DDR = experienced percussionist?

[xching]

I started playing DDR in 7th grade and I liked the idea of beats and such so I decided to join band as a percussionist in 8th grade. I had no idea that DDR could improve my performances. I started off being the worst kid there because I started late, but gradually I ended up being the best percussionist in my class. I never had to practice. I noticed that the second best guy had to practice twice as much to keep up with me. I won the award for "The most outstanding player." I am now a freshman in the drumline and in my school's highest ranked band with only nine months of experience.

I knew that DDR increases your stamina, helps you loose weight, increase feet to eye coordination, etc, but I never knew it could dramatically help me with percussion.
I am wondering if anyone one else experienced something similar to this.

[Haoie]

Maybe it's me, but it seems like the logical choice for improving percussion is, well, Drum Mania [or was it Beat Mania?], over DDR.
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[Liquid Zero]

Experienced percussionist, probably not. Improved beat/rhythm comprehension, yes.

Congratulations, though, but it's more accurate to say that DDR gave you an edge. Equating a seasoned DDR player to an experienced percussionist is getting a little hasty.
One can be a great dancer, and it will give one necessary rhythmic edge in DDR, but that doesn't automatically make him/her an "experienced" DDR player.
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[AA Bob]

I would say no. Although being good at DDR practically requires you to have a good understanding of note values and rhythm, being an experienced percussionist takes a lot more than just that.

I suppose you could say that playing DDR might help you become a better drummer (but only because of improved rhythm understanding - playing DDR wouldn't help you with your wrist speed and control), but not an experienced percussionist. In my mind, being an experienced percussionist involves much more than being able to play a snare drum; you should be able to play any mallet instrument well (and with more than 2 mallets if necessary), read treble and bass clefs, play the drum set (which requires coordination beyond what DDR can give you, IMO), tune and play the timpani correctly, and know how to play all (or most) of the other "auxiliary" percussion instruments like the triangle, tambourine, claves, chimes, crash cymbals, gong, bass drum, etc. (and contrary to popular belief, playing those instruments correctly involves more than just hitting something with a stick).

And most of all, being an experienced percussionist means being able to play musically. That's something that DDR, a game that emphasizes accuracy above all else, can't help you with.
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[uouuɐ]

Maybe it just means you have a naturally good sense of rhythm.
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[Ghettobarney]

Sure have been a lot of "DDR improved my ****!" Threads, me included. I really do think my reading speed has gotten better though . DDR wouldn't really improve your drum playing abilities though, take me for example. I play DDR alot, and I also play drums, but I still suck at drums ( that and I have crappy Enforcer drums )

-oja
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[RBCF retunes]

DDR gives you a good sense of beat and rhythm, which is necessary to be good at an instrument, but like most people have said, that's just one aspect.
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[Quad_killeR ^.^]

I think it's the other way around. As a result of being a percussionist i learned DDR and rhythm games a lot quicker than if I hadn't had the percussive experience.

Drummania doesn't really capture the full drumming experience. One of the ebiggest flaws in the game is how low the high hat is. It's really hard to cross your hands like a normal drummer. It's more a game about hitting the right things at the right time instead of actual drumming. Granted, it does help to be a percussionist if you want to get better at drummania.
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[RBCF retunes]

You will, however, be somewhat used to the overall feel.
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[Pyro90X]

Well like people have said b4 It gives a good sense of rhythm and the stamina will help but this brings a good question
I like listening to metal death metal and i was wondering that if ur legs are used to constant motion.... Would this help a person double bass good? any comments?
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[Quad_killeR ^.^]

As for speed with a double bass I don't think so but it should work retroactively. The faster and cleaner you can get your double bass playing the cleaner your ddr will be. Although since you're moving you whole body when playing ddr I don't it can improve stamina. Now if you played 1x chair mod I think it'll work.
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[DDR->]

Wow, when I read the title of the thread, I thought it would be about this pad they have at my Local EB...its a dance pad, that comes with drumsticks. The Idea is to sit in the middle of the pad, and hit the arrows with the sticks. It says to use with dancing games. I'm trying to look for a pic, but no luck so far, I was going to buy it, but then i realized how mental that would look

As far as improving timing, hand eye, ryhthm, etc. I found DDR helped alot. Then I started IIDX, and my DDR improved. all these games can help to an extent.

I'd rate IIDX tops in terms of really helping me out, likely seeing that it is so strict, and the fact that you are "in charge" of so many different sounds, and beats at once.
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[RBCF retunes]

You should make a thread about that, or just different ways of playing in general.
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QWERTYkid911: If someone posts porn, then this thread will perfectly represent the internet.

Slowpoke: Ah, so that's how He created the universe so quickly... He was hopped up on caffeine. Thanks for clearing up that philosophical mystery...

PooingCavy: (About difficulty levels) If I could make it up, it would be: Water, Soda, Coffee, Red Bull, ADHD