Linda Kraft lives in Saskatchewan, Canada, where she enjoys life as a pipe band snare drummer. A new member of the Sole Sister Ramblers, Linda discovered her love of drumming later in life and continues to embrace new challenges with enthusiasm, determination, and a passion for lifelong learning.
I play the pipe band snare drum. I love saying that, and while there have been many ups and downs along the way, I wouldn’t trade my beautiful drumming journey for anything. I am actually more than a mature adult. I was 58 when I picked up drumsticks for the first time, and now, nine years later, you can do the math. I had not played any musical instrument, ever. I was a complete beginner in every way, and I still consider myself a Novice Intermediate player.
I have taken weekly lessons (barring holidays) for the last nine years, and everything I do in drumming is with the intent of becoming a better, stronger player, whether it is lessons, being a member of a pipe band, or the very important daily practice.
Here is some of what I have learned.
Your Musical Journey is Yours to Map
First, your musical journey is yours and yours alone. Yes, you need the right teacher(s), and the right people around you supporting you along the way, but ultimately, you are the one who plans your course. It’s up to you to find the teachers, mentors, and band that work for you, and to find what you need to feel motivated to practice and fulfilled by your musical endeavours.
Thinking back to my first lessons nine years ago, I recall sitting in my van doing deep breathing exercises before going into the studio for my lesson. Like any new adventure, it was a little intimidating at first, but it quickly became something I looked forward to each week.
Let’s start with finding the right teacher or mentor to help guide your journey. While there are many opportunities to take workshops and courses with some of the world’s best players (and not-so-great players), either over your computer or at workshops, and these can be wonderful, I feel that finding the right teacher who will motivate you, guide you, and inspire you throughout your journey is key.
There needs to be a connection. You need to be inspired. There needs to be mutual respect and understanding. It’s an expense, but in my opinion, the lessons are key to staying motivated and focused as a novice player. And the really beautiful thing about finding a great teacher in this age of computers is that it does not matter where your teacher resides; you can take your lessons virtually from a teacher anywhere in the world.
Second, at some point, unless your lessons are with a band that teaches new players, your goal will most likely be to eventually become a member of a pipe band. Where do you start? Your teacher or mentor can provide advice, but you need to think about what type of band you want to join. Is your goal to compete with a band at Highland Games, or are you looking for a band that performs in the community at events and parades?
Not every band is the same, and the culture of every band is not the same. You need to find a band where you feel comfortable and supported in your drumming journey. The camaraderie is an important aspect of being in a band. You also need to feel that you can grow as a player within the band. I myself moved from a competition band to a non-competitive band that has players with a wide range of musical experience and a lot of creativity.
I feel like I found a place where I am comfortable, can grow musically as a player, feel supported by the more experienced players in the band, and do so without the extra pressures of being in a competitive band. Sometimes geography limits the options for bands you can access, but if there is a choice, check out the opportunities available to you and select the band that best fits your needs.
Third, focused personal practice is vital at this stage, preferably daily, but at least a few times a week. Find what inspires you to practice. I LOVE to practice. For me, my practice is divided between working on various scores to improve my playing that I am studying with my teacher, working on drum scores, both old and new, played by my band, and working on material for Adult Solo competitions.
I will add that nothing has done more for my playing and my confidence than preparing for Adult Solo competitions, including practicing with a piper. I must say that playing within a drum corps certainly feels a whole lot easier and more comfortable after playing for a judge when it is just you and your piper out there.
Other aspects that help make practice something to enjoy and look forward to are a comfortable practice setup and space, and, for me, a time set aside in the day to practice. I personally like late morning and early afternoon, with lunch in the middle, and I aim for an hour to an hour and a half of practice per day (kind of a requirement as an older student who did not acquire the muscle memory for playing at a young age).
Pros of Learning the Snare Drum as an Adult...
I will do my pros first, as there has certainly been a mix of pros and cons for me when learning the pipe band snare drum at this stage of life.
1. I don’t know about everyone else, but I need goals, and I need to always be learning. I have been a student of something my entire life, and while those “somethings” have changed from time to time over the years, I don’t believe I have been as driven to master a skill to the best of my abilities as I have been with drumming.
So, I would say, really think about what you want for yourself. If it is your dream to become a drummer (or whatever else you aspire to do), find a way to do it. Becoming proficient is time-consuming, sometimes very rewarding, and sometimes really hard. If you are committed to doing it and have the right people around you, you can do it. Yes, you can.
2. I started drum lessons the same week I retired from working as an Administrative Assistant in a busy, hectic office, primarily dealing with human resources. I was involved in every aspect of appointments of university faculty, graduate students, and interns; promotion and tenure of faculty; leaves of absence; and arranging contracted services.
There was a lot of thinking on the fly, a lot of complicated organization, and a lot of quick decision-making. When leaving my job, I was concerned I would lose my ability to think fast and make quick and accurate decisions. I am happy to say I feel that the drumming journey has made my quick decision-making skills even sharper.
It is important to me to do whatever I can to keep my mind sharp, and everything about learning new drumming skills, memorizing drum scores, and using the brain to coordinate those drum scores with the motor skills needed to play is certainly fulfilling that goal for me (in my opinion, anyway!).
3. I love bagpipes. I love pipe band music. I love standing within the drum corps and contributing to making beautiful music. Honestly, pinch me—I still have trouble believing I get to be part of this.
4. When I first started learning pipe band drumming, it never occurred to me that I was going to meet a lot of good people who would share my love for everything pipe band.
The camaraderie aspect of being part of a like-minded group of individuals was not even on my radar. But what a wonderful surprise. The camaraderie aspect is a big, amazing part of being in the pipe band world. You will meet a lot of very good people and make some really great friends and acquaintances who share your pipe band passion.
Then there are the bandmates, past and present, who are like family. I love having a band family. I love working with my bandmates to raise the level of our playing as a group, and I love being part of the team and working on projects and events for the overall good of the band.
5. While there are different strengths associated with youth versus adulthood when learning new skills such as drumming, you have been a student before, you know how you learn new skills, and you know what works for you. The adult learners I know, the ones who persist and carry through on pursuing their goal to learn, are tenacious and have a lot of self-motivation. No one needs to tell us to practice or keep pushing forward; we tend to be highly motivated with a strong work ethic, and that’s huge.
And the challenges...
1. While everyone can learn, youth are built to learn, and they learn fast if they put in the work. Adult learners can absolutely learn too, but the process often requires more patience.
In adulthood, progress in learning new skills may be slower and requires a lot of patience from the learner. If you keep pushing forward and working, progress will continue, and you will learn to do amazing things. I still can’t believe what I can do.
Your journey is your own. It will continue at your pace, and you cannot compare your progress and abilities to other players, young or old, with years of experience.
2. There is no doubt that what we call “muscle memory,” which really isn’t any kind of memory at all but the building, through repetition, of the neural pathways needed for motor skills, can still be developed for new skills in adulthood. However, I think we all realize it is slower going at this stage.
Amazing things can be accomplished with proper instruction, a strong work ethic, and a good practice regimen. If you are willing to put in the time and work and are patient with yourself, you will progress.
You Can Do It!
So, it seems to me, adult learners such as myself have different advantages and disadvantages compared to young learners. However, I believe the advantages go a long way toward leveling the field.
If you want to be a pipe band drummer, you can do it. There will always be experienced players eager to help a novice who is keen to learn and willing to listen. You will be amazed at the support you receive, as long as you stay humble and eager to learn.
I was amazed, and I still am, by the tremendous support I have received and continue to receive.
READ MORE > Her Story, Rambler Cafe Blog
Leave a comment