Been away form HOD for quite some time. Happy to see good ol' Vinnie still going strong here. And WTF: Vinnie on Ludwig (yuk!) and Paiste (yes!), what happened??
Nowadays you can find me on the overwhelmingly crowded guitar side of the internet.
Last autumn was the last gig of my fusion band and the last time I had sticks in my hands. The band split afterwards so I lost our rehearsal place that I couldn't afford alone.
Soon after we had major water damages in the basement due to the sagging of the drain around the house. So the next 6 months were total domestic chaos: demolishing the finished basement, cleaning the mess, heavy machinery digging all around the house, rebuild the basement, hysteric wife, kids sleeping anywhere but in their rooms,...
"Fortunately" my drumkits were piled in the only salvaged corner of the basement and our insurance company paid for everything, phew!
Couldn't play drums and needed to play some music to relax. At work was an electric guitar gathering dust in the office of a colleague, he lent it to me so I could scratch a bit. I had started on guitar at 12 years old, took classical lessons for a month but stopped cause I couldn't see how it would help me to play Maiden tunes. So I sold guitar and moped to buy drums. The only thing I remembered was a D chord. So I bought a book of chords, started to strum and really liked it. Soon I was addicted.
I was surprised the stuff coming quite easily for me.
It's like all the coordination, finger control, feel for rhythm and song form I got from drumming; combined with all the things I found useless in college (ear training, sight signing, harmony, theory, vibes and piano scales); all crystallize to make my learning on the fast track.
I practice rock, blues, shred, improvisation, scales, modes, folk strumming, fingerstyle,…avoiding tabs as much as possible to develop reading and my style.
I’m like the sponge I was for drums when I started 30 years ago.
I find basic rock guitar to be much easier to learn than basic rock drums and that's probably why there's about 10 guitarists for one drummer out there. Two-note power chords, basic rhythms and the 5 -note pentatonic scale for solos where whatever you play will fit without thinking about it, and you're all set.
I take technique lessons with the best in town, not repeating the mistake I did with drums waiting 5 years to get lessons and having to undo lots of bad technique.
I bought a Godin then a Les Paul with a Line6 amp (already craving for a Marshall wall ).
I took the MI harmony course, Gambale and Holdsworth books to read on the beach during my vacation. I suck it all in.
And with all responsibilities, job, family, house, I manage to cram 2 hours/day of practice time.
And I'm Ace in a KISS tribute band with a gig in November .
My wife doesn't understand what she calls my “teen attitude” and thinks it's my mid-age crisis!?
I just get a kick out of it and I'm pumped.
Any of you had a similar experience?
From drums to guitar
Re: From drums to guitar
Wow! What chaos that must have been!! Glad that things are back in order..
I don't play another instrument; I barely have time to practice the one I love!!
But I do know that playing keys, guitar or whatever WILL enhance your musicianship one way or the other!!
Have you given up the drums completely??
Thinking of joining "HOG" somewhere??
I don't play another instrument; I barely have time to practice the one I love!!
But I do know that playing keys, guitar or whatever WILL enhance your musicianship one way or the other!!
Have you given up the drums completely??
Thinking of joining "HOG" somewhere??
Re: From drums to guitar
I got a guitar too, and it is a new obsession.
It's hard for me, my fingers are a mess, fat and arthritic! )
On the other hand, playing a note and hearing the sustain, and feeling it, is pretty damn cool. You don't get that with drumming.
In fact, drums seem boring!
If you've ever seen Gary Pihl play, that guy's hands are sick...see, we can talk hands with guitar too...he was built to play the instrument.
I'm watching guitarists now, and I do have a lot more respect for their craft than I used to, for sure.
I probably will until I learn how to play well, then think they all suck, like a guitarist would.
It's hard for me, my fingers are a mess, fat and arthritic! )
On the other hand, playing a note and hearing the sustain, and feeling it, is pretty damn cool. You don't get that with drumming.
In fact, drums seem boring!
If you've ever seen Gary Pihl play, that guy's hands are sick...see, we can talk hands with guitar too...he was built to play the instrument.
I'm watching guitarists now, and I do have a lot more respect for their craft than I used to, for sure.
I probably will until I learn how to play well, then think they all suck, like a guitarist would.
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Re: From drums to guitar
langmick wrote:In fact, drums seem boring!
But in all seriousness, I've started learning piano recently. Been always fascinated by composition and now I want to know more about it. Good fun! Always wanted to play Chopin's Funeral March and now I can (the beginning at least, more coming)
Re: From drums to guitar
I bought a guitar at the beginning of the summer and have been playing it a couple of hours a day. I don't suspect I'll ever be a good guitar player, but it's fun -- very fun.
Not giving up drums, though.
Not giving up drums, though.
Re: From drums to guitar
I've been playing the bass (guitar) for the past 3 years years and have a good grasp on it thanks to playing the skins. Starting to solo on it now. Getting different sounds. I hate being on this train. I want a better amp and bass guitar. Problem is drum shit comes first.
Re: From drums to guitar
I won't quit drumming but for now it has less appeal. Probably the novelty effect.
In my case I had tons of respect for guitarists. They were magicians to me with all the intricate fingering on a 150-note neck; I felt I could never touch it. But now that I can play some things and understands the logic of the fingerboard, well, average rock and blues guitarists took a drop. On the other hand, jazz improvisers who can go in and out of harmonic structures, playing innovative voicings and know what they're doing are in another league completely.
A thing I find really hard is play guitar with a drummer in a band.
Everything he plays seems wrong to me. Feel, accuracy, dynamics, energy… I try to make some subtle suggestions but I’m biting my lip more often than not. He’s not bad but he’s not me, I guess. For now I have problem thrusting the instinct of another drummer. Will it always be like it? Maybe..maybe not...
In this situation you really understand that the drummer IS the leader/driver of a band. He’s responsible of the fundamentals and can elevate a song to a climax as much as he can totally destroy it.
What about you, would you be comfortable being driven by another drummer? (Vinnie excluded)
In my case I had tons of respect for guitarists. They were magicians to me with all the intricate fingering on a 150-note neck; I felt I could never touch it. But now that I can play some things and understands the logic of the fingerboard, well, average rock and blues guitarists took a drop. On the other hand, jazz improvisers who can go in and out of harmonic structures, playing innovative voicings and know what they're doing are in another league completely.
A thing I find really hard is play guitar with a drummer in a band.
Everything he plays seems wrong to me. Feel, accuracy, dynamics, energy… I try to make some subtle suggestions but I’m biting my lip more often than not. He’s not bad but he’s not me, I guess. For now I have problem thrusting the instinct of another drummer. Will it always be like it? Maybe..maybe not...
In this situation you really understand that the drummer IS the leader/driver of a band. He’s responsible of the fundamentals and can elevate a song to a climax as much as he can totally destroy it.
What about you, would you be comfortable being driven by another drummer? (Vinnie excluded)
Re: From drums to guitar
Tombo 7/4 wrote:
In my case I had tons of respect for guitarists. They were magicians to me with all the intricate fingering on a 150-note neck; I felt I could never touch it. But now that I can play some things and understands the logic of the fingerboard, well, average rock and blues guitarists took a drop. On the other hand, jazz improvisers who can go in and out of harmonic structures, playing innovative voicings and know what they're doing are in another league completely.
Yes, and yes.
(now that I can play power chords, well, let's just say that I'm not as impressed -- fun though)
Re: From drums to guitar
I've seen a documentary and read somewhere that neuroscientists agreed at a convention that music improvisation is human's most complex and skill demanding activity. I think I would agree with that.
Imagine the sheer amount of brain power it takes from seeing/hearing chords to sending signals to your fingers/limbs to play something you spontaneously heard and composed in your head that will fit and have a feel, all in real-time. Now that's fast processing and twitching!
Imagine the sheer amount of brain power it takes from seeing/hearing chords to sending signals to your fingers/limbs to play something you spontaneously heard and composed in your head that will fit and have a feel, all in real-time. Now that's fast processing and twitching!
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Re: From drums to guitar
Tombo 7/4 wrote:I've seen a documentary and read somewhere that neuroscientists agreed at a convention that music improvisation is human's most complex and skill demanding activity.
That´s interesting... Any links about it? Thanks...
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