djarrett Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 I noticed in another thread, ... someone mentioned that they had a teacher that had seemed to have lost his drive. We are all human and this means that we are all susceptible to outside influences of our relative social environments. This can be negative and positive. We all go through slumps where we are no longer as motivated. What do you do to keep yourselves motivated as drummers? DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModernDrummer Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 Look DJ, You're gonna have to stop posting topics like this. We're drummers, O.K.? We're not supposed to think this much. You're starting to make my head hurt, and the band is complaining about all the aspirin bottles strewn about the floor... If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 Originally posted by djarrett: What do you do to keep yourselves motivated as drummers? Many years ago I might have said something like "the many opportunities to commit a reproductive act." I'm now clear-headed and realize drumming is the best way to glorify my own ego. Seriously, drumming is fun. There are so many new challenges, so many things to learn, I can't imagine not wanting to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidereal Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 Oh, my brain.... I'm with you MD.... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif To ask what motivates me as a drummer is not even an a question I can conceptualize. I can't *not* play. For better or worse, it's like food and water for me. I have to play. I often feel restricted by this and sort of wish I wasn't so tied to it, but I am. It is my life. Of all the daily problems that come along in life, motivation to play is not one of them. If anything, I wish it wasn't so much of an obsession. Just for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1642605905 Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 It's true!Once you're hooked it's not a matter motivation anymore!It then becomes a matter of not letting it totally consume your whole life!...I'm losing the battle!LOL ian* ian* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 LOL, no doubt! It's all I can do to pay attention to all the other stuff I'm "supposed" to be doing, all I can think about is playing! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlhubley Posted August 29, 2001 Share Posted August 29, 2001 I'll admit, i need motivation. I LOVE playing, and have since i got my first kit at 5 years old. My problem is that i have never been all that disciplined of a player, unless i am working on something like a song or a solo or any piece for that matter. But I am horrible about keeping the daily routine. Sheesh, imagine how much of a badass i would be if i was disciplined. But, that's not me. I get motivated by hearing Vinnie, or Jeff P., or Smitty, or Weckl, etc. I get motivated from my students, i get it from my girl. A large bit of it comes from playing with other musicians. That always makes we want to sound better. But, I'm sure i will always "know more than what i can play" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 30, 2001 Author Share Posted August 30, 2001 Well, some of you can relate to this. While at Mapex, I travelled on a few clinics with Terry Bozzio. Dispite being motivated by his talent ... equally I was de-motivated! I thought " heck ... I might as well hang it up!" Then I thought ... I am not Terry, and I will never really try to reach Terry's level ... because he is going in a totally different direction. This brought me out of my funk! Thanks, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidereal Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 I had a similar experience following Terry's work. It actually got me into funk. As in, you know......... funk. Just for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oyajipunk Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 How do I motivate myself? I wish you could tell me! Slump city, I tell you. I am in a catch 22 situation, my own lack of ability frustrates me, but I don't have enough time or money (everything costs in Japan) to practice more. Well, I don't have the motivation to practice more - truth be told. I think the biggest motivation problems are caused by lack of goals. Every time you succeed in a goal satisfaction is achieved, and you look for the next goal. They may be paradiddles, a double bass technique, or just playing a song with the same great groove every time without fail. I can't motivate myself to set practice goals because the band I am in doesn't play much so I will never get to use the techniques I learn. I think I need to join a new band... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModernDrummer Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 Quote from DJ "While at Mapex, I travelled on a few clinics with Terry Bozzio. Dispite being motivated by his talent ... equally I was de-motivated! I thought " heck ... I might as well hang it up!" Then I thought ... I am not Terry, and I will never really try to reach Terry's level ... because he is going in a totally different direction." Hmmmm, who SAYS you're not at Terry's level? Just 'cause you don't play the same stuff, doesn't mean you're not at the same level, DJ. As you noted, he's just in a different (VERY different, LOL!) direction. Hey, Bozzie may be just a wee bit 'different' than MOST folks! LMAO! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif I dunno what motivates me. I've been doing it so long, even with a 16 year hiatus, that I can't really tell you even how I stay motivated. I guess I'm not then, LOL. I just play 'cause it's what I do. It's part of what I am. I'm about 6' tall, blue eyes, wear size 9 1/2 shoes, I drum. Like that. We sat at rehearsal last night, trying to think of what to do. 'Cause the copies we decided upon no one has had a chance to listen to, so we really couldn't rehearse those. So here we go, another band passing out some beers and screwing around. Hit the tape recorder and see what happens. As it turned out, bingo, 6 new originals. Ahhh, some probably have a much better chance than others to amount to anything. But there's at least a couple there that really have some promise. I guess that's what motivates me more than anything. The creativity. The chance to just lay back and see where my mind takes me. I never really think of it as 'practice', or 'work', 'cause it's not 'hard' for me in that way. Doesn't mean it all comes easy, by any means. I must rehearse hours and hours alone, in addition to the time with the band, to be able to do anything on the drums even remotely well. For me, coming up with a riff or learning a part isn't tough. Playing it WELL, smoothly, THAT'S the tough part. Still, I never really think of it much. I just sit and do it. Like the same way someone else watches TV while housecleaning, or maybe listens to the radio while working in the yard. It's just there. Rehearsals for us are just fun. That's what they're supposed to be, aren't they? They're kicked back, have a party, here's a beer or pop or whatever ya dig. Sure, bring your friend along, no worries. We may sweat our butts off, but it's relaxed. For us, that also affords us our greatest chance to create. And also, if I or one of the other members wanna experiment with something new, a new idea, chop or song, there's no pressure. If it doesn't fit well, ya just move on to something else. No one's chiding you that "That sounds stupid" or "Don't play that, that doesn't fit". I guess that's why I don't really need motivation. It's just too much fun anyway. "Wait, you mean I can get PAID to screw around like this?" Wheeee! If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockbody Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 Well, I'm a guitar player, not a drummer, but I've bought a set to learn. Just like when I was learning guitar 20yrs. ago, the motivation is to learn more, more, more. It's all new, and it's all exciting. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin F Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I also mainly play guitar but I learned to play drums when I was very young. I recently bought a set of TAMA's to get back into the groove. Playing again really helps my timing and feel on the other instruments I play. Also when I get an idea for a beat, it is easier to show the drummer in my band what I am thinking than to tell him "it goes like this..." and try and sing some beat. I know some of you guys have been on the recieving end of that before... Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidereal Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Believe me, it's great when the attitude is right. I love it when non-drummers learn drums. That way they can understand what it means to play, things like groove, feel, structure... You learn that drumming is NOT "timekeeping." Just for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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