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Take up drums at age 56?

I know this technically has nothing to do with high end audio but I know there are some drummers here that might be able to help me along here....or tell me to skip it altogether. And it does have to do with music.

I'm almost embarrassed to even post this. I'm 56. I have never played a musical instrument other than dabbling with a harmonica. I do not read music. I am certain that I'll never perform for anyone or play in a band.

But I've always wanted to play drums.

And now I have enough money to get a simple cheap used drum kit and I have a basement that is isolated enough to not bother the neighbors. (I actually have an acquaintance who refurbishes used drums who can probably hook me up).

So I have a couple of questions:

1) Can you teach yourself to play drums? Alone or with YouTube etc? Are actual lessons required? Can I skip the practice pad and start with a kit?

2) Is there any point? In other words, even if I were to learn to play are the drums the kind of instrument that you sit down and play for your own pleasure the way you would a guitar?

My realistic expectation is that I'd get a simple kit. Try to do something with it. Find that it is much harder to do than it looks, especially for a guy with two left feet. It sits in the basement for a while and then I sell it for a big loss but hopefully at least happy that I tried it.

Any other thoughts on the matter?

(If totally inappropriate for this site I have no problem removing the post.....especially if someone points me to a better site for the topic.)


n80

Showing 1 response by rbstehno

rbstehno
1,505 posts
 
I started playing drums at age 5 and I’m in my 60’s now. Just got rid of my set.  It’s a lot of fun to play. The most fun is playing in groups/bands in front of many people, an experience you will never forget. Do not, do not get an electronic kit. The drum sizes are completely different than the real thing and the feel is quite a bit different.
St first, all you need is a snare drum to learn the basics. At 5, I did this with an instructor for quite some time before it got boring. Then I progressed to a full kit. Pick a couple of drummers from your favorite artists and play along with a couple of cuts to work on your stick ability as well as the bass drum work. I used a set of headphones for drummers that worked really well while I played songs from my iPhone. There are many YouTube videos that can teach you the basics up to the most advanced.
if you want to save money, find a used set thru Craigslist along with a set of cymbals, hi hat, ride and crash. IMO, if you want to learn from the best, look up Mike Portnoy and watch some of his drumming with Dream Theater. That’s who I played too and he has great videos on how to learn different techniques. Btw, I am selling my headphones if interested.
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