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Take up drums at age 56?

I know this technically has nothing to do with high end audio but I know there are some drummers here that might be able to help me along here....or tell me to skip it altogether. And it does have to do with music.

I'm almost embarrassed to even post this. I'm 56. I have never played a musical instrument other than dabbling with a harmonica. I do not read music. I am certain that I'll never perform for anyone or play in a band.

But I've always wanted to play drums.

And now I have enough money to get a simple cheap used drum kit and I have a basement that is isolated enough to not bother the neighbors. (I actually have an acquaintance who refurbishes used drums who can probably hook me up).

So I have a couple of questions:

1) Can you teach yourself to play drums? Alone or with YouTube etc? Are actual lessons required? Can I skip the practice pad and start with a kit?

2) Is there any point? In other words, even if I were to learn to play are the drums the kind of instrument that you sit down and play for your own pleasure the way you would a guitar?

My realistic expectation is that I'd get a simple kit. Try to do something with it. Find that it is much harder to do than it looks, especially for a guy with two left feet. It sits in the basement for a while and then I sell it for a big loss but hopefully at least happy that I tried it.

Any other thoughts on the matter?

(If totally inappropriate for this site I have no problem removing the post.....especially if someone points me to a better site for the topic.)


n80
n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
Thanks for the additional advice guys.

Took my wife by the music store today to see if the kit was still there. It was. She looked at it and said "$450? I thought you said it was $800. You better get it so it doesn’t get sold."

It is sitting in my living room right now. I feel a bit silly.

I wish I could do an acoustic kit but the volume would just be so prohibitive.

A couple of observations:

1) The sound quality through the headphones is uncanny. Each drum and cymbal actually sound located where they are.

2) The high hat is weird in terms of open vs closed strikes. Something isn’t quite right. It is not a malfunction; it is mentioned in a number of reviews. I’ll need to read the manual.

3) I’ve been practicing some basic rudiments. My left hand is a real problem. Not near the finesse and control of my right. That is going to take work.

4) I know a lot of this has to do with grip and fingering but the snare does not seem to have the rebound of a real snare. Doing single stroke rudiments the sticks do not rebound as briskly as I’d want. Could be all from lack of technique. We’ll see. The drum heads can be adjusted with a key. Not sure how tightly it is safe to adjust them though. Again, I need to find the manual and read it.

5) I need to do some reading about body position, arm position, throne position and snare position. I can already tell just doing rudiments that it is important but don’t think I have it quite right.


bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,986 posts
 
@n80, when you're ready to get yourself an acoustic set, give me a call. I restore and sell vintage (50's & 60's) American drums. Right now I have 20 or so kits, some of which I'm willing to let go; Ludwig, WFL, Camco, Radio King, maybe Gretsch.
n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
Thanks @bdp24 .

I will keep that in mind. Noticed that a lot of the local blues bands in Mississippi used Gretsch. Maybe a coincidence, I don't know.

However, this Alesis kit has mylar drum heads and steel cymbals and even though it is way quieter than an acoustic set, it can still be heard throughout the house, even now that I'm in the basement. They make 'mesh' heads that a quieter but I'm not spending any more money on this right now. So it would be a while before I could realistically bring an acoustic kit home. I like the convenience of this electric set....but would really like to go acoustic eventually. 

We'll have to see where this goes.

Working on rudiments via YouTube. Struggling with some of the paradiddles and flams. I'll get them for a second or two then think about it and screw up. 


bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,986 posts
 

Yup @n80, drums are loud! Useta drive my dad nuts; one day he came into my room when I was playing along with Charlie Watts on "Satisfaction" and told me "I said you could practice, not do this."

One reason Gretsch are big in the South is they're made in South Carolina. Or at least they have been for awhile. Originally they were made in Brooklyn, New York. Lots of 50's-60's Jazz drummers played Gretsch, as did Levon Helm of The Band. Some guys who have endorsement deals with other drum companies play Gretsch in the studio, Jeff Porcaro (L.A. studios, Toto) for one. Their shell design is excellent, and they've always fitted their drums with die cast hoops.

n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
Update: I'm enjoying this. Practicing and playing for a couple of hours a day sometimes. Not spending enough time on rudiments though. Working on 'independence" exercises. That's where you work on getting your right arm to do different things from your right foot, etc. That is not going well and I have to slow it down to a crawl to get it right and even then don't get it right for long. I'll stick with it since its fun. But I'm not sure I'll ever conquer that issue.

Although, I did finally get heel-and-toe downshifting at the racetrack and it is now second nature so there may be hope for me.

It is fun to play along with music. I can turn the music up enough that I can't hear how awful I'm doing. 
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