The Official Drummer "Welcome" Thread

[weckl-x]

Here's something to make it easier for someone new to soft to introduce themselves and join in the chit-chat, as it can be daunting to join in a discussion halfway. Or to suddenly pop in the "Show us your kit" thread with a picture. If you're out there, and lurking, come in here and say "RLRR LRLL!"

Some ideas if you can't think of what to say:

-No. of years you've been playing (yes, even if it was just yesterday that you first started, please say hi! all of us started somewhere)
-How you got started (yes, tell the whole story, no matter how short/long)
-Favourite drummers/bands/influences
-Favourite groove (if you can identify one, tab it out if you must)
-Musical goals (what you hope to achieve musically, short-term, long-term)
-Musical achievements (Don't paiseh, I don't have any :lol
-Favourite drum/cymbal/stick/toiletpaper brand
-
-

Whatever goes lah

Where can you go from this thread?
Find out more about attending our Meets in the How-To section. Over there, you can get to know real people for real.

 

[metzalx]

Lol nice thread.

Basically, self-learning drums for 3+ years, played on a drumset only twice, practises on office chairs, will start formal lessons on 11 April with the Electrico drummer, so...Yay.

I got started after...Nvm. I can't remember.

Matt McDonough (Mudvayne), Neil Peart (Rush), Tre Cool (Green Day), Barrett Gardner (32 Leaves), Buddy Rich (Buddy Rich Big Band), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Dave Grohl (Nirvana), Jimmy Sullivan (Avenged Sevenfold), etc.

Love the drums for the song "World So Cold" by Mudvayne. Can't tab it out, too complicated. Haha.

Into Pearl drums, Vater sticks, Zildjian cymbals, and Royal toiletpaper.

 

[miss_ene]

Hello! I just picked up the drums really recently. Been a dream to learn how to play the drums so finally got my act together. I guess it's never too old to learn? 8)

Am now thinking if I should get my own drums to practise since my lessons are once a week for only an hour. It flies by really quickly!

Oh and yes, I'm from Singapore

 

[refused]

ahh

hello. i've picked up the drums around 1+ years. self learning, and some help of a friend. i've got started ever since i saw my friend playing some cool drum stuff during their jamming session.

influences are tre cool (green day), travis barker (blink 182, +44), The Rev Jimmy Sullivan (a7x), Travis Smith (Trivium), paul koehler (silverstein), lars ulrich (metallica), steve jocz (sum 41), joey jordison(slipknot,etc), etc.

erm.. i love the drums for the song annihilation by the hands of god by roadrunner united. can't tab it out though. too complicated. haha.

musical achievements?? i don't have any i'm afraid. :roll:

well, i'm into zildjian cymbals, tama drums, zildjian/ahead sticks. uh yaah.

That's all i think. :lol:

 

[jesperz]

Whoa.. Cool stuff..

I wanna say RLRRLL can or not? or RLRLRR LRLRLL?

Anyway, here is my intro of myself...

-No. of years you've been playing
I started playing since i was in sec 3, that was 2002, June 4th if i am not wrong

-How you got started?
I am very interested in music since i was an infant. But the thing is, in the past, when my parents enrolled me into classical piano lessons, or organ lessons, i would just quit in 4 to 5 lessons. During Primary 4, I saw my pri school's brass band, there was a guy playing the drumset, i tot that was cool.. Always wanted to sit behind a kit and just play.

-Favourite drummers/bands/influences
Whoa.. Alot.

Drummers will be Buddy Rich, Steve Smith, Dennis Chamber, Tony Royster, Nat Townsley, Bill Bruford, Akira Jimbo, Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Terry Bozzio, Joe Morello, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart and some others I can't think of it right now cause its 1.41am.. Brain is dead now...

-Favourite groove (if you can identify one, tab it out if you must)

The funky ones... With some ghost notes on snares.. Like Boom Chick chick Boom CHA! Chaka Boom Chick chick boom CHA! TING TING! BISH!

-Musical goals (what you hope to achieve musically, short-term, long-term)
Short term:
Play well in my band
Get a Zil-Bel
ORD to practice more
Get my Steve Gadd's riff right

Mid Term Goal:
Buy a new Iron Cobra Double Pedal
Hopefully my band can get somewhere
Improve my standard of drumming till i can play something decent from Dennis Chamber

Long Term Goal:
My dream Drumset
Play like Buddy Rich and all the drummers I've named, incorperate and mix around to be my type of voice.
Mix around well in soft, so we can do some side projects while having fun musically, provided i must reach my 2nd long term goal.

-Musical achievements

Er... Grade 6 Music Theory by ABRSM?
2nd Upper hon in recording arts?
Played in Yamaha Scholarship band?

Is this what you mean?

-Favourite drum/cymbal/stick/toiletpaper brand

That will be Yamaha Absolute Maple Novenu (Cherry red 1) Been playing yamaha since from the start. Only my home's set is Pearl RT. Not bad la.. Unique sound...

Tama for Hardwares, esp their pedals

Cymbals will be Zildjian. Been playing zildjian in yamaha from the start.

Been switching around Zildjian -> Vic Firth -> Pro-mark -> Zildjian... But I ended up with Pro-Mark. Not really satisfy with that 5A Millenium II Nylon Tip.. Ideal would be Rounded Nylon tip 1 5A!

Toilet Paper wise.. I have been using Royal Premium Heavy Weight

 

[shred5]

Cool post..

Abt my musical journey:
Been playing drums seriously but no formal lesson for 5 years. Seriously as in playing with a band that's gigging ard, recording our music, etc.. I'm not a "rudiment" trained guy so don't ask me abt double stroke, paradiddle, triplets, quadruplets, ratamacue or whatever.

This may seem surprising but this is how I see my drumming as. Whenever we wrote new songs, I would crank my brain to suit the song/s. Always drenching my brain juice to think abt what kind of drum patterns/licks/chops to apply to that certain parts of the songs. And VOILA!! without me realising that, it works.

Main style of music: Rock and Metal

Favourite drummers:
Fuh .. Take a deep breath. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Daniel Erlandson (Arch Enemy), Jojo Mayer (Nerve), Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Vinnie Paul (Pantera/ Damageplan), Mike Bordin (Faith No More / Ozzy Osbourne), Morgan Rose (Sevendust), Faizal (Ex-Manifest Drummer), Shahril (Ossuary), Elvin Jones R.I.P and lots more..

Musical Goal:
To become a better drummer today than yesterday.. How?? Hit more and hit harder..

Drums Hardware:
Cymbals: Too long to list but not as much as Drum Hobbyist..
All Sabians:
Hats: 14” AAX Stage Hats
Ride: 22” HH Rock Ride, 20” HH Medium Ride,

Crash: 18” AAXplosion Crash, 18” AA Metal-X Crash, 18” HHXtreme crash, 17” HHXplosion Crash, 16” HHX Power Crash,

Effects:
10” Paragon Splash, 10” HH Splash, 8” AA Splash, 14” HHX Evolution Mini Chinese, 17” AAXtreme Chinese, 18” HH Chinese
18” Wuhan China, 16” Wuhan China

Snares: 14x5 Pearl Masters Retrospec, 14x8 Pearl Vinnie Paul Signature Series

Pedals: Pearl Eliminators Double Pedal (Belt Drive)

 

[drumusiclover]

RLRR LRLL!

Hello

-No. of years you've been playing
I just started learning drums recently. but i was very very interested in drums for a long long time, and i still am.
-Favourite drummers/bands/influences
Haven really came up with the favourites, still exposing to many different styles etc. But i like Gregg Bissonette, Jojo Mayer, Benny Greb
-Musical goals
Get my own drumkit and practice hard
-Favourite drum/cymbal/stick/toiletpaper brand
No preference yet. Got money to buy then say. haha :lol:

 

[guavava]

Another newbie breaking the silence..

-Years of dating drums
Started learning mid last yr but stopped due to work commitments. Juz started lessons again 2 months ago

-How it bloomed
Was always interested in music since i was young but parents forbid coz they insisted tt it would affect my studies (which is crap). Main interested was in piano until sec sch days when i saw people drum.. the love grew but never happened. After many years I'm finally old enough to afford my own lessons and pursue my own interest. Like miss_ene says: 'it's never too old to learn' heh

-Goals
Save up for my own drums, get my sucky timing right and just enjoy drumming

 

[xenOgenesis]

hello....hmm i started drumming around the start of this year..january..yeah haha

attended a church, got to know people from their music ministry. actually intended to learn guitar from them cos i had an acoustic one at home.
went for a fellowship dinner, got to know their drummer and wala, he introed drums to me and who knows? i loved drumming the moment i set my hands on the stick and drummed.

my favorite drummers...Tony Royster Jr and Kai from the GazettE.
tonys dam cool. imo, he easily pawned other professionals out there just at the age of 12 and now that hes grown up, hes a legend.
Kai..i like his style of drumming. hes got a feel. to me, both Tony and Kai has their own unique style when drumming ;DDDD
currently just a die hard fan of GazettE. haha

groove...im still an amateur...still working on it. hahas
become more pro in drums, my band to excel and eh, get famous in the music industry? =p

hmms. i dont know much of drumset brands yet. but i prefer snares to be of a flatter sound. like just a "thak" instead of the splatter sound.
crashes..normal crashes..higher pitched ones..a splash ....chinaboy(my favorite =DDD) oh oh, 2 pedals. still working on 2 pedals though. haha and the height of my hi-hat is pretty high. haha

i prefer zildjians anti-vibe sticks.

tts all...hope to meet you guys somewhere some day ;DDD
cheers all~

 

[caijunlong]

I've started learning to play drums only when I was 17. I'm 19 now. So it's about 1 plus years.

I learnt drums from my guitarist. I was taught to play hi hat with my left hand and play snare with my right. Thus, I'm still playing that way now. I never see it as a problem til I realise I can't do fill ins. From then I figure things through websites like vicfirth.com

My favourite drummers are Steve Gadd, Steve Smith etc.
The reason why I remember them is because both of them has 'Steve' in their name. Personally I love Steve Smith playing the most.

My influence of music ranges from alternative, indie to funk to metal. I can't play jazz. I can't do swing, shuffle, triplets and everything that you can name it. Ha.

My goal in drumming is to learn every different genre. I don't wish to be a drummer who can only plays rock and metal. I want to be diverse in drumming because I will never know what satisfaction another genre of playing can gives me.

My BIGGEST Musical Achievement is that I live in a HDB flat and no neighbours have complained the noise I created from playing before. :lol:

I have a Paiste dimension 16" crash and a Sabian Paragon 22" Ride. My hi-hats is a combination of paiste 302 top and 402 bottom. Surprisingly, it sounds quite good, I think.

I used to think Iron Cobra is a very good pedal until I tried Frummer's flying Dragon.

I have a bad habit of not lubricating my pedals and not polishing my cymbals until they rust. But after a lesson with D_H, I've learnt that I should have done that right after I buy to coat a protective layer.

I like thin and light sticks. I like to adjust my hi hat to the same height as my snare. I like my snare to be above my waist, slightly below my belly button.


I'm really glad to that RD has initiated a drum meet up on every third Saturday of the month. That is the time where Softies(drummers) meet and exchange/share all our knowledge on drums. It doesn't matter whether one is a rock drummer, death metal drummer, jazz drummer or latin etc. It also doesn't matter if you're 15 or 46. When all drummers meet, we have fun and share our common interest together.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new drummers who have joined this forum and invite them to come for our 6th Drum Meet up. For more information, you may check out the How-To-Drum section. Trust me, we'll all be friends after one meet up.

 

[Phat_Phunk]

RLRLRLRLRLRLRL RRRRRRRLLLLLLL

Hi hi hi! My prayers have been answered cos I found u guys....online anyway. Ever tried talking about drums to guitarists? Hehe...

Anyhow, I first sat behind a drumkit back when I was in Sec 2...and that was in 1989. Accidentally some more! Haha...cos the band I was trying out for back then was trying out drummers and bassists. I was ehem, supposed to try out for bass. Anyways, the only drummer trying out that day went AWOL...I couldn't play bass for nuts so bulls**t my way into trying the drums instead. And I've been stuck behind the almighty drumkit ever since.

Took formal lessons only once in my drumming life and that too was only last year. Been teaching myself all this while and picking up tips from watching and talking to other drummers. Drum lessons on hiatus now cos not enuff $$$$ to go around u know...wanna set aside some for contemporary percussion lessons for now.

My fav drummers? Just too damn many man! Forget about listing them down...probably make you fall asleep before I'm done! Haha!

I don't really have a particular groove that I really like but I've been trying to pull off the Rosanna shuffle for ages. Still can't do it properly after all these years. Sigh.

I hope to achieve many things in drumming and music in general. Whether they are realistic or not is another matter altogether.

I don't play the drums for a living, I have commitments to attend to outside of music ( kids, day job, traffic fines, etc ) and I've never had the luxury of parental and family support in the pursuit of my passion. In fact I even had to hide the fact that I'm playing drums from my dad when I was growing up. I still have the occasional argument with my parents regarding my passion ( which of course they think no self respecting husband and father should be "indulging" in ). That I'm still playing ( and recording now and then) to this day, without fame and fortune is what I believe to be my greatest musical achievement.

Fav gear? I'm partial to hardware from Pearl and Tama cos they're just so damn solid! Haf to go with Pearl for drums because I find that even the lower end kits like the Export ( which I'm currently whacking at home ) sounds great for most applications...with good heads and tuning lah of cos. My workhorse is my Pearl Dennis Chambers Sig snare drum. I use that baby on everything from heavy metal gigs to semi-acoustic wedding shows. And she can handle it all! Currently using Sabians and Zildjians for cymbals but eyeing Meinl for the future.

Phew! Sorry for the overly long intro dudes. Got a bit carried away I guess!
Once again...a humongous HI to everybody! :supz:

 

[DjKitz]

Heee ~

Hi ! i started to play drum in year 2003.. and till now 2007.. no improvement due to no practice on those basic stuff and no drum kits at home.. i cant even play a good single stroke.. timing suck,hand and leg not enough fast..*sigh*

Hmm i got started after i watch Beyond Concert live in Malaysia KL 2003.. so my big influence is from there.. after that i knew my frd that learn guitar in church for free ! so i asked him that either there is a drum onot and i wan to learn it for free !! so end up i learn drum from the church for 1 year++ and i learn to read drum note in JS MUSIC *KL*..

Em.. Fav Drummer of coz YIP SAI WING(Beyond) big influence
and now Dave lombardo(Slayer),Chris Adler(Lamb Of God),JOEY JORDISON(Slipknot),Tre Cool(Greenday),Lars Ulrich(Metallica) and er.. alot drummer from Death,Trash,Speed metal like Meshuggah,Mayhem,Machine Head.. *Double Pedal Freak* but i cant reach that level..

Ahh.. my Music Goal is.. can play double pedal like Joey,Dave and Chris !! and can jam alot of metal SONGS !

hehe no music archievements.. don't even know music theory

Hmm I got Ahead Drumstick 5A,Vic Firth 5A,Tama Rhythm Watch 105,Gibraltar Practice Bass Pad *still looking for double pedal*.. Vic Firth Practice pad..

Uhmm ~ Thats All.. hope 1 day i can meet u guys in the drum meeting nice forum.. heee

 

[sugarFREEd]

RRLLRLRL!

Hi ya'll =)

Been fascinated wit drums 2 years back but never really got started til recently, ie a month or 2 ago when I finally got my own set!

Tried many kinda instruments and finally found love in drums, how it drives the band and yet stays in that inconspicuous little corner, humble yet crazily exciting! And I know how guys seem to dominate the drummin' scene but heyy, we girls're stepping out! Trying to..

Favourite drummers/bands/influences: Buddy Rich, Thomas Lang, Jojo Mayer...Glenn Kotche for being so weird.

Musical goals: Gettin' my basics right before anything else..expanding e creativity, stick tricks XD, and when I get better I'd love to play solely for the Lord =)

Musical achievements: Don't have any! or like what caijunlong said "I live in a HDB flat and no neighbours have complained the noise I created from playing before."

Favourite drum/cymbal/stick/toiletpaper brand: Vic Firth Sticks! Haven't got fav. drum brand but I think Meinl cymbals are sweet. Okay, what's toiletpaper ?

 

[fiqqo]

Hey ppl.

Well i started playing the drums like 7 years ago, started with lessons at contempo for a while, i left and played percussion in the school band. But i'm a terribly inconsistent and lazy drummer so i haven't really improved much over the years. so yeah you could say i'm a noob. anyway i recently bought my own set, and i'm really proud of it. it's not exactly brand new but i'm happy that at least i got my own set to play and practice on whenever i want to.

Favourite drummers : Thomas Lang, Jojo Mayer, Tony Royster Jr...

Musical goals : Make it to perform in the Singapore DrumFest somewhere in this lifetime

Musical achievements : getting first prize in my sec sch talentime? lol

Favourite stuff : MAPEX!!!!! absolutely awesome-est stuff in the world! sabian cymbals, vic firth sticks

 

[Promisesnlies]

Most drummers tend to be hot...

 

[emman91]

well this is intresting

well my real name is emmanuel. can call me emman for short

played for abt 1yr4mths?

well started in church thought by afew friends.after awhile started experimenting with new stuff and well went 4 clinics n learn many new stuff frm there.

favourite band would be dave matthews band,Carter Beauford
genre more of blues.

LLRR (doubles strokes) not v.good though still going slow

music goals would be mayb play for some local band some day.
hardly achived much but yea still play for church ^_^

favourite cymbal would b turkish aft hearing my frens turkish hats.
favourite kit would be my soon to be entry kit mapex q series

yea tts e most abt me.
intresting tread btw compliments

 

[Perishz]

(didnt realise such a thread actually existed...and i was jus popping in on threads like what was mentioned...felt really weird)

anyway here goes,

I was previously playing bass for about 2 years but i didnt find myself really getting better in the aspects of improving and understanding music. There wasn't that much drive and motivation..

How it all started was when i started listening and watching led zeppelin on DVD. Their sound was totally different from the usual G n R, Bon jovi kinda rock. At that point of time, all that i saw was John Bonham being all loud and fast. And being a bass player helped me understand that the grooves behind the songs of Led zeppelin were a feat nonetheless - definitely not sth of a normal 4/4 rock groove. Even if it was, it didnt seem like it.. Dynamically so to put. Led zeppelin live was so INTENSE.

So i started and a friend who was from the military band taught me the basics of playing a rock beat. So from there it all started.....

Was reading up and watching alot on the net. Got to a point i felt pretty stuck and i wasnt improving much like i wanted to. That was when i said to myself i needed a mentor/guide. I enrolled myself into the Music Lab.

It's been 2-3 months by far, alvin has helped widen my understanding of music on the whole - not jus drumming alone. So kudos to him !!

About gear and all that,

I bought a Pearl Vision kit recently. Was previously playing a Carlos.

Some cymbals from Turkish n Paiste that i have.

Drum favs : John Bonham, Chad smith, Steve gadd, Steve Smith, Jojo mayer....and More to come.

that's pretty much my story.

PS : about toilet papers i dont know.

 

[alvyn]

hi guys, alvyn here started out drumming back towards the end of secondary 2 back in uh... 2000 if i'm not wrong... i took up drumming to piss my parents off cuz i was taking piano at that time. P finished it eventually with a grade 8, barely scraped by tho) started out playing blink182, and a whole lot of really kiddy songs.

my influences are mainly rock and funk drummers, including ian paice, carter beauford, john blackwell, teddy campbell, gordon campbell... a couple more but i'm too lazy to list em down.

got my 1st kit... a tama stagestar (which i'm still using btw!), then proceeded to slowly upgrade every single other upgradable parts til i have what im using today (check my sig )

i'm currently playing for 3 bands - my own band shakenotstirred, a top40s cover band, NUS CAC band, and KRockers, my hall band in Kent Ridge hall.

favourite toilet paper brand... the 2ply kind. soft and supple. mmm nice.

 

[plainsman]

hey alvyn,

welcome and hope to see you at our regular monthly drum exchange meetups!

we have guys from all skills levels, sharing their personal experiences in their journey of drumming. hope you'll drop by if you have the time. please do check back our thread on soft drum exchange in the 'How-To' Drums section. See you around!

cheers

 

[Blu]

-No. of years you've been playing (yes, even if it was just yesterday that you first started, please say hi! all of us started somewhere)

Started early last year.

-How you got started (yes, tell the whole story, no matter how short/long)

I saw a few drum videos on Youtube and fell in love.

-Favourite drummers/bands/influences

My brother

-Favourite groove (if you can identify one, tab it out if you must)

Not so sure...

-Musical goals (what you hope to achieve musically, short-term, long-term)

Earn a living by playing drums.

-Musical achievements (Don't paiseh, I don't have any )

lol. The first professional gig I got was me banging a cowbell along to a samba beat and looking horrible on tv.

-Favourite drum/cymbal/stick/toiletpaper brand

I like Pro-mark drumsticks most. Light and comfortable.