[Bob2]

I played drums for many years and stopped because of some hip issues. Now that it has been fixed I have been thinking about playing again.
At 65 I'm not looking to gig, just play for some exercise and fun. I have been playing guitar for a few years but not much chance of raising my heart rate unless someone scratches my guitar.

Looking at E drums so that the neighbors won't have to put up with the noise.
Did try out a set at Guitar center the other day and liked the experience. Surprising how they play pretty close to acoustic drums. Head response is good and adding some nuance is possible now. Lots of options for down loading other kit sounds and playing along to some tunes on a memory stick. Also a smaller foot print.
Will be more enjoyable than walking to no where on a tread mill. Should help build some muscle memory and coordination too.
Cheaper and less conspicuous than an old man driving around in a convertible.


Anyone playing for fun?

[FullRangeMan]

Not me but my son bother his mother with a acoustic full set.
If you want acoustics I would suggest a RMV entry level.
Digital drums are very apparent even at low res recordings.

The digital Hammond from Korg and Suzuki were quite successfull to made a beautiful organ sound, both are quite pleasand to listen live and on recordings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJzRXRqBj5Y

[mfsoa]

Me too Brother 

I played a lot in school through college then lost touch with people when life and kids happened.

But now at 55 I have been playing with my brother, his wife and his former bandmates from highschool, so very nice to see friends I haven't seen in almost 40 years! We aren't particularly good - it's hard to get enough practice time to get over the hump where you don't backslide between practices. And it's challenging stuff to drum to - Steely Dan (you must achieve perfection), Santana (you must replicate an entire freaking awesome percussion section), lots of Allman Brothers (you must mimic two great drummers...) But I have gotten a lot better in the last year since we started up. My issue is a left wrist that forces me to use very good palm-down posture but still gets sore after playing.

I have an old Roland set in the basement and the acoustic set is at my brother's house. I only use the acoustic kit for the band.

So I can tell you that you can definitely have a great time with an e-kit. Very good for practicing with a metronome. Good for breaking down the mental dependencies that bind our hands and feet when we least want them to. You won't transfer 100% of the feel to a real kit but still you can have a blast.  I'm doing my first ever semi-serious double bass drum practice on the Roland.

Have you seen the Roland Octapad? Very cool - If I upgrade to a modern e-drumset I'd love to integrate this into the kit. Or just as a stand-alone portable kit.

I am getting a kick from all the great drumming stuff on YouTube. The old Cobham videos bring tears to my eyes.

Keep it up and all the best. Nothing works as well as time spent sticks-in-hand!!

-Mike

[WireNut]

I wish I had purchased electronic drums. My new neighbors hated my drums.

I think I went cymbal crazy on my last kit.

Good luck Bob2.

I'm a lefty.

[Big Red Machine]

That's a good strategy. You were worried if you flung your arm out there you might miss the cymbal, so going wall to wall would ensure a crash and splash!

Paradiddles ho!!

[Escott1377]

I have played on and off for over 30 years.  I travel a lot for work, about 80% of the time, and I carry a practice pad with me when I am on the road.  I also subscribe to Stanton Moore's Online Drum Academy so that I can work on patterns and reinforce rudiments from my IPad in the hotel.

Works for me.  I'm an engineer and I have always looked at drumming as math so it keeps the brain fresh.

[Bob2]

Well I'm encouraged by the replies here!

Not me but my son bother his mother with a acoustic full set.

Isn't that what kids are supposed to do?

Me too Brother 

I played a lot in school through college then lost touch with people when life and kids happened.

But now at 55 I have been playing with my brother, his wife and his former bandmates from highschool, so very nice to see friends I haven't seen in almost 40 years! We aren't particularly good - it's hard to get enough practice time to get over the hump where you don't backslide between practices. And it's challenging stuff to drum to - Steely Dan (you must achieve perfection), Santana (you must replicate an entire freaking awesome percussion section), lots of Allman Brothers (you must mimic two great drummers...) But I have gotten a lot better in the last year since we started up. My issue is a left wrist that forces me to use very good palm-down posture but still gets sore after playing.

I have an old Roland set in the basement and the acoustic set is at my brother's house. I only use the acoustic kit for the band.

So I can tell you that you can definitely have a great time with an e-kit. Very good for practicing with a metronome. Good for breaking down the mental dependencies that bind our hands and feet when we least want them to. You won't transfer 100% of the feel to a real kit but still you can have a blast.  I'm doing my first ever semi-serious double bass drum practice on the Roland.

Have you seen the Roland Octapad? Very cool - If I upgrade to a modern e-drumset I'd love to integrate this into the kit. Or just as a stand-alone portable kit.

I am getting a kick from all the great drumming stuff on YouTube. The old Cobham videos bring tears to my eyes.

Keep it up and all the best. Nothing works as well as time spent sticks-in-hand!!

-Mike

Thanks for your message Mike. What Roland kit do you have? Good to read that you are playing again.

WireNut, Whoa! That's a lot of bronze. So did you need that to play the Black Page?
Nice setup!

I have played on and off for over 30 years.  I travel a lot for work, about 80% of the time, and I carry a practice pad with me when I am on the road.  I also subscribe to Stanton Moore's Online Drum Academy so that I can work on patterns and reinforce rudiments from my IPad in the hotel.

Works for me.  I'm an engineer and I have always looked at drumming as math so it keeps the brain fresh.

Also good to read that you are active and keep up by practicing.

Found a nice used Roland TD-25KS kit on Reverb and it is on it's way to my house.
Just ordered a bass pedal and hi hat stand.
So in a few days it'll be like the man said "and away we go!".

[Escott1377]

I switched to a direct drive pedal about a month ago and wow, what a difference.

[fredgarvin]

I played for a living right out of high school. Back then it payed well enough and there were many venues even in small towns. When I married It became a weekend gig. I played for some names, and after moving into the mountains I eventually 'retired' and gave my drums to my son, who had some gigs himself. I agree with the many cymbal approach too- dynamics and emotion.

[Escott1377]

Here is a pic of my current set up - big fan of cymbals as well.

[Bob2]

Here is a pic of my current set up - big fan of cymbals as well.

Nice setup! Hardware looks very solid. I like that you have a single mounted tom. Your layout looks much like what I did except I had the ride sitting just a bit lower. Very cool!

I played for a living right out of high school. Back then it payed well enough and there were many venues even in small towns. When I married It became a weekend gig. I played for some names, and after moving into the mountains I eventually 'retired' and gave my drums to my son, who had some gigs himself. I agree with the many cymbal approach too- dynamics and emotion.

There used to be a lot of places we could go to hear a live band back in the day. Now we have to wait for a festival somewhere and sit in the beer tent to listen. Actually that works quite nicely. I usually had three cymbals plus the hi hats. I did have a large number I could use depending on what was going to be played. Really liked the Bosphorus cymbals.

[Bob2]

The Roland kit arrived and I have been using it for a few days. No, it's not quite like an acoustic kit. Drum heads have a bit more bounce and since it is more compact the reach for a particular tom or cymbal is different. The sound is very convincing either through headphones or the powered monitor. I probably would never gig with this but for practice and exercise these work quite nicely.

It's been fun getting back into it. Very rusty to be sure but working on regaining that independence is progressing. Playing different patterns on the kick, snare/toms and cymbals is still there just not quite what it was.

The fact that I can play at 2 in the a.m. is a real plus. I have these setup in my treated listen room in a stand alone building that adds to that convenience.

As I previously mentioned at 65 I'm looking for a method to get some sort of exercise during the winter months. I can definitely judge how far out of condition I am even after being active during the summer months. It's not the answer to total fitness but simply a step in that direction...

I have been fortunate that I am in good health but each time I'm standing in line to purchase groceries and I'm behind someone paying by check or cash and counting pennies, that I only have just so much time left and the last thing I want to do is pass while waiting to pay. Too many family and dear friends have been lost at this point to not do what I want with the time I have left.... Live each day as it may be your last..

Rock on drummers and fuck the rest!