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How many of you also play percussion?
- Thread starter Ostie
- Start date
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- cajon congas djembe percussion
One time at rehearsal my fingers were getting really torn up with blisters so I was sitting out a song, and had the idea to pick up an empty bucket next to my amp - fast forward 20 minutes and now my band has 2 songs on the setlist where I play some vaguely latin-ish auxiliary percussion with a wild setup of paint buckets, cowbell, the steel cap to a oxygen tank (it makes sort of a ride cymbal bell sound), and some timpani mallets. I only play a little bit of drums, but since the main drummer is covering that, the percussion parts can be a little bit more irregular/improvisational. It's definitely fun and a nice break from everything I'm used to playing on bass, and it gives our very zealous keyboard player free range in the low end, haha.
I bought a set for my son years ago, when he was in junior high/high school. He was on the drum line. He never really took to the kit, but I kept it around for a while, and had fun keeping a beat. I've goofed around on one for very brief periods at actual gigs. By popular demand, I quickly resumed playing bass.
Yes, i play drums too. A few years ago it was my main source of gigs. Mainly bass these days.
First instrument was drums. Second was guitar. When I finally gravitated towards bass my decent abilities as a drummer and guitar player helped me become a good bass player.
Drums occasionally ... but root beats to arrangements only, but it works fine on gigging with.
I've played percussion for 20+yrs, mostly Afro Cuban, Brazilian, Haitian, and Puerto Rican styles. Gigged in rock, Latin rock and cumbia bands mostly on congas and bongos. Some of the best times of my life, I still play for fun sometimes but my focus these days is on bass.
I started as a drummer when I was 10 or 11 years old. My favorite band was Rush, and when you play Rush for any amount of time, you quickly realize how much of a beast Geddy Lee is on the bass. I’m pretty sure it was the song “Digital Man” that sealed the deal for me. I decided I MUST learn to play bass!
Good thing too, as I was hit by a car a few years ago and my back is permanently damaged such that sitting and drumming is very painful. Good thing I still have bass or I’d be out of luck!
Even with an injury, it’s still nice to have a kit at the house when other people want to play music. I get many a complement on the tone of this Mapex Orion classic series all maple drum kit, it’s a fantastic set of drums that I still don’t want to ever part with.
Good thing too, as I was hit by a car a few years ago and my back is permanently damaged such that sitting and drumming is very painful. Good thing I still have bass or I’d be out of luck!
Even with an injury, it’s still nice to have a kit at the house when other people want to play music. I get many a complement on the tone of this Mapex Orion classic series all maple drum kit, it’s a fantastic set of drums that I still don’t want to ever part with.
Been playing drums since I was 10 years old (I'm 53 now). I would say I'm a better drummer than bass player, though really I'm not that great at either! I find that I enjoy the bass now in the same way I enjoyed the drums when I was younger.
In high-school, back then before YouTube, the mark of a "good" drummer was whether you could play Tom Sawyer. If you could play it, you were good. If not, you sucked. Tom Sawyer proficiency was developed by repeatedly rewinding 8-tracks or cassettes, or wearing out a vinyl record over and over.
Young drummers in Sacramento in the 70s and 80s would hang out at Andy Penn's Drum and Guitar City and drool over the CB700 kits. If you had a car, after school you would have KZAP dialed in on the car radio and drive out to Skips Music (passing the 2 girls high schools along the way) and hang out upstairs in the drum center looking at drum catalogs or old issues of Modern Drummer. Ahh...good times
In high-school, back then before YouTube, the mark of a "good" drummer was whether you could play Tom Sawyer. If you could play it, you were good. If not, you sucked. Tom Sawyer proficiency was developed by repeatedly rewinding 8-tracks or cassettes, or wearing out a vinyl record over and over.
Young drummers in Sacramento in the 70s and 80s would hang out at Andy Penn's Drum and Guitar City and drool over the CB700 kits. If you had a car, after school you would have KZAP dialed in on the car radio and drive out to Skips Music (passing the 2 girls high schools along the way) and hang out upstairs in the drum center looking at drum catalogs or old issues of Modern Drummer. Ahh...good times
I’ve played drums for almost 20 years, and I’ve only played bass for about 5. So, by technical terms I would probably be considered a drummer more than a bassist. However, I currently enjoy playing the bass so much that I hardly touch my drum kit.
A few of us actually hid the tambourine at Church. It was like ice picks to the ear drums for a few services.....
Well, you know, the bass player doesn't really have anything to do while the guitars are freaking out during "Whole Lotta Love." So I got me some rubber chickens. Yeah it is too percussion! I'm on the beat!
I also started as a drummer. And for me it was difficult. I just didn’t have the knack for music, even though I loved it. Then around age 12, suddenly things changed.
From drums I segued to learning guitar. And I found that I didn’t suck. And I was playing drums in a band, and guitar in another. Also blues harp, because a few tunes needed it. Then a band needed a bass player and no one was around, so I jumped in.
Meanwhile I’d always been fascinated by keyboards. So I tinkered around with one. Then a band at a school dance didn’t have their keyboardist available for the gig, so I jumped in.
Then I got invited to a thing with some Latin players, and there were congas. I learned the basic tumbaos, and next thing you know I’m gigging with them and with a local jazz group. Meanwhile I’d been messing with a clarinet, and a flute, and a violin.....
I’m now the guy that can play many instruments. I won’t dazzle you on any, but I’m good enough on many to have gigged with a few ‘name’ acts and to be solid in a clubdate environment where versatility is much sought after. What I find is that musicality extends across the instruments. In other words, what I learn from playing one instrument finds utility in playing the others. Mostly I think it helps me fill the role that is needed in a situation. I know what the drummer wants from the guitar, and can do it. I know what the singer and pianist want from the bass, and can do it. Etc. Oh yeah - while I don’t have anything approaching real ‘pipes’, I also can sing spontaneous harmonies that work.
From drums I segued to learning guitar. And I found that I didn’t suck. And I was playing drums in a band, and guitar in another. Also blues harp, because a few tunes needed it. Then a band needed a bass player and no one was around, so I jumped in.
Meanwhile I’d always been fascinated by keyboards. So I tinkered around with one. Then a band at a school dance didn’t have their keyboardist available for the gig, so I jumped in.
Then I got invited to a thing with some Latin players, and there were congas. I learned the basic tumbaos, and next thing you know I’m gigging with them and with a local jazz group. Meanwhile I’d been messing with a clarinet, and a flute, and a violin.....
I’m now the guy that can play many instruments. I won’t dazzle you on any, but I’m good enough on many to have gigged with a few ‘name’ acts and to be solid in a clubdate environment where versatility is much sought after. What I find is that musicality extends across the instruments. In other words, what I learn from playing one instrument finds utility in playing the others. Mostly I think it helps me fill the role that is needed in a situation. I know what the drummer wants from the guitar, and can do it. I know what the singer and pianist want from the bass, and can do it. Etc. Oh yeah - while I don’t have anything approaching real ‘pipes’, I also can sing spontaneous harmonies that work.
I don’t own percussion instruments at the moment. Right now I mainly program via midi for idea demos and messing around. I can actually do a little bit as long as I don’t have to use my feet. My older brother was a drummer and started playing percussion in school at age 9. So there was always percussion instruments around. I’m decent as long as I only have to use my hands. I can’t play a kit for crap because I just can’t get my hands and feet to work together. I have a younger brother that played cello and if I was to really focus on another instrument a 5 string eadgc NS omnibass would be my pick as it’s sorta a blend of bass and cello but it’s tuned in forths which I’m more familiar with. Started playing trumpet 30 years ago, bass about 25 years ago. Had a few cheap keyboards in my teens but started getting nicer ones in my 20s. Playing keys has been very valuable to my music projects. Playing in rock bands typically I’m the only one who can play keys and in the studio there’s been multiple albums where I added strings, piano, and pads. I’ve done a couple gigs over the years where I’ve played both keys and bass guitar and a couple where I played acoustic guitar but lately it’s been all bass at gigs.
Never percussion per se but I actually started out as a drummer. My first gig was on drums. I was a kid, had regular Saturday morning lessons, had a nice kit, practiced everyday, etc. loved drums. Then got bitten by the bass bug, sold my kit, bought a bass and never looked back. Having said that, I’ve decided my next “thing” is a hand pan.
With my meter??? Good grief.. If I was playing traps, the drummer would probably shoot me.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses