I'm Teaching Myself to Play the Drums and the Story Behind My Name Duane's World

in #art7 years ago (edited)

16 months ago in February 2016, I decided to start a Youtube channel appropriately called Duane's World. The idea to produce weekly 5 - 10 minute webisodes of my artistic meanderings and insatiable desire to learn new skills. The format, a variety show of sorts. Cut up snippets of short video clips, motion graphics, animation, interviews with myself and others. 5 to 60 seconds or so each a collage of my week's work, learning, play and art!

We have so much to learn and experience in this amazing World & Life! Especially in this day and age. It's Impossible to be bored. Start Today!!

DW_Drums_W1.jpg

Just starting, that's the big issue a lot of people have. I, for example, have to get all my ducks in a row, get everything just right. I think I have this issue because I'm always thinking about first impressions when I start a project. Always having that fear that I'm starting off on the wrong foot with a new project and potentially making the wrong impression it if I don't have it just right at launch. It paralyzes me and often I just don't start, years just go bye, bye. It's these same fears I had when I started my Duane's World blog here on Steemit. Telling myself I'm unable to create brand new content because of my current workload but knowing in my gut I had to get on involved right now with this platform and cryptocurrency or another year would pass me by.

I love the idea of using my green screen as a backdrop instead of trying to key in some cool background. I do that already with many of my videos. This has that behind the scenes vibe.

DW_Banner Med1.2.jpg

I love to learn. It's an amazing and exhilarating process teaching oneself new skills. At the moment, I'm a screen printer, I dabble in video and animation, 3D modeling and plan soon to try my hand at video game creation. I'm teaching myself how to sew so I can create rudimentary costumes, in addition, practical model making, props and make-up for my short videos. Oh yeah I dabble in confectionary and candy making :D

My secret black licorice recipe!

BlkLicorice.jpg

2 years ago I started learning guitar and practice a least an hour a day, occasionally borrow a friend's bass guitar as well and thought damn perhaps I should just go all out and try my hand at drums. I had caught the music playing bug I guess. I was already scheming plans for World domination with my future or make-believe bands! Yes bands with a "s" plural, lol.

A Super 8 film I shot in 94'. One of the game contestants decapitates a bag lady, an innocent bystander who wandered onto the battlefield by accident.

Super8film_steemit.jpg

I tend to jump from one interest to the next. Losing interest sometimes because I don't think I'm progressing. So I got to thinking perhaps I could document the journey on a blog and track my progress. So I decided to start my Duane's World channel on YouTube to document my artistic interests and indirectly encourage others watching to just get started on a hobby or dream.

Typical day (on the Wheel of Pain) screen printing

Printing.jpg

Ideally, I wanted to film a bunch of different content and create a cool intro title sequence for the launching. Since I was learning to play music and the theme of my channel is about skill building, I thought it would be only proper to produce the music score myself, even if I suck at first.

Made these futuristic buildings out of paper cups, junk, plastic and wood scraps

FutureJunkCity.jpg

I couldn't wait so I decided to just start! I scrapped the idea of getting all my ducks in a row and just begin with me learning the drums and then build upon that with more content. So I went to my local music store and rented out the cheapest drum set for $25 per month and started playing drums by watching Youtube tutorials, but only lasted 4 weeks.

Some 3D modeling software I was testing out

FinkDevil.jpg

16 months later I found Steemit. It has ignited the fire once again. Over the next week, I'm going to post the 3 other weeks of me learning drums intermittently with other posts. In about 2 weeks I hope to be making posts of all new content. I hope you find inspiration in my meanderings and just get started on what you dream of.

Building and daydreaming at 5 yrs old in Kindergarden

Me_5yrs.jpg

So finally this is my first-week video learning how to drum with no prior experience. The drum kit is a cheap rental and the hit-hat and cymbal are crap, made of a really cheap material. Hopefully, it's not too painful of a watch, perhaps you will have a bit of a laugh :) This was quite difficult for me being in front of a camera, expressing myself. It's good though as it's a fear I want to overcome.

CAN HE PLAY THE DRUMS? - Duane's World - Drums Week 1



When video and book stores insist on shelves down to the floor

FloorReading.jpg

I hope you enjoy this post and let me know what you think and stuff. Upvote and Resteem if you like what I'm doing. Thank you!


follow me @duanesworld

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Check out the book "Rapid Drumset Improvement: Exercise Workbook"...this exercise routine grid is the most fundamental key for drumming, and you will master rhythm and coordination quickest and most efficiently with this.

You're welcome! :)

https://www.amazon.com/Rapid-Drumset-Improvement-Exercise-Workbook/dp/0984406913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499666940&sr=8-1

Sorry for the late reply, but I'd like to thank u for the recommendation. I'll check it out :)

you are most welcome :D I hope to one day soon post all of the exercises here.

I'd love that!!

follow meee! i can't wait until these exercises pop up on your feed :)

Learning is life my friend! My coworkers make fun of me because I'm just like you, always trying to learn something new by myself! They call me "The Challenge Man" 😂. But I can't help it, I like the fact that you can actually learn a brand new skill by yourself. Youtube and Google are my best friends for that 👌. Hope I'll have the time to share it on Steemit as well. You did a great job so far, keep digging brother!

haha I love it!! My friends joke with me and call me "Renaissance Man" Yes I know the sickness, lol. Thanks for the encouragement :)

Doing well Duane! If youre serious about learning though do yourself a favour and get off the kit and on to a practice pad first. Learn your rudiments and master your stick grip and then introduce feet and multiple drums. Trying to start it all at once is some kind of mental torture ☺

@markfitzgerald thank you for the encouragement. I'm not really taking it too serious atm, but who knows. That was just week 1. I did it for 4 weeks total and put it down as I was on to the next thing. However, it has been on my mind to start again so I'm going to make all new videos after I post the other 3 drum videos. At the time of those videos, I was practicing rudiments a bit. However, I think it's was just so fun to pound on them drums.

I may take a few lessons to get a basic grasp on those things you mentioned. Thanks again for the advice :)

hah ... i know there is always a beginning. need to loosen a bit on em drum sticks bud. :) cheeers

haha yes this was only week one, but I do thank u for the tip ;)

Good quality content! I like the idea behind your username and how you constantly try new things and are very artistic. Keep sharing your adventures! Can't wait to see what's next :)

Thanks for the compliment! I have plenty more to share this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Very nice! Well done :)

Thank you I really appreciate it :D

Nice work friend friend, am so in love with the futuristic buildings :)

Awwe thanks I love them too :D I wanted to see if I could make them easily enough. I have plans for a future music video with them in mind.

Great job man. Nice to see you doing so well. I love your ideas. Keepp experimenting and learning man

thanks buddy :)

Lots of great content! Yeah, some days I struggle with producing any type of work because I want it to be perfect. Honestly, that's not realistic. There just isn't enough time in the day to overthink it.

Love the comment @vermillionfox U know what is funny somebody almost word for word copied your comment for their own in here and I upvoted it, lol. After reading your reply, I retacted it of course. So people even do that now in the same thread. No shame, lmao.

Yeah, it's almost as bad as someone attempting to comment on your post without reading any of it! 😂

lol. Yeah, there are handful of those on here on this post about my drumming. Still, I can't believe somebody would copy another's comment in the same post. I had read their's first and upvoted it, then read yours but it was posted hours before. It was almost identical except for a few changed words.

I recall being the first to leave you a comment on this post! Anywho, awesome job! I see that you got noticed by @curie, they're fantastic!

 7 years ago  Reveal Comment

The more instruments you take on, the harder it gets. There's only so many hours a day, and it can be real tricky to balance a practice schedule across multiple instruments.

With that said, drums are the best one, so you're making the right move :-D

I'm just dabbling. I'm more interested in guitar but I want to experience them all as I have some ideas about making music so getting the basic and understanding is important for me. who knows I might just drop music all together in a few years who knows :D

What a lovely story! I totally understand it, I kept procrastinating as well when it came to starting my YouTube channel and I still have a fear of showing myself on camera. I overcame the fear of using my voice in the videos, but getting in front of the camera.. I don't know yet ;)

Yes I'm so awkward but I started to loosen up and just try to go with it.

Don't give up Duane. As "Norman Vincent Peale" says in his book titled "You Can If You Think You Can"

Ha I will only give up to make time for something new to learn if I don't have the time ;)

Rock On Duane!

selfstudy is the best.Congratulation my dear fri.I alway have listing songs I free time.

Great post. I'm actually a "self-taught" drummer (if I can actually call myself that), because about three years ago I finally decided that I wanted to learn to drum...after putting it off for years. YouTube was/is my best friend. I am decent, but as someone else replied, it would be a great benefit to learn the rudiments. It really helps develop the hand/hand coordination and will make drumming on a set a lot easier (especially when deciding which tom to hit with which hand. One of the first real songs I learned was "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. It's a tough one for a beginner, but now it's just natural. Keep up the efforts and just enjoy the learning.

thanks for the thoughtful reply I appreciate it.

Inspiring i am 16 and i am starting out in drumming too .. hope to make it on big stages ..
Wish me luck Xd...:)

:D Good for you!! I'm an old fart but I'm having fun! Best of luck to u!!

You are very creative. I believe you can teach yourself anything!

Thanks daddy-o :D

Brilliant post, am I bit like you I think, I love to create and off course I need to be a bit nuts to go through live is the best way , I go to start to follow you if is ok

thanks I appreciate it!!

I think that you are doing great! learning so many things and I didn't know that you have interests in so much stuff. Also, Loved those buildings that you created. Fantastic job :)

haha yes I'm crazy like that, but I like it :D

Yes a little crazy is necessary ;)

Yes, your post is great, I too love music! Yes, I like what you're doing.

thanks for the positive reply!

Amazing my friend! Best of luck to you.

Good luck on the drums!

i was teaching myself playing piano. hard job- but the result totally worth it!)
Good luck!)

I just love learning. I hope u keep it up on the piano!

A lot of great content! Yes, some days I struggle with producing every kind of work because I want to be perfect. To be honest, it's not realistic. There are just not enough hours in the day to overthink it.
I wish it could be like you

Oh I struggle with these problems every day. This is just a recent relevation I'm trying to practice, so I'm still new at making these choices.

Cool man !

Is it a wink towards Wayne's world?

Duane's world, duane's world, party time, excellent .....weeeooooweeeoooo

Yes a little bit!

is interesting share histories , i love this for this page

That' cool! Love your post.

You are awesome dude! Good luck with all you do :D

@duanesworld can you play drums on this track

I made this tack. It's a Eastern Classical Composition. Would you please listen and and tell me your feedback or suggestions? Will means a world to me.
Thank you. 🙂
https://steemit.com/music/@shadmannnn/remake-of-mohamaya-original-music-eastern-music-composition-or-classical-or-guitar-or-mixing-and-mastering

ummm If u had watched that video u would have noticed that it was my first week learning to play the drums and that I suck :) Anyway I did listen to your track and it's great.

We will do a project together once you're done learning the basics. Will wait for that day @duanesworld :')

That is so cool! Well done and a BEEEEG congratulations. Platforms like this are changing the world!! - which I wrote about a little earlier today... maybe you would enjoy the relation.... https://steemit.com/life/@jaynie/curry-cousins-and-more-crypto-welcome-to-my-world-4

Learning is living. keep it up

A few years ago if you need to learn something you have to pay a teacher if he's around or travel to learn stuff nowadays it's much easier you can learn anything you want just using Internet I am saying this because I'm a self-taught piano player ever since I was young I dreams to play piano and sing along all the years I've been singing but i never had the chance to learn piano until one day I said to myself I'm learning piano. 6 months later i was able to play songs and sing.....it's magical no teacher just Internet

totally late on this reply, but I'd like to thank u for the comment. The internet is my master teacher :D

Bdmmmm tsssssssssss

Thank you very much for this post.

your welcome!

Love it

Killing it man! respect for your dedication to the instrument - I'm also a composer and instrumentalist, you can check my recent post about my composition here: https://steemit.com/music/@boston1994/the-power-of-music-vol-1

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