When you’re learning drums, sometimes you need some motivation to keep practicing and stick with it. In our “Drummers Stick Together” series, veteran drummers share their stories and offer their advice and wisdom for beginners…

Dallas Ybarra is the drummer for the Los Angeles-based band The Public Trust (@MichaelTRossi). He has been drumming for over 20 years. Here, Dallas shares how he got started drumming and what keeps him motivated to continue to develop his craft.

How long have you been playing drums? What made you get started?

I actually started on guitar at age eight, then started learning drums when I was nine. My little brother started on drums first, and after watching how much fun he was having and learning a bit about the beats, I tried it out for a bit and decided to switch.

Twenty years later, here I am!

As a beginner, how often did you practice? What was hard or challenging for you when you first started?

Hmm practice… in the early stages I mostly found myself in musical environments. Most of my time was spent playing the basic beats with the school jazz and concert bands, or in the garage with my buddy on guitar.

When I was by myself, I would be in my parents garage, always learning new and more complex beats.

The most challenging thing was playing with other new, beginner musicians, and trying to stay in time!

What do you love most about playing drums?

It’s an evolving relationship with the drums. First it was just banging on stuff, then it was jamming with my friends making music.

After years of playing, I would have to say the underlying layers of rhythm are the part I love most.

Whether it’s within my own drum grooves, or the different layers of rhythm between the instruments and vocals, it always makes me smile when we all find our voice in the groove.

Which musicians inspire you, and why?

I’ve found a ton of inspiration from my band mates; we always try to push each other to the next level. My little brother Dustin was my original inspiration to start drumming. My little sister Darian is killing it on the piano as I write, and I remember when she just started learning. 10 years later, she runs up and down the piano like a mad scientist. She is currently working on “Sonata Pathetique” by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Another source of inspiration came from a book written by one of my favorite bass players, Victor Wooten. It’s called “The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music.”

The list is always growing when it comes to inspiration. I’ve found inspiration can come from any aspect of music and life. Some from showmanship guys like Frank Zappa and Steve Vai and their variety of band mates. Other inspirations come from high-energy bands like Pantera, Meshuggah, or IWrestledABearOnce.

I started out learning how to play Nirvana, Green Day, and Metallica songs then moved on to more complex music. Then there are some amazing players that posses a sweet finesse on their instruments, guys like Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Bela Fleck, Jason Becker, and Jaco Pastorius.

As a member of a band, the drummer is looked to as the time keeper. How do you learn to take on this role?

Time keeping is definitely important. Over the years I’ve found it to be a split job between the bassist and drummer. There’s a time and place for “the shred” as opposed to keeping time, but it all should be within balance and the mood of the song.

An example would be a slow ballad. At the climax of the song, you wouldn’t play a bunch of fast notes across your 10-piece kit (but if the composer wants it then of course), but rather you would play more of a dynamic increase and more swelling of the cymbals, and that could be considered your “shred” for that particular song.

What advice do you have for anyone who wants to learn to play drums?

Just remember that the end result is music. Playing songs and studying things like technique, rudiments, and theory is important, but these things are learned over time. Just think of those as adding a fresh take on your vocabulary; it will help you articulate your desired voice.

What about advice for drummers who want to join a band?

Know your passion, play what you love as it will keep you inspired. Try to be a musically diverse drummer, jam with as many people as possible and in as many genres as possible. It will help you to develop your voice in the long run.

If you’re looking to start a band, definitely start with friends. You already have the most fun with them anyway, might as well keep it fun!

I hope my story can help not only drummers, but all musicians keep up the search for inspiration, fresh  talent, and to have open ears to experiment and constantly evolve their musicianship!

Want to hear Dallas and his band mates in action? Listen to The Public Trust online.

Ready to turn your drumming dreams into reality? Sign up for lessons with a private drum instructor today! 

The post Drummers Stick Together: Drum Tips and Advice for Beginners appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Want to get the crowd moving at the next party you play? Besides your drum skills, it also helps to have a killer set list. Get everyone on the dance floor with this list of awesome party songs from San Diego, CA drum instructor Maegan W…

You gotta fight…..for your right….to PARTY!

Drummers definitely hold the rep for being the biggest partiers in any band. We’re wild and crazy, and we like to make a lot of noise, so I guess the shoe fits. Speaking of parties, no event is complete without amazing music, and no song is complete without driving, rocking, grooving, thrashing drums!

In this ultimate list of party drum songs, we’ll take a look at some classics, and then move into some of the new party rocking anthems. This list could have 100 songs, but for the sake of time, let’s stick to the top eight songs from my party playing experience.

These songs are great to add to your set list when you play a party or gig, or just to play along to when you need a pick me up.

“(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)”

– Beastie Boys

You guessed it…well, maybe I already gave it away.

This song is solid, in your face, and gives you, the drummer, a chance to play your drums like you mean it. This song has a rebellious tone and means business!

The hits in the chorus give you a chance to stand up, spin your sticks, or throw something, then it’s back to thunderous fours on the floor groove.

“You Shook Me All Night Long” – AC/DC

This song is great because everyone knows it, so the crowd can sing along. When people can join in and get loud, they party even harder!

This AC/DC classic is an essential addition to the party drum songs list. In true AC/DC fashion, the drums are solid, driving, and straight forward.

“Raise Your Glass” – Pink

This song is upbeat, fun to sing and dance to, and full of party rocking spirit. It’s all about being yourself and celebrating who you are.

Play this song at your next big event, and watch the crowd go crazy.

 “Sugar” – Maroon 5

This is my guilty pleasure song of the year. It’s simple, but not easy. To get the right feel and lock in the groove, you have to keep the music moving forward, even though it has a displaced feeling with the accented bass hits.

A crowd favorite when played well, this song will get the party going!

“Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

When this song came out, cover bands across the world felt like they won the golden ticket. It’s a sure-fire way to get the crowd moving. It’s also very fun to play, and a great song to add drum solos.

You can try to leave this one out of your set, but chances are, someone will request it, so you might as well learn it now.

6. “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson

Yes, we’re taking it back again. This song grooves so hard, when people hear it, they find it physically impossible not to dance.

This song is one of the most underrated, as far as challenging songs go, in my opinion. Is it a hard beat to play? No. But with this song, it’s not what you play, it’s how you play it.

Give this simple beat the respect it deserves, and you’ll be amazed how much people get into it.

7. “Kiss” – Prince

The bass line in this song is ridiculously infectious. Even though it’s an older song, it’s a party favorite for all ages.

This song is great to try out your hi-hat variations. If you keep a solid bass and snare groove, you can throw in some tasty hi-hat tricks.

For ideas, check out what cover bands do with this song on YouTube.

8. “Happy” – Pharrell Williams

Everyone loves to get up and dance to this song. It really does make people happy, especially at a party. It’s a fun, funky song to play, and it has a hypnotic rhythm.

Thanks for checking out my top eight party drum songs. These are songs that I have personally played at many parties and events, and they win the crowd over every time.

Enjoy and party on!

Want to improve your drum skills? Search for a drum instructor near you! 

Post Author: Maegan W.
Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musician’s Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004.  Learn more about Maegan here!

The post 8 Party-Rocking Drum Songs appeared first on | TakeLessons.

When you’re taking drum lessons it’s important to develop your time-keeping skills in addition to your technique. Here, Saint Paul, MN drum instructor John S. shares his practice techniques to help you improve your time keeping…

Time keeping is an essential element of modern music, for both live and recorded songs. It’s very important to develop a strong sense of time. The drummer is often looked to, more than any other musician, to provide a solid, consistent pulse in a musical performance.

For the beginners, let’s talk about what time keeping really means. Time keeping refers to a drummer’s ability to play in time with the pulse of the music. In contrast, timing (which is often confused with time keeping) refers to the drummer’s coordination of his own limbs, as well as his playing relative to the rest of the band.

It’s possible to be good at one and struggle at the other. For example, a drummer may be able to play extremely complex rhythms using all four limbs (good timing), yet he may be unable to play those rhythms at a consistent tempo over a period of time (poor time keeping). Timing and time keeping are both critical skills to develop as a drummer.

Here are three ways to improve your time keeping.

1) Practice With a Metronome / Click Track

In this day and age, all drummers are expected to be able to play along to a steady click track. The vast majority of studio recording is done to a click track, and more and more musical groups are using click tracks in the realm of live performance.

Even if you don’t find yourself required to play along to a click track, practicing with a click/metronome will drastically improve your time keeping which, in turn, will attract fellow musicians to your steady sense of pulse, and, down the road, will help you get more gigs.

All musicians should have a metronome, and luckily, metronomes are extremely easy to find. Almost all electronic drum sets come with a built-in metronome, and if you have an acoustic drum set, there are countless metronome apps and websites.

Acquiring a metronome is the easy part, but using the metronome effectively is a bit more challenging. There are many different ways to use a metronome, but here are a few healthy practice habits to keep in mind when practicing with a click:

Practice at Different Tempos

I encourage my students to alternate between faster and slower tempos. For example, repeat an exercise 15 to 20 times at a tempo of 70 BPM (beats per minute). Then, increase the tempo by 5 to 75 BPM and repeat the exercise another 15 to 20 times.

Next, lower the tempo to 65 BPM and repeat the exercise another 15 to 20 times. Then switch to 80 BPM and repeat the exercise, adding and subtracting 5 BPM from each tempo as you work on an exercise.

Whether you use this technique or make up your own, I always recommend alternating between faster and slower tempos because simply increasing the metronome by a few BPMs with each exercise may subconsciously train the drummer to speed up when playing without the click.

TIP: Remember to start with a slow, comfortable tempo before trying faster and slower variations.

Alternate Playing and Stopping

This tip is especially important when learning a new, challenging concept that’s too difficult to play in time for 10+ measures in a row. Play a rhythm for one measure and then rest for one measure, letting the click continue while you take that measure to analyze your performance.

Inserting a measure or more of rest quickly reveals if you’re rushing or dragging. This technique forces you to lock into a steady tempo. I find it often takes a few measures to get into a solid groove with the click, but this practice technique will strengthen your ability to feel the pulse from your very first note.

Practice Fills

Drummers are notorious for speeding up or slowing down while performing fills. It’s common to rush fills at slower tempos and speed up during faster tempos. Challenging fills are also very difficult to keep in time.

When you practice fills with a metronome, make sure you’re playing them in the context of a groove, just like you would if you were playing with a live band. I always encourage my students to practice in groups of four measures (alternating three bars time with one bar fill, or two bars of time with two bars of fill).

2. Play Along to Recordings

Most of my students find it easier and more exciting to play along to a recording because it’s much more interactive when there are other instruments involved. Playing along with the rhythms of other musicians presents a whole different set of challenges than playing to a metronome, yet both techniques strengthen your time keeping.

Playing along to a recording allows you to lock into the groove of another drummer, or it can free you up to play in response to the music, whereas playing to a simple click is much more challenging from a creative standpoint.

Practice playing along with recordings that simply have the drums removed. There are a number of websites, CDs, and YouTube videos that allow you to play along to songs from any genre or tempo. Here are a few free options that I use with my students:

• Backing Track for Drums
• Free Drumless Tracks

TIP: Don’t rely solely on practicing along with recordings. It’s easy to use the recordings as a crutch, but that often makes playing alone or with a live band much more challenging. Make sure you’re comfortable both playing to a simple click, and playing with no metronome at all!

3. Record Yourself

Playing along to a click track is great, but sometimes it’s hard to determine which areas need improvement unless you listen to your own performance. There are countless ways to record yourself, but I recommend choosing a method that allows you to monitor both the click track and your own playing, so you can accurately analyze your playing relative to a steady tempo. Most of my students use GarageBand or other free recording applications that allow you to record yourself and then play the click track with the recordings.

There are several different ways to work on your time keeping, and you’ll discover which method works best for you. Remember to practice a variety of techniques with varying tempos and rhythms to develop the most well-rounded sense of time.

Need help with your time keeping? Search for a private drum instructor near you! 

Post Author: John S.
John S. is a drum and percussion instructor in Saint Paul, MN. A full-time musician and teacher, he performs with two different bands and teaches in-home and in-studio lessons.   Learn more about John here!

Photo by Jamie Bernstein

The post Drum Practice: 3 Ways to Improve Your Time Keeping appeared first on | TakeLessons.

As a rock drummer, you may feel like you’re always being called on to play the same beat. And let’s face it, playing the old bass-snare-bass-snare groove can get pretty boring. But don’t worry – here, drum instructor Michael P. has three drum beats you can use to give your songs some extra kick…

1. The Jungle Beat

In the Erlang Kovata song “Death of the Sun,” I use this drum fill in the middle section for a groovy breakdown that contrasts nicely with the heavy, driving verse. Using the jungle beat changes the feel, adds a bit of color, and keeps the song moving. Also, it’s just kind of cool!

A tom beat such as this one can be used anywhere in a song. I like to use them for intros, bridges, and transitions, but it can also be fun to use them for the verse or chorus (think “Voodoo” by the Godsmack or “Everybody Wants Some” by Van Halen). Using a jungle beat in this way can help give a song unique character so that it doesn’t sound like all of the other songs in your set.

To play this beat well, focus on getting a good contrast between the accents and the ghost notes; proper dynamics is what makes this beat really pop. Before you begin to practice the beat, think about your sticking. I actually start by doubling the right hand so that I end up playing the accents with my left, but this may not be comfortable for you. Try different things and figure out what works for you.

2. Get Funky

I use this beat in the song “Shattered” to make the laid-back feel more interesting to play and listen to. The interesting part is the group of linear 32nd notes in the second half of the phrase. At first, I keep this rhythm between the snare, bass, and hi-hat. Later, I open it up by switching to the ride cymbal and moving the rhythm around to the toms (as written in the notation above).

This beat works both slow and fast. You can come up with endless variations by moving the 32nd notes around the drum kit. It also works well if you add linear articulations into the first half of the phrase (maybe with some snare buzzes).

To play this beat well, focus on getting the 32nd notes to be tight. The beat is supposed to be laid back, not sloppy. It can work if you play it a touch behind the beat. The best way to make sure that the 32nd notes don’t end up feeling mechanical is to work on subtle dynamics. If you’re playing the beat slowly, I recommend using a light touch on the toms.

3. Triplet Feel

Variation 1

Variation 2

I use this beat in a song called “Swimming Through Glass” to give the piece a progressive and driving feel. The second variation is neat because it takes advantage of the ride bell. Both beats are accenting the rhythm in the guitar, which can work really well if both musicians are locked in. I’ve written it down in 12/8, but it could just as easily be written in 4/4 using triplets.

The triplet feel of this beat is a cool way to change up the monotony of straight 4/4 time. In addition to working in a verse or chorus, this beat is great as part of a bridge or instrumental transition, or as the underpinning for a guitar solo.

To play this beat well, focus on getting the rhythms really tight. Focus especially on making sure that the bass drum and hi-hat hits occur precisely together, otherwise it will sound wacky.

For any beat that you play, you should practice with a metronome. Start slowly, and then build up speed as you get more and more comfortable.

Try to incorporate these drum beats when you play and see if you like them! Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Need some help with your drum beats and grooves? Sign up for lessons with a private drum instructor today! 

Post Author: Michael P.
Michael P. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Chicago, IL. He has been playing drums for over 15 years and recently played with the heavy metal band Erlang Kovata.  Learn more about Michael here!

Photo by Lee Summers

The post 3 Killer Drum Beats to Spice Up Your Songs appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Now that we’ve looked at drum sticks and drum sets, let’s shift our focus to drum thrones. Whether you’ve been playing for a while, or you just started drum lessons, a high-quality drum throne is important to maximize your comfort. Here, Edmond, OK drum instructor Tracy D. weighs in on the most popular drum throne brands…

As a drummer, you will sit at your instrument for hours at a time. If you have a drum set that came with a drum throne, chances are you will want to upgrade to something a bit more comfortable. In this gear guide for drummers, we’ll explore the top brands on the market and break down their models and features.

Roc-n-Soc

Roc-n-Soc has carved out a nice niche in the drum throne department, as they have been making cool seats since the ’80s.

Details

• The cloth seat covers come in a variety of colors and help to reduce your sweat. You can also purchase vinyl seat covers for a few extra dollars.
• The seats come in different shapes (original, hugger, square, and round) and they’ll retrofit to most of today’s stands.
• Gas shocks (in all but the manual spindle base) add comfort and allow extra bounce.
• Matching backrests (for an additional cost) add comfort and stability.
• Roc-n-Soc offers additional accessories and replacement parts.

Models

• The Motion Throne ($195.75) has a spring box in the base that allows for forward movement.
• The Nitro ($166.75) has a folding tripod base for easy portability.
• The Lunar ($159.50) has a five-leg base for extra stability.

Pork Pie Percussion

Pork Pie drum thrones are known for comfort and they have some pretty snazzy designs.

Details

• Choose from cloth or vinyl tops in a variety of colors.
• Backrests are available for an additional cost.
• All thrones have a sturdy, double-braced tripod base.

Models

• The “Deuce” ($349.99) has a thick, round, vinyl seat. The design is a nod to hot rods and there are 21 options so you can mix and match.
• The “Big Boy” ($189.99) has a bike-style seat and can support heavier drummers.
• The “Round” ($159.99) has an exceptionally thick seat for comfort.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is known for great hardware, and their drum thrones are no exception.

Details

• More throne options than any other drum company.
• Hydraulic and manual models.
• Moto-style, oversized, and round seats available.
• Attractive designs.
• Some models have “super” feet for extra stability.
• They offer accessories and backrests (as well as some that are made specifically for them by Roc-n-Soc).

Split-Style Drum Thrones

Split-style (ergokinetic) drum thrones allow maximum freedom of movement, which can alleviate fatigue and tailbone and pelvic discomfort.

Models

• Carmichael ($269)
• Motion-Pro ($299.99)
• Ahead (shown – $179.95)

Conclusion

With all the options at your fingertips, you can find a throne that’s both comfortable and suits your aesthetic sense. Feel free to customize and accessorize. Your bum (and back) will thank you.

Note: I have used a Gibraltar Moto throne and I own a Roc-n-Soc Nitro (with backrest) and I can personally vouch for their comfort and quality.

Remember, although reviews are helpful, the best way to pick a drum throne is to try out different models and see what works for you. For more insights and gear reviews, check out our ultimate gear guide for drummers.

Photo by Chris Borden

The post Gear Guide for Drummers: All About Drum Thrones appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Just started drum lessons? Looking for some easy drum beats to get you started? We’ve got you covered! Here, San Diego, CA drum teacher Maegan W. breaks down five easy drum beats for beginners…

Believe it or not, the easiest drum beats are often the most effective. Easy drum beats don’t distract the listener from the music, so they’re not only crowd favorites, but band favorites as well!

Playing the right easy drum beats will add to a song and allow the crowd to dance and sway with little thought or effort. In fact, it’ll be nearly impossible for the crowd to not dance along to the music.

Here is your drum key:

Top line x = hi-hat or ride cymbal
Middle line x = snare
Bottom line o = bass drum

You’ll use this drum key for all five of these easy beats.

Ready? Let’s get to it!

1. The “Two and Four” Drum Beat

1 2 3 4
x x x x
x x
o o

This is the first beat most drummers learn, and it actually comes fairly naturally. The snare falls on the two and four (this is also called the backbeat). The bass drum fills in on the one and three. The hi-hat or ride cymbal falls on all four beats.

This beat can be played to almost any song on the radio, as well as many more complex songs. The trick is to stay in the pocket and play with precision and enthusiasm. Listen to the music and try to add to the feel and power.

The most classic example of this beat is in “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. Many AC/DC songs have this beat, too. You’ll notice that even the same simple beat can sound very different depending on the song.

2. “Four on the Floor”

1 2 3 4
x x x x
x x
o o o o

This beat is like the two and four, except you play the bass drum on all four beats. Your hi-hat or ride cymbal lines up directly with the bass drum on all four beats. The snare or backbeat still falls on the two and four.

To make this beat sound clean and powerful, make sure there’s no flaming; flaming is where one strike falls just before or after another. We want the beats to line up perfectly for a nice, fat sound.

Practice this with a metronome first. Start really slow so you can train your muscles and your ears. I do this at speeds as slow as 45 beats per minute (bpm). This sounds crazy, I know, but my sound is solid and clean. As you progress, increase your speed by five bpm at a time. When you work your way up to 120 bpm, you’re ready to play this with music.

3. “One Drop”

1eta 2 ta 3eta 4
x *** x ** x*** x
x
o o o o

Notice how all of these easy drum beats have numbers in their titles? That’s because drumming always comes back to counting, especially when you’re learning a new beat or song; count, count, count! Yes….count out loud.

This drum beat is very common in reggae music. It’s also the most common way to play a half-time feel. Simply move the snare hit to the three. Don’t play the two and four on the snare in this beat, just the three. This will create an illusion of a slow tempo, but it fits into the music at the same speed.

You can play this drum fill with various bass drum and cymbal or hi-hat patterns. Most common is a “four on the floor” bass drum pattern, with a skipping-type hat pattern. You can stay consistent, or accent the other instruments. For example, play a skip/swing hi-hat pattern of 1eta 2 ta 3eta 4 (playing only what is written etc).

When you play this beat, play your crashes on the “a” of four with a snare hit instead of a bass hit. Most crashes/accents fall on the one and the cymbal lands with the bass drum.

4. “Boom Boom Clap”

1 + 2 3 + 4
x x x x
x x
o o o o

This is an easy one to recognize, it’s in thousands of songs, but it’s probably most recognizable in Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Again, this can sound different depending on which music you play it with. This fill is the same as the “two and four” beat, except we add a bass drum hit on the “+” of one and the “+” of three.

The snare stays on the two and four, and the hi-hat can be played on the quarter notes (1 2 3 4), or on the 8th notes (1+2+3+4+). This drum beat comes in handy when you want to play a simple, powerful beat that will get the crowd pumped up.

Remember, however, you can still use this beat if you’re playing something mellow and smooth. All you have to do is lighten up your dynamics; play it soft and slow and it becomes an entirely different groove.

This beat sounds just like it’s name, “boom boom clap.” Make sure to let this beat breath by giving each note and each rest full space. This beat may be simple, but in order for it to work well, it must be played in time.

Last but not least….

5. “Boom Clap Boom Boom”

1 2 + 3 4
x x x x
x x
o o o

For this beat, play the snare on the two and four, the hi-hat or ride on the 8th notes (1+ 2+ 3+ 4+), and the bass drum on the one, the “+” of two, and the three.

Remember, in order for this beat to sound impressive and professional, play it without flaming, play it with authority, and play it with pride. I f you play these easy drum beats like they’re boring, people will pick up on that vibe. If you have a blast while you play, then everyone else will, too! As drummers, it’s our responsibility to set the tone. It’s not what you play….it’s how you play it.

See if you can find some songs with this beat and try to jam along. It’s fun to play because it has a lot of momentum.

Once you’ve practiced these, go ahead and try these easy drum songs for beginners.

Let us know what you think of these drum beats. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Need some help getting started? Search here for a drum teacher near you! 

Post Author: Maegan W.
Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musician’s Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004. Learn more about Maegan here!

The post 5 More Easy Drum Beats for Beginners appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Have you ever watched a cool drum cover video on YouTube and thought to yourself, “I wish I could do that?” Well, guess what…you can! Here, drum instructor Maegan W. shares six simple steps to help you create your own drum covers…

It seems like drummers are taking center stage these days with the help of one major tool, the drum cover. Drum covers can be considered the ultimate outlet for artistic expression. Not only can you share your unique drumming style, but you can also create a visual masterpiece to match.

So how does one make a drum cover? In this crash course, you’ll learn drum cover basics, along with the essential steps to build your fan base, get discovered, and be the star of your own show.

1. Equipment

The first thing you need to create a drum cover is a recording device. This can be a smartphone, a GoPro, a camera, or your computer, if it has recording capabilities. Of course, if you have access to high-quality video equipment, feel free to use that. If you don’t, no problem, just focus on putting 100 percent into your drum cover.

Next comes sound. If you have an external microphone, make sure you know how to use it. Read the manual – every little tip and trick makes a huge difference in sound quality.

2. Song Choice

Song selection is crucial. Depending on your goals for your drum cover, you may want to do some research. If you want to get noticed, then it’s important to pick the songs that people want to hear.

This may seem obvious, but so many drummers want to stay underground, or think they’re too cool to cover popular songs. There’s nothing wrong with this mentality, but if you want to bring people to your channel, you need to play popular songs. This doesn’t mean you should cover songs you don’t like, but covering pop songs can help you gain exposure online.

3. Know the Song

Before you record, make sure you know the song inside and out. I like to get to a point where I can play the entire song without listening to the song. You can avoid a lot of editing and post-production work if you know the song really well.

Post production is the most time-consuming part of the process, and it usually causes people to give up on a project. I like to chart a song before I come up with creative parts to play. Once I know the format, I move on and learn the beats and fills, then I add my own twist. Not knowing the song is also a waste of time and energy because you have to keep stopping and starting over.

4. Test

Once you have the song down, it’s time for a sound and video check – don’t skip this step! There’s nothing worse than playing your drum cover perfectly with all the fills exactly how you want them, only to realize the lighting was bad, your head was out of the frame, or the sound is off.

Trust me, take the time to test.

5. Stand Out

Once you’re ready to go, try to think of something that will make you and your video stand out. It doesn’t have to be crazy, but little signature moves, sounds, styles, and filters can help you create a memorable, crowd-pleasing drum cover.

You get to decide what you want to be known for. Do you want to be the drummer with great hair and crazy gospel chops (Luke Holland), the drummer who does a backflip off his chair (Dylan Taylor), or the guy with the awesome accents and mash-ups (Cobus)?

Decide what makes you stand out. But don’t just imitate other drummers – highlight your unique gifts and come up with your own thing.

6. YouTube Channel

If you don’t have a YouTube channel, don’t worry – it’s super simple to create one. Just get yourself a Google e-mail address, go to YouTube, and create an account.

Once you’ve recorded and edited your drum cover, you’re ready to upload it to YouTube. Use careful, strategic keywords in your description. These will help you get fans, views, and likes. Include the song title, artist name, “no copyright infringement” statement (very important; you can research what other drummers list in their descriptions), and your social media pages and website links in the video description.

A lot of people like to list their drum gear or song lyrics in the description. This way, if people search for specific brands or lyrics, your video may pop up in the search results.

Once your video is uploaded, send it to everyone you know and post it to your social media sites. With so many digital tools, everyone has the opportunity to become a star, but remember, it takes hard work and patience.

Now that you know the steps, it’s time to get started. Remember this very important fact: done is better than perfect. It doesn’t have to be perfect (it will never be), just do your best during practice and give it your all! With that being said, make sure you’re proud of the videos you post.

I hope this helps. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Post Author: Maegan W.
Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musician’s Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004.  Learn more about Maegan here!

Photo by Bold Content

The post 6 Easy Steps to Create Your Own Drum Cover appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Hey drummers, looking for some motivation? In our “Drummers Stick Together” series, veteran drummers share their personal stories to inspire you to stick with it and pursue your passion….

Lindsay Bird  is the drummer for the Canadian rock ‘n’ roll band Dirty Jeans. She has been playing drums for over 14 years. Here, Lindsay shares her story to encourage beginner and intermediate drummers to keep on rocking!

What inspired you to start playing drums?

I have been playing drums for about 14 years. I started out playing trombone in my middle school jazz band. I was seated very close to the drummer, and I was always watching and listening to the drums, I was just drawn to it I guess.

I really wanted to play drums in the jazz band but, I had to wait until the drummer graduated. As soon as he did, I jumped right in there and I haven’t stopped since.

As a beginner, what kept you motivated to continue to practice and work hard?

Honestly, what kept me motivated was proving people wrong. Early on, I heard a lot of comments like “well, you’re pretty good I guess, for a girl.” I even got comments from teachers when I said I wanted to play drums. I remember one teacher saying “well, the boys get first pick on drums, so don’t be surprised if you can’t play this year.”

I wanted to show everyone that I could do it, and be just as good as the boys, if not better. I feel like that made me push harder and want it more, I had something to prove.

So girls… if someone tells you that you can’t play drums like the boys, just don’t listen to them, its as simple as that! There’s absolutely no difference if you’re male or female, it’s just less common for people to see a female drummer, but we can change that!

Just be confident in your ability, there’s no competition between sexes. Be the best drummer YOU can be, and as long as you’re happy with what you’re doing, that’s all that matters.

What’s the one thing you wish you knew as a beginner?

I wish I knew how to make the most of my practice time. I would spend most of my time doing the things I was already good at because it sounded good and made me feel good.

Instead, I should have been working on my weaknesses and only spending a bit of time on my strengths.

What do you love most about playing drums?

Playing drums is just an amazing outlet for me! It truly makes me happy, all aspects of it. Spending time at home alone practicing is very calming and it makes me focus, which is important in life; to be able to just shut everything out for a while during your day and just drum.

Of course, full band rehearsals are amazing and so much fun. It’s a great feeling when you really click with the people you’re playing with, it really gets the creative juices flowing.

Playing live is like no other feeling. Just feeding off the crowd and the rest of your band; its hard to describe, I absolutely love it!

Which famous drummer would you want to play with, and why?

If I could jam with one famous drummer, I would choose Travis Barker. I’ve bee drawn to his drumming for a long time now, I love his style and his creativity.

Not only is he an amazing drummer, but he’s truly an entertainer. The way he performs is just amazing to watch. Also, the way he writes drum parts is crazy to me, and I think I could learn a ton from him.

Plus, of course, he seems like a really cool guy.

When it comes to drumming, what does success look like to you?

My ultimate goal is for drumming to be my full time job, and to possibly teach or have some part time music-related job. Rather than working full time and drumming part time, ideally, I’d like the opposite.

Success to me is to be able to play for a living, to be financially stable doing what I truly love to do.

What advice do you have for anyone who is just getting started?

It’s important to push through and be patient in the beginning stages, because in the end, it’s really worth it.

You become a much more versatile player in the long run, and that makes it that much easier  to get gigs, whether it’s studio gigs, or with your band.

The tighter you become, the harder you work, and the more dedicated you are to your craft, the farther it will take you in the future!

Want to see Lindsay in action? Check her out with her band Dirty Jeans on their YouTube channel.

Ready to turn your drumming dreams into reality? Sign up for lessons with a private drum instructor today! 

The post Drummers Stick Together: Lindsay Bird Shares her Drumming Journey appeared first on | TakeLessons.

There are several great reasons for both adults and children to learn drums. So if you’re on the fence about signing up for drum lessons, take a look at what the research says. Here, Philadelphia, PA teacher Andrea I. shares the top 10 benefits of learning drums…

1. Reduce Stress

Playing drums can relieve frustration, disappointment, and stress. Whether you’re behind a drum kit, hitting a djembe in a drum circle, or beating a marching band bass drum, drumming is a stress reliever. Playing drums, even for just a few minutes, can boost your mood.

Similar to a “runner’s high,” drummers’ brains release feel-good endorphins immediately after playing music. In the online journal Evolutionary Pychology, researchers concluded, “it is the active performance of music that generates the endorphin high, not the music itself.”

So if you’re feeling a little down or a little frazzled, grab your drum sticks and start playing!

2. Increase Academic Performance

The correlation between musical training and academic performance has been documented a number of times, particularly when it comes to math. Learning to drum, however, can also help you in subjects like English, by helping you identify emotional cues, a skill you can use to identify characters’ thought processes and motives.

According to one study, “Music enables students to learn multiplication tables and math formulas more easily (T. Mickela as cited in Kelstrom, 1998); rhythm students learn the concept of fractions more easily; students who were taught using rhythm notation scored 100 percent higher on tests of fractions; and a child may use the ability for logical thinking that was developed in music class to solve problems quite unrelated to music (Kelstrom, 1998).”

So parents, if you’re hesitant about your child learning drums because you’re afraid it will take away from his or her studies, rest assured, learning to drum may actually help your son or daughter perform better in school.

3. Boost Brain Power

When you play drums, you have to coordinate all four limbs to work together at the same time. If you’re right handed, chances are you don’t do much with your left hand. Your brain has to work your non-dominant side to strengthen and coordinate your non-dominant limbs.

In a recent study, researchers found that playing drums can boost brain power in a measurable way, specifically when it comes to IQ. “Playing the drums makes the brain think in a way that very few activities can,” said Pat Brown, International Drum Month chairman and Percussion Marketing Council co-executive director. “Being able to understand musical notes and dissect how rhythms work and go together is a very complicated thought process. The most recent study shows that being constantly exposed to this type of brain activity can actually improve one’s IQ level.”

4. Develop Confidence

Drumming is powerful. To be successful, drummers must learn to play dynamically: loud and soft. The act of playing a loud beat takes guts and confidence. In addition, drummers must possess a growth mindset. That is, you must believe that you can learn challenging parts by starting slow and breaking them down.

Learning drums challenges you to break complex tasks into manageable parts. Then, after persistent practice, you’re able to play something quite challenging. This is a skill that carries over in many areas of life. Believing you’re able to learn difficult material is crucial to overcome obstacles, both in music and in life.

5. Improve Communication Skills

Students with musical training communicate better with peers, are more empathetic, and get lots of practice expressing ideas without using words. Drumming also teaches you to read non-verbal cues, which can help you learn to read between the lines.

6. Be a Global Citizen

Drumming can open your world! Whether you’re learning Latin bossa nova, Afro-Cuban clave, or Jamaican reggae, you can benefit as a musician and a person from learning about musical traditions from all over the world.

It’s fascinating to see how new styles of music develop over time as cultures merged their traditional styles together.

7. Make New Friends

Wherever you go, you will be able to talk with people who speak drums. With lots of opportunities to form your own band or join an orchestra, marching band, drum circle, or percussion ensemble, you will have lots of options to meet new and interesting people.

8. Play Cool Instruments

Learning drums gives you the foundation to play a wide range of instruments: djembe drums, congas, clave, marching bass drums, triangle – even typewriters, spoons, and buckets.

A percussionist’s bag of toys is endless, and part of the fun is discovering new sounds to play.

9. Get Fit

A hardy session of drumming is a great way to get your sweat on while having fun. According to one study, “Just by using hand drums and moving to the beat, people burned an average of 270.4 calories in a half hour.”

In addition to the calorie burn, rhythmic performance can significantly impact stress reduction and wellness.

10. Lifelong Learning

You can be a drummer at any age. Once you start, you can keep drumming as long as you want. Learning drums will enhance your life well beyond your first few lessons, and as long as you never stop learning, you will have endless opportunities to improve, perform, and be the best musician you can be.

Ready to get started? Search here for a drum instructor near you!

Post Author: Andrea I.
Andrea I. is a Philadelphia-based English teacher with a lifelong obsession with drums. She has taught drums with Girls Rock Philly, a rock ‘n’ roll camp for girls, and played in various bands. She currently teaches online and in-home lessons in Philadelphia, PA. Learn more about Andrea here!

Photo by laurentmorand

The post The Top 10 Benefits of Learning Drums [Infographic] appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Every drummer has to start somewhere, and every experienced drummer remembers what it was like to be a beginner! In our Drummers Stick Together series, veteran drummers share their personal stories of learning drums, developing their craft, and following their dreams!

George Beck is a touring drummer and drum teacher. He started playing in his first band when he was 14, and he is now the drummer for Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter Katie Barbato and Dirty Holiday. George, a.k.a Beckbeat, recently published his first book “Play As You Are: A Collection of Essays – Picking a Drummer’s Mind”.

We caught up with Becks to discuss music, drumming, and his new book.

You started playing with your first band at 14, what was it like to be part of a band at such a young age — not only developing your skills as a drummer, but learning to mesh with a band? How did this experience affect your future as a musician?

I consider myself lucky to have started playing in a band at a fairly young age. First and foremost, it was all about friendship and having fun. The great thing about being young is that there’s no tendency to overthink or overanalyze. We just played together and kind of figured it out along the way.

I remember that the focus was really on making music together and listening to each other. We would jam on parts and play around with them. This is how I first experienced what it means to lock in with a bass player, and to craft a simple groove as a rhythm section, not just playing along next to each other.

I’ve always enjoyed singing and ended up doing lead vocals on some of our songs. Again, it kind of happened organically — it was just a fun thing to do. Today, I’m grateful for that experience because I usually don’t struggle with singing background while drumming. I don’t know if I would feel as comfortable singing if it weren’t for my first band.

It taught me the importance of listening and the power of working and creating something together, the collective creative process.

You came from a musical family, how did this influence your personal musical journey? Were you able to share your passion and early experience with your family?

There was always music in the house. My grandparents would listen to Austrian folk music all day on the radio. My dad was an avid singer and a fixture in the church choir. We had an old, often out-of tune piano in the living room, and my two older brothers and I were encouraged to take piano lessons.

My parents were supportive of my drumming. They were generally supportive of my drum lessons and music making with my friends, but never showed much interest in my musical endeavors per se. They were busy people at that time, and the music was way too “rock ‘n’ roll” for them, I guess.

I think the first time they realized that I was serious about playing music was when I sent my dad to pick up my high school diploma because I was busy sound checking for a gig.

What have you learned from touring and playing with other musicians? How has this helped you become a better drummer and band member?

Working with artists from different genres in itself just expands your musical horizons, you learn so much, if you’re willing and open to learning.

I once worked live with musicians from Turkey (the band Coup De Bam). We mixed Turkish folklore themes with down tempo electro beats. It was very interesting and challenging to take a piece in 5/4 or 9/8 and make it “dancey” (in the modern sense of the word), and figure out parts that would pay tribute to the folklore tradition as well as to the modern-beat style.

Trying to adjust to a new musical situation and listening to the artists’ needs can be challenging, but this is how I grow. I bring all I’ve got to the table and learn to work with what I have.

A lot of the people I’ve been lucky to work for inspired me, not only with their music, but even more so with their attitude. For example, I once worked with a singer who would always give his best and perform every gig as if he were playing Yankee Stadium, even if there were only five people in the audience. I remember thinking: “this is how you do it.”

How have your own experiences as a drummer influenced or changed the way you teach your students?

When I started to teach many years ago, I thought every student had to follow the same path–MY path/MY framework of learning. Needless to say, I had many frustrated students, and I ended up frustrated, too!

I totally abandoned that approach and now, only focus on the students’ needs and goals. It’s not about what I can do, it’s about what I can give.

As a drummer in a band, you work for the band. As a teacher, you work for the student.  It’s about the drum students, not me. Everybody’s different. All my students have different personalities, preferences, learning abilities, skill sets, and goals for playing the drums. Therefore, as a teacher, it’s my responsibility to put the student first and adjust my teaching style to him/her.

You just finished writing your first  book “Play as You Are, ” was this something you’ve always aspired to do, or did the opportunity just present itself?

I never seriously thought about writing a book. I enjoy teaching a lot, and some of the stuff in the book was inspired by my reflections on certain lessons, or remembering my own struggle in becoming a drummer.

I just started writing short essays, most of them on my phone when I had time to kill, and later, decided to compile them into a book; that’s really it.

I love how you say that making music doesn’t start with your drum sticks, but with your desire or compulsion to make music. Can you talk about how it’s not just about what you play or what you practice, but about really going after your passion?

In the book, I talk about how you can do whatever you want but, you can’t choose your wants. I never decided to play the drums. Sure, I can make up all kinds of stories and theories about why I ended up playing drums and not the violin, but the truth is, I don’t know.

There’s an unexplainable desire to play the drums, and starting out, I sensed an urge to follow that lead! It’s very tempting to take the “I’m a drummer concept” and turn it into a competitive mind game, a competition with other drummers, other musicians, and with yourself.

For me, the passion to play is my true desire. It often gets buried or covered up in aforementioned concepts. I’m all about putting the passion to play, first. Music (and drumming) is an art form and it’s about expressing yourself. In my opinion, you have to start there, or more accurately, go back there.

You say your book is an invitation to explore a different approach to playing music. How is it different and why is it successful?

The approach is different because it directs the attention back to yourself. It’s not a book of answers, it’s a book of questions. I’m convinced that in order to become the best player you can be, you have to ask those questions of yourself. And only you can answer them.

This approach can shine a light on your assumptions and beliefs, when it comes to playing the drums or being a creative person in general.

Here’s a quote from the book I’d like to share with you:

“…before I sit down to practice, I ask myself two simple questions: ‘What am I going to practice?’ and ‘Why am I going to practice it?’ It doesn’t matter if you are a professional drummer, a weekend warrior, or are happy drumming along to your favorite songs in the basement. The clearer your answers to these two questions, the easier and more enjoyable your practice sessions will become…”

Special thanks to Becks for taking time to chat with us, and sharing his insight and wisdom. Check out his website to learn more about his book and listen to his music!

Follow your dreams and start learning drums today. Search here for a drum instructor near you! 

The post Drummers Stick Together: Pursuing Your Passion With George Beck appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If you want your drums to sound their best, you have to tune them. Proper drum tuning and good drum heads can make even an inexpensive kit sound better. In this video, Edmond, OK drum instructor Tracy D. walks you through the basic techniques to tune your drums…

You’re here because you want to learn how to tune your drums to perfection, and that’s exactly what I’m going to show you. This article and video provide step-by-step instructions to help you tune your drums and achieve the quality sound you desire.

Before we get started, it’s important to understand that this process will take some time, especially if you’re new to tuning, or if you’re outfitting your kit with new drum heads. Remember to be patient. It might be confusing at first, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to tune your drums like a pro (and not make any drum tuning mistakes).

Drum Tuning Key

First thing’s first, you’ll need a tuning key to tune your drums. If there’s a Guitar Center near you, make sure to pick one up, or you can buy one online. Luckily, most drum keys are pretty inexpensive, so you may want to invest in more than one (in case you lose your first one). You can also use a drum tuning key to adjust memory locks and some bass pedals, so it’s a necessary tool.

Drum Tuning Tips

If you’re putting new heads on your drum, finger-tighten the tension rods before using your key. Some suggest “seating” the head (placing your hand in the center and putting weight on it). However, you can find some heads, like the Evan’s Level 360, that are pre-made to avoid this.

You may also tune the heads, play on them for a while, and dial (fine tune) them back in. They loosen in a manner similar to new guitar strings.

When using your drum key to tighten the tension rods, use a diametric pattern (as illustrated). This retains the evenness of tension across the head. Tighten each rod a quarter turn before dialing to a particular pitch. You should set your drum (including the bass) on a surface that will dampen the head opposite from the one you are currently tuning.

Snare Drum Tuning

You can tune your snare by tightening the lugs on the drum head. Use a diametric pattern (straight across) rather than tuning around the drum head, which can cause uneven tension. Once you’re ready to fine tune your snare, you can move around the drum lug by lug.

Start with the bottom side of the drum; drop your snares and take a stick and place it underneath the drum. Rest your snare on your lap to kill the sound from the bottom head to get a true tone.

To find the fundamental tone of your drum, hit it in the center (open). These snare drum exercises will sound great after proper tuning!

Tuning Toms

The size of your toms and the material can affect the sound. For example, maple toms have a warmer sound.

Tuning toms is similar to snare drum tuning, but some people recommend tuning the bottom head higher than the top in order to get a more controlled sound. For example, if you tune your top head to an A, tune your bottom head to a D.

Bass Drum Tuning

The bass drum is the heartbeat of your kit. Tune your bass drum as low as you can go, generally an octave below your floor tom. Press your hand in the middle of the drum head, then take your key and loosen the lugs. When you notice wrinkles, tighten the lugs back up. Coupled with a good bass drum technique, your bass is going to sound amazing.

Note: You may have to plug your tuner into an external speaker to pick up any note below C4.

Drum Tuning Intervals

You have several options for drum tuning intervals. You may choose to tune the toms in 4ths (from the bottom). These pitches will be the fundamental tone for the drum. For example, my kit is tuned as follows:

14″ tom= E2, 82 Hz
12″ tom=A2, 110 Hz
10″ tom=D3, 147 Hz
8″ tom= G3, 196 Hz
Snare= G3, 196 Hz (snare side) B – batter
Kick =E1, 41 Hz, an octave below my floor tom

You can also dial your kick just until the wrinkles disappear (rather than tuning to a specific pitch). You can also tune toms to 3rds, etc. This isn’t set in stone — once you understand the drum-tuning process, you’ll be able to tune your drums to your preference.

Batter to Resonant Head Ratios

The tuning of the batter (top) heads in relation to the resonant (bottom) heads will affect the resonance and decay. If both heads are tuned to the same frequency, the drum will have maximum resonance. If the resonant head is tuned higher than the batter, the sound will be more controlled.

Many drum experts recommend tuning the resonant head to a 4th above the batter. If the resonant head is tuned lower than the batter, the sound will have more attack (or a doppler/descending effect).

Drum Tuning Apps and Tools

The following apps and tools can help you tune your drums to a specific pitch or frequency.

photo from DrumDial

DrumDial Drum Tuner

DrumDial drum tuners let you measure the tension of your drum head so you can tune your drums with precision. If you want to buy a DrumDial or learn more about how the tuners work, check out the DrumDial website.

photo from tune-bot

tune-bot Drum Tuner

This device enables you to tune your drums to specific notes and then match the lug pitches accordingly. The tune-bot also allows you to save your drum tuning settings.

photo from iTunes

insTuner

This is the app I use in the video. insTuner is a chromatic tuner, which means it recognizes the 12 chromatic steps on the scale and can be used to tune any instrument.

photo from iTunes

iDrumTune

This drum tuning app analyzes your drum sound and measures the drum head vibration frequency. Want to see for yourself? You can download it from the iTunes app store for $4.99.

Fine Tuning or “Dialing In”

If you’re not using a specific tuning tool for measuring lug pitches or tension, you can use your ears/tone generator for the fine tuning. To eliminate overtones, place your index finger lightly in the center of the head. Tap your stick lightly about an inch or so from each lug to gauge the evenness of tone, and adjust accordingly.

You should turn your key in very small increments at this point in order to avoid over-tightening. In my experience, the floor tom has proven to be a bit finicky, so it may require a bit more patience on your part. It helps to know how often you should tune your drums.

Drum Tuning: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Grab your drum heads and follow this video to learn to tune each part of your drum kit!

Now you have a starting point to achieve a sweet-sounding kit! Remember to be patient with the process. With practice, you’ll become more proficient, and the process will be smoother and easier. Experiment until you find your sound, and most importantly, have fun!

If you have any questions about drum tuning, let us know in the comments below, or ask your drum teacher at your next lesson! 

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

The post Video: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Drum Tuning appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Do you want to learn how to play drums but aren’t quite sure where to begin? You may be asking yourself a number of questions like, “What equipment do I need?” to “How can I learn to play with a band?” Like most tasks in life, the first steps are often the most challenging.

Rest assured, everyone has to start somewhere. In this article, drum instructor John S. breaks down how to play drums for beginners, and gives you a solid foundation to have the best possible drumming experience.

Ready to get started? Let’s begin by looking at the key components that make up a drum kit.

Parts of a Drum Kit

One of the most intimidating things about drums is the cost of getting started. Oftentimes, instruments don’t come cheap. And unlike most other instruments, the drum set is composed of several pieces of expensive gear — it’s not just one simple piece.

Before we look into alternative options for beginners, let’s take a look at the basic parts for buying your first drum set.

Snare Drum

The snare is the center of a five-piece drum kit. The snare drum is responsible for the loud crack, usually on upbeats, that you hear during songs.

The snare’s sound comes from its shell, which is generally made from wood like maple, birch, or mahogany, or from metals such as aluminum, bronze, brass, or stainless steel.

The drum head (batter) is coated, while the bottom of the snare is thin and responsive. The rims are the hoops on the top and bottom that secure the drum heads on the snare.

While all of the parts of a drum kit are important, developing your snare drum skills can help you become a better all-around drummer. In fact, it’s good to practice some snare drum exercises so you can practice to improve your technique and focus on things like rhythm and intonation.

Bass Drum

The bass, or kick drum, is easy to find because it’s the largest drum in a drum kit. Most bass drum shells are made from woods like maple, heartwood birch, and mahogany, but you can also find bass drum shells made from metals.

When you play the bass drum, you use your foot on the drum’s kick pedal to produce a thumping sound. The bass drum is essential to the drum kit because it’s the most distinctive part of a band’s timekeeping.

Timekeeping refers to a drummer’s ability to play in time with the pulse of the music. It’s a very important skill for drummers to learn. Make sure you practice this and improve your timekeeping skills in order to develop a consistent tempo when playing.

Toms, Hi-Hat, and Cymbals

The toms, or tom-toms, are mounted either above the bass drum or held up by adjustable legs. In a five-piece drum kit, there are two types of toms: the rack toms and the floor toms. The floor and rack toms are most commonly used during drum fills. Like the other drums in the kit, the toms are generally made from wood or metal.

In addition to these basic parts of a drum set, you can also add cymbals like the hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbals. These add accents to your music and can serve as transitions from one passage in a song to the next.

Most beginner drummers don’t have the luxury of having a full drum set at their disposal — luckily, you don’t need a complete drum kit to get started learning to play drums.

Drum Equipment for Beginners

The first piece of drum equipment that I recommend for students is free and readily available: your own body. I always encourage students to start with hand drumming; whether that’s playing on your thighs, a pillow, or anything else you can think of that won’t get damaged from repetitive hand tapping.

Start by tapping along to your favorite songs and focus on playing along with the drummer or another instrument in the song. If you don’t have immediate access to music, then simply practice keeping a steady tempo, alternating between tapping with your right hand and then your left hand.

Sticks and a Metronome

When you’re ready to take the next step, the first piece of gear I recommend purchasing is a pair of good drum sticks. You can find drum sticks at any music store and countless online stores, and they’re very affordable (most pairs are less than $8). I also recommend buying a rubber practice drum pad in the early stages, but if money is an issue, you can always use your drum sticks on a book, pillow, or any other firm, durable surface.

One final piece of equipment that will help you begin your journey as a drummer is a metronome. Drummers (and all musicians) are expected to be able to maintain a steady tempo, and nothing keeps a steadier tempo than a metronome. Metronomes come in both analogue and digital, but I prefer the digital version because it gives you more rhythmic options.

I recommend practicing with a metronome at the beginning of your drumming journey, as it’ll help you develop a strong sense of time and rhythm. This will save you a lot of headaches later on.

How to Hold Drum Sticks

Now that you’ve got a pair of drum sticks, let’s talk a little bit about how to play drums and learn proper technique. There are essentially two ways to hold drum sticks: matched grip and traditional grip.

Matched Grip

With matched grip, you’ll hold the drum sticks the same way with both hands. Your thumb should rest opposite of your index finger on the stick, this pinching between your thumb and index finger is your fulcrum or pivot point. Matched grip has three different variations: German, American, and French.

German Grip

Hold the sticks with your palms facing down and use your wrists to drive the motion.

American Grip

Turn your hands to a 45-degree angle. With this grip, you can use your wrists for power and your fingers for control.

French Grip

Hold the sticks so that your thumbs face the ceiling and your palms face each other. The fulcrum rests between your thumb and index finger.

Traditional Grip

Traditional grip is often used for jazz music and drumlines. To do this, extend your left hand as if you’re about to shake someone’s hand. Place the stick in the webbing between your thumb and index finger, and rest the stick on the cuticle of your ring finger. Rest the tip of your thumb on the first knuckle of your index finger.

Your middle finger should rest lightly on the top of the stick. The fulcrum, or pivot point, is between your thumb and index finger. You’ll grip the stick in your right hand the same way you do with the American matched grip.  In traditional grip, you’ll rotate your forearm as you play (think of twisting a door knob).

As you advance as a drummer, you can decide which grip style works best for you. The most important thing is to establish good drum stick technique. Poor technique can make drumming more challenging and can also increase your risk of injury.

If you need a visual, use this infographic as a reference:

How to Play Drum Rudiments

Once you have your basic equipment (drum sticks, playing surface) and a good sense of proper technique, you’re ready to start learning the fundamental patterns of drumming, or the drum rudiments.

Drum rudiments are often described as the basic building blocks of drumming. There are 40 essential rudiments, each of which consist of a unique sticking pattern (coordination of right and left hands) and distinct rhythm. Mastering all 40 rudiments provides you with a wealth of control and rhythmic knowledge that you can then apply to the entire drum set.

Don’t be intimidated about learning all 40 rudiments right away. Here’s a step-by-step video to help you learn the seven essential drum rudiments. As a beginner, these seven drum rudiments will give you a solid foundation and help you learn to play basic drum patterns and songs.

How to Read Drum Sheet Music

I always encourage drummers to learn how to read drum notation and sheet music. While it isn’t necessary to know how to read sheet music to be a great drummer, I believe that sheet music serves a similar purpose to books: they offer a language of codes that allow us to learn.

It’s also worth noting that many drummers are also expected to know how to read sheet music, as it’s a requirement of school concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands, and many professional ensembles. But when you understand drum sheet music, it can be used as a drummer’s secret weapon.

Drum notation is a fairly simply code, and once you understand the basics, it becomes easy to apply that knowledge to more advanced concepts. It’s important for beginning drummers to start with reading very basic drum rhythms before trying to jump into understanding intermediate drum beats.

Start Out Simple

For example, begin with exercises that use a combination of quarter notes and quarter rests with all notes being played on only one drum. I encourage students to read rhythmic exercises out loud before trying to play them on the drums, because it strengthens the connection between your brain and limbs and it mentally prepares you for the exercise ahead.

Reading the exercise before playing it also allows you to locate any challenging rhythms and work them out ahead of time. Once you have read the rhythm out loud, it’s time to play!

With beginning rhythms, you should focus only on the coordination of your left and right hands (no feet yet) and ensure that you’re playing in time with a metronome. This lesson introduces basic drum notation in a clear and easy-to-understand fashion. The accompanying audio clips are also extremely helpful.

Get the Rhythms Down

Regardless of your skill level, I strongly suggest beginning your practice routine with basic rhythmic exercises involving just your hands on one playing surface. This will help you improve your coordination and timing, and mentally prepare you for more difficult exercises.

Once you’ve learned how to read and play rhythms on one drum, it’s time to add another playing surface. Still focusing on only the hands, start to play patterns that involve the left hand playing one rhythm while the right hand plays another. Most drum beats involve at least three different playing surfaces (often kick, snare, and cymbal), but I encourage beginners to focus on just the snare and cymbal.

When you can accurately play exercises that involve two different rhythms with the hands, then it’s time to add the feet. First add your kick drum foot, working on exercises that focus on coordination between both hands and your kick drum foot.

Coordinate the Limbs

If you’re having troubles coordinating all three limbs, break the exercise down so that you’re only focusing on two limbs at a time. Make sure that you’re comfortable with each limb combination (i.e. right hand-left hand, right hand-right foot, left hand-right foot) before trying to put all three together again.

Eventually, you’ll also want to start working your fourth limb, the hi-hat pedal foot. Like the other limbs, start with very basic exercises that coordinate all four limbs before trying to learn more advanced drum beats.

Be aware that drum notation for the full drum set is much more challenging to read than snare drum notation because there are many more drums/cymbals involved. This article provides a basic outline of full drum set notation and offers some more beginner strategies to use when using all four limbs.

How to Read Drum Tabs

Drum tabs are different from sheet music because they’re written specifically for the instrument, so they use the parts of the drum set that we talked about earlier. Drum tabs use abbreviations for the drum parts, for example:

• CC – Crash Cymbal
• HH – Hi-Hat
• Rd – Ride Cymbal
• SN – Snare
• T1 – Hi Tom
• T2 – Low tom
• FT – Floor Tom
• B – Bass Drum
• HF – Hi-Hat (with foot)
• O – Bass drum hits
• X – Snare and hi-hat hits

Here’s an example of this practice in the “two and four” beat from the article about easy drum beats for beginners. The drum tabs appear as follows:

• HH: X X X X
• SN: X X
• B: O O

Here’s another example from the “boom, boom, clap” beat:

• HH: X X X X
• SN: X X
• B: O O O O

These drum tabs show you which parts of the kit to use (hi-hat, snare, and bass) and when to play them. You can learn more about drum tabs in this beginner’s guide to drum tabs.

How to Play Drums for Beginners

Once you’ve got a pair of a drum sticks, a playing surface, and practice materials (rudiments, sheet music exercises), it’s time to hit the woodshed! Like any other skill, good practice habits are the key to becoming better at your craft!

Start out practicing with these essential drum beats and these easy drum songs for beginners. Another great way to learn how to play drums is to practice along with your favorite songs.

While practicing, it’s very important to check in and make sure you’re doing the things you’ve learned along the way. For example, I’ll often ask myself, “Am I holding the sticks correctly?” or “Am I playing this rudiment correctly?” If you forget some of the skills you’ve learned, make sure to ask your drum instructor — plus, you can always check back here to review the basics!

Good luck on your drumming journey and remember to have fun along the way!

Post Author: John S.
John S. is a drum and percussion instructor in Saint Paul, MN. A full-time musician and teacher, he performs with two different bands and teaches in-home and in-studio lessons. Learn more about John here!

Photos by Brandon Nguyen, Vladimir Morozov, Maxime Seguin, Jeremy Wright, Edwin M Escobar

The post How to Play Drums: The Complete Guide for Beginners appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If you practice hard and stick with your drum lessons, you’ll eventually be ready to take the stage for your first drum performance. Whether you’re playing a local gig or you have aspirations to make money playing drums, we want to help you prepare to rock your first show. Here, San Diego, CA drum instructor Maegan W. shares her eight-step checklist to help you nail your first drum performance.. 

So it’s time for your first drum performance — do you feel nervous? Don’t worry, that’s normal; being nervous just means you care. Once you stop getting nervous, that’s when you need to worry.

Remember, you have done all the work: practice, promotion, networking… and here it is, your first drum gig!

Here are eight things you can do to be successful at your first drum performance. By the way, this checklist is also great for your 20th, 100th, or 1000th gig, too.

Make sure you know the set list inside and out. If you think you’ve got it, run the set one more time, and then one more time after that.

Once you’re on that stage, your mind will be in a million places, and you’ll need to rely on muscle memory to help you through. The more you play and practice before you take the stage, the less you will have to think when you’re up there.

Once you hit the stage, you can have fun and let loose!

Before your gig, practice counting in to your metronome. This may seem silly, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to add an extra 10 bps when your heart is racing with the adrenaline of a live show.

Lock in the time, and make sure you can remember how the song starts so you don’t get confused.

Preparing for a gig doesn’t stop after your practice your songs. Before the show, make a gear checklist or a counting system so you don’t forget anything. Write down the items you need: your set list, your throne, a rug, etc.

There’s nothing worse than forgetting something you need for a show.

You don’t just want to be prepared, when it comes to playing a show, you want to be over prepared. Bring a spare snare or drum head, and bring extra drum sticks. Throw in an extra pedal, if you have one, and an extra cymbal. You may not want to lug the extra supplies to the gig, but once you’re there it’s too late, so bring them just in case you need them.

Here are some more suggestions, for musicians in general, of important items to pack in your gig bag.

Have someone film your show. Don’t let this distract you, this is not to make you a YouTube star; not yet, anyway. Video is a great learning tool. The best way to learn and improve is by watching yourself.

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not happy with your performance; use it as an opportunity to learn.

What’s the real point of playing this show? What’s the end result for you? If you’re considering drums as a career, than you must always think bigger than the current gig, and always look for opportunities.

Bring some business cards with your contact information. Be ready to meet people that may be good connections to help you book more gigs.

Part of being prepared is being professional. Always act like there’s someone important in the crowd, you never know who’s watching. Behave as you would in a job interview (for something cool that you love to do).

The point of playing, besides having a blast, is to get exposure and grow your business (if this is your ultimate goal). Never overlook an opportunity, this is what separates the wannabes from the professionals.

There is absolutely no point to any of this if you’re not having fun. Playing gigs requires a lot of time, energy, and preparation, so if you’re not having fun, you will burn out or lose interest.

When it really comes down to it, the reason you started playing drums is because it’s fun and you love to do it. remember that, above all, when you play your first gig.

I hope this helps, I know you’re going to have a great drum performance. Playing live is a learning experience; don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake.

I’ve learned something new at each and every gig (and I’ve played hundreds). Sometimes the lessons are embarrassing, but they always help me learn and improve.

What lessons have you learned from playing gigs? Share them with us in the comments below!  

Post Author: Maegan W.
Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musician’s Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004.  Learn more about Maegan here!

Photo by Ashraf Saleh

The post 8 Ways to Prepare for Your First Drum Performance appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If you just started learning drums, you may feel a bit intimidated when it comes to reading drum charts and drum tabs. The good news is, you’re not alone. While it may seem daunting now, with a little practice you’ll be able to understand and read drum charts and drum tabs with ease. To help you get started, here’s an easy-to-follow beginner’s guide from drum instructor Tracy D…

Drum charts, drum tabs, and drum notation are all terms you’ll come across when you’re learning drums. This is especially true if you play in a marching band or ensemble.

As a beginner, you may find drum charts to be a bit intimidating. You may also encounter drum tabs or solos with every note written out. I’ll cover each of these so that you’ll be able to read drum tabs with confidence.

First, I’ll show you how to figure out what’s going on in the following drum charts. For this, I’ll be using a part from my jazz band days (this type of chart is typical for a jazz band or big band ensembles).

How to Read Drum Charts

Refer to the sheet music that follows; sections of the chart are circled in red ink for you to follow along.

Page 1

Meas. 16: These are ensemble figures, and the whole band will play these notes in unison. Notice the elongated note heads — look for these throughout your piece and nail them.

M. 17: This indicates timekeeping with a specific bass figure (in this case, it’s a Tumbao pattern).

M. 33-36: The voices that carry these figures are indicated. You should hit with them, usually with accents on the snare drum (and sometimes adding hats or cymbals).

M. 37: The segno (sign) indicates the beginning of a section that will be repeated.

M. 64: Fill — you have some leeway for creative control, but stay true to style and mind your count.

M. 75: The coda symbol indicates a jump to the concluding section, which will be marked with the same sign (or the word, “coda”).

M. 81: Time, in this case, means play the original groove.

*Courtesy:  “Newk Meets the Prezident” Lawn, Rick N.d. New York: Kendor, 1996. Print.

Page 2

M. 93: Be alert, the feel changes here!
M. 157: Solo — generally you’ll want to stay true to style, but here, you want to change the feel about halfway through.

Be sure to count so you don’t get lost.

Page 3

M. 221: Use this solo to return to the original feel and style of the piece.
M. 228: Dal Segno al Coda (from the sign to the coda) — here, return to the sign at m. 37, and play to the coda sign at m.75 (not playing m. 75) then jump ahead to “coda” at m. 229.
M. 229: (Coda) There are a couple things going on here. The meter changes to 3/2. The “half note = half note” means that the note value for the tempo stays constant even though the meter has changed.
M. 232: Vamp — Keep time until the cue. The number of repetitions may vary.

*Note: If you’re playing a piece that has extended periods of rests or repetitive patterns, it can be easy to check out mentally. To avoid this, be sure that you can so you don’t lose your place.

Where to Find Drum Charts

If you want to practice reading or playing along with drum charts, ask your drum teacher for some sample sheet music. You can also find drum charts online. Here are some of the best websites to find drum sheet music.

Online Drummer

Online drummer has note-for-note sheet music available to download. You can search by song or by level.

Drum Central

Drum Central provides free downloadable drum transcriptions. Search their database by artist to find the drum sheet music for your favorite songs.

DRUMSCORE.COM

You can search DRUMSCORE.COM by artist or by drummer, however, most of their drum music costs about $3.99.

Drum Tabs

Drum tablature or drum tabs are different from traditional drum notation. Drum tabs are generally comprised of the same number of lines as there are instruments in the music.

The dashes are usually broken up into 16ths, and if there’s a “note” to be played, it’s shown by the use of a corresponding symbol. Don’t play anything on the dashes. Traditional sheet music will use a rhythm staff.

Drum tabs are typically easier to find than sheet music, so many drummers will try to find drum tabs for their favorite tunes.

How to Read Drum Tabs

Here is a basic chart with some variations of the symbols used. Different authors may use different forms.

The Most Basic:

B = Bass Drum
S = Snare Drum
H = Hi-Hat
C = Cymbal
T = Tom

Drum Variations:

BA = Bass Drum
BD = Bass Drum
B1 = Bass Drum #1
B2 = Bass Drum #2
T1 = Tom 1 (T2 = Tom 2, etc.)
TT = Tom Tom
F = Floor Tom
FT = Floor Tom Cymbals and Hi-Hats
RC = Ride Cymbal
CC = Crash Cymbal
SC = Splash Cymbal
OH = Open Hi-Hat
SH = Slightly Open Hi-Hat
CH = Closed Hi-Hat
HF = Hi-Hat (played with foot)

Percussion:

CB = Cow Bell
TA = Tambourine
SH = Shaker
WB = Wood Block
CL = Claves
BE = Bell

*Courtesy of DrumTabs.org

Let’s take a look at the drum tabs for Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” to point out the use of the lines and symbols. The legend indicates that the hats will have a closed (x) and open (o) pattern. The instrumentation is listed vertically, and the drum tabs read horizontally. Pretty easy, right?

The drums here are notated with an “o” and the cymbals/accessories are represented by an “x”. Accents may be notated with a capital X. This chart is good for those who are new to drum tabs, because the groove is straightforward, and the song sections are clearly marked. (The first dash in each measure is a placeholder, not an indicator of time passage).

* Tab courtesy of blindleaf.freeservers

How to Find Drum Tabs

Like drum charts, there are places online where you can find drum tabs for the songs you want to play.

911TABS

911TABS lets you search by artist or song. In addition to drum tabs, you can also find guitar tabs and piano music.

DrumBum

Search for drum tabs and learn more about reading drum tabs and drum music.

UltimateGuitar

Don’t let the name fool you; UltimateGuitar has lots of resources for guitar players, but you can also find drum tabs for just about any song you want to play.

Drum Set Notation

Now, let’s look at standard notation as it appears in sheet music for solos, etudes, and fully-notated drum set music. These exercises are very basic grooves with the bass drum notated on the bottom space, the snare drum on the second space down, and the hats on the top.

It’s in 4/4 or “common” time (four beats, with the quarter note getting the beat). This is broken up into 8th notes — you can see this because there are eight strokes on the hats. Count those: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. The corresponding notes on the drums will line up directly with the hats.

There are two measures per line. In the first measure, in the bass, you see a little squiggle. This is a quarter rest and it means that you refrain from playing that voice for the duration of a quarter beat. Next, you see what appears to be an odd looking number seven. This is an eighth rest, and it means that you refrain from playing that voice for the duration of an eighth. Pretty simple!

* Exercises courtesy of 2drum.com

Note: If you’re playing a piece that has extended periods of rests or repetitive patterns, it can be easy to mentally checkout. Be sure that you count so you don’t lose your place.

How to Use Drum Charts and Drum Tabs

At this point you may be thinking, “I’m not a drum major and I don’t play in a marching band, so why do I need to learn drum charts and drum sheet music?” Well, regardless of your drumming goals, learning to understand drum charts can help you make sense of the music and help you develop your drumming skills. Eventually, with enough practice, drum sheet music can be your secret weapon!

Now you have some direction to help you understand drum charts, sheet music, and drum tabs. It’s important that you become familiar with different musical styles, so you can play with confidence. You can generally find a recording of just about any song, so give it a listen while reading your chart.

How has learning to read drum music helped you become a better drummer? Let us know in the comments below! 

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

Photo by eric.mailloux

The post The Beginner’s Guide to Drum Charts, Drum Tabs, and Drum Notation appeared first on | TakeLessons.

When it comes to choosing a pair of drum sticks, there are a lot of factors that can influence your decision. Knowing what’s out there can help you decide which sticks are best for your drumming style. Here, Edmond, OK drum instructor Tracy D. breaks down the different types of drum sticks…

As drummers, we get to play a wide variety of instruments, and just as a painter uses many different brushes and tools in his or her arsenal, we should employ various types of sticks to achieve different effects. Those of you who venture into the broader world of percussion will have a particular interest in variety.

Here, I will discuss several types of drum sticks and their applications, so get ready to fill up your stick bag!

How Are Drum Sticks Made?

Before we get into the different types of drum sticks, let’s go over some drum stick anatomy.

Wood Type

Drum sticks are generally made of wood, and the type of wood can impact the durability. For example, oak and hickory drum sticks are durable, while maple is lighter, but less durable.

Build

The taper is the grade from the body to the tip of the stick. A thicker taper is best for loud, intense beats; while a more narrow taper is better for a lighter sound.

The tips are made of wood or nylon, and the shape of the tips affects the sound. Try an oval tip for a well-balanced sound, an acorn tip for a rich sound, or a barrel tip for high volume. You can also get drum sticks with a teardrop tip and a round tip.

Size

Have you ever wondered what the numbers on the drum sticks mean? They have to do with drum stick size. The number indicates the drum stick circumference. It may seem counter intuitive, but for the most part, a lower number indicates a higher circumference, so the 7A is smaller than the 5A.

The letters help to identify the application; the most common letters are “A” (orchestra), “B” (band), and “S” (street).

5A

The 5A is the most common type of drum stick. While they’re commonly used to play rock, you can use them for just about any type of drumming. The 5A is a middle-of -the-road drum stick, and a general-purpose tool.

7A

7A drum sticks are smaller and thinner. Because they are more lightweight than the 5As, they’re ideal for younger drummers and jazz musicians.

2B and 5B

These sticks are much heavier than the other two types, and as a result, they pack a lot more power!

Want to learn more? Check out this video for a behind-the-scenes look at how drum sticks are made.

Types of Drum Sticks

Now that you understand how drum sticks are made, let’s look at the different types of drum sticks!

Looking for something specific? Here’s what you will find in this section:

• Cheap Drum Sticks
• Beginner Drum Sticks
• Kids Drum Sticks
• Orchestral Drum Sticks
• Marching Band Drum Sticks
• Brushes
• Rods
• Timbale Drum Sticks
• Brooms
• Swizzles
• Brush / Stick Combos
• Effects
• Custom Drum Sticks

Cheap Drum Sticks

When you’re just starting out as a drummer, you may be overwhelmed by all the new gear. While a brand new drum set isn’t required for a beginner, you should at least have a decent set of drum sticks to use for practice.

While you may be looking for a pair of cheap drum sticks, I’ve got good news for you: most drum sticks are pretty affordable. In fact, most pairs are less than $8.

If you have a set budget in mind for drum gear, a basic pair of cheap drum sticks will be just fine to help you get started.

Beginner Drum Sticks

Beyond an affordable pair of drum sticks, many new drummers want to know if there are specific beginner drum sticks. Again, here’s where the letters and numbers come in. Many drum experts recommend 7As for beginners, especially kids, who are learning how to hold drum sticks, as well as proper technique and control.

5As are generally recommended for adults and teenagers since they’re ideal for drummers with average-sized hands.

Kids Drum Sticks

These sticks are great for smaller hands, and they’re made by some of the best-known companies.

Vic Firth Kidsticks

Vic Firth’s Kidsticks are 13″ long, designed for players aged three to eight, and come in pink and blue.

ProMark Future Pro Jr.

Image courtesy Musician’s Friend

ProMark makes the Future Pro Jr. sticks, which are the 5A diameter with a 13″ length.

Once you’ve been playing for a while and you’ve experimented with cheap drum sticks and beginner drum sticks, you will have a  better idea of what you like and what feels comfortable. Now you’re ready to look into types of drum sticks that are best suited for the music you want to play.

Jazz drum sticks are usually light, long, and thin for finesse, while rock drum sticks are heavier, for power and volume.

Orchestral Drum Sticks

Image courtesy Professional Percussion Products

You can use these sticks on the snare drum in an orchestra or concert band setting, or for snare drum repertoire (not for chopping on hats!). This context requires particular nuance, and the sticks are designed with this in mind.

Some orehestral drum sticks are made with specialty woods, like persimmon, laminated birch, or rosewood, and they may be a bit more pricey (Cooperman, Malletech’s PhD Series), though there are some more budget-friendly options like ProMark, Innovative Percussion, and Vic Firth.

Marching Band Drum Sticks

Image courtesy taylormusic

These sticks are heavy duty and thicker, with large beads, as they must aid in projection and volume for play in a (primarily outdoor) large band setting—and be used on high-tension marching snare heads (made of kevlar, which is a thicker material than mylar).

Vic Firth, ProMark, and Vater have great marching band drum sticks.

Brushes

Image courtesy Steve Weiss Music

When it comes to types of drum sticks, don’t forget about brushes. While they’re mostly used in jazz settings, they’re great if you want a softer sound.

They may be drawn across the surface of the snare for a scratchy sound, and they’re also great for a Cajon (an Afro-Cuban wooden box percussion instrument).

Drum set brushes may have either nylon or metal bristles, and may or may not be retractable.

Rutes / Multi-Rods Drum Sticks

Image Courtesy AMPCO Musical Products

These deliver a softer attack than sticks and serve well in low-volume situations—or if you just want a different texture, they have a cool “chick” sound.

They’re made from a cluster of dowels of various diameters. Rutes made with thinner dowels will have a lighter sound. (Incidentally, these are fairly easy to make, and I have been doing so for many years).

Timbale Drum Sticks

Image courtesy Stew Weiss Music

You can use these sticks on timbales, blocks, and cymbals. They have a uniform diameter, with no bead.

Brooms / Cajon Brushes

Image courtesy Interstate Music

These are great to use on Cajons, congas, and the kit. They have movable bands to allow for adjustment toward the handle for a softer attack—or toward the end for a more solid thump.

Swizzles

Image courtesy Sam Ash

These sticks have a bead (nylon or wood) at one end and a felt mallet tip at the other. They’re great for quick changes if you want to do some cymbal swells or tom work (and hey, it’s a chance to work on some spins).

Brush / Stick Combos

Image courtesy Interstate Music

These offer some great textural options with quick-change capabilities.

Effects

Image courtesy Intersate Music

It’s always fun to have some miscellaneous goodies, and here are a few items that can add a bit of seasoning to your groove:

ProMark’s TUBZ have an interesting attack and add a bit of their own tone to the mix.

Vic Firth’s Dreadlocks produce a pronounced attack on the snare, and give you cool options for scraping or striking your cymbals.

Flix products give you the best of both worlds: the sound of rods and the added durability of a built-in tip.

Custom Drum Sticks

Image courtesy Custom Stix

Custom drum sticks can be made with artwork of your choice, or the company’s art (for an art fee).  So, if you’re interested in aesthetics, you may want to venture into custom territory.

Custom Stix is a cool company to check out, as well as West Virginia Wood Arts, which does custom laser engraving (on Vic Firth sticks) of words, your submitted images, or their own artwork.  They also have different color options.

These are just a few of the many tools you can use to expand your tonal spectrum (and they make great stocking-stuffers). Experiment with different types of drum sticks, and find your favorites!

Want to know more about different types of drum sticks? Check out our gear guide to find out which drum sticks are the best!

Which type of drum sticks do you use when you play? Why are these your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! 

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

Featured image courtesy Clint Pollan

The post From Brushes to Brooms: The Complete Guide to Drum Sticks appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If you want to improve as a drummer, you have to practice! But how can you make your practice time more productive? By working on specific exercises, you can strengthen your weaknesses and work on important aspects of drumming that will improve your technique. So if you want to see some big improvements in your drumming, make sure you check out these drum exercises from Saint Paul, MN drum instructor John S…

Drum exercises are rhythmic patterns that develop your drumming coordination and independence. In this article, we’re going to take a look at a wide range of exercises that are fantastic for beginning drummers and even the most advanced players.

Ready to improve your drum skills? Grab your drum sticks and let’s go!

Drum Warm Up Exercises

Drumming is a physical activity, and like most physical activities, it’s important to warm up your muscles and get your limbs working in coordination. Whether preparing to practice in the woodshed or perform on stage, I always try to incorporate at least five to 15 minutes of warm-up exercises into my routine.

Warm-up exercises can range in difficulty, but it’s important to pick exercises that are appropriate for your skill level, because these exercises are geared toward simple coordination and building your confidence behind the drum set. That being said, I encourage drummers to use a metronome when warming up because it strengthens your time-keeping in addition to warming up your body.

Drum Pad Exercises

First, let’s take a look at a few simple rudiment warm-ups. Drum rudiments are drum patterns that you can use for drills or warm-ups, or develop into more complex drum patterns.

These exercises are designed to be played on one surface, and I like to play them on a drum pad before hitting the stage for a performance.

Single Stroke Roll

Double Stroke Roll

Single Paraddidle

Double Paraddidle

Triplets (Single Stroke Seven)

Flam-Tap

Drum Exercises for Beginners

Now, let’s try  some warm-up exercises that incorporate the whole drum set. These warm-ups are more challenging than the drum pad warm-ups because they incorporate more drums and the coordination of all four limbs.

Start slow, and remember: it’s about accuracy and coordination, not speed and power. If these exercises seem difficult, try subtracting one limb (I usually recommend the hi-hat foot), and then try the exercises with just three limbs.

Note: These exercises are divided into groups of two. The exercises on the left use just one surface for the hands (snare drum), while the exercises on the right focus on moving the hands around the drum kit.

Make sure to practice leading with both the right and left hand, and don’t forget to use a metronome!

Here’s a great five-minute drum set warm-up video that runs through a few of the exercises, in addition to providing a few new exercises. Check the video information section to download the accompanying sheet music and try playing along with the teacher.

Snare Drum Exercises

Snare drum independence refers to the ability to play snare drum rhythms that are separate from the pattern(s) performed by the rest of your limbs.

For beginners, I recommend playing the exercises on the left, which focus on just two voices on the drum set (snare drum and hi-hat). Intermediate drummers may benefit from playing the exercises on the right, which incorporate a steady bass drum pattern in addition to the hands.

If you’re more advanced, try playing the snare patterns over more challenging rhythmic patterns.

Here are a few examples of trickier bass drum and hi-hat patterns which can be played along with the snare drum patterns from the sheet above:

The goal of all these drum exercises is to be able to apply any number of snare drum rhythms freely to your own drumming, rather than just playing a repetitive loop.

Try mixing and matching the various exercises to come up with your own snare drum melody, or make up your own snare drum rhythms!

Bass Drum Exercises

Bass drum independence refers to the ability to play bass drum rhythms that are separate from the pattern(s) performed by the rest of your limbs. Much like the snare drum independence exercises, I recommend that beginners focus on just two voices on the drum set (bass drum and hi-hat) before adding the third (snare drum).

Check out this video from Online Drummer and accompanying sheet music (below) for a series of great bass drum independence exercises.

Image courtesy Online Drummer

Drum Exercises for Speed

Besides how to improve, most drum students want to know how to play drums faster. Like the other skills we’ve discussed (coordination and independence), becoming a faster drummer doesn’t just happen overnight. Let’s take a look at several drum exercises to help improve your speed.

Develop Sound Technique

While there are a number of correct drum techniques, there are an awful lot more incorrect techniques that will inhibit your speed. Poor technique can even potentially cause injury, in the long run.

Developing good drumstick technique takes time and lots of practice. As a beginner, it’s important to watch your hands to make sure you’re using proper stick technique. Check out this video to learn a few simple exercises that will increase your hand speed.

There are a number of things you can try to boost your drum technique. For example, play heel down vs. heel up, or bury the beater against the head vs. releasing the beater from the head.

I also recommend playing along with the simple exercises in this video from Drumeo to improve your bass drum speed.

Use Heavier Sticks for Practice

When you practice, use sticks that are heavier than your regular drum sticks. In much the same way that baseball players put weights on their bats before going up to bat, practicing with heavier drum sticks will make your usual sticks seem almost effortless when you switch back.

Practice single strokes, double strokes, and paradiddles with a metronome, gradually increasing your metronome speed. Then practice alternating singles, doubles, and paradiddles between the hands and feet. The four-limb warm-up exercises in this article are also great to develop speed. Remember, speed comes from both of your hands being even, so make sure you practice leading with both.

In this video, Tony Royster Jr. discusses his practice routine for increasing speed, which includes combining singles, doubles, and paradiddles into a smooth warm-up loop.

Swing Pattern Drum Exercises

These drum exercises are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to warm-ups and developing independence with each limb. Most of the exercises focus on straight rhythmic patterns, but I encourage drummers to try the exercises with a triplet-based, “swing” feel.

Here is a video that can help beginner drummers learn to swing a drum pattern:

For more rhythmic drum exercises, I recommend purchasing Ted Reed’s book Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer. This book is often considered the most important source for developing independence, as it provides page after page of unique rhythms that can be applied to any limb on the drum set, and performed either swung or straight.

Below is a brief excerpt from his book that combines a wide range of patterns into an exercise that will test overall independence of any limb you choose. These rhythms can be translated to any drum(s) and can be played with either a straight or swing feel

Now you have several different drum exercises to keep you busy and help you improve! If you need help with any of these exercises, make sure to ask your drum teacher!

Which of these drum exercises have you tried? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Post Author: John S.
John S. is a drum and percussion instructor in Saint Paul, MN. A full-time musician and teacher, he performs with two different bands and teaches in-home and in-studio lessons. Learn more about John here!

Photo courtesy David Russo 

The post 11 Drum Exercises for Speed, Independence, and Control appeared first on | TakeLessons.

If you’re interested in learning drums, you’ve probably learned a little bit about the drums that make up a drum kit. When it comes to percussion instruments, however, there are so many other types of drums. Whether you want to join a band or take on a new endeavor, here’s an intro to different types of drums from Edmond, OK teacher Tracy D…

The world of drums and percussion is enormous, and it’s such an intriguing ground for exploration. This article describes various types of drums, but it’s by no means an exhaustive list, as that would be a very lengthy write-up! This article, however, will capture your interest, and perhaps prompt you to venture out and add some new sounds and instruments to your drumming adventure.

• Types of Drum Sets
• Types of Hand Drums
• Frame Drums
• Types of African Drums
• Types of Drums in a Marching Band

Types of Drum Sets

Let’s begin our journey on some familiar ground, and explore some different types of drum sets.

Acoustic Drum Set

You’re probably most familiar with this type of drum set, but there are lots of variations in size and configuration.

Power/Rock: These sets generally have 12, 13, and 16-inch toms, and a 22 x 18-inch bass drum. The snare may vary in size, but it’s typically 5 ½ or 6 x 14″. They have a deeper tone and more volume due to their larger sizes.

Fusion: These sets are typically sized as follows: 10, 12, and 14″ toms, with a bass of either 20 or 22 inches x 18 inches. They aren’t quite as thunderous as their rock-sized counterparts, but they allow for quicker playing due to their faster response.

Jazz Drums: These are supposed to be quick and light, and the toms usually have the same diameter as the fusion toms—but with shallower depths, and the bass drum is markedly smaller; usually 18” x 14”.

Image courtesy Gibraltar Hardware

Some well-known brands include Gretsch, Yamaha, Ludwig, Pearl, Sonor, Mapex, DW, OCDP, Pacific, Tama, and Crush. There are also several options for variations in configuration.

Virtual and Electronic Drum Kits: Electronic drum kits give you access to an unbelievable library of sonic options. Over the years, their “brains” have become more advanced. You have a wide array of sounds with samples from top-of-the-heap kits. Additionally, you have capabilities of percussion and beyond. These kits are available in range from very basic to professional. They have the ability to work with interactive software and apps to provide everything from tutorials to packs of sounds.

E-kits are very cool and a lot of fun. If you’re interested in  buying an E-Kit, I recommend checking out Roland, Yamaha, and Alesis.

Image courtesy bettermusic

Triggers: I would be remiss not to visit the world of triggering, which allows you to reap the benefits (feel and resonance) of your acoustic kit and the brains of the V-kit by adding triggers, which touch the heads of your drums and relay signals to a module (brain) to add to your sonic capabilities. They can be particularly handy in recording/live applications to enhance and clarify your sound or to provide backing tracks.

Auxiliary Drum Sets: These can be built to create a complete playground for the adventurous. They can include elements from the whole spectrum: drums, bells, blocks, triangles, chimes, etc. These sets can be used for solo applications or in bands, often in addition to a drum set.

Types of Hand Drums

While hand drums are primarily played by hand, some work well with mallets or “tippers.” They come from across the globe; each type of hand drum has a distinctive pattern and playing technique.

Congas: These tall, Cuban drums are usually played in groups of two or three. Conga drums come in three different sizes: quinto (small), conga/tres dos (medium), and tumba (large).

Bongos: Bongo drums are Afro-Cuban, small, and often played in conjunction with the congas. The smaller drum is called the “macho” and the larger drum is known as the “hembra.”

Image courtesy ArtDrum

Image courtesy interstatemusic.com

Tabla: You can play these Indian drums with the heels of your hands and your fingertips. The small, wooden drum is called the tabla, and the larger, metal drum is called the dagga.

Image courtesy sitarsencat.com

Frame Drums

This is actually a pretty broad family, with different types of drums from all over the world.

Pandeiro: A Brazilian instrument played with the fingers, thumbs, and palms on the head, along with the fingers/thumbs on its platinelas (jingles).

Image courtesy Pandeiro.com

Tambourine: A close cousin to the pandeiro, the tambourine is from various regions, and has smaller jingles—called zils. There is much more to playing this instrument than mot people think.

A tambourine may or may not have heads, and it may or may not be tunable. A tambourine can have single or double rows of jingles. There are many other similar drums from different parts of the world.

Image courtesy Grover Pro Percussion

Bodhran: This Irish/Celtic frame drum can be played by hand or with various types of beaters, known as tippers. Bodhran drums may or may not be tunable.

Image courtesy Musical Instrument Haven

Goblet Drums: This is a family of drums that get their name from their shape. A darbuka, which hails from the Middle East, is an example of a goblet drum.

Image courtesy Serdar Bagtir

Types of African Drums

This is another broad family of hand drums, so let’s look at some of the most well-known drums.

Djembe: The djembe is a very popular hand drum from West Africa. It may be rope-tuned or mechanically tuned (Westernized). They may have goatskin heads (shaved or not) or synthetic heads.

Image courtesy fasoboutik.com

Talking Drum: To play the talking drum, place it under your arm, and squeeze the rope while you hit the drum. Use a striker to alter the pitch.

Image courtesy Musician’s Friend

Udu: The udu is a clay-based drum from Nigeria. Variations of the udu may have one or two chambers.

To play the udu, strike the larger hole with your palm, or use your fingers on the body.

Image courtesy TheDrumWorks and ArtDrum

Some other African drums worth looking up are the dunun, bendir, junjung, and bougarabou.

Types of Drums in a Marching Band

Marching band drums supply the voice for the band. Here are some of the most commonly used marching band drums, they can be mounted on harnesses or stands.

Marching Snare: The marching snare drum is quite different than the snare used on the drum set. It’s much deeper and the head is made of Kevlar. The marching snare can hold very high tension.

Image courtesy Steve Weiss Music

Multi-tenor: The multi-tenor drums come in several configurations, most commonly sets of four to six. They’re the higher pitched melodic voices of the battery and are typically played with sticks or mallets.

They may have small, tightly tuned accent drums, known as spocks or shots (among other names).

Image courtesy Musician’s Friend

Bass Drum: The bass drums are the lowest pitched drums in the battery and come in several sizes that allow for melodic runs along the line. Each drum size is represented by its own

Image courtesy Ed Uthman

Front Ensemble: The front ensemble/pit is stationary on the field and has a wide variety of percussion instruments like the marimba, xylophone, glock, vibes, bass drum, drum set, and timpani, as well as hand/frame drums and auxiliary instruments.

Image courtesy Urbanlatinoradio.com

We have covered several different types of drums,  but we have still only scratched the surface of the world of percussion instruments. From drum sets, hand drums, and marching band drums, there is something for every aspiring musician.

What types of drums do you want to learn more about? Let us know in the comments below! 

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

The post Drums Around the World |The Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Drums appeared first on | TakeLessons.

With so many music styles and genres, it can be hard to make a list of the absolute best drum songs. Plus, everyone has their own opinions on which songs are the best. Since it’s impossible to make a definitive list of the best drum songs, drum instructor Maegan W. put together this list of 10 must-know songs. Check out the list and let us know what you think…

For this article, when I talk about the best drum songs, I’m referring to the signature songs that every drummer should know how to play. These are the songs you can always go to when you need to play a song at a gig, party, or event. These must-know drum songs also have important grooves or fills that you will use over and over in thousands of other songs. Knowing these types of grooves and fills will make learning any other song that much easier.

So here it goes…. the 10 best drum songs, or the 10 must-know songs for drummers.

*Note: I decided to use newer songs for this list. There are so many must-know classics, but those lists of drum songs are everywhere. So here’s a new-age update for the next generation of drummers.

“Lost Without You” – Robin Thicke

This song is pure soul. The groove is tricky and it’s challenging to get the feel just right. If you can master this song, you’re ready to play an R&B gig. Even if you’re a rocker, this song will help you gain dynamic control and tap into some fun, unusual rhythms.

“Love Me Like You Do” – Ellie Goulding

This is a great song to learn to add to the music, meaning you don’t have to overplay. Just play to make the song better, not to be heard or standout. This song has several breaks where you can practice your coloring (as I call it) on the different cymbals and practice your timing by coming back in right on time.

Lastly, it has a section with a half-time feel so you can work on that, too.

“Clarity”  – Our Last Night Band (Cover)

The original is great too, but this cover is epic! This drummer is amazing and super clean on his fills and grooves. The band takes it to a whole new level, and you will want to be able to play this way, too.

This song will take you through different levels of intensity and different emotions. Playing with emotion is important to get the audience to vibe with you.

“Shut Up and Dance” – Walk the Moon

This song makes you want to dance, and it’s always good to have a couple of dance songs in your back pocket. It has a disco groove in the chorus, with a nice open hi-hat splash. It also has some nice tom builds. The fills are simple and perfect for this type of music and it also has some hits in unusual places.

“Guns for Hands” – Twenty One Pilots

All of 21 Pilots’ songs have a lot of cool drum parts. In “Guns for Hands”, you will find a simple bass drum “four-on-the-floor“, with perfectly placed hi-hat accents. You will find big half-time grooves, tom grooves, and if you watch the video, you can see a high-energy performance and great visual cues that help the audience hear you.

This song also has an awesome reggae-type breakdown in the bridge.

“Up All Night” – Blink 182

All of Blink 182’s songs have awesome drum parts, thanks to the one-and-only Travis Barker. This song is one of my favorites to play. In the beginning, you have some 32nd-note hi-hat action, with some bell accents in unique places to add to the feel. It gets super heavy and has hits that you can use in many songs to come.

It features 16th-note triplet fills around the kit and nice builds. Learn all the parts to this song and you will expand your drumming vocabulary.

“Save Me” – Gotye

This song has some really cool tom grooves, with a displaced back beat. Hitting the backbeat on the “+ of 4” can be tricky, but otherwise, this song is pretty simple. You can focus on really nailing it, and gaining limb independence and control, while getting into the groove and hypnotic rhythm.

OK, I can’t resist…..the last three are classic, must-know drum songs!

“Fool in the Rain” –  Led Zeppelin

Get your half-time shuffle on; this will teach you how to shuffle with the best and can be applied in any half-time shuffle situation. Also, look out for the Latin breakdown. If you can nail it, you’ve earned your throne!

“War Pigs” – Black Sabbath

Talk about epic drum fills! Also, there are many parts to learn so it will help learn about song structure. This song is popular at any event, well maybe not at a wedding, but at almost any party. You will learn a lot by playing this song, and you can apply these skills to many other songs as you advance as a drummer.

“Grey Street”  –  Dave Matthews Band

This groove is tough to get just right. It’s a little awkward, but when it’s played right, it’s amazing! Pay close attention: there’s more to this song than just a complicated groove. The feel here is essential, so add this song to your setlist.

I hope you enjoy this list. Some of these songs are challenging, but they will make you a better drummer!

Which drum songs are on your must-know list? Let us know in the comments below! 

Post Author: Maegan W.
Maegan W. teaches drums, songwriting, and more in San Diego, CA. She earned a degree in Percussion from the Musician’s Institute, and has been teaching private lessons since 2004.  Learn more about Maegan here!

The post The Best Drum Songs: 10 Songs You Need to Know appeared first on | TakeLessons.

It’s time for drum practice with Tracy D! Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate drummer, grab your sticks and get ready to learn these 15 drum fills…

As you continue your drum lessons  and refine your grooves, you will also want to work on your fills. Drum fills are are the glue and the flash that signal the transitions of sections in a tune (and they’re a departure from the groove). As their name implies, they fill the space in the music between transitions. They can also set a certain mood and create an excellent tension-release dynamic.

Drum fills can help you spice up your songs. They can be as simple or as complex as you please, but they should always be in the style of the tune. Sometimes, the simplest fills convey the most feeling. Here, I will explain a bit about drum fills in different categories.

Before we get into the fills, make sure you practice drum rudiments, and these drum exercises for independence and control.

For the following patterns, play three measures of time/groove before playing the fills. Make sure you can transition back into the groove. Some of the fills have doubles in the bass, so they’re good to get your foot in gear.

Drum Fills for Beginners

If you’re still new to drumming, these drum fills will help you get used to fills. Try to keep your strokes evenly spaced.  Play your kick on the quarter beat through the fills.

Exercise 1: A full-bar fill that takes you around the kit with two 8th notes on each drum.

Exercise 2: Half-bar fill with one 8th note on each drum.

Exercise 3: This one is tricky because of the sparseness of the fill. Here, you have to be sure that you give beat four its full value; your tendency (as a beginner) may be to rush through that space.

Once you feel comfortable playing these drum fills, reverse the order of the notes, make the fills longer or shorter, and experiment with orchestration (voices).

After some practice, you will gain facility and confidence in your playing.  Be sure to use your metronome; this will keep you honest.

Looking for more easy drum fills? Try these 16th-note drum fills for beginners. 

Cool Drum Fills

Here are a few sweet little 16th-note fills that you may enjoy. Once you feel comfortable with these, change up your voices and stickings.

Exercise 1: You will use some mixed stickings and play some doubles on your toms. This mix gives you plenty of time to get back to the snare. Playing the kick on the quarter beat gives a nice six over four phrasing.

Exercise 2: In this exercise you will learn to sweep laterally, and the doubles on the kick help throw you back to the snare. This fill is fun to play (when you get used to it).  Be sure that you hit with precision and that your bass notes are solid and evenly spaced.  This is also an example of a linear fill, which we will discuss below.

Exercise 3: Sweep in a vertical fashion before terminating in a run around the kit. Play the kick on the quarter beat.

These cool drum fills are fun, and they will strengthen your core if you use proper posture. The sweeping motions will provide a different way to get the rebound to work for you as you move from drum to drum. Start out slowly to establish accuracy.

Advanced Drum Fills

Once you have mastered the beginner drum fills, give these advanced drum fills a try. Depending on your level, it will take some work. Be patient with yourself and stick with it.

These add tuplets, 32nd notes, and mixed stickings. Play the kick on the quarters here, also.

Exercise 1:  This fill has the first two beats in phrases of four within a tuplet feel, and allows a release by resolving back to six on the last two beats.  For an effect that I call “fill cleaner,” accent the last note of each beat as an exercise of its own – paying particular attention to the feel of your subordinate hand throwing that beat to your foot — then remove the accent.  You should find that your fills sound and feel more balanced.

Exercise 2: Play the 32^nd notes as singles or doubles. The space between the end of beat three and the beginning of beat four is a bigger move for your core as you turn from the floor tom to the hats. Your speed on this move will dictate your tempo for the exercise.

Exercise 3: This fill uses paradiddles for beats one and two, and allows for either single or double stroke stickings in the last two beats.

Metal Drum Fills

These drum fills are two bars of fun, and they’re great for building tension.

Exercise 1:  A fun run around the kit (play the kick on the quarters of the 2^nd measure).  Start out slowly to build accuracy, and then challenge yourself to increase the tempo.

Exercise 2: Incorporates more of the bass.

 Exercise 3: this triplet-based fill  ends with a common rock feel.

Metal drum fills don’t necessarily have to be note-dense to be effective. Experiment with orchestration on these.

Linear Drum Fills

Some more cool types of drum set fills are often called “gallops”, and they’re good examples of linear figures (no two notes played in unison). Aim for smooth, even triplets.

Use these exercises as ideas to experiment with voices and stickings. Try playing some of the notes on the rims, ride-bells, etc.

Play with your metronome! Set up subdivisions (8ths, 16ths, 32nds, tuplets) to ensure accurate note placement. Start out at a slow speed, and bump it up as you gain facility.

Once you’ve got these down, try creating your own drum fills.

Have fun! Repetition (done right) will build speed and precision that will only enhance your playing.

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

The post Beat the Boredom: 15 Fun Drum Fills appeared first on | TakeLessons.

Want to boost your snare drum technique? Whether you want to improve your sound on your kit or play snare in a marching band, this guide from drum instructor Tracy D. covers everything you need to know about how to play snare drum…  

The snare drum is the signature voice of your kit. It’s an expressive solo instrument and an integral part of a marching band. Snare drum technique varies based on the type of music you play, but some techniques apply across the board. In addition to the exercises below, I recommend delving into a bit of solo literature, both rudimental and orchestral, as this will  help you refine your technique.

Let’s explore different types of snare drums and the techniques you can use to get the best sound from your snare.

Note: snare drum notes are usually written on the second space from the top of the staff (or, less commonly on the middle line). Sometimes, a snare part may be written on a single line.

How to Play Snare Drum for Beginners

Image courtesy Emily Mills

As a beginner, you should focus on accuracy and evenness of notes, as well as tempo and dynamic control. Get used to playing with a metronome right away; you will use this tool for the life of your playing. (There are many free metronome apps, so there’s no excuse not to have one).

Here are some exercises to get you going in the right direction.

Note: play these exercises with a right-hand lead.

How to Play Marching Snare Drum

Image courtesy H. Michael Miley

To prepare to play marching snare drum, do your research on websites and forums, and find videos of marching band performances that will inspire you to get in the shed.

If you want to play snare in a marching band, you have to acquire precision and the ability to listen closely and sync with the drummers around you.

You will also likely be required to work on the visual components of a performance (in addition to matching stick heights with your section), so you need to have your timing down.

Know your rudiments inside and out; they’re your bread and butter when it comes to playing snare in a marching band.

Make sure to practice these exercises which will help you master snare drum basics.

How to Play Snare Drum With Traditional Grip

Traditional grip was initially used to allow a snare drummer’s left hand to comfortably clear the rim of a side-slung drum. This grip is still commonly used in marching drum lines and in jazz settings.

Turn your left hand to the side, as if you’re reaching out to shake someone’s hand. Place the stick in the opening between your thumb and index finger (which will be your fulcrum), and rest the front end on the cuticle of your ring finger.

Your fingers will provide support and control, and your wrist will turn in a rotary motion to initiate the stroke. Your right hand will use the matched grip position.

Check out this article and infographic for a more in-depth look at how to hold drum sticks.

How to Play Rudiments

The rudiments are kind of like a drummer’s vocabulary. They’re used extensively in marching literature and rudimental solos/etudes. They may be used in drum set playing as well, to create some compelling and challenging grooves and fills.

The Percussive Arts Society recognizes 40 rudiments, although there are many more, including hybrids.

No matter what type of music you want to play, it’s important that you learn drum rudiments, and practice them consistently.

How to Play Snare Drum Rolls

Pretty much any snare drum roll can be applied to the whole kit, however, the buzz/press roll is most characteristic to the snare. This roll requires some patience to master, as you have to work to make it sound smooth and seamless.

This video demonstrates the multiple bounce/buzz roll as well as six other essential drum rudiments.

For these roll skeletons, strive for even stick heights, unless you’re using accents or flams. Here again, you will refer to the rudiments; they’re the foundation of all drum rolls.

This roll skeleton chart will help you interpret multiple bounce rolls. The rolls termed, “written” represent the norm for notation that you will encounter in literature. Those termed, “played” demonstrate the number of strokes needed to execute the fills—and those numbers vary according to tempo.

Experiment with the surface of the drum. You will have more “deadness” toward the center of the drum, but you will get plenty of volume. You can play close to the rim for quieter passages (and play over the snares to best activate them).

How to Play Snare Drum Fast

Image courtesy Gerry Dincher

Most new drummers want to be able to play fast right away, but this requires a lot of work. Fast playing is the result of plenty of repetition. It’s important to strive for accuracy first, so make sure you practice with your metronome!

Try these drum exercises to improve your speed and control.

Remember, when it comes to drums: accuracy + repetition + gradual increase in tempo = precision and speed.

Enjoy the process and be consistent and diligent; you will reap the rewards of articulate, nuanced, and powerful technique.

Whether you want to learn how to play snare drum to join a marching band or you just want to improve your skills on your kit, we hope these tips and exercises will help.

Remember, if you’re feeling stuck, drum lessons with a private instructor can help. Search here for a drum instructor near you!

Post Author: Tracy D.
Tracy D. teaches percussion and drum lessons in Edmond, OK, as well as online. She has been playing the drums with various bands for more than 13 years. Tracy earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Oklahoma Christian University and has played with the OKC Community Orchestra since 2009.  Learn more about Tracy here!

Featured image courtesy Brett Lessard

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