January 2005

Drumwright sale

Drumwright, a local Drum store has their annual sale right now. It has to be said there are some very good bargains to be had.

Now, it’s a well known store in the UK and as such, their sales attract a lot of attention and customers. On the opening day, there are some absolute steals and to cater for the rush of drummers, a ticket allocation scheme is put in place. Only a limited number of people are allowed in the shop at any one time. First come, first served, first to walk out with amazing deals.

So, what do you do whilst waiting to go in? Well, luckily, it was arranged for the church opposite to provide free coffee and bacon sandwiches. How much better can it get?

Drum Establishments

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Rhythm Magazine Orphan

I have a subscription to Rhythm Magazine (UK based). In February’s Editorial I noticed they were giving away stuff as part of their annual office tidy up. All sorts of DVD’s, books, sticks and CD’s needed a new home. A postcard was sent hoping for a DVD or some other goodie.

I received Rick’s Licks (Rick Gratton) - an instructional book (and accompanying CD). To be honest, until now, I’d never heard of Rick. Apparently, in the US, his books are highly respected.

Learn something new and all for the price of a stamp.

Drum Establishments

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Too old? My dog isn’t..

My dog (a Cocker Spaniel) is now 8 years old - approximately half way through her life. She still manages to learn new commands and patterns of interaction, although it can take a while to sink in.

I’m 34 now (not as old as my dog), but only started seriously learning to drum 2 years ago. For most, this would seem too late to embark on such a journey. For anyone who is concerned they’re too old, I can vouch that age is not a barrier. Factors including attitude and enthusiasm are much more important to whether you can make it succeed.

Although I took the decision to take things seriously relatively recently, my interest in drumming has been held for much longer. Over many many years, two of my college friends (guitarists) and I have been regularly getting together to bash out some noise. We’re not a band as such, we’d just be three guys in a room who happen to be playing instruments at the same time. I wouldn’t really be playing, as I had no idea what I was doing. The only thing I owned was a pair of drumsticks.

But, the desire was always there. I’d have my drummer heroes and I knew I wanted to be able to play - to perform in front of others eventually.

Two years ago, circumstances changed. First, I decided to dedicate time to learning the drums. Simple enough, but you have to consider whether you can commit for long enough. Just like my dog, drums are for life, not just Christmas. Second, I managed to collect enough cash to buy an electronic drum kit. Third, I found a tutor I believed I could get on with.

So, it’s never too old. Age is not an issue. But, you do need:

1) The enthusiasm and desire to become a drummer
2) The time to dedicate to study, practice and general immersion
3) Some tools to practice with at times convenient to you
4) Someone to guide and encourage you
5) An avenue to show off your wares
6) To enjoy it!!

If you satisfy the above, no matter how old you are, and you’re thinking about getting into drums - then take the plunge. I did and I don’t intend to stop and that’s two years later.

Learning Drums

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Welcome to Drum Rabbit & Pork

I may be the first. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to keep a blog (Web Log) of my progress towards becoming a competent drummer.

I’m not alone when it comes to following this path. There are many who choose to spend their hours learning this craft and all of them know it’ll take a life time.

So, it is my aim to record my drummer life - from pretty much beginner to who knows.

I’ll record practice acheivements, failures, and pure frustrations of hitting a brick wall. I’ll present tips that I’ve found helpful from tutors, other drummers, magazines etc. I’ll give insights into light bulb moments. I’ll provide comments and ask questions on anything drum related.

Hopefully, other budding drummers will take comfort knowing that they’re not alone, giving them a boost to keep learning. I’m not an expert, professional or even gigging drummer at this time. Just another who’s committed to getting there.

Drum
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