Hi everyone, I have discovered drums by total accident. I have played the piano, trumpet and flute at different stages of my life. About three years ago I developed tinnitus which made my life very complicated, sometimes difficult or annoying. I was looking for ways to trick my brain by using all kinds of sound apps and playing with percussions etc. Pretty soon I realized listening to sounds similar to crickets, all kinds of clicking and cymbals and percussion make me feel like I am in heaven... so I was thinking of buying some cymbals just to play them at home if my tinnitus drives me crazy. Because I know such sounds help me forget the annoying hiss and ringing in my head. I ended up buying an electronic drum kit. A few weeks later I could not resist, I bought my first acoustic drum kit, Sonor AQ 2 Martini (a tiny kit) and the sound is so sweet, so delicate! The sound of real acoustic drums and real cymbals and hi hat... I got hooked immediately, it's been a year or so and I play every night and just can't get enough. I even have a teacher and get homework and practice rudiments. Thanks to my deaf neighbors and my pianissimo style of playing I can play all night at home! Quiet drumsticks and rods and I can play all night. So lucky! I got questions, folks. Yeah, not planning to play in a band, that would kill me, the noise. I cannot tolerate more than 8O dB so the way I play is more like playing the piano. But mainly to me, playing drums is a kind of spiritual practice as firstly, I cannot hear or be aware of my tinnitus while playing, secondly, if I concentrate well, I become one with the sound and then it doesn't matter how sloppy you are, the sound is more important than your mistakes. I am 58 and have been practicing meditation for over 30 years so at least recently I have noticed some results, like being able to be one with sound and stuff...
Drums as a way to be one with the sound
- Thread starter r
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cbphoto
Diamond Member
You could be on the next Sonor ad: "I had bad tinnitus so I bought a Sonor kit to sooth my mind and feel the groove."
Yes, that's the way it works. Welcome to the party!
I first learned to play drums when I was twenty or so, a very big drum kit and I had no meditation experience then and to me the drums were just things to bang on and try to be accurate. I really do not remember any joy hitting a cymbal or a tom like I do these days. It was like learning to cook, not much fun. All I remember is the impatience, frustration and feeling useless. Yeah, it is tough to be young, you cannot see things, cannot hear things, just worry all the time... I know, speak for yourself...You could be on the next Sonor ad: "I had bad tinnitus so I bought a Sonor kit to sooth my mind and feel the groove."
Yes, that's the way it works. Welcome to the party!
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
so for me, music - by way of drumming - is my Zen. 48 years ago, when I was 7, my dad played on his drum set for me, and that was it. I was hooked.
It has been a religious journey ever since then.
because of playing drums - in lots of punk and heavy metal bands in the 80's and 90's - I now also have tinnitius...mine manifests as a high pitch hum just behind my everyday life. When I am busy, or engaged in something, I don't hear it, but as soon as it is quiet, it is there.
I am a band director for a living as well, so I am continually around 90-100dB situations 24/7, and have been for 30+ years.
I find it interesting that you use drums to distract yourself from the sound. Mine does not bother me, other than when I am in a busy room with lots of conversation...then, I have real trouble focusing on one person talking.
stay on the journey though....percussion will open up many doorways as you continue!!!
It has been a religious journey ever since then.
because of playing drums - in lots of punk and heavy metal bands in the 80's and 90's - I now also have tinnitius...mine manifests as a high pitch hum just behind my everyday life. When I am busy, or engaged in something, I don't hear it, but as soon as it is quiet, it is there.
I am a band director for a living as well, so I am continually around 90-100dB situations 24/7, and have been for 30+ years.
I find it interesting that you use drums to distract yourself from the sound. Mine does not bother me, other than when I am in a busy room with lots of conversation...then, I have real trouble focusing on one person talking.
stay on the journey though....percussion will open up many doorways as you continue!!!
"When I am busy, or engaged in something, I don't hear it, but as soon as it is quiet, it is there." The same here, except that on some days it is so quiet I can hardly hear it, only when it is really really quiet. Then I have a blast on such a day, remembering my old quiet days when I had no idea what I could lose... But when it is a really bad day, I can hear it almost all the time and then it is really annoying, even when watching videos or playing drums, I can hear it at the background as some kind of sick, hissing or buzzing stuff in my head.
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
I have had it for so long, I don't even remember what total quiet is like. Probably why it doesn't bother me anymore...it is just now always there