Whilst learning to drum did you find anything particularly hard? I used to used to find playing off time bass drum hits hard, now they just come naturally, how long did it take you to get your 16th note fills up to speed, drum rolls, rudiments etc what did you find the hardest? playing songs in 4/4 at high bpm or learning new time signatures or anything else?
How did you guys progress?
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dmacc_2
Guest
All of it...
To me learning / studying is an evolution and not a one time thing. As a result I'm always working on the next hardest element to me.
At times it could be a complex written piece of music such as a notated solo I'm trying to make my way through. Sometimes it could be the coordination aspect of it and other times it may be working on something to make it feel good or get to a certain tempo while staying relaxed, etc...
Again, I'm always learning so it may mean one or more of these things at any given point. It never ends.
To me learning / studying is an evolution and not a one time thing. As a result I'm always working on the next hardest element to me.
At times it could be a complex written piece of music such as a notated solo I'm trying to make my way through. Sometimes it could be the coordination aspect of it and other times it may be working on something to make it feel good or get to a certain tempo while staying relaxed, etc...
Again, I'm always learning so it may mean one or more of these things at any given point. It never ends.
Yeah of course buddy, You're always learning, but I was wondering what some of you guys find harder, for example mental or physical part of drumming, did you guys find it easier to get your head around complex time signatures and playing with all 4 limbs or did you find it harder playing 16th note fills at 190 bpm or playing blast beats
Talismanis
Senior Member
I played along to a lot of CDs without worrying about technique initially, and by playing more difficult songs I'd develop techniques naturally (I seem to distinctly remember Funky Drummer by James Brown opening the door of moeller to me before I even knew what it was). It's probably not the best practice method, but it's definitely given me a good basic all around technique and the ability to play groove reasonably well. Joining local concert bands, school productions and orchestras .etc has also developed my sight-reading and given me the ability to play in a concert environment. I like to think I have good sight-reading abilities and am fairly versatile musically, but I really want to improve my latin drumming and double-bass/metal drumming.
Since then I'm really trying to work through more technical/chopsy stuff, and so I'm working through rudiments and trying to really loosen up my wrists and ankles so that if I come across a really tough thing to play I will have the ability to play it as long as I practice it.
I'm struggling with double bass a lot, so with that I'm just taking things slow and gradually improving, but for me double bass is really my weakest point at the moment.
I hope I answered the question :L
Since then I'm really trying to work through more technical/chopsy stuff, and so I'm working through rudiments and trying to really loosen up my wrists and ankles so that if I come across a really tough thing to play I will have the ability to play it as long as I practice it.
I'm struggling with double bass a lot, so with that I'm just taking things slow and gradually improving, but for me double bass is really my weakest point at the moment.
I hope I answered the question :L
how so? I can do 16th note rolls fine I just really struggle playing 32nd notes, and a lot of metal songs do incorporate lots of 32nd note double bass playing into their music, I don't have much problem with coordination and even when im not playing double bass I try and incorporate the hi hat into my beats when playing the ride. Biggest problem I have at the moment is maintaining smooth drum rolls at high bpm but my left hand has become a lot more coordinated since I do 20 minutes at least of doubles on the snare to warm up everytime I play
mikeyhanson
Silver Member
I think the mental came after the physical, and it was quite a few years of playing before I actually thought about what I was doing. To play loud, or hard, or fast, or whatever, was always on the mind first, rather than whether what I was doing was complimentary to the tune or not.
What shouldn't I play in a situation? Is there something I should be playing differently?
And the thinking always led to the physical. I feel that once I was comfortable being able to think in advance of the next move, my playing improved. Before that it was simply jamming fills and beats haphazardly into places they otherwise shouldn't have been.
What shouldn't I play in a situation? Is there something I should be playing differently?
And the thinking always led to the physical. I feel that once I was comfortable being able to think in advance of the next move, my playing improved. Before that it was simply jamming fills and beats haphazardly into places they otherwise shouldn't have been.
Mad About Drums
Pollyanna's Agent
Ditto for me, however, I really struggled with ternary rythm in the beginning, it wasn't a natural feel, but I agree with David, it's a never ending process.
Talismanis
Senior Member
@Brodown:
I've only had my double bass pedal since february this year, my feet are pretty slow. The most I can do is single 6ths at 150bpm after warming up as well as some horrible deformed version of ankle motion if I set the metronome to 200bpm. 32nd notes I struggle with control, but you can think of it as doing say two 16ths with your right foot and just whacking a left foot in between 'em and that helps sometimes.
I just need to develop speed and endurance with a basic amount of control, and then from there I think I can work on doing more complex patterns. I tried to do the George Kollias 16 week workout but my feet aren't fast enough for the first tempo!
I often wonder if the key to getting better at drums is playing hard stuff really badly and just gradually getting better at it, that's how I started with the whole CD play-along thing haha
I've only had my double bass pedal since february this year, my feet are pretty slow. The most I can do is single 6ths at 150bpm after warming up as well as some horrible deformed version of ankle motion if I set the metronome to 200bpm. 32nd notes I struggle with control, but you can think of it as doing say two 16ths with your right foot and just whacking a left foot in between 'em and that helps sometimes.
I just need to develop speed and endurance with a basic amount of control, and then from there I think I can work on doing more complex patterns. I tried to do the George Kollias 16 week workout but my feet aren't fast enough for the first tempo!
I often wonder if the key to getting better at drums is playing hard stuff really badly and just gradually getting better at it, that's how I started with the whole CD play-along thing haha
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dmacc_2
Guest
Here's a current example....
I'm currently working on a book of drum solos written by my former teacher that has a solo dedicated to some of the greatest drummers that focuses on each drummers unique style.
Not only can some of the written parts be sometimes challenging (especially Tony Williams and Elvin Jones) but to try capturing the time feel of each drummer is equally challenging.
I'm also working out of one of John Riley's Books where my goal is to play each section as musically as possible so my emphasis now that the coordination aspect is accomplished - is to make it feel great and internalize it enough to become part of my playing. Time signatures such as 5/4, 3/4 and others are also part of this book.
I also work from a Wilcoxon snare book where my attention is divided between execution, technique and expressing them creatively around a set of drums...
So - in a sense... all of it.
yeah sometimes im jamming along to my mp3 player, playing the usual alt rock/punk rock stuff I usually play along too and then something with crazy double bass/oddtime signatures will come on and I'll just attempt to play along to it XD
Talismanis
Senior Member
That book written by your former teacher sounds very interesting - is it available anywhere?
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dmacc_2
Guest
There are three different ones available, both from two of my former teachers:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Jazz-Solos-For-Drum-Set-Volume-1/3581361
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Modern-Jazz-Solos-For-Drum-Set-Book-with-CD/7536200
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Jazz-Solos-For-Drum-Set-Volume-2/4797809
I think they are great, but then again, I may be biased due to the obvious reasons...
Talismanis
Senior Member
Awesome! What kinda difficulty are they? I know they say grade 6ish, but grades in the UK are different to in the US I believe.
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dmacc_2
Guest
I've actually only been working on Vol. 1 but do have the other two - just haven't opened them yet.
Looking at them they can be deceivingly easy. That being said, I think mostly grade 6. Not only due to coordination/reading aspect, but the intent of these guys when they wrote these is to emphasize the HOW even more so than the WHAT.
Not sure if that helps or not. If not, let me know.