10 Best Drum Songs to Learn as a Beginner

So over the last couple of days I've found myself reviewing this thread because I'm always looking for new songs to learn. It's quite interesting to me what some people consider "easy". I bring them up and they intimidate me from the get go and I think, there's no way I'm ready for that..and I'm not a complete noob anymore, playing 15 months now (I know, still a noob compared to most of you). The OP was a noob who was just starting out if I remember correctly so this becomes even more of a point in my opinion

It got me wondering...when people list their songs are they meaning it's an easy beat and therefore easy to play along a simple beat and keep time to or do they actually believe a noob could conquer all of the fills, etc in the song? For example, someone listed Blue Oyster Cult's Burning for You. The basic beat in that song is pretty straight forward but there are several fills in there that are pretty intimidating for someone like me. (Maybe I'm a slow learner or just old and it takes me longer, I don't know).

While I know this is an old thread and the OP may not even need these lists anymore, I would be interested to know some of the definitions of "easy". I'm not putting anyone down, I love looking thru the lists and trying some of these songs, its a great place for ideas and inspiration...the whole thing just got me thinking about how relative the term "easy" is and how subjective these types of things can be.

Anyways, thanks for letting me ramble on...

MaryO
 
MaryO said:
So over the last couple of days I've found myself reviewing this thread because I'm always looking for new songs to learn. It's quite interesting to me what some people consider "easy". I bring them up and they intimidate me from the get go and I think, there's no way I'm ready for that..and I'm not a complete noob anymore, playing 15 months now (I know, still a noob compared to most of you). The OP was a noob who was just starting out if I remember correctly so this becomes even more of a point in my opinion

It got me wondering...when people list their songs are they meaning it's an easy beat and therefore easy to play along a simple beat and keep time to or do they actually believe a noob could conquer all of the fills, etc in the song? For example, someone listed Blue Oyster Cult's Burning for You. The basic beat in that song is pretty straight forward but there are several fills in there that are pretty intimidating for someone like me. (Maybe I'm a slow learner or just old and it takes me longer, I don't know).

While I know this is an old thread and the OP may not even need these lists anymore, I would be interested to know some of the definitions of "easy". I'm not putting anyone down, I love looking thru the lists and trying some of these songs, its a great place for ideas and inspiration...the whole thing just got me thinking about how relative the term "easy" is and how subjective these types of things can be.

Anyways, thanks for letting me ramble on...

MaryO
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I entirely sympathize with you Mary, going through these lists of songs, I'm wondering how can YYZ from Rush for exemple, be an "easy" song for a beginner, somehow, such songs are for the intermediate to advanced drummer and far to difficult for someone just starting drumming.
 
Not in any particular order

Rage Against The Machine -Killing in the Name
Nirvana - Come As you Are
Metallica - Enter Sandman
The Police - Walking On the Moon
Deftones - My Own Summer (Shove It)
Linkin Park - Crawling
Limp Bizkit - Re-Arranged
John Mayer - Change The World
Hoobastank - The Reason
Incubus - Wish You Were Here
 
YYZ? Bohemian Rhapsody?!? SIng Sing SIng? Whatthe howda,,,wha...?

I'd go with "Satisfaction" or some disco songs.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQkHajhJFfM&feature=related

Is this how ? Ha



drumguyfromWI said:
the best song to learn first is Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones. if you can't learn to play this song, kindly put down the drumsticks and step away from the drumkit, as there is no hope for you.

easiest song ever. one beat through the entire song. and all you use is snare, bass, open hi-hat, and a few crashes, except for during the Hey! Ho! Let's Go! part, you play the floor tom instead of the open hi-hat.
Click to expand...
 
I believe a new drummers fight is motivation.

I say, whatever the song is that draws the new drummers imagination.

The first song I really considered was Money by Pink Floyd...though I had been involved in understanding many songs from a general listening/drumming stand point before that.

Nothing like starting to see alternate time early on...
 
I like it :) Just played on my new electric 950K



aphrophluph said:
John Mayer's "Vultures" (Steve Jordan on the kit) is a great track to learn. SUPER simple groove, good tempo, great vibe. A classic example of pocket drumming. Looks like you've got your pick ... lots of great suggestions in this thread :)

A great question to ask, though, is what kind of music are you most passionate about? Who do you like listening to? Try and find a track or two by that artist, if possible. The heart's just as key as the mechanics.
Click to expand...
 
I don't know if they are the best, that's subjective....but it's a good list with some variety. Rock n roll of course.

Twist & Shout - Beatles
Ruby Tuesday - Rolling Stones
Ride On - AC/DC
No One Like You - Scorpions
Communication Breakdown - Led Zep
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
Rock N Roll All Night - KISS
Good - Better Than Ezra
Pork and Beans - Weeer
 
If u want some good Chrsitian stuff taht will challange you

Flame in all of US- TFK
Life Scars Apoligies- Decyfer Down
Whispers in the Dark- Skillet
Secrets- Audio Adrenaline
Shut it Down- MxPx
Reaching for You- Lincolin Brewster
Worth Dying For- Consume me now

What i missed out on my early years of drumming was getting a solid groove, knowing where to put accents, grace notes and other colour into my beats and in general just knowing that its more than a 4/4 rock groove but a way to serve the entire musical experiance in the band. Knowing that eventhough sure it was all just the same kinda groove, but the way the song sounded allowed me to approach the way the groove sounded with the feel of the song. Id say these songs can cover that pretty well.

Intermediate I think would be

Boom- POD
Confessions- Pillar
Calafornication- RHCP (getting the groove takes time to do it perfectly)
Rock this town- Brian Setzer
Whatever- godsmack
Dream Theater- Never Enough
Muse- Assassin


Advanced

Meshuggah- Soul Burn
Coheed and Cambria- Welcome Home
Three- !!!anything by them is pretty tricky
Dream Theater- 6:00, Voices, Lie, As I am

Beyond Advanced

Meshuggah- Bleed
Behemoth- Left hand ov god
Dream Theater- Home, Change of Seasons
 
drumguyfromWI said:
the best song to learn first is Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones. if you can't learn to play this song, kindly put down the drumsticks and step away from the drumkit, as there is no hope for you.

easiest song ever. one beat through the entire song. and all you use is snare, bass, open hi-hat, and a few crashes, except for during the Hey! Ho! Let's Go! part, you play the floor tom instead of the open hi-hat.
Click to expand...


Sorry but that is incredibly arrogant and misleading. Although perhaps a simple back beat it is a very fast song with alternating counts for the kick drum and hi-hat, and may be far beyond the reach of beginner novice drummers. Although I can play my way through a good number of the top ten listed by other users here I quickly skipped past this song after a few attempts.

Drum notation - http://www.911tabs.com/link/?3623027

As an experienced drummer you should be encouraging newbies, not discouraging or intimidating them. That is akin to telling a child who can't do long division that they are just stupid and should give up now.
 
Some early Beatles...
Just grab the Please Please Me album...
Every one of those songs is playalongwithable....you'll learn how to keep time and as you get better you can play your own beats over Ringos....
I still do it today...

Some of the other suggestions are just crazy.

Alternatives I like...which I use for warming up when I'm practicing....

The Kinks....Corner Shop.....Kings of Leon...

All straightforward.

This thread has deteriorated from the original question to people just throwing out what THEY like to play or learnt to play.

Like...I recommend you learn to play the full Tales From Topographic Oceans album by Yes.....good luck with that

:)
 
Yes I agree :) Was thinkg the same thing



kicksare4ribs said:
Sorry but that is incredibly arrogant and misleading. Although perhaps a simple back beat it is a very fast song with alternating counts for the kick drum and hi-hat, and may be far beyond the reach of beginner novice drummers. Although I can play my way through a good number of the top ten listed by other users here I quickly skipped past this song after a few attempts.

Drum notation - http://www.911tabs.com/link/?3623027

As an experienced drummer you should be encouraging newbies, not discouraging or intimidating them. That is akin to telling a child who can't do long division that they are just stupid and should give up now.
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YYZ is a beginner song?!?!

Thats it, I am quitting, I have worked on some of those fills for ages and still can't get them quite right!
 
larryace said:
When I was just getting started, I didn't have to ask anybody what was good to play, I had my own agenda. I absolutely couldn't wait to play to my Alice Cooper and Grand Funk records. Where is the burning desire? Is that not a requirement anymore?
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That's just what I was thinking. One of the first posts pointed out that that the instructor
asked what songs HE wanted to play. You gotta' go for the songs YOU want to play first.
It's only the first step of a long walk.
 
Some Coldplay would be good for a beginner I reckon.

Another is Snow Patrol, pretty basic beats throughout their songs.
 
Hi,

my first ones were all by Lenny Kravitz

"Again" -- Just an easy grove.

"Stillness of Heart" -- nearly the same.

"Allways on the run" -- nice to try some fills

Other nice songs for beginners:

Tom Petty: Learning to fly, Into the great wide open, Free Falling
Eagles: Hotel California
Phil Collins:I wish it would rain down
Dire Straits:So far away
Police:Every breath you take

Greetings
Peter
 
Alot of the songs i see posted here are definitely not for "beginners". Of course some of the good beginner songs are from bands like The Cars and AC/DC and maybe Black Crowes. Even alot of the songs from those kinda bands will throw you for a curve.
 
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