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Thread: Hello!

  1. #1

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    Default Hello!

    Hello,

    This is my first post in Drum Chat and I am ecstatic!

    I'm extremely glad I found this community of drummers
    It's a bit hard finding other drummers, seems like we're a rare breed :D.

    I've been playing for about 4 months now. Practicing around an hour every day. Got my basic beats down, been messing with those and practicing my rudiments trying to get some speed. My problem is that everyone around me tells me that I'm starting too late, that all the great drummers started when they were in their early teens >.>. I mean I'm 18 now and currently attending the University of New Mexico going to be a sophmore this fall.

    Is this true? I mean, what I'm shooting for is to be able to play some nice grooves and be able to jam with my friends who play other instruments. Maybe, a few years from now be able to play at a small club and have a bit of fun that way every so often. I'm planning on majoring in Psychology and going that route so I'm definitely not expecting to get paid or anything. I just want to do it to have some fun playing music. I love music.

    Do you guys think I'm starting too late?

    Also, I started out with a 5 piece Pearl Forum series I bought from Craigslist. The set ended up not having the sound I liked and it just didn't give me the right feeling. Just didn't feel right, not sure if you guys have felt that before. I think it had more to do with the fact that I got the set from some questionable individuals that hadn't taken good care of it than sound but either way I sold it.

    Then I bought this frankenstein kit with like a 4 piece pacific kit, a remo tom, a GID tom, and a chad smith pearl signature snare. By way of cymbals, it had a mix of entry level Sabian, zildjians, paiste hi hats and ride, and a mix of other unidentifiable cymbals. The kit was really a mix of a lot of different sounds and I just wasn't getting enough unity from it. I don't think it was a good idea at all but I didn't have anyone to ask or anything.

    Recently, while casually browsing Craigslist again I found a really cheap PDP MX series drum kit with a full set of Sabian b8 cymbals. Nice and simple 5 piece but I fell in love with it. It has been taken care of crazy well, might as well have been new. The maple sound makes me think this is the one for a long time but I'm wondering. Before I sell the frankenstein kit, should I keep anything from it? Is the Chad Smith Sig Pearl snare better than the Mx one? Which one is of better quality, in terms of sound, I know which one I like but in terms of how much they're worth? What about hardware, should I keep the Yamaha hardware instead of the pacific hardware? Which one's better?

    Sorry, in advance for the wall of text.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Welcome to Drum Chat Zagi!

    To answer your first question, you are never too old to start playing the drums. Try starting at 52 like I did! I'm not looking to be a big time rocker either. I aleady played guitar, and I rediscovered a long buried passion for drumming. Do I want to be good? Absolutely, but I don't have to get there tomorrow. Just enjoy drumming for the sake of drumming, and enjoy the experience wherever it goes.

    As to the kits, I'll weigh in with saying that The Chad Smith Signature snare is a very good snare, and if you can keep it, do so. If you have to sell the frankenstein kit to finance the next one, though, the Chad Smith snare might be the thing that sells the frankenstein kit. I'll leave it there and I'll let others add their thoughts too.

    Again, welcome to Drum Chat!
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  3. #3

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    I started at 41 and had had almost zero experience with any kind of musical instruments. These nice people on drumchat convinced me i'm not as bad as i think. Anyway Keep chad and the yamaha stuff, sell all the cymbals & odd toms on ebay, then then try to sell just kit with hh-stand local . This is just what I would do. good luck and welcome!
    Yamaha Stage Custom
    prov. 3:5-6

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Hello!

    dude your 18

    your still a kid!

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Zagi

    To old at 18!!!! i wish i started at 18, i'm 31 and i've been playing for about 18 months, i played Guitar as Paster Bob does, i was already in a band too, We were being let down by drummers left right and centre so i took them up, We had our first open mic about a month later and a small gig with new band members about 3 months after that, Were gigging all the time now, No one ever comments on how long i've been playing or lack of time playing there none the wiser, i'm just the drummer in a band to them, Get playing with other folks as soon as you can, With regards to the kit Keep the chad smith Snare, there wicked i have one, Have you tried new heads on your kit to try and get a better sound?
    Have you got you're ticket for the rock train? You gotta earn that Ticket!!

    Premier Genista - Pearl Masters - Primus custom snare - Zildjian A Custom- DW 5000 pedal - Zildjian Zack Starkey sticks

    I play lead Drums

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Welcome to the board Z.

    You are never too old. I think your Pearl set should have been the set to keep rather than the Frankenstein set. With some tuning and a change of heads it coulld have sounded way different.

    Sounds like youre playing for the right reason. ( its all about having fun, for me ) Maybe get yourself a teacher if you dont already. Even if only for a few months to get the basics going.
    slot # 1

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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Hello!

    That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! Alright, so I'm not too late to the party.

    Now, about the drums...
    If I keep the chad smith drum and use it with my Mx series wouldn't that be the first step to a frankenstein kit? Wouldn't the normal Mx snare sound more aligned with the kit?

    gonefishin, the problem is I didn't (and still don't) know how to properly tune them or change heads... I haven't even tried looking at any how-tos or anything. I know I'll need to learn sometime soon but I'm procrastinating for as long as the difference doesn't bother me

    Concerning hardware, what makes a set of hardware better than another? For example, comparing the two hi hat stands what would make one better than the other? I really don't know they both feel pretty sturdy.

    Thank you

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Zagi,

    Welcome to the forum! I joined recently, and have already benefitted a lot with the resources and community.

    As for learning, you are definitely not too old. Amazing statement that, to tell someone who's only been on the earth 18 years that, sorry, too late. If we took that for most things, darn. Many of us would left with a pretty bleak picture, if we wanted to do things we didn't think about (drumming, surfing, piano, karate come to mind) and get started with sometime in our first decade of life. Sure, for some things, learning from when you are very young may be helpful (see violinists trained since able to hold a violin), but that does not mean you cannot pick it up later, and do very well, particularly if your goal if fun/personal enjoyment.

    Seems there is a lot of that "sorry, too late" stuff around. I was told I was too old to start Chinese language learning around 18 years old. Well, after hard work and living in China (what better place to practice), i do speak Chinese, and write/read. It is just taking the time to practice and get the muscle memory, get your limbs limber and your rhythm down, finding good instruction, and resources like here on drum chat.
    "I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way." (Buddy Rich)

    "How do you keep 90 people together with one stick? I've got two sticks and i can't keep 5 people together." (Ian Paice)

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Zagi, welcome to drum chat! Everybody else has pretty much covered everything, so here is a link about drum tuning, and a few youtube vids that have been very helpful to me...
    http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/index.html

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxm3QunDjUs"]YouTube- Bob Gatzen - Snare Drum Tuning[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ9Unab1OzU"]YouTube- Bob Gatzen - Tom Tuning[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga8Q12mKYxI"]YouTube- Bob Gatzen - Bass Drum Tuning[/ame]
    -Reuben

    SABIAN SQUAD
    ^^^SGD'S EVANS EMPIRE^^^
    RIP Frank "Fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

  10. #10

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    Those videos were really helpful. That guy is entertaining, hehe.

    However, I think I'm pitch deaf.

    I mean, he's singing Aaaaaaa, and the drums are going thud. How can a drum ever sound like Aaaaa. I'm sorry, I don't understand.
    Last edited by Zagi; 03-06-2010 at 04:58 PM.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Hey welcome to dc zagi. You are pretty young considering as late as some choose to start learning drums, so don't get too discouraged. That aaaa tone comes from tuning up a little more till you hear the drum making a longer note. The thud you are getting is likely a result of them being tuned too low. It takes practice to get the ear developed, but keep at it and you'll do fine. If you get really frustrated, you might consider a drumdial so you can see what each drum's pitch should be close to sounding like.
    ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
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  12. #12

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    welcome NEVER let anyone tell you that you are to old to start drumming or that ypu cant play good cause you dont have top of the line kit determination and drive is all you need trust me if you really want it then screw what they say

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Hello!

    Hey Zagi
    Welcome aboard, Don't worry about the technicalities or what other negative feedack you get from people. Stay focused on your drumming and everything else, with a little bit more time is all going to fall in place, and don't give up or get dicouraged.

  14. #14

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    Welcome Zagi!

    I have a Chad smith sig and its really great try one for yourself you might like it
    Paiste Posse
    14inch 2002 series Sound Edge Hi-hats
    16inch and 18inch Signature series Fast crashes
    20inch 3000 series Ride
    18inch PST5 series China

    Pearl Forum Series drum set
    Pearl Chad Smith Signature snare(steel shell)
    Tama Iron Cobra Chrome

    RIP Frank - You will be remembered

  15. #15

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    Earl Palmer got out of the service in Dec. 1945 and used the GI Bill to study music in New Orleans. He was 21 when discharged and had never played before. It's often said that he is the most recorded drummer in history. I don't know if that's true or not? He's also credited with bringing the back beat to music with his work with Fats Domino and Little Richard. Before Earl the backbeat was only used as a flourish or crescendo. You're 18, he was 21. Maybe you're not old enough yet?

    About you though, a year from now will be a year from now if you play drums or not. In ten years, the same. Time is what you make of it, so go for it.

    I've heard some great sounding CB 700 and Percussion Plus kits. Unless you need equipment to stand up to the rigors of hard use or road wear, equipment is mostly an aesthetic issue. Really not all that important in the scheme of things. Especially for a financially struggling university student. Just my opinion, but in your circumstance, cymbals would be a better investment then name brand drums.

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