Feedback Needed for a Former Student

[Pocketplayer]

I feel the pool of experience in this forum will be of great help to a former student.

In 2009, before I moved to the Middle East, I was teaching a student in 7th grade.
I worked with him as a new student to drums and basically worked on hands and
kit playing. He progressed well, and before I left found another teacher.

He lives in a small country town 20 miles outside of Murfreesboro, TN. There
isn't a lot of opportunity where he lives, but his dad is willing to drive into Murf.

I advised him to contact the music teacher in the district to see what options
are available. His parents have no music background. There is a kit player
at the MTSU basketball games & I encouraged him to pursue this student that might
help with developing a path.

With this little backdrop, how would you advise a 14yo kid as to a direction
to be a drum set player? In college, I see him as a kit player, not in drum corp.
Are there scholarships for being a set player?

Looking at it another way, what questions would you ask his parents? He is
a grounded kid with a strong family, and is realistic about things (not living
in the rock star fantasy), but needs a benchmark to strive for that is realistic.

Does anyone know what opportunities are available at the college level regarding
drums? Other questions that need to be asked?

He loves baseball and is going to pass on playing this year to focus on drums.
I would hate to see him drop baseball in hopes of something that is very
unrealistic. He only gets that high school experience once.

Thanks for the input...

[deseipel]

What do you mean by opportunities? Scholarships? I doubt it.

What direction? Depends on where he sees himself going. I'd start them on a regimen of Alan Dawson stuff and Chaffee books. I guess I'd need more info from him on his vision. He needs a good mentor and role model. Wish I had one at his age (although I did start Time Functioning patterns at that age, which propelled me way beyond a lot of cats imo).

[chris perra]

What does he want to do?. Go to a college or University?. Does he want to be a Professional player or teacher...

Either way he needs go get a solid foundation in piano if he wants to go to school for drums....

I always strongly suggest taking heavy piano and ear training if a drummer is going to go to post secondary education so they don't kill themselves and hate life while they go to a music school like I did..

I spent way more time dealing with that stuff than I did playing drums while I was there

Despite it being somewhat worthwhile,... I hated and resented it for along time....

If he's talented,..... recommend that he go to a school that he can network the best at,...Unless he wants to teach.

School as in life,,,,, is always in the end about who you work well with / and or can network with so that when you graduate you have some prospects..

Your not going to see many Killer Basketball/or Soccer players go to school in Northern Canada to be pro athletes....

Think the same way for Musicians... if it's feasible.. But.,,, don't bother if you're not good enough...
Try to get all your ducks in a row first..

I'm sure there are scholarships if you look for them ,, the trouble is having the right credentials... For a drummer It requires more than just drums for the most part to get a scholarship.... You'll have to do some legwork to find out what they want.. ...

Love the fact that your asking and looking out for your student...

Good Luck

[Pocketplayer]

Thanks...

I think the kid has strong average talent for what he has applied himself to thus far.
He is a natural player and after he won the school talent contest (he played drums
to a song) his dad thinks he is better than he actually is. In the real world, there
are very good 14yo drummers in every city. The difference is what he will do over
the next four years of high school.

I really think his dad wants him to use drums as a means to get a scholarship to college.
If I pushed him, that would be his aim. He's a dad right...wants the best for his kid
which does not mean his thought process is rational or rooted in reality as a musician
who understands how high a mountain needs to be climbed under the inclement weather
conditions.

As a 14yo kid, his aim is to play at a university basketball game as a set player. He sees
the local university drummers do this and that gave him something to reach for. I don't
think he is wired for drum corp and the commitment it takes to play in college, so I am
going to advise his dad to have a sit down with the high school music director and ask
him what he needs in a set player. Then to hook him up with the student already in that
position. If anything, he can have fun in high school playing drums.

Then he needs to get a teacher who can move him towards his goals. Murfreesboro has
to have some good teachers around. I have a friend that can teach him the Nashville
reading system and some piano and music theory is also a plus. Again, if the HS cannot
give him this, I am all about finding local talent (piano lessons are far more available
in most towns).

Any dads out there want to chime in, please do. I just want to give his dad as much
factual reality as possible before he and his son quit baseball for the high school years.
I'd hate for him to think quitting baseball is a better option because a scholarship playing
drums is more feasible than getting drafted or playing college baseball. Both of which are
extremely difficult.

Welcome to the road of when hobby crosses over to opening doors to other worlds.

[chris perra]

I Have no experience in the pro sports field myself, but I would think that at 14 if he were to make a career of basketball he might be on somebodies radar already.. I'd think the same way for a musician actually.. especially for classical music... I grew up in the middle of nowhere and moved to a larger city. The same thing would have to happen for anybody wanting to make a living... So those things need to be brought up with the parents... Can they afford to support a move for school?.. if not how are we going to secure a scolarship?.. if there is one?..

I'd say Start with where you are... look at where do you want to go?... and draw in the storyline along the way... Which you are already doing and good on you for that... They have the fortune of your experience and some time going for them...

Most times it winds up different than you imagine, but if you get to your desired destination that's what matters.

[Gaddabout]

- He should not quit baseball at 14 years old to pursue drums unless this kid is so sold out you have to beg him to eat in lieu of practicing. I say this not because he might end up being a great baseball player. That's irrelevant. My issue is he's 14 years old. Team sports are fun and provide social integration and team identity. That's not only important to music, that's important to life. We're raising too many narcissistic robots who specialize in promoting themselves. The music industry needs more people. Interesting people with lots of non-music experiences. The world needs those people, too.

- Glad the dad is supportive -- mine wasn't. I'd tell the dad he's already given him what he needs the most (a place to practice, the support to practice). You've got MTSU right there in the backyard. Surely there's a skilled drummer or two on the teaching staff in the music department. Go hunt them down and get the kid the last piece, a qualified instructor. If they're not there, Nashville is 40 minutes up the road. If he's that committed, the drive once every other week or so is worth it. I know Mufreesboro has at least one drum shop there. Even if the teacher is mediocre, unless the kid can out-play the instructor, he has someone to learn from locally for at least a short time.

- Tell the dad to make sure his own ambition doesn't out-strip his son's. If the son really wants to pursue this, he'll pursue it. If the father is more interested, the son will only end up hating the drums and resenting his father. I get the push to excel and to get scholarships, but music isn't something you can make if it's not in your heart. At least not music worth playing or listening.

[Pocketplayer]

Thanks...good stuff here.

I really think at the heart of the matter is a father who wants to fulfill his role as a father.
The kid is not a standout in both drumming and baseball...he is a 14yo kid that can achieve
with average ability. I think you are dead on Gadd on the fun factor or simply having a
balanced life in high school.

This is a good family...dad had no real interaction with his dad or brother, so he is sensitive
to giving his boys all he can. If anything, they do too much...very active family in sports.
His younger brother started piano so I am going to encourage them to be active in what they
are passionate about and get the needed instruction. What happens happens.

I do think this kid can be a good set player in a band, but to make a living...hmmmm. Probably
not in the cards realistically. That is a full on heart felt, gut energy that cannot be taught.
In my opinion it is the relationship together (bond) that takes place in the process that will
allow for good stories 20 years from now...stories are built on memories. Dad is setting the
table for his son's maturity to enter manhood and to reproduce this to his kin. The whole
life circle thing... That ain't such a bad thing now is it!

[langmick]

If he can hack it even marginally, he should be in marching band.

The experiences he can get and his meeting people his age will be of greater value than if he were to sit in a room and shed, honestly.

Your time does improve, as does your coordination and chops. And the chicks are cute, for the most part...

Funny, my cousin who lives in Jersey was the quarterback on the football team in Sparta, and also played in the drum line. He marched in his pads.

He was one motivated dude...