Strings To Sticks - the development of a new drummer YouTube channel

[stringstosticks]

Hi all,

as an absolute beginner into the world of drummer I wanted to see how others had progressed but simply couldn't find anything out there so I figured putting my path down in all its gory glory might be fun and keep me motivated - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCToZAm9iHojrp-Hc1Rizb-A

I have no intention of doing best ofs, you should, gear reviews etc - it's just a journal of my progression as I go along.

As you might be able to guess from my username, I'm a long term guitarist/bass player venturing into the murky world of drums...and loving every second of it so far.  Modern electronic kits just encourage practice - they make you want to play.  If only there had been such a guitar available 35 years ago!

I've already added a 4th 8" tom from a Crimson II SE to the setup, along with an additional 2 zone 14" ride that will probably remain as a china-type.  Regardless of the instrument - GAS is real!

Have a wander over and watch the development of an absolute beginner - and maybe put me right when I get things wrong!

Thanks

Rik

[AlanK]

Hey StS! Welcome to the forum and congrats on your decision both to take up drumming, and document your journey.

I'm probably around your age range, and wanted to be a drummer when I was a kid.. got a crappy set around 13/14 (mid 70s), learned to play jamming with my older brother, then we started a band when we were 19/20.. well, that lasted a couple years only and then marriage, apt life and lack of money had me lose the drums.. halfway into my second wife I met some guys who were jamming and I got back at it a quarter century later and my new journey began as well (which I've documented as well on YT but not with the same commentary and professional look as yours!).

All the best to you with your purchases, hacks, and learning as you go. I've watched the first vid and will check out the rest after work

Much love from Canada's Capital!

[stringstosticks]

Thanks @Alank

It's a weird and strange world but I have to say that I'm loving it!

My drum tutor is also the drummer in a band I play in so we know each other well, and he's more that familiar with both my personality and knowing how far he  can push me.  I'm sticking to between 30-60 mins daily, splitting this time into committing things to muscle memory. trying new things and following the exercises that I've been given.

Many thanks for the kind words and comments re the 'professionalism' of the content so far - I do try!  Hopefully that aspect will continue to improve, along with my playing ability!  New videos are out weekly - usually a Saturday or Sunday.

Greetings to yourself and all Canadians - I'm not jealous of your climate now that my snowboarding trip to Europe has been cancelled this year...nope...not one tiny bit 

Rik

[pejannl]

I have always wanted to play an instrument. I had trumpet lessons as a kid but then the teacher convinced my mom to sell my trumpet and trade it for a saxophone. I didn’t like to play the sax at all, so after a few years I gave it up. Not being able to decently playing an instrument has always been one of my biggest frustrations (and it isn’t that big a thing, so I am not a very frustrated person  ) so through my life I tried guitars and pianos but never really got into it.

At the age of 63, I bought a used real-feel DM10 kit about half a year ago and liked doing drum lessons a lot but didn’t like the ‘real feel’. I tried upgrading the toms to mesh, but that didn’t improve it at all (to me). So meanwhile I sold the DM10 and now am the (a little bit proud) owner and user of a Crimson II SE. Stepping up from real-feel to the Crimson II SE mesh heads is gigantic. I can recall this feeling from many years ago when I stepped up from small sensor photography to full-frame photography (I am a professional wedding photographer). It’s an amazing difference.

I am trying to resist GAS (currently my income forces me to resist GAS because there are almost zero weddings). I am trying to replace the Hi-Hat with a Hi-Hat-on-a-stand, but haven’t been successful so far due to the limitations in the Crimson II module. I purchased a 12” Strike Pro tom which I now use as snare. My Crimson snare is now used as floor tom.

I take online lessons through Youtube channels. There’s a Dutch drum teacher who has a full range of beginners lessons and I am following his course. It’s wonderful how fast I seem to progress.

Like you I play approx 1 hour per day, splitting it up in 4 sections

1) Getting warm and doing some easy stuff.
2) Repeating what I learned the day before.
3) Following a new lesson - learning a new variation on a rhythm.
4) Playing with some drum-less songs on Spotify.

The fourth part often gets me way beyond having a 60-minute per day drum session.

I’ll be doing this for a long time, so it seems.