How do I get these little kids away from my drumset?

[QCdrummer]

Now I remember when I was little kid. I never was a pest like some seem to be now. When we're jammin after service they are just all on top me asking "Can I play?" 
When I first got to this church I wanted to be nice, so I let one get on and they couldn't even keep the beat going. When I was kid, I hardly ever asked the drummer can I play, even though I could at least keep the beat! I wanted to observe and watch him so I could apply what he is doing to my playing. You can't learn anything by trying to kick the main drummer off so you can just get on and bang.
I believe this is how you know which kids are serious about drumming because they WATCH more than ASK TO PLAY. And there is only one of those in my church. And there are about 3 or 4 others who just want to get on and bang.
The one kid who is serious about drumming watches my playing the entire service, while the others are ripping up the hymnals and church fans. lol.

Because kids are very sensitive, my question is how do you tell the UNSERIOUS future drummers "No you can't play!" in a nice way?

[JFunky]

...Question for you......  Are you absolutely sure that they are "Not-Serious"?  Just because they're not watching you play but wanting to play doesn't mean that they're not "serious".  Every lil' kid just wants to play and bang on the kit just like you and I did once.  I for one, did both watch and play.  After church was the only time I could practice.  Those 7 to 15 min. after church while they turned off the lights and members spoke to each other and stuff.  Just something to think about.   

[QCdrummer]

The reason I say this is because a drummer can usually spot a drummer. Maybe its in our eyes or something. When I'm playing in a service, and a drummer walks through the door, 9 times out of 10 I can spot him right away.
Mainly because the first thing a drummer usually does when he walks through the door, is quickly spot out where the drums are located. I don't know why that is but it always happens. lol.

But I remember when I was a kid in church, there were 3 of us that hung together. 2 of us are still playing now, but the 3rd never liked drums, he just liked them because the rest of us were interested in them. He wanted to fit in and he didn't want to be the only one who had no interest in drums. So when he asked to play he was never good because he never practiced at home! He never even owned a pair of sticks!

And this is how I know that they aren't serious because if a year goes by, and the kid is banging just as much as he was the previous year, he isn't practicing at home. And the kid who is serious, he has been progressing, and you can hear the difference in his playing.

[JFunky]

The reason I say this is because a drummer can usually spot a drummer. Maybe its in our eyes or something. When I'm playing in a service, and a drummer walks through the door, 9 times out of 10 I can spot him right away.
Mainly because the first thing a drummer usually does when he walks through the door, is quickly spot out where the drums are located. I don't know why that is but it always happens. lol.

But I remember when I was a kid in church, there were 3 of us that hung together. 2 of us are still playing now, but the 3rd never liked drums, he just liked them because the rest of us were interested in them. He wanted to fit in and he didn't want to be the only one who had no interest in drums. So when he asked to play he was never good because he never practiced at home! He never even owned a pair of sticks!

And this is how I know that they aren't serious because if a year goes by, and the kid is banging just as much as he was the previous year, he isn't practicing at home. And the kid who is serious, he has been progressing, and you can hear the difference in his playing.

...the above in bold is not necessarily true man.  I've met plenty of Jazz/Swing Drummers that look like nerdy Pianist and have sat down on the kit and just totally made the heads yell for God's Mercy.  Like I said before, they are kids and we do not know their destiny.  Yes, you might have the studious kid that is watching but that annoying Tazmanian Devil might just be the next Chris Coleman or Ronald Bruner.  But hey, what do I know.  I must not be a drummer. LOL

[Sethlove06]

Ok QCDRUMME, this is always a hard thing to do...bnut since ive delt with this same problem before i can give you a few pointers on what i did! UUUM first of you dont wanna come of being mean, b/c that could turn the kids that u dont think are serious but really could be...jus in their immature stage right now...away, and secondly if u have time try to tell them ok well this is what we'll do each sunday i'll let one of you get on the drums and play for a few minutes....now u can control this by givin them a mini lesson or jus sitting there and letting them know what they can and cant do.- oh a side note about this, i know at my church alot of people congregate inside of the sanctuary soooo playing the drums kind'f get on there nervs...so u mite have to work around that if possible. - but i mean this is a an approach u could try to take with them....and if you do decide to do that hit me up and tell me how it works! I HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST!!!



-Keep god 1st!

[StraightPockett]

 ;DSpray some KBG (Kid B' Gone) around your set, that'll definitely keep'em away.

[Hotsticks1]

Hahahahaha, I have this problem just like you man. It's like 3 little boys that watch all service and as soon as we want to jam after church, they're all up in your grill. I was one of the kids who was always doing this too. I never had sticks at the crib or anything to practice on, so those few minutes after church meant the world to me.  I'm still working on it.

Check out Doobie Powells "Church Boy"

The one thing I do that works is to first just say "hold on" until they give up asking.

If that doesnt work just act like you can't hear them because you're playing too loud. Straight ignore the heck out of 'em.

If that doesnt work, then when they ask, they'll most likely sit back and be cheesin waiting for you to say yes...When they do that, look them straight in the face and do a hot lick, then just look away. They'll get the hint

If that doesnt work, then my friend you're out of luck...lol

[yamahaboy]

Hahahahaha, I have this problem just like you man. It's like 3 little boys that watch all service and as soon as we want to jam after church, they're all up in your grill. I was one of the kids who was always doing this too. I never had sticks at the crib or anything to practice on, so those few minutes after church meant the world to me.  I'm still working on it.

Check out Doobie Powells "Church Boy"

The one thing I do that works is to first just say "hold on" until they give up asking.

If that doesnt work just act like you can't hear them because you're playing too loud. Straight ignore the heck out of 'em.

If that doesnt work, then when they ask, they'll most likely sit back and be cheesin waiting for you to say yes...When they do that, look them straight in the face and do a hot lick, then just look away. They'll get the hint
If that doesnt work, then my friend you're out of luck...lol

 

[THE WOLFMAN]

fire warning shots past the ear.

[fretai03]

I just say No. It helps that I'm waaaay taller than them too.



The genuine drummer's will wait till the right moment to ask. But most kids will just ask even if it's prayer time haha.

[QCdrummer]

The genuine drummer's will wait till the right moment to ask. But most kids will just ask even if it's prayer time haha.

Yes! I couldn't agree with you more on that one!

[blessed1]

Proverbs 22:15
"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him."

That should do it... LOL