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Intro As a lifelong drummer, Randy gives you 5 reasons to play the drums. 5 Reasons to Play the Drums Big stress reliever I often hear people reference a puppet when they describe drummers: Animal. Long periods of drumming will release endorphins – kind of like a natural pain killer. Source. Can Be Physically beneficial – Providing cardio health. I would say I agree with this one half of the time. If you’re a self-taught drummer that relies less on technique, there could be a tendency to exert oneself more than necessary to provide the same outcome, audibly, as a learned drummer with proper technique. There was an article in Modern Drummer magazine, written by an internist, who is also a drummer. He stated that drumming can reduce our diastolic and systolic blood pressure, thus benefiting our hearts. Drive the band The band follows the rhythm of the drummer. You will count off the song, they will look to you for rhythmic guidance. Communicate with others at a different level. Maybe you’re an overall friendly person, but don’t always feel like talking to people. I could bury my face in my smartphone and surf the internet to pass the time by. Or you could go sit in with some music that are around your skill level and communicate that way. You might not really understand what I’m saying until you try it. When you’re jamming with other musicians, you communicate with your instrument. In this case, as the drummer, you’d mostly be communicating rhythmically, while other musicians could be playing melodies/and or harmonies on their instruments. Being that your core function is rhythm, you will be in charge of driving this musical element. Different cultures and countries all have different styles of drums. In many of those cultures, you’ll notice that the drums are the backbone of what you’re feeling. Shout outs to the Bass too, though, because bass is part of the rhythm section, along with the drums. Appreciation for other genres. The absolute primary reason I listen to other genres of music is because of the various drum styles. For example, when I heard Latin music as a child, there was something about the drums that just made me want to learn what was “going on” with that music. It maintained a solid tempo, yet felt that it could break the rules, and sway around the beat, if you will. Same thing goes for certain types of Jazz. I don’t know if this example fits tightly enough, but watch some professional dancers dancing to latin music – it doesn’t look stiff and uncomfortable – It looks like they’re just having a helluva good time, and are relaxed – and that’s exactly what it feels like to drum along with this genre. A few notable Latin music drummer names out there would be Tito Puente, Alex Acuna, and Pete Escovedo (Sheila E’s dad). Follow our Podcast If you’re a new listener to the Manly Hanley Podcast, we would love to hear from you. Visit our website and leave a comment. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter! Follow Randrums on twitter Like the Manley Hanley Podcast Facebook page.