Starting drumming lessons!

Fuggan

Fuggan

Fuggan

Associate
Joined
17 Feb 2009
Posts
2,451
Location
Leeds
Always wanted to learn to play the drums so finally decided to do it. Have my first lesson booked in for the 16th of August!

Anyone got any useful tips or anything that they wish they'd been told before they started playing?

Cheers! :D
 
Invest in some kind of ear protection would be my main tip!

Drumming can seriously damage your hearing long term without it!
 
Fuggan said:
Anyone got any useful tips or anything that they wish they'd been told before they started playing?
Click to expand...

Not really.
Mostly, what you'll need you will learn in the lessons

Most of this is just knowing what you're supposed to be doing, developing an understanding of how it feels when done right, practicing enough that you can get it right on demand, practicing enough that you can do it at all speeds, practicing enough that you can split limbs and do it all around the kit, then doing it backwards and the opposite way around.

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice does.
In other words, you'll learn better practicing for 30 minutes a day rather than 2 hours a day.

If you can say it, you can play it.
Not only is that the name of a good book on this subject, but most of the drumming rudiments are named after the sort of sound/rhythm they make. You'll love and hate them! ;)

  • Paradiddle
  • Flam
  • Rat-a-ma-cue

One of the best books is probably Rhythm Of The Head, by Georg Voros.
Lots of advice on everything around playing, from practice, physicality, health, mentality, auditions, and all teh stuff that usually isn't covered by the lessons themselves.
 
As above really, there's no point doing 2hrs of bad practice as you'll accomplish nothing and just get annoyed.

I also pick one or two songs to play along with at the end for fun. It doesn't matter how accurate you are as long as you have fun doing it. As you get better through practice you'll find that it's easier to play along with the song and I use that as a yard stick measurement for my improvement.
 
I learnt drums on my legs and hit my thighs and used the floor as a bass drum. I got limb independence which just happened overnight after doing this for years.

My mum and Dad bought me a 1972 hayman kit when I was 18 for my birthday. It was older than me.

Its oozed rock N roll...

I picked up the sticks and could play.

You don't need a kit to learn the drums. In fact I would argue it hinders a lot of people.

Good luck. :)
 
Last edited:
I would get a metronome for practice, one that can have a set of earphones/headphones plugged into it. Also most of the time when you start off its a lot of just counting in your head when you do your rudiments, etc.

One thing I would highly recommend is that when you move to using the drum kit to play simple rhythms is that using your weak foot to count on the hi-hat when you're not playing the hi-hat. So if you're right handed then your right hand on the ride cymbal, left hand on the snare, right foot on the kick drum and the left on the hi-hat counting in constant 1/4 or 1/8 notes. I can't do this myself but its something I wish I started off doing, seen loads of my drumming influences do this (check out Mike Bordin & Matt Cameron live cams) .... also one of the grooviest examples of this is Demon Cleaner by Kyuss (drummer is Grant Bjork) where the toms are the main rhythm played by the hands and the hi-hat is just there in the background played by the foot.
 
SkeeterUK said:
Learn? All they do is hit a drum how can u learn it?
Click to expand...
Hitting 4 drums, all in time and sometimes really fast. That takes some learning.
Then again, Lead Guitarists just do whatever they want, yet they all seem to have had lessons too... :p

easyrider said:
You don't need a kit to learn the drums. In fact I would argue it hinders a lot of people.
Click to expand...
To begin with, I agree - You can use practice pads, thighs, pots & pans, or whatever.
But when you do come to actually play, the feel of a stick off an actual drumhead and the proper positioning to avoid getting utterly knackered will be a big factor. Some rudiments just won't work on thighs, as you need the controlled rebound to create speed and feel. The heavier stuff will also hurt!!!!

I've played for more than one band that performed non-stop, ie no breaks between songs, for 2 hour sets at a time - Unless you're properly set up and practiced in economy of movement, you won't last 10 minutes!

+1 on finding songs you like to play along with.
One of the biggest parts to being a drummer is developing your ear and feel for the song, especially if you're playing covers. Being able to hear what their drummer is playing helps you understand why the song works, as well as being able to create your own feel when you play it yourself.

Try and pick some songs with fairly basic beats to start with.
 
Weazle said:
One thing I would highly recommend is that when you move to using the drum kit to play simple rhythms is that using your weak foot to count on the hi-hat when you're not playing the hi-hat. So if you're right handed then your right hand on the ride cymbal, left hand on the snare, right foot on the kick drum and the left on the hi-hat counting in constant 1/4 or 1/8 notes. I can't do this myself but its something I wish I started off doing, seen loads of my drumming influences do this (check out Mike Bordin & Matt Cameron live cams) .... also one of the grooviest examples of this is Demon Cleaner by Kyuss (drummer is Grant Bjork) where the toms are the main rhythm played by the hands and the hi-hat is just there in the background played by the foot.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, sure this will make more sense once I've had a lesson or two but will check those drum cams out. Been watching a lot on Mike Portnoy recently and that guy is on crack.

lawrence281 said:
How much you paying hourly per lesson? I did drums temp as a child..and always wanted to get back into it
Click to expand...

First lesson is free and then it's £20 an hour. :)

ttaskmaster said:
To begin with, I agree - You can use practice pads, thighs, pots & pans, or whatever.
But when you do come to actually play, the feel of a stick off an actual drumhead and the proper positioning to avoid getting utterly knackered will be a big factor. Some rudiments just won't work on thighs, as you need the controlled rebound to create speed and feel. The heavier stuff will also hurt!!!!

I've played for more than one band that performed non-stop, ie no breaks between songs, for 2 hour sets at a time - Unless you're properly set up and practiced in economy of movement, you won't last 10 minutes!

+1 on finding songs you like to play along with.
One of the biggest parts to being a drummer is developing your ear and feel for the song, especially if you're playing covers. Being able to hear what their drummer is playing helps you understand why the song works, as well as being able to create your own feel when you play it yourself.

Try and pick some songs with fairly basic beats to start with.
Click to expand...

Sounds awesome, thanks, can't wait for it!
 
Had my first lesson on Sunday and loved it. They guy seems top drawer too. Recommended me a pair of sticks and a practice pad and sent me home with a few rudiments to practice before next week!
 
Had my second lesson tonight and got myself a practice pad on order. Enjoying it, feel like running out an buying a kit though. Not sure how my flatmate would take that :confused:
 
Fuggan said:
Had my second lesson tonight and got myself a practice pad on order. Enjoying it, feel like running out an buying a kit though. Not sure how my flatmate would take that :confused:
Click to expand...

Would you mind linking your practice pad and telling me how it is please as I am looking to get some.
 
Are lessons recommended or do you think its possible to use online resources/books etc. to learn?

I don't play any other instruments but have always been interested in playing the drums.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom