Counting

chimpy3

chimpy3

Member
I have been playing for a good few years now however I still have alot of trouble counting whilst playing drums. I tend to skip notes in my head or add in extra notes! Does anybody else have this problem? If so, can you give any advice?
Cheers
 
chimpy3 said:
I have been playing for a good few years now however I still have alot of trouble counting whilst playing drums. I tend to skip notes in my head or add in extra notes! Does anybody else have this problem? If so, can you give any advice?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Practice and count OUT LOUD!
 
Yeah, I've had that problem. I layed off from drumming for many years and just back into it about two years ago. Before then I took lessons and such and basically knew to count and how to count.

For Hallooween I played in an Ad hoc group that played rock oldies - Elvis, Chuck Berry, etc. We also did "Monster Mash" and some other Halloween songs. I had to count several songs off and the rest of the group waited until I played 4 4/4 bars until they came in. And we had songs with breaks in them, etc. Yeah, I found myself counting 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Then having to count in my head 1 E & Ah 2 E & Ah....

Like ZootELoops said, the best way is to practice and count out loud until you can feel it or can count to yourself silently.
 
ZootELoops said:
Practice and count OUT LOUD!
Click to expand...

When I was in my first couple years my drum teacher always told me to do this.

Also, when at home, do soloing or warming up with a good metronome.

Hope this helped.
 
Absolutely count out loud. That way you not only do it, but you hear it as well, which reinforces your learning of it.

As far as learning how to count, you should strive to make is second nature so you don't have to think about counting while trying to play something tricky. It's like playing a basic rock beat. You don't really think about the hi hat or ride part, but you just do it automatically, and it gives a point of reference for everything else within the beat that you play. Yeah, counting should be like that!

So, practice counting. You don't even need a pad to do it! Practicing counting while you drum is great to start with, but really, you should work towards practicing drums while you're counting...
 
Thanks for all the replies. I suppose it is sort of an independence thing and if I count instinctively then eventually I will become used to it. Do any of you actually count 32nd notes?
 
chimpy3 said:
Thanks for all the replies. I suppose it is sort of an independence thing and if I count instinctively then eventually I will become used to it. Do any of you actually count 32nd notes?
Click to expand...

How the hell could you count that fast? ;)
 
ZootELoops said:
How the hell could you count that fast? ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah. When I play orchestral gigs, I often have to read 32nd notes and 64th notes. Usually the pieces are really slow. 32nd notes are the speed of a 16th note being "diddled" in rudimental solos, afterall, so you SHOULD be able to count them. Here's what a measure of 4/4 in 32nd notes is counted as:

1 e & a & e & a 2 e & a & e & a 3 e & a & e & a 4 e & a & e & a

Oh, and about how you can possibly count that fast...you just work your speed up, like the rest of drumming. You've got to start slow, and you'll get faster in time. Remember, speed is never as important as accuracy and control. Who cares if you can play blisteringly fast if you can't control the dynamics of your notes or if they start to "gallop" (not be played even, rhythmically). Work on playing accurately, and the speed will come in time...

Hope this helps!
 
caddywumpus said:
Oh, and about how you can possibly count that fast...you just work your speed up, like the rest of drumming. You've got to start slow, and you'll get faster in time. Remember, speed is never as important as accuracy and control. Who cares if you can play blisteringly fast if you can't control the dynamics of your notes or if they start to "gallop" (not be played even, rhythmically). Work on playing accurately, and the speed will come in time...

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

I just mean I don't think you can possibly count out loud as quickly as you can play those. - especially at full speed
 
you can count every other stroke while you play doubles so playing 32nds as you count 16ths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top