Self-taught drummers, what was your method of learning?

[wheatgurm]

I never took a single lesson in my life, but I did start when I was 8. So I had a lot of time to learn before I joined my first band at 15. When I was starting out I would put on headphones and jam to songs I heard on the raideo or play from my tapes and records. Did a lot of watching other drummers. Just takes time and patients. 4/4 is your best bet at this stage. Dont worry about rudements right now. Get your timing and cordination down first, if you feel like taking it further then learn all that other stuff. Just keep it basic for now.

[metal5411]

I never took a single lesson in my life, but I did start when I was 8. So I had a lot of time to learn before I joined my first band at 15. When I was starting out I would put on headphones and jam to songs I heard on the raideo or play from my tapes and records. Did a lot of watching other drummers. Just takes time and patients. 4/4 is your best bet at this stage. Dont worry about rudements right now. Get your timing and cordination down first, if you feel like taking it further then learn all that other stuff. Just keep it basic for now.

[TheLonelyRock]

Hah, I basically taught myself to play by disregarding all the advice given so far.

Started playing drums as a freshman in high school. I taught myself to play by just banging on stuff as hard and as fast as I could, just like all my favorite bands at the time, Capitalist Casualties, Crossed Out, Yacopsae, Man is the Bastard, Spazz, etc. I started playing in bands almost immediately after I started learning drums....obviously my bands sucked (everyone else was learning their instruments too) and I was a bad drummer for the first few years but playing in bands, paying attention to how others play drums, and just practicing consistently had me steadily improving.

After about three years of this I felt I had kinda gotten into a rut so I took lessons for a year. At this time I learned a bit more 'finesse'. Learned rudiments, fixed my technique a little, opened my mind a bit more to drumming. Kept playing in bands all the time. After a year I was off to college so that was the end of my lessons.

Fast forward five years of constantly playing in punk bands, from pop-punk to fast hardcore to Amebix-worship mid-paced cruster stuff, and I feel pretty comfortable with my drumming. I'm good enough to play well in a punk band, which is what I want. Local folks accept me as being a pretty outstanding drummer. I've accepted that I will likely never get too much better at drums in a technical sense, but I am good enough for what I seek to accomplish so it's no big deal.

In retrospect, I would agree with everyone else in this thread that to really be good, you should start easy, learn the basics, and give yourself a solid foundation of skills upon which to build through experience. However, that's not the only way.....I was able to just dive in head-first and from constant work and practice I was able to turn myself into a commendable drummer.

I would also emphasize that playing with other people will ALWAYS make you better, no matter how good they are. Even if you're just playing with another drummer, your sets side by side, rocking a beat and trading fills (used to do this at my old house all the time). Playing with someone will get those creative juices flowing and will force you to work around and with someone else, ultimately these experiences will always make you better.

[Burpcore the GRIM]

I love how Amelia can turn even a simple request for drumming advice into an episode of "Look at how jaded and cynical I am, mine is a soul that isn't worth saving".

[Erik13]

Here's a tip: stick to girl instruments.

Ummm

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

If you're thinking awkwardly and out of time, you'll play awkwardly and out of time, and that's all there is to it..

eeeereahhh. biggest problem thus far, i can't go much more than like 30 seconds without fucking up.

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

Stick Control

This turned me into someone who almost sounded like he knew what he was doing in a matter of weeks.

NOTED

When it comes to the drums...I think lessons are definitely worth it. Just to get you started, get the fundamentals down, etc. It saves time.

i've thought about this quite a bit. as much as i like to learn everything on my own (how to swim, ride a bike, drive, etc.) i'm thinking this is one area i could use a little help. i'll still keep up with it on my own for a bit just to see what i can do, i guess.

[Bored, Esq.]

What you're paying for is basically...knowledge. There are lots of little things you can't learn from books. If you get set up with a good teacher, get his own instruction material, learn what books to read and what CDs to listen to, watch him and apply his shortcuts, etc....like I said, it just saves time. Then it's just a matter of practice. It also of course completely depends on what kind of music you want to play. If you know at first you're just going to be playing rock/metal/whatever, you get all your basic beats down and some fills, get creative, learn how to be creative while still keeping time, etc. Then after a short time it's just instinctive and you know how to work within a certain framework and can be creative/expressive without completely messing up. The most important thing is stick control, yes, volume, learning how to relax, endurance, etc. Well, in my opinion.

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

I never took a single lesson in my life, but I did start when I was 8. So I had a lot of time to learn before I joined my first band at 15. When I was starting out I would put on headphones and jam to songs I heard on the raideo or play from my tapes and records. Did a lot of watching other drummers. Just takes time and patients. 4/4 is your best bet at this stage. Dont worry about rudements right now. Get your timing and cordination down first, if you feel like taking it further then learn all that other stuff. Just keep it basic for now.

i think i still get what he's saying though. i'm definitely just sticking to working on keeping 4/4 time right now, familiarizing myself with the feel of things. it's really hard not to spazz out and try to play over my head, but every time i try it sounds like a drunk 5 year old falling into the kit, so...yeah.

i definitely do NOT want to be an amazing technical drummer, it's not something i'm going for. a decent drummer for a punk band, maybe. that's the ceiling, i'm being realistic.

[altars of radness]

Just play all the fucking time, half with people and half on your own. And pay attention to the drums on the shit you're listening to. I've only been playing for 6 months, but I don't suck anymore.

[metal5411]

I never took a single lesson in my life, but I did start when I was 8. So I had a lot of time to learn before I joined my first band at 15. When I was starting out I would put on headphones and jam to songs I heard on the raideo or play from my tapes and records. Did a lot of watching other drummers. Just takes time and patients. 4/4 is your best bet at this stage. Dont worry about rudements right now. Get your timing and cordination down first, if you feel like taking it further then learn all that other stuff. Just keep it basic for now.

i think i still get what he's saying though. i'm definitely just sticking to working on keeping 4/4 time right now, familiarizing myself with the feel of things. it's really hard not to spazz out and try to play over my head, but every time i try it sounds like a drunk 5 year old falling into the kit, so...yeah.

i definitely do NOT want to be an amazing technical drummer, it's not something i'm going for. a decent drummer for a punk band, maybe. that's the ceiling, i'm being realistic.

Oh I get what he's saying too. I just don't agree with it.

[Introvert]

Stay away from my drums fuckface!!

[TheDrunkTankJudge]

Here's as basic as you can get...

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

Stay away from my drums fuckface!!

it's not like YOU'RE playing them very often, brother bear!

[Unholy Massacre]

I believe Dave Witte's advice was always "learn to play along with AC/DC."

[hipster holocaust]

Stay away from my drums fuckface!!

it's not like YOU'RE playing them very often, brother bear!

dude he's got rocky's old drum set. if he doesnt utilize that, he's kind of a homo

[Ghost Dad]

and FIGURE OUT SONGS. listen to a band you like with some really simple drumming, and figure out exactly what the drummer is doing- this helps more than anything I've found.

This. Especially when you're just starting.

[Ogre of Disgust]

Witte is a wise man. You're not gonna take anyone's advice, but play along to AC/DC records and always listen closely to the drums when listening to jams.
Actually, give up the notion now since you've already stated you don't have what it's gonna take.

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

really, ogre? i'm not going to take anyone's advice...?

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

Here's as basic as you can get...

that guy...

thanks brother lonno. sorta cheesy but i will utilize in the morn when the roommates leave for work just for the hell of it.

[wheatgurm]

Hey Ryan if you never play the drums Ill pay you $200. for them.

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

ryan, i'll give you $201 for them.

[BUNGVOX]

listening to alot of melvins.

[Pyrite Medal of Ignorance]

i'm kind of at the point now where i fucked up and didn't go to bed when my coworker dropped me off, so i've got like maybe 30 mins until the last roommate is out of hearing/hatering distance...but my brain doesn't work. if i go to sleep, i probably will not wake up until they are either home or about to be home. this is going to suck so bad, but i guess i should just stay up and do it so i don't waste the potential of the day? i wish this basement was soundproof.

[wheatgurm]

ryan, i'll give you $201 for them.