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Don't
become swollen headed when you see you are playing
well. Still get time to rehearse and u will be perfect.
Try and try and try and you will one of the best. -
Dave
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|
First
tip: As a beginner, you don't need a $1000 kit! You
need a cheap on to practice on. Look into used and discount
outlets. Second tip: Cleaning and moving your lit will
do wonders! - Amy
|
|
Need
places to advertise drums?
Do you own a drum company
or want to put on a drum event? Or perhaps you have a
product you would like to market to drummers. DRUM BUM
is a diverse 22 year company with a large network and
a lot of exposure. Contact us at 1-800-DRUM BUM.
|
Though drum workshop makes a good pedal they
make a weak double pedal linkage assembly, so......
get yer self an "axis" linkage dohicky and
bamm! super solid rudimental type double pedal percission.
beings as axis does have round attachments it helps
to have some machined "round to square"converter
pieces"(so ya dont wear out your pedal attachment
thingys).square to round converter pieces can be made
by any qualified machinist from aluminum.just bring
the pedal parts to them they'll handle the measurement.good
luck. - m.c. asian turkey
 Post
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or drum lessons with us!
If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
|
|
When
you think you practiced some lick, drum rudiment,
or independance thing for long enough and that you've
got it... practice it for another month. - Mario
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Keep
a metronome in your car and listen to it while driving.
We play along to music anyway, banging on the steering
wheel. If you drive a long way back and forth to work
like I do, make that part of your practice to make your
timekeeping more solid. - John Odom
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If you have your drums on a hardwood floor, you
need carpet underneath them but if you don't want to
put carpet down, you can cover each leg of the stands
with some cloth by duct taping it on there. - Jack
B Nimble
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Keep
a record of your drum practicing routine. Reward yourself
at special milestones along the way. Nothing motivates
us like success! - Joe Mama
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Don't
waste your money on moon gels. The sticky toys they
sell in gumball machines are made from the same material
and cost next to nothing. So go buy one of those sticky
hands and chop it up! - Ross Carnes
To
the Top
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Try split yoursessions into different parts like,
Warm-up, independance, rudiments, beats and fills, and
hand to foot exercises - Mike
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Drum
books and drum videos give us the tools we need
to grow as drummers. But there is a time when we must
break out of those books and videos and "build"
with the tools we've acquired. This is when you start
taking on an identity of your own. It doesn't mean that
you won't ever use the books or videos anymore. It just
means that you won't get stuck in them. - Little
D
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|
Find
yourself in a bind for mallets for that special cymbal
"wash"? Grab a couple of cymbal felts from your
stick bag and put them on the end of your sticks, They'll
work just fine for the little bit of time you'll need
them - Steve Hlabse
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When
your thumb muscle gets crampy during a gig, especially
when playing endless 8ths on the High hat, having practiced
holding the sticks between the index and middle finger
will give that muscle group a break. Practice switching
back and forth without skipping a beat and your endurance
will be endless. (Yeah I know the thumb muscle shouldn't
become tense!) Just in case it does! - Also, your drumming
will improve no matter what you are playing. Consider
a four hour gig which is what I normally play. If you
aren't a working drummer, you still need to sit and play
for three or four hours sometimes and even more if you
are a total drum nut!~ The way to get some muscle practice
without going through a ton of excercises is to play all
four limbs simultaneously for an hour straight or two.
Take a break and do it again. Your playing will become
more fluid almost immediately. That is one secret many
drum instructors will not share with you, so take it to
heart and try it for the heck of it! It actually simulates
playing a four hour or whatever amount of hours gig without
actually having to be at a gig, since sometimes gigs are
hard to come by. Consider also that noone will hire you
until you decide to hire yourself. Make practice your
job on your off time and if you are too tired after work,
get up four hours earlier than normal and practice during
your best hours and give your boss whatever is left, rather
than the other way around! It's your life~! - Eric
McLaughlin
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Slow
Tempo: Don´t forget to practice patterns at
slow tempo. Also put you metronome at 40 - 60 bpm and
start jamming around, you´ll see its not that
easy. - Mike
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your submission.
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|
Different
tempos: Practice with your band at different tempos.
Ex, If your song is normally played al 80bpm, play it
at 65 bpm, and also faster. This will help you all, to
really listen to all other members. - Mike
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Listen
to the Beatles if your just starting they have very
simple beats that you can copy - Good advice
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Buy
a cowbell, it's a good thing to invest your money
on. It's cheap and you can make so many different tunes
with it. - Joe
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Experiment
with the tension on the spring tension. Because if
you have the tension too tight it will have too much rebound
and it will be harder to push down on, but if you don't
have any tension it will have no rebound and you would
be doing all the work. - kool person
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Want
to find a drum teacher? Look on Craigslist. Also...
teachers; Craigslist is a good place to advertise yourself
as a drum teacher for your city. - Joey
Free
Drum Lessons... at DRUM BUM!
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|
For
more accelerated bass speeds. Try going heel toe,
instead pushing with just your toe. It's like having two
bass pedals.......well not quite. - Dylan
|
My
tip guys is this :: When loading or unloading at
a job {I hate the word gig cause it sounds like your
going fishing} 'never let your vehicle unattended. A
little time is all it takes and watch who you tell about
new gear. knowledge breeds theft. Be careful out there
at 3 or 4 in the morning!!!!! - Ken
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|
A
tip about buying ride cymbals and crash cymbals: The
cymbal up close in the music store will sound a certain
way to you and you might like that sound. But don't forget
the big picture. You have to consider the venues and the
types of bands you will be playing in. How big are the
places? How loud is your band? Etc. A cymbal can sound
very pingy in the music store but that ping might get
lost in the mix on stage. Or a crash cymbal often sounds
like it has all kinds of sustain in the store but the
minute you start playing with it in the band, it often
seems to fade quickly. If you don't consider all of this
when buying your cymbals, you could end up wasting your
money on a cymbal that doesn't work for you. - Cletus
Bofangle
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Before
buying a drumset, take the time to check out reviews
for different drumsets online. You can learn a lot by
other drummer's experiences. I've found a lot of reviews
for drum gear at drumchat.com. - Lil Tim
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Use
Vasoline petroleum jelly to lube the lugs and threads
of the tension rods on your drums. You don't need to
do this every time you change your drum heads but do
it occasionally. - Eli
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your submission.
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1. Can't actually play your drums 'cuz you'll wake
up your kids? Try practicing a variety of single stroke
rolls and licks on things like old pillows or folded up
towels. Also, use massive sticks like 2Bs or larger. Pace
yourself or you'll run outta steam too soon!
2.
Switch it up! Work on your non-dominant hand both on
your drums and in doing everyday things like opening
doors, etc. You want to get to a point to where you
feel like you can do anything with the "other"
hand.
3.
Think you got a beat or rudiment down?? Make sure you
can play it at ANY speed AND volume. - Jeff Popaeko
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Practice
double stroke (long roll) and paradiddles on a PILLOW.
This will build your wrists and make you super fast
once you get on a drum and can bounce the sticks, you'll
have even more power. - Randy Duncan
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Buy
a couple of black table cloths and sew them together.
This makes a great cover for your drums when you have
to haul them in your car. The less people know what you're
hauling around, the less likely they can steal from you.
It acts as a deterent. You can also use this large cloth
as drum cover on long club gigs. - Alex Drummond
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You
are never really ready to get on stage – you
just have to get up there and do it. You only get comfortable
on stage once you realise that it’s okay to make
mistakes – everyone does. Once you’ve come to
terms with that, you can relax on stage and just enjoy
the experience. The trick is to hide those mistakes so
the audience thinks it was intentional ;-) - Carl
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1a. Half an hours practice per day is better
than half an hour per week just before you go for your
next drum lesson.
1b. One to two hours practice per day is better than
half an hour per day. If you can do it make one hour
of playing to set pieces and one hour for practice of
rudimants.
1c. You should also practice your foot work as well
as your stick work - double footbeats really power up
the sound.
1d. This is do as has been said - not do as I do - but
it is best to separate playing and practicing, be it
only 2 x half hours. - T.Owen Brown
To
the Top
|
In
trying to develop speed, you actually have to loosen
your grip and relax. You cannot play fast if you grip
the stick like a club and use arms only. Remember, you
have arms (for big hits) wrists for medium paced hits
and accents) and you have fingers. Fingers can move twice
as fast as wrists. The Moeller method only gets you to
midway until you let inhibition and tightness go. Essentially
Moeller is using the force of one hit to give you 3 hits
(2 bonus ones). You need to practice till you ache/burn
(stop if there is actual pain) as you need to develop
muscle stamina or muscle memory.
Just like in the gym, you workout till it aches and then
some. Then in your day off, the tissue that has been broken
down re-builds itself in more appropriate forms. You can
only play super fast when you can play a rudiment or 'passage'
completely automatically - you cannot play super fast
if you are counting the beats 1,2,3,4. So practice the
rudiments and 'pieces' till you can do them automatically
and reasonably fast - then apply the Moeller method to
them. The Moeller technique only works when you play intuitively
as you play so fast you cannot have time to rationalise
the next move - so you need a good repertoire.
So it is practice of a cyclic nature. 2 to 4 hours per
day practice, practice of rudiments and set pieces till
you have them coming out your finger tips intuitively
and fluidly, keep going back to the moeller method of
speeding up by using fingers/wrists to get 3 hits for
one and building the memory muscles. Do not get despondent
if it is slow in coming - some of these freaky top drummers
practice 6 hours a day - but perhaps they don't play tennis
or go skiing or read books - balance your life as well
as your drumming.
Good luck. - T. Owen Brown
|
Whatever
drum rudiment / pattern your learning, learn it
both right and left handed. Even the most basic single
stroke roll, start with your weakest hand. It really
helps co-ordination. - Spencer
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|
For a little help with coordination and just and
all around good thing to know. try to learn to play free
hand technique, this is where u hit the Hi hat with your
non-dominant hand (left for me) so that your hands are
not crossed. this way you have space to mess around some
more and you also build your left handed coordination.
A really good practice for this is while playing a straight
rhythem with your hands, substitute the bass drum with
your foot, for the floor tom with your snare hand, this
trains your hands to not feel so awkward and gives you
more freedom as a drummer. its also actually fun to do
this with fills, substituting the floor tom for the bass
(sometimes i actually still keep the bass and play the
floor tom with it, giving a bit more powerful sounds.)
- Justin Kokin
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If
you want to play like Dave Grohl, consider htting
two toms or two cymbals at the same time. Also, don't
underestimate the almighty flam. - George P.
|
Want
to know the easiest/quickest way to strengthen your
weakest hand? RLLR RLLR RLLL RLLL (if you're a lefty,
just reverse). Start slowly, but gradually build on
speed. It'll happen sooner than you think. - George
P.
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|
I
dont agree with putting oil or petroleum jelly on
the lugs.That is sticky and just attracts dust and debris.USe
graphite instead. - matt gray hardcore
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Play
both heel up and heel down for maximum dexterity.
Don't limit your self to either of the two. - Brian
|
if
u want to pick up speed and tightness, and overall
flavour and style here are a few tips that took me a
while to realise, but really do help. first and foremost,
practice dillegently, once u get better, never slow
down ur practicing. always play and want to increase
ur skill for urself, not for any band or any other reason,
and in doing this keep in mind to never rush or get
irritated. start as slow as possible, always with a
click, getting perfectly tight on every 10 bpms or so
before incresing speed. calm ur self, focus on relaxed
breathing, and pay acute attention to ur feet an ur
stck grip, feel it fully and try remain loose as possible.
i find that wearing ear plugs while playing u can hear
the kit better without the excess treble, this will
help u see where u arent so tight and it makes the kit
sound great therefore give u incoregment to play better.
keep focused wen u play and try not let ur mind wonder,
i noticed than once this happens i start playing sloppy,
and dropping sticks, so wen this happens to u, let it
be a reminder to focus, naturally. never try do anything,
just simply break it down, and just do it! one last
tip, wen ur writing drums to a track, go over ur work
again and again, dont judge, just listen fully to wat
ur playing to, and keep the feel, with a bit of ur own
spice! keep it real, any of u dudes have tips for me,
im glad to hear em. - calvin
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| Is
your band fighting over tempos of songs, and blaming
you for keeping bad time? I heard from a few drummers in
the drum chat forum that the tempo
ref basically solved that problem for them. I bought
one the other day and IT WORKED!!! I just set it to help
kick off the tempos and if they think the song is dragging,
I show them the tempo ref and they no longer blame me. You
have to make sure you stay with it though. It actually helps
your time. - Peanut |
For
a quick special effects sound, take a tamborine
and throw it up over the hi-hat rod and let it rest
on the hi-hat. You then play the hi hat as normal but
now it jingles! - Tim Drums
To
the Top
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Choose
a carpet for underneath your drums that you can write
on. Take a sharpie and mark where you have your stands.
You now have a guide where everything goes. This will
make setting up your drums a lot easier each time. - John
|
A
drum muffling tip: Some drummers put cotton balls
in their drums to help dampen the sound. - Sevin
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|
|
Quit
saying, "I stole that lick" or "I stole
that drum beat" from so and so. Nobody steals anything.
We all "borrow" each others ideas and expound
on them. Without trying, we generally end up putting our
own sound to it. All of this said, don't alway copy everyone
else. Come up with your own variations of the fills or
groove patterns. Be uniquely YOU! - Not so famous drummer
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Many
define "success" as making a lot of money.
I define success as being happy first and hopefully being
able to also make a decent living at what I love to do.
Never sell out! Maintain your integrity and find happiness
before anything else. - Isley
|
A
cheap and easy way to customise your bass drums..
Check out the car accesory shops for cheap adhesive
decals.. so many to choose from...so little to pay.
- Gary Klata ( UK )
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or drum lessons with us!
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your submission.
|
|
Once
you can play jazz, you can play anything. - Malin
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|
If your gonna start off when starting drumming
with heavy metal start off with like Lamb Of God ro something
maybe easier get the double kicking double then snare
then add in or if your like me just start playing and
if your musically inclide you may get it on your first
try - Dana
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|
When
you make a mistake on the gig, try to memorize what
you did so that you can practice it when you get home.
Maybe you tried to play an over the bar line fill but
got caught and couldn't get back. This is an opportunity
to disect "playing over the bar line" and figure
out what you did wrong so you'll know how to practice
it and you can get it right the next time. - Peter
Piper (he's sneaky like that)
|
Practice
doesnt make perfect, PERFect practice makes perfect,
so don't mess around XD - dood
|
Get
a drumkit, Get some drumsticks, Get a room, Get
some time, Get some friends, Get rid of the annoying
little sister and PRACTICE! - AeMyN CoNnOLLy
To
the Top
|
|
In
tuning your drum heads, it's really a good idea to
use a drum dail. It helps you to be more accurate and
consistent in the sound of your heads, and it also makes
tuning and untuning (if ever necessary) more quick, convenient,
and less difficult and intimidating. - CAL
|
If you put your floor tom at an angle towards
you it makes it easier whenever you run into those times
when you want to hit the snare and floor tom at the
same time for a build up in a song or whatever. It will
reduce the amounts of time you hit the rim when you
dont want to... - Albert Mather
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|
|
Try
to play along with whatever music you can. Constantly
move on to music just a little bit harder, and you will
improve alot. If its too loud for your headphones try
practicing quieter. That will help in volume control.
If your not interested in that just go buy heaphones with
the earplug pieces on them. - Brady
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|
Create
a daily drum routine that you follow. Have a physical
sheet that you check off with regard to your drumming
routine and/or goals. It will help you not only keep track
but allow you to see your progress on paper. - Tex
|
When
you are drumming try to practice every day - ben
alder
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your submission.
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|
First
Lesson in Drumming: If You Can't Say it - You Can't
Play It! When learning any Drum Patch, Drum Rhythm, a
Rudiment or Beat Style, especially by ear off a CD or
Radio or Tape est., learn to "say" or "tongue"
the Rhythm until you get it right in your head, before
trying to play it on the kit. The ear is a super instrument,
and when the licks are in your head, it is so much easier
to lay them down. - Dave Coulombe
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USE
FINGERS FOR DOUBLES NOT HANDS!@ - Alex Like
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Practice!
- ashton
|
|
Mistakes
are stepping stones to failure - bob
|
Can't
find a comfortable setup? start off with just the
bass and snare like you were playing. Begin air drumming
as if you were playing the full set. Start off with
the hi hats, notice where your foot is positioned and
how high your arm is when it strikes the hi hats. Once
you have accomplished that place the hi hat stand in
the same position and height as it was when you were
air drumming. Continue repeating this process with each
other piece of the set untill it is all put together.
When you are done your setup should be as comfortable
as when when you were air drumming. - Aaron
To
the Top
|
A cheap and innovative way to dampen the bass drum:
So
stuffing the bass drum with towels or a pillow just
arent cutting it anymore? and you don't want to shell
out the money for a dampening system? Try wrapping egg
crait foam around the inside of the shell (leaving room
for the heads and hoops of course). It is easy, affordable
and effective.. - Aaron
|
1.By an electronic kit for practice anytime,
Read books on independence, Learn how to tune, head
types, drum construction and how to hit them. 2. A drum
head will only make so much sound project so never hit
to hard and batter heads can last months. 3 Thin heads=warm
and resonant, thick heads=brighter and more controlled,
coated or hydraulic are more damped in stick sound.
Every Drummer even in the top 20 still have unique styles
and sounds so whom is the greatest is totally subjective.
The rest you may already now (Practice Time,coordination,
and Develope your sound) - doug
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|
|
Quit
bashing on Travis Barker because he dosen't play for
drummers, he plays for the average listener hence the
success. Oh yeah, he never claimed he was the best. -
ocdsjctr
|
|
If your not in a huge venue be shure to equal out
your sound. Example, your cymbals and snare are louder
than your toms and bass drum so hit your toms and bass
harder your and bring the louder pieces down a notch.
- Ben
|
You
shouldnt have to put a bunch of trash on your drums
to deaden them, instead learn how to tune. You will
need to do it someday, or as soon as you find the need
to mic your drums. - Ben
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your submission.
|
|
Have
confidence but don't brag about your skills because
there's always someone better out there to show you up.
- Ben
|
|
Play
your kit with your eyes closed. Closing your eyes
allows your "inner drummer" to play for you.
There is a part of you that plays with "no mind"
and allows you to imagine all sorts of fantastic groves
and fills on the fly. Playing eyes closed helps you to
shut down one part of your senses ( your eyes) and concentrate
on the other more important to drumming senses so you
can practice getting into the sweet spot, the groove,
the zone, the pocket what ever you call it it is "inside"
you and you cant see it, so once you become a good basic
solid drummer your eyes can be a distraction, specially
in front of a live audience. Once you can play decently
with your eyes open you can now close them and your hands
will find the center of the drums and edge of your cymbals
every time. Try it 1st with a simple groove with no fills
and build up from there. - SteveTheSingingDrummer
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|
DROPPING
YOUR STICKS? That is GOOD, it means you are "loose".
It is better to be too loose and learn how to tighten
up just a bit to keep from loosing a stick in the middle
of a fill or song that to never drop a stick and have
a permanently chocked playing style. Beginners are notorious
for holding onto the sticks to tightly. Almost every gigging
pro has a 1 or 2 stick, stick holder near the HitHat stand
and a stick bag on a floor tom, not because he breaks
a stick and needs a replacement ( of course that happens
a lot in heavy metal & Buddy Rich style big band swing
) but primarily because he or she is a loose relaxed player
and knows that in order to play a sweet groove and be
in the pocket you may loose a stick once in awhile. Practice
dropping a stick now and then and grabbing a fresh one
after awhile you can play loose and free and be able to
grab a fresh stick fast and never loose your bass or other
stick hand beat and only you or the person who got hit
in the head with the flying stick will know, lol. Enjoy
- SteveTheSingingDrummer
|
PLAY
ALONG TO THE BEAT WITH YOUR MOUTH !!! What does
that mean ? Example: Have you ever seen those Hip Hop
guys who make a Boom Tap Boom Boom sound with there
mouth , some of them put a mic up to there mouth and
sound like a drum machine, well that is very useful
when you drum to keep you in time and in the groove.
He is another example: When you were a kid and you play
soldier with your plastic machine gun you made a Ta
Ta Ta Ta Ta Ta sound like a machine gun , right ? Well
this translates over to drumming perfectly, you see
you can make the bass drum "Thumb" sound and
the snare "Ta" sound and the HitHat "Shut"
sound while you are playing a beat or in a song and
it will help you to solidify your timing, and help when
you are in a long drown out song and perhaps getting
a bit distracted or tired, sounding out your drum strikes
will help you remain the solid drummer everyone relies
on to keep the time no matter what. Enjoy - SteveTheSingingDrummer
To
the Top
|
A good drummer sounds good on anything. A bad
drummer sounds bad on everything. - Mitchell
|
Want
to make the lugs of your snare drum or toms a bit
tighter? Wrap them in Teflon tape. You can buy this
tape in the plumbing section of your hardware store.
It's easy. - Mark
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|
You
dont need a van for a standard drum set just get a
car - Dan
|
If
you are a beginner like myself, try doing the following
to improve your skills. Do not use a double pedal until
you are decent with a single pedal as the double pedal
allows you to cheat on double beats (16ths and such)
and even though I am an older death metal fan (age 30)
I refuse to use one until I can work one perfectly.
If you insist on using one, practice rudiments with
your feet as you would your hand.
If
you are a lefty, such as myself, try and play your kit
both ways to see which is more comfortable. I started
off playing cross armed with HH on the right and ride
on the left. Then I switched to right hand set up and
play open handed. But, I kept my ride on my right hand
side for practice. It allows you to not only free up
your back beat hand but with a right hand ride....you
can work on ambidexterity. I plan on switching HH back
to right side next doing ostinatos with my right hand
and riding with the left. Just keep mixing it up to
gain proficiency with both hands.
Also,
if you cannot afford lessons like me, learn some rudiments
online and practice them religiously until they are
second nature. I use the couch cushions to gain some
bounce and pillows to build strength. Once you have
gotten a set down, move on to more and watch some videos
of these rudiments being applied to fills and what not.
If
you are a late bloomer like myself (even though I had
my first kit at 17 I have only started playing seriously
for a few months) do not expect to be the next Buddy
Rich or, if you are into death metal, George Kollias....that
is felixibility gained during youth. Sure you can become
an excellent player and even speedy but 280bpm and higher
may not be something to shoot for when you are...well...OLD.
Just groove, learn certain styles (Mixed Martial Arts?....how
about Mixed Percussive Performance?) and apply them
to your playing. - Ryan
|
Dont
use sheet metal hi-hats use cast bronze hi-hats
- neil
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|
When
you're playing a double bass pedal, the trick is to
keep yourself relaxed. When I started to relax more my
speed really increased. - Jake
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Protect
your ears! Most studio and live situations are going
to be a bit loud. If you're going to be playing your whole
life, ear protection should begin immediately. If you
are using in-ear personal environment monitors, then a
proper seal should allow you to keep the volume down.
If you are using headphones or any external monitor speaker
system, I strongly recommend you use triple flange earplugs.
You can also have excellent (but a bit pricey) hearing
protection custom made for you. This type of product is
a great advantage because, unlike regular drugstore earplugs,
they actually compensate for the change in frequency spectrum
usually associated with the store bought brands. (If you've
ever used regular earplugs, then you know the characteristically
muffled sound I am talking about). You have to go to a
hearing specialist to get them, though. The cost is around
$200 - $400 per ear. Ear protection is obviously priority
one - it simply baffles me that so many professional musicians
play without it. Don't be a hearing loss test dummy -
protect your hearing. Watch for my next posting in which
I will discuss the ins and outs of playing fluidly with
click tracks and sequenced music; until then, groove hard
and play pretty!! - Matt Foy
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|
The only limit for a pecusionist is your imagination.
percusion covers a wide range of instruments... ie guitar,
piano, xylaphone.....anything struck to produce tone.
even a stirng insrument like a violin becomes percusive
when you pluck the strings(pistactto) or just be like
the guys in slipknot and grab a bat and a beer keg. use
what works for you and the music. the only limit for a
pecusionist is your imagination. - Chris
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Always
use equipment that is appropriate to your ability,
there's nothing worse than seeing an inexperienced drummer
with high-end equipment that can't utilize it, or a
good drummer who could sound even better if they invested
in better equipment. Also, remove parts of your kit
that you don't use. If you have an excessive amount
of cymbals or toms on your current set up, get rid of
them. This will prevent you from just hitting a tom
or a cymbal just 'cause it's there and will force you
to only use the appropriate components of your kit for
the style of music you play. - Craig
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Make your own "drum dampening rings".
(similar to the Evans E-rings). You know how sound guys
always want to kill overtones and deaden the natural
sound of the drum? You can make your own "dead-ringers".
If you change out your heads as frequently as I do,
you probably have some old heads (or save some old heads
when you put on new ones). I put the new head over a
slightly larger old head to use as an outline. (Or sometimes,
I just "free-hand" draw where the head is
angled). I drew an inner and outer circle using a permanent
marker. I just poke a little hole in the old head with
scissors; then I cut out the circle -- I make my circle
about 3/4" to an inch wide. Now you've got a home-made
drum "dead-ring". I put mine inside the drum
to dampen it and keep the sound guys off my back. -
Christi
To
the Top
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While
playing on the double bass pedal... just relax because
the more you relax the faster you can play on the Bass
Pedal. if you panic to play faster then there are more
chances in losing the beat and probably get delayed or
slagged... - John Dominic G
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While
playing the decending and acending role (on snare,
tom1 tom2 floor tom), do not cross the sticks... Just
play alternative with hands. Try this... Snare with
right hand, tom1 with left hand, tom3 with right and
floor tom with left, and back on following the same
way. then there wont be any crossing and you can play
it faster. for more speed play dual hits - John
Dominic G
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While
playing the Ezzy beats, you must read the notes as
1 n a 2 n a 3 n a 4 n a 5 n a e when the count is 4/4...
because in Ezzy beats the notes are not triplets though
you need to assume it so. all the notes will be 16th...
if I give the notes corresponding to Bass, Snare, Hi-hats,
then the when you read 1 n a it means bass, snare and
hi-hats, and it follows on so ending with bass.... you
can substitute the notes to tom1 or else cymbals as you
like and that will be your Ezzy style... But if you do
not follow the pattern in reading notes, there will be
a great confusion, probably you can never play it... thats
the technique. - John Dominic G
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Don't
copy other drummers. Create your own style. - Reuben
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Don't get irritated when your guitarist tells
you to shut up because he's tuning. - Travis
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Try
playing through all 40 rudiments with your feet. Obviously
buzz rolls will not happen but paradiddles, flamadiddles,
ratamacues, doubles, singles, flams etc. will help you
develop faster stronger and more independent footwork
and can add a bit of sparkle to a dull groove. - Grant
Mcleod
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Believe
it or not, air drumming is a huge help. If your listening
to a song with some sick beats, just close your eyes and
imagine yourself behind your set just killin' it. This
is for when you're out of the house and not behind your
set. Trust me, being on the set is always a virtue over
air drumming.
WARNING: For all you out there, NO AIR DRUMMING WHILE
DRIVING. - Brodie Del Pino
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Travelling
Snare? Always had a problem with my snare drum hopping
away from me because I play a lot of rim shots. a friend
of mine suggested loosening the stand, not letting it
"grip" the snare, but rather have the snare
just laying in the stand. 30+ years playing and I never
figured that out! So simple! Totally stays put now, and
the snare never bounces out of the stand no matter how
hard I whack it. - Rick on the Drums
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NEVER
TUNE your drums at showtime! This is very unprofessional.
Be sure that everyone in the band and all the instruments
are ready when you're suppose to start playing. Nobody
wants to watch (muchless hear) you tune your instruments.
Be a pro & knock em dead! - Bert
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Buy a Cowbell! It's not very expensive, yet it
is very useful. You can make great music with it. There
are many combinations you can use, it will make your
music sound much more creative. - Joe
To
the Top
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Take your time. finding the right spring tension
on your pedal can make a huge difference in your playing
and it can help you develop as a drummer - collin
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Also
Hit the bass drum when hitting a crash symbol, it
will amplify and make it sound much better. - Michael
Y
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Sometimes,
simpler beats are better. This is mostly in a band
environment though, as you are there as primary time keeper,
not to show off your awesome, super fast drum fill. Sure
you can add in some cool chops or fills, and do some fancy
tricks to add to the performace of the song - Tha Man
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Diffrent
types of drumsticks can drum at different speeds and
and the material can make some have different waits than
others. - oliver
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For
a better "feel" behind the drumset, set
your drums up backwards and play lefty for about 10-15
min. Not only will you be able to play a couple lefty
beats now, but it'll feel awesome when you reset the
drums back to your regular setup. - Drew M
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When
going to purchase a ride cymbal at a music store or
drum shop, always take your main drumsticks, that you
use all the time, with you. This way you can hear how
the cymbal will react to those sticks being that those
are the drumsticks you will be using most of the time.
- Virgil Donati is a Drum God
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Try to do rimshot on your snare everytime you play
to enhance the tone quality of your snare, and you can
increase your snare volume by it! - Michael Atienza
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I
have always basically held my left hand sticks between
my thunb and fore finger.This allows one to play the Hi-Hat
with much more speed and acurrancy. Makes playing a shuffle
beat much easier and allows one to play on the off beats
with ease as well. - Phil Whisenant
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If
you plan to play live
(out of the house or garage) BUY A HIGH QUALITY DRUM RUG!
It should slightly larger than the footprint of you kit.
This is domain on stage. And of course, your kit won't
slide around. When your kit is locked down with a good
drum rug everything else falls into place. Your drum rug
is as important as your technique. Without it your playing
suffers (i.e. it is very difficult to play after your
bass drum has slid a foot or two). - Dale Spencer
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Drums
are a dynamic instrument! Remember that you don't
have to play at max volume to get your point across
(unless your bands mates are all set at 11 on volume).
Learn to listen to the other members of the band to
see where they are going dynamically. You can set up
a "groove" as the drummer by using a back
beat on the Bass Drum, Snare, HH and Ride when played.
Straight 4/4 is boring. Mix it up. Practice your licks
at a slower tempo and lighter touch. Build to a crescendo
and back off again. Play the pattern with one hand at
the slower tempos. Alternate hands when you do this.
What do you do with the unused hand during the lows?
Learn how to spin that stick or even better give it
an aerial spin and catch it again. Work it into your
tunes while keeping a solid steady tempo. When people
see this live, they will realize they are seeing a talented
drummer. Don't sacrifice your playing to show off but
do work it into your routine and make it smooth. - Dale
Spencer
To
the Top
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If you have trouble keeping a grip on your sticks
, try using a sports tape like they use on tennis rackets
or racket-ball rackets .You can never stop learning !
All the tips I've read on here have been pretty good .
I've been playing for over 40 years & I'm still learning
. I've learned alot from watching other drummers &
their style , Try differant things and see what works
best for you . Don't get a big head !! People come hoping
to like you , don't give them a reason not to. Always
give it your best , no matter how many people are at your
Gig. Best of Luck to All of you . By the way one of my
favorite Drummers is Charlie Adams { Yanni} - Jay Sheahan
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Bass
drum technique - Heel-down. We all know when playing
your bass drum, there's 2 ways to play; heel-up and
heel-down. Playing heel-down is a safer way to play
your bass drum, as you don't need to support your body
weight on the one ankle. If you want to play till an
old age, then take care of your muscles and joints.
I reccomend all beginner drummers learn this way before
moving on to the heel-up method. - Jordan - Australia's
up and coming
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If you don't use your 2nd tom on top of your base
drum, remove it so you have more room to play and also
sometimes makes you look like a pro drummer! Good luck
:p - Brayden
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Practice.
Practice and then practice again, and again, and again,
and again. - Rock God
|
BE
A MUSICIAN!
Don't be a drummer... playing music on a percussive
instrument instead of hitting things is what people
want to hear! - Jonathan Pincher
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or drum lessons with us!
If you play drums and have a special tip, we welcome
your submission.
|
|
If
you wanna muffle your snare try taping a playing card
or two on it. - noname
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Balance is crucial to playing drums. The throne
you use must conform to your style of performance. Just
because you have a very expensive,comfortable seat does
not always afford the balance necessary to perform. I
use a very old 4 leg wooden stool, which is always stable
and I know my balance at all times, in every groove. All
the Best~ - Ondrums
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Pipe clamps from a harware store, (the type that
get smaller as you turn a screw head)are a cheap substitute
for memory locks on everything from hi hat stands to bass
drum spurs to floor tom legs. Cut set up time for about
5 bucks. - Aussie Pete
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Wash
your hands really well with soap and work up a good
lather before playing or practising. It stops hands from
sweating and makes stick control much easier. Rinse all
soap off of course :) - Aussie Pete
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Most
pedals need allen keys as well as drum keys, embed
drum key and allen key into a wad of bluetac and stick
it under the pedals footplate. Leave there for emergency
use only. And dont advertise the fact that you are carrying
drums in your car by placing promotional stickers on
the rear window. - Aussie Pete
To
the Top
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For
a quick alternate bass drum sound, loosen off just
the top 2 lugs, can be done between songs and gives a
completely different sound. - Aussie Pete
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Get
a pair of old,cheap, even cracked cymbals and mount
them directly on top of each other on a stand with nothing
between them. This gives a bright trashy almost china
type sound, almost like a short blast of white noise.
It really doesnt matter how cheap the cymbals are, its
a trashy sound. - Aussie Pete
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|
The
purchase of a double bass drum pedal has done more
to improve my overall skills than any other item. At first
my left foot felt like it belonged to somebody else, but
after a couple of hours i started to view the whole kit
differently. I often still play with a single pedal but
the improvement in my overall coordintion has improved
dramatically. - Aussie Pete
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A
new set of evans hydralic heads with an emad on the
kick makes the cheapest kit sound wonderfull and they
have a great feel too. - Aussie Pete
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Old
chrome hubcaps often sound very musical, drill a
hole in the centre, (find centre by balancing hubcap
on your figertip) and mount on a stand just like a cymbal,
but treat like an ice bell - Aussie Pete
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|
An
old or cheap violin bow used at right angles to a
cymbals edge can produce some extraordinary sounds. A
fairly heavy ride cymbal can be made to sound like a choir
and a medium crash can sound like whales - Aussie Pete
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Keep
a pair of Pro Mark Hotrods and a newspaper in your
car at all times. The hotrods played on a loosly folded
newpaper sounds like a soft snare drum. This way you wont
be left out of those spontaneous jams when someone picks
up a guitar at a party. - Aussie Pete
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This
is just a quick easy tip to learn new groves or perhaps
a paradiddle that's becoming a bit of a challenge. What
i have found that works quite well is to take it slow,
wayy slow. Start doing it really slow this helps to sort
of programed your muscles,once you'r body kinda gets the
motions and the idea start to speed it up little by little,
maybe speed it up 2 clicks at a time. It will requiere
patience and motivation but its guaranteed to work. Hope
that helps! - Lazaro
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When
ever you get the chance sitting down, tap with your
feet. First start out with single taps with (your choise)
your toes and heels up or heels on the floor and still
with your toes. Then tap with your heels when your toes
are on the ground. Start w/ single strokes then double
and if not, triples. These little exercise helps warm
up your double bass chops before you acually get on the
drums. IF people get annoyed with it, sucks for them...and
remember time is key... - DAn
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Too
many drummers turn their back on
any kind of electronics, but if you are reading this
then you obviously have a computer. Use it in all sorts
of ways.Programs like Reason and Ableton Live make the
ultimate drummers metronome. Practice with an empty
tack with just the click or transcribe a rhythm into
the sequencer track and you can slow it down to really
work it out AND you can see it in a graphic form. You
can also use your computer to set up a practice routine,
keep a diary of your progress, noting what you paractised,
for how long and at what tempo. With a little effort
and thought you can even use a spreadsheet like Exel
to chart your progress and even print out graphs showing
your progress. If using a laptop a music stand laid
as flat as it will go makes a great stand, just plug
in a pair of headphones. Reason and Ableton live also
make it easy to play along with looops, it makes practise
sessions less boring. - Aussie Pete
To
the Top
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Dont
hit your drums and cymbals, -
play them. This means learning different ways of striking
toms, snares and cymbals. The speed (not to be confused
with Tempo) that you strike cymbals makes a big difference
to the sound. Thomas Lang is known for his double bass
drum skills, but watch how he plays his cymbals. And NEVER
even use the word "hit" when talking about drums,
it only reinforces the stereotype of drummers being neanderthals.
- Aussie
Pete
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Re
my tip about using computers and programs like
Reason and Ableton Live, - I should have mentioned that
you dont even need to buy them, the demo versions do
the job fine, you just cant save songs, but for practicing
the Demos are all you need, and they dont expire. I
think there is even a free version of Sony Acid available.
They are available from from the respective websites.
- Aussie
Pete
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When
trying to learn something new, we
are often advised to play it slowly and gradually get
faster. Try doing it so slowly that it doesnt even sound
like a rhythm. Imagine yourself in slow motion. At this
point you are not trying to play music, just train muscles.
BUT, and its a big but, DONT just get faster. Allways
practise with a metronome, but only play at the set tempo,
then stop completely, give yourself a bit of a break then
increase the tempo and play the pattern again till your
brain doesnt have to think about what your muscles are
doing. If you just start playing and gradually build up
the speed without stopping it will mess up your sense
of timing when playing without a click. When the metronome
starts speak out loud the tempo in bpm and count yourself
in. This will not only train your muscles but also reinforce
your sense of timing and your own "library"
of tempos. If you have any kind of programmable metronome,
(drum machine, sequencer etc) set up 4 bars of time followed
by four bars of silence and set it to repeat, aim to play
along all the way through and try to be ontime when the
click comes back in. - Aussie Pete
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As
drummers, a lot of what we are trying to achieve
through repetitive practice is to develop a "habit"
ie, something you can do without having to think about
it. But BAD habits are very hard to break. Be sure you
fully understand what it is you are attempting to do,
if youre not sure, ask somebody. Dont invest hours of
practise only to later find out it was wrong in the first
place. It not only wastes practise time but can teach
you bad habits that are very hard to break.
- Aussie Pete
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Looking at something is not the same a seeing something,
and hearing is not the same as listening. Its not allways
possible to practice at a kit but it allways possible
to listen, really listen to everything around you wherever
you are. Train your ears to really listen to whats going
on, dont just hear a song or a rhythm, listen to it
and try to seperate the elements. Listen to what the
drummer is doing and try to visualise the actions needed
to play it. This is a way of "practising"
wherever you are.
- Aussie Pete
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|
When
i have to tune live and fast
i just tune to the open bass and use a tunier when i can
I have 9 piece kit 5 toms 2 floors kick full octive works
fast and easy - kartune
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Be
you when u play just cause someones better than you
dont try to be like them just try to learn more and be
confident thhat you can play as good as anyone if u put
ur mind to it - Zachary
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Don't
ever use Gumption to clean your cymbals! I'v done
it before. It looks nice and shiny for the start, but
it goes kind of multi-coloured (the steaked window rainbow
colour effect) Don't do it unless you want to sell your
cymbals and advertise it as a limited edition cymbal which
looks interesting haha! - Brady deVos
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There
is a a bit of talk about tuning involving divining
the fundamental note of your drum shell, forget taking
everything off your kit and tapping it next to a electronic
tuner! simply go your high school math book and look
up the wavelength formula for obtaining the area of
a cylinder, put in your dimensions and every frequency
matches to a pitch (these tables can be found everywhere)
that is the fundamental note of your drum. Any talk
of wood types, plies so on does not relate to fundamental
notes, it's all maths. pure and true. - JIM
To
the Top
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To all you punk & rock players try out some
basic funk. It really helps with syncopation & also
gives you more ideas for fills. - Caleb
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Work up your skills on buzz stroks - c
|
Listen to all types of music, and all types of
drummers.. - Bill
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Play
a warm-up song, a song that you know you can play,
for example i play the song raining blood to warm myself
up - Warming Up
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Get
a iPod, It will make your drumming better if you constantly
listen to music. You will have better musical knowlage.
- JonTheDrummer
|
If playing a Cajon or Congas like I do, listen
to a wide verity of music that utilizes those instruments,
they can give you a lot of cool ideas and different
beats to jam with your friends. - Forrest Wood
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your submission.
|
|
If
you are a beginner drummer or do not know your rudiments
just keep practicing them even if they are confusing at
first. - Glen
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|
Track
your time for a day. Its very revealing. You'll see
how much time you waste & how much more practicing
you could get in if you were to manage it better. - Virgil
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Regardless
of what you hear, there are no "secrets"
to drumming. - Jeff Billings
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|
Lets
see now how many drummers out there would agree with
me that ludwig needs to do two things....One ..make there
own remote cable hi hat,...and two....develop there own
rack system like some of the other drum companies have
..Ive stumped many of the rack companies about my own
set "not being rack capable"...;and they agree...But
lets see if ludwig listens they never return answers they
only send catalogs!!!!! - Kenny
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If
you havent played for awhile such as myself and
you have had your cymbals packed away make sure they
are stored or were stored in a dry cold area ...I unpacked
mine from 1987 and there wasnt one single mark on them!!!!!My
suggestion..Get an old ludwig fibre cymbal case from
1973 and make sure that one of the sides is bulged out
on it!!This saved my "very old zildjians"
- Ken
To
the Top
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FLOOR
TOMS: if your having trouble keeping those pesky floor
toms from resonating too much try this. Take off the head
of the floor toms and throw in a few cotton balls (depends
on the size of the drum) The cotton balls cause the bottom
head (resonant head) to produce less after tone than a
regular floor tom Don't throw in too many or you won't
get any tone out of the drum. Try to see what the right
amount for you is You can also substitute cotton balls
for something else, such as paper towels, toilet paper,
really anything that has close to the same density as
cotton balls. I've just found that cotton balls works
the best for me Hope this tip helps - Evan
|
When
in doubt, don't drop out:get back on beat and keep
going. And if u totaly jack something up, don't think
about it. act like u ment to do it and move on - Isaac
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|
I am a student of the drums for 27 years. I'm also
a Physical Therapist Assistant. ALWAYS WARM UP! I play
a great piece I learned from a very wise teacher named
Jedd Divis. It goes like this... (R) 8 big hits, (L) 8
big hits (L)(R)(L)(R)...16 smaller hits - (L) 8 big hits
(R) 8 big hits (R)(L)(R)(L)...16 smaller hits and repeat.
It is 8th notes and 16th notes on a (R) hand lead then
a (L) hand lead. As you get used to the pattern, 8 8 16
8 8 16, you can then go to a 6 6 12 6 6 12 pattern and
a 4 4 8 4 4 8 pattern and finally a 2 2 4 2 2 4 pattern.
Always keep the (R) (L) (L) - (L) (R) (R) pattern as the
hand to lead with. Start slow and built speed as you build
confidence in the pattern. Good Luck. - ejdrums
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|
Buy
marching sticks, buy a pillow, practice the moeller
technique.Turn typical 8th,16th,32nd (and beyond) fills
into paradiddles. They should sound totally the same as
before but the goal is coordination between your singles
and doubles. Also "get" jazz...try to learn
that Tony Williams uptempo ride cymbal thing. - your
drum buddy
|
Your
hihat foot exists so prove it. - your drum buddy
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or drum lessons with us!
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your submission.
|
|
When
performing at a gig, always use a foldback so you
don't have to slow down while you are playing, so you
can hear what everybody else is doing and keep in time.
- Michael W
|
|
If
it doesn't sound good, you're not hitting it hard
enough. - KK
|
|
The
"no pain no gain" principle should never
apply to drumming. If you are in pain, you should probably
stop for a while. Refine your technique... Tendinitis,
Bursitis, and Carpal Tunnel syndrome are no joke. - your
drum buddy
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|
For
drum detuning problems, try using using plumber's
thread seal tape on your tension rods. This really works.
I saw a tip describing that on here, went to Lowe's and
bought a roll for around $1.50. This effectively solved
my detuning snare problem. - your drum buddy
|
Stay
in physical shape!!! Drumming is a physically demanding
job, if your winded and having muscle fatigue, it will
reduce your performance. Dedicate 30-60 minutes a day
to fitness. You will not only play better, but youll
look and feel better too! ;D - Johnny
To
the Top
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|
Hold
snare stick in a traditional grip... but backwards.
Learn to get an even rim-shot every time. It cuts through
the band and you don't need to hit the drum hard. - Gordon
|
If
you're playing a strong back beat, the snare drum
is what a lot of other musicians listen out for. The
snare helps them all keep in time, so make sure it's
powerful and solid. If playing in a rock/metal/pop band,
ALWAYS use rim-shots on the snare to make it a lot more
powerful and well heard. It also makes the snare sound
better. - DrumTech fan
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My
drums aren't exactly the most expensive drumset
in the world and yet i play like a professional.sometimes
you just can't afford that drumset you've always wanted,but
be thankful even if you have a heaper one.my father was
arizonas #1 drummer in like 1980 somethin or other and
he always used to say a good drummer can play on any set
or kit no matter how cheap or worn out.because after all
it still makes noise doesn't it. - Rion Mourning
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When
warming up pre-gig
in a quiet cocktail-lounge-type gig, close and tighten
up your high hat with your foot and play hard open doubles
and press rolls on your tighted high hat. You can play
as hard as you want on your closed high hat with very
minimum noise. You'll notice after a minute or so that
your wrists are amazingly loosened-up and feel GREAT.
- Old-Time drummer
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Love
what you play!!!!!! Even tho it sounds obvious but
love what you play and love the genre you play, too
many people love to play drums but are not playning
in the right genre, if you love Jazz be a jazz drummer
and if you love metal be a metal drummer and everything
that goes with metal drumming, and you will find you
will learn a lot faster, it doesnt help you love metal
for example but are playing Jazz or the other way round,
Love what you play!!!!!!!!! - Byron Horn (ENDLESS
Drummer)
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A
little old school trick my late uncle use to do. To
build dexterity in both hands practice as many rudiments
as you can bouncing a basketball this will help you gain
strength and control with both hands. It want hurt your
game any. You can also use the basketball as a practice
pad.
If
your snare strings let go and you don't have a back up
snare or time to replace them. Use two or three short
strips of tape, place them directly on the snare strand
taping them to the bottom of the snare head this will
get you through the show.
New
drum accessories are hard to come by in some countries,
like new drum heads. I watched a pro drummer from Brazil
resurface a clear single ply drum head with a lighter
while tuning his drums before the gig to regain the tonality,
because the closest music store was over an hour away.
- jimi, Drum's-Just Can't Beat'em!!
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Feeling
burned out? Even if you're not try this: Go a week
without drums. This allows for recovery on both mental
and physiological levels. When you come back you'll have
more speed, creativity, and passion. On the day before
and the day of a show, go without any music. By the time
you go to play you'll be jonesing so hard for some music
that you'll enjoy yourself all the more. - Brandon
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On
the day before and the day of a show, go without any
music (playing or listening). By the time you go to play
you'll be jonesing so hard for some music that you'll
enjoy yourself all the more. - Brandon
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Caffiene
is not the answer. You don't want to be "hyped
up" for a show. You'll only tense up and potentially
injure yourself. Instead, eat a banana before you play.
Bananas have been shown to help people relax. With relaxation
comes 1) better technique 2) increased creativity 3) a
decreased likelihood of messing up. Bananas also contain
fructose, a simple carbohydrate with a low GI meaning
it'll give you lasting energy well into the show without
creating tension. - Brandon
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Top 5 drummers, are 1- john bonham. 2-Danny Adair.
3-Tommy lee. 4-Alex vanhalen 5-Keith moon... sorry all
old school...honorable mentions go out to - joey jordison,
Jason bittner, Travis barker, Dennis chambers, mike
portney. - frank
To
the Top
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This is a great sight and even though i have been
drumming for many years i still come on here to get some
great tips from the younger generation of drummers. thanks
to all who post. - frank
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The
best?
We are always trying to consider our selves the best
drummer,but the best for who: There are many people
who does not know about drumming and think the best
is the faster or the louder or the the one makes more
movements. The best drummer is the one who can play
with any other musicians in any style and doing it quite
good with a nice !sound! ,flexibilitie,!tempo!and making
the audience feeling drums sound not only visual or
regarden skills ,but also as it was a melodic istrument.
- Ernesto Delgado
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Don't
tune your drums so tight, it
helps get rid of that ringy high-tone nobody loves, tune
them low to get that warm and wet sound. Except for the
snare which should be tuned so that you don't get a ringy
sound but still has a lot of rebound. - Rick
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I
have been drumming since I was a kid. When I started
out with my drum set I wanted as much toms and cymbals
as possible because that's what is cool. Then after a
few years of dreaming of being a part of Judas Priest
I started to get good. 1 step at a time. I get this a
lot so I will tell you. Don't just try and play painkiller
or other fast double bass songs. Start with simple 16th.
Stay with 16ths but play faster. - Scott Travis
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No
matter how experienced you are in drumming and percussion,
there's always room to improve, even if you are a retired
legend. Always ask yourself "What can I do to expand
my ability. - Andrew McNeill
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Wear
good shoes and always make your body loose. Warm up
and relax. Hold your sticks loosely. Calm yourself and
rock on!! - Dv
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A
recording mistake I see so many drummers make is not
mic'ing their hi-hats. The hats so often get lost in the
mix and the recording comes out unbalanced. Even drummers
that record their drums for a You Tube video more often
than not underestimate this. If you don't mic your hats
(and all your cymbals), they might not be heard! -
Milburn
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Acoustic
vs Electric? Why
not have both? Set your acoustic kit as normal and mount
2 Roland mesh pads on the left of your hats and one other
over your floor tom. There are great multi-purpose brackets
available at drum stores. I use a TD9 Brain but I had
to buy a 2nd wiring loom because my electric kit has the
wiring cable tied to the hardware. Use a 2nd kick pedal
on the LEFT of your kick drum so that you can turn slightly
left to play electric and back to normal for acoustic
- YOU will love all the extra voices you can bring to
your performance - don't let anyone put you in a box -
it's all about the music - be FREE to do your thing -
Andy from THE HUM (Australia)
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Whenever
there's a break between the foot pedal notes, and
you pull your foot off the pedal for those breaks, just
hold the pedal down with your foot until the next note
comes up, then lift up and kick, whilst holding it down
after that. It really helps. - Emkay
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Listen
and play with
your heart to the music, That way you feel more achieved
after you finished the song. - Josh
To
the Top
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Glad
to see this mix of acoustic and electric is catching
on - Goldfrapp and others have been doing it for years.
Of course you can avoid the clutter of extra drums and
brackets by mounting triggers on your acoustic drums and
switching them in and out as required (Roland triggers
are good but expensive - check out the DDrum ones). I
use various combinations of Roland mesh heads and pads
on my kits (Slingerland, Premier and Gretsch) and they're
all mounted on L rods off rack clamps. I also use a variety
of samplers and trigger to midi converters on my kits
for particular effects - my Roland Octapad is an old favourite
- and sometimes I even have a midi keyboard mounted to
the left of the hi-hat so I can play chords with my left
hand! Who needs a band?!!! The complex part is getting
the sound balance right - monitoring headphones are a
must - I use Vic Firth's. For live shows, I also use the
trigger signals from the kit to drive some of the lighting
rig and pyrotechnics. As you see, I like clutter (but
my drum-tech doesn't!). By the way, I once made guite
a cheap and effective wiring loom for the kit by feeding
the cables and plugs individually through old rubber cycle
tyre inner tubes, cutting exit holes at appropriate points.
As for not letting anyone put you in a box Andy, the time
to start worrying is when they nail down the lid! Most
undertakers don't encourage thinking outside the box!
All the best. - Steve Vandes (UK songwriter, musician)
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Never
underestimate the value of throwing yourself in
at the deep end. If you can't swim, you'll find a greater
respect of the water. If you can swim well enough to
stay afloat, you will become a better player for braving
it. Respect your fellow musicians. Be underspoken about
your skill and let the sticks do the talking. Be supportive
to other drummers in your area, you never know when
you'll need to borrow something. Merely observing great
players such as the outstanding Mr. Peart will make
you improve. Now 'get out there and rock, roll the bones'
- Sticky Reid
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Give
your snare that Power Rock sound. Get rid of that
wire "splat" sound and have more drum sound
come through on your snare drum get SWAT - Snare Wire
Arrestor & Tuner Drum Muffler Dampener. Swat also
helps control snare wire buzz. Go to eBay, enter "SWAT"
in the search box and set to "Musical Instruments"
category and read up, and listen to (YouTube link) what
SWAT can do for your snare. Totally Revolutionary! - Lazetar
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For
those looking for cymbals, people will tell you the
thicker the less likey to break, however the thinner you
get the more it gives to the vibrations making it less
likey to break. Dont tighten them down with the wing bolts
excessivly, and strike accross the cymbals edge. -
A Commonly Misinformed Drummer
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Practice
breaking down and rebulding your kit often. So that
you can ensure that you have all your gear after a show
and you can get off the stage faster to allow other
drumers to get set up. try to get cases for all your
gear down to the last lug so you can ensrue that you
have all your gear at all times, people steal expeacualy
musicans there broke rember that. - heath
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You
shouldn't have to lean into your kit to crash your
cymbals. This throws you off balancce. Set your cymbals
up so that they are located where your arms extend to.
This will maintain your center and allow you to get around
the drums effortlessly. - Raj
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Drum
Teachers,
buy yourself one of those little filing roll cart thingys
to keep your lesson sheets in. You know, it's like a small
filing cabinet on wheels. You can then organize by setting
up the clear plastic tabs by category and you'll have
yourself a nice, neat little designated spot for drum
lessons material. - Mike Skillie
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Always
have a drum key within reach so you can tune in an
instant. If you have to search around for your drum key,
you may not be able to tweak a drum quickly between songs.
I keep mine hanging on an elastic cord attached to my
drum case (which is right by my floor tom). - Adam
B.
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When
you find a good article or sheet music in a drum magazine,
clip it out and make a notebook filled with just those
because your chances of ever finding that article again
in a pile of old magazines is slim. Then you'll have your
own notebook filled with inspiring articles and lessons
at a glance. - Rob "The Hog"
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You
should know the names of all the parts on your drumkit.
For example, do you know what a snare strainer is?
Do you know what a suspension mount is? How about the
throw off? The resonating head? Check the drum glossary
over at 411Drums.com for more. - Mike
To
the Top
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For
an experiment in creativity, see how many sounds you
can get out of just one drum. Play the middle of the drum,
the center, the edge, the side, the bottom, etc. Then
you can play with different accents. Now, how many techniques
can be used with just this one drum. You can play different
rudiments, you can turn the stick upside down, you can
lay the stick down (like a cross stick idea), you can
use a buzz technique, etc. See how this opens up your
creativity? If you practice this with just one drum for
awhile, you should have a plethora of ideas once you throw
in the whole kit. - Mike
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Make
sure that you can hear the rest of the band! turn
up the monitors so that they are just louder than your
drums and cymbols. - fishfinger
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What
Scott said about playing heel up
when you want to go very fast is good advice. I started
out playing heel toe myself and realized years down the
road the best way to play for speed is to use the heel
up technique. One thing id like to say is don't use light
beaters on any double bass pedal. I got myself an iron
cobra and the pedal is great but the beaters were way
to light. After I threw 2 heavy pearl beaters on my powerglide
the bass drum whaled! Yes they may be easier to go fast
but the problem with those light beaters is the bass drum
simply isnt loud enough your snare and cymbals are going
to drownd out the bass drum unless its miced to a p.a
system or you use triggers. - Mike
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Playing
in a drumline realy help your playing overall - Chris
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Take
a tip from Vinnie Paul. Don't listen to "you
HAVE to do it this way or hold your sticks EXACTLY like
this." Don't listen to the people who say you can't
be great if you don't start young. What it boils down
to is the amount of effort and dedication you put into
it. So don't let anything stand in the way of being
as awesome as you want to be whether your 10 or 40.
If you want it, work for it.
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For
a better technique
and a more professional-looking drum set, keep your drums
upward, NOT TILTED AT YOU. Hitting a drum that is tilted
extremely toward you or any other angle is highly ill-advised,
since drums were made to be hit downwards, not diagonally.
This will prevent long scuff marks from sticks on the
heads, maintain your wrists' consistency of striking,
and overall provide better technique. %90 if not %95 of
all professional drummers run their set like this, so
never feel like it's mandatory or "easier" to
tilt them to an extreme angle. A little (and I mean A
LITTLE) tilt is definitely alright. Also, make sure to
keep your set and toms as close as possible to prevent
excessive and ridiculous reaching from drum to ect. -
Tommy
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Check
out Gavin Harrison (def top 10 drummer) interviews
on youtube, this guy is seriously into his drumming and
is quiete inspiring. Also i reccommend listening to Anethestize
by Porcupine Tree (Gavin Harrison) Happy Drumming :) -
Tom
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Always have a pack of Band Aids for that errant
blister. - Chris Byers
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Dont
try to do beats that are to fast for you, it sounds
like crap and you will get off beat. - Tanner
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Keep
switching from heel up to heel down.....
it helps a lot when you are playing really fast! Also,
practice a roll really slowly... about 50 times. Then
speed it up gradually. Before you know it, you'll be
playing like 'The Rev' (R.I.P) or Dave Lombardo!!! -
Shyam Krishnan
To
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If
you are constantly breaking drum heads,
you should try switching to a differnt type of head.
There are some pretty tough, thick heads available.
Another tip on this subject is check your sticks for
wear and don't play with sticks that lose their plastic
tips. It doesn't happen as often as it did when they
were first made. I've been playing for over 50 years
and the only head I've broken was on a marching band
bass drum. Breaking heads takes a lot of work. Easing
up on the volume might help too. It's a great workout
to pound away, but check out other players to see how
they fare. If you can't afford new heads, ask around
for used heads from other drummers or drum shops. Knowing
your equipment and the condition of your heads will
go a long way to keeping this from happening - Jim
Wilcox
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First,
don't just play a whole bunch of different styles...LISTEN
to them too! Rock is easier to learn mainly because that's
what you mainly listen to! ALSO: Use your voice. Whether
it's counting aloud to keep time or coordination, or growling
to the right emotion for the tune, it can be your biggest
asset! - Cam G
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