Arrggggg! I'm dumber than a fifth grader

....but, I have more money than your average fifth grader. That's why I could afford to purchase a electronic drum kit that I will never learn to play. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks; they're right. There appears to be an optimum time in one's life to learn new skills that require lots of coordination and the development of muscle memory. That time appears to be somewhere between 6 and 16 years of age. I play the organ, including the foot pedals and also fly high-performance airplanes so I know that there is nothing inherently wrong with my coordination. But you'd never know it if you saw me trying to play a simple pattern (a beginners practice exercise) on my new Alesis DM10 drum kit. I now know what it must be like to have St. Vitus Dance.

I know that there are some things that older adults do better; mastering the 'head bob' during a particularly boring sermon, extending sex (find a small black dot on the sheet (every sheet has one) and concentrate on that); lie (look at the age of your average politician); stuff like that, stuff you only develop through age and experience. But learning to ride a bike or play a piano (or drums) as an older adult, forget about it.

I'm glad I bought this thing with no expectations, else I'd be typing a request for a return authorization (RMA) instead of this stupid post.

I'm not giving up though. If nothing else, it's given me a new appreciation for drummers, whom I always ASSUMED were dumber than a fifth grader. Nope, they're at least as smart as a sixth grader (well, one that repeated sixth grade ).

chas

Chas...
I don't believe it is the inability to learn or the lack of coordination as a result of age. Rather, it is the lack of patience as we grow older.

I'm willing to bet that if you took drum lessons from a good teacher and practiced the rudiments regularly, you would find a lot of satisfaction with your new drum kit.

Up until the late 80's I played drums in various bands. I also taught on the side. Young and old alike had trouble with the simultaneous coordination of hands and feet. The kids worked at it and most eventually got it. The adults....not so much. They tired of trying.
Eddie

(LOL)! Chas, one of the good things about trying to learn to beat the drums at our age is, as with "other" activities, we don't have the tendency to "speed up" we did in our younger days. Slow, meticulous and "rock steady" (for a short while).


(SIGH)

"Grandpa" Russ

Eddie, in my heart I know you're right. But there's a reason ol' folks are impatient; they don't have much time left.


Russ,...........never mind .

chas

Hey ... at least you are TRYING !!! ... keep at it ...
t.
PS I was going to say "Keep it up" but you covered that with the 'Black spot on the sheet' ... ...
t.

chas- that's great your taking up something new. Just enjoy the process- don't stress over being too old to learn something new!

I have been drumming over 30 years and studied drumming with some heavy weights. I love playing keys but there something about drumming that just feeds your soul. Enjoy!

Hey chas, never mind the black spot on the sheet. Just 'see Alice'.

good one.



[This message has been edited by cgiles (edited 01-04-2010).]

Chas.... the only thing dumb about a fifth grader would be the expectation that a few days after he got a drum kit for Christmas he would be able to play it well enough to make decent time and music...

Oh, hold on, that's not a fifth grader! Fifth grader don't CARE that he can't play well yet. He just wants to make some NOISE! It's only old guys that are dumb enough to think they OUGHT to be able to play well after only a couple of days on it

So I guess you ARE dumber than that fifth grader. Only not for the reason you think!

Ask any kid playing the drums how many YEARS it took him to get there (if he's playing semi-decently), and then cut yourself at LEAST that slack. The hell with experience on something else..! Kids learn FASTER than adults, and WAY faster than senior citizens And even though it takes them YEARS to get good, they don't complain if it doesn't come immediately. That's because they are having too much FUN..!

Just have fun, my friend. It'll come. Just be realistic...

You know - like a fifth grader.

I hate those fifth graders.

chas

....especially the smart ones.

chas

Guilty as charged, yer' honor!

I'm pretty convinced the only reason I'm in professional music at all is because I'm still a fifth grader at heart... Where would music (or any art, for that matter) be if it weren't for developmentally challenged adults?!

I don't WANT to grow up... I'm a Toys 'R Us kid!

.. is there any other kind ?!?!? ...
t.

... oh yeah, ... the smart - ASSED ones ...
t.

You old guys are all just bitter because you can't have fun just making noise........oh wait, you're doing that with your arrangers, aren't you .

chas

Speaking of "see Alice", where's Ian. He should have checked in by now.



chas

OUCH!!!
t.

1. How do you make a drummer's car go faster?
Take the Domino's Pizza sign off the roof.

2. How do you check if the stage is level?
If the drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth, it's level.

Pete G., if you're reading this, I'm kidding.

chas

Aha...I always wondered why I used to drool out of both sides of my mouth. Truth be told, I always wanted to be a drummer because drummers got to sit on a "throne". And, when drumming, I did feel kind of "kingish".

But, times and the economy changed.

I'm so glad I had a little background in piano and arrangers were here to take me to the next plateau.

Eddie

Wrong choice of instrument, Chas.
http://graphjam.com/2009/08/23/song-chart-memes-band-chicks/

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

Realistically, how long have you given this thing?

A couple weeks?

Learning any new instrument takes time, daily repeated practice, etc.

Yes there are some powers we lose as we get older, but oftimes they are often much offset by the wisdom we have gained. Or they should be.


--Mac

I just want to learn enough to look cool. In Taike's poll (above), keyboard players didn't even make the cut. In fact, based on that, I may have to dust off that guitar/amp combo I bought at Costco a few years ago. I was gonna give it to my grandson, but now.......I don't know.



chas

You crack me up, Chas!

But, hey, women do fall for pilots!

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

NOW you guys see the wisdom in owning 300 plus guitars!


SO THERE!


Russ "picks it till it bleeds" Lay

Chas, I said something about a set of cocktail drums I got Logan for Christmas. We have replaced a couple of pieces of hardware and some heads, are using different cymbols, and I'm using them as described in a previous post into a louper to develop tracks for film.

I played drums in California 5 nights for a couple of years and always have congas and other percussion equipment on my bandstand.

This week-end, the trio consisting of Logan (upright), grandson Del (these little drums) and me ( Yammaha NP-30 and nylon string guitar)are playing Friday and Saturday at a nearby country club.

So, Chas (excuse what follows, please-I just HAD to do it), "JUST BEAT IT"!(LOL)

Russ "Boom Boom) Lay

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 01-05-2010).]

Is there an echo in here ???? ... or is that just the reverb from the guitar player's amp?!?!?
t.

Good thing I'm also a vocalist ...
t.

Really FUN STUFF! You guys are GREAT!


Russ (Working On My Vocals As We Speak) Lay

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 01-05-2010).]

Okay, okay. You guys have outdone yourselves. I'm with Russ. Good (mostly) clean fun and not an insult, put-down, or bad mouth in sight. Of course we need to talk 'arrangers' 70% of the time in order for the board to keep it's credibility, but since we've already established that the board is @ 95% male, it's only natural that we lapse into complete silliness once in awhile. Sadly, we can't stay young forever but luckily, we can stay immature .

chas

HEY RUSS!!! ... no editing the double post ... you TOTALLY killed the meaning of my 'echo in here' post ... man, I get in (what I think is) a funny line, and you have to mess it up !!!

t.

Found this on a forum...

The Stereotypcial Drummer:

Begginers - Make various threads, such as this one, or "how can I use rudiments in my playing?" (My personal favorite) or "Which pedal will help me play faster?"

Intermediate - Actually asks good questions of which the answers will be useful and the question has a legitiment reason for being asked. This is also where most of the 'normal' discussion threads come from. Sometimes posts sound clips.

Intermediate-Advanced - Tends to answer many of the legit questions, though is occasionally wrong in their replies. These people get most of the jokes and have started to or do realize that Travis and Joey really do suck and will attempt to show that at times. Most often post sound clips.

Advanced - Occasionally make threads, answer only a few questions or to correct bad answers in others. These players listen to Vinnie, Weckl, Lang, etc They don't even bother to jump into the Joey/Travis disscussions because like most things in life, once you know the truth, it's pointless to argue against fools. Have posted a number of sound clips.

The Demi Gods - Rare is a thread made by these few. Though often asked by name in threads for advice. They stalk about the forums like praying mantis. There is no question of their playing abillity. They posses hideous amounts of drumming knowledge and occassionally will expell some via a large green screen, smoke and flashes of light. Though I prefer the 'Bright Blue' myself.

All tongue-in-cheek, of course!

Regards

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.

You could apply those thoughts to just about any instrument...

Arrangers?

STOP PICKING ON US!!!!!



t.

Tony, US includes ME, the proud owner of two fine arranger keyboards. I've spent the entire afternoon trying to get the PA1x to send drums properly to my new DM10 module. So far no luck. Wanted to send an exact same pattern to Diki for (his take on) a comparison. I may have to make a custom kit exactly mapped to a specific kit n the Korg. My own take is that as much as I like the Korg drums, the DM10 drums are WAYYYYY more realistic. For some reason they sound better through the K4 (on the tube channel) than through the headphones. It's hard to distinuish them from the real thing, especially if the real thing is miked.

Anyhow, just kidding about the arrangers. I know how many veins it pops on this board .

chas

Wow! Folks tell me I can still sing. So, I wonder how I would make out if I purchased my 12-string back from Dan01, got a face lift, a gut (tummy) tuck and a truckload of little blue pills? Hmmmm! If I pick up that 41-foot Morgan Out Island, then I could be playing guitar again and singing in the Florida Keys at the marina Tiki Bars and surrounded by a bevy of bikini clad beauties. Anyone know of a good divorce lawyer?

Cheers,

Gary

No, but I know of a couple of good funeral directors (I don't think divorce is what your wife has in mind ).

chas

Not much chance of a divorce AND keeping that Morgan...

I do know a good lawyer, but I just gave his name and number to your wife.
DonM

You can tell the REALLY good ones, they are doing well enough to run ads on tv night and day.

DonM

She read the thread and agrees with Chas, Diki and Don. She also mentioned it would take a lot more than a face lift and tummy tuck, but after the surgery I'll be lookin' good in that casket.

Thanks guys,

Gary