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losing it.


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After a while of not playing with this particular drummer, I had him over last night. We were trying to kill time before going and seeing The Hobbit, so we set up and started jamming.

 

I don't know what it was, but I stopped listening and focusing on myself playing. I don't know why, but I focused solely on him. It may be due to the fact that I started playing drums about 2 months ago and want to pick up on it, but I was doing really poorly. I feel ashamed to say that I'm still a guitar player.

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I've got 2 lovely drummers, my main one has been playing for roughly 8 years, the other, 3. They're always teaching me things whenever we have downtime during jams, and trust me, it's helped me greatly. (last night i was taught basic use of a double bass pedal, it was great fun until the sweat kicked in) The problem is that i was focusing on him over my guitar playing and almost tuning out my amp, even though it was a halfstack on 10. I still didn't hear it. I'm going to try a different room arrangement next time, maybe it's all in my head and I was just standing the wrong position. But I dono, I just feel like I wasn't doing well and felt like a serious letdown to him.

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Well...not being there, it's hard to evaluate that. BUT...playing a 1/2 Stack, on "10" would lead me to believe, that he was playing too loud, maybe to hear himself, over your amp, so that both of you couln't really hear (properly) what either one of you, was doing. Maybe, try a less volume, more dynamic approach, overall. Support each other's efforts, as opposed to trying to "out loud" one another, maybe?!

Just a thought... [biggrin]

 

CB

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I might call it progress.

 

As a misician, you SHOULD absolutely, always be listening and focused on the drummer. That is where ALL the timing should be coming from.

 

Also, I notice than when a new growth or discovery would happen in my playing, I always feel like I suck just before. Others I have talked to also said the same thing at times. Perhaps, it is part of becoming aware of something you shouldn't be doing or want to do better?

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I might call it progress.

 

As a misician, you SHOULD absolutely, always be listening and focused on the drummer. That is where ALL the timing should be coming from.

 

Also, I notice than when a new growth or discovery would happen in my playing, I always feel like I suck just before. Others I have talked to also said the same thing at times. Perhaps, it is part of becoming aware of something you shouldn't be doing or want to do better?

 

[thumbup]

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With a good drummer that keeps a good rhythm, you can anticipate the beat, right? Were you not able to anticipate the beat? Is the metronome not your friend? Or was it you were on time but hitting the wrong notes?

I'm not friends with my metronome. I start slow then rush, then slow when I anticipate a mess up. Granted, I'm okay being half-assed at the moment because I only get 15 minutes to play and do it mostly to keep the calluses. When I do play to e metronome I suck at hitting the right notes, but once I get into it I sound a lot better.

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It sounds to me as though both of you should spend a little bit of time here Click Me. <--- The Forums are a good resource

 

If you are wanting to learn to play drums, I would recommend warming up by playing the rudiments all using the entire kit. Start slow and build speed. Also, if you are playing double kick, play the rudiments there as well. Work on triplets, quads, 5 stroke rolls, 7 strike rolls, double stroke rolls, para-diddles, etc... You really should be doing this with a metronome!

 

It sounds to me that your drummer should look into quite a few things on that site too. Acceptable practice volume levels and probably dynamics if it is as you say with him only knowing one volume.

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