Too old to drum

[astie1]

Hi all.

I have been teaching myself to play the drums for just over 12 months i am 37, i would love to teach what i have learned eventually and or play in a band, my question is have i started to late in my life to make a career out of drumming. Any comments good or bad would be very much appriciated.Thank you.

[Kerpunk]

Just join a covers band. As most people on here show you are never to old for a covers band.

Besides you can make some good wonga doing weddings and stuff.

[mcsdan]

Never too old. I started drumming 6 months ago and I'm 35. Only started playing guitar at 32.

[astie1]

Originally Posted by mcsdan

Never too old. I started drumming 6 months ago and I'm 35. Only started playing guitar at 32.

Thank you so much for your reply, it was much appriciated. oh and i do no what you mean about all the gear that you must buy when you take up any hobbie i suppose, any way must dash i have seen a pair of drummer shoes that i need to order lol.

Take care buddy

P.S try drumming to 'Free Alright Now' its a good starter song.

Cheers

[mcsdan]

Knowing what I am like i.e. buying cheap then getting into it and buying again, I decided that I can't have multiple drum kits so spent a bit more than a beginners kit. I went for

Mapex M Birch Shells with remo heads
Zildjian A Customs cymbals

Cost just over a grand but everytime I play I can hear the quality ( in the kit not my drumming!!). My son has a beginner kit and first we upgraded the hi-hat hardware then a set of Sabian Solars, then I replaced all the heads, then some more stable stands, then I treated him to a set of Zildjian ZXT cymbals when he passed his grade 1 drumming - working on grade 2 now. I reckon with just some more shells I've got a complete drum kit in the loft from all the upgrades!

I started drumming to improve timing in guitar and to help my son. I've caught up with him now and we show each other grooves and help each other out. He's only 10 so it's a good bonding thing too.

Had a good session today actually - did about hour and half and really got into it. Problem is that time flies.

Dan

[thebeagle]

Yeah, pub/covers/functions bands are a great place to get your chops up with the added advantage that you'll actually make some money out of gigging as well!

With regards the teaching, if you've got a space to set up two drum kits, understanding neighbours (or a soundproof room/a place away from anyone else) and there's not a saturation of drum tuition places in the area, I'd say go for it! The going rate seems to be £15-20 an hour, which is decent money; the guy I know who does it has an Arbiter Flats kit for the pupils to play, which takes up very little space and still sounds pretty good. An electronic kit with mesh heads such as those made by Traps would be a good alternative, fed into a little PA speaker or something - and then you've got control over how loud the 'learner' is while they're picking things up.

It'd be worth looking into what's expected for drum grades if you're not graded yourself before getting into it, by the way - a lot of pupils (and more so parents) will want some concrete evidence that they're making progress.

And there's no cure for gear accumulation, by the way - but as mcsdan says, buy cheap, you buy twice. I swear by Gibraltar hardware (I've had all kinds of Premier/Yamaha/Tama/ddrum/Mapex hardware pretty much fall apart on me at various points), and decent heads are a must if you want a good sound from any kit (Remo Weatherking for general duties or Evans Hydraulics for a super-dry 'studio' sound for me, but it's worth trying a few different types to see what suits you). The actual shells and the cymbals are kind of personal preference, but do try out some Stagg cymbals when you come to buy - for the price they can be staggeringly good, but there's also some total lemons out there. Of course, there's a reason why Paiste/Sabian/Zildjian are used by about 80% of pro drummers, but some stuff at lower price points can be superb too (some mid-range Meinl crashes, I recall, were excellent, but I forget the model now).

Anyway, it's never too late - get stuck in! And be sure to have drum teaching business cards with you if you end up doing pub gigs, you'd be amazed how many people will ask after a gig; probably when they're leathered though, so something they'll find in their jacket pocket in the morning is money well spent

[pts1]

When I was 15 I had a go on a friends drums. Loved it but couldn't have my own kit. Life went by and I have never forgotten how much I loved those drums. My grandson now has a starter kit, he is 15, I am now 64. One day soon, probably when I retire next year, I am going to get my own kit. Too old at 30 something? Don't make me laugh! Go for it if you can..lifes too short.