Fading glamour of musicianship

J

JJKK

Member
Been getting pretty serious about my practice, and the glamour is fading from drumming. The "I'm so cool" after learning a new song turned into "I could do this better if I really put my soul into it". I also discovered that this will never end, I will never reach the goal and that mastery is a real thing despite it being one of the intangibles of human life.

Getting that focused feeling is a reward in itself.
 
I actually really like this post, it strikes a very personal chord with me.

In my mid 20s, I was determined to be the "best in the world". I wanted to be the next Dave Weckl, and was always frustrated at my shortcomings.

These days, a decade later, I have embraced my path in the art form itself, and, as you suggest, it is far more rewarding in and of itself. I no longer concern myself with my image, how "good" I am, how I compare with others. Instead, I concern myself with bettering my own understanding, and doing my best to master my craft.

Good for you for making this breakthrough. Keep going!
 
JJKK said:
Been getting pretty serious about my practice, and the glamour is fading from drumming. The "I'm so cool" after learning a new song turned into "I could do this better if I really put my soul into it". I also discovered that this will never end, I will never reach the goal and that mastery is a real thing despite it being one of the intangibles of human life.

Getting that focused feeling is a reward in itself.
Click to expand...

Yeah..took me like a year to realize that no matter how much better i get there is always another beat or summit to attempt.. i bet even guys like Gadd (who i think is the greatest living drummer right now) has moments of.. "Man... i know i can get this groove just a TINY bit better if i work at it..." Luckily i still love it though :) And it makes me feel great when i actually focus on something and see results (which for me right now is shuffles.. it's still horrible but i see it getting better) :)
 
The “I’m so cool” phase ended really sharpish for me once I started gigging and recording regularly; I always felt I could’ve/should’ve done better whether it was a particular tune, or my overall performance. I think I spent too much time comparing myself to masters of the craft when I was younger. Looking back though I can see that I did my best with what I had at the time. I don’t think I’ll ever lose the desire to improve and I still enjoy the instrument as much as I did when I first sat behind a kit. Keep smashing it!:D(y)
 
Though I have no outside motive to ultimately recite or demonstrate my chops in studio or live performances -

I do care about self improvement and continuing education of the craft.
With that, it doesn’t take much to inspire me to sit down, learn, and shed.
 
As a kid and as a young drummer I wanted to rule the world playing metal (hey MTV, 🖕, it dont work that way). Then I actually started working as a metal musician. One does not play metal to pay the bills.

I am very selfish with my instrument at this point in life. I'm in do what I want mode. I gave up making music in 2002 and ever since then it's back to learning. I dont want to rule the world anymore, only satisfy myself. And I'm rather stubborn and picky, so there is still a ton of work to do.

I like to look back in time and see that I didnt know 💩 even though I thought I did. Some day I'll look back at today and feel the same way, even though today I feel I know more than I did yesterday.
 
When I started out I wanted to play all the great songs on the radio (remember that) actual lessons only focused on rudiments - which were so boring, and at school we were playing classical music (for those that aren't familiar drum parts in classical music, is literally, 56 measures rest, 2 measures of drums, 76 measures rest 1 measure of bass drum, etc. taught me how to count really well! And as you get to measure 55, and the entire drum section stands readying to play those all important beats, the instructor stops the band and says, "Great. Let's go back to measure 25 I want to listen to the oboes.") I was self taught, I did pick up things here and there but my focus was learning the songs. I could tell when I went out to listen to bands, in those days, the male drummers were better, they'd mastered independence, and had all of those tell tale 'jazz' tricks. I knew I would never be that good. But having just successfully made it through an audition a couple of days ago, learning the songs on the radio was the prefect thing to focus on.
 
I've been playing all my life. I recently switched to percussion. In many ways, it's like starting all over again.
 
I thought I was a good drummer in my teens/early 20s, then I heard Billy Cobham. Then I saw Simon Phillips. Then I realized I was years or decades from playing anything like these guys. I had no clue how these guys got to be that good (practicing 8 hours a day was not on my grid).

Decades later, I play very simple patterns and people love it. They move and dance and smile and that is good enough for me.
 
Mighty_Joker said:
I actually really like this post, it strikes a very personal chord with me.

In my mid 20s, I was determined to be the "best in the world". I wanted to be the next Dave Weckl, and was always frustrated at my shortcomings.

These days, a decade later, I have embraced my path in the art form itself, and, as you suggest, it is far more rewarding in and of itself. I no longer concern myself with my image, how "good" I am, how I compare with others. Instead, I concern myself with bettering my own understanding, and doing my best to master my craft.

Good for you for making this breakthrough. Keep going!
Click to expand...

This! About 10 years ago, when I came back to drumming after a long hiatus, I would get down on myself after watching local drummers, all of whom played circles around me. I know the "why" of it, its was still difficult to wrap my mind around.

After a few years of playing regularly with a great group of people, and enjoying ourselves immensely, I've finally gotten it in my brain that I can still be a "good" drummer without being a technically amazing one. I try and serve the song and the band, and enjoy myself.

To the original post, I dont know if I ever found the "cool" part. I don't think I've ever been considered "cool", lol. Being able to make music, with great friends, and have people enjoy coming to see us...that's pretty cool tho
 
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Mighty_Joker said:
I actually really like this post, it strikes a very personal chord with me.

In my mid 20s, I was determined to be the "best in the world". I wanted to be the next Dave Weckl, and was always frustrated at my shortcomings.

These days, a decade later, I have embraced my path in the art form itself, and, as you suggest, it is far more rewarding in and of itself. I no longer concern myself with my image, how "good" I am, how I compare with others. Instead, I concern myself with bettering my own understanding, and doing my best to master my craft.

Good for you for making this breakthrough. Keep going!
Click to expand...
This!
I learned long ago to enjoy the instrument for me & others will benefit from that enjoyment.
It's worked well so far.

Keep on keeping on, brother!
 
when I was real young, I wanted to drum to impress my dad, and cute girls in the neighborhood
in my teens, I wanted to impress the other guys in my band, other bands we played with...and cute girls at shows
in my 20's, I wanted to impress record company execs, other bands to tour with, and my self (by that time, I had realized that girls don't like overweight metalhead drum nerdz, and was fine with that)
in my 30's, I was still trying to impress record company execs, and now students
in my 40's, I wanted to get a house, toys to play with in retirement, and still wanted to impress myself
in my 50's, still learning new things....the journey never stops...still trying to impress myself

I also did the school band (concert/classical) thing from 4th grade till senior year, as well as private lessons, college music degree, rock bands; writing ; arranging; teaching middle, high scchool and college;....there has NEVER been a part of drumming/music that was boring to me. I just find absolute Zen with music and rhythm around me..

The worst times:
- any day in freshman year band, waiting for the director to "listen to the oboes again" ;)
- or getting held up in DC in the alley after a gig;
- or not making music school the first time;
- or getting turned down by multiple record companies
- playing Wagon Wheel or Mustang Sally for the jillionth time
- or getting rejected by every cute girl...

were all great learning experiences that, in reality, gave me a better life afterward.

Very early on in my life, my dad, and both of my grandfathers taught me that every moment was a learning experience; everymoment had positive and negative attached to it, and it was up to me to figure out how to see and use this to my advantage.

Dad used to say: "Shut up and listen"...
both grandpa's would say "Shut Up and Learn"...it's not about "You"...it is about "Us"

I was pretty lucky
 
The "impressive" stage...the sooner it can be over with, the better. Anybody who completely side-stepped this has my admiration. Playing for the wrong motivations doesn't work nearly as well as playing for the right motivations.
 
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