Hey, I just joined the forum. I'm mainly a bass player, but played drums a few decades ago. I play worship music at my church and they lost a few drummers all of a sudden. I thought back to when I was younger and my old Premier kit. I thought it would be fun to run up to the local music store and see if I had any chops left. I was rusty. Really rusty. But, for the next few weeks I thought about how much fun I had playing all the kits. So, I decided I wanted to get back into it. I picked up a used Tama Starclassic kit and I'm back at it. I have a ton of questions, but I'm going to poke around a bit and see what has changed...aside from the prices!
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Picking up the drums again after 20 years
- Thread starter nickybass
- Start date
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
welcome to it!!!
I also play bass...added it to drums 40 years ago (Neil Peart was my biggest influence, and by way of him, so was Geddy...)
damn...a Starclassic? That is a pretty big "first kit back"!!!
I also play bass...added it to drums 40 years ago (Neil Peart was my biggest influence, and by way of him, so was Geddy...)
damn...a Starclassic? That is a pretty big "first kit back"!!!
I didn't plan on the Starclassic. But, I played it a few times and everything was just as I wanted it. I walked away from it a few times and left empty handed. But, I knew it would be something that I'd want to play a lot. And I do.
Drumolator
Platinum Member
Have fun playing drums. I do. Peace and goodwill.
JimmyM
Diamond Member
Not much has changed except the best of the young players today have a million more skills than previous generations, and being able to cop beats that sound like they were programmed by a Roland 808 is a marketable skill, with a whole bunch of effect cymbals and head mufflers you can get to get in the ballpark.
Yeah, there are so many young drummers on Youtube with ridiculous chops. I wonder if they were out there in the 90's but we never heard of them without social media.
I'm starting to get more comfortable on the kit. It's coming back fairly quickly. Plus, I'm a lot more 'mature' now, so I'm able to play with a bit more sensitivity and direction. I went through the Buddy Rich book years ago, but I flew through that thing without stopping to see if I was ready to move to the next rudiment. It was like I just wanted to finish it for the sake of finishing it, not for the sake of actually learning the rudiments. I picked up another copy, but I'm liking Stick Control and will spend a lot more time with it. It's actually kind of cool sitting at the dining room table and practicing sticking. I'm probably going to pick up another drum pad and leave one at work. Maybe eventually get one for the car. Leave one at my doctor's office and at friend's houses.
I'm starting to get more comfortable on the kit. It's coming back fairly quickly. Plus, I'm a lot more 'mature' now, so I'm able to play with a bit more sensitivity and direction. I went through the Buddy Rich book years ago, but I flew through that thing without stopping to see if I was ready to move to the next rudiment. It was like I just wanted to finish it for the sake of finishing it, not for the sake of actually learning the rudiments. I picked up another copy, but I'm liking Stick Control and will spend a lot more time with it. It's actually kind of cool sitting at the dining room table and practicing sticking. I'm probably going to pick up another drum pad and leave one at work. Maybe eventually get one for the car. Leave one at my doctor's office and at friend's houses.
Suburbankidz
Well-known Member
Welcome to the forum. On the return to playing, just take your time and let it flow
Syncopated_1
Well-known Member
Excellent choice on the Starclassic. I have the maple and the walnut birch version and love both.
harryconway
Platinum Member
Welcome to Drummerworld & back to drumming. Great choice of kit. Smart choice to buy used. I'd say very little has changed over the last 20 years, as far as acoustic drums and cymbals goes. Maybe a few more cymbal companies to choose from, and a few less drum companies, but that's about it. Have fun on your drumming journey !!!
doggyd69b
Platinum Member
One big change from about 15 years ago (when YouTube started) is that there is YouTube now so you can find all kinds of good (and bad) videos to get inspiration and gain knowledge. A good majority of people here are going to suggest taking lessons.. I won't be one of them. Have fun and get inspired, then. if you feel like you need lessons (and most importantly) want to take them, then do that. No peer pressure here.
It doesn't matter how new or used your kit is if it inspires you to play.
Feel free to ask any questions, no judgement here. We love to help when we can.
Great community here. Thanks for the welcome!
I do watch Youtube videos, but I'm always realistic about what I take from them. My background is in upright bass and learning/teaching from the Simandl book probably written in 1900. I watch bass videos and some are great, but a lot are just too over the top. So, I'm applying the same approach with drums. It's entertaining to watch, but I'm going to stick with the classics for the bulk of my practice. Working with the pad is really helping a lot. I can already see the huge benefit.
The Starclassic is fantastic. The only issue I'm having now is that my music room is really small. I need to get some carpeting or acoustic panels in there.
I do watch Youtube videos, but I'm always realistic about what I take from them. My background is in upright bass and learning/teaching from the Simandl book probably written in 1900. I watch bass videos and some are great, but a lot are just too over the top. So, I'm applying the same approach with drums. It's entertaining to watch, but I'm going to stick with the classics for the bulk of my practice. Working with the pad is really helping a lot. I can already see the huge benefit.
The Starclassic is fantastic. The only issue I'm having now is that my music room is really small. I need to get some carpeting or acoustic panels in there.
doggyd69b
Platinum Member
just get some moving blankets from Harbor Freight (the thick ones with the pattern on them), hang them on the wall and remove when you don't need them. :
Cheap enough and would definitely work for what you want.
About YouTube for learning.... well if you see someone playing some seeming impossible thing know that:
A lot of them record hundreds of takes to get a complete part (El Estepario Siberiano by his own admission). Charles Berthroud one of the ones that while great players also does this "perfect take" too. Don't get hung up on that, just like anything else in life, take what works for you and discard the rest. Once again welcome to the forum and we hope you have a great time here and with your kit.
Oh one thing I forgot... if you really want to deaden your room vibrations, hang sheets from the ceiling and that plus the moving blankets will have a huge effect on deadening your room. Beware, drums sound quite different after that treatment.
Thanks. I will check out the blankets. And I was thinking that the ceiling needed some treatment. I just didn't know what to do. I was thinking about an acoustic panel angled down a bit. Yesterday, I got a rug from Lowes and put that down. And I found some carpet cutoffs in the basement that I put in front. That seems to help.
I think one of the issues is that the drums are facing a wall. Maybe I should turn them around?? It's a small room so there's not a lot of options.
Most of my Youtube viewing is stuff like Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, some of the worship drumming channels and stuff like that. I've watched some of the crazy chops videos, but it's mostly for entertainment purposes. I'd love to be able to do that stuff, but it's not a priority and honestly, I'm more humbled watching a Pretty Purdie Shuffle video.
I think one of the issues is that the drums are facing a wall. Maybe I should turn them around?? It's a small room so there's not a lot of options.
Most of my Youtube viewing is stuff like Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, some of the worship drumming channels and stuff like that. I've watched some of the crazy chops videos, but it's mostly for entertainment purposes. I'd love to be able to do that stuff, but it's not a priority and honestly, I'm more humbled watching a Pretty Purdie Shuffle video.