What do you guys like to concentrate on as you propel through your personal Stick journey? The end game for us all I think is to have a catalog of music to play solo style, or for some folks here, in a band setting.
So, are you trying to learn covers or work on your own mastur....pieces? I dont have any original stuff yet, but its something I'd like tackle soon.

Talk amoungst yerselfs....(Linda Richmann)

cheers,
kev

Kev,
I began by learning simple tunes that were very familiar to me as a solo player (organ arrangements from when I was a kid, rock tunes, etc.,,) but also writing tunes for a band setting, for which I became a lead vocalist as well.

Learning repertoire is how I became a player, learning my way around the instrument, finding out how the Stick fits into the broader world of music. Writing is how I became an artist, with my own voice.

What;'s your experience in writing tunes so far in your life. For some people it's very natural, for others, it's like pulling teeth. Writing and playing are really two different skill sets, though they can each flow from the other. If you write "with your hands" you have to push beyond what you are comfortable playing in order to grow as a player. If you write with your voice, and your ear, then you have something to really learn how to play.

If you are a rock musician, the most important skill you can have is playing repeated notes with consistency. That's why the first two exercises in my book start off with repeated notes, otherwise you might find yourself playing chords and scales all day, and never really rocking out!

I began with covers, then wrote some songs. Now I mainly sing covers.

I'm still thinking in terms of covers. As a student AND having been a teacher, I agree with Greg that it's an extremely valuable part of development on an instrument.
Hell, look at pianists, or anyone who plays an orchestral instrument. They all learn covers! It's just called "repertoire" with those instruments. And those pieces that are part of the repertoire each have a particular skill involved that, once learned, translates into greater ability on the instrument.
(Side note: What I'd like to see is a greater collection of simple Stick arrangements in one place. Perhaps I'll write a book someday; I've already written a drum instruction book, why not Stick?)
Anyway, yes, covers help you to develop the vocabulary. A great place to start.
To me, there is no timeline for writing original material; regardless of what stage you're at on Stick or any other instrument, an idea can hit you. You just need to be ready to somehow document that idea, whether on paper or on a voice memo on your smartphone, and save it for further development. But in terms of writing specifically for Stick: Once you have developed your technique to a certain extent, you have the means to say something, and thus it will come out of you. Usually when you least expect it.

I think it is very reasonable to learn the instrument before you write for the instrument. Covers come first, and then originals. Unless you are a super-gifted arranger, I think this must be the path.

After many years I'm still a beginner on the Stick, although I've been a working professional musician on other instruments practically my whole life. My issue is lack of consistent focus. That is to say I focus on the stick for a month or two, then go to other things and don't pick it up for a year, then the cycle repeats. So although I've owned a stick for several years I'm very much a beginner. That said when I do focus on Stick I tend to write my own material, however I don't know if that's the best approach for growth. The reason I say that is personally I tend to write what's comfortable for me to play but if I were learning covers it would force me to learn more chords, finger placements, and melody lines and by doing so would result in more growth on the instrument. At least that's my theory. sooooooooooo I think I just talked myself into learning some cover tunes!

I'm not a guy to play covers...I don't do that on guitar and other instruments I play. I just don't like it. I did it in the past and that's enough for me. Do I compose? Well, I also did it in the past and sometimes I still do it today. But my main way to do now is improvising. I have a good knowledge of harmony and I apply these skills to the instrumen I want to play. I'm more professionnal on guitar but I copy and paste as far as I can on bass, stick, piano and cello. Getting older my improvisations are becoming more and more like an instant composition with simple melodies and it can get more complicated in the same process.

Interesting thread Kevin.

Only original music for me on the Stick up till now. Will start to learn covers now after having played Stick since the 80´s. Will start to build up material so I can play solo gigs ahead.

ah good comments all....
Greg, lead vocalist? Thought I heard you say once that you cant sing? As for ever writing my own material, its always been coming up with bass riffs then tieing them together to form a tune.........like Metallica does......eheh.

88 (damnit man, focus, sell all your other instruments) brings up a interesting point: learning covers forces you to play stuff you may not normally come up with on your own, note choices, subdivisions of time, etc. All good stuff for your Sticky, gooey toolbox.

Thx for participating guys....
cheers,
kev

LOL Yeah I know I should focus. But I play 4 other instruments well enough to make regular money gigging with them! (And I like playing them) But yes ... I'm back on the forum, back on the Stick and intend to make some good progress ... by learning cover tunes apparently!