....but, I have more money than your average fifth grader. That's why I could afford to purchase a electronic drum kit that I will never learn to play. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks; they're right. There appears to be an optimum time in one's life to learn new skills that require lots of coordination and the development of muscle memory. That time appears to be somewhere between 6 and 16 years of age. I play the organ, including the foot pedals and also fly high-performance airplanes so I know that there is nothing inherently wrong with my coordination. But you'd never know it if you saw me trying to play a simple pattern (a beginners practice exercise) on my new Alesis DM10 drum kit. I now know what it must be like to have St. Vitus Dance.

I know that there are some things that older adults do better; mastering the 'head bob' during a particularly boring sermon, extending sex (find a small black dot on the sheet (every sheet has one) and concentrate on that); lie (look at the age of your average politician); stuff like that, stuff you only develop through age and experience. But learning to ride a bike or play a piano (or drums) as an older adult, forget about it.

I'm glad I bought this thing with no expectations, else I'd be typing a request for a return authorization (RMA) instead of this stupid post.

I'm not giving up though. If nothing else, it's given me a new appreciation for drummers, whom I always ASSUMED were dumber than a fifth grader. Nope, they're at least as smart as a sixth grader (well, one that repeated sixth grade ).

chas

Chas...
I don't believe it is the inability to learn or the lack of coordination as a result of age. Rather, it is the lack of patience as we grow older.

I'm willing to bet that if you took drum lessons from a good teacher and practiced the rudiments regularly, you would find a lot of satisfaction with your new drum kit.

Up until the late 80's I played drums in various bands. I also taught on the side. Young and old alike had trouble with the simultaneous coordination of hands and feet. The kids worked at it and most eventually got it. The adults....not so much. They tired of trying.
Eddie

(LOL)! Chas, one of the good things about trying to learn to beat the drums at our age is, as with "other" activities, we don't have the tendency to "speed up" we did in our younger days. Slow, meticulous and "rock steady" (for a short while).


(SIGH)

"Grandpa" Russ

Eddie, in my heart I know you're right. But there's a reason ol' folks are impatient; they don't have much time left.


Russ,...........never mind .

chas

Hey ... at least you are TRYING !!! ... keep at it ...
t.
PS I was going to say "Keep it up" but you covered that with the 'Black spot on the sheet' ... ...
t.

chas- that's great your taking up something new. Just enjoy the process- don't stress over being too old to learn something new!

I have been drumming over 30 years and studied drumming with some heavy weights. I love playing keys but there something about drumming that just feeds your soul. Enjoy!

Hey chas, never mind the black spot on the sheet. Just 'see Alice'.

good one.



[This message has been edited by cgiles (edited 01-04-2010).]

Chas.... the only thing dumb about a fifth grader would be the expectation that a few days after he got a drum kit for Christmas he would be able to play it well enough to make decent time and music...

Oh, hold on, that's not a fifth grader! Fifth grader don't CARE that he can't play well yet. He just wants to make some NOISE! It's only old guys that are dumb enough to think they OUGHT to be able to play well after only a couple of days on it

So I guess you ARE dumber than that fifth grader. Only not for the reason you think!

Ask any kid playing the drums how many YEARS it took him to get there (if he's playing semi-decently), and then cut yourself at LEAST that slack. The hell with experience on something else..! Kids learn FASTER than adults, and WAY faster than senior citizens And even though it takes them YEARS to get good, they don't complain if it doesn't come immediately. That's because they are having too much FUN..!

Just have fun, my friend. It'll come. Just be realistic...

You know - like a fifth grader.

I hate those fifth graders.

chas