beginner question

[jamgirl]

ok I know this is crazy at 52 but I think I may want to learn to play drums if possible. I have been practicing basic rock beat with a few basic fills. My question is my right arm/bicep seems to be sore/tired after 30 minutes and even my hand sometimes. Is this normal to start or am I practicing wrong? Or is like calluoses on your fingers for a new guitar player. I feel like I may be reaching to far for the snare. I cant afford a teacher right now. Thank you

[rickthedrummer]

ok I know this is crazy at 52 but I think I may want to learn to play drums if possible. I have been practicing basic rock beat with a few basic fills. My question is my right arm/bicep seems to be sore/tired after 30 minutes and even my hand sometimes. Is this normal to start or am I practicing wrong? Or is like calluoses on your fingers for a new guitar player. I feel like I may be reaching to far for the snare. I cant afford a teacher right now. Thank you

52 is young, so don't worry about that.

As for the arm pain, you might be gripping the stick too tight. Past that, a few pics or short video would let a whole lot of people, with a whole lot of knowledge, see how you are holding the sticks and how far away the snare is.

[Warren Wright]

ok I know this is crazy at 52 but I think I may want to learn to play drums if possible. I have been practicing basic rock beat with a few basic fills. My question is my right arm/bicep seems to be sore/tired after 30 minutes and even my hand sometimes. Is this normal to start or am I practicing wrong? Or is like calluoses on your fingers for a new guitar player. I feel like I may be reaching to far for the snare. I cant afford a teacher right now. Thank you

Take a pic of your kit - most of us place the snare either between our knees or just a bit closer to the left knee . Are you right or left hand dominant? Most of us are right hand dominant and thats the hand that we play the hi-hat and ride cymbal with ... the left hand plays the snare.
A tired right arm/bicep - well, part of it is building up the muscles - technique does play a big part of it - use the fingers and wrists mostly - instead of the arms .. use the arms mostly for moving around from drum to drum or hi-hat to ride cymbal . Your speed and power is mainly in your wrists and fingers -
There are books on Technique and a number of YouTube videos on it as well - in fact, YouTube has some excellent drum teachers and you can learn a whole lot - Free.
Take a pic of how you set up your kit - from the drivers seat view - then take a good look at some of the kits posted here - see if your set up is similar to others. Your snare should be the closest drum to you

[jgziegler]

You're never too old to learn!

Drumming is mostly in your wrists and fingers, not so much in your arms. Just consider the amount of movement it takes to move the stick. It takes the least amount of movement to move the stick with your fingers, a little bit more with your wrists, and a lot more with your elbow (the next part of your arm that can move). There are tons of vids on proper technique online, if you want feedback, you can make some vids of yourself playing and post them here.

Good technique takes a lot of time to get down, but doing it properly is relatively easy and you'll almost immediately notice an improvement in your playing.

Welcome to DC, and into the larger and unending world of drumming!

[inthpktplayer]

Never, ever too late to start. Earlier post advice is good. Take some pics of set up and let us see how you're set up.

[MDK]

Need some pics, it is most likely something that can be easily fixed.

Here is a good video on kit set up, internet has a wealth of knowledge on how to hold sticks how to hit the drum, breathing/relaxing the muscles while playing etc etc.. Welcome to DC.

[N2Bluz]

My first thought is if your biceps hurt, you're using your arms (bending at the elbow) to control the sticks and not your wrists & fingers. I was always taught to keep the movement isolated to the wrists. The muscles in your forearms should hurt, not your biceps....but that was in grade school band and I'm not exactly a model of proper technique or a teacher, LOL.

[8beat]

You may be moving wrong. I'd check youtube videos and see if you are moving your arms correctly. My teacher taught me to let the bounce from the drum head do most of the work. All the drummer does is guide the stick.

[jamgirl]

Thanks Drummers! thanks for the encouraging words that I'm not too old because drums seem way too fun!
Ok great advice. I am going to take a pic. Also I think I am reaching too far to the High Hat (not the snare) when playing 8th notes etc.. Snare is postioned good. I will watch myself and make sure I am using my wrists.
Thanks I so excited!

[rickthedrummer]

"My teacher taught me to let the bounce from the drum head do most of the work. All the drummer does is guide the stick."


8 beat, I could have told you that 50 years ago. Should have asked me.

[jamgirl]

Great You tube Beginning Drum website listed above ....went on it and it will help allot!

[slinglander]

"Should have asked me." ha- but you know you hold that left stick in that weird trad way...
These newbies don't do that.

[jgraham798]

ok I know this is crazy at 52 but I think I may want to learn to play drums if possible. I have been practicing basic rock beat with a few basic fills. My question is my right arm/bicep seems to be sore/tired after 30 minutes and even my hand sometimes. Is this normal to start or am I practicing wrong? Or is like calluoses on your fingers for a new guitar player. I feel like I may be reaching to far for the snare. I cant afford a teacher right now. Thank you

Man, is this forum great or what! I am 60 and I started trying to learn the drums 2 years ago. I suffer with a lot of arthritis and brain fog, other than that...I'm good to go.

This is the BEST place with the BEST people and they are more than willing to help you out with their extensive knowledge and expertice!

You came to the right place!

Take care!
Jim

[rickthedrummer]

"Should have asked me." ha- but you know you hold that left stick in that weird trad way...
These newbies don't do that.

Match or "Trad", any drummer should make maximum use of the bounce.

I switch to match if I need it. Nothing changes in my drumming. It's not like match is complex.

[slinglander]

^yeah, I know, which makes me question toms that are tuned just above"wrinkle" with hardly any bounce available.

[jamgirl]

It's my right arm so I don't think it has anything to do with Match or Trad.I just think I was reaching too far over to the high hat.
Hey to the 60 year old -glad to hear someone else is learning at an older age -So Great huh!

[crispycritters]

I generally get aches in my forearm from the hats. I have a 2 up, 1 down set and I had the ride over the floor tom initially. I recently repositioned my ride forward and slightly over my 2nd rack rom. Now I get aches in my bicep due to having to raise my arm more often to reach the ride (I don't have muscles I'm 100% fat) which I didn't get before - but I'm starting to get used to it. It may be your ride cymbal positioning causing the ache - if you have it mounted fairly high over your rack toms try positioning it further back and lower at the side of your floor tom. If you only use 1 crash it may be a long distance between your cymbals though if you need to cross from one to the other pretty quickly so it may not work for you.

[Powertrip240]

I've only been playing for about 3 years, so I still remember the pain in my hi-hat arm (I'm a lefty) when I first started as well. I attribute mine to the "death grip" I had on the sticks. Once I learned to relax my grip, the pain went away, and my playing got better, and faster.
Check the tightness of your grip. Just my $.02 And welcome to drumming!

[wOOdshedd]

Grip and ergonomics are key to play comfortably. Take a look at how a lot of pro set their kits up. I'm not saying you should mimic anyone in particular, you should have all pieces of your set up within easy reach. There really is no "wrong" way to set up. Set up the way YOU are most comfortable without having to stretch to reach.
Rock on!