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Thread: Skip Lessons?

  1. #1

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    Default Skip Lessons?

    All,

    So I haven't had any formal drum lessons with drums except YouTube. For 2 years I did basic stuff on the kit and had fun doing it. I recently felt the desire to get some formal instruction and advance my drumming. I am currently going through "Learn and Master Drums" with Dan Sherrill. I've learned a lot as a beginner and can't say enough good things about the lessons.

    I'm currently working through different Blues beats and variations of shuffles and it's driving me nuts. I want to jump ahead to more "rock type" lessons and I am really looking forward to new fills and even working with a double bass. I can play a basic shuffle beat but can I skip these lessons and move on to something more my style? Or as experienced drummers, would you recommend I continue to work through these lessons that involve blues and jazz beats? Has anyone worked through the whole "Learn and Master Drums" instructional videos?

    Please pardon the rant, and I'd be curious to hear any responses.

  2. #2

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    I'd do a bit of both. Learning other styles is great for your overall playing, but you should be focusing on your goals.

  3. #3

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    I agree. Ask your instructor if you can work on both. If you only focus on one style you are limiting yourself.

    If you work on multiple styles it will help you become more versatile and by learning what you are really into may help you through the lessons you don't care for as much.

    Learn as much as you can. It will only make you a better drummer.
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  4. #4

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    There are certain fundamentals that apply no matter what style you're interested in playing right now. The sooner you master these fundamentals, the sooner you will be able to focus on what you're into at this particular moment.

    Chances are good that if you're teacher has been at this a while, he's seen hundreds of students like you who want to fast forward to the flashy stuff and gloss over the basics. If you trust your teacher, then trust his methods and have faith in the process. You can only become a better player.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Skip Lessons?

    Quote Originally Posted by MattDrums View Post
    There are certain fundamentals that apply no matter what style you're interested in playing right now. The sooner you master these fundamentals, the sooner you will be able to focus on what you're into at this particular moment.

    Chances are good that if you're teacher has been at this a while, he's seen hundreds of students like you who want to fast forward to the flashy stuff and gloss over the basics. If you trust your teacher, then trust his methods and have faith in the process. You can only become a better player.
    ^ This exactly. Better to have a teacher teach good technique and fundamentals then to learn them incorrectly.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Skip Lessons?

    Quote Originally Posted by MattDrums View Post
    There are certain fundamentals that apply no matter what style you're interested in playing right now. The sooner you master these fundamentals, the sooner you will be able to focus on what you're into at this particular moment.

    Chances are good that if you're teacher has been at this a while, he's seen hundreds of students like you who want to fast forward to the flashy stuff and gloss over the basics. If you trust your teacher, then trust his methods and have faith in the process. You can only become a better player.
    Absolutely. Cannot stress this enough. I've come across some students who do this, sometimes to the detriment of the lesson plan. Then any wonder that they get frustrated as to why they can't do what their fave drummers do, and I tell them that it's simply because they're "trying to run before they can crawl and walk."

    I had one guy do this to me recently, and right there and then I took one of the songs that he brought in as an MP3, found the most difficult part (obviously he was trying to do something that was quite a bit beyond him....16th note r'n'b/funk shuffles), transcribed it on the spot within some 5-10 mins (after telling him that that's a skill you don't acquire overnight, and that if he was thinking that I would have a chart ready for the next lesson, I told him that with my current music work routine, he's dreaming.....try two-three weeks if you're lucky!). Then once it was jotted down, we went through it quite a number of times, and asked him "You got it? Good. Have that section down pat in the next week or so, if you can. I'll see you next time!" He came back the next time with his tail between his legs and asked if we can do something easier. "Sure!" I said, "let's go ahead with these simpler kick and snare patterns in the section in this book. And please....next time? Don't jump ahead of the gun. Have some patience when we're going through your stages of development....and believe me, last week I had to be very patient with you.... but please, I'll tell you when you'll be ready for the next step. Not beforehand. We did nothing but waste more then half the lesson doing that. Understand?"

    Sometimes you have to be an iron fist in a velvet glove in order to instill some sort of musical discipline. And I tell a few that if they think I'm being a bit tough on them, then they need to see me being hard on myself when it comes to practice.

    A good teacher does listen to his or her students to get an idea of what they would like to do, and a more effective teacher teaches them what they need to know in the real world of music. I've a few students who come to me after they have been with someone......some of the first things I ask them are did they they get taught how to read, did the previous teacher go through at least some of the basic rudiments, was there any work done on posture, grip and so on, and do they ever practice with a metronome, drum machine, or at least learned some basic songs with the emphasis on good solid time-keeping. Some of their previous teachers have been great in this area, some haven't though....with a few minutes of someone playing, I can tell who I can work with because they have a solid foundation, and who has to be stripped right back down to the basics and be "started all over again."
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

  7. #7

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    Thanks for all the comments.

    Deep down, I kinda knew what the right answer was, but it's great to see comments from folks who teach or who have been down that road with enforcing fundamentals.

    I'll stick to the grindstone and little steps will eventually add up to a big step....as Drumbledore said: "trying to run before they can crawl and walk." I'm gonna keep on crawling and I'm almost at the point where I can finally pull myself up and stand up

    Thanks everyone for the advice.

  8. #8

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    In my opinion, you can do whatever you want to.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by NewTricks View Post
    In my opinion, you can do whatever you want to.
    Then I can get my anti-gravitation car now!

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by wr_stix View Post
    Then I can get my anti-gravitation car now!
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

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