Okay, not quite extraordinaire, seeing as I’m a reputed klutz and am all hands and feet.
(You might argue that a good drummer is all hands and feet, but I kinda meant mine in the negative way.)
Anyway, this is a semi-long story so I’ll start from the beginning.
Remember the Goonfather bought Rock Band six weeks back?
![[Rock Band in the boot]](http://www.sheylara.com/images08/0327rockband01.jpg)
Well, we haven’t had much time to play it. Let’s just say we’ve played it fewer than 10 times since we’ve got it, but it seems that the drum is my instrument.
I find the drums most fun to play. I’m also the official drummer in our “band” because I happen to be the best at it in our group (although Minou is possibly as good as I am, just that, for some reason, she refuses to play in hard and expert modes).
The Goonfather thought I should have a pair of real drumsticks. He’d read that anti-vibe drumsticks will reduce the ridiculously loud “tok tok tok” sound that you hear when the default Rock Band drumsticks hit the drum pads.
So we went to Yamaha. We tried a few different ones and found that they all sounded about the same, anti-vibe or otherwise, so I decided to go for looks.
I am now the proud owner of a pair of dazzling white Zildjian Travis Barker drumsticks!!
![[Fake drummer]](http://www.sheylara.com/images08/0513drumsticks.jpg)
And I can’t even play drums. Real ones, I mean.
But they look so good and they feel so good. Seriously, it feels so much better playing with real drumsticks, like more solid or something.
But they also make me feel like a poser. Not a real drummer using real drumsticks! The cheek of me!!
Which led me to consider drumming lessons.
I googled “drumming courses in Singapore” and shortlisted three places to visit and see how I feel about them before making a decision.
Today, I was out for an audition and a work meeting, so I thought I’d check out those rock schools on the way.
I went first to The Music Lab. Within two minutes, I signed up and paid the deposit for four lessons, committing myself to 24 lessons.
I hate shopping around. I hate waiting. I hate dilly dallying. Not always a good thing, but it gets things done.
![[Still fake drummer]](http://www.sheylara.com/images08/0513drums.jpg)
Ok, fine. I’m impulsive.
I told the Goonfather what I had done and he scolded me for wasting money. As if it’s his money I’m using.
He said I should have signed up with Yamaha because Yamaha charges like $10 less per lesson. When I tried to explain that I don’t care about the cost because I believe in learning from the best, he said I shouldn’t believe everything I read on the net.
But he was the one who wanted me to get real drumsticks in the first place and was supportive of me getting drum lessons, so I don’t see why he has to suddenly turn critical!!
Idiot partners.
So, anyway, I refused to talk to him anymore on the subject because I don’t believe in flogging a dead horse. I mean, I already paid the deposit so what did he expect me to do, rob it back?
![[Not drummer]](http://www.sheylara.com/images08/0513sheylara.jpg)
But now I kinda regret signing up because this wasn’t even part of my masterplan.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me this year. I keep doing things that are not part of the plan. I think I’ve been possessed by aliens or something.
It’s not that I’m not excited about the lessons. (I start next week!) I love learning new things. And I’ve always loved drums.
I watched a Metallica tour video eons ago and fell in love with Lars Ulrich (the drummer) because his drumming made my heart skip a beat, it’s so good.
But being a drummer has never been something I felt I needed to do. I don’t think I could ever be a good drummer, anyway, because I’m so uncoordinated. (Rock Band is different. It’s easy because there are only four pads and a foot pedal.)
I guess I’m just curious about real drumming. I have this impression that drummers are not human because what they do seems impossible, especially those who seem to suddenly grow ten hands and twenty feet when playing.
Aiyah. Don’t care so much lah. Like I said, I already paid the deposit so wtf I’m just going to have fun with it, bugger them all. I think I need the stress relief. Life has been getting too stressful of late.
But the aliens possessing me had better stop making me do anymore crazy things.
Beat your stress away, Drum your worries away.
hahaha enjoy yourself.
i think drumming lessons sounds fun! jiayou!
Way to go!!! Playing guitar on Rock Band is really getting onto me too.. at times I feel like getting a real fender.. Anywayz good luck on the lessons, you may turn out to be the next rock legend!
It takes real coordination to play drums. Even Rock Band drums!
I tried. I also tried the guitar. Failed miserably at both. However, with vocals, I scored a 92% or higher on average.
Guess I’m fated to be a frontman…! =P
BTW, I think Blinkymummy also took drumming lessons. What is it with SG bloggers and the drums?
Doing the real drums is addicting. You must get your own set. :D
Strangely enough, I’ve always fancied being a drummer too (I play the air drums VERY well when ACDC comes on my stereo), but I am way too uncoordinated to cope. Let us know how the classes go (if you have time to go to them).
Kerr, Rock Band this weekend. I am doing Enter Sandman on Expert Mode now.
Don’t worry, I’m just as impulsive and sometimes I wonder “what have I done?” But, I enjoyed the classes I joined, so you should enjoy yours too!
Have fun learning! Just enjoy yourself [:
Damn! The poses looked good! Even if you don’t know how to play! =D
Ashtar83: Thanks! I’m hoping that will happen too!
nadnut: Thanks! :)
Kerr: Haha… why don’t you go for electric guitar lessons? My school has them….. lol.
abraxis: Wah… frontman is good lah. They get a bigger slice of the fame pie. Haha.
modchip: You play drums too? Don’t think I’ll be getting a set any time soon. Too expensive, and no place to put them at home. :P
Jesta: If you’re uncoordinated, how can you play air drums? I’ll have to make time to go for the classes since I already paid for them. lol.
Steffi: Haha. thanks for the encouragement! So, what classes did you join?
ling: Thanks!! :) I think I will enjoy the classes.
tstar: Thanks, lol. I sort of copied the poses from the cartoon animations in Rock Band. lol. I’m glad you found them convincing!
enjoy ur lessons… it sure is nice to learn some new things… drums seems a no, no for me since i got very poor coordination… but i do know how to strum a few notes in the guitar… goodluck, and rock!
Yah, I play too, but I didn’t have formal lessons. I just asked one of our drummer (former) to teach me. Bass <–> Drums anyways. :D
Wow. Coolness. Hope the lessons manage to attract you for more lessons and in the end get real serious in drumming! Hehe. Can’t wait. =P
OMG! We bought that Rock Band thing and made a ‘family band’. I suck at guitar and got thrown out of the group as guitarist. Got the role of the singer, which I think suited me better.
Drumming is way difficult. Hands and feet coordination completely eludes me when it comes to this *LOL*
Cheryl
Hows the drumming coming along? How are the classes?
Hope you’re doing well with your classes. I play the drums too. Would’ve been glad to help you out with drums for free if I had known you were interested. Still, if you need any help, just send me a message. I’m not that good but I guess good enough(?).
PS: We spoke yesterday at the Ninja Gaiden II launch. I’m the guy with the beard who came with my 2 kids since noon. You spoke to them too actually. It was nice knowing you.
@Sheylara: I remembered you speaking about your interest in drums in the Star Blog intro clip (and the impulse signup for classes), and realised that you would’ve blogged about it somewhere:) So how’s progress with lessons so far? I mean, are you still able to squeeze in the practice time with your new gigs? Based on the XXZ Rock Band footage, I think you do have a talent for it, hehe:)