Comments on: What Does It Mean To Be A “Successful Drummer”?

By: Char-Vel Miller

Char-Vel Miller — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 04:35:00 +0000

Was up Jared, I’m a drummer from Horn Lake, MS and I have been playing drums since I was two years old. It has been a great success for me and life. I want to become a famous drummer, as well as teaching and showing my skills to everyone. I practice a lot and I record myself. You can check me out on YouTube under my name Char-Vel Miller. Those ideas you shared really helped me push myself to find my success in th drums. Thanks bro

By: Mohammad Naseem

Mohammad Naseem — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 19:59:00 +0000

Well, drums are life, i just started off drumming an year ago , and now i can play most of the avenged sevenfold songs ad all. but the main problem is family. lol, since they are least interested in promoting my career, but still. im trying my best. and soon ill be a well known drummer. and soon ill meet you jared! 😉

By: mercexpable

mercexpable — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 05:18:00 +0000

In reply to Joe Cardone. You know how we are about our passion! I'm 56 and I stopped (drumming) for a while. I'm drumming again. Even trying jazz, drumming IS in our blood. This is what we love, our passion. I don't care if I play for 100,000 fans or one (Me). I know I am evolving again in my passion. You inspire me, please don't stop!

By: Sreekar Saripalli

Sreekar Saripalli — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 08:59:00 +0000

Woah. Thanks a lot Jared.That was quite an eye-opener.Up until now I thought success was about copying someone else perfectly.but now u showed a completely different picture.I was under the impression that “only when u join a band will u become a successful drummer” .I started following drumeo recently.It’s an ideal environment for drummers of all classes.I started drumming with a cover.then i realized that some parts of the song required special techniques to be followed.then i started searching for them.and on on and came venturing here into drumeo.and then i realized that i had been chasing the tail of the snake all along.All this achieved thanks to the internet as you mentioned.But i have a long way to go and i hope drumeo can make me truly successful in my own terms.
As for haters, i just keep playing until either they get lost or drop.
Haters give us the stamina,that’s what i believe.haha!!!

By: Terry G. Taylor

Terry G. Taylor — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 16:17:00 +0000

I just turned 57 last Month and I have been playing since I was in 6th grade. I took “lessons” back in the early 70’s but all I was taught was, how to play a song I wanted to learn that I had heard on the radio. I look back and realize that before I got my Drumeo lessons I was just a guy who could cover “some” songs… But now that I have been watching and working on the things that I learned in your videos I feel I have expanded to a point where I sometimes think…”I might be able to play something I never thought I could. I also wonder how good could I have been if I had started learning some of the basics really well when I was young instead of just diving into the music scene. I Jammed with some great guys that I still hang with today. but we are all so much wiser these days about what we thought was reality and what 99% of reality is. We talk about those old days all the time and how fun it was. Of course I never mention how much I lacked confidence in my drumming. We all had the feeling we were going to be big rock stars some day just like my 17 year old son is doing today. His Band is playing a show in Salt lake city tonight with some other “semi-pro bands”. I try to tell him all the things I have learned over the last 57 but he looks at me like i am a crazy old man. It cracks me up because as I said We thought we were going to be a BIG band some day back then when we where his age. Point being I feel a lot more Successful now that I am an old dog that finds he can still learn new tricks.

By: Livskvalitetsombudsmannen

Livskvalitetsombudsmannen — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 23:04:00 +0000

Great point, especially that success mean different things for different people. One thing though: – I think that some musicians keep to themselves too much. You can get technically great by practising by yourself, but playing with other musicians adds the element of musical communication and is absolutely essential if your goal is to be someone who can play with others.

By: llcoolbeans

llcoolbeans — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 03:10:00 +0000

Jared, I love this. Please don’t underestimate the effect these types of posts have on your customers, prospective customers and simply your fans. I’ve literally been told to my face, “You will never be a drummer”. I’ve been laughed at when I said at age 27, “I’m going to start learning drums and someday make a living doing it.” I’ve suffered severe and chronic depression for the last 7 years and had no reason to live until I finally listened to myself and decided that no matter what or who was in my way, I was going to pursue my dream of becoming a drummer. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Thank you for reminding me there is no one end goal to success. You may have just saved my life. Thank you.

By: Ryan Satnik

Ryan Satnik — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 02:02:00 +0000

I think this is a fantastic post! The music industry, like many other industries, has changed significantly in the last few years and I think that was captured well here. I really appreciate your site and what you are offering. Thanks very much!!

By: geoff whitbread

geoff whitbread — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:09:00 +0000

DEAR DRUMEO BLOG , AND FELLOW GOOD STICK HANDLERS , BUILDING DIFFERENT DRUMS JUST LATELY , AND DIFFERENT DESIGNS , ARE THERE ANY DRUM COMPANYS INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT IDEAS , RE ENGINEERING OLD DRUMS IS A USEFULL WAY OF BUILDING MORE DYNAMIC KITS AS WELL ..

By: Mark Sharpley

Mark Sharpley — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:31:00 +0000

Has anyone else had drop foot caused by slipped discs in the back If so did you regain full use of your kick drum foot. Really frustrated as nothing works properly if my foot starts to struggle

By: Mark Sharpley

Mark Sharpley — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:28:00 +0000

Basically stalked Sonny Emory after seeing him on Drumeo Great Drummer and a really friendly guy. On the look out now for all the drummers you’ve introduced me too. Cheers keep em coming

By: Mark Sharpley

Mark Sharpley — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:25:00 +0000

In reply to kevin.

Very different music he was involved in with local school friends then
Have a look you will probably hate it but I was brought up on all sorts like it
You tube Old Grey Whistle Test Druid 1974 I think Two albums on iTunes with quality drumming. Very long winded and not for all
March 13th a sad day we lost him

By: kevin

kevin — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 15:43:00 +0000

In reply to Mark Sharpley. hey mark I,m not familiar w/his druid work but very much when he was in the tubeway army saw him live in boston as a teenager about 3 times very tight time keeper I'm sure w/numan he was somewhat restricted to let loose with the style of music they played. Gary was a very talented artist and very demanding I know he layed all the trax to his likings and the army did it live and some studio recordings big fan of cedrick back in the day he and warren caan were my favorite drummers back then RIP ced

By: Jyro

Jyro — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 20:16:00 +0000

Jared: As one of those ‘Old School’ drummers you talked about – one with some success in over 50 years in the biz – I applaud what you and your cohorts have done with drumeo. Just as I chastise what you haven’t done.

Frequently, your guests demonstrate great technique, dexterity and chops. But very little in the way of soul, groove and warmth. Making for mechanical miracles and funkless wonders. And, thusly, dangerous to the art of percussionism (my word).

Perhaps you may want to be a little more selective re your choices of instructors and clinicians. You know, young eyes and ears absorbing bad habits and all that jazz…

This from an advocate of the Buddy Rich/Max Roach/Shelly Manne school of percussion.

By: raj

raj — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 17:02:00 +0000

Sir,Actually i want to become a professional in drums and my aim is to create new beats for comming generation.how to achieve this?

By: raj

raj — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:59:00 +0000

Sir,i started learning drums just from 4 months.now i am not able to play drums without my notes.so how to remember beats?

By: Lance Schilka

Lance Schilka — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:42:00 +0000

I have often wondered this very question. It was long my ambition to become famous as a mark of success. Creating music, recording, touring etc. It was my obsession for many years through the 80’s and 90’s. Although I never quite achieved any of it to any great level, I did in fact achieve it to some degree on a local level. However, this never quite cut it for me. In the years that followed I continued to pursue my dream long after the group of musicians I had long been associated with, filtered away as life’s demands became their priority. I still do have a small flame of yearning for the dream, but I am now able to put in into perspective. The measure for me has become the integrity in which validated the dream and the energy and ambition which went into its pursuit. In other words, I didnt let it escape me under any circumstance. Whether it was difficult or easy. My passion for the music, instrument and dream have remained through it all. Even though I am not a rock star, I am an musician who played with desire fed by the dream that manifested on many different stages. Somehow, people still remember me for that and that is the true measure of success for me.

By: Charles Dominic

Charles Dominic — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 15:42:00 +0000

amazing way of seeing things.. thanks Jared

By: Kyle Denney

Kyle Denney — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 15:00:00 +0000

I really love the positive message your blog expressed and I agree 100% that the internet has changed the music landscape, whether for the better is up to us as well.
I have been playing drums since I was in grade school and I am now 47. I have been in numerous bands over the years and I used to measure my success by getting paid, if I was gigging regularly or doing any studio sessions. When I was in L.A. we used to “pay to play” the clubs on Sunset Strip which is the polar opposite of being successful by how much money you made.
For the last 15 years I have played for my church which has given me a whole new perspective on being successful. I get to use my God given talent to be a part of something bigger than myself and give back to our community. I am also in a cover band that plays for private and corporate events. We play about once a month since we all have families and kids. If I did not have these other outlets for playing drums I think I would also feel just as successful and content playing drums in my home and continuing to hone the craft. There is something very satisfying about nailing a difficult fill or pattern whether with a band in front of a crowd or alone behind your kit.

By: Albert Levis

Albert Levis — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 12:43:00 +0000

To me,success means enjoying every moment you’re playing,no matter what the circumstances are.I’ve seen drummers play as if the were slaves tied to a bench on a galera.Like performing a boring chore,that is.I don’t do that.Perhaps it’s because I’m not a professional drummer so I have the opportunity to choose what,when,where and with whom I will play.And because of this,even when I get paid to play in a gig (namely,very rarely!),when the event is finished I have a feeling that I had a nice time being up on the scene and that’s what matters,not the money I received.So that’s my notion of success-having a nice time every time I play.