Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 6: Getting to know the drum kit
• Part 2 of 6: Learning Rhythm
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Drummers are in high demand, and the drum kit is one of the world's most popular instruments. You can learn the basic techniques in an afternoon, but it takes months or even years of practice and dedication to really master them. With enough time and good practice habits, you can learn rhythms and basics to eventually incorporate more complex rhythms and patterns into your drumming.

To step

Part 1 of 6: Getting to know the drum kit

1. Meet the basic drum kit. Each set is different, with different types of drums making up the set. There are different brands, sizes, sticks, tunings and other adjustments that affect the sound of the instrument. Yet many drum sets consist of roughly the same components. Most basic drum sets have:
   • A bass drum. It makes a low thumping sound when hit by the hammer controlled with a foot pedal.
   • A snare drum. Usually it is on the non-dominant side of the drummer and is played by the non-dominant hand. The snare is a tight, clear drum with a snare mat under the bottom drum head. The snare is known for its sharp "click" followed by the resonance of the strings.
   • There are many different types tom-toms (or simply toms), but the three most common are the floor tom (the lowest of the three), the mid-tom (the middle of the three), and the high tom (the highest of the three). A very simple kit may only have a floor tom, while larger kits often have many more. The toms are all tuned differently to produce a diverse range of deeper sounds for fills.
2. Learn the different types of cymbals. There are many different types of cymbals, which can vary in type, shape and sound. A cymbal is a round metal object that resonates when you hit it. The four most commonly used cymbals are the hi-hat, the ride, the splash and the crash.
   • The hihat consists of two cymbals and a foot pedal. The foot pedal is usually played by the left foot; the cymbals close when you press the pedal and open when you release the pedal. You can make different sounds by playing the top cymbal with your stick when it is open or closed, or by closing the cymbals with your foot.
   • The ride creates a more subtle and deeper sound than the other cymbals as it is usually played repeatedly. The cymbal then resonates from one beat to the next, giving the sound a long-lasting "finish."
   • The splash is a cymbal that produces a metallic "splash" sound, similar to the sound of falling water. The splash has a short sound and is usually used in simple fills to decorate a rhythm.
   • The crash resembles the splash, but usually produces a loud and long-lasting sound. You can find the crash at the end of the measure in pop music or in dramatic passages in orchestral music.
3. Look for beginner sets. If you're interested in drumming, look up the prices of a number of different new and used options before spending any money on a drum kit. Talk to people in music stores, they will likely point you in the right direction. Start with a cheap new or used set before you make a final decision whether you want to continue with it.
   • You can also consider playing in a school band. This gives you access to the equipment and lessons that can help you learn to play the drums. You can even ask the band management if you can practice on a drum set a few times because you would like to learn to play the drums. Musicians are usually very friendly, and asking questions never hurts.
4. Try out different drumsticks. There are many different sticks, but none are right or wrong. 5A is a good weight for beginners.
   • Get advice from your drum teacher or a salesperson on how to hold the sticks, how to hit a drum, how to adjust the drums and cymbals to suit your posture, and how to set up your drum kit. You can also find a lot of useful information on the internet for free.
5. Learn how to sit behind your drum kit with the correct posture. With a good posture you will be able to practice more comfortably and you will be able to reach the drums more easily. You will sound better and play with more pleasure if you improve your posture.
   • Sit upright and keep your elbows in. Stay close to the drum kit and keep the pedals at a comfortable distance.

Part 2 of 6: Learning Rhythm

1. Buy a metronome. This cannot be stressed enough: you will have to learn to play at a steady pace, and the easiest way to hammer this in is to practice with a metronome. If you can't get hold of a metronome, you can also get a click track use. A click track is a sound recording of a metronome that you can play on your stereo, an MP3 player or your computer while practicing.
2. Use your fills wisely. Also learn to take it easy with fills, even if you are such a good drummer. Songs from AC / DC have very simple fills or even no fills at all, which fits perfectly with their no-nonsense reputation as a band. A drum solo in "Back in Black" would sound ridiculous.
   • A fill does not have to start on a beat. For example, count '1-e-2' and play the rhythm as usual, but start with a fill on 'e-3-e-4-e' instead of waiting for the 3rd count.

Tips

• If you want to learn to play the drums, start with a cheap (student) drum kit. These are often for sale for a few hundred euros at the most. Typically these sets have a hi-hat, crash / ride cymbal, kick drum, snare drum, one or two tom-toms on top of the kick drum, and a floor tom. Later you can always upgrade or add more elements to your drum kit.
• Always use hearing protection when playing the drums. Snare drums in particular are designed to sound really loud across entire battlefields, playing them very close to your head and ears.
• Always read reviews of drum kits and other equipment before spending any money on them.
• If you really want to become a good drummer, learn rhythm first, then rhythms, then figures around the set, and finally fills. Most bands don't want to know how well you can play a drum solo, they want to know if you can play a good groove. This may sound boring, but you will eventually become a better drummer than someone who plays licks all day long.
• Let the drumsticks do the work for you by bouncing them, don't lift them if you don't want to tire easily.
• Try a lesson with a local drum teacher and see if you like it.
• Don't bang on your pads or drums unless you want to be left with broken sticks, torn drum heads, cracked cymbals and even bone injuries, which may prevent you from playing at all. Unless you're John Bonham or Keith Moon, you better take it easy. Drum gloves can also help with this.
• You don't necessarily have to buy a metronome. There are plenty of free metronome apps for smartphones.
• Learn your rudiments, but learn them from someone who can teach you how to play them musically. Don't just play them as fast as you can without understanding how they fit into a musical picture. Check out George Lawrence Stone's "Stick Control for the Snare Drummer" or Matt Savage's "Savage Rudimental Workshop". Also look for a book called "A Funky Primer for the Rock Drummer" by Charles Down. Rudiments are used during gameplay, so unless you want to be someone who says he can play but actually can't do that much, practice rudiments!
• If you are not ready to purchase a drum set yet but you have an electronic set, such as from RockBand or Guitar Hero, you can connect it to your computer and use the Drum Machine program as an electronic drum set. You can adjust the sound of each individual pad this way, but the downside is that the drums may respond slowly, causing you to get out of the rhythm.

Warnings

• Always use hearing protection and don't forget to adjust your volume to the people around you.

Necessities

• Headphones
• Earplugs
• Drumsticks
• Practice pad
• Metronome
• Basic drum kit
• Drum key
• Mat or carpet for under your drum kit
• A drum teacher (optional)
• Rhythm
• Maybe mufflers, depending on where you practice.