Extremely beginner drumming tips

Chickencowboy

Junior Member
I am really REALLY new to drumming and am not very good at all.
Everywhere i go I find unhelpful resources and tricks that are supposed to get you better at drumming but I can barely get through the intro to a song. So basically I was wondering what you guys did as extreme beginners to get better. Is the only hope to get a drumming teacher or is there some way I have not tried that will get me out of this beginner rut.
 
Drumming is all about coordination and timing. There is no magic pill you can take to make it easier. The only thing you can do is practice, but a teacher will guide you and help shorten the time it takes to reach a certain level of coordination and timing that will allow you to play with confidence.
 
You've got to learn to walk before you can run...there are no "tricks" to "get better fast". It was a long time ago but I'm pretty sure I played exercises out of Syncopation on a practice pad for 4 or 5 months before I even sat at a kit.
 
Don't sweat over intro's to songs, fills, etc. Just practice some basic beats to simple songs to get feel for timing and rhythm. If you can tap your foot in time to the bass drum and slap your knees in time with the beat of the snare and hats, you're on your way.
 
With the right teacher you will progress more in the first 3 months than you will trying to do it alone for a couple of years.
Practice.
 
I started because out of my set of mates I couldn't play a guitar, bass or sing so I took up the drums. We worked our way through simple Rock songs together (it may have sounded awful, but we enjoyed it) & in the house I played along to tapes of songs I liked (it may have sounded awful, but I enjoyed it) and the rest is history.
So just get stuck in. Don't worry about intros to songs etc yet, thinking about it they can actually be the most awkward bit, just play along to steady beats and take things from ther.
 
With the right teacher you will progress more in the first 3 months than you will trying to do it alone for a couple of years.
Practice.

This is so very true. Seek out the most knowledgeable teacher in your area. You mentioned that you find "resources and tricks" everywhere (I assume much of that is here and on Youtube). Sometimes there is too much information at one's disposal, causing the beginning drummer to question where he/she should start. Right now, you need someone to guide you - someone who can give you direction and set both short and long term goals.

Jeff
 
This is so very true. Seek out the most knowledgeable teacher in your area. You mentioned that you find "resources and tricks" everywhere (I assume much of that is here and on Youtube). Sometimes there is too much information at one's disposal, causing the beginning drummer to question where he/she should start. Right now, you need someone to guide you - someone who can give you direction and set both short and long term goals.

Jeff

That right there is your answer.

So many people don't want to pay a teacher these days because of all the resources available on the internet. However trying to self teach through videos, especially for a beginner, isn't the best idea. You have no one to give you feedback on the things you are doing right and wrong and to show you how to correct those things. Plus it gives you accountability. If you truly want to be a drummer then invest in a teacher, it's worth every penny!
 
Practice the basics. Bass drum, snare and hi hat. Get the co ordination of those basic elements and you are good to go. 8s on the hats, 4 beats to the bar on the bass drum and 2 and 4 on the snare. The many variations expand from there.

Watch drummers on the TV. Play along to recorded music, pick songs you would love to play and stick to the basic beats.

Once you have the basics you can go down the lessons route if its for you. If you start from scratch with lessons you will be paying lots of money to learn the bleeding obvious, and still doing all the work at home. If you have any aptitude for drumming the very basics will become easy with a little work. There is no wrong way to play the drums, just what suits the individual.
 
My basics were even more 'basic' than that.
Worked with a teacher on the rudiments: http://vicfirth.com/40-essential-rudiments/
time signatures and subdivisions, basic reading, and so on,
for a few years before I even sat behind a set.

That was a long time ago though, and I was really young.
But I think that's how most people did it back then.
Not sure if people have the patience for that nowadays.
 
I haven't been drumming to long. Maybe about 4-5 years. Here are a few things I would recommend.

1. Take Lessons from a accredited Instructor
2. Buy and use a metronome.
3. Be open to any and all music types. It will only help you progress.
4. Don't compare yourself or your skillset to any drummer whether youtube, professional, etc.
5. If you have questions just ask.
 
My basics were even more 'basic' than that.
Worked with a teacher on the rudiments: http://vicfirth.com/40-essential-rudiments/
time signatures and subdivisions, basic reading, and so on,
for a few years before I even sat behind a set.

That was a long time ago though, and I was really young.
But I think that's how most people did it back then.
Not sure if people have the patience for that nowadays.

Im 64 and had never heard of a rudiment until about 10 years ago. Been playing drums in bands for donkeys years though. Horses for courses.

Im with Benny Grebb when he says that learning all the basics and rudiments first would be horrible. Learn the co ordination needed to play the kit. Play with others and have fun "Making music". When you find you need more technique to do what you want to do, then acquire it.
 
I think we've all followed different paths.

But to me, playing drums without learning rudiments is like writing a book without learning to spell.
 
I learned by playing along to recordings. Teachers came a little later. That said, I still like the idea of playing along to songs in the beginning, but there's no good reason to wait on the teacher. Get a teacher, play to songs, and learn wherever you can. Develop your listening skills, that's huge. I think the biggest factor in success in the student is how bad the student wants to play, and how much time they spend playing. If you enjoy practicing...that's the best mental attitude you can get. Enjoy your time with the drums, whether playing to songs or working rudiments to a metronome.
 
I recently joining a community drumming group full of beginners. After giving a few informal lessons there, I reckon it would be worth getting a few lessons when first staring out to sort out the basics like holding the sticks, seating position, setting up drums, etc.
Once you have that going, it's a lot easier to progress without forming bad habits that might hold you back otherwise.
 
One thing about learning the drums that often isn't in the books:
be sure to learn things at a slow speed and then gradually bring them up to speed. Never practice something at a very fast speed unless you mastered the speed 10 or 20 bpm less. If you always race to fast, what you "learn" will be sloppy. If you bring things from slow to fast gradually, you will *master* it.

As others have said, playing along to songs is great, if you are able to. Start without worrying about different parts and fills, and just play along with great time.

When you can, get a teacher. Even if you can't afford one for the long haul, a good teacher will not only teach you drums, but teach you how to teach yourself drums.
 
In addition to all the very valid suggestions from the other posters, have a teacher or seasoned, knowledgeable drummer help you set up a good posture, and a good grip in both hands. They should also look at the way you've set up your kit to see if it's set up (1) correctly and (2) as ergonomically as possible for you. Lots of novice drummers struggle with that last bit, especially with their rack toms and snare-bass-hi-hat relative positioning.

The habits you start with may well last you the rest of your life, so I can't stress the importance of getting these things right from the start.
 
... have a teacher or seasoned, knowledgeable drummer help you set up a good posture, and a good grip in both hands... ... also look at the way you've set up your kit...

All the posts you're read so far are correct, But Al's advice helped me the most. If you've got a friend who plays drums - and you trust his/her advice - have them teach you the very basics mentioned above. Also, how to listen to drums in a song, how to find where each cymbal or drum voice "fits" in a song and how to count drum beats. Lacking an experienced drummer friend, I'd suggest a teacher - pay for 4 half-hour sessions and see how you like it.

You have to learn to walk before you can execute a triple toe loop on figure skates.
 
I personally would reccomend finding a good teacher. I learned basic positioning by watching a good friend, who has played for 20+ years, and graciously let me use his kit whenever I liked, and mimicking what he did. But it was when I started taking lessons that it all came together. YouTube is great, but those videos can't tell you when you're doing something wrong, which is what a teacher can do. I lucked out and found a phenominal guy who teaches me to play the styles I want to, not what he wants me to, and is also very incouraging. The best piece of advice he has given me is that PROS GO SLOW. Also, play to a click as often as possible; it trains your body to feel/hear when you are slowing down or speeding up. Keep at it!
 
I've never had a lesson, but I sure wish I took the time to find a good teacher. Get a teacher to come to your house and show you how to set up your drums and make adjustments and tune! If your drums don't sound decent, you will not want to play them. When it comes to drums, a little bit of tuning can go a long way!
 
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