support from ur parents?

[Jei]

does ur parents support u in wat u're doing? like starting a band or paying for ur guitar lessons?

well, for me, i think my parents dun even know wat i'm up to. needless to say, they aren't willing to pay for any lessons that i wanna take, eg. drums. im 15 and not coping well with my sch work already, so i cant get part-time jobs to pay the lessons myself. i've always have great interest in music but do not know how to proceed on. even forming a band is like touching the sky for me cuz all the people around me dun even noe wat's a local band or jamming. well, maybe there is, but only one and we differ in the type of music we like.

i think everything falls back on the lessons thingy. anyone here has or have had the same problem as me?

 

[Silencer]

most people start out having the very same problem. i guess the most important thing you can do now to gain progress in your music is to concentrate on winning some sort of trust from your parents. i guess its easier to demostrate to your parents first that you can handle ur studies on your own, and then ask them to allow you to take up a hobby to try to achieve some sort of balance in your life. As parents, they'll be delighted to hear this kinda thing

also, listen widely, and learn how to familiarize yourself with music scores, charts, notations that sorta thing, if you're intending to one day jam in a good band. it helps that at least a few of you guys can tab down ingenious creations and stuff.

there's no better way to learn drums than to actually play frequently on the real thing itself, and i guess a good way could be like lessons at yamaha (i think its about 100 plus a month for once a week), or jam very often with people around your level. that way, you could learn as you play and the more you play, the better you become. tap to songs you normally listen to, try to listen out to the groove and the rhythm. when you get better, try experimenting with different ways to increase or to change the groove while still flowing with the music.

good luck from one aspiring musician to another!

 

[blahblah]

i share your pain dude, whenever i pick up my guitar my parents tell me not to "waste time" and study. i pay for my own lessons with my own allowance so maybe you could do the same. i dunno...good luck dude

 

[hofner]

Same here....each time my mother and father sees me play the guitar , they will call me mat rock which i feel is kinda umm...offensive. Father always says i can't make a living in singapore being a musician. Whats worst is that i met this satan worshipper and my mum is more careful with the kind of guitarist i go out with. Very stressful indeed. Learn music notation well because its a universal language. i can't read it. Good luck my friend!

 

[Silencer]

hey guys it all sounds damn depressing! don't worry, strive and perseverve! the longer you go at it, the better you guys will get at music! good luck on ur quest at music!

 

[guitar_phreak]

Like what Billy Sheehan said on his clinic,

learn a song that your parents will appreciate and truly entertain them. When was the last time you actually played something for your parents?

Once they get "entertained" they will feel its alright. Hey...it broadens your music horizons too!! I learned a few jazz and oldies hits this way haha.

Once you got the ok...you can lock yourself in your room and do metal or rock all you want.... provided you hit those books and use headphones after bed time.

 

[soft]

Like what Billy Sheehan said on his clinic,

learn a song that your parents will appreciate and truly entertain them. When was the last time you actually played something for your parents?

ha..haa.. this is soooo true!!!

man, i used to play all those cantonese series theme songs! that's the reason why my parents got me to learn music for. Ha..haa..haaa

 

[guitar_phreak]

haha...yeah...that's also where i learn Return of COndor Heros....the Andy Lau version theme song! hahah

 

[Jei]

hahah. thanks for all the encouragement man. :wink: Think i'll have to starting doing the same thing too. maybe i'll start with on my guitar and learn some songs then slowly work on drums. that will be hard though. :?

 

[guitar_phreak]

Bro... drums are harder I guess, not like guitar and stuff. Well, I give you my full support!!!!

 

[dhalif]

my mom is cool with it.. i could blast a stack anytime i want to... but i dont have one.. so why talk bout it? hoha! =D dad fucked off long ago.. so theres no problem with dads.. and.. one more thing.. u dowanna piss your mom.. pls try to hit right notes.. ugly notes are basically.. uh ugly? they will sound irritating after 30 minutes..

 

[The-Warlord]

I suppose i'm lucky...My parents pay for my classical, theory, and electric guitar lessons. My mum also usually buys me some picks or strings when I need them....My parents support my goal in the professional music career fully. In 2 years in my summer break we are planning to go to America to have a look at GIT and talk to them about a Scolarship.....

 

[Lifehouse]

I suppose i'm lucky...My parents pay for my classical, theory, and electric guitar lessons. My mum also usually buys me some picks or strings when I need them....My parents support my goal in the professional music career fully. In 2 years in my summer break we are planning to go to America to have a look at GIT and talk to them about a Scolarship.....

Nice to hear that. But did you consider Berkley?

 

[The-Warlord]

I did, but GIT is the only school I can find that has a specialised course in Heavy Metal guitar....

 

[BF109E]

As a parent myself with a 15-year old son, I always encourage him to learn music or to take up an instrument. Unfortunately he has no interest in it.

I was 15 once and though my parents never did give any support for my music, I learnt it on my own. So I pick up a cheap guitar and practice every night for at least 2 hrs unitl I could play El Condor Pasa ( a very easy Simon and Garfunkel song with mainly two chords only) in 30 days. From then on, I basically bought a songbook (1001 pop songs) and played it from back to front. Of course it helps to listen to lots of music and across different genres.

Joining the school band helps too, as that's where I learn to play the drums, and also have lessons in music theory. The music played may not be great but at least it's a musical environment where you can pick up lessons for free and meet like-minded people who could be potential members in your band fi they share similar tastes in music styles.

 

[Jei]

Bro... drums are harder I guess, not like guitar and stuff. Well, I give you my full support!!!!

im a girl la.. *arbish*

 

[Jei]

i used to be in the military band too but quit when i was sec 2. but i wasn't in the percussions anyway, i played the clarinet. that wouldn't help much in drums anway, would it?

some of u guys mentioned notations. wats notation? is it those type of "tau geh" which u read in the school band?

i really envy people with supportive parents. they can go further faster than people like me without.

 

[soft]

playing the clarinet, would that help in playing the drums? ... hmm.. i guess in a way, it does. In terms of music, even listening to lots of music helps in playing. so the idea is, whatever you do, it can improve playing the drums. Just a matter of knowing it or not.

I used to teach music to adult learners and one little experiment i ask them to do was to brush their teeth with their weaker hand. This will train them in controlling the hand muscle and movement.

ya, notation are those "tau geh" aka bean sprout.

you should read as many books as you can on drumming and at the same time, go practise at the jamming studio. Some charges pretty low during the off peak hours.

 

[Lifehouse]

i used to be in the military band too but quit when i was sec 2. but i wasn't in the percussions anyway, i played the clarinet. that wouldn't help much in drums anway, would it?

some of u guys mentioned notations. wats notation? is it those type of "tau geh" which u read in the school band?

i really envy people with supportive parents. they can go further faster than people like me without.

The only way to improve is to practice with a band. That way, you will be forced to improvise and get a sense of rhythm.

 

[BF109E]

i used to be in the military band too but quit when i was sec 2. but i wasn't in the percussions anyway, i played the clarinet. that wouldn't help much in drums anway, would it?

some of u guys mentioned notations. wats notation? is it those type of "tau geh" which u read in the school band?

i really envy people with supportive parents. they can go further faster than people like me without.

Basically, playing any instrument can help you musically. In terms of timing, rhythmn, tempo etc. In fact, the training can help you to learn more than one instrument.

Even if your parents are not supportive, that doesn't mean that you have to give up on your dreams. If you are passionate and determined about learning the drums or guitar, work at it on your own. Use the internet to your advantage. Improvise the drums if you have to. I don't have a drum set but I practice the hand and feet movements playing my 'air' drums in sync with the music on the CD. The guitar is also one of the easiest instrument to learn (and ironically, also one of the hardest to master). You don't really need to read music to start playing.

The internet has been a great help to me in improving my guitar playing. I played for over 20 years without much improvement until I went on line to pick tips and learn chord theory. Now I can play so much better and best of all, play with greater understanding.