Travis Barker Quotes

I learned to play drums to the 'Blue Album.'

That's where I learned, basically, all my skills from the drumming that I do - most of my style comes straight from death metal.

I have been drumming my whole life.

But I think that any young drummer starting out today should get himself a great teacher and learn all there is to know about the instrument that he wants to play.

I could care less about sitting around and practicing the guitar for hours a day and trying to be the best guitar player on the planet.

Playing well with others is important - not being too flashy, just keeping good time and of course coming up with cool beats. A good snare drum, kick drum, high hat. Just getting good at the hand feet coordination.

I can't read a note. I have lots of discipline, but I can't sit still at any instrument.

I'm not the type of player to sit home and practice scales and work on runs.

Well I had a musical background, but I still didn't know a lot about drums at the time.

In hindsight, if I could go back in time and relay a message to my younger self, I would tell him to work on his time keeping, and that the job of a drummer is not to be the one that gets noticed the most on stage, or to be the fastest, or the loudest. Above all, it is to be the timekeeper.

It's been years and years and years I've been playing the drums, and they're still a challenge. I still enjoy using drumsticks and a snare drum.

Drumming is so hard.

I was always impressed by some of the progressive styles of guys like Neil Peart.

I'm a percussionist, so that's most of what I know when I attack a record. Melodically, knowing the keys - my first love - that makes the perfect blend.

I started playing the drums at five years old and used to listen to a lot of screamo bands like Asking Alexandria, Dream Theater, and Attack Attack!

My role in AC/DC is to keep time and to drive the band as much as I can. That's a drummer's role anyway.

I spent a lot of time developing my chops when I was younger. In doing so, I found that one of the hardest things was dealing with what to practice.

I bought a book with guitar tabs and forced myself to learn. I would go to school and then come home and sit in my room for hours figuring out the songs.

For me, it's always easier playing with a drummer.

I'll play drums a lot at home, and it will help my wrist action.

Lars Ulrich, he was my hero growing up. I wanted to be like him. I played the drums.

When I practise scales I will play four notes on one string. If I'm playing a C major scale, starting on F, I'll play the F, G, A, and B on one string and the C will be on the A string, etc, etc. Because I found not only was it good for my hands but it was really good for interconnecting things.

When I was first getting into the guitar, I played it incessantly. I lived it, breathed it, ate it, and slept it. I was also extremely self-critical, so from early on, I made sure to develop good playing habits - I constantly strove to sound in tune and have a great tone, and to play cleanly and in time.

That's the way I always listened to music. I'd listen and copy it. I play by ear so that's easier than reading.

A lot of young drummers have a tendency to really overplay. Sometimes simple is better, and the notes that aren't played between the spaces are bigger than the notes that are.