The 1st Annual Sun City Throw Down will be El Paso's biggest drumming event ever. With endorsed artists from Promark, SPAUN Drums and Badassdrumming.com, DCI Crossmen member Andrea Linan and more being there this all day event will be great. Master clinics, adjudicated competition, products and giveaways will be the major reason to be there. They predict the turnout to be between 2,000 to 5,000 people.
Another reason to be there ... the brotherhood of drummers and drumming. Go out and share time at this event and show them "YOU'RE A BETTER DRUMMER THAN THOSE ON ROCK BAND!".
For event details read the previous blog post.
Sword
Showing posts with label Rock Band. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rock Band. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Drumming on Rock Band does more harm than good.
Drumming on Rock Band does more harm than good.
Here, you just bought your new gaming system, Rock Band. You pull open the box, start setting up those electronic drumpads, get all the cables in place, pop in the gaming disc and you ar now ready to put the sticks in the hands and start wailing away. In a feverish race to hit the right drumpad when the screen shows you the corresponding pad to hit and you do and the next and the next ...
You have artfully finished the first song and get your score. You see a few mistakes by the score. You heard the awful rejecting sound when you made a mistake and by the simulated audience response.
Now let's look at why this is a terrible way to learn to drum. Yes, this is terrible and for many reasons.
Did anyone show you the proper grip to holding the sticks? NO.
How to balance the sticks in your grip for maximum effectiveness? NO.
Did anyone show you or tell you not to try playing with so much arm so not to make you tired after one minute? NO.
Did anyone show you whether heel up or heel down will produce longer, less tiresome results? NO.
Did you know (or did they tell you) that 'swinging' the sticks the wrong way can cause Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Rapid Movement Stress Disorder, pulled tendons, blisters and other problems? NO.
Hey! Where is the hi-hat pedal in this game???
Once again, the gaming industry has come up with another way to milk out dollars from the many that are willing to spend money on games and even market it in a way to make you think that you can LEARN to drum from it. Really, they haven't taught you anything. Grip, strengthening the weak hand to be equal to the strong hand, stick patterns to easily get around multiple surfaces, proper balance of the body and breathing ... all of this is important and unless there is someone there to correct these common problems you will cause yourself more harm than good.
If you want to really learn to play you will need a good instructor that can set you up for long term, injury free, drumming.
Another reason to consider drum lessons BEFORE trying to learn from these games; the instructor will not need to undo bad habits you have already developed from this. Lessons spent on undoing bad habits are a waste of your time and money. If you were to take the lessons to learn the right techniques first you would be further along and learn more in less time, actually saving you money.
Drumming is a sport of endurance and to last the long haul will take the knowledge of a good trainer showing you how to drum smart, not hard.
Ok, WoW anyone?
Here, you just bought your new gaming system, Rock Band. You pull open the box, start setting up those electronic drumpads, get all the cables in place, pop in the gaming disc and you ar now ready to put the sticks in the hands and start wailing away. In a feverish race to hit the right drumpad when the screen shows you the corresponding pad to hit and you do and the next and the next ...
You have artfully finished the first song and get your score. You see a few mistakes by the score. You heard the awful rejecting sound when you made a mistake and by the simulated audience response.
Now let's look at why this is a terrible way to learn to drum. Yes, this is terrible and for many reasons.
Did anyone show you the proper grip to holding the sticks? NO.
How to balance the sticks in your grip for maximum effectiveness? NO.
Did anyone show you or tell you not to try playing with so much arm so not to make you tired after one minute? NO.
Did anyone show you whether heel up or heel down will produce longer, less tiresome results? NO.
Did you know (or did they tell you) that 'swinging' the sticks the wrong way can cause Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Rapid Movement Stress Disorder, pulled tendons, blisters and other problems? NO.
Hey! Where is the hi-hat pedal in this game???
Once again, the gaming industry has come up with another way to milk out dollars from the many that are willing to spend money on games and even market it in a way to make you think that you can LEARN to drum from it. Really, they haven't taught you anything. Grip, strengthening the weak hand to be equal to the strong hand, stick patterns to easily get around multiple surfaces, proper balance of the body and breathing ... all of this is important and unless there is someone there to correct these common problems you will cause yourself more harm than good.
If you want to really learn to play you will need a good instructor that can set you up for long term, injury free, drumming.
Another reason to consider drum lessons BEFORE trying to learn from these games; the instructor will not need to undo bad habits you have already developed from this. Lessons spent on undoing bad habits are a waste of your time and money. If you were to take the lessons to learn the right techniques first you would be further along and learn more in less time, actually saving you money.
Drumming is a sport of endurance and to last the long haul will take the knowledge of a good trainer showing you how to drum smart, not hard.
Ok, WoW anyone?
RockBand and Guitar Hero are creating Wannabe's
In a world where people look for shortcuts to everything there is one thing for sure. Games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero are creating a lot of Wannabe's. Since there is really no musical skills to these games there isn't a real chance to be that great lead guitar player they try to immulate in the game or that great rock drummer they pretend to be.
I say this because I have heard many kids come into the music store and say they are taking lessons from these games. HUH?
Simply put, they are playing on nothing more than a glammed up version of Simon. They paid alot more money for these musical games since they are doing the cover tune thing. Artists songs are being used and the bands are getting a cut from their songs being used. Sure, that's fair. They wrote and produced the songs.
Anyway, the idea that you are learning valuable skills in the music realm has yet to be proven. You are playing along, mind you, not on an actual instrument, but, a cheap replica so that it works with the game. You surely couldn't use such toys in a real gig (unless you are Milli Vanilli).
And parents shouldn't be so naive to agree with their kids that this is a great lesson teacher. How are they being critiqued and corrected for wrong technique? Only a live teacher can do this.
If people would only focus their energy in the right direction in the first place they could save their selves time and money and get it right the first time.
Anyway, when you are ready for the real thing teachers will be standing by to help you.
I say this because I have heard many kids come into the music store and say they are taking lessons from these games. HUH?
Simply put, they are playing on nothing more than a glammed up version of Simon. They paid alot more money for these musical games since they are doing the cover tune thing. Artists songs are being used and the bands are getting a cut from their songs being used. Sure, that's fair. They wrote and produced the songs.
Anyway, the idea that you are learning valuable skills in the music realm has yet to be proven. You are playing along, mind you, not on an actual instrument, but, a cheap replica so that it works with the game. You surely couldn't use such toys in a real gig (unless you are Milli Vanilli).
And parents shouldn't be so naive to agree with their kids that this is a great lesson teacher. How are they being critiqued and corrected for wrong technique? Only a live teacher can do this.
If people would only focus their energy in the right direction in the first place they could save their selves time and money and get it right the first time.
Anyway, when you are ready for the real thing teachers will be standing by to help you.
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