Brand new drummer, getting started..

kicksare4ribs

kicksare4ribs

Junior Member
Hi all.

New drummer as of Christmas. Never played drums or counted a beat in my life before 4 days ago.

This is now day 4 and I am loving drums just as much as i expected, but not the automatic prodigy I hoped to be (j/k i knew i would be terrible :) )

But I am in my mid twenties now, and never played drums before anyhow, so it should be an interest path. Since I am also a hobbiest programmer I am keeping a live video journal online of everyday I practice drums, and the results.

The real trouble is the myriad of training material out there, some of which seems like pure garbage, and others that seem decent. If anyone has advice on that I would love feedback. I plan to try many different tools over the course of my learning to see which ones work better or worse.

  • FreeDrumLessons.com
  • MikesLessons.com
  • Drumming System (Mike Michalkow and Jared Faulk)
  • Learn and Master Drums (Dann Sheridan)
  • Random YouTube'ing


I already am forming some opinions based on teaser videos of the instructors, and purchases a beginner's pack of lessons from MikesLessons.com. If you're curious to see how that training session went, or want to follow my progress, OR give feedback on my approach, etc (please) than check out the new site that will journal my learning the drums.
 
Welcome to the forum and the world of drumming. :))

You have a good structured approach to learn the skills required by our cherished instruments, I would, however, consider a good drum teacher from the start, I didn't do it when I starded and I've took lessons much later (after 4 years) for a short period of time (slightly less than a year) and it was really hard to get rid of the bad habits, bad postures, bad grips etc, and most of my lessons have been to adress these "mistakes". At least you'll have a solid base to get you started. ;-))
 
Focus on perfecting the rudiments. Once you can play them, the rest is variation on a theme. The greatest drummers that I know of were fundamentally sound in the rudiments.
 
A good, reputable teacher is important.

When I first started, I also learned a lot and had a bunch of fun playing along to songs that I enjoyed.

I still learn so much today by doing drum covers to challenging songs. There are some crazy drummers on youtube whose licks I've tried to imitate. This way you learn AND have fun also.

But remember to focus on the basic rudiments. A drummer teacher is key here.
 
Hmm, I'm hearing a big push to get a teacher, maybe I'll find an instructor in the area, but it makes for a more expensive hobby ;)
 
I just watched your vid, It reminded me of way back when I first hit the woodshed.
A teacher is the best way to go if you want to learn quickly without developing bad habits.
You can learn a lot from the sources that you mentioned.
Invest in a comfortable throne. Good drumming begins with a good seat.

Oh, One last thing, Pick up your dirty clothes from the floor!!! :)
A clean and neet practice area is a must if you want to excel at drumming.
Your mom told me to say that.
 
kicksare4ribs said:
Hmm, I'm hearing a big push to get a teacher, maybe I'll find an instructor in the area, but it makes for a more expensive hobby ;)
Click to expand...

If you consider how valuable your time is while you spend it watching videos and such, getting a teacher will actually be cheaper in the long run. You need someone to sit with you who can point you in the right direction and actually teach you. You get no feedback from watching videos. You'll actually spend less time doing things wrong with a teacher, and this is where the money savings comes in. You're already going to be spending alot of time with the drums themselves. So make it good, productive time.
 
A teacher is key. It's very easy to develop bad habits because doing it by yourself you get no feedback from an experienced eye. IMO in order of importance when starting out things that need to be worked on are...

1. Grip and proper stroke
2. rudiments WITH a metronome
3. reading and counting.
4. Practice slow!

#3 plays a huge part later. even complex beats can be subdivided in a manner in which it will allow you to slow down and count through. This, for me anyway, goes hand in hand with reading. you can see where each beat falls in a measure so it helps by visually reducing the complexity. I'm way out of shape right now and have no chops at all but the fact that I can read through and understand where everything falls into place has so far been indespensable to me in re-learning to play.
 
kicksare4ribs said:
That's no good. What browser do you use? Chrome and Safari should both work.
Click to expand...

I use Firefox. Tried it in Safari and it didn't work, but Chrome did the trick.

You should definitely get a teacher. You can practice all the right things, but if you don't establish good technique early on then you will be doing more harm than good - you will have to undo the bad habits you will have solidified.

If you really can't manage a teacher right now then the next best thing would be to get a copy of "Great Hands for a Lifetime" by Tommy Igoe and work through it slowly.
 
Definitely find a GOOD teacher. I've spent years messing about, playing along to cds, playing in bands, watching some of the best instructional DVDs out there (Jim Chapin, JoJo Mayer, Tommy Igoe, etc) but after about 20 years of flailing about on and off I've found a good teacher who I am practically starting again with, and trying to correct all the bad habbits and finally learn the rudiments properly.

So learn from my mistake(s). Good teacher, rudiments, a proper practise schedule, and you'll be rewarded.

I emphasize finding a good teacher, because although I liked my first teacher, we never properly looked at technique and rudiments. It was all about basic playalongs and it was all very laid back. I'm convinced if I had found the teacher I have now all those years ago I would be 100 times better than I am now.

Hope that helps! And have fun.
 
Ultimately, you're gonna need good timing and to develop good creativity, which doesn't necessarily come from books and teachers, but most of all you need to have good technique. That's what will help you develop the most as a drummer. Technique. Remember that.
 
I'm just getting back into drumming myself. I had a basic kit about 12 years ago and sold it before I went to College (was self taught and didn't get very far). Now I'm excited to get back into it.

Looks like I'll be hunting for a teacher to help me along this time around :) Also going to be spending a lot of time on this site reading and researching.
 
Good to hear of another drummer that started late. I didn't start playing until I was 21 (8 years ago). Ever since I picked up the sticks, I knew this was the instrument I was made for. I've also been kicking myself ever since for not starting earlier like during school band.

The first thing you should do: FIND A TEACHER. I'm using mikeslessons.com because I couldn't find a teacher in my area. Great guy and really makes you feel like he's in the room with you.

The second thing you should do: Learn that before you do something fast (as in you Day 3, 2nd Video) you should do it slow and with a metronome for a long period of time until you feel comfortable with it. Only then should you speed it up but only by a little until you get it to full speed. You can download metronome apps on most smartphones or computers nowadays or just buy one at your local store.
 
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Mad About Drums said:
Welcome to the forum and the world of drumming. :))

You have a good structured approach to learn the skills required by our cherished instruments, I would, however, consider a good drum teacher from the start, I didn't do it when I starded and I've took lessons much later (after 4 years) for a short period of time (slightly less than a year) and it was really hard to get rid of the bad habits, bad postures, bad grips etc, and most of my lessons have been to adress these "mistakes". At least you'll have a solid base to get you started. ;-))
Click to expand...

Hell yeah!

Such as: Not resting your stick on the snare after a rimshot or normal hit.. or Resting the bass drum pedal on the head (I know some people don't care about it, but i was told that it is a bad habbit) , also using your arms way to much compared to wrist and finger motions. Holding the stick wrong (might cause wrist damage) and tons of other stuff, that you won't learn if you don't have a teacher to look at you when you play in person. they notice EVERYTHING.... shiet. I started to notice these things myself now :D
 
I just wanted to chime in and second the motion about finding a good teacher.
I played for 30 years. I'm not chopped liver, but I would have been much better had I learned the rudiments and techniques right from the beginning. (and not fallen into some really bad habits). And it all would have been much easier.

You won't have to see him/her every week, but getting started on the right path and breaking the bad habits before they get ingrained is absolutely invaluable.

Welcome. If you never make a dime playing music, you will still be a far richer man for the decision. And there are a few dimes to be made, too :)

PS: I also second the suggestion of a good throne. I'm a skinny dude with a bony butt, and my Tama throne with 4 inches of firm padding may have been the best $80 I ever spent.

wd
 
Drummertist said:
Good to hear of another drummer that started late..
Click to expand...

I'm just starting and I'm 41 :). My wife plays piano and clarinet, both the kids play the piano and my son is just starting to learn the trumpet. I was basically getting left behind completely and drumming is one of my "I've always wanted to do that" things so I decided to just get started.

I've gone through the same investigation as the OP looking for material to learn from as we're already paying 3 music teachers so drumming lessons are out of the question. I'd recommend going to a good music store and asking for advice. It was a bit daunting and I'm sure I must have looked like a mid-life crisis idiot, but I came away with some decent advice, a practice pad & stand and some sticks.

The practice pad is great, I've been learning some easy rudiments (paradiddles and double stroke rolls) and doing the first couple of lessons in Ted Reed's Syncopation. I've ordered Stick Control but it hasn't arrived yet. The pad will definitely keep me busy until I decide what kit/drum pad to buy.

Things I've found useful in my first week of drumming so far:

  • Having three people in the house who know music theory. Not available to everyone, but see if you can find someone who can explain this stuff (this forum looks excellently helpful)
  • A metronome. I have Visual Metronome on the iPhone and it's very flexible - I won't outgrow it for a long time.
  • nielsmyrner's YouTube channel. He goes through the lessons in Syncopation in some detail and there's a bunch of other great stuff there (He uses Visual Metronome on an iPad in his vids by the way - that's how I found it).
  • Ninja Drummist explains the rudiments pretty well (and you can print a copy from PAS) plus he has some transcribed scores, which I personally prefer to tabs because my family can read them and tell me what all those funny little symbols mean.
  • A sequencer. I have Drumtrack 8 on iOS and there's also hydrogen which is free software. I found it very useful when I was looking at notation to plug a bar or two in so I could hear how it sounded.
  • This forum!

The one thing I feel like I'm missing is something to direct my learning. In the absence of a teacher I've looked at a couple of "teach yourself" type books but haven't yet settled on one I like the look of.

So far I've had a blast. I've been a table-tapper my whole life and holding a pair of sticks just feels... right :-D
 
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