Start With A Snare?

Tobster

New Member
As a beginner, does it make sense to purchase a single drum such as a snare to start learning some basics? Any ideas about putting a kit together is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
If you have the patience, definetly. That's how it was originally done.

There's not really wrong with getting a kit and learning some grooves and coordination either, though.
 
If possible, a bass drum & hi hat along with the snare will help you engage your feet as well. My starter kit (a pawn shop special) was a snare, bass drum & cymbal. My left foot never got any action until a couple years later and it felt very awkward for a season.
 
I think it depends on your end goal. Do you want to play the drumset? If so, get a whole drumset, so you can learn the hand/foot coordination too. Most folks I've seen start playing drums have a harder time getting the hands and feet working together, so the earlier you tackle that, the quicker you'll able to play beats and sound like a drummer.
 
That was how I and a friend of mine did it. Well, my friend's father was quite well off so he started with a real nice Ludwig snare. I didn't buy a snare though. I ended up with just a pad that I used to practice the stuff they gave us to learn at school. Then once I got to a level that my parents felt was acceptable, they bought me a four piece kit, Slingerland Stage Band 12/14/20 and matching 5.5 x 14 snare with white marine pearl wrap, a pair of hi hats and a single ride/crash cymbal. I was 13. So that was 1975. I still have that kit.
 
I've always thought that it was crazy to start with just a snare drum when you want to play a whole drum set. I've always said get the whole thing and just start banging away. However some drummers of never had that option they were told they had to have a snare first and then their parents would buy them a whole drum set if they showed interest for a long period of time. Kudos to those drummers I don't have the patience for that. Also drummer it have bought their own drums for their self can only get one at a time. The snare would be the first one to get
 
It comes down to what's practical, works financially and motivates you. Can you practice at home or not.

As a teacher it's common to for me to get students started on the kit, but that's generally what they're used to. Their technical hand skills and snare proficiency isn't really the problem, it's that they don't even know t's a thing.

It also depends on what you want to get out of the drums and how much you are willing to work.

To become most types of a proficient drummer a lot of basics have to be covered and you'll never be done.

In school I eventually try to create an environement where we work a lot on other things than drumset as a group. Social motivation.

I have two basic opinions on this.

1) Snare work is essential and it's good to focus on it a lot right away.

2) At the same time it's never to early to get behind a kit and play with others. Keep it simple and play with people on your own level. There's of course nothing better than learning from playing with people that are better than you, but that's increasingly becoming less of an option these days in most places. The days when the older more experienced guys in gigging cover bands would welcome kids in and help them out just to have a reliable drummer seem to mostly be over. It's a tough market and the trend is to show off on youtube rather than getting road time with CCR tunes.

In any case, if you don't have one, you also want a practice pad. You can then work on basics anywere at any time without anyone wanting to kill you.
 
In this day and age you can do either. My teacher would split my lessons in two: snare drum work, and drum set work. There's alot to be said if you get your snare drum reading and chops up though: you'll be able to decipher alot of other drum music once you cover the basics of rudiments on a snare drum. And if you learn how to drive rhythms on just a snare drum, that puts you even farther ahead of the curve. Once you got a kit, the snare drum work would definitely help.

But, you really have to do what you want to do. If you force yourself down a path you might not like, but others are recommending it, you may get frustrated and give up. Definitely do what makes you happy. There are no real rules. Just identify what it is you want out of drumming, and then come up with a plan to achieve that. Lots of times I've run into incredible players who just played what they like and were happy - so happy that they practiced all the time.
 
I'd recommend an electronic set - they're just a genius tool for learning on, you can play without interfering with your family/ neighbours' lives and through the headphones you get to perfectly mix in your drums with the music you love - and to me playing along with music is the most important and enjoyable part of learning.
Oh, and get at least a handful of one on one professional lessons to set you on the right path! (Post apocalypse, obvs.)
 
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I sometimes wish I had learned more formally. I randomly started playing on my dad's kit one day when I was 14. I don't recall the process very well, but I eventually learned left/right independence well enough to play along to songs. So I'd rush home every day after school to play. Never took lessons and I haven't really ever practiced technical stuff. I wish I did back then though. I know it's never too late to learn, but my time is much more limited these days.
 
I feel like, at the very least, if you wanna play the drumset you need snare, kick, hi hat, and ride. That's the bare minimum to get all the limbs working. You could skimp even further and ditch the ride. Gotta keep the hats for the foot. That's as small as you should go.

If you just want to play one drum like in an orchestra, just a snare should be a fine place to start. Or even a pad would work.
 
I started with a Remo practice pad and used nothing but that for an entire year. Then I upgraded to a snare, which I played for an additional year. I didn't get a drum kit until I had two years of playing under my belt. My instructor was a stickler for rudimental mastery. His philosophy was, "We aren't even going to think about your feet until your hands are in order." By the time I got a drum set, I had already worked my way through "Stick Control for the Snare Drummer" in its entirety. The hi-hat pedal and bass pedal came pretty easily when I approached them with fully developed hands.
 
Learning to play kit, came naturally, but it was somewhat secondary. I first was introduced to drumming with a practice pad. Not even a snare drum. Got into band in school, then the parents bought me a REMO pre-tuned snare (wretched sounding). Then I got into Jr.High jazz band. So, I was given a pawn shop kit--and that darn thing stayed with me through college.

C.M. and I had similar upbringings, but I had NO drum teacher. I had my music teachers in school, and then once in marching band, I really started picking up a TON just by practicing for 12 hours a day with the drum corps. You know, if you want to JUST learn to play kit, buy a kit. Nothing wrong with it. There's NO right way.
 
Learning to play kit, came naturally, but it was somewhat secondary. I first was introduced to drumming with a practice pad. Not even a snare drum. Got into band in school, then the parents bought me a REMO pre-tuned snare (wretched sounding). Then I got into Jr.High jazz band. So, I was given a pawn shop kit--and that darn thing stayed with me through college.

C.M. and I had similar upbringings, but I had NO drum teacher. I had my music teachers in school, and then once in marching band, I really started picking up a TON just by practicing for 12 hours a day with the drum corps. You know, if you want to JUST learn to play kit, buy a kit. Nothing wrong with it. There's NO right way.

I agree that there's no fixed approach. Different schools of thought promote different introductions to drumming. Even so, in my silent musings, I thank my first instructor every day for enforcing a pad-only/snare-only system for a few years. Rudiments can be tough to gain if you don't do it early. I've met several very serviceable drummers who, even after years of playing, still struggle with double-stroke rolls, alternant flams, paradiddles, and other complex sticking patterns because they played backbeats for a few years on drum sets before they ever attempted a rudimental exercise. These days, I'm mostly a backbeat drummer myself, but I'm glad I learned to do a whole lot more in my early stages.
 
Hi and welcome Tobster to DW. First pick out a good solid throne. This is where it starts. You need good lower body support for playing. :):)
 
I agree that there's no fixed approach. Different schools of thought promote different introductions to drumming. Even so, in my silent musings, I thank my first instructor every day for enforcing a pad-only/snare-only system for a few years. Rudiments can be tough to gain if you don't do it early. I've met several very serviceable drummers who, even after years of playing, still struggle with double-stroke rolls, alternant flams, paradiddles, and other complex sticking patterns because they played backbeats for a few years on drum sets before they ever attempted a rudimental exercise. These days, I'm mostly a backbeat drummer myself, but I'm glad I learned to do a whole lot more in my early stages.

Looking back, I definitely wish I had taken "lessons". Honestly, I'm still considering it nowadays. Of course, a personal non-online teacher isn't going to go over right now.
 
Looking back, I definitely wish I had taken "lessons". Honestly, I'm still considering it nowadays. Of course, a personal non-online teacher isn't going to go over right now.

Yeah, we're bound to cyber communication amid the pandemic. When things return to normal, presuming they ever do, I support your notion of finding an in-person instructor. The immediate feedback and guidance you'll receive in person just can't be replicated online. And who wants to fumble around with a monitor while drumming? I certainly don't. Drumming is one of the only pure and primitive occupations at our disposal in an increasingly automated world. Let's keep it that way. Good luck!
 
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