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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
 
@shadorne : "Use a soft or gel practice pad - less rebound forces you to use better technique."

It is interesting that you mention that because when I watch videos of these guys demonstrating various rudiments and how fast they can do them the practice pads they are using look and sound hard as a rock. Heck, I'm pretty fast too if I'm banging on a wooden desk top.

Currently with this electric drum kit it is simple to remove the smallish snare unit from the rack and use it is a practice pad. It has a mylar head which feels less tight than real snares I have seen.

I will look up the exercises you mention. 

I've got the Sound Brenner app on phone but the control unit on these electric drums have a great built in metronome which I use most of the time.

One problem I'm having real difficulty with is that I can't get the snare settings right. In other words, each strike sounds about the same. It is hard to differentiate a ghost note, from an accent, from a regular strike. I've messed with the trigger and threshold settings but just can't get it right. I may have to post on the Alesis forums to see what others have done but it could just be the limitation of a cheap electric kit.

I probably need to take lessons just so I can get some time on an acoustic set.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,249 posts
 

@n80, you've discovered the main failing of electronic drums, that of dynamic graduation. Don't worry about that for now, there's nothing to be done.

Excellent advice from shadorne, the George Stone book is the standard. He also brought up the wrist, which is SO important. You can spot an untrained drummer a mile away by his use of the elbows as his "fulcrum" rather than his wrists. "Snapping" your wrist creates a much more "percussive" sound than playing from your elbow (the snare drum really "Pops!"), plus will allow you to play with less effort. Sure, you can raise your arm up high and slam it down to play louder, but snap your wrist just as the stick approaches the drumhead. It makes a huge difference in the sound produced: much more "attack", even if the SPL created is equivalent.

While I'm here, a musical tip: Everybody learns by watching and listening to others, and some things we do, we do so without thinking of the "why". We play things simply because we have learned "That's how you're supposed to play". It wasn't until I heard Levon Helm's playing on the first two Band albums that I realized one doesn't have to do what every other drummer was doing in the late-60's: hitting a crash cymbal at the end of EVERY fill. Levon didn't unless doing so served a musical purpose, just one piece of musical wisdom I learned from The Master. I then noticed the same was true of my favorite studio drummers: Hal Blaine, Jim's Gordon and Keltner, Roger Hawkins (who plays a killer press roll, which he uses brilliantly), Al Jackson, Earl Palmer, other greats.

The better the musicians, singers, and songwriters you are working with, the more they will notice and appreciate not just what you do play, but what you don't. The number one complaint about drummers is over-playing. Play in service to the song, the singer, and the other instruments, and you will be in demand.

n80 OP
2,133 posts
 
I've pretty much given up on Audiogon because of the heavy handed and arbitrary moderating but I wanted to come back to this thread to give an update since you guys are the ones who encouraged me to dabble in drums for the first time at age 56.
I've been practicing at least an hour every day, usually closer to two either on the kit or on the practice pad.
I bought the George Stone Stick Control book and I'm playing through it. Playing each of 24 exercises on a page for 1 minute each playing one page every day for one week.
I signed up for a paid online drum course called Drumeo which is extremely well done and well thought out.
Learning fills, beats, shuffles along with basic rudiments and limb independence exercises. All with the metronome most of the time.

Working on some play-alongs.
Can play through two rock/blues songs pretty accurately and reliably.
Have a homemade PA system that I like better than headphones. (75w Onkyo home theater receiver, giant B&W powered (200w) subwoofer and a set of old Bose bookshelves.) With a little tuning it works great and obviously I can keep the volume where I want it.
Enjoying this more than I thought I would. In fact, when I'm not practicing I'm watching how-to videos etc.
Because of that I'm not spending much time with my hi-fi system, sadly.
I still feel a little frustrated by the limitations of the e-kit. It just seems that no amount of tuning triggers and thresholds will get the subtlety out of the high hat and snare that I'm looking for. I might even pick up a real hi-hat and snare just to see.
Anyway, thanks for the advice and encouragement. I'm having a lot of fun. I have no real plans to do anything with this but you never know.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,418 posts
 
Glad to hear about your commitment to practice, and sounds like you're having fun. A real high hat sounds like a great idea.

You'll be missed on the forum.
Jim.

still_c's avatar
still_c
1 posts
 
Did you take any lessons? I mean last year it must have been difficult. Cause my son is into drums and while we were stuck at home he had his classes online (oh heavens luckily his set is can be connected with headphones). Anyway, I hope you succeeded. 
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