Son has started drum lessons (video)

[Shawn]

I still have not gotten new headphones. I was able to tape mine up enough to still use.For $20 headphones,I sure am trying to keep them around as long as I can. I can't seem to find another set like them online so Sony must have discontinued them.Sucks foe me because I had such great luck with them. Nearly 4 years and they worked perfectly.I am looking at a few different sets in the $50 range and I will have to get some soon. My son will be using them starting tomorrow.He had his lesson today and at his next lesson,the instructor is going to start teaching him Tom Petty's Free Falling. I know he can play it.He didn't know that for the last few months,the little parts here and there have been building him up to start learning the song.The instructor said he usually waits a little longer to start teaching songs,but my son is moving along so quick that he thinks he is ready to take on learning a song and then he will continue doing more songs that are a bit harder and takes more concentration to play. I know my son will do well.He does his practice no less then 4 days per week for 20 minutes at a time or sometimes longer.The rule I have with that is he has to go through his previous lessons and then he can do a free style after the 20 minutes of practicing his previous lessons. It's costing me a lot of money over time for the lessons but it's priceless to see him sit behind the kit and play and smile and have fun.That is what music is all about.He makes a mistake,he'll smile and say something and try it again until he gets it and when he does get it,he plays it 4 times in a row,and if he messes up,he starts over from the start,That is what he wants to do and I won't discourage that a bit.
I have finally got most of my cymbals back.I had to pawn most and was running just a basic set up for 2 months.When we had to move,we didn't have the money and my work was slow and my wife lost her job not long after we moved in here so
I had to do what was needed to survive.Now that work is busy again,I have been getting my stuff back slowly. I also picked up a few new things as well. I have been searching for a 22" Sabian HH Rock Ride for nearly 2.5 years and I finally found one and jumped to buy it up as fast as I could.It was not the finish I wanted,it is the traditional finish and I wanted the Brilliant finish but after doing some reading,the traditional one fits in with my cymbals better. I use darker sounding cymbals and the new ride gives off a darker sound then the brilliant one would. Also it's a very heavy ride.I have never picked up a ride cymbal that weighs as much as my new one does.I bet it is a good 8-10 lbs and the one I was using was only 4-5lbs. Makes a big difference. Here's a picture of what my kit looks like now.


And my daughter said I have to many cymbals and not enough drums.My son says I have to many drums and not enough cymbals. I have some plans to buy a little bit of both. I want to buy a few more cymbals and I am wanting to add more Octobans to the kit.1 pair isn't enough and I want the set of 8.Problem is they cost $1800 new with tax and shipping.I have seen some pop up used for $700 and so I will be watching out for them. Hopefully I have the extra money to get them if I find some and hopefully it doesn't take me 2.5 years to find them like it did the new ride.

[soloist]

It's good that you were able to recycle the headphones that you currently own. I'm ready
for a new pair of ear buds myself since I see that the pair I've found which sound we-
ll, are durable, are somewhat sound cancelling, have good bass and sells for only
20 dollars is still available. My old pair only works in one ear and just expired
beyond the warranty... so I'll get another pair when I can. I hope you were
able to get the new pair for your son. Yes, I'm familiar with Tom Petty's
Free Falling... and it'll be a good song for your son to start with, and
yes, I'm sure he'll have no problem acing it. This new string of cha-
llenges is just what he'll need to maintain his interest in drumm-
ing. It's great that he still enjoys practicing and still have the
patience to continue to do so, because sometimes when a
child knows something, they may get ahead of themsel-
ves and want to skip practicing and get to the advan-
ced stuff as soon as possible. This is understandab-
le since it helps keep their interest. Children ar-
e easily bored so finding ways to help develop-
e their perspective is key to shaping their i-
magination and creativity. Wow, you do h-
ave a LOT of cymbals (laughs). Actually,
I can see two more on either end bei-
ng considered which would fit this
set well. You may not have bee-
n able to find the Sabian HH R-
ock Rides that you were sea-
rching for originally, but i-
t seems that the altern-
atives are just as use-
ful... and fitting I m-
ight add. It's good
that work is pic-
king up for yo-
u now and t-
hat you w-
ere able
to re-
acquire
the items t-
hat that had to
go. Thanks to the
power of the interne-
t, it shouldn't take you t-
oo long to find a worthy pai-
r right now. They'll probably ge-
t you via shipping and handling, but
I'm sure you'll be able to find your set.
I wish your son well in his progress and I w-
ish you well with yours. Good luck on the cym-
bals. I hope you can get a good deal on them too.