[Luke]

I don't when exactly I started but i think it was around 4 or 5. I found some plastic buckets and began beating on them. My dad noticed this so a year or two later he got me a used set. At about 10 I think it was I started taking lessons. After a few years I got bored of those lessons so I quit. That was about 6 months ago and I have been teaching myself and learning alot from highschool drumline and jazz band. Although I have been thinking about taking up lessons again soon.

[butter]

i was always tapping on stuff, getting in trouble at school for it. i wanted to be a drummer. in 6th grade band class i was picked to be in the percussion session after testing on other instruments and being best at percussion. i stayed in band until this year, sophomore. i only quit because the teacher at my highschool is terrible and i cant stand her. i am considering trying again next year, because i enjoy playing in the band, i just dont like the people in it... but we will see. i mostly want to join again to maybe get a scholarship and do jazz band again.
anyway, i took a few lessons in 7th grade, but had to quit when i broke my arm in wrestling. also, my teacher left to nashville to get signed with his band during that time, so when i healed i had no teacher.
that summer i bought a used set. i started teaching myself and have since then, although i have had 3 other periods with little playing, due to more broken bones i still have the same set, but i have upgraded it. i think i missed out on alot of the technical aspects of set drumming by not having a teacher, but i am teaching myself the stuff i missed right now.
i guess that brings my total experience with set drumming to about 3 years, more or less, with my broken bones and such.
for drums in general, probably about 5 years, if you count what i did at school in band.
for tapping insanely on everything, 15, almost 16 years and ill never stop.

[Luke]

Butter thats too bad you don't like your band teacher! I got lucky and have a really good teacher. Not only is he a good teacher but he has a good sense of humor so he makes band really fun. I know how you feel though my middle school teacher was terrible. I learned more from 1 private lesson then I did from 4 years with the middle school teacher, literally.

[drumn00b]

I'm at an arts school for trumpet, and if you like it, don't quit! You could:
1. Get private lessons(this is more to improve, not just for fun...)
2. Play in a local band. You can probably find a whole bunch or bands to play in. I have a friend... in grade 9... who's playing in about 3 or 4 bands, only one of them a school band! It's good fun, I must say.
3.Go to band camp. Yeah, it's expensive, I KNOW! I'd say it's worth it, but I guess it depends.

[dtxtremeiiispecial]

LUKE,
From buckets to high school drumline and jazz band. Quite a journey!

Do you stilll have a kit? Practice or play on it?

BUTTTER,
I agree that the teacher makes a big difference. I liked my high school band teacher, and I had a great time with it. Maybe you should break her bones instead of your own (lol).

Scholarship sounds like a good deal. It has sounded in many of your posts on this site like you're learning a lot, so you must be a pretty demanding teacher.

[Luke]

Yes I have a tama kit now and I play it a lot! I've spent over a thousand dollars on it by now so its getting to be quite a nice kit. Also I'm in two bands with friends. One being hard rock and the other is rap/rock. Pretty much what red hot chili peppers did in their early days.

	Tama Drums Shop for Tama Drums at Musician's Friend

[butter]

breaking her bones would be very satisfying, but first she would have to lose some weight... theres too much cushon there

i guess i have been demanding alot from myself lately i got pretty motivated after watching portnoy for a while...

[dtxtremeiiispecial]

LUKE,
You do have a nice kit! I have finally noticed the picture. DUH squared. Well, you sound completely wrapped up in music! Thinking of making it a career?

BUTTER,
Maybe I should watch some Portnoy to get motivated. What do you recommend watching?

[Luke]

dtxtremeiiispecial you read my mind haha. Ever since a few months ago I realized that I want to do something music related as a career. I really can't think of anything that would interest me as much as music. My first choice would to be in a band. If that doesn't working out I was thinking of becoming a recording engineer. I have a home studio and I really enjoy making recordings. Although it seems as home studios are becoming more and more affordable actually being able to make money as a recording engineer becomes harder and harder. I still have a long way to go though I'm still a freshman in highschool.

[butter]

xtreme, the song that got me started was the song "panic attack", but then i started listening to more of their stuff. Metropolis part 1 is full of crazy time signatures, and Dance of Eternity is insane as well. almost all the stuff they play is polyrhythmic or in odd signature.
watch some of his youtube videos, ill post one here:

YouTube- Mike Portnoy - Honor Thy Father

he uses an ostinato in this song... that takes some crazy limb separation in addition to all the odd rhythms, theres so much technicallity.

interesting update here, portnoy is going to record the drums for A7X in the studio, since James Sullivan is dead im not sure if im happy about it.

anyway, tool is really good, too. danny carey does some pretty wierd stuff, but way different than portnoy.

	Attack Drumheads Shop for Attack drum heads at Musician's Friend