Drumming advice needed.

Nat64

I have always wanted to learn to play the drums. However life just got in the way.
Now, I have a little  time and I would like to make a  start.

Here's the thing .............What i know about music fits on the back of a stamp.
I know absolutely nothing. In fact I don't know that much. Im going to need someone with patience and determination.

Recommendations very welcome, from where to go for lessons / guidance  to forget it you are too old ( 53 ) no one is going to want to be seen out with you.

I am based in Sevenoaks in Kent and travel to London daily for work so anywhere near either or in between would obv be more suitable but willing to travel within reason.

Thanks.

Christian 71

I’m a guitarist but both my daughters started drums back in the summer and I chat to a couple of the mums who take lessons along with their kids. My eldest (12) already did her first few shows with her band.

First thing is to decide what drum kit you need. This is dictated by where you live a bit if noise is going to be an issue, if it is get an electronic kit a decent used kit is around 200 quid. The advantage of electronic is obviously that you can play with phones or speakers at the volume you want. They also take up less space and you can fold them away. Playing on an electronic kit is not the same and my kids wanted acoustic drums, but I certainly didn’t feel the kit was holding them back. There is a lot to be said though for the feel you get from a real kit and if you are having lessons switching back will always feel like a step back.

Acoustic drums can be bought used very reasonably. I picked up a bargain kit for 50 quid which was about 400 new and for 1-200 you will have no problems finding them on eBay/gumtree if you are patient. Drum heads are easy to replace and not too expensive and often better than the originals. You may also want some practice pads which cost around 50 quid to reduce the noise - even then this is still pretty loud. Cymbals on cheap kits are junk and damping cymbals sounds pretty naff, I bought some special quiet cymbals which cost a couple of hundred and worth every penny. You can also buy silent drum skins which sound nothing like drums but is an alternative if noise is an issue.

Def get lessons my kids were up and playing to songs in few weeks and unlike guitar I think this is more essential. Somewhere local and a guy who makes you feel good and knows his stuff. 1/2 hour weekly is working really well for my kids and you can learn a lot in a short time. The good news is drumming is much easier than a lot of instruments and in 6 months you should be good enough to play in band, which after playing guitar is a real eye opener. Becoming really good is obviously a lot harder but once you get the basics it covers a lot of songs and you can build on this.

Nat64

Thank you for taking the time to reply. The information is really useful.
Noise is not really a problem at home . I still haven't found someone locally to teach me, but think I will have a couple of lessons first before buying a kit. Again thanks for sharing the  the info on the cymbals, saves me buying twice.
I don't think I will be playing in any band, its more out of personal satisfaction than anything else, although if I stick with it it would be great to do it at least once.

Thanks again .

Christian 71

No problem but don’t write yourself off part of the fun of learning an instrument is playing with other people. Loads of guitarists start or pickup a guitar again in our forties and fifties.

Try finding a shop locally that sells drums, they should know the best place to look locally for instructors and may have some on record. Google drum instructor in local towns and there are a few instructor websites around. Rehearsal studios and music colleges can help too.

Nat64

Thank you.

Stuart Wright

What sort of music do you like?  Assuming you like music with drums in it, can you pick out the drums in the music?   Watch some YouTube videos of basic drum lessons so you can get an idea of what a drum kit consists of and what the drums sound like.

I learned when I was 14/15 (I'm 53 now) and I never learned to read music, but instead played along with my favourite music.
Listen to your favourite music and try and pick out the drums. Play along with your fingers on a table.  (Assuming you are right handed) tap the bass (kick) drum with your right index finger and the snare drum with your left index finger.  This exercise will get you into the habit of listening to the beat in music and synchronising with it.
Pick some music in which the drums are easier.  AC/DC rather than Rush, for example!
I found that challenging myself to be able to play along with my favourite pieces of music motivated me to learn.   You don't have to play it exactly at first, but as you get better, you will be able to play the more difficult bits.

When I was first learning, I started by playing along to my favourite music at the time

This one got me working on HiHat coordination
                               
This one had some simple fills I could learn
                               
This for different kick drum patterns
                               
and then I quickly started learning these (which prompted me to get a second bass drum) and still use the pair as a nice workout today.
                                                               
Depending on your resources, I wouldn't go mad on a drum kit until you know you love it.
I got my son a cheap Mapex kit (something like £400) and then a 2box electronic kit which is a smaller, decent quality, slightly more affordable brand.
If you decide you do love drumming, look to spend between 1 and 2 grand on a kit which sounds good.  Either acoustic or electronic.  I'd buy Roland if I were getting a new electronic kit nowadays. A drum kit which sounds good, I think makes the drummer feel more confident.

The most important thing is to enjoy it.

Nat64

Thanks for that great advice.
I may buy a cheap kit to practice on , as practice between lessons will be important , but I did not intend on spending serious money until I get proficient and know i will stick with it.