Beginners looking to start drumming should begin by learning some fundamental drum rhythms, as this will improve coordination and build an intuitive sense of timing.
No matter your learning style – reading, listening or hands-on experience – there are numerous resources to assist in becoming a drummer.
1. Get the Right Equipment
Beginning to drum requires more than just your hands and feet – you’ll also require various pieces of equipment to help achieve the sound and feel you desire from your playing. From cymbals to drum kits and everything in between, there are many choices when starting out – for beginners we suggest beginning with either an entry-level kit (whether new or used), as it will often be less costly than purchasing full sets if your skills improve over time. You should also invest in quality drum thrones, stands and kick pedals so as to stay physically comfortable when playing drumming!
A metronome is an invaluable piece of equipment for drummers to develop rhythm and timing skills. Beginners should practice to a metronome set at very slow tempo until they can play to songs at their native tempos.
Drum sticks are another essential drumming accessory and come in various varieties. Beginners should opt for lighter sticks that are easier to control and less likely to cause injury if struck incorrectly.
Finally, drumsticks must be chosen that complement each other in terms of both size and grip. A well-matched grip occurs when your thumb sits opposite of your index finger on the stick; this pinching point is known as the fulcrum; this is where most of your power and control stem from.
Additionally, drummers need drum heads, tuning keys, and cymbal mallets (or pads) for tuning and creating personal sounds on the drums. These accessories will allow them to find their ideal sound – a thinner drum head will produce higher pitches while thicker ones produce lower ones; some drummers also utilize dampening rings or Moongels while learning as they can eliminate unwanted overtones that arise while learning. Additional supplies may also be necessary depending on individual drummer needs within your group.
2. Practice Makes Perfect
Beginner drummers should begin with simple drum rhythm and stick skills. The goal should be to develop musicality first and technical ability later. Regular practice sessions of 15 minutes each should help establish a habit and ease with keeping a consistent schedule; alternatively you could try mixing up your practice sessions; such as spending half your practice session learning new beats while the other half playing along to songs.
As part of practicing, it’s essential to relax the muscles of both hands and arms, in order to avoid cramping and enhance hand coordination. Furthermore, novice drummers tend to miss hitting their drum in its center skin, leading to less than ideal sounding drumming results.
An effective way to enhance accuracy when practicing drumsticks is practicing in front of a mirror, which will allow you to monitor stick height and ensure they are held correctly. A metronome may also help keep time during practice sessions and enhance tempo control.
Once you’ve mastered basic drum rhythms, it is advisable to learn to read music for the drums. Drum notation is similar to other forms of music and easy to pick up; knowing how to read drum notation will allow you to play any song you choose on drums!
Consider purchasing a drum set diagram or book that will give you all of the information necessary to build your own kit, from understanding each piece’s function and how they connect together, through to learning about safety precautions.
Some drummers prefer purchasing cymbals as an addition to the sound of their drum set, such as ride, crash, hi-hat or splash cymbals to add variety in sound production. Common types include ride (the largest on a drum set), crash and hi-hat cymbals. There are also splash, china or other specialty cymbals for creating different tones or sounds.
3. Read Music
Learn the art of reading music if you wish to become an accomplished drummer. Reading music gives drummers an advantage when working with other musicians because they can communicate the rhythm without having to verbalize it, listen for cues when to pause or pick up pace and also have more improvisational freedom on stage or studio recordings.
Music notation is a written system containing symbols to correspond with various sounds and instruments, commonly referred to as sheet music due to being written on a staff comprised of lines and spaces, each line and space having specific meaning based on the type of music being performed. Drum notation differs slightly, yet still contains similar elements: for instance using vertical bar lines to divide pieces into measures (depending on what type of drum or cymbal is being played), with notes usually placed along these lines according to pitch and tone of course!
There are various forms of drum notation, but most beginners begin with tablature notation. This uses Xs and Os to illustrate each hit from bass drum through to cymbals; many drummers find this form easier to read than traditional musical notation.
Letters appearing above each note indicate which limb should play it; these may be an L, R, or K letter. Beginning drummers should learn which note should be played on which arm; this can make or break the overall sound of their song.
Timing is everything when it comes to music, so make sure that when practicing, count out loud as you count out loud. Utilize a metronome if available as it can assist in developing your sense of time and keeping you from drifting off beat. Keep in mind that learning how to read music may take some time; be patient!
4. Count to Yourself
Counting to yourself while drumming can help ensure that each beat hits in its proper place. This skill is especially helpful for beginners who may miss a beat due to lack of focus or inexperience with reading music. Furthermore, counting can also help develop more accurate practice hitting drums without picking up bad habits that would compromise their performance.
Beginner drummers may benefit from counting to four while playing along with songs they know, in order to develop rhythm with bass drum, cymbals and snare drum. Gradually they can add handclaps or finger snaps on beats 2+3, leaving beat 1 for bass drum or other low thudding sounds.
Once they can accurately count to four, they can add a hi-hat rhythm into their pattern. This simple drum beat can be found in many popular songs; to use it correctly they should ‘tap’ twice for every quarter note and ensure they are evenly spaced; once this step has been accomplished they can add the snare drum on beat two and three and finally bass drum on beat four for an effective musical experience.
Beginner drummers should understand how to hold their sticks properly. A stick should be held with both thumb and index fingers placed in the fleshy part of their palm, followed by middle and ring fingers slightly curled around it and finally their pinky finger gently curled around its end, to keep their hand relaxed and prevent unnecessary tension from being placed upon it. Too tight of gripping could result in difficulty controlling it as well as lead to bad habits which hinder performance.
There are many resources available to beginners looking to learn drumming, most offering free videos or lessons. One excellent choice for this purpose is New Drummers Start Here’s comprehensive video course covering everything from setting up your kit and holding sticks properly, to playing basic songs – and all for only $7! – much cheaper than an Uber ride!