Never tell a kid with drumsticks

captorquewrench

captorquewrench

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To beat the tympani like a rented mule.

Just. Don't.

In other news, the choir asked me if the "Canon for Pentecost" they were given last night has anything to do with my obsession with things that go BOOM.

Yes.
 
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Usually you don't have to tell a kid with drumsticks to hit anything, they do it all on their own.

A close friend owns a drum shop and I've spent quite a bit of time there. Drum lessons are a major staple of the shop and I would venture a guess and say over half of the students are under 12, some as young as six.

You can only imagine what a 6-8 year old drummer, with their lesson sticks in their hands, tries to do before or after a lesson while walking around a shop full of drums, cymbals, gongs and other types of percussion effects & instruments, including a tympani. :eek:
 
ogilvyspecial said:
Usually you don't have to tell a kid with drumsticks to hit anything, they do it all on their own.

A close friend owns a drum shop and I've spent quite a bit of time there. Drum lessons are a major staple of the shop and I would venture a guess and say over half of the students are under 12, some as young as six.

You can only imagine what a 6-8 year old drummer, with their lesson sticks in their hands, tries to do before or after a lesson while walking around a shop full of drums, cymbals, gongs and other types of percussion effects & instruments, including a tympani. :eek:
Click to expand...

No, I can imagine...it's just it was pretty funny, I startled him by yelling over the band to get him to give me a lot more volume in one spot and he almost fell off the stool...

As far as kids with sticks in their hands, and the shop...if they can't control the sticks, and know when to use or not use them...they are not old or mature enough to handle lessons--IN MY OPINION and teaching methodology.

My last school assignment was a beginner percussion class first period. Nothing wakes you up more than that racket first thing.

I asked a group of percussion kids tapping all over a lunch table with their sticks why they thought that was so cool...because they didn't see trumpets and clarinets whipping out their mouthpieces all the time and blowing them everywhere. We had no more percussion table problems. Everywhere I've been, drummers get the law laid down about if they have those sticks anywhere but a stick bag--like their hands or back pocket--when they are not in class, rehearsal, or a practice room...those sticks go away and they transfer to another section. It's effective.

Today was a really, really rough day at school. I earned my vino for the evening. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, but I have opera tickets. for a 5 hour opera. tonight. I'm crazy.
 
Andy Griffith said:
I love drumsticks!!!

Espcially when fried up good and crispy!

When do we eat??? :D
Click to expand...

Nylon or wood?? :)

Around the shop, drumsticks, not the eatin' kind :p are usually reffered to as "lumber."

Need some lumber? Nylon or wood?? (as in tip type)

Then it's on to size.........
 
I hear ya on the mature aspect of when kids are ready for lessons.

My friend's dad started the drum shop back in 1960 and that working enviroment is the only type my friend has ever experienced. He, like myself, is in his mid-50's.

When parents of young children come in to sign them up for lessons, my friend, while talking to the parent(s), sizes the kid up. If he spots something that may be problematic he has a certain method of explaining things without alienating the parent(s). One of the key points is that the money spent on lessons, books, etc. might to a total waste if the child won't pay attention enough to absorb the knowledge.

Another factor is turning a child off on percussion, for life, if they get into it "before they're ready." Some get bored real fast and it's on to the next "thing."

Sometimes the parents are receptive to what he has to say, other times, not so much.

Other times the parents turn out to right in the end and the structured lessons help in their child's development.

More often than not my friend pegs 'em right....

Because this shop has been around so long many of his customers comment about taking lessons there as a kid, some as far back as the early 60's.

Edited to add: Please remember that my friend is dealing with "The customer is always right" aspect and they, the parent, or sometimes parents, are right there. Basically they are in charge of their own child so my friend's horsepower in the matter is limited.

If things start getting a little crazy and the parent ignores it I get involved and strike up a conversation with the kid, just to keep them occupied. Having 3 kids myself, ranging in ages from 28 to 36, with a grand-daughter that's 9, helps me when it comes to keeping kids occupied.
 
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I think pineappleshooter is being silly.

Canon is a musical form-in it's simplest, a round. "Row Row Row Your Boat."

It's not Wagner, believe it or not. it's Verdi's longest opera, Don Carlo. It exists in many forms. Hopefully we get one of the shorter ones, with no ballet. I know it's the French version. And yeah, opera on a school night. We also played "Wookkie Hookkie" from school some years ago to see a midnight showing of a Star Wars film. We do not do this very often, but some things are worth being a little tired the next day. Star Wars, yes. But with the opera, that's up in the air.

I just picked her up from band contest. Two of their three judges were my old college band directors and dear, dear friends. It was wonderful to see them again.
 
A late night performance of Die Valkure would be so worth being tired the next morning.... either that or The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
 
captorquewrench said:
It's not Wagner, believe it or not. it's Verdi's longest opera, Don Carlo. It exists in many forms. Hopefully we get one of the shorter ones, with no ballet. I know it's the French version. And yeah, opera on a school night. We also played "Wookkie Hookkie" from school some years ago to see a midnight showing of a Star Wars film. We do not do this very often, but some things are worth being a little tired the next day. Star Wars, yes. But with the opera, that's up in the air.
Click to expand...

Verdi? I prefer Puccini, but I can live with Verdi. I like Wagner's instrumental work, but his operas are a bit much for me. Unless it's "Wagner without Words." German just doesn't lend itself to singing like Italian does.

Have a great time! Although since it's now 7:15 your time you're already there, so you'll see this tomorrow.
 
Back in the '80's when I taught at a drum shop in C-bus, the young'uns would usually quiet down with the lumber (we call it that here too) when I handed them a copy of the percussion chart to "L'Histoire du Soldat" by Stravinsky. They'd be too busy scratching their heads to smack anything. It's the classical percussionists' "Wipeout".
 
captorquewrench said:
I think pineappleshooter is being silly.

Canon is a musical form-in it's simplest, a round. "Row Row Row Your Boat."

It's not Wagner, believe it or not. it's Verdi's longest opera, Don Carlo. It exists in many forms. Hopefully we get one of the shorter ones, with no ballet. I know it's the French version. And yeah, opera on a school night. We also played "Wookkie Hookkie" from school some years ago to see a midnight showing of a Star Wars film. We do not do this very often, but some things are worth being a little tired the next day. Star Wars, yes. But with the opera, that's up in the air.

I just picked her up from band contest. Two of their three judges were my old college band directors and dear, dear friends. It was wonderful to see them again.
Click to expand...

Ahhh...Giuseppi Verdi.
Back in my high school Columbus Youth Symphony days, we figured out that his name in english was "Joe Green". "Haw haw haw...ladies and gentlemen...Joe Green's Requiem. Haw haw haw..."Mean Giuseppi Verdi"...haw haw haw..."


One time, at band camp...
 
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Baldeagle...I actually prefer Wagner's opera's. This girl and I dream of going to Bayreuth one day.

Tonight was really, really good--not just the opera either.

Beach elvis....rumor has it that "one time, at band camp" line is from a movie. Because the line so annoys me, I refuse to watch the film. LOL But..youth symphony days are cool enough that the band geek forgives you.
 
captorquewrench said:
Baldeagle...I actually prefer Wagner's opera's. This girl and I dream of going to Bayreuth one day.
Click to expand...

If that's the case, then tomorrow the Met is doing Siegfried - my local station (KING-FM; Homepage - Classical KING FM) is playing the broadcast starting at 8AM PDT. Deborah Voigt is Bruunhilde
 
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