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Thread: Share your drumming story!

  1. #1

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    Default Share your drumming story!

    At the age of 5, my parents purchased an upright piano. I took lessons for quite some time. At age 11, I heard Red Barchetta by Rush on the radio. This was my first time Listening to Rush. I noticed that the drumming wasn't like any other average rock song. Neil Peart was my new idol. And still is! From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to play the drums just like Mr. Peart.

    I resumed my piano lessons until the age of 12. My parents knew the owner of a music shop that offered lessons. I gave the piano a rest and I rented a drum kit to go along with my lessons. A wine 5 piece ludwig accent with solar hi hats and a planet z crash-ride. After a few years I bought my first and current drum kit. A Candy apple red ludwig accent cs custom. I bash the lights out of them today! I have my parents to thank for putting me in piano lessons. learning theory and notes on the piano and in writing helped me with the rhythmic and time aspects of the drums. And that's my story! Why not share yours?

    Share with us your story on how you started playing the drums!
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  2. #2

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    Well, at the age of 5, my mother decided I should try gymnastics. I took class there for about 3 months... and I still couldn't do a cartwheel.

    She looked at me in the car one day after class and she said, "Well, I am going to give you a choice... you can either stick with this, or you can start drum lessons." Of course it wasn't even a question... I chose music. My older sister was in marching band and all I ever wanted to do was be on the drumline. My grandfather was also an amazing jazz/big band drummer in his day, so I already looked up to him. My mother told my sister's band director that I would be drum captain one day... A couple months later, I began lessons...

    It was true, I made snare line at 14 and I did become drum captain of my high school drumline at 16. I played in college jazz band while still in high school... I played in anything and everything I could - musicals, orchestras, choirs, paid gigs, etc. I won a national band award - the John Phillip Sousa award. I even got a full ride into a local college... But like so many other young people, my personal life got the best of me and I lost my musical self along the way. Only for a little while though. I never quit playing.

    27 years later... I am still at it. Looking to get into a band soon and begin a new chapter in my life. In my younger years, I would only refer to myself as a Percussionist... These days, I am cool with being a drummer.
    Kits:

    2014 Gretsch Catalina Club Classic 4pc Ocean Twilight Sparkle 8x12, 14x5.5, 14x14, 14x20

    1976 Ludwig Classic 6pc Black Diamond Pearl (Restoration in progress)

    Saluda Cymbals:

    13" Symbolic Prototype Hand Hammered Jazz Hi Hats
    20" Earthworks Medium Crash/Ride
    15" Mist X Crash
    8" Decadence China Blast Splash

    16" Rancan China

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Not sure how old I was, but I used to set up empty cardboard boxes and hit them with pencils. One day I came in from playing outside ( yes back then we actually went outside the house and played) anyway when I went into the den there was a toy drum set there my father had bought for me. It had a kick drum with a wooden foot pedal , one tin cymbal and two smaller drums attached to each side of the kick drum. The heads were like a heavy paper. These were not real drums. The reso bass drum head had a picture of kids dancing on it. Lol. I played with them every day until the heads all broke and that was that.

    At age 10 I again came home to find a real drum kit waiting for me. It was a set of ludwigs. It had a 20" kick , a 5x14 snare, a 12x8 tom, a pair of 12" zilco hi hats , and a 14" no name crash. I banged around on these for a year or so with no rhyme or reason. Once frustration set in I put them in the closet and moved on.

    In my 12th year of life a few months before my 13th birthday I pulled the kit back out of the closet. This time I would put a record on and just try and stay in some kind of time with it. I did this for months then finally it happened. My hands and feet finally made the jump to being able to move independently and I could finally play a proper drum beat.

    I practiced and practiced day after day month after month, at age 15 I was playing along to my Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Sabbath albums. Again my Father who loved music decided it was time for a new kit. I have no idea what the brand was, I believe they were just cheap no name drums. It was a blue sparkle kit with 20" kick, 12" & 13" toms , 14" fl tom. I had a ludwig acrolite snare.I was still using the zilco hats and 14" crash and a foot pedal that my cousin had to weld for me because the beater kept flying out.

    I got a paper route and started saving money. I saved up enough go buy my first real cymbal. It was a Zildjian A series 18" crash. Again my Father stepped up and also got me a set of Zildjian 14" new beat hats and a ludwig speed king foot pedal.

    At the end of 1975 I discovered the band Rush. This changed every thing. Neil was doing things I'd not heard before. The quick triplets with his feet, the multi tom fills, the odd time. So I took some lessons. My teacher was a very good drummer here in Maine. His name is Joe Smith, he later went on to become the drummer for a fairly popular country band called Saywer Brown. Any way he got me go the next level. Opened my drumming mind up and expanded my drumming knowledge. Once I got the odd time thing down and also learning how to "feel" a song and learn it properly, and also learning how to create a drum part for a song, I stopped the lessons and taught myself from then on.

    1977 I went to Crazy Ed's Music in Portland, ( he was actually dealing out of his apartment at this time) and ordered my first real drum kit. I got a set of Fibes fiberglass shell drums , 2-24" kicks 10",12",13" toms 16",18" fl toms 5.5x14 snare. I later added a set of gretsch 6",8",10" concert toms. Once I got this kit I began to learn every Rush song there was. I was obsessed.

    Later that year I started playing out. We did high school dances for a few months then hit the club circuit . I spent the next 14 years playing full time on the New England club circuit, 4 to 5 nights a week. New Year's Eve 91" was my last gig. At this point I'd had it, I was sick of playing cover tunes and no longer had the desire to play other peoples music, so I packed up my kit that night in my station wagon instead of the band truck, and brought them home.

    But this long boring story doesn't end there. Because I lived in an apartment I set my kit up in my parents basement. They had no problem with me coming over go play them whenever I wanted. I tried joining up with a couple all original bands over the next several years , but none of them worked out.

    In 2005 I got together with a couple friends a played a benefit gig to raise money for a family that list their home in a fire ( I posted a video from tha gig of us doing our version of moby di*k the video section a while back) that was fun and we were talking about going back out and gigging but a few months later I was diagnosed with cancer so I had to deal with that. To pay for medical expenses I had to sell both of my kits at the time, a beautiful set of Ludwigs and my monster triple bass set of Premiers. I managed to get a used Yamaha DTXpress ll kit just to have something to play.

    In 2008 I got a new acoustic kit, a Sonor SE kit, basswood shells, but it was great to have a real kit again. Then in 2011 I got my current PDP X7 kit, two of them actually. I've never stopped playing and I won't stop until my body forces me to. I've been playing drums for so long it just doesn't feel right to not play them. If I'm having a busy week at work and I miss a couple days where I can't play , It bugs the heck out of me. When I miss days I get that feeling that I can't wait to get behind my kit again.

    One would think after 40 years playing drums I'd be a monster drummer. I'm not, I'm a very good rock drummer , nothing more, nothing less. I've never been the kind of person that can sit behind a kit and practice the same thing over and over, and I've never learned the rudiments, never sat down and did all the RR LL , RLR LRL , RLRRLRLL.... and so on. I can do them but not at super high speeds like some guys. My thing has always been being able to hear a song and learn it note for note beat for beat. I made a decent living for 14 years, played with some great musicians and made some life long friends. I couldn't imagine not having drums in my life.

    So that's it , you asked for a story you got one. I could write a book if I covered all the things that happened on the road, but that's another story..........
    No go play your kit.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by NPYYZ View Post
    Not sure how old I was, but I used to set up empty cardboard boxes and hit them with pencils. One day I came in from playing outside ( yes back then we actually went outside the house and played) anyway when I went into the den there was a toy drum set there my father had bought for me. It had a kick drum with a wooden foot pedal , one tin cymbal and two smaller drums attached to each side of the kick drum. The heads were like a heavy paper. These were not real drums. The reso bass drum head had a picture of kids dancing on it. Lol. I played with them every day until the heads all broke and that was that.

    At age 10 I again came home to find a real drum kit waiting for me. It was a set of ludwigs. It had a 20" kick , a 5x14 snare, a 12x8 tom, a pair of 12" zilco hi hats , and a 14" no name crash. I banged around on these for a year or so with no rhyme or reason. Once frustration set in I put them in the closet and moved on.

    In my 12th year of life a few months before my 13th birthday I pulled the kit back out of the closet. This time I would put a record on and just try and stay in some kind of time with it. I did this for months then finally it happened. My hands and feet finally made the jump to being able to move independently and I could finally play a proper drum beat.

    I practiced and practiced day after day month after month, at age 15 I was playing along to my Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Sabbath albums. Again my Father who loved music decided it was time for a new kit. I have no idea what the brand was, I believe they were just cheap no name drums. It was a blue sparkle kit with 20" kick, 12" & 13" toms , 14" fl tom. I had a ludwig acrolite snare.I was still using the zilco hats and 14" crash and a foot pedal that my cousin had to weld for me because the beater kept flying out.

    I got a paper route and started saving money. I saved up enough go buy my first real cymbal. It was a Zildjian A series 18" crash. Again my Father stepped up and also got me a set of Zildjian 14" new beat hats and a ludwig speed king foot pedal.

    At the end of 1975 I discovered the band Rush. This changed every thing. Neil was doing things I'd not heard before. The quick triplets with his feet, the multi tom fills, the odd time. So I took some lessons. My teacher was a very good drummer here in Maine. His name is Joe Smith, he later went on to become the drummer for a fairly popular country band called Saywer Brown. Any way he got me go the next level. Opened my drumming mind up and expanded my drumming knowledge. Once I got the odd time thing down and also learning how to "feel" a song and learn it properly, and also learning how to create a drum part for a song, I stopped the lessons and taught myself from then on.

    1977 I went to Crazy Ed's Music in Portland, ( he was actually dealing out of his apartment at this time) and ordered my first real drum kit. I got a set of Fibes fiberglass shell drums , 2-24" kicks 10",12",13" toms 16",18" fl toms 5.5x14 snare. I later added a set of gretsch 6",8",10" concert toms. Once I got this kit I began to learn every Rush song there was. I was obsessed.

    Later that year I started playing out. We did high school dances for a few months then hit the club circuit . I spent the next 14 years playing full time on the New England club circuit, 4 to 5 nights a week. New Year's Eve 91" was my last gig. At this point I'd had it, I was sick of playing cover tunes and no longer had the desire to play other peoples music, so I packed up my kit that night in my station wagon instead of the band truck, and brought them home.

    But this long boring story doesn't end there. Because I lived in an apartment I set my kit up in my parents basement. They had no problem with me coming over go play them whenever I wanted. I tried joining up with a couple all original bands over the next several years , but none of them worked out.

    In 2005 I got together with a couple friends a played a benefit gig to raise money for a family that list their home in a fire ( I posted a video from tha gig of us doing our version of moby di*k the video section a while back) that was fun and we were talking about going back out and gigging but a few months later I was diagnosed with cancer so I had to deal with that. To pay for medical expenses I had to sell both of my kits at the time, a beautiful set of Ludwigs and my monster triple bass set of Premiers. I managed to get a used Yamaha DTXpress ll kit just to have something to play.

    In 2008 I got a new acoustic kit, a Sonor SE kit, basswood shells, but it was great to have a real kit again. Then in 2011 I got my current PDP X7 kit, two of them actually. I've never stopped playing and I won't stop until my body forces me to. I've been playing drums for so long it just doesn't feel right to not play them. If I'm having a busy week at work and I miss a couple days where I can't play , It bugs the heck out of me. When I miss days I get that feeling that I can't wait to get behind my kit again.

    One would think after 40 years playing drums I'd be a monster drummer. I'm not, I'm a very good rock drummer , nothing more, nothing less. I've never been the kind of person that can sit behind a kit and practice the same thing over and over, and I've never learned the rudiments, never sat down and did all the RR LL , RLR LRL , RLRRLRLL.... and so on. I can do them but not at super high speeds like some guys. My thing has always been being able to hear a song and learn it note for note beat for beat. I made a decent living for 14 years, played with some great musicians and made some life long friends. I couldn't imagine not having drums in my life.

    So that's it , you asked for a story you got one. I could write a book if I covered all the things that happened on the road, but that's another story..........
    No go play your kit.
    An amazing story! You definitely ran into some rough roads on the way and I commend you for never quitting! I appreciate you taking the time to share your story! Before I was born, I lost 2 family members from cancer in Italy. Though I was in Canada, I still felt the emotions of losing family members. How are you doing today? You have a great story! Keep drumming!
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  5. #5

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    When I was 3(but I was almost 4) my brother was starting in school concert band and when we were going to the local music shop to get his little school kit they had a drum set on display with sticks at the kit. And I just wondered off and saturday behind the kit and started playing. Then when I turned 4 probably couple months later I got my first drum set. Got lessons for a couple of months then I started playing foot ball and couldn't do it anymore. When we moved the new area basically didn't have a music scene the nearest place was a hour and half away for lessons. So didn't get much better besides I got more comfortable and all that. Then when I turned 8 I got my current set and still didn't take any lessons. then we moved again it was around christmas time when we wen't in the local music shop and released it was a nice place and they had good lessons. So that was when I learned the most in my 3 years of lessons there and got a good solid drumming base. I also started school band during that time so I was learning some stuff there. Then I moved again and moved again and I was bullied at school my first year and was told I sucked and all that so I never really played for a year and lost interest. Also my families living situations weren't the best to have a drum set lets just say my room was packed with drums and a 4x8 slot car track and bed but hey it worked. Then we bought a house after a year living in the tiny house. At that point I was starting high school marching band that summer and started to regain interest. And started taking lessons again. And practicing and all that stuff. Freshman year I played cymbals, sophomore and Junior year I played Bass 5 (the biggest my school has) and was really good at it. Then this year I practiced really hard made tenors and still practice really hard so I can get better.
    Sabian!!!

  6. #6

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    First kit at age 11 (thanks to Dad).
    Started garage band stuff soon afterward.
    First really good kit (Ludwig) at age 20.
    Started music school and learned all percussion, theory, ear-training, piano and composition.
    Played in bands ever since -- for three years, it was my income -- never made big money, but I have played in bands where the musicianship was top-shelf.
    I still practice the same old way...........I work on songs and I work on drills.......it is essential to always work on drills..........always.

    P.S. My final semester in music school, Spring 1977, I scrape up every nickel and dime and custom order a USA set from Gretsch...........they arrive that August...........still playing them 37 years later.
    I have purchased other sets along the way but I always come back to the USA drums..........and yes, they do sound better as they age.
    Last edited by Ricardo; 08-24-2014 at 11:44 AM.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  7. #7

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    Started at 10 (1956)

    Bands starting in 1960-61. 4 years out for the Air Force (Nov 1965 to Nov 1969, although I did play with a band for about a year, 66-67) Bands from '70 on, but serious bands from about '73 to 2005, and a trio for about 2 years.

    58 years from when I started the story ain't finished................................yet.

  8. #8

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    1965 8 years old gold sparkle 4 piece Kent set, took lessons thru middle school into high school, 16th birthday 7 piece red Ludwig vistalite kit had that kit until 2012 was lost in a house fire, November 2013 purchased a vintage Premier XPK 7 piece kit.
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  9. #9

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    Great stories everyone!
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  10. #10

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    Hmmm I guess I should have condensed mine a bit.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by NPYYZ View Post
    Hmmm I guess I should have condensed mine a bit.
    I read your whole story, It's great the way it is
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by js218 View Post
    7 piece red Ludwig vistalite kit.......had that kit until 2012 was lost in a house fire.
    Ouch !
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  13. #13

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    Ouch is right, insurance company put a value of $500 on the kit, at one time I was offered $2200 for just the drums and tom hardware.
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Insurance companies are a necessary evil in my life.
    I don't like dealing with them even when they try to be fair.
    In your case, a $500 claim check is insulting..........was that a conventional homeowners policy ?

    If I'm reading your history correctly, that kit would have been a vintage of '73 or '74............which was a magical time at Ludwig............and an innovative period for the Vistalite series.
    That vintage would bring $500 minimum for the bass drum even if it were less than perfect..............and you had seven pieces.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  15. #15

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    Yep homeowners, I'm still fighting with them concerning the fire. 1975 Sam Goodys music store in Philadelphia Pa., 24"bass,12 13 ,14, 15 toms and 18" floor plus matching snare, Hercules hardware speedking pedal and spurlok high hat.
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  16. #16

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by js218 View Post
    Yep homeowners, I'm still fighting with them concerning the fire. 1975 Sam Goodys music store in Philadelphia Pa., 24"bass,12 13 ,14, 15 toms and 18" floor plus matching snare, Hercules hardware speedking pedal and spurlok high hat.
    I can only imagine what they looked like in the aftermath.
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  17. #17

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    Drums were on the 3rd floor of the house, by time the fire was out 2nd and 3rd floor were gone either burned up or collapsed into 1st floor which actually ended up in the basement, insurance company would not total the house instead rebuilt from the ground up took a year and a half, funny thing is house was only worth 275,000 they spent in excess of 350,000 to rebuild it.
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  18. #18

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by js218 View Post
    Drums were on the 3rd floor of the house, by time the fire was out 2nd and 3rd floor were gone either burned up or collapsed into 1st floor which actually ended up in the basement, insurance company would not total the house instead rebuilt from the ground up took a year and a half, funny thing is house was only worth 275,000 they spent in excess of 350,000 to rebuild it.
    At least you got a new house.
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  19. #19

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by js218 View Post
    Drums were on the 3rd floor of the house, by time the fire was out 2nd and 3rd floor were gone either burned up or collapsed into 1st floor which actually ended up in the basement, insurance company would not total the house instead rebuilt from the ground up took a year and a half, funny thing is house was only worth 275,000 they spent in excess of 350,000 to rebuild it.


    On my homeowners policy, they have the cost to rebuild my house at almost twice what I paid for it.

  20. #20

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    yeah I was told they don't total they rebuild, just a pain in the a$$ dealing with insurance companies. I was wrong on the purchase date I actually got the vistalites 7/18/73 funny how you remember certain dates, been married 37 years and forget that date almost every year,
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  21. #21

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by js218 View Post
    Drums were on the 3rd floor of the house, by time the fire was out 2nd and 3rd floor were gone either burned up or collapsed into 1st floor which actually ended up in the basement, insurance company would not total the house instead rebuilt from the ground up took a year and a half, funny thing is house was only worth 275,000 they spent in excess of 350,000 to rebuild it.
    You just proved my point............an evil force in life.
    They could have paid you $275K for the house and $5K for the drums and walked away a winner..................dummies !
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  22. #22

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    Oh yeah an insurance almost doubled for the same coverage.
    Premier XPK Drums
    10, 12, 13, 14, 16 Suspended toms
    22 bass drum
    5 x 14 snare
    Premier Hardware
    Offset Double Pedal
    Sabian, Meniel cymbals
    Tama Metalworks 6.5 x 14" Black Nickel snare
    Ahead Drum Cases

  23. #23

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Hi,
    my mum's friend let me sit at his kit, when we were round the house once, he thought I had a natural feel for drums and actually gave me a whole drum kit, a beat up one, for my 7th birthday, a few months later :D
    After that my mum found a drum tutor, who I have been with ever since, he has taught me so much!
    I am sitting my grade 7 drumming/music/theory exam in a couple of months.
    I was asked to join my band when I was 10, and we play quite a few gigs now, which is cool.
    I am 13 now, I have a different kit, but I am saving to buy a better one.
    that is my story so far
    Bridie

  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bridie View Post
    Hi,
    my mum's friend let me sit at his kit, when we were round the house once, he thought I had a natural feel for drums and actually gave me a whole drum kit, a beat up one, for my 7th birthday, a few months later :D
    After that my mum found a drum tutor, who I have been with ever since, he has taught me so much!
    I am sitting my grade 7 drumming/music/theory exam in a couple of months.
    I was asked to join my band when I was 10, and we play quite a few gigs now, which is cool.
    I am 13 now, I have a different kit, but I am saving to buy a better one.
    that is my story so far
    Bridie
    Nice story, what kind of drums do you have?
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  25. #25

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    Default Re: Share your drumming story!

    Quote Originally Posted by FlyByNight View Post
    Nice story, what kind of drums do you have?
    Hi FBN,
    Started with the beaten up Trax/Premier msh mash kit, now I have some old CB's/mapex mish mash!
    I would love either pearl exports, Mapex Meridian, or if I save enough DW custom
    Bridie

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