I was thinking about reinstalling Rock Band again recently, but I decided that, even though I really loved playing it back in the day, I am at a point in my life where I would rather spend that time actually learning an instrument, instead. I have played bass guitar and ukulele in the past. I also played guitar in the way that every lame college dude does, which means I never learned any theory, but I memorized some guitar tabs and chords, and sort of faked my way through a few songs for friends who were either too polite or embarrassed to tell me how bad I was.
I was sort of thinking that doing it as a game would be fun, so I gave Rocksmith guitar a try, but after about two hours of different game modes, it’s not for me. It was like all the frustration of Rock Band or Guitar hero, but without any of the fun of pretending that I was a rock star. I may plug in my old bass guitar (which is now a vintage instrument because I’m old) and try that mode, but for now, I’m going to try something different.
I have always wanted to learn to play the drums, and I was pretty good at the Rock Band drums when we played all the time, so I decided to pick up a small, inexpensive, student kit, and use YouTube videos to master the basics. While I was shopping around about a week ago, there was a shiny little kit on sale at woot, and it had more pieces and cost less than the three piece kit I was looking it, so I bought it. It was delivered today.
I’ve been putting it together, which is really fun, but murder on my old hands and knuckle joints, so I took a break to write this dumb post about the new experimental hobby thingy I’m doing: Is it possible for a 45 year-old dude like me to learn how to play the drums, using only the resources available online?
I intend to find out. I’ll document the process here.
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Speaking as an occasional drummer with his own basement trap set: Dude, you got this.
Hi Wil.
My mom bought my dad a drum kit for Christmas about five years ago. Fast forward to today and he plays in three different bands.
He’s going to be 70 in July.
You got this.
A friend of mine took up drums when he turned 60 so he would have something to do in his retirement. He is 68 now, and is really good.
That’s great! I tried to learn the piano at 43 and, guess what, you have to practice! So good luck to you and enjoy!
Playing music is one of the funnest things to do. It helps me relax, even if I’m not playing perfectly.
Plus you’re only 45, so you’ve got many decades of music left inside you.
It’s awesome that you’re trying something new like this! I recently came to the conclusion that I am no longer in school (haven’t been for a while, but that feeling sticks around, doesn’t it?) and if I want to learn about biology and zoology and all sorts of things that my watching of Nature and The Brain Scoop have kindled my interest in, then I bloody well shall. I wasn’t “good” at science at school and that always made me feel like I shouldn’t enjoy it, because I can’t understand it. But I love dinosaurs and archaeology and SPACE and ecosystems and all sorts of stuff that isn’t chemistry tests and how animal cells are different from plant cells. So I’m taking some online classes, because I AM AN ADULT AND IF I WANT TO LEARN NEW THINGS I WILL. Some of it still escapes me, but I’m learning that I actually LIKE science, even if I wouldn’t do well on a test.
So good on you for learning something new. Acquiring new skills and learning things doesn’t have a Best By date. My mother (whose age I shall not reveal, but she is retired so there’s a ballpark figure for you) is taking classes to learn to use her new quilting machine. She watches YouTube clips of other quilters and she has recently started sketching her own designs! I’ve never known her to do more than change the colours on the quilt patterns she’d buy, and now she’s designing! I am so proud of her and of you and, let’s take a self-absorbed moment, myself too! Learn new stuff because WHY THE HECKINS NOT?
You’re never too old to learn an instrument! When my mother turned 50, she started playing cello, and ended up being good enough to play in a local orchestra. When I turned 50 I was slightly less ambitious, so I decided to learn the ukulele. They’ve let me join the performance section of my local ukulele group so i can’t be all bad!
Age is no barrier to awesomeness – and I know you can do awesome 🙂
Just to say: I love that you’re doing this. Keep on keeping on!
Absolutely you can! I’m three years older than you, and I’ve learned so much in my 40s. I barely got out of high school with a C average, but in my 40s, I’ve conquered addiction, learned empathy, am studying physics, and learning seven languages. Kill those skins, and have fun!
Speaking as a multi-musician and classical piano teacher, who’s in the process of self-teaching mandolin (after self-teaching a few other instruments), my only real advice is to echo Susan and say that practicing really is everything. Learning a musical instrument for the first time as an adult can suck in a huge way, because unlike when you’re a kid, you are fully, painfully aware of just how bad you sound. Pushing past the “ugh this feels bad, I hate listening to myself” is the biggest battle by far. Practice every day, and don’t let yourself slump into the same few songs over and over – always be expanding your repertoire. And, of course, have fun!
And fwiw, I know a few people in their 50s-70s who have recently learned to play new instruments. It’s totally possible. You got this.
And forgot to add, one of my biggest suggestions is find a person (or people, if fortunate enough) to jam with who are willing to work with your newbishness and don’t make you feel bad about it. Playing alone is….lonely. And boring. Music is meant to be shared, that’s where the real fun lies for most people, and for me at least, it’s the best payoff for all of that awful practicing.
Of course you can! We’re older, not dead! Play on, Wil!
I started to learn to play drums in my late forties. I saw a drum teacher for 1 hour every 2 weeks for a couple of years.
And watched Youtube videos and read whatever I could find online.
It is a lot of fun and I did end playing Blues, Rock and Jazz with some friends.
Even played in public a few times.
Learning different types of music helps and it is fun. Latin music is great on drums.
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
That’s awesome. I played bass in a small band when I was younger. I was never very talented so I never got very far, which was fine with me. I have also contemplated trying to pick up the drums. Either that or mandolin. Knowing me, and busy life, I’ll probably do neither.
I”m not affiliated with this at all, but if you’re really interested in learning guitar, http://www.justinguitar.com, by Justin Sandercoe, is an amazing (and completely free-as-in-beer) beginner guitar course. Justin is a professional guitarist (he toured with Katie Melua, for instance) who, for some reason, decided to start putting lessons on youtube.
I started back in September, and although the very-beginner course doesn’t get too heavily into theory, I’ve learned enough to be comfortable saying, “Yeah, I play a little, but I’m just learning” instead of “Oh, god, no, I don’t play, I just fool around.”
Thousands of lessons, thousands of hours… all supported by donations, sales of extras that even he admits nobody needs to buy, and Justin’s love of guitar.
As someone that learned to pay drums through rock band, you can totally do it. I’m fixing to drop 1500 on a nicer kit which will be my third since i started on rock band ten years ago. Youtube is full of great drum channels that can teach you whatever you want. Drumeo specifically has been a God send many a time when I couldn’t frame something right in my mind.
Buy yourself a quality instrument so it will make a beautiful sound and be easier to play. Play songs you love and give them your own little tweeks.
Oh, dude, I’ve always wanted to learn drums. That was my instrument of choice back when I still owned Rockband. You got this, dude, you got this.
If I can do PTR for Blizzard at 69, and publish my first book paperback book at the same time, you can play the drums. You have shown your talent many times over. {Starr Sayles–” Twisted Myths & Legends “.}
I’m 41 and I just started learning how to play drum set. (full disclosure – I’m a music teacher, but I never actually learned drum set because I’ve never had to teach it. I teach string and band.) Using all 4 limbs independently is so hard, but it’s great for your brain!
Totally! It’ll be hard but if you work at it you should be able to achieve a lot!
Hey, Wil. My brother is a Metal drummer. He’s amazing and intimidating, but don’t let that scare you off! I think he has a couple of drum clinics on the tubes of you.. Look for John Longstreth drum cam, clinics, etc. Good luck! I have faith in you!
Too bad Yousician doesn’t do drums… I’m loving it for guitar.. You know, in the way a 47 year old relives his guitar hero fantasies in the way that every lame college dude does.
Wil
I think it’s possible for you to do this but just know that my friend got a crappy, used drum once. When he tried to learn from the internet he ended up knowing beats and just stopped. Granted, he was 11 at the time so he might’ve been a brat who thinks he knows everything. I suggest getting a practice pad and the eventually, if you think you can put in the commitment, upgrading to a set. I also suggest you get a private drum teacher instead of learning online. To start, buy stick control for the snare drummer and fundamental studies for snare drum. If your teacher doesn’t want to work in those, then get a new teacher.
You can do this.
Learn how to play your drum kit with one hand and post WWDN with the other and only then will your music harness the eternal, sacred wind of the masters. Or Rick Masters. Either way, gold.
Sounds like fun!
Good on you for learning something new! Very cool.
Have you seen the TED talk “The first twenty hours, how to learn anything” by Josh Kaufman. It has a lot of good stuff on how to practice. It helped me learn how to make sourdough, play ukulele and paint. Good stuff!
I started studying drums around age 40 after playing rock band. I’m about 6 years in and practicing every day. I have made tremendous progress and really feel like I can get to a professional level of play in about 5 or 6 more years. It’s a great instrument that rewards diligent practice. There is a fantastic community of online drummers with lots of great resources. You should also consider a drum camp, lots of fun.
Wil…
As a mostly “Self Taught” Progressive Rock Drummer/Percussionist for almost Forty Years now…I started when I was 13…
And I can tell you that YES YOU CAN!
But Like ANYTHING… It takes Time and Discipline. Start with basic songs. When I started I had my brother’s old Ludwig Kit in my parent’s basement… I would come home from school, do my homework if I had any, and then if Dad hadn’t gotten home, I would go down stairs, Put on the head phones and crank up the old Stereo we had down there.
I just started by listening to “What made This sound or that sound?” And went on from there. I also remembered how my brother always sat… and so I copied him and realized that Bass Drum, Snare and Hi-Hat are the “BASICS”. As I got better and better I eventually moved on to harder music!
But mostly… I’ve never been one to “Play it Safe” and always strived to Stretch Myself and my Limits!
RUSH Was always my Bench Mark! The Drumming of the Great NEIL PEART Was where I wanted to be!
And Forty Years later… It is Were I STILL Strive to be! 😀
Good Luck! Knowing what I know about you… I think you will do it! AND Have fun at it AND be Good at it! 😀
Joe
I did the same, earlier last year, at the age of 48. I think I’m ready at this point to have a professional give me lessons, but I’ve had a hard time finding someone. But I’m loving it. I’ve wanted to learn the drums since middle school, when the band had a welcome night at which we all picked out the instrument we would play for the rest of our musical lives. I wanted drums, but the middle school band already had a drummer. So I wound up with a trumpet. Which I played for 3 years and then we sold.
Now I have a drum set. And I’m not very good. But I’m having a great time.
You got this. No doubt about it. However I do have two comments: 1) I can go for years without thinking about drummers. When your post and this arrive on my screen on the same day, I have to wonder, is there some kind of cause & effect there? Just wondering …
And 2) that my late husband had a good friend who was a professional jazz percussionist his whole life. Getting hugged by him was like being wrapped in steel bands. I’ve never known anyone with such hard arms!
Pffft. Drums. Bleh. Need cymbals. And a gong.
“Bang a gong. Get it on. Get it on.” – T.Rex
First, take the recommended dose of Advil Liqui-gel caps. And hour or so later, take some naproxen sodium. Store brand will do. The get down with it. You got this.
I took up the Five-String Banjo in my mid-forties, and then I added Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer to my repertoire. I’ve always enjoyed bluegrass and folk and “old time country music.” Now, more than 60% of my friends are music fans or musicians.
I sucked as a kid while playing French horn in the school band. I “suck much less” on banjo and dulcimer, and I enjoy it tremendously. I’m a mediocre musician but I get enormous satisfaction from mastering a tune that I’ve chosen. It is entirely a self-directed project. I learn the songs/tunes that I want to learn — not what my teacher or wife or friend (or boss or publisher or editor) says I must learn. It’s “my own fu*cking music,” to create and mold in the manner that I want to, within my own personal limitations.
Being “an older musician” gives you a perspective that a younger adult (or a talented ten-year-old little sh*t) doesn’t have. In the world of bluegrass music, I frequently see 9 year olds playing with 90 year olds, and it’s an awesome experience.
Carmine Appice’s book Realistic Rock is a good beginners book.
I was at this phase 4 years ago and remembered Guitar Hero. And, of course, I found Rocksmith. Found a less than shitty Stratocaster from China on Amazon for less than $60 and had the same experience with Rocksmith as you. But I figured: “Hey, that’s a USB cable! Let’s see what happens when I plug it into my Mac!” And it worked. Fired up Garage Band that contains a 9 piece guitar course and since then I play pretty much every day on one of my three guitars. (Still got the Strat next to me in my office)
As someone who plays Bass now quite well (and guitar not so well), Rocksmith is what got me going. The problem is, unlike Rock Band etc, it really isn’t a game. Yes, it contains games as learning tools but it really is a form of tuition. Now there is plenty of debate about how effective it is at that but being able to slowly build up my skills against songs I love certainly kept me practicing for many hours and as others have said, it is the time you spend practicing that makes the difference. I have since played in a band (Bass and Double Bass in a 50s Rock band).
In regards to Justin Guitar, yes, thoroughly recommended – I have a lot of his books.
I have a few things on my “to-do list” (crossed scooba diving off the list two years ago 🙂 ) one of them being “learn to play an instrument”. I played keyboard when I was a kid but I was not really talented and I didn`t enjoy practicing a lot, plus I had a really bad teacher. I stopped playing when I was about 15.
Right now I am 35, studying again (and almost done) and I promised myself: As soon as I finished my Referendariat (it’s like an internship at a school after you got your university degree but before you’re actually allowed to call yourself a teacher) I will learn how to play … something. I’m not quite decided yet. Might be cello or the guitar or maybe transverse flute.
Anyway: Get to it and have fun!
Good luck and more power to you. Wish I’d taken up another instrument besides the clarinet years ago. Maybe I would have more peace in day-to-day existence. At least, you’re not taking up a difficult instrument like the French horn (daughter’s been playing that for a number of years). If you got rhythm and a natural beat to begin with (in other words, able to pick out the driving beat to a song, whether it’s a bass or drum and stick with it), you got 25% of the battle already won.
You might check out the Strumstick: they’re not expensive (at base models), they produce good sound, you don’t see them everywhere, and you could freak out Scalzi the next time he thinks he’s all cool pulling out his uke.
https://strumstick.com/
That is so cool, good luck on learning drums. I picked up piano again and am reteaching myself. I hadn’t played in over 15 years and on Christmas eve I started playing and found I could still play. So I found a piano for 100 dollars (it needs to be tuned, but otherwise in good condition)and my mom’s gonna give me my parents 1917 Steinway grand piano.
That’s awesome, good for you! I recently just bought a digital piano to pick it back up, since I took 10 years of lessons as a kid, but haven’t touched a piano in probably a decade at least.
I also decided to learn a new skill via YouTube, but haven’t done any actual investigation yet. My husband was asking what I wanted for christmas, which I always struggle with coming up with ideas, but I thought of sword-fighting, which I thought would be a cool work-out. Turns out there are places to learn martial arts sword fighting, but I was thinking more along the lines of a broadsword, so it’s my goal this year to figure it out. We’ll see how that goes!
You can do it. Also check out the library for resources. I know my local library has an entire section of the emedia page dedicated to free instrument lessons.
If I lived in LA I’d offer to bring my guitar over and jam. 🙂
Of course you can do this, Wil. Just remember: sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something. 🙂
Drumming 101, Rule 1: Don’t auditon for Spinal Tap.
..nor audition. (Pardon. My blood is typo positive.)
We’re never too old to learn something new, and THAT will keep us young! 🙂
I love this! Good on you!
If you want a benchmark, or a target, being able to bash out a version of the drum section of “Enter Sandman” is achievable, and bloody good fun.
Very Awesome. I applaud you and have fun, far out kinda fun, doing it. Trying new things keeps us vibrant. Reminds us all to try something new too!
I am learning to play the guitar this year and I am 47. I’ve only been talking about wanting to play for literally 30 years so I figured it was WAY past time to shut up and get it done. I say that to say; I sure hope someone in their forties can learn to play an instrument on their own. I believe we can, anyway. Hey, for incentive, tell the writers at Big Bang that you’ll be able to play the drums in a show next season.
I picked up a ukulele when we went to Hawaii for our 20th anniversary. It’s sat in my closet since then, your post has inspired me to start teaching myself how to play! I played piano when I was younger, loved it, and when my grandmother passed away, I was promised her piano. I am setting a goal of getting it to my house by the end of the year (she lived 2 hours away). Rock on Wil!