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I've
been playing for 30+years my best tip is play simple
feel the beat (basic beat-snare,base, hi hat) old country
music needs only the basics. Listen to blues to feel simple
fills(snare rolls and cymbals)then Rock. there are many
songs that sound good with a streight beat and no fills.A
fill in the wrong place or out of time will sound BAD.when
you have mastered these go to Jazzand you are on yur own.
- Randy
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Not
to disagree with another tipster, but PLEASE do
not hold your sticks so loose that if someone comes
along and hits them they fall out. That is very poor
technique and you'll loose yourself all over the kit.
you will have no control. loose handling is also seen
as cheating your way out of building chops. - trace
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Do
you want the band to stay off your back about keeping
good time? Play with a click trick or use one of those
time keeping measuring things on your snare drum. This
will end your misery. - Drummer Man
 Post
Drum Tips
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your tips, drum secrets, drum tricks, or drum lessons
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If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
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|
You
can spike your hair, get a tatoo, pierce your lip,
and cut holes in your pants. None of these will land you
the gig if you can't play the drums well. Spend as much
time on practicing your drums as you do trying to be cool.
- Punk Roger
|
Reverse
your two rack toms. This creates a different type
of sound when you're playing a drum fill down them.
If you have two floor toms, you can do it with them
also. Put the lower tom first and then the higher floor
tom. - Laten Hunter
|
|
If
your playing a show and you lose a stick make sure
u keep the snare beat instead of the highhats or cymbal
it will make a better recovery and potentially save the
song and even your SHOW!!! - Colton Bergman
|
|
Practice
beyond your band. Don't just practice what your band
needs but practice for your future. Pick a band that you
would like to eventually play drums with. Work on their
songs. Work on the licks, beats, and drum fills required
to play their music. This way you're contstantly moving
forward. - Riley O'
|
When
playing with a band play what fits and sounds right
for the song. There will be other times to show off
and do solos. - Josh
To
the Top
|
|
Listen to all types of music and different bands.
Jazz, metal, rock, punk, pop, etc. You’ll learn a
lot just by listening to other drummers. - Josh
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When
submitting tips on here, to spell your tips CORRECTLY.
It's dead annoying. On to my original idea...Try playing
with your dented/scratched drumsticks, you get a different
sound to fresh ones. - Someone Far Away
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|
If
your in a band or playing gigs and there is no room
for your drums! Take a tom tom holder that is from a pearl
set and lay the floor tom tom like a bass drum so you
can connect a bass drum pedal! Drill a hole in the middle
of the drum and the holes to match the tom tom holder
once secured you take the top part of the pearl snare
drum stand and stick it in the tom tom holder tighten
the screws connect your snare drum to the stand and you
have your customized cocktail set! Good luck! P.s Can
do the same with the toms - Tony Page
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|
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A
good tip is to do rudiments on the snare then do
it on the toms until you reach the floor tom and then
come back up. keep repeting it but going faster every
time. Also try doing your rudiments on the bass drum.
IT WORKS SERUISLY!! - Tony Stinchcomb
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|
DON'T
THINK that you have to put a pillow in your bass drum
to get a non-resining sound. The trick is to tune the
resin (outer) head first. Take a single sheet of paper
towel and fold it twice over itself to make a square.
Use duct tape on all four sides to attach it to the lower-center
of the head. MAKE CERTAIN that it is not too tight against
the head, because rather than dampening it, it will act
as part of the head and do very little of what you are
trying to achieve. Tune the resining head up just a little
of what you're aiming for. (The batter head will make
up for it.) Next, the batter. Do the same paper towel
trick in the same position on this. Tighten the head equally
on all lugs.
After this, fine-tune the batter head up or down to tune
out the "ringing" or "buzzing" sound.
Make sure to stretch the heads first around the shell
by putting pressure on the outside of them pressing against
the shell. This will extend the life, make it easier to
tune, and help it stay in tune longer.
Pillow and blankets and newspapers or whatever people
throw in their drum is highly unnecessary, the key it
to tune the heads to the point that they 'vibrate', if
you will, at the same frequency. - ZAC
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Over
the years, I've been playing desktops, my knees, the
kitchen table, the arms of chairs, garbage cans, hampers,
pots, pans, you name it. As a kid I almost started believing
my first name was "Dammit!" You know what I'm
saying! :)
Anyway,
the one thing that has always inspired me was to watch
other drummers. I have always been amazed to just watch
another drummer play their kit. Especially jazz drummers;
seeing (and hearing) the subtle ghost hits and fills
, how effortless they seem to do it, their kick pedal
work. It makes me want to play just for the sheer joy
of playing! And I believe that to be the ultimate secret
to being a good drummer. You love what you do.
Another
thing that has helped is playing a steady, weekly gig
for over three and a half years. It has improved my
playing tremendously. Which brings me to the second
hint, listen to the rest of the band. I don't mean the
singer who's b****ing at you to play more quietly, I
mean to listen to what they're playing, and how the
song is developing. A few other posters have said that
they see the drummer as serving the band, and I firmly
believe that to be the case. Be yourself, but hear what
the band is doing, and work hard to make *them* sound
good.
We
drummers have great power! We can inspire, we can distract,
we can run the whole train right off the tracks! I've
found that as I continue to learn to listen to my bandmates,
and learn to anticipate their needs, the tighter we
get. When that "magic" happens, everyone just
smiles, and the synergy just keeps increasing.
One
last thing; if you hear the band start to lose it, do
not follow them. Keep the beat! If the singers collapses,
keep the beat. If the guitarist kabongs himself, keep
the beat. No matter ehat, keep the beat. The others
are relying on you to keep the foundation strong, so
don't worry, they'll catch up to you. And remember to
play it just as the song should go, if they lose it
going into the bridger, play the bridge. They're expecting
it, and will catch up.
To
sum up, be inspired, listen to the band, be yourself.
And don't try being the best, just be a good, reliable
drummer that inspires confidence in the others, and
the rest will follow.
My
2 cents... humbly submitted. - Bob
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|
Listen to great drummers like Buddy Rich, Mike
Portnoy (Dream Theater), Neil peart (Rush), John bonham,
Moby dick (led zeppelin), and you'll know what real drumming
is. Look up there solos on youtube, they are freaking
Drum gods! - Dylan
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|
Wear
ear protection of some sort, preferably with filters.
Playing drums regularly will damage your ears! Also be
carefull with (monitor)headphones. Hearing damage is permanent.
- Mike
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Watch
alot of music videos, watch what the drummer is
doing, that's how I learned to drum, watch Bonzo, Ringo,
Nicko Mcbrain, Clive Burr, Neal Peart, peter chris,
Lars, nick mason , nick menza, Dave Lombardo,etc see
what they are doing, it really works. - Richard Harris
To
the Top
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|
FOR
BEGINNERS WHO WANT FAST HANDS-all beginners go out
and buy a drumkit when they start or practise pads.....but
the best way to enhance you speed is a phonebook(or any
thick books with paper fronts)....i no,sounds stupid but
the thing is, drums and most practise pads ar bouncey...so
after a few weeks of playing your weak hand is most likely
bouncing....so you think your fast but your not...and
you wont get faster.....but practising on a phonebook
or what-ever will inprove you speed sooner rather than
later........and remember you wont get fast over night....it
takes months!!giz a shout back 4 more tips on bebo - descott55
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Buy
a strip of FELTAC (felt for sticking under tables
and chairs)from the hardware store. Cut it and stick
it on the cam under the chain on your pedals when the
felt that is there wears out. - Jim Dwyer
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|
Buy
some laytex tubing from the drug store or get some
from a chemistry lab. It can be used as follows:
Replacing
cymbal sleeves on you stands.
Instead
of stuffing cotton in your lugs to stop the springs
from rattling you can cut a piece of the laytex tubing
and use it to replace the springs!
Cut
two small pieces of laytex tubing and put them over
your drum stick tips. Now you have a pair of practice
sticks that you can play on any surface without marking
it and the rebound is better than a RealFeel pad! -
Jim Dwyer
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|
I
suggest looking into the work of Danny Carey (Tool).
He is widely known for his creative drumming, using complex
time signatures and great technique. The way he integrates
drums and time signatures into the sound of his band is
quite unique and something to reach for. - M.G.S
|
This
key to marching snare drum: RELAX. - Tyler V.
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your tips, drum secrets, drum tricks, or drum lessons
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If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
|
|
While
playing a "single hand" double or single stroke
fill around the toms try adding ghost notes on your
snare. Not only does this subtly fill in the dead spots
between toms but it makes the beats sound closer together
thus sounding cleaner and after alot of practice it will
sound faster without more energy being excerted. - Ches
- Founder, Christian Drummers Hall of Fame
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|
Buy
a mixer (I got mine at Radio Shack) and feed the drumset
synthesizer signal into it. I also have feeds into the
mixer for a metronome, an iPod and a CD player. Then I
mix whatever I want together and run that signal thru
a 40 channel graphic equalizer to get what I want. - James
Rader
|
Buy
a strip of FELTAC (felt for sticking under tables
and chairs) from the hardware store. Cut it and stick
it on the cam under the chain on your pedals when the
felt that is there wears out. - Jim Dwyer
|
|
Wear
ear protection of some sort, preferably with filters.
Playing drums regularly will damage your ears! Also be
careful with (monitor) headphones. Hearing damage is permanent.
- Mike
|
|
For
a rivet cymbal sound, hang your keys on the wing nut
of your ride cymbal. - Jazzy J.
|
|
A
good tip is to do rudiments on the snare then do it
on the toms until you reach the floor tom and then come
back up. Keep repeating it but going faster every time.
Also try doing your rudiments on the bass drum. IT WORKS
SERIOUSLY!! - Tony Stinchcomb
|
|
If
your in a band or playing gigs and there is no room
for your drums! Take a tom tom holder that is from a pearl
set and lay the floor tom like a bass drum so you can
connect a bass drum pedal! Drill a hole in the middle
of the drum and the holes to match the tom tom holder
once secured you take the top part of the pearl snare
drum stand and stick it in the tom tom holder tighten
the screws connect your snare drum to the stand and you
have your customized cocktail set! Good luck! P.S. Can
do the same with the toms - Tony Page
|
|
Most
drummers crash on "1" at the end of a drumfill.
Try playing over the bar line. Keep going and crash on
the "and" of 1, into the snare backbeat on beat
"2". There are lots of different ways to do
it but this is one that I like. - Tubby Heller
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- Percussion
|
|
Take
my word for it. Do NOT use an electric buffer on your
cymbals. - T-Bone
When playing with a band play what fits and sounds right
for the song. There will be other times to show off and
do solos. - Josh
|
|
Practice
beyond your band. Don't just practice what your band
needs but practice for your future. Pick a band that you
would like to eventually play drums with. Work on their
songs. Work on the licks, beats, and drum fills required
to play their music. This way you're constantly moving
forward. - Riley O'
|
|
If
you're playing a show and you lose a drumstick make
sure u keep the snare beat instead of the highhats or
cymbal it will make a better recovery and potentially
save the song and even your SHOW!!! - Colton Bergman
|
|
When
you're playing a drum solo, try to keep your high
hat foot going so that it helps the other musicians in
the band know where you are. If you can't keep it going
throughout then mark 1 somehow every few bars to ensure
they know where 1 is. - Peter Citronelli
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lessons with us!
If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome your
submission.
|
|
You
know those Zero ring things? Well they make them in
different widths and the different widths will give you
different sounds. Try all of them and experiment. - Johnn
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|
Reverse
your two rack toms. This creates a different type
of sound when you're playing a drum fill down them. If
you have two floor toms, you can do it with them also.
Put the lower tom first and then the higher floor tom.
- Laten Hunter
|
|
You
can spike your hair, get a tattoo, pierce your lip,
and cut holes in your pants. None of these will land you
the gig if you can't play the drums well. Spend as much
time on practicing your drums as you do trying to be cool.
Punk Roger
|
|
Odd
times are a lot easier to play if you think of the
bar in groups. For example, a bar of seven can be 3 beats
and 4 beats, or it can be 2 beats plus 2 beats plus 3
beats, or it can be 5 beats, plus 2 beats. You get the
picture. - John Paul
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|
Do
you want the band to stay off your back about keeping
good time? Play with a click trick or use one of those
time-keeping measuring things on your snare drum. This
will end your misery. - Drummer Man
|
|
Buy
yourself a drum stool with a real thick padding. You
then won't be hurting so much after that 4th set. - D.M.
DRUMTIPS.com
Over
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Tips, Tricks, and Secrets for Drums!
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|
Don't
clean your cymbals with bronze cleaner. It will take
the logo off of your cymbal. Learned that the hard way.
- Dustin D.
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Don't
put an artist on your bio unless you've played with
that artist. Your band opening up for that artist is not
the same as playing with them. - Diddy
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Practice
for perfection. Don't settle for anything less than
"great". - Moon Unit
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When
you're playing a big power fill down the drums in,
hit the crash cymbal with one of your tom hits now and
then. This helps fill up the fill and adds flavor to it.
It makes it sound bigger and more interesting. - Mike
Fox
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|
Liven
up your drum solo by playing with your hands. The
crowd digs it. - Bistra
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|
Think
twice before throwing your drumsticks into the crowd.
If you injure someone, they could sue you. - Jeddy
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|
When
testing out ride cymbals, be sure to use the sticks
that you normally play with. A ride cymbal can sound different
with different stick sizes and variations. - Mitch
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|
Think
twice about having people help you pack your drums
up at the end of the night. They'll often do more damage
than good. - Steve L. Morrey
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|
Take
the time to clean your drums and cymbals. They look
awesome on stage when they're sparkling!! - No name given
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|
Here's
a tip if you play electronic drums and are just learning
like me. Buy a mixer (I got mine at Radio Shack) and feed
the drumset synthesizer signal into it. I also have feeds
into the mixer for a metronome, an iPod and a CD player.
Then I mix whatever I want together and run that signal
thru a 40 channel graphic equalizer to get what I want.
- James Rader
|
|
A
stage and light effects can really make your drums
look bigger and more exciting to play in.. Literally even
if you play just a basic beat, the light effects would
make it look like you did something amazing. - Edmil
Quiambao
|
Remember
to always remain relaxed when playing. When you
are playing fast you should not be holding the sticks
tightly. Someone should be able to pull the sticks out
of your hands with ease. Relaxed grip + relaxed body
= tension free and injury free drumming.
- Pete Privitere
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your submission.
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|
You
can make a single bass pedal sound like a double pedal
by first: finding the sweet spot and, second: by rolling
from your heel to toe it really works i still use it on
my double pedal but now it sounds like a triple pedal
- JoNo
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When
putting drums to a song, imagine what you would want
the drums to sound like. don't try to stand out too much.
Just give the guitars the force they need! - Daniel
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|
There
is no best drummer in the world. That is just opinion.
- Tommy
|
Heres
some tips on tuning a snare drum: Use a tighter
drumhead tuning for the bottom of the snare. Also make
sure the snares are not too tight or the drum will sound
choked. - Mylo
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|
1)
Play with a band you will learn alot faster.
2) Listen to music and try to play it out in your head.
3) If your curious on how to do something look it up,
don't be afraid.
4) Move your things around to where you play confortable.
- Dragon Drummer
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|
DO
NOT USE DUCK TAPE when you are trying to get the muffling
out. Because it will live sticky marks on the surface
of the drum head. - arvin
|
RULES
ABOUT ROLLS: Count 16th notes from the start of
the roll to the end of the roll. - rockwood drummer
DRUMTIPS.com
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|
|
If
you don't want dents in your heads, be sure the tom
angles are not too slanted. Also, don't hit the drums
so hard. There's no need to hit so hard. The other thing
that will dent the heads is if they're cheap drumheads.
Be sure you get quality drumheads. - Travis Barker
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|
He
who stops being better, stops being good! - Al
|
Sometimes
you want the woody sound from vintage drums! such
as 1970 ludwig or roger or gretch drums I couldn't afford
ludwig drums! So I brought Ludwig shells and brought
lugs and rims and skins not necessarly ludwig! Example-
made ludwig tom-toms out of ludwig marching snare drums
buying them from e-bay! The ludwig marching drum was
$15.00 and bought the parts I ended up with the Ludwig
sound for less than $400 And have a 5pc Ludwig drum
set By the way did the same with the ludwig chrome snare
shell and Bass drum shell! Good Luck!! This article
is not for drum collector's! - pro drummer since
1975
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Share
your tips, drum secrets, drum tricks, or drum lessons
with us!
If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
|
|
Playing to the radio can help your tempo - justin
cannon
|
|
Never
drink strong Coffee before a gig. I drank cup immediately
before a gig once and had a lot of trouble controlling
my sticks when trying to play doubles and also during
a slower song due to the caffine. The adrenaline rush
from the coffee was great for my confidence though. -
Bleachy
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|
To
make a cocktail drum set from a Floor to-tom! Take
a 16x16 or 18x18 lay it on the side like a bass brum on
the center of the drum drill holes for the to-tom holder
and screw holes using the tom- tom holder it as a template!
Take the floor tom-tom leg holders and put them toward
the front like the bass leg spurs! Then take a bass drum
lug and tee tenion rod and put it on the the bottom of
the drum so it connects to the rim and then secure by
drilling the hole so you can secure the lug & screws
into the shell!!once secure you can add the bass drum
pedal! To stop the ringing sound Cut a round hole using
a coffe top lid as hole template once bottom skin which
will become front skin once the floor-tom-tom is on the
side like the bass drum skin is cut stuff paper inside,
so it makes it sound more like a bass drum!and srops the
ring sound you can then take the top part of your snare
stand and put it into your tom-tom holder attach snare
to the top stand which then it now becomes your cocktail
set and use it when there is no room for your complete
drumset at a gig! Thanks - Tony the professional drummer
for over 30 years!
|
Remember
to relax and breath through your nose when playing
your drums.Breathing through your nose will help you play
longer and stay strong the whole way through solos and
fast tempo songs.Sit up stright keeping your back from
sloughing and bad posture will also help you stay strong,Remember
we are the back-bone to ALL BANDS we need to keep fit.To
all drummers play on......... I've been drumming
for 44 years and still play strong. - Chris Ortega
|
You'll
never be able to do anything without confidence.
Don't be shy of messing up and just rock the house.
- JM
To
the Top
|
One
of my tips is, if you can't afford a drumset... don't
go into det to get one! I didn't! i borrowed a friends
electic set! and then when he wanted it back, i played
airdums for a year! but then it turned out that, because
i didn't buy a piece of junk, i got a used 6 peice DW
set (with a coulpe cymbals) for under 2 grand!! believe
me! it was worth waiting for!!
And
also, i don't think there is suck a thing as "the
best drummer"! it all depends on what you like!!!
in my mind the best would have to be the best at every
stile of music!! not just one! - Michael Ryzuk
|
If
you have problems with your kit never feeling the
same after moving it around to gigs, etc., set it up exactly
the way you want it on your rug (or A rug if you don't
have one yet) and mark where all your pieces go with masking
tape. Using memory locks on cymbals, toms, etc. is also
a great idea. My rug is literally my "map" for
where everything on my kit goes.
How
you set your kit up is an ongoing process of determining
what's ergonomically best for you, and may change with
time as you add and remove pieces or become aware of
certain things being more or less comfortable for you.
- Christina
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|
You
are only as fast as the your left hand will permit
(right hand for lefties) - Brian Uribe
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|
You're
the best drummer... .just don't be cocky about it.
You can learn something from anyone rookie or vet - Hottwillz
|
When
first starting out drumming or just learning a new
complicated beat start out at a slow tempo. When i say
slow I mean like 30 bpm slow! Trust me this technique
works dont try to play a beat at full tempo just take
your time and start out slowly and after you can play
the beat at that tempo succesfully practice getting
faster and faster each time. Trust me i still use this
to learn and improve my timing one beats! anyways good
luck to you all and keep practicing and if u get frustrated
take a 10 minutes break this always works for me ok
good luck to all - Joseph Dixon
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your tips, drum secrets, drum tricks, or drum lessons
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If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
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|
While
playing fills, you don't have to do a fast solo the
whole way through. Do a quick solo and then do a flam
and then a slow single stroke the rest of the way around
the set. - D-Man-Dizzle
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|
I see alot of "tips" on how to muffle
and dampen your drums. I suggest finding the right heads
for your musical situation and learn how to tune them
properly instead of choking them. Why would you want to
dampen great overtones? - Robert/American Motherload
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|
A
good musician practices until he/she gets it right.
A great musician practices until he/she can't get it wrong.
Never give up. - Jeff
|
IF u wnat to check HOW GOOD U r at Drumming....
practice DRUM regualrly for 1 MONTHS without a DAY gap...
then after a MONTH take a WEEK or 3-4 DAYS GAP....>>>
DURING those DAYS don't think DRUM at all... and the DAY
when U PLAY DRUMS.....U will know GREAT DRIFFERENCE in
UR STYLE and CAPACITY of UR DRUMMING! - Srijan
|
Before DRUMMING U should know what DRUM IS:
D= DO it patiently
R= RELAX for moment
U= UNDERSTAND what U want to play
M= Memorize Ur Beats and Playings
UNDERSTAND these....U will definitely be in TOP among
DRUMMERS! - Srijan
To
the Top
|
|
Dont
always kiss (keep it simple stupid). serve the song.
if the song calls for complex, then so be it. but it would
sound pretty funny playing simple over a complex rhythm
if it didnt call for it. just like neil peart said, if
its simple then it better be exceptionally good - pete
privitere
|
To become super quick on your fills simply perform
simple rolls on the snare at a reasonable speed if your
a begginer, slowly speed up and throw in the odd tom
hit, then speed up again, you can build up amazing speed,
my fills sound so amazing because i can double up on
the tempo on a fill at any speed and any duration, trust
me it makes your style unique - The drum god Shawn
Dimery
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|
Dont
underestimate the abilities of drummers like Phil
Rudd of AC/DC and Rick Allen of Def Leppard! Many of their
songs are simple straight ahead 4/4 but listen to songs
like Def Leppards Foolin and AC/DC's Back In Black for
a lesson on fluidity! Ringo gets bad mouthed on this tips
site too much! Ringo shouldn't be underestimated either!
He's only the drummer of the greatest rock band EVER!
- Brandon
|
|
My
drum tip is to listen to calvin rodgers he has been
the best drummer out for the past four years and the best
drummer right now.You also need to do rudiments. - charles
lewis
|
Want
to keep your base drum sounding like a base drum,
and not a overstuffed wooden barrel? Well, take an old
bath towel, then cut off the write length to fit a crossed
your drum, but remember to allow your self an inch or
two longer to be able to hold it in place, cut about
a 4-6 inch whide strip and place it over the middle
of the drum with the head off. Then place your batter
head back on, and tune it up. Then buy one of those
Remo Muffle rings that mount on the barring edge of
your base drum, and place this on the front side of
the drum, and gently tighten down the logo head. If
you don't want to get one of those, just do the same
thing on the front side of the drum as the back side.
This gives your drum a deep punchy sound, but doesn't
allow the base drum to over power the rest of your drum
set. No more messing arround with pillos or blankets!
You can flip your base drum upside down, or role it
down a hil, and the sound won't change! (don't try this,
unless you want a damaged drum! haha - Jake
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Wipe
down your cymbals before you pack them up. This helps
keep dust and grime from accumulating on them so quickly.
- John Drumming
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If you ever audition for a drumming
part just remember that you are the best and if you dont
get the part then you are just having an "off"
day but you are still the best. - stacey
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Don't think playing drums faster is more difficult.
Try the same rithym with a tempo of 60 bpm - Kike
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Don't
listen to mindless people. there is a thing called
reverse trad. and it is for leftys on the kit, but anyone
can do it. *There is not wrong way to hold drumsticks*
- Jimmy Davies
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Most
rudiments are made up of singles and doubles. If
you master these two basic, primary rudiments, the rest
of your rudiments will soar! - Juni Juniper
To
the Top
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Check
the bearing edges of your drums. If the edges aren't
straight, the drumheads won't seat properly and it will
negatively affect your drum sound. Remember, the sharper
the cut, the more attack and sustain the drum will have.
- Oger
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Do
you buy your own mics and run your own cables? Save
yourself some time by making your own mic snake. This
will help organize things and make setups a lot faster.
- Pete Sansen
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Drummers
sometimes get used to keeping their hands together
when they do fills. Think more linearly (is that a word?).
Think of spreading your hands out when you play fills.
This will open you up to more ideas. - Rock (Animal)
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Buy
yourself a cheap practice kit to keep at home. That
way if you're stuff is locked up in a band van, you can
still practice. - Loopy
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Every
drummer you have ever heard on a major label release,
whether it be country, metal, rock, jazz, pop, disco
ect...Is a very well accomplished drummer and knows
what they are doing! If they didn't they wouldn't be
there. Don't ever rip on other musicians abilitlies...That
will never help you improve. - Brandon
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If your a beginner and want to become good quick,
always jam with musicians that are more experienced than
you are. - Bobby
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Learn to play over the bar line with drum licks
and drum fills. It will make your beats sound more interesting
on the drums and it will add to your bands sound. - Michel
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This
is a tip about tuning your drums. When you put on
new drumheads and you tune them, you will need to tune
them back up again a few hours of playing them, or if
they sit overnight. This is because the heads will stretch
and the overall pitch will drop on each drum. You'll need
to tweak them back up to where you had them. - Niel
Pert
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If
you want to make your practice pad sound like a real
snare drum, just add a sheet of aluminum foil on the top.
- bob
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Use
a program called TabTrax. It's very cheap and is
a brilliant program to write drum music properely aswell
as drum tabs and also converts drum tab to drum music
(for the readers among you) and it does all this with
proper notation. - tom
To
the Top
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Always remember two words: MORE COWBELL! Seriously.
It's a very distinct sound, and is a great addition to
most any style. Work it into your next solo or a gig.
It'll get attention. People go nuts over a cowbell. -
Shane
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Hardcore
drumming. try writing songs which your bass drum
follows guitar on palm muted parts. such as break downs,
bridges, ect. even, consistancy, and control is key.
speed means nothing without anything else. - kevin
maslan
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LISTEN
TO HEART AND BRAIN WHEN PRACTICING THERE ARE YOUR
BEST TEACHERS AND THAT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN U ARE FOCUSING
- REGINALD
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Drum
Tuning Tip: Put a dab of vasoline on your tension
rods before screwing them into the drum. This makes them
go in easier and it preserves the life of the screw. -
Big Lou
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Remember,
the approach to Concert Snare is different that
that of Marching Snare. Be sure to study this and don't
get the techniques confused. - Max
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Double
bass drumming
is like lifting weights. You can't just sit down and play
200 beats per minute when you've never done it before.
You have to take it slow and don't speed up. This goes
for any beat too on the drumkit. - Greg
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When
you tune your rack toms, muffle your renosant head,
(not your batter), and tune your renosant head tighter
than your batter. This creates a wet sound without overtones.
But on your floor tom, do the exact oppisite (you will
still get the same sound. - Colby
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Your
Drumstick Teqnichque: When holding traditinal grip,
try do do your rudiments on a practice pad with light-weight
sticks, when you mastered the rudiment, try to master
it on a concert snare (still holding traditinal, your
grip is vital to the sound), then try the rudiment on
a marching snare. Than try the SAME rudiment with marching
sticks. This really helps you master the rudiment faster,
and remember, you cant be too fast! (As long as it is
not obnochious) - Colby Herrington
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LEARN
TO READ MUSIC, ESPECIALLY DRUM MUSIC AND NOTATION!
Just about anything you want to do is written down somewhere.
It saves a lot of time rather than trial and error. It's
like learning to read words. Remember that the REASON
for written music and learning to read it is the same
as reading words. It's a medium to communicate and exchange
an idea. Never listen to those who will say "I won't
learn how to read because it may mess up my style or I
can memorize things fast". Thats all nonsense my
fellow drummers. EXAMPLE: You got a call to record tracks
with someone you never played with. You get to the studio
and they booked the studio for "X" amount of
time. They hand you the charts to the tunes they want
to record. TIME=MONEY in the studio. Your job is to read
the charts and play the part as if you have played the
music many times before. Don't only learn how to read
just snare drum music, learn drum set music and most importantly
(if you play drum set) is to learn how to read DRUM CHARTS.
Drum charts are a different animal than snare drum or
drumset music. You must master the 4 elements of chart
reading...TIME-SET UP-KICK AND RETURN (BACK TO TIME) -
Andy Weis
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Use
drumsticks not your hands! - Johnny Quest
To
the Top
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Don't
learn to play songs EXACTLY. EXPERIMENT it makes you
more creative, change drum parts to parts you think are
better and play those :) hope this helps :P - experiment
|
If you keep speeding up, dont play to a metrenome.
play to a song you like and has a basic 4/4 time signature.
this will get you used to playin in time with other
instruments :) - timing
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I find playing without shoes helps. i think its
because your feet are more flexible and you can be mre
precise :) - drummer
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Look i know this sounds disgusting (maybe) but
if you keep getting blisters, pop them if there not
deep, put a plaster on it for a few days. then when
the skin goes hard as it is healing, play. play everyday
and the skin should stay hard like this. no more blisters
:) - drummer
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ONLY
and i repeat ONLY!!! spin/flip/throw/twirl your
stick if 1. you have a spare close to hand, 2. you are
extremely confident in your stick throwing/spinning/flipping
and the like.. because if you drop the stick or cock
up ur gonna pretty damn embaressed!! if you can throw/flip
etc etc.... your sticks, it looks as good as hell!!!!!!!
:):) - drummer
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Are
you going to cut a hole in your bass drum as a port
hole? Keep in mind that the size of the hole you cut affects
how your bass drum will sound. I like the smaller diameter
holes but the larger you cut the hole, the dryer your
sound will be because it lets more air out and it resonates
less. So experiment around with some different hole sizes.
As and FYI, where you place the hole on the front of the
head also affects the shape of the sound. - Spaz
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Keep
your snare high and your toms low. - James
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Play
every where u can i have played on my pillows and
couch and every other place u can think of keep practicing
- Kyle Robbins
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Drum
head companies hate me.To get longer use out of your
heads,take a heat gun and apply it to the pock marks and
or dents in your heads.Do it about an inch from the top
of the head and you will disperse the plastic around on
the head and eliminate the marks.If you do change the
head cut it up for zero rings.Dont buy them,come on drums
are expensive lets keep that overhead low,so we can spend
more money on hookers haha - matt gray hardcore
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I
encourage everyone to experiment with other types
of music as much as possible. Who wants to hear someone
playing a blast beat for an hour straight, or doing
the same basic backbeat for a half hour. Be creative!!
- Bonecrusher
To
the Top
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Stay
hydrated. Water or gatorade are the best for shows.
Energy drinks are good, but do burn off fast and then
you can have a caffeine and sugar crash. Alcohol is ok
as long as your not drunk. Then you just embarass yourself
and your band. - Bonecrusher
|
Everyone
probably knows this but, if you want to make a cool
sound with your cymbal (any cymbal) drum really fast
on it starting VERY quiet and just keep getting louder.
- Joseph
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Rewrapping
your drums: If you want to rewrap your drums, you
might have a problem getting the old drum wrap off. Use
a heat gun and hold it over the wrap while pulling up
on it. The heat gun melts the glue underneath and allows
you to pull the drum wrap off. You might need to use a
dull knife or a putty knife to wedge underneath and guide
it along. - Max
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When
recording in the studio if your drums have a drums
rack and you find you are getting some weird hi-pitch
sounds at the board but you dont know what it is ??? well
it is most likly your rack ....I found if you stufff them
with newspaper or spray foam the hi pitch noise will go
away ....hopes this helps. - Jaret Demaries
|
When
playing a beat play 3 bars and a one bar fill -
Shimmy
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For
a better sounding bass drum you can use weather stripping
on the inside of the head. If you use too much it will
muffle it too much. - cody
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Drum
set up is critical! Every drummer's set up is different,
find the sweet spots for all you're pieces! ( my uncle
owns a superior Tama Rockstar to my Pearl Export, and
yet, since the set up on his is so different, i can play
much beter on mine, go figure! =) - Johnny
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If you're listening to your iPod while drumming,
use shuffle so you get something new every time. And remember
you don't need to kill your ears to hear it. - Tony
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Dont
let friends stop you from drumming - carl
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If you are a begginner, play your snare drum
ONLY, forget every other drum you own. The better you
are on your snare drum, the better your play will be
when you cross over to the kit as a whole. Dynamics,
rolls, paradiddles, and accents will make you sound
like a pro and your time spent behind the snare will
set you apart from other drummers. I took lessons for
6 years, the first year and a half was devoted to snare
only; and as much as i hated my drum teacher for making
me do that, i cannot believe how much better i am behind
the kit now. DO IT AND REAP THE BENIFITS LATER - Mike
To
the Top
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Wel
wen it comes to drums i think u should play wit passion
and heart keep toms in so u dont hav to reach out - Asher
mcCane
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Use remo heads they xock with an x plus they
lok sweet with a red drum set plus look up mike novak
from "Every TimeI Die" c u later - Asher
mcCane
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Try
out the heal-toe method and then incorperate first
into simple rock beats. - Sawsall
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Often when a song has a guitar or bass opening
before the drums kick in, I have a problem with the vibrations
rattling my snares. A little trick I have found works
excellent is to lay your hand with all five fingers spread
out directly in the center of the snare. No more annoying
rattle. - Jeff P
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If you find yourself dropping or losing sticks
often, buy a stick bag (no need to get expensive here,
the $10 kind work just fine), and tie it up to your
floor tom on the side closest to you. That way a new
stick is always within reach. - Jeff P.
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If
you have a lot of stands to carry from gig to gig
but don't have road cases, invest in a sturdy, extra-large
duffel bag. You're going to want want at least 3 feet
long. That way you can put all of your stands in one
bag and save yourself a lot of hauling trouble. But
you're going to want to have someone else help you carry
it, as several stands can really add up in weight. Plus
it is best to have two people carry it with their hands
underneath the bag and the stands to save wear and tear
on the bag. Some bags that large can be really expensive,
so shop around before buying. I have a 42" long
bag myself that the other band members call the "body
bag" that I found on eBay for less than $30 (shipping
included) that has lasted over two years so far. - Jeff
P.
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|
Of
all the millions of people there are, we all came
from just 2 people....Adam & Eve. So I've been told.
Of all the millions of beats there are, pretty much all
came from just two rudiments....the single and double
stroke. So the sooner you master these two rudiments (slow
to fast)the better your odds to becoming a good drummer.
- ShanghaiDude
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Want
a cheap way of practicing without the noise? Get pillowcases
and lay them over the toms, cymbals. Hang one over the
base and put two folded cases on the snare. Be creative,
drum away, no more neighbourhood complaints!!! - Emily-Jayne
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Fact. ANIMAL is the best drummer ever. he once
threw a bass drum at buddy rich. beat that. - Gabe.
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When
you make a mistake on the drums, don't fret; turn
it into something cool! Mistakes are sometimes the catalyst
for great ideas. Think about how you can turn that mistake
into a unique drumbeat or drumfill. - Lyle
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Learn the way I did and if your drumhead is buzzing,
it needs to be replaced. How often I guess is up to
you but if it buzzes or makes a strange sound, it probably
has a rip in the head. - Peanut
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Before
you throw some old torn up drums out, take them apart
and reuse the parts. They can be worth a lot of money.
Don't believe me? Go to the drum shop and ask about the
price of some drum parts. You'll see. Also, buy junk drums
at garage sales and strip them down for the parts. You
can build your own drums with some of these parts. - Allen
EIey
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|
Here's
my drum tip: If you smoke, QUIT! I quit a year ago
and I don't get tired out playing the drums like I used
to. Take it from a drummer that's been there. - Stix
Landrey
|
Can't
afford drum cases? Buy some cheap laundry bags with
pull strings. They work great and your drums will thank
you. - Cap'n Groove
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If u ever want to um fast the first thing yo will
need to know is the parradidle on th snare do: rlrr lrll
for 1 min and then do: rrllrrrr llrr llll do t all repT
IDLY UNTIL U GET FASTE - luke russe
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Check
out George Kollias, he's the drummer for a band called
Nile and he is rediculously fast on a double bass. -some
guy
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Keep
some gum or breath mints in your drumgear bag. You
never know when you'll meet a girl on the gig! - Mikel
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Years
ago I picked up this tip from an old funk drummer:
Put a mounted tamborine to the left of your hi-hat. During
fast, straight tunes, you can play 16th's with the right
hand on your hi-hat and your left hand on the tamborine.
So your left hand will play upbeat 16ths. You can then
accent your left hand now and then for some neat effects.
At your kit, you can't really get the full effect but
out front it sounds like someone's playing straight 16ths
on tamborine while you're playing the drum groove. It
works. Try it! - Mike
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A
tip about when you're buying drums. If you know
that you're going to have lights on them, buy drums
that will look good under colored lights. My first drumset
was a color that didn't look good with the differnt
colored lights that were hitting it so I actually sold
it and bought another kit. - Jimbob
To
the Top
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Check
out drumchat.com. Its one of the best drum forums
on the web. Their like my family. - Peter Paul and
Hairy
|
Smoking
while drumming might look cool but its not cool
if it falls out of your mouth and burns your crotch.....also
theres the health thing - Devin
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Have
your snare high and tom low, just above snare hight,
have your hi-hit about same heght as toms - dave
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A
cheap way to take out the over tones on your drums
. Go to Wal-mart and buy some 1/4 inch self sticking weather
stripping . use about 4 inch pieces and put them about
a 1/2 inch from rim of your drums . Keep adding 4 inch
pieces until you get the sound you want . Works great
. - Rick Rosado
|
Get
on the train: Think about time as a trian. If you
fall off, don't try to race back into the car you fell
off of, get on the next one. Taking a breath sounds
better than an asthma attack. You can use this as a
meditation in phrasing as well. - Räm
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Face it... drummers never get the chics/dudes.
because after a gig they are the ones that have to pack
up all their stuff and usually everyone leaves before
the drummer - Stephen
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If
you ever get sprains cramps or tension in your wrists
or legs don't use Lakota topical rub.
It might be fine for normal use but if you sweat heavily
during intense drumming the area where the Lakota has
been applied will burn like crazy during your gig. There
must be some ingredient in there that reacts with sweat
glands. I found that out the hard way. - Gary.
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|
If
you have a cowbell to mount to your bass drum but
don't want to mar the wooden bass drum hoop, use a piece
of felt or moleskin underneath the cowbell holder. This
will protect the wood. - Elvan
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|
First
tip, I haven't touch a drum kit in 10 years due to
illness but have been Air drumming all the time. One thing
I know is that I'm a hell of a better player now than
the last time time I hit those skins, New kit coming soon!
Second tip ,Also I have been playing Drums while driving,You
know, tapping the steering wheel with this hand and hitting
the top of the gear stick with that one, Mainly to Slaughter
,Warrant and Bon Jovi, What I found was that I was playing
the Bass Drum with my Left foot,I can now play right-handed
but left-footed at the same time! Try it it great - The
Two Stick Terror!
|
To get your Beat/stroke/note faster - Please
hold the sticks with two fingers ie Fore finger and
a thumb finger, remaining fingers should just feel the
sticks and place the sticks in the tip of your finger
and practice mummy daddy with 50% of wrist work and
50% of finger work. - Avin Dudu
To
the Top
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Play
with as many other musicians in as many different
genres of music as you possibly can, because you get a
better idea of how to mix ideas while drumming, especially
in advanced solo techniques. jazz rules!!! - max holmberg
|
To
increase your speed. .just practise with heavy sticks
whenever you can..so when you get on the kit with a
lighter pair (5a's or something) you'll fly round..
and use your fingers to hit the sticks faster.
peacex - Ollie
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Don't
forget your left hand. While you're playing a groove
between the snare and the ride cymbal with backbeats,
your left hand can be filling some with quick tom hits.
Used sparingly this can really dress up your drumbeats.
- Larry
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|
TIMING!!!
In an amateur band when the timing is going all wrong--
dont blame the rest of the band, they think it is your
job and will insist that they have it right. To keep band
harmony just say that to get it right you as a drummer
need to do it to a click, put the click through the P.A.
really loud. that will get you all together - granny
drums
|
Unintentional
dull sound off your snare duck tape a coin to the
skin somewhere around the edge. yes, it does
work - donal jessop
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Avoid
unnecessary movement when drumming. If your drums
are set up properly, you should be able to reach all drums
and cymbals with little movement. This combined with proper
balance will maximize your overall performance. - Pete
K.
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|
Be
willing to take criticism from other band members.
Though they might not always be correct, sometimes they
have a point and it is smart to consider their point of
view. - saab
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|
Oil
those pedals! I heard a drummer play the other night
and it was distracting to hear his bass drum pedal squeaking
most of the night. If he'd been recording, it would have
ruined the track. - Big Bob
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|
Incorporate a tamborine into your drum setup. You
can do all kinds of things with it. Mix it into your drumbeats
and drumfills. It'll spice up your drumming. - eel
|
Make
what you are playing feel natural - daniel
To
the Top
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|
Play
because you want to play and because you like it,
not because people want you to. If you're playing, then
you should enjoy it. p.s. MarNeedsCheerleaders rocks!
- Taylor Schooley
|
If you're a self-taught beginning drummer, something
that may help you get out of the rut of playing really
similar beats and tempos is to listen to your favorite
songs and their drum parts. You can listen to them on
a CD player and headphones and play along with them.
Don't worry about messing up. The song will keep playing
so you can jump back in once you've caught the rhythm
again. Start with the basic beat throughout the song,
then add in the fills. It helps a lot! -
Erica
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LINKS