Hello all,
This is my first post here so let me start by introducing myself. My name is Scott I live in the UK and I've playing drums for about 2 years now. This seems like a really nice place and I hope to learn from all of you.

My question is how exactly would you know when you are a good drummer. Im not saying the best or proffesional, but just someone who can be called a good drummer. Would you need to have your playing listened to by other drummer or would it just be by your own mind (which is doubtfull) or is there any other ways. The reason is i just want to know how im doing. I know im not anything special considering ive only been playing for about 2 years, but still i would like to know.








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keep on drummin!

Hopefully you never do know.

Because then it is time to quit and become a painter.


The idea is just to play and enjoy. If someone else wants to call you a genius, so be it.

I think there are levels of good that you can achieve by means of learning rudiments-such as stick control, reading music, practice, ect...
although learning all of this without feel (considered technical player!)
still a good player but only tachnical-then theres the feel only player that just plays what his soul plays--also a good player but most of the time
not knowing exactly where they are in timing...then theres the guy/girl who can do both--play with feel & knows exactly where he is in time..
I think those are the drummers who step a little beyond good! I also feel
that a pro player--someone who makes a living playing music is at last very good!Loving what you do will also make you good--no matter what level you are! hope this helps!!!!!








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just another drummer who wants to become better,learn more and play more than most..
if you can help please do!!

I've thought about this before myself. After the first few months of having my first kit, I ask my father (A drummer of 30 years) if i could consider my naive self a drummer. "You're not a a drummer yet, but a person who plays drums." So for awhile i kindof enstilled it in my mind that if my father says it, its true, at least for drumming. As months passed however i found myself getting better by the day, surprising my father even with tricks and techniques he says he could never do. It was soon after days like these that I thought to myself "You know what, I think i'm drummer." and with a small sense of nervousness I went to him one day and said that regardless of what he thinks, i felt as though i could call myself a drummer. And he sortof smiled, as if he saw that i had realized what he couldve actually meant, for me to get good enough to be able to call myself a drummer, in spite of what others think. He replied with "You are what you think about, all day long." So, don't think of being a real drummer as a sort of initiation that has to be carried out for the approval of anyone. For if you think you are truly good, you will get even better.








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Don't Waste Your Time Or Time Will Waste You

you're good if the audience thinks you are. period.

being comforatable behind the drums helps & to be able to play what you hear well!








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just another drummer who wants to become better,learn more and play more than most..
if you can help please do!!

for me personally its about enjoying it 1st of all, when i started out playing i didnt play cos i wanted to be dave Weckyl i played because i enjoyed it more than anything and i still do 9 years later, the more you progress while you play the "fancier" u can get but thats where rudiments help a hell of a lot, and because say u cant do a fast double stroke roll doesnt make u a bad drummer, not at all, 99% of drummers will always say its about the groove and playing in the pocket, just keeping solid time whilst playing with a band, if u can keep a solid 4/4 beat that make u a good drummer to me my friend








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Heresy! \M/

fas-tedz wrote:

you're good if the audience thinks you are. period.

I couldn't help but disagree with that. I've seen too many drummers, guitarists, bass players and entire bands sit back on their laurels and get really lazy or allow their egos to inflate because they thought they were so good. They were basing this on the fact that the audience loved them. That in itself is fine. But what if the audience doesn't have a clue what makes a good drummer in terms of skill, etc?

Are we going to stop learning and growing as a musician because the audience thinks we're the best on earth when we're probably not?

I think it's hard to know when you're "good". I'd rather gauge myself by knowing when I'm getting better, and that's when I am able to go back to something I was struggling with before and finally nail it. I think that's all that really matters. And of course, having fun!








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Tama Rockstar Custom 10-Pc
Paiste and Sabian cymbals
Tama "RoadPro" Hardware
Axis "X" Longboard Pedals
Regal Tip "Jazz E" and Promark "Elvin Jones" and "747" Drumsticks
Regal Tip "Ed Thigpen" Brushes
Remo and Evans Drumheads

my friend told me this: after about 5 years of playing you thing you're really good, after 10 years you start to discover more and more things that you have to learn, and after 15 years you just start from beginning








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Rhytm is a way to transmit a description of experience
in an emotional and not abstract way.
It is more than a metaphor:
It is a physical experience as real as any other.

Thanks for the input (really) I was responding more to an earlier post regarding solos, and I do believe I'm right on this. I've seen and done very technical solos and left the general public out....played right over their heads, so to speak. I agree that you have to play and practice at a higher level than that and be true to yourself, but when playing to the general public, the point is to play what they want/need to hear...get them excited, play what makes them want to know more about the art of drums and 'music' in general. I have no delusions that I'm great and I grow daily. My goal is for them to grow with me.(and of course to have fun).

Johnny Cat wrote:

fas-tedz wrote:

you're good if the audience thinks you are. period.

I couldn't help but disagree with that. I've seen too many drummers, guitarists, bass players and entire bands sit back on their laurels and get really lazy or allow their egos to inflate because they thought they were so good. They were basing this on the fact that the audience loved them. That in itself is fine. But what if the audience doesn't have a clue what makes a good drummer in terms of skill, etc?

Are we going to stop learning and growing as a musician because the audience thinks we're the best on earth when we're probably not?

I think it's hard to know when you're "good". I'd rather gauge myself by knowing when I'm getting better, and that's when I am able to go back to something I was struggling with before and finally nail it. I think that's all that really matters. And of course, having fun!

well I think I'm a good drummer, but I KNOW that there is still ALOT of room to grow, but I think that you can call yourself a good drummer once musicians start to notice you and tell you that you are pretty good,
for example. if I'm playing in a club or whaterver and some chick comes to me after the show and starts going of on how good I am and howmutch she liked the show, and I know she has no musical experience except for listening to it, I think thats cool, she like the show, but now shes was going way over her ehad with all the "I'm great thing" . Now if a musican, specialy a drummer comes up to me and says "man that was a great show, good job!" than I feel a little better for myself, not that I'm looking for complement 'cause I personaly don't care if oter people aprove or not of my playing, but its alwyas nice to get some complements once in a wile isn't it?

and them you always get the cocky "mofos" liek this drummer I met whem I was living in a town caled macaé who never met me never even SAW or heard me play and started talking crap about me, because I was teaching a the music school and he lost some students because of that. and I had a student that would have classes with both of us and always told me the shit he would say...

thats actualy the kind of stuff I like, It makes me whant to go home and drum for DAYS!!! lol because if he is jealous, that means I'm good, but I nead to get better in case he is also at home drumming al the time..

sorry if I got a little of the subject

Qbs wrote:

my friend told me this: after about 5 years of playing you thing you're really good, after 10 years you start to discover more and more things that you have to learn, and after 15 years you just start from beginning

OH MY GOD, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!

i would agree with most people who have already posted, the real way to tell is by what other people think of u, i.e. the crowd. those are the people that actually see u get into it and can compare u to other drummers

if a lot of musicians always want to play with you, then that is usually a sign that you aren't too shabby. do people like to jam with you? do they ask you to play gigs or record with them?

that's not the only way to gauge ability, but i think that it is a good start....








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it's all about the groove

Ah the insecurities of being a musician. One way to assess your talent is to record yourself and listen back.
Recordings don't lie! (at least before pro tools are used). It seems to go up and down sometimes playing beyond what you think you can do and then if you are suffering from an inflated ego afterwards that always confronts you with your current limitations. The music should humble us because it is difficult to play it and do it justice. One thing for sure you should never feel like you are somehow "there." Because there is no peak, only more endless plateaus and levels. No limit to this thing called drumming.
Please visit my site and tell me.....am I good? Just kidding.
But if you want to give a listen that would be cool of you.
Work on ambidexterity, independence and rudiments w/ a metronome and have fun!
www.scotaylor.com








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