The problem with drumming...

DrumSteve

Let me just get this out there: I love drums. I've recorded, played all over dublin for the last eight years. Its in my name for christ sakes.

but...

Over the last few years of gigging in dublin I think ive had enough of it. its just not worth the hassle. i remember it was fun a few years back when i was younger but the allure of playing dorans* doesnt seem to be so strong any more. I guess my experience as a drummer is quite similar to others which is why its very hard to find drummers( never mind good ones).

Dragging that amount of stuff around to play in front of one man and his dog on a rainy wednesday night at your own expense while the promoter takes everything for himself without actually doing ANY promoting (you know who im taking about)... well that **** just aint on.

I know that guitarists and bassists have their gripes but seriously at least you can practice in relative quiet. us drummers dont have it so lucky.

but ya know all the ****e of draggin equipment around, everyone else in the band moaning at you for being too loud, having tempo tantrums, generally all the bull****... is it worth it? in the end im undecided.

"pointless rant over".

* It will NEVER be known as 3 Crown Alley!

Baggio

Drummer steve...."Pull yurself together man!!"

ah I hear what yur saying...but never i mean neverrrr give up....ok so dorans and the "originals scene" maybe crap...but for me top quality cover/tribute acts is where it's at,,you get to more places, play music you more or less like and near always have more than 1 man and his dog watching ya!

Drumming/music is a God given privilage to me, its something many people wish they could do, but you/I and others... can?!...so why waste that talent?...find other ways of using it and keep on rocking...theres no other way...

I always find someway to make the fire burn when Im playing, wether its new songs to conquere or more work on drum solo's etc...and if your in a band thats not treating you right...ditch em! move on and get fired up again.Believe me one day you wont be able to play anymore and youll always regret giving up before you had to

ciao' amigo....Baggio.....

digiology

There is such a lack of drummers around that it'd be a shame for you to stop. I'll tell you what, I'll carry all your equipment and buy you an electronic drum kit for home use if you'll join me in sonic matrimony

Baggio

Digiology...

is there really such a shortage of drummers out there?...I keep hearing that but drummingireland.com seems swamped with drummers of all levels,,,, why is there such a shortage then?..am curious to know...am in 2 bands meself....would like 3 if i could get one - thats a paying band etc...maybe theres loads of youngsters starting out drumming and bands are reluctant to take a chance on them maybe?...

digiology

It certainly seems that way, I hope I'm wrong.

When I say a shortage of drummers I mean a shortage of available drummers though.

digiology

Just saw that site, you may have just saved my life!

DrumSteve

ah i know what your saying dude... I've just fallen outta love with it at the moment tho. Won't be long til i'm back in love with them tho!

Baggio

Digiology..service with a smile amigo

drumsteve goood man , grab it and rock on again i say

Malice

I wouldn't say there's a shortage of drummers as such. There's definitely a shortage of available drummers that are capable of rudimentary tasks like keeping time and counting!

As for the OP falling out of love with the drums, I'd second what Baggio posted, especially the part about ditching the band if they aren't treating you right.

BIGDOGG

sell your kit and get a new one. you will play then
just get what you need in serious quality. good cases, have it all nice. and you will get back into it.
i was the same, i didn't play for a couple of years. then i played a couple of filler gigs and sold all my kit anything i didn't need. i bought r gretsch usa custom drums and put a customs over the top. i play almost everyday. just to make the sound.

try it.

jamjargod

DrumSteve wrote: »

* It will NEVER be known as 3 Crown Alley!

Much like how The Music Centre in my eyes will never be "the button factory"
Spirit will never be the Accadamy
The Point will never be the 02
and so on so forth

DerKaiser

May sound like prostitution to you, but if you joined a wedding band you could really earn out of it, I know there are a lot of guys out there that would rather pull their own eyeballs out than play Elvis and the Killers perpetually for cash, but that's what being a pro musician is at the end of the day

Either way, don't quit, at least keep your hand in, the world needs more musicians (now if that was more balanced drummers to guitarists...)

Colzed

Marathans will never be Snickers.

Keep calling the gods with your drumming man - they won't answer if you stop.

Colzed.

rcaz

There's a lot of pessimism in this thread!

'the "originals scene" maybe crap'
- Surely that's only if the originals are crap?

'but that's what being a pro musician is at the end of the day'
- I refuse to settle on that idea! If someone wants to be a pro on their own terms, I mean REALLY ****ING WANT, and they work and work and work, then they'll make it happen. And THAT's what being a pro musician is. Wanting and working and working and working.


'youll always regret giving up before you had to'

That is it.

jamjargod

Colzed wrote: »

Marathans will never be Snickers.

Catmandoo

Sounds like a good drumming forum here, like drummingireland.com. Lugging around loads of kit can be dispiriting, especially when the audience is made up of the engineer and a few mates in a large "originals" venue. But keep the faith and serve the song rather than your own self interests, and you`ll be in demand as a drummer.

I`m a female manager and currently helping to form a band. We`ve two excellent guitarists, both 18, and one of them is a multi instrumentalist. (myspace.com/17stories).

Our singer/writer is 22 and her recent 3-song recording is at myspace.com/catlundy. If any of you guys can recommend a tasteful drummer, someone who can "lock in" with the singer and apply the right rhythm to the vocal melody, then please mail me at:sorchalyons@gmail.com

Preferably we`d like a drummer in his late teens so that he`s on the same wavelength as the 2 guitarists. Think Blondie, where the backing band were all 4 or 5 years younger than her. Lads who are fresh to music and not laden down with baggage from previous bands.

But we`re not ageist and if an older awesome drummer wants to hop on board and doesnt mind being surrounded by teen musicians, then we`ll certainly consider him or her. Regards, Sorcha

Baggio

"Older awsome drummer" ?...hmm wonder who that could be!? ahah

anyway I'd like to help out but am a tad buisy these days with that big double header in fibbers this sunday night and the like...but perhaps catmandoo you might find a young drummer on www.drummingireland.com theres many mature and young drummers alike on there and maybe one will fit your bill...

best of luck amigo....Baggio.....

That_Guy

DrumSteve wrote: »

Let me just get this out there: I love drums. I've recorded, played all over dublin for the last eight years. Its in my name for christ sakes.

but...

Over the last few years of gigging in dublin I think ive had enough of it. its just not worth the hassle. i remember it was fun a few years back when i was younger but the allure of playing dorans* doesnt seem to be so strong any more. I guess my experience as a drummer is quite similar to others which is why its very hard to find drummers( never mind good ones).

Dragging that amount of stuff around to play in front of one man and his dog on a rainy wednesday night at your own expense while the promoter takes everything for himself without actually doing ANY promoting (you know who im taking about)... well that **** just aint on.

I know that guitarists and bassists have their gripes but seriously at least you can practice in relative quiet. us drummers dont have it so lucky.

but ya know all the ****e of draggin equipment around, everyone else in the band moaning at you for being too loud, having tempo tantrums, generally all the bull****... is it worth it? in the end im undecided.

"pointless rant over".

* It will NEVER be known as 3 Crown Alley!

I totally agree with you. I'm a drummer myself and it's such a hassle bringing bags and bags of equipment around for practice/gigs.

It's even worse when the venue is far away from where you get off the bus and you've to stop a couple of times to give yourself a breather and your bandmates give out for you being late.

Sometimes being in a band is fcuking hassle. Not sure I even want to be in a band anymore sometimes. If I had a car I wouldn't mind at all but I don't so it's more difficult to bring stuff around.

I'm sure I'm not the only drummer who has this problem.
If a band had their own rehearsal space it wouldn't be too bad because I could then leave my gear there and not have to worry about bringing gear back and forth every week.

davgtrek

lads. curious to know are many of you gigging drummers not going down the digital drum setup route.
seems like the answer to all the problems of volume, hauling kit.etc.etc

i know it doesn't have the look and theatre of crashing cymbals and probably lacks the "grunt & sweat" of a real kit but i know i'd be seriously considering it as a setup.

Drummerboy08

davgtrek wrote: »

lads. curious to know are many of you gigging drummers not going down the digital drum setup route.
seems like the answer to all the problems of volume, hauling kit.etc.etc

i know it doesn't have the look and theatre of crashing cymbals and probably lacks the "grunt & sweat" of a real kit but i know i'd be seriously considering it as a setup.

Just doesnt have the same sound or feel as a good acoustic kit IMO. Great for reahearsing on, but i'll leave it at home when it comes to gigging.

Stephen!

If you're sick of playing Dorans on a Wednesday night to nobody for crap promoters, then set your own gigs up. It's not that hard to book out a venue yourself, get some bands who you enjoy playing with and are friends with, and promote it yourself. It's not that hard and far more enjoyable and rewarding, and because you have money riding on this gig you'll damn well make sure people get their ass in the door!

You'll probably also will find yourself enjoying yourself much much more this way! And soon maybe you will start putting on gigs regularily.

I know this response doesn't have much to do with drumming, but it always annoys me when bands rely on dodgy promoters and other people to play gigs, when it's just as easy to put on ones yourself!

DerKaiser

El Pr0n wrote: »

There's a lot of pessimism in this thread!

'the "originals scene" maybe crap'
- Surely that's only if the originals are crap?

'but that's what being a pro musician is at the end of the day'
- I refuse to settle on that idea! If someone wants to be a pro on their own terms, I mean REALLY ****ING WANT, and they work and work and work, then they'll make it happen. And THAT's what being a pro musician is. Wanting and working and working and working.


'youll always regret giving up before you had to'

That is it.

I didn't think I was being cynical! I told him not to quit! But I have to disagree mate, if you aren't earning out of it, you're an amateur, how many unsigned or signed to indie label bands earn any money? I wish it was different too, but the music business is a ruthless ****hole in reality, still! Don't give up

DrumSteve

I think that a lot of drummers think like me though. I know i'm biased but i do think that we physically put in the most effort for the least reward. I do enjoy playing (at the moment im helping my little bro's band record) but at the same time it'd take something very special to make me get back into a gigging routine.

As regards the wedding band thing... did that a few years ago. was good craic at the time but tbh it doesnt float my boat now.

rcaz

DrumSteve wrote: »

I think that a lot of drummers think like me though. I know i'm biased but i do think that we physically put in the most effort for the least reward. I do enjoy playing (at the moment im helping my little bro's band record) but at the same time it'd take something very special to make me get back into a gigging routine.

As regards the wedding band thing... did that a few years ago. was good craic at the time but tbh it doesnt float my boat now.

Here's just my (pretty limited) experience (I play drums and guitar, but in my band I'm the guitar guy);

I write all the songs for my band, I think about it constantly, and when I get good ideas I write 'em down and work on them. The rest of my band just turns up at my house (late) and plays what I show them. I think the creative jobs are the hardest. Anyone can lift a kit around, the guy doing the thinking has a hard time too. I'm not saying that you're not investing any thought or anything, but just because I only have to carry a guitar and a pedalboard doesn't mean I'm along for an easy ride.

Sivousplait

since this has become a drummer thread, im wondering are any of you guys free to jam? have to get in band!!!!

That_Guy

El Pr0n wrote: »

Here's just my (pretty limited) experience (I play drums and guitar, but in my band I'm the guitar guy);

I write all the songs for my band, I think about it constantly, and when I get good ideas I write 'em down and work on them. The rest of my band just turns up at my house (late) and plays what I show them. I think the creative jobs are the hardest. Anyone can lift a kit around, the guy doing the thinking has a hard time too. I'm not saying that you're not investing any thought or anything, but just because I only have to carry a guitar and a pedalboard doesn't mean I'm along for an easy ride.

In terms of individual work I can guarantee that I do just as much work as the main songwriter.

I've worked hard to work on my technique whether or I've been in a band or not.

It's just in terms of bringing gear to practice and bringing an entire kit for gigs is so annoying especially when you don't have your own transport.
It's ok when there's a house kit at the venue but more often than not there is none.

I love drums and I love playing them but getting into another band is so daunting and the one thing I hated about being in a band was the constant gigging which meant lugging loads of gear around to various venues.

taytothief

:eek:
I fell and smashed my right wrist 2 years ago. I have screws in it now and i can't play for longer than 10 mins without starting to lose my grip and getting pain.
I see people mentioning places they're "bored" of playing. I would nearly have carried my fookin drum-set to dublin to play in some of these places.
Seriously, wtf.

That_Guy

taytothief wrote: »

:eek:
I fell and smashed my right wrist 2 years ago. I have screws in it now and i can't play for longer than 10 mins without starting to lose my grip and getting pain.
I see people mentioning places they're "bored" of playing. I would nearly have carried my fookin drum-set to dublin to play in some of these places.
Seriously, wtf.

It's all about past experiences. Due to your bad wrist (sorry to hear that btw) you want it more than myself.

I've been down the road of lugging gear around for very little gratitude.
Previous band members complaining that "I'm taking too long to set my kit up". FFS talk about impatience and look at the grander scale of things.

All guitarists/bassists/vocalists have to do is take one thing out of a case, plug in the leads to the amp and that's it.
It's also infuriating when I'm told to "be quiet" when I'm testing out the kit to make sure everything's sounding ok etc. Talk about inconsiderate.

Finding the right band mates is extremely tough. You may all have the same interest in music but I've clashed with plenty of people in the past because I've been told exactly what beat to play. You really have to be open minded in the song writing process. To turn around and order me to play what beat you want is infuritating and strips me of my creativity.
It just seems that drummers are just there for time keeping and there's no room for creativity.

That'd be like me telling someone how to play guitar. I don't know anything about guitar and I wouldn't dream of telling someone how to play their instrument so why should people tell me how to play drums?

DerKaiser

To be honest, I've played gigs on drums and gigs on vocals, I was a lot more tired after the vocal gigs, singing (proper singing, not talking in key) really takes it out of you, doing the frontman thing as well, that's killer, I've played 2 hour gigs on drums and felt the same as 45 mins on vocals

Aridstarling

Hey, That Guy, you talk a lot of sense! Want to join a band?;)

Fstudios

Totally on board with you. I understand the effort, drums are a pain in the ass to get around. I can't tell you how many times I've been jealous of a singer, turn up two minutes before, gone two minutes after....

Still, I'll never give it up. Everything is cyclical, you'll come back round to it.

rcaz

That_Guy wrote: »

In terms of individual work I can guarantee that I do just as much work as the main songwriter.

I've worked hard to work on my technique whether or I've been in a band or not.

I didn't mean to imply that you weren't working that hard, sorry if it seemed that way!

That_Guy

El Pr0n wrote: »

I didn't mean to imply that you weren't working that hard, sorry if it seemed that way!

Don't worry mate I didn't take it that way at all. Was just having a little rant is all. Not directed at anyone in particular.

That_Guy

Aridstarling wrote: »

Hey, That Guy, you talk a lot of sense! Want to join a band?;)

I'm ridiculously busy with college mate. That your band in your sig? Nice tunes.

Aridstarling

Yep, thats us, or us 6 months ago anyway. It wouldn't be much of a commitment man, one practice every two weeks maybe? I like the cut of your gib, shoot me a PM if you change your mind anyway.

That_Guy

Aridstarling wrote: »

Yep, thats us, or us 6 months ago anyway. It wouldn't be much of a commitment man, one practice every two weeks maybe? I like the cut of your gib, shoot me a PM if you change your mind anyway.

Now you're just flirting with me. I'll see how I am with regards assignments in a couple of weeks and I'll let you know.