To
warm up before playing, try juggling. It makes you
alot looser and helps your speed and hand eye cordination!
- Jackie
|
Don't
let other drummers scare you. you'll get better with
practice. - Freddrick Dennis
|
If
your drums feel really dead and your stick response
is like hitting a piece of leather tighten up the bottom
of the drum a half turn.This could go for all the drums,snare,toms
etc..
Bottom heads in time stretch and cause the drum to feel
too dead.. - Ted
|
Most
of these tips are very helpful and I have learned
a lot from them. I don't consider myself an expert by
any means but the only tips I have are to always stay
in control, play to the right feel and volume of the song,
and listen to and learn to play all types of music. -
Andrew
|
Don't
over muffle your drums, let em' ring. That's what
makes them drums, without ring, you might as well be
hiting a table top. - Andrew Wood
To
the Top
|
Trying
doing doubles, singles, para-diddles on a pillow.
It offers no re-bound forcing you to pull up the stick,
in turn increasing your control, and speed. - John
Flynn
|
Play
your drumset the opposite way you would usually play them.
This helps you in so many ways, you would neer believe
it! - Justin the Drummerboy
|
If
you are borrowing someones drums to play live dont
leave asking them until you get to the gig. Once I had
to use a cracked plastic stool as a drumseat grrrrr! -
David
|
Jazz
drumming
is mastery of the drumset and one of the masters is
Billy Kilson from the Dave Holland Quintet - David
|
To
get good, controlled dynamics play 16th notes with
different notes accented. E.g LlllL Ll lL llL Lll -
David
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I
have a few tips, but first, some thank yous: Thanks
to to Alex Miehl for the arm tip, that works great, it
hurts like hell, but it works great, thank you. Also,
thanks to Paul Knight for the Math/Drumming
tip. If I would have done that earlier, I would have been
better sooner, and I could have possibly been more interested
in math as a youngin'.
Tip
1: Travis Barker is great, and I study him as if I
was his apprentice, however, Dave Weckle is my idol, and
drumming
god...I HIGHLY recommend every drummer check him out (Your
library will have his videos).
Tip
2: Take your standard practice pad(the thicker the
better) and attach it to the densest wall available in
your house however you wish and tape your bass pedal/double
to the floor so that the beaters match up and practice
pad (works well when you need the "feel" of
the drum).
Tip
3: If anyone remembers those cool hand sqeeze things
from the 80's, find one and sqeeze that thing all day
long (good for strengthening yo!
ur weak hand also).
|
Drum
Lessons
Find
beginner drum lessons to
advanced at Drum Lessons .org.
|
Tip
4: Try yoga or full body stretching before a show
or practice, it helps to loosen you up (great for the
legs of double bass drummer).
Tip
5: Use hunting hand warmers to get the blood flow
back in your hand if your are playing someplace cold.
Drummer
Jokes
Tip
6: Take a look at your hands when you play, if you
put one on top of the other, and it looks like you're
holding a sword, you're killing your wrists. TO SAVE YOUR
WRISTS from carpel tunnel, place your hand on a desk or
whatever is available, palm down. Now raise you hand and
point your index finger out and tuck your other fingers
in. Now tuck in your index finger so that only the first
knuckle is visible to you, slide your thumb along side
of it like you were pinching someone. Slide a stick in
between your thumb and idex finger. Practice this way
and WATCH YOURSELF. It is hard to learn, but it will help.
If you already play this way, sorry for wasting your time.
Tip
7: AND THE MOST VITAL THING, STAY IN SCHOOL!!!!! Shoot
for the top, but get your head on straight and do what
you have to. And no, I am not some old fool who is just
another drone in society. I am 19, and I just make sure
I have all my bases covered. Think about it, look at most
of the famous musicians today...ALOT of them have their
Bachelores in something other than frisbee throwing. Get
your education, then you can get your glory. - Trent
C.
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If
you ever get bored, take off all your skins and clean
the inside of each drum with a water based soap powder.
Then re-tune each drum before it is dampened to create
a unique sound to the player. - Tomi Livesey
|
Dont
be like everyone else create
ur own sound and go with it, dont be afraid to experiment
- a drummer
|
Hum
or listen to a beat while you are trying to drum.
it makes it easier to keep the flow and a steady constant
beat. - Natalie
|
I
find It helps if u only practice with the hi hat snare
and bass drum every once in a while. It helps u remember
the basics, and u have to experiment more to make it sound
really amazing - Kurt
|
NEVER!
NEVER! NEVER! Stop learning. Don't ever think you
have "ARRIVED"! There is ALWAYS something
new to learn.I just ordered a book from Dom Famularo
called "It's Your Move". WOW!!! Invest....it
is well worth the time and money.You might even impress
yourself!!! - Steve Hlabse
To
the Top
|
You
need to know that if you put your drum set on carpet
your kicker will slide. All you need to do is put a slab
of rubber under it and it won't slide. - Tyler
|
If
you want to play a new song and you can't even play
it well...start SLOWLY...slowly slowly...then when
you learn it well...start playing more fast...then more
fast...and if you get stucked there.. go back and play
slower...then when you think you can play it well in
fast mode...try it faster, faster and faster and you
got it :) , The trick is just to play it Slow and then
FAST. This helps alot to learn some songs :) - Cult
Nemesis Drummer
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When
you first get your drum set the snair drum doesn't
sound like a snair drum . But all you have to do is take
your drum key and flip the snair drum. Then titen the
spring with your key. It needs to be tite or it will come
loose. Then hit it with your drum stiks . - Tyler K.
|
If
you need to work on your speed, use the heaviest drum
sticks you can find. I found that it was very helpful.
Thanks. - Clayton H.
|
Be
sure that you play what you want to play, if you're
not satisfied with the type of music your band is playing,
then say something. The point of music is to have fun,
and its not fun if your not playing something that you
enjoy. - Michael S
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Practise
singing to a drum tune it will help you get an understanding
of that side of it. Don't over fill a song with fills,
it takes away from the other parts of the song. Don't
put tape on your snare drum rather out a drum ring because
the tape will mess it up some times. - Brad
|
Always
listen to the music and play how you feel, not what
you want people to hear. - John Bonham
|
When
you first get a drum set it might not sound the same as
your friends. It usually doesn't because it is new.
All you have to do is adjust on it and get used to it
. - Tyler
|
When
buying your drumsticks, make sure you pick the style
or make which you feel comfortable playing with yourself.
not what someone has said to buy. - Sm Young
Drum
Lessons Organized
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by style.
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Practice
rolls on a really soft pillow, it will greatly increase
your - Uncle Luke
|
Learn
all the styles on drums: Jazz, Rock, Blues, Ska, Punk,
Rock - Joaquín de Castro
|
Attention
drummers: This tip is from a soundman. Don't
play your drums while the soundman is trying to mike
up your kit! - CISCO
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Moleskin
pads (available in any pharmacy) make the best bass
drum pads ever. They help maintain the true tone and beautiful
resonance of a bass drum unlike most commercial pads.
Just cut into the desired size and shape. - clay
|
Carry
a few bicycle tire innertubes (26" mountain bike
size) in your hardware case. You can create a mucher tighter
connection than with duct tape. You can use them as industrial-strength
bungee cords to tie things together like your throne to
your kick pedal or to secure a case lid with a dead strap.
You can also use them to tie up a stripped out boom clamp
on a piece of hardware. And finally, you can cut out a
piece and use it as a gasket for the tilt pivot on the
older snare stands by the likes of Tama and Yamaha. -
Jerry Gerlich
|
If
you use heavy sticks always use heavy cymbals, it
may reduce the risk of cracking your cymbal. - Warren
Hill
|
Drumming
at home can be annoying to those who don't appreciate
the ART of the most ancient of musical instruments,
soooooooo, I invested in some neoprene drum mufflers.The
sound is GREATLY reduced and the most beneficial thing
is the muscle tone and reflex you must use to get the
rebounds and doubles and triples. So when you play "LIVE"
the natural action of the heads and cymbals will enhance
your playing and you will definitly be AMAZED as well
as your "group" memebers and audience will
Appreciate" the most ancient instrument even more...
- Steve Hlabse
To
the Top
|
Know
what your playing and know how to play what your playing.
The drummer is the main key, if you anit got drums you
anit got nothing. Take it from me, a drummer myself -
mike
|
Keep
alcohal free before playing! - bob
|
If
you can play it slow, you can play it fast. Start
by learing it slow then do it fast.
- John Vasquez
|
Watch
yourself. It's always great to watch your hands in
front of a mirror and see what your hands are and aren't
doing. Get in front of a mirror and see! - Jose Mata
|
You
should not allways play hard all the time. Some times
you should play soft.
- No name provided
|
Put
a pillow in your bassdrum and it will make the sound
flow out better - Tyler
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Jam
with a good bass player and keep the rhythm of their
hand movements. I also believe that learning to play bass
can improve drumming.
- enalonde
|
Play
with a mirror along side you so you can check out
your technique - Chris Bate
|
I
think that you play alot better if you set your drums
up like you want them not like any one else - Daniel
|
Just
because your cymbale looks good where you put it,
doesn't mean its the right place for it to be. Many
times drummers put things where its not comftorable
to be and get at, its because it looks good. DONT DO
THAT, dont try to look good... try to SOUND GOOD! -
Brynner Agassi
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READ
EVERYTHING! Learn everything and dont take anything
for granted! You will become the best if you can just
read those black dots on a bit of paper! - Marcus Holloway
|
A
good way for carrying stands: Buy a hard golf club
carrying case with wheels from any sporting goods store.
Works very good. - rj simon
|
If
your looking to expand your kit, instead of rocking
a double kick, add a microwave or a tv or a sno-cone
machine, maybe even a washing machine, or Belgian waffle
iron. This way you never have to leave your kit. PS
you can convert your bass drum into a urinal. - Harris
To
the Top
|
To
DB players, wherever you are, perfect your feet.
At school, while you are eating, right now, whenever.
Just go strait 16 on your feet all the time. This makes
em way better. PS this page is so friggn cool! - metal
head
|
If
you play chinas inverted, your china will crack easier,
but if you play them normal, your sticks will break easier.
lose lose situation isnt it? - Harris
|
Practice
alot or your never going to get better. - keith
fulton
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If
you want more traction when playing double pedal use
wrestling shoes,they are very light and have the best
grip. - chase white
|
Well,
i've found that for tuning your drums you should tune
the bottom head a little more tighter than the top head.
it takes away that extra resonance that you dont want.
- billy
|
Put
about a half an inch of surgical tubing over the
beads of your sticks. Now you can practice on any table
without a practice pad! - Jim Dwyer
To
the Top
|
ALWAYS
BE CREATIVE!!!!!!!!!! - selina
|
Remember
that simple drum beats can go perfect with any rhythm
on the guitar. you dont have to get fancy with all the
toms. just a cymbal, bass, and snare beat will do it.
- jim
|
Study
Drummers who have come and gone. You don't know where
you going till you know where you been. Besides...those
cats could really play, ie; Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Cozy
Cole, Buddy Rich, etc.. - Eric Levi Smith
|
How
to keep your drum from ringing!! put double sided
tape on a paper towel or wash cloth and tape it to the
bottom of your top drum head. - TJ
|
PERFECT
practice makes PERFECT - April
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When
warming up a good way to get loose and alot of times
create new and cool beats is to set a rithim with your
bass drum then on up beats or in between or whatever hit
random drums just on beat go crazy with it and sometimes
youll end up with a new idea for a drum solo or something
- Justin TM
|
Well
slightly taping a sheet of ordinary paper to the
floor tom it muffles it alittle to get a lower tone.
its sounds awesome - danish
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If you are in a rock band and your parents dont
like to hear how loud you and your band are, try draping
a towel over your snare, it helps. - Gregory LeFevre
|
Flam,
flam, flam all around kit daily!!!!!
- jimmymack
|
Get
a teacher, learn what he/she has to offer, and then
get a new one. Repeat until
you're not learning anything new. Only then should you
join a band. Worked for me! Also, don't judge a drummer
on how well he can solo on a big kit, judge a drummer
on how well he can solo on a small kit. - Sammael
To
the Top
|
Start
getting in the habbit of playing
a double on the left hand. it will make you sound better
and will amaze your friends!!!! im not kidding i am better
then my band teacher at the drums trust me - kris gundel
owner of the snare in vets middle school
|
My
tip for today is to expose yourself
to many information about drums. I was reading this book
about the History of jazz and I was reading a section
of the book where it talks about the drumming
style of the Africans. I was interested of what it had
to say and from that day on I started to look up books
about complicated rhythm and syncopation. Also for all
the drummers out there I just wanna say that even though
you are an execellent drummer, you have to consider the
performing aspects of drumming.
If you can play all kind of beats, but you can't play
with other musicians then that's something you should
look at. And also you are not just a drummer you are musician.
- Ralph James Mangohig
|
I
use pet beds in my bass drum for muffling. Their not
pillows but are like wool carpeting with a round pad around
the outer edge. They work great and look great! I found
a couple that fit perfectly inside my bass drum. -
Darrin Miranda
|
Some
of the drummers in my school decided not to be in
drumline because they didnt want to be a "band
nerd" but trust me if you are a drummer in highschool
get in band belive me there is alot of stuff to learn
there. like if you get to do a solo at a gig and you
can add some of those great rythems and beats from marching
band youl get a great crowd resonce. also while playing
switch back and forth from traditional to mathing grip
this looks awsome and leaves non-drummers in the audience
sayin "how the hell did he do that!" - Sean"OFFBEAT"Kenny
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For
a sick sounding three peice role- start by doubling
from snare to t1 with your leed hand then quad on your
snare with your other. - DarkRitual_ Drummer
|
Get
buddy rich's dna or gene krupa's...and you'll be instantly
great! - wardman
|
Its
a great help if you can read other instruments because
it helps you to play drums better. Also dont think that
you know all the beats cause you dont. One more tip
is that if you cant read music you are not a complete
drummer...i can't read it well but im getting there.
- Mark Sookhai
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Protect
Your Hearing - go to any store with a gun section
and buy the cheapest pair of rifle/shotgun ear protection
they have. It should only cost you about 7 bucks and will
really save your hearing. It's also a lot easier to put
on than earplugs so you'll actually wear it! - Jeff
|
When
your wrists arent fast enough to do a double stroke
roll, take a pair of drumsticks and hold them towards
the top of the stick and do a double on air as fast as
you can. Do it once a day for three minutes and within
a week I PROMISE that you'll be able to do a double stroke
roll, Garenteed - Krissy Sanchez
|
Myth:Ringo is the greatest drummer, Fact it's
Joey Jordison from Slipknot - shawn richmer
To
the Top
|
I
find that before i got on stage i like to go through
a few pages of drum music on a practice snare, or my knees
just to losen up muslces as you can be quite tense before
a show - joey
|
It
works great to make your own fills out of a few fills
from some of your fave songs, im not saying rip em off,
but take some of this, some of that...and that and that,
and you'll have your own unique style - Daniyal Khan
|
Do
you only have a single bass pedal? Want to acheive
the double bass drum sound with ONE FOOT? Well here's
how. To acheive the double bass sound with one pedal,
LEAVE YOUR CALF MUSCLE RELAXED and simply slide your foot
up the pedal. Go from your big toe near the back of the
pedal and let it slide to the ball of your foot near the
front of the pedal. You will not believe, after some practice,
how amazing it sounds. Go on, try it! - Bill.A.Bong
|
If your looking to not spend much money buy a cheap
kit then put on percussion muffling ring the worst drum
head sounds great it also elimenates the over ring - sierah
|
To
learn bass better tape your foot when your doing
somthing els like if your dooing your home work do it
and dont thing about it and heck mabey you will master
it some day - W.T.L drummer_sk8er
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Just try and make up some new rhythms by using
just the snare and high hats, or change around the position
of your cymbals and see what you come up with - clay
|
Try
usins a fater stick like 5b 0r 2b if u use 7b size
u wull breack ur stick hittin the cymbols - kman
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Listen
to Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Mitch Mitchell and Ginger
Baker play. They're all awsome and nuts, except Ringo
whos just really good at making up good fills. Keith is
the best rock drummer ever. - Gary
|
To
remember where the drums\cymbles are close your eyes
then play - someone
|
Try practicing playing with a guitarist near
by helps u nail those undecided beats - Dakota
To
the Top
|
Holding
your stick affects how you sound, when holding a drumstick
don't grab it with a lot of force. Let your last two fingers
move freely to make better fills, and you won't loose
as much energy, there will be a better flow when your
playing. - yannsel nava
|
The
more relaxed,the more basic you are. the better the
drummer will be - nick at nite wells
|
When
practicing double bass, place a pillow or some kind
of sound drowning object between your bass drum beater
and the bass drum skin. This may help to keep the neighbours
off your back :) - hammer heart
|
Try
using the Remo practice pad as an electric drum. You'll
need to make some modifications with the pad and get yourself
a second had drum module eg TD-7 etc. Check out a DIY
Drum Trigger website. I did it and it works perfectly.
I now have a $1500 electric drum kit for the price of
a practice kit plus module. About $500 worth. Even works
well with you midi recording device such as cubasis. Great
for practicing with your CD Player or when your not rehearsing
with the band. - Jimbo from the land down under
|
For not getting fatigue. I have some excercises
for this. Just tie some bricks to your feet and start
lifting them up, and try with sand bags if you can.
And Keep fast tapping hard on the ground.
Keep your palms on your thighs and pat it as fast as
you can. I wish you will turn to a skilful drummer in
notime, if you achieve in this - john dominic
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IDEA FOR PRACTICE: Instead of buying pads to practice
on, and making your own, create something called "deadbeats".
Get a pair of your old sticks and wrap fitted wool around
the tip(bead). Wrap around 2 to 3 layers depending on
the thickness of the tip. - joe
|
Getting blisters? Buy a pair of drumming
gloves. Go on. - Ow my hands
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Drumming
is a life sentence. Even if you stop playing for ages,
or don't have a kit, you just can't stop tapping no matter
how hard you try. - The Fabulous Drumming
Monkey
|
Tape
residue can also be removed using lighter fluid. carry
a tin or aerosol furniture posish in your gig bag.As most
brands contain silicone it is a great lubricant for pedal
bearings and stands etc... and it also gets your shells
clean! - Pip McCann
|
Always
act like the drummer from Green Day Tre Cool,it
always keeps you feel good about your apperance and
how perfestional you play(comphadence)(sp?)well anyways
always act like you are your favorite drummer!i love
Tre Cool - Amanda Engel
To
the Top
|
Listen to and watch others play! This works drums
as well as any instrument. Buy some DVDs of some bands
with good drummers playing live. Watch the techniques
that the drummer uses and pay attention to the way he
is sitting, hitting the drums, and even holding his sticks.
You can learn a lot from watching more experienced musicians
play. This doesn't mean you should try to sound just like
them (I think everyone should just be themselves and not
copy one another), but it can help you learn new tricks
faster, rather than having to figure them all out on your
own. - Austin C
|
Most of the time sports help you in drumming
if your not an athletic drummer consiter taking up a sport
(swimming is the best helps with cordination uper and
lower body strenth) take it from someone with experence
:) - Val
|
If
you haven't already, buy the (I guess you call them)
Remo plastic rings to go around each of your toms and
snare. They are small but make you drums sound so much
better. And their cheap ;) - Deebz
|
Use
a upside down car stand for a cow bell sounds nice
an loud - wacko
|
Hey guys. Concerning the bass drum. I find that
its not about how much you stuff into your bass drum
but that you make sure that the object lies heavy on
the shell. In other word, use a rubber matt which prevents
the bass drum from resonating too much. Another thing
- the size of the whole on the front head of the bass
drum should be about the size ofa cup. If the whole
is too big the sound would be equal to having no front
head. Hope this tip helped. Later. and keep up the good
drumming.
GOD BLESS!!! - Marcus
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Rather
than using tape or putting tacky substances on my
drumsticks to improve grip, I take off any finish with
steel wool and rub the stick with a solution of 1/2 rubbing
alcohol, 1/2 distilled water on a cotton cloth (T-shirt).
This opens up the pores of the wood and creates friction
without the need for bulky, bounce-robbing tape or tacky,
twirl-defeating gluey goo. - Michael "Drum Bum"
Hicks
|
Don't
focus your attention on double-bass drumming,
it's hardly ever needed unless your going to be playing
in a speed metal band. If you learn correctly you can
pretty much do anything on a single pedal. I've played
in working bands for years and never needed a double-pedal.
The time you waste on practicing double-bass could be
put to better use on way to many other aspects of playing...
- Joe
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Get
a decent pair of earplugs- they will save your ears
in the long run even if they are a hassle!! also get a
good pair of remote headphones so that you can play to
the cd/radio/whatever with ease, and without making anything
louder than it needs to be.
LOUD is not the key!! There is no need, it just annoys
people and you lose control- always stay quieter and more
controlled than you usually are and you'll find that you
have far more texhnical ability when your not wasting
your energy on hitting the drums hard.
Don't stick to one genre- there are so many different
styles of drumming,
you need to know a variety to have a chance of getting
big!
Take all opportunities, and practice lots.
Don't drum with the technicalities in mind, dont concentrate
too much- make sure that your in the mood for the kind
of song your playing, and play with your heart, not your
brain. You will enjoy it far more, and people will notice
the difference.
Mike Portnoy IS amazing, get some dream theater/liquid
tension experiment albums, and enjoy!
hope some of that was of help - joe
|
Remember
to check up on your res heads as often as batter heads.
Just because you don't hit them doesn't mean they won't
need replacing from time to time. - rob
|
Don't
buy maple stagg sticks they break really easily
- Jon
To
the Top
|
Travis
Barker is a freak who only cares about money, indeed
he is good but dont let him be your roll model. Tommy
Lee is a good insperation, I met him he does it for passion
and could easily take out travis. - drummer
|
Always
loosing cymbal felts? Go down to your local junkyard
and remove the sound deadning mat from behind the backseat.
You can cut out hundreds of felts and never worry about
it again. - Rockstar
|
Remember
there is no losers just winners that give up to soon.
take a few drum lessons and then listen to all different
types of music and incorporate them in to your own style:)
- Tom
|
DON'T
use Goo-Gone to remove tape residue or anything else.
Goo-Gone is basically kerosene and fragrance, straight
kero will do the job as well and a lifetime supply can
be had for the price of 1 bottle of Goo-Gone. - default
|
Always
keep relaxed when playing - jack
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Drumming
is something physical... Intensive training and practice
may not perfectionise everything but on the long run,
improvement results in petty achievements. So start with
your stamina, basic, conditioning and commitment. THE
MEANINGFUL THING ONE WILL TEAR OVER IS TO PURSUE AND ACHIEVE
SOMETHING THEY LOVE REGARDLESS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE JOURNEY... - Alvin Yap
|
Practice
drum
rudiments on a pillow or a stack of newspapers...
any surface that will *eliminate* rebound and force
you to "pick-up" the sticks. The sticks will
fall with gravity, picking them up is what's first required.
- default
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Just practice. practice, practice - all the time.
it is the key to getting better at anything. And have
fun while you are at it. - oneeandah2
|
I think everythink it's in your soul.Just let your
self and hit the drums! - stefanoscorfu
|
If you are having troubles when you hit one of
the toms and it rings on the snare. Duct tape a somthing
under the head, but it has to something soft. some people
use tampons but wrapped a peice of carpet with toilet
paper. - Dave Newman
To
the Top
|
If
you are right handed practise left handed , playing
eightth notes with left hand and quarter notes with right!builds
up left hand fast!left on cymbols right on snare...makes
you ambidetrious in no time! - GREG SMITH
|
Play
with your heart... Emotion can make a difference
in a concert, a competition, and most importantly an
audition. Putting you into what is played is most important.
- Sam Neitz
|
If
your doing a roll around the toms and you hit the
rim,move the tom so that you hit the drum correctly -
zack orozco
|
When
galloping on the bass pedal you want your pedal to
be as tight as possible and you will need to keep you
foot at the top of the pedal to where your toe is almost
touching the chain then you push with your toes then pull
the back of your foot up as far as possible but with your
toes still on it nohit it with your heel just a couple
centimeters away from the hinge keep practicing! - anonymous
|
If you find yourself with a lack of creativity while
playing... just write the things you know down on a
paper and stick it somewhere you can see it!!! it doesn't
have to be a long thing... just ideas... (example: Rim
shot, paraddidles, triplets or even just a song name)
Creativity is a HUGE part in playing drums - Jose
Contreras
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When
starting out, because of being nervous (whether when
practicing or performing), you may find that your hands
tend to sweat. This can result in losing grip of your
sticks, and can cause embarassing situations. Try keeping
paper towels handy, and wipe ur hands dry when possible.
A friend of mine had the same problem, and he wore finger
gloves with the fingers cut off. I once bought a pair
of Zildjian dipped sticks (rubber grip), and they helped
somewhat. Wrapping the sticks with electrical tape helps
as well. Whatever works for you, do it. Over time, your
skills and confidence will build up, and you will realize
that your hands are no longer sweaty. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
For
any new drummer listen and
play to as much variety of musical styles as you can.
Sure, I agree Joey J. from Slipknot rocks the metal
world, but check out any Buddy Rich for Jazz, Neil Pert
for rock orchestrations, Keith Moon for being wild,
Terry Bozzio for creativity, Stuart Copeland for driving
songs and yes even Ringo Starr. Starr gets ripped on
a lot but for the style and simple songs he played he
kept the beat, didn't abuse his fills and never showed
off...he did what a good drummer always does and that
is keeping a dependable beat to any song. Lead guitarists
get a lot of the glory to show off with their constant
solo's but their flights of fancy would seem annoying
unless they had a consisted rythmn to come back to.
Besides, I have never seen and I can guarantee you will
never see anyone at a music event tap their foot, groove
to a song or even dance to a lead guitar solo. But you
will find them doing that to the drummer and bass player
who are backing them up...no matter what the music style.
with over 25 years of playing professional the only
true advice I can give is "Just have fun"
- eL Bovo
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Listen
to all types of music. Refusing to do so results in
a limited musical vocabulary. Incorporate fills and whatever
else, from all genres of music, for a unique and loveable
style of your own. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
Working
out, such as lifting weights, or simple stuff like
pushups improves your muscles. This makes endurace with
speed and accuracy significantly easier. This is not to
say that muscle is everything - far from it. A friend
of mine said that bulky guys find that over time their
wrists become slower, because of the excess muscle. So
moderation is best. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
Practice with fatter sticks. For example, i perfer
to play with 5A, but i practice with 5B. This increases
my strength overtime, which in turn makes playing with
5A much easier. It does however frustrate other drummers,
when they borrow my fatter sticks, especially the lady-drummers.
Keeping a cheap pair of thinner sticks is always good,
if you're always letting other people use your sticks.
- Johnathon Cripaul
To
the Top
|
When
hitting the high-hat, elevate your sticks, so that
the bead (tip) of the stick hits the high-hat, rather
than the shaft (mid-section of the stick). This improves
the sound of the beat, and it significanly improves the
life of your sticks. When you first start doing this,
it might be painful, due to your muscles getting used
to it; within a few weeks however, it will become comfortable.
Just don't elevate the stick to much, otherwise you'll
look constipated. =P - Johnathon Cripaul
|
If you are a hard-hitter like myself, then go out
and get the cheapest sticks you can find (seriously),
and buy a couple of pairs at a time. Buy a better pair
for when you are performing, and use the crappier sticks
for practice. This saves you huge amounts of money, and
you're not limiting yourself by playing softer, to prolong
stick life. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
If
you don't want to buy Hot Rods (commonly known as
acoustic sticks), but still want to enjoy the benefits
of them, make a ghetto pair. Pick up a pack of bamboo
skewers (shish kebab sticks) from the dollarstore or wherever.
Using rubber bands, attach anywhere from 10-20 sticks
(I use 15) together (at several points), and play away!
When playing softer songs, I tend to use one ghetto acoustic
stick for the high-hat, and a regular stick (usually playing
side-stick) for the snare. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
If you don't have a drumset, and you don't want
to waste money on practice pads, try gluing mousepads
together. Mounting them on a wooden plate improves aesthetics.
Make several sets of them, to simulate a complete drumset
- Johnathon Cripaul
|
If
you want to make Ghetto Cymbal Mallets, take a cheap
pair of drumsticks, and attach a whole bunch of rubber
bands on the butts (ends of the handles) of the sticks,
so that they pile up into a mound. When used, they simulate
the exact same sound as proper one, and as an added
bonus, when you hit a cymbal with them, the sticks bounce
back off gently (due to the rubber bands), meaning you
can increase your speed with less energy. If you affixed
the rubber bands on the handle part, then you can even
use the sticks regularly, and flip em around (holding
the bead/tip) in your hand when using them on the cymbals.
- Johnathon Cripaul
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Always
have several pairs of sticks with you when you perform,
and make sure that at least one pair is at hand at all
times. This way, embarassing moments like losing sticks
can be smoothly overcome. Learning to play simple beats
with only one hand doing all the work (teach both hands
to work alone) comes in handy in situations like this,
because you can grab another stick, while keeping the
beat steady. - Johnathon Cripaul
|
Make
some flam-a-diddles RLRRLRLL LRLLRLRR before drumming
- Artur K
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For
faster chops get two books of equal weight (the heavier
the better) and hold them under your arms right at the
biceps; sit at any practice pad or set and just start
playing. The idea is that all of the work is being concentrated
onto you finger muscles (Of course, long cymbal reaching
is out the question for this excercise).
My first motivation was DOUBLE STROKE ROLLS, I saw them
in action as a young drummer two years ago and fell in
love. I spent half of that day just doubling: I watched
tv and listen to music and went with the tempo or half
of the tempo and the next day I was able to incorporate
them tremendeously. The double stroke roll is a tremendous
ability (in my humble opnion) to be able to pull out at
any time.
The SECRET TO TUNING TOMS (or any drums for that matter)
is to use two drum keys. How do you think a drum store
can have so many toms tuned so well so quickly everyday??!!?
TWO DRUMS KEYS! Loosen the heads as much as possible,
then tighten them till they are finger tight (doesn't
have to be hard), finally use both keys at the same time
(at opposite ends obviously) and do the same turns.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.... BE CREATIVE!!!!!!!!! We already
have enough of the same robotic drummers standing in the
line to be replaced by drum machines.
Peace in God - Josh Henderson
|
Stretch
before drumming!!
this is very important, and it helps you do rolls a lot
easier....it helps me.. - Curt
|
Try
to play with the music..you get lotta practice out
of that..;) - Me Iceland
To
the Top
|
To
make your cymbal keep going after you hit it, take
a long strand of shotch tape and bend it in half so it
isn't sticky anywhere, put a coin in between the tape
on one of the ends. Tape the other end to the cymbal.
- Charles Clayton
|
Learn from drummers in bands who you admire. Listen
to their CD's carefully work out what they do. You can
take something from each of them giving your drumming
a range of all of them. Also put a weight in your bass
drum like a bar bell or a brick for some reason it gives
the bass drum a deeper sound and stops is sliding if you
play on a wooden floor! - Toby (Inasphere)
|
If
u get 7A drumsticks u get better rolls!!!!! - steven
lelham
|
Remo
heads are the best so u shud try them if u havnt!!!!!!!!
- Steven Lelham
|
When
practicing drum
rudiments, don't practice at super fast tempo. Take
them slow and learn to play them CORRECTLY at a slower,
more comfortable tempo. Then once you can play them
right at that tempo, crank it up alitte and play it
alittle faster. Rinse and repeat. - Michael Butts
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If
your tired of your drum sticks flying out of your
hands when your playing....... then get a candle and rub
the side of the candle on the whole stick and start playing
it might slip out a few times but it works! just get use
to the grip again. - kenny k
|
Double
bass-If you want to play double bass really well
you have to start slow and slowly get faster. Make sure
you sit up. And you have to be comfortable. so you should
have a good throne. and not with a back rest. you should
learn to sit up without something holding you up. You
should always play with you heels up. Use the toes and
the ball of your foot. And that is about all I can say.
So give that a shot. - Tjay
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If
your cymbal does start to crack, drill a hole (1/8
inch or so) at the end of the crack (closest to the center
of the cymbal) this should keep it from cracking any further
- J
|
Try
giving drum tips. After all, you have to be a master
before you can teach. - Jacob Greene
|
Try
using proper spelling and puncuation in your drums
tips. It helps others comprehend and make use out of
your drum tips. - Jacob Greene
To
the Top
|
The
only way to get good at anything musical is for it
to be your life. You have to practice all the time, if
your heart/soul/karma/core/whatever is not in it, you'll
never get anywhere, because you wont be motivated to practice.
It's gotta be your life. - Vinnie, (the next Travis
Barker)
|
If you can count it you can play it. - Channah
|
When
you buy new sticks buy them in sets of two or more
and cover one set of them in electrical tape to keep them
from breaking. use the other set if you are doing a song
that requirs alot of rim shots. this will protect the
sticks and they will last much longer depending on how
much you play. - jesse
|
When
first learning the double bass pedal try using the
left pedal as your normal pedal and ignoring the fixed
one, it will get your left foot more comfortable with
the beats your used to and may end up in interesting new
beats - John F
|
If
you use really light sticks and play tremendously
hard sometimes, use heavier sticks, because less force
is needed. Lighter sticks aare helpful except only if
you know how to use them. If you play hard with light
sticks, your hand will start to peel. once that happens
you can't play for at least a few days. - Scott Schrodell
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Being
Tight: Often i find drummers, when at GIGS, forget
the value of the term "Simple sells" being tight
is the most IMPORTANT part of your drumming.
When you drum fluidly with your band , people remmember!!!
It also opens you up to a whole new world with your band
. Take this for instence.. when i drummed for my first
high school band i got SOOO nervous 'cause i knew my band
and i weren't tight. Soo practice with your band untill
you lines and fills and stuff are completely coordinated.
and even the fussy musician will be impressed . - Clinton
'Sypher' Dutton
|
Before
marching in a parade (esp. snares) make sure your
J bars are'nt hitting your knees, else your gonna end
up with some major bruises. - Channah
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Allways
hit the metle rim on the ide of the drum befor playing
or it might rip the cover on your drum - bob smith
|
Fact:
Peart is better than Ringo, Fact #2, If you want to learn
how to complement a song while not sucking completely,
listen to Ringo - Jake
|
If you get blisters wrap a bandaid around it
and keep going, your hands will never get accustomed
to your sticks if you buy special gloves, deal with
the pain now. - Channah
|
RUDIMENTS
IN FRONT OF A MIRROR: Find a site the has all of the
40 drum
rudiments (american) and practice them on a pad in
front of a mirror to check to see if you are consistent
between both hands(don't let right\left go higher or lower
than the outher) and then apply the rudiments around the
SET . It will help you to create Awesome new fills !!!
- Clinton 'Sypher' Dutton
|
For those who get blisters often on your handswhile
drumming
invest in a pair of light durable weight lifting gloves.
they can breath and reduce the blisters to a zero, and
you don't ruin your hands or make them look like one big
callus. - Amanda
|
If
you can't afford a drum pad and your parents are ready
to kick you out of the house for denting up their furniture
and making noise, try an old mouse pad. - Channah
|
Don't
underestimate drum rudiments they are not just for
practicing your technique and speed. they make great fills
and rhyhms. e.g check out steve gadds pariddle groove
or try starting a semiguaver triplet with a flam? sounds
cool - Mehl
|
No
matter what anyone says famous or not there is no
such thing as a DRUM BEAT. beat is the name given to
the "number" of parts in a bar as dictated
by the time signature e.g. 4/4 has 4 beats 5/4 5 beats
ect - Mehl
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Try playing things slow,work on perfection,then
speed up gradually.many guys can play fast but not absolutely
perfect,hitting a rim in the wrong spot is unexceptable,if
you mess up start over until you get it perfect - matt(the
bougwa drummer)
|
Try using marching sticks,their huge,it will
kill yor arms,wrists and hands,maybe a few heads but
your arms will get stronger - bougwa drummer
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I
read one post that stated if you play china cymbal
inverted you'll break more china cymbals and if you invert
the china cymbal you'll break more sticks. Not true. I
have been rocking over 31 years now and NEVER broke a
cymbal and have broken very few sticks this only possible
by correct cymbal placement and accurate striking of the
china cymbal or any other cymbal for that matter......ROCK
- rock drummer
|
Practice
Doubling on a pillow or some thing that you have to
work @ to make it bounce this will help you get faster
and better - Mike Gore Jr.
|
DO
NOT spend a lot of money buying expensive sets of
drums and cymbals. I think that the most important thing
is to get a good set of HEADS for a good sound. And
about cymbals, many B20s have an awesome sound, projection
and durability. BELIEVE ME!!!!! - IVANHOE VERNAL
To
the Top
|
Try
drummin with a black light on in the room you are
drummin in it creates a different feeling and gives you
a new perspective of your drums everytime i do it i think
of some crazy cool new beat - the paradiddlin percussor
|
For
first time recorders: PLAY AS LOUD AS YOU CAN!!!!!
you may think you've recorded loud enough but as soon
as those other instruments pile on top of you, all your
drumming
efforts will NOT be heard, and have fun too :) - Ann
Nonomous
|
For
smooth double bass, try the same technique you would
use to get your hands to strike evenly.... start with
your left foot (or right foot if you're left-handed) and
alternate LrLrLr...accent with the left on every stroke.
This takes quite a bit of practice (as well as some "getting
used to" the feel of the left-foot lead). After your
left can dominate the right, you will notice that your
double bass playing will be more uniform, regardless which
foot you "start with". - Jim Badd
|
Hit
the bass drum from an angle. - Tre' Cool
|
You
gotta FEEL the beat! Otherwise, you can't FILL it!
FEEL it and then FIll it--that's what I tell my students.
The BEAT is the most important part--so like, you can't
do it without bass--I find that helps peoples' outlook
on playing marching bass. - Lisa K.
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Practise
practise practise even when you dont feel like it
pick up your sticks and do SOMETHING through the years
i have been in several types of bands and have played
everything from alabma to zz top,waylon jennings, black
sabbath,eagles, patsy cline, rush. play it all!! dont
be a rock drummer or a jazz drummer be a DRUMMER. go to
open mics i have fun jamming with people i have just met,
and its kind of scary not knowing what the song is but
if you are confident you can play something that fits
,and if you do goof its just a jam no one minds plus you
get to see a bunch of other drummers and may pick something
up at the age of 35 i felt i was in a rut i took lessons
from a drummer way younger then me i learned a lot and
even showed him a little and again practise practise practise
ROCK n ROLL - beluga bob
|
Learning
by the book is overrated....I have taught myself
to play both guitar and drums without any help. Listen
to Rush for some cool technical stuff, listen to Slipknot
to get some good ideas for double bass..While doing
so, don't get discouraged because Neil has been playing
for like 50 years. Absorb things you hear in songs by
pros, practice it and expand it. - ryan
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PLAY
EVERY DAY if possible and be comfertable on what ever
your playig. - odessadrummerboy
|
Muscles
aren't everything, as the heavier the muscle the harder
it is to move your feet. It has to do with your ankles,
learn to strengthen and excercise them before you think
about putting on muscle. Muscle has nothing to do with
it. - piers
|
GIVE
IT SOME ATTITUDE! believe your an amazing drummer
and you will be an amazing drummer - Samwise
To
the Top
|
Stay
loose and relaxed or you might hurt yourself, if you
have to much anxiety when playing. - paul mccanas
|
Practise
tripplets for at least an hour a day and they will
sound great in just over a month - Ben Johnston
|
If
you're just starting out, don't go for the most expensive
drum set. Like any hobby, start small and cheap until
you are confident with your skills. You never want to
break a $50 snare head when you're still learning 4/4
time. - ThexLou
|
To
play Double Pedal faster lift up your heal while
keeping the front part of you foot on the pedal.Then
as your heal begins to fall lift up the front part of
your foot. Let all the weight of your foot hit the pedal.
As soon as your foot touches the pedal repeat this.
This will become more easy as you practise. - Andrew
Smith
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Dont
be afarid to hit hard... some songs call for some
hard-hitting drums, dont come down with your whole arm,
come about 80%with ur arm, and 20% with your wrist, some
as you get close, snap your wrist... and Learn triplets,
They are so cool... (left hard, right hand, bass drum)...
it sounds really good. - omar gomar
|
If you get some old classic or latin style music
and try to fuse it in with you r playing or fills, it
sounds really cool. also with some of these beats you
can speed up or slow down to where it sounds out of time
when it really isn't - Brad
|
Play good - Keegan
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