From: petrop@aix.rpi.edu (Philip A. Petrocelli)
Subject: Re: Beginner.
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 10:33:21 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.084727.14512@news.weeg.uiowa.edu> smills@news.weeg.uiowa.edu (MuffinHead) writes:

>   But if you have a place where you could go to practice (like a dirt road
>or a music building), then a snare drum would be that much better.
>   Buy something cheap, but quality. Look around garage sales and stuff. Then
>have someone suggest beginners books. Start at the beginning. Private lessons
>are highly recommended. Don't even think about playing a set for at least a
>year. 
WRONG.  Get behind a kit as soon as u can, and learn where everything is - try
really simple things, and try to keep time on one or more of the elements of the
kit (bass drum, hi hat, cymbal, etc.) while listning to your favorite record. If
you work on the technical skills in parallel with working on what I will call
the "spatial and kinetic skills" (WHERE things on the kit are, or feel most 
comfortable, how different elements respond dynamically, etc.), you will most
certainly learn faster and have more fun.  Having fun is important, too.  After
all, you want to pick this up as a hobby or whatever, so you have to enjoy it.
That's not to say that "woodshedding it" is bad either, but I've seen guys do
paradiddles and the like MUCH faster than me, but they can't hold a candle to
how I perform with a band.  There IS a connection, folks.
Second, and possibly most important - in order to become a good musician, you
MUST MUST MUST leave no musical stone unturned - you MUST develop your ear, and
develop a subtle feel and appreciation for all kinds of music - what you listen
to makes its way into your style in very subtle ways - but it can only help you.
You must learn how elements fit together in a piece, how simple chord
progressions at least SOUND, even if you can't name them, for that can be found
in any "music theory for hacks" book, and is really a good skill to acquire
eventually.  Also, get a feel for dynamics - listen to cds with headphones and 
listen to how guitar tracks are layered, percussion tracks are used, how vocals
relate to how the music is being played, etc.  Not to say that you need an PhD
in music theory - that certainly is way overboard, but u cannot learn in a 
bubble, because it is hard to unlearn things like some insensitivity that you
developed because you had no reference when u were learning.  Sit and listen to
your favorite records, and try to pin down WHY they sound so cool to you - it
may not always boil down to intense technique or speed or heaviness (a 
simpleton's view of what we drummers are made of), it may actually be just a 
matter of dynamics or simplicity - there is much to be said about minimalism and
space in music.  Check it out - you'll be surprised.  Also, listen closely to
who your CURRENT favorites are (your list wil be FOREVER changing), and find
out who more experienced drummers listen to for inspiration - some names that
have stuck with me since I began playing 10 years ago are: John Bonham (made 
heavy drumming what it is today - listen to "Achilles' Last Stand," [ULTIMATE
Zep track] and "In My time of Dying" [cymbals BEGGING for mercy]), Neil Peart
(chances are you already think he's cool - superb technique - "Red Sector A,"
"Territories," "Tom Sawyer" [ULTIMATE track I've EVER heard]), Terry Bozzio, 
Tommy Aldridge (God of double bass technique - his style is fantastic), Bill
Bruford (IMPECCAABLE style, technique, and musicality - "Heart of the Sunrise",
King Crimson's "Discipline", "Red", and "Starless and Bible Black"), Stewart
Copeland ("The Rhythmatist" album, "Zenyatta Mondatta"), and a couple more...
Also, develop an appreciation for great writers and musical innovators like
Sting, Roger Waters, John Zorn, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Frank
Zappa, John Cage, Anton Webern, Sibelius, Phil Collins, Public Enemy, RUN DMC,
Neil Young, Ministry, Mark Nauseef, Queen, Tito Puente, Alan Holdsworth, and
MANY MANY others....
EXPERIMENT - buy things just because they look strange and interesting - there
is always something to be learned, even if it's not on the first listen.
I can't stress this enough.  Make just SITTING AND LISTENING an important part
of your training - while learning, it is more important than sitting with a 
boring, annoying, clicking metronome, or sitting and doing paradiddles til yer
nuts fall off...  I'll let u in on a little secret: most albums today are
recorded using some sort of timing mechanism, so when u listen to a record or
play along with one, you ARE playing with a metronome, and before u can even 
notice, timing has become SECOND NATURE.  Try it.  It works.  I've done it for 
10 years now, and I always get praise for the way I perform.  I really don't 
even practice that often due to school and its annoying constraints, but I never
let my ear get dull - when I get behind the kit, it feels I never left, and I
always finds myself rattling off a new musical idea.  Really.

If you need anymore help or advice, just ask - I love to share my experience 
with newbies.  It's fun, and I get to see JUST HOW MUCH I know.  I just have a
genuine affection for music - that's all.

Later. 
Phil
petrop@rpi.edu

Oh, and by the way:
>Concentrate on making the basics something you can do naturally.
Agreed.  :)
>Muff