Ask a crazy drummer; he/she is ready to give up everything to be as good as them. However most of these drumming enthusiasts get disillusioned by the lack of proper knowledge as to where to begin. This post is especially dedicated to these future-stars who cannot wait to start creating new grooves.
How to look for the perfect drum teacher?
Learning to play drums can be an exceedingly rewarding process if you have the right instructor. Starting on percussion, trust us, is not easy. All new drummers need to find an encouraging teacher with exceptional virtues of patience, and of course, passion for drumming. Remember, not all talented and well known drummers are good teachers and the best teachers may not be basking in drumming stardom. So be careful while selecting teachers for your kids, or yourself.
Don’t hesitate to consult their ex-students and their parents for honest reviews. Do not forget your own expertise levels, your goals, and schedule flexibility while looking for the perfect instructor.
How to get your playlist right?
You need to listen to a lot of old and new music from different genres before starting to take lessons. A lot of exposure to fantastic music gives newbies a fairly fantastic idea about the differences in drum setups. If you do not have the slightest bit of exposure to different genres, then you will definitely find the world of drums, beats, and cycles very confusing in the beginning.
You need to be able to listen to the drums from among the “chaos”. Drumming is not a random guy sitting on a stool and hitting the drums and cymbals as fast as possible. It is about the breaks, the switches, and the rhythm. You should be able to tell the difference between jazz and funk from the drumming styles at least.
Also do not be afraid to explore different genres when you begin, coz’ that’s when you have the enthusiasm and drive to experiment. If your instructor plays something which you find hard to follow, do not be apprehensive about asking him for detailed instructions. With every passing day, you will get better at reading music sheets, and after a point you will be able to play the drums without even having to look at them!
How to make the right purchases?
Beginners are awed by the sheer variety of drumsticks. It is very normal for you to want all of them, but you need to know which one to begin with. You will gradually learn to understand the variety of sounds produced through different sticks. Your professional instructor might be able to help you out with the selection process. If you are not so sure about investing a lot of money on a lot of drum stick sets and costly practice books, it is absolutely fine to consult your teacher and the local music store to find the most deal for you. Once you begin enjoying your drumming classes, you can then buy those cool expensive pairs of drumsticks.
How to learn and master your grip?
Knowing how to hold your drumsticks is the most important lesson you will ever learn when playing drums. In fact if you want a head start you can always go to the local music store and find a friendly face to help teach you how to hold your first drum sticks. This is usually free advice that comes with the first purchase of your drumsticks. The grip varies between different genres of music and you may want to wait for learning a specific grip style. The best way to do this is to consult your drumming teacher on the first day of lessons.
What’s the biggest success secret?
Drumming is not taught at Hogwarts, but even if it were, it would need a lot of practice. That’s because no drummer ever cast a spell to win hearts in a concert. Like all other drummers in this world, you need to practice, even though you may be naturally gifted at the art. There are star drummers who practice for hours at a stretch to get the perfect sound and rhythm. Most importantly, practice is required so that you get tuned to reading music at a glance. Those crawly hieroglyphs have the power to save your life during any live show if you know how to decipher them!
Featured Image: Image Credit
#Beliebers, @justinbieber drumming or alien takeover? #PURPOSETOUR pic.twitter.com/VEmZn7Gixk
— Def Jam Recordings (@DefJamRecords) March 11, 2016
Late night Drum overdubs w @MaxPortnoy_ @NextToNoneBand That’s my boy! \m/ pic.twitter.com/g0YJHxFy3G
— Mike Portnoy (@MikePortnoy) March 4, 2016
Is My Child Ready to Learn Drums? The Best Age to Start Drum Lessons
Not sure if your son or daughter is ready to start drum lessons? Want to know the perfect age for a child to learn drums? Here, Saint Paul, MN drum instructor John S. explains the best way to determine if your child is ready for drum lessons…
When your child is interested in taking drum lessons, you may ask yourself: “is my child ready to learn drums?”
The short answer is there is no standard, perfect age for a child to begin music lessons. There are pros and cons to starting at a young age, but the most important thing (for both parents and teachers) is to manage expectations based on the child’s age and skill set. Below are three important categories to evaluate when making the decision of whether or not your child is ready to learn drums. Via TakeLessons
LEARN THE DRUMS
Here at the Shed Online we’ve talked a lot about music. Throughout the site you’ll find:
Hundreds of member forum posts under Musicians – And Music
A couple of Member Articles about singing and learning clarinet
Activities including Starting A Band, Songwriting, Learning Guitar, and we’ve put together a couple of ‘Virtual Mixtapes’.
But one thing that’s had very little mention is drumming – in all its many and varied forms.Have you ever thought about learning to play drums or percussion? They come in all sizes and levels of complexity and can be cheap to buy. Apart from a good sense of rhythm and timing, you don’t need a lot of musical knowledge or experience. Via The Shed Online
SO YOU WANT TO START DRUMMING?
So you want to start drumming? It can be a little overwhelming when you first start playing any instrument, and drums are no different. The good news; you can tackle drums slightly differently than most instruments, but plenty of the basics are still the same. The easiest way to tackle any new project, like learning an instrument, is by breaking it down into pieces.
1. Get Some Sticks and Books
You do not need to buy a big drum set to start drumming. If that’s the drummer you want to be, you can certainly get to that point, but for many people budget may be an issue. That’s okay. Unlike other instruments where you need a violin to practice violin, that isn’t entirely true with drums. There are plenty of people who play in parks with an assortment of buckets and pails yet still manage to make skilled music. Via Play Drums
