Timekeeping for dummys?

randers7

Junior Member
Hello, This is my 1st post here. I just got back into drumming for the 1st time in about 18-20 years. I played in a rock band in high school but was not good at coming back on time after fills, or at least long ones. I have been looking for the perfect DVD to teach me how to count. Any recomendations would be great. I play classic rock. PS - I'm the dummy.
 
Here is a whole page of You Tube vids to get you started.
In order to count drum music you should also learn how to read drum music.
It is important to always be counting in the back of your head as you are playing the song.
Practicing with a metronome is also a must to build your skill.

The best way to learn is to take lessons from an instructor.
You will learn the fastest that way.
A video can't tell you if you are doing it wrong.

http://www.vicfirth.com/education/rudiments.php

http://drumsetfun.com/drum-notation/

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+read+music+for+drums&aq=8
 
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Some suggestions (DVDs not required):

Play with a metronome, obviously. But at first, play with no fills. Zero. Just keep time. Play easy beats.

After this becomes comfortable, have the metronome click only on the "one" of each bar. Play along. Still no fills. This is considerably harder.

When you think you can, have the metronome click (in your mind) on the "and" of "one," or the "and" of "two," or whatever. As you do this try to think of the metronome as just another player--one with perfect time. Your job is to stay with him.

When you feel it's time to add fills, start brutally simple: one-note fills, two-note fills, etc. Don't get more complicated until you can come back from these in perfect time.

Be patient. You're internalizing the pulse and it doesn't happen overnight.
 
That's all that there is to it!
You always have to know where the ONE is.
Most musicians forget to count in their heads when the fill starts.
I find that this happens to bass players and guitar players also.
You can also tap on your hi-hat pedal on beats 2 and 4, or 1234 while you are playing the fill-in to help you keep in time.
The bass drum pedal can also be used.
Use the pedals to stay true to time.
Watch vids of drummers doing solos here on DrummerWorld. They almost always use a foot to keep time while they are riffing out with their hands.

Learning how to read music helps because you learn how to count in your head while you read music.
You count things like this
1 a 2, a3e and a 4e and a. and so on.
Its hard to explain in words. That's why I suggested that you take some lessons from an instructor.
 
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