Drums are one of the most popular musical instruments in the world, so being a drummer is very popular. It may take an afternoon to learn how to play the drums, but it may take months or even years to learn how to play the drums well. But as long as you keep practicing, no matter how complicated the rhythm or pattern is, you won’t be able to beat it. Let’s start our study now.
Familiar with the Drum Set
Let’s take a look at the basic components of a drum set. Depending on the drums you choose, the combined drum set will be different. Different brands, models, drumsticks, pitch, and any other subtle differences will affect its overall effect. But the basic components of most drum kits are the same, including:
- A bass drum is struck by a heavy mallet driven by a foot pedal, making a low-pitched sound.
- A snare drum also called a snare drum, is usually placed facing the non-dominant hand and played by the non-dominant hand. The snare drum has snare strings stretched under the drum skin. When struck, the snare strings will make a rustling sound due to resonance.
- Tom drum. There are many types of tom, but the three most common ones are the floor tom (the lowest tom), the alto tom (the middle one), and the treble tom (the lowest of the three tom). Generally speaking, a very basic drum set may only have a floor tom, and maybe other drum sets. Various toms are paired together to create a range of different pitches.
Learn about the different cymbals. There are many types of cymbals, and their shapes and timbres vary greatly. A cymbal is a round piece of metal that makes a sound when struck. The four most commonly used cymbals are hi-hats, ride cymbals, water cymbals, and crash cymbals.
- The hi-hat consists of a pair of cymbals connected to a foot pedal. This pedal is usually operated with the left foot. When you step on it, the two cymbals will come together. When you release the pedal, the cymbals will also separate. You can play the hi-hat directly by pedaling without using drumsticks, changing the rhythm, and experiencing different sounds.
- Ride cymbals are also called ride cymbals. They are deeper than other cymbals and have a more subtle tone. They are often used to strike a fixed beat. It has a long sustain and is often used as the coda at the end of music.
- As the name suggests, water cymbals have a short sound that sounds like splashing water, and are often used to modify fixed beats.
- Climb cymbals are similar to water cymbals, but have a louder and longer sound. It can be heard at the end of each bar of pop music and in orchestral climaxes.
There are two main ways to hold drumsticks, one is symmetrical and the other is standard.
- Symmetrical: Hold the drum stick one-third from the bottom with your thumb and index finger. The other fingers are naturally bent to hold the stick. This is the most commonly used holding method. It can be used hard on the wrist and is comfortable when playing drums.
- Standard form: The right hand (left hand for left-handers) still symmetrically holds the stick. Hold the drumstick in the tiger’s mouth of your left hand and hold it on your ring finger. The remaining fingers are naturally bent to hold the drumstick. Many jazz drummers operate the snare drum in a standard manner to create a variety of complex rhythms and give a completely different feel.
Prepare a drum set for beginners. If you are really interested, ask to compare the prices of different types of new and used drum sets before buying. Consult the music store and let them help you choose the right one. It is best to choose a cheap new drum set or a second-hand drum set when starting to learn. If you want to learn more after getting started, then buy a better drum set.
- You can also join a school band or club so that you can get exposure to drums and have the opportunity to learn. You can ask the person in charge for more time to use the drum set. People who like music are very easy-going, so they might agree.
Ask your drum teacher or music shop to teach you how to hold the sticks, hit the drums, adjust and set up the drums. Of course, you can also search for methods online yourself.
Learn the correct way to sit. Sitting right will make you more comfortable when practicing and it will be easier to play the drums. Therefore, correcting your sitting posture can get twice the result with half the effort.
- Stand close to the drum kit, sit upright, elbows tucked in, and keep a comfortable distance from the pedals.
Get the Rhythm
Do you know Neil Peart from Rush? He is arguably one of the best drummers in the world. You don’t need to have a full set of equipment like him, not even a drum kit. Because learning the basic rhythm of drumming can be done with your hands and thighs.
- Many beginners may not be able to complete a simple rhythm while sitting in front of the drum set. This is undoubtedly very frustrating. So before you spend money on a drum set, develop a sense of rhythm to avoid getting beaten.
You need to know what the 4/4 time signature is. It means that there are 4 beats in each measure of music. You beat it four times at a constant speed with one hand, each beat is equivalent to a quarter note.
- When you’re first learning, count each of your beats out loud. This helps you feel and catch the rhythm and helps you develop a strong sense of rhythm.
- A metronome and click track can help with practice. You can find it online or in the mobile app. An even simpler way is to keep time with the music.
One quarter note is equal to two eighth notes. Start by hitting a succession of quarter notes with one hand, then try hitting the same beat with eighth notes.
Join your other hand. Use the hand you used before to hit the eighth note on the table or your lap. Now add your other hand when you count to 2 or 4, just like when you hit the snare on a drum set.
Now you’re still making the beat with both hands, but add a foot when you count to 1 and 3. The beat it hits is called the downbeat, which is the beat you need to hit the bass drum.
- This way you create a simple rock drum beat. Learning to play the drums is divided into two parts: rhythm and technique. You can’t learn techniques without a drum kit, but you can learn rhythm. Learn all about rhythm and develop a good sense of rhythm before actually touching the drums, so that you can learn the drums better and faster.
Practice Appropriately
The easiest way to learn to beat a steady beat is to practice with a metronome. If you can’t afford a metronome, you can just find a click track and practice while playing it on your computer or MP3 player.
Practice the previously hand-made beats on the drum kit. Use the hi-hat to hit continuous eighth notes, count “1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and”.
- At the beginning of learning and practicing, you must count and tap at the same time. Of course, you won’t need to do it after you become proficient.
- Get familiar with your instrument as soon as possible. Get creative and mix and match your drum kit. For example, when counting 2 and 4, hit any drum or cymbal instead of just hitting the snare drum.
- Beat while counting, keep the drum beat as steady as possible, practice more, and gradually form muscle memory.
When you hit the hi-hat, you sometimes need to bring the two pieces of the hi-hat together. This way the sustain is shorter and sounds different. So using the left foot to close the hi-hat is a common skill among drummers.
- Start by hitting a succession of eighth notes on the hi-hat with your right hand. Use your left hand to hit the snare drum on counts 2 and 4. Open and close the hi-hat at will, and experience and remember the various sounds it makes. Try to differentiate between the sound of two cymbals completely apart and slightly closed. Then hit it from different positions such as the edge or top of the cymbal.
Work the muscles in both legs by using a hi-hat and adding a bass drum.
- Try using your right hand while using your feet, or move your limbs together to exercise the flexibility of your hands and feet.
It’s still the same as before, but instead of playing the snare during the count of 2 and 4, I switch to playing the snare in between the hi-hat hits with my right hand. In this way, the sound of the snare is interspersed between the hi-hats.
If your muscles are overly tense or the rhythm is too fast to keep up, slow down the metronome and take it easy.
Exercise Independence of Limbs
The most basic exercises are clicks and counterattacks, which not only improve the flexibility of your hands but also enrich your rhythm. Clicking means taking turns tapping with two hands, once with each hand. The double blow means two hands take turns to hit twice, and each hand hits twice (the second time does not rely on hand force, but relies on the elasticity of the drum skin to bounce the drum stick up and hit).
Playing the drums is a bit like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, only the process is much more complicated. Compared with the simple movement of one hand up and down, playing the drum may require two hands to perform various complex operations in different directions.
Your hands and left foot are responsible for the main rhythm, while focusing all the changes on your right foot. It gets a little trickier from here, but don’t worry because practice makes perfect. What you want to do is to keep the movements of the limbs from affecting each other. There are no shortcuts, just take your time and think clearly. It may feel simpler if you break down the movements of each beat.
Learn More Complex Rhythms
For a triplet made up of quarter notes, you have to treat it as a half note. Try saying “1-la-le” at a steady pace, so that the duration of each “1-la-le” is equal to the duration of a half note. The same is true for triplets composed of eighth notes, which is equal to dividing a quarter note into thirds.
In fact, we encountered this before when we learned to use our hands in different directions. Its formula is “[1 e + a] [2 e + a] [3 e + a] [4 e + a]”.
Learn the thirty-second notes. They are pronounced “[1 e + a + e + a] [2 e + a + e + a] [3 e + a + e + a] [4 e + a + e + a]”.
Each stroke must be in time with the metronome. Once you become proficient in this way, you can grasp the rhythm accurately no matter how fast it is.
A rest in a song means that the note makes no sound. Just listen to your favorite songs and count the beats using eighth notes or sixteenth notes. You will find that many beats have no sound at all. These are what we call rests.
Practice completing beats and rests using just the snare drum. The purpose of our practice is to make the sound produced by both hands equally loud. In other words, whether it is a strong beat or a normal beat, the effect produced by both hands is the same.
Tips
- Learning the drums is not easy, so don’t be discouraged. Thinking about the beat in your mind, your hands and feet work accordingly. Slowly you will find that your hands and feet will move naturally.
- You have to put music first and drumming second. The best drummers always focus on the music, and the drums are just a tool they use to add color to the music.
- Even if you don’t have a drum set at hand, or you only have ten minutes to spare, you still have to practice every day because practicing for five minutes every day is better than practicing for thirty-five minutes every other week.
- If you are interested in buying a drum set, buy a cheap one first. Usually, it’s a hi-hat, a crash cymbal, a snare drum, a bass drum, or two or three toms. You can add other equipment later.
- When you first start learning, don’t just aim for speed, but focus on being steady and steady, and every stroke must be equal.
- Learn to use the elasticity of the drum skin instead of banging hard. Otherwise, it is easy to get tired.
- Wear earplugs every time you play the drums. Because drums like the snare usually run through the entire music, they sound extraordinarily loud. In addition, the sound source is too close to the ear, so certain precautions must be taken.
- Find a teacher and take a lesson to see if you like playing the drums.
- Check your drum kit for loose spots.
- Relax and take your time. If you are too nervous, you may not see results.