, in a situation where even drumming on the table or my legs would be disruptive. Like in school during a test.
Me too! Way to go, now I feel liberated. At last, I can proudly "come out" and admit my sectret habit. I get triplets off really well + nasal open hat double bish bish a la Mr. Purdie. The mark of a true drummer IMO.

Wait for it,


Here it comes,




The "MOLAR" technique!
 
I do this ALL THE TIME. I think it's partially the cause of my severe migraines. Sometimes people look at me funny cause my jaws are moving weird, i do it without even knowing i'm doing it. I'm not gonna stop though, i come up with some good grooves like that.
 
The "MOLAR" technique!

lol, an incisive comment, Andy - a lot of bite to it. Hey, how about "Mandibular" as a name for a metal band?

Luke, glad you're a grunter too and, if it's good enough for Pretty Purdie, then it's good enough for me. I have also developed a weird habit of going "Whooshka!" when I do the final cymbal crash at the end of a ham ending. Somehow it seems more satisfying :)
 
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