Self-taught drummers

[metzalx]

In my opinion I think proper education is really important. I self-taught myself for 2 years before finding myself a teacher and until today I kept regretting wasting those 1st 2 years away. My first year with Gordon was the most precious. I made a HUGE leap in that one year and realised how important it is to have someone sitting there watching everything I did (down to the slightest last finger twitch).

Although the internet serves as a huge resource for all of us, I still think it is a must to have proper guidance in the first years. The biggest difference between self-teaching and having an instructor is having someone to watch your intial steps of development. You can easily buy yourself some really cool bad-arse habits in those first few months....

Rodney Holmes is one great example. Although his music education kinda stopped after high school (according to his bio he rejected a music scholarship to Long Island University), he did have teachers during those high school years before going out on his own....

So...I think teachers are precious. In fact, if I have the money & time to spare...I would love to fly over to states for more lessons!! But I can only dream for now...sigh...

I agree totally, man. My interest in drums was sparked off in early 2004, self-taught myself until April this year when my mum finally allowed me to take lessons. From April until now, in around 6 months, I learnt much more than I did in the past 3 years, like proper bass drum technique (REALLY proper) and stuff.

IMO, if you want to go out on your own, its best to have someone there to guide you along first, with all the basics and proper technique, before you actually start to guide yourself.

Without proper foundation, your building won't be strong.

 

[shaneypants]

Thinking of taking up lessons at The Music Lab. I've been playing for 2 years without lessons. Can someone enlighten me about how Music Lab charges their individual lessons?

 

[blurred]

i believe they will teach u for a portion of ur soul.

alfie and alvin are excellant teachers.
when do u want to start taking lessons?

 

[alvinthedrummer]

Hey, you can always call 63382991 to find out more about lesson fees and time...we're a real friendly bunch!! Promise!!

Alfe is great (Mon & Thurs evenings) , Johan (Sundays) is great but don't forget our bro Mark too!! He should be back in a month's time perhaps?? He will be teaching at the lab too...!! Come check out his soulful drumming methods!!

Eh Blur...when you coming home for good?

 

[jeepers]

alvin you're not teaching already?

 

[blurred]

be back nov 15th, to funk up the island. oh yeahhhhh

 

[alvinthedrummer]

alvin you're not teaching already?

Of course I am....but my weekends are full and weekdays only left with a few afternoon slots...

 

[jeepers]

:twisted:.

 

[DullTheater]

hey alvin... must take only one instructor ah?
cannot mix ah?
heeh ee..
like taking driving lesson.. onli one instructor .. hahaha

 

[blurred]

i reckon u can and shld learn from as many people as u can man. diff teachers will have diff strengths

 

[shaneypants]

I'm thinking of taking up lessons soon. My exams end on Thursday and I wanna improve as much as I can with the time I have this holiday. Thanks Alvin and Blurred. I'll call you guys up soon.

 

[blurred]

no prob shaneypants (love the name by the way, thinking of changing mine to blurredurinewhilepissingpants).

nov 15th will be back to attack, and u dun want tht. *i've got the powerrrrrrrrrrr*** all u old skool guys willl know wat i'm going on abt.

 

[MaeHeist]

I'm thinking of taking up lessons soon.

yeah.. its true there a friendly bunch today i went to the music lab for the sole purpose of taking a look at the splash. But then i decided to enquire about the drum lesson that are held there. That makes the two of us. =) oh ya and byw the girl at the coutner is also very friendly too bad i didn't get her name haha.. btw charges are 160 for four lesson X 50 mins need to be completed within 5 weeks which gives u 1 week grace. 180 for busy individuals that are given 4 weeks grace period. thats basically the top line of the "course fees" haha too know more just contact them ah at 63382991.

 

[DullTheater]

charmaine?

 

[jenocide]

i wonder if i did the right thing...have been drumming for some time already.

i dont get to touch a real kit often (cuz its in the studios lol), so i usually practice to the metronome on my GP5. using my sticks, i usually hit it on pillows or phone books lol... then for double pedal practice, i just stomp on the floor lol. but i try to step in a certain rhythm, and try to increase my speed gradually, since i was told to practice with whatever i have at the moment. practicing songs would mean hitting air drums, unless i have enough pillows to represent the snare and the toms.

tips to improve anyone? i wonder if theres a better practice plan?

 

[plainsman]

if possible, try to get regular time in the jamming studio. you definitely need fair amount of time on a drumkit.

maybe 2 x 2 hours per week. more if u can afford it.

form a band, and get regular practice!

find a studio that charges $14 - $15 so each member pays around $6 - $7 per jam. $14 off your weekly allowance shld still be sustainable.

get ur band to develop good jamming habits! setup no more than 10-15 mins then its jam all the way.

plan ur jam, so u workout songs that works out to repertoire, and/or set aside time to just muck around/free jam

hope this helps!

 

[metzalx]

i wonder if i did the right thing...have been drumming for some time already.

i dont get to touch a real kit often (cuz its in the studios lol), so i usually practice to the metronome on my GP5. using my sticks, i usually hit it on pillows or phone books lol... then for double pedal practice, i just stomp on the floor lol. but i try to step in a certain rhythm, and try to increase my speed gradually, since i was told to practice with whatever i have at the moment. practicing songs would mean hitting air drums, unless i have enough pillows to represent the snare and the toms.

tips to improve anyone? i wonder if theres a better practice plan?

Hahahahaha office chairs may do it for you just like it did for me, if you don't have the cash...Pretty good, can adjust height one. :mrgreen:

But one thing is, don't stomp on the floor at night. Although I've been doing it for around 2 years, the neighbour downstairs just started hammering their ceiling recently. I'm guessing its because of me.

Oh, and some studios DO actually offer drum practice. Fourtones has it, around $10/hour. But I think it's not exactly feasible to do it during peak hours, the studio probably won't let you book.

But, if you were to practice on something else other than a drumkit, get a practice pad. It helps a lot, because you aren't going to get a real sense of rebound from pillows. If its too expensive for you, get a Remo Putty (around $30 from Swee Lee, if I remember correctly).

 

[lepak]

haha I think drummer should first be self taught to see if they really love drumming . Then If they do and along they way wanan find out how to do things properly. They need a teacher to only become better. Being self taught at frist gives a sense of independence. Then when u got expiercince on the kit at drum class u will be flying , learning stuff much faster and better, you wont tend to forget the stuff you learnt.

But after all some ppl may love drumming but are not "natrual" drummers. Or shall I say need help to start off, Then they should go ahead and hop in to class.

But this subject also depends on what kind of drumming ur doing. What genre? ahah, I bet theres alot of tough shit in jazz drumming which you will need classes to learn.

hehe thats my opion

 

[jenocide]

right now, i am experimenting with various beats. when i think of something, the lappy comes on, and i'll key it right into GP5 so that i can refer to it when i go home. the idea of deviating is very kewl something like....

normal beat: (assume beat = 120)

1....2....3....4....1....2....3....4....
------------------------------->
time

deviate: (assume beat = 120)

1...D-e-v-i-a-t-e...4
------------------->
time

experimentation FTW!!! =P

 

[DullTheater]

jeno...
care to elaborate??

i dont get your idea, but i myte wanna try