Do you want to learn drum set but don’t know how to take a start? You can learn how to play Drums with passion, consistency and practice.
Drum set lessons for beginners is the evergreen question of newbies. The discussion further goes towards “What are some easy drum songs?” or, “How can I learn to play with a band?”
This post will answer you about how to Play Drum set lessons for beginners in detail, and in a step by step sequence. There are mainly wo types of Drum Sets. You can read here Traditional Drum Set and Best Electronic Drum Set.
After practice you will be able to play drum set easily and confidently. Learning anything needs true passion and dedication of the learner and after some time they can become master of those. The breakdown of the post is as under
- The Parts of a Drum Kit
- Drum Equipment for Beginners
- Holding Drum Sticks
- Drum Rudiments
- Read Drum Sheet Music
- Drum Tabs
- Parts of a Drum Kit
After practicing the above, you will have a solid foundation and the best drumming experience. Be enthusiastic for the drum set to reach high in the Drumming arena. If you haven’t bought Drum Set,
Buy Quality Drum Set under $100
How to Play Drum Set Lessons for Beginners?
Let’s take a start of learning drum sets from zero to advance level with this step by step guide. In the first phase you will learn the anatomy and structure of a Drum Set.
Parts of a Drum Kit
Before learing how to play drum set, one must understand the basic parts of a Drum kit. All of us have played kitchen utensils as a drum set in our childhood. Some of us were proficient finger-drummers with a nice rhythmic journey.
However, having thorough knowledge of the basic body parts of a drum set will make you more confident and knowledgeable.
Actually, such musical instruments are not cheap and with full knowledge you can take good care of your equipment.
A drum set is composed of many expensive gears, let’s have a close look of these expensive parts of a drum set.
Snare Drum set lessons for beginners
Learning how to play snare drum needs to understand its anatomy in detail. A snare is the center of a drum in a five-piece kit.
It is the snare drum that produces loud cracks and the usual upbeats behind your favorite songs. The shell of the snare is made of the following
- Wood
- Maple
- Birch
- Mahogany
- Metals including brass, steel, aluminum, bronze, or stainless steel
The drum head/batter is most of the time coated whilst the bottom of the snare may be shrill and responsive. The rims and the hoops are used on its top and bottom to secure the drum fixing on the snare.
Although, all the parts of a drum kit are very important but the improvement of a snare drum skills cam make you a better drummer.
Therefore, practicing snare drum exercises will improve the rhythm and intonation.
Bass Drum set lessons for beginners
Learn to play bass drum set in church on worship songs could be easy after some time. The bass/kick drum comes with the largest drum in a drum kit.
The base drum shells are usually made of the following
- Maple
- Heartwood birch
- Mahogany
- Metals including brass, steel, aluminum, bronze, or stainless steel
While playing a bass drum, use foot on the drum’s kick pedal that will produce a thumping sound. It is one of the most important part of a bass drum kit.
Also, it is an important skill for drummers to learn fully. After practice you will be able to produce quality sounds and a consistent tempo.
Toms, Hi-Hat, and Cymbals
Lessons how to play drum toms and cymbals need regular practice and interest to become a master of this instrument.
Toms are mounted above the bass drum or sometimes held up with the adjustable legs. There are two forms of toms in a five-piece drum kit.
The most common and frequently seen toms are
- The rack toms
- Floor toms
The construction of a tom is usually made of wood or metal. Moreover, you can also add cymbals like the hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbals in the basic parts of this music gadget. Use of these parts is mandatory for the production of accents and transitions in a song.
Due to an expensive musical instrument, every beginner drummer don’t afford this luxury. However, without a complete drum kit you can start learning how to play the drums.
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Drum Equipment and Lessons for Beginners
The first important drum equipment is totally free and that is your own body. Always start hand drumming on your legs, pillows or nearby available things at home. Make a rhythm with the repetitive hand tapping.
In case, you don’t have immediate music, practice on a steady tempo with hand tapping.
Sticks and a Metronome
The second most essential accessory of a drum set is its sticks. We recommend purchasing a pair of good drum sticks from any music store or online stores. These are not expensive and you can easily find a good pair of drum sticks in less than $15.
Our Recommendation
- We recommend purchasing a rubber practice drum pad
- Otherwise, use drum sticks on a book, pillow, or durable surface
The next and final equipment that is very important for your journey of how to play the drums is a “metronome”.
Metronome is an important equipment that maintain a steady tempo and these are available in analogue and digital modes.
It is highly recommended to practice with a metronome in early days of drum set learning. It helps to develop a sense of time and rhythm and saves the headaches of later times. To explore different time signatures, the use of accent feature of a metronome serves the purposes.
How to Hold Drum Sticks (Lessons for Beginners)
After purchasing a drum stick, the next level is to understand the proper handling and holding the same during drum playing.
It is an art, therefore, learn the following two methods to hold drum sticks including
- Matched grip
- Traditional grip
Matched Grip-Drum set lessons for beginners
In a matched grip of drum stick holding, hold the drum sticks with your both hands. Keep the thumbs opposite to your index finger on stick.
Also, it is a fulcrum or pivot point of your fingers when pinching between your thumb and index finger.
There are three further variations of the Matched grip drum stick holding including
German Grip
In the German grip, sticks are placed in such a position where your palms will face down and your wrists drive the motion.
American Grip
American Grip is famous for turning hands to a 45-degree. In this grip, wrists produce power and fingers control the same.
French Grip
In the French Griping, the thumbs face the ceiling whilst the palms face each other. At this stage, the fulcrum rests between the thumb and your index finger.
Traditional Grip
Jazz music and drum lines mostly use the traditional grip. To use this grip correctly, extend your left hand like shaking someone’s hand and place the stick in the webbing.
Keep in mind to place your thumb and index finger, and tip thumb on the first knuckle. Also, place middle finger lightly on the stick top. In this stage, the pivot point becomes between thumb and your index finger.
Grip the stick with right hand like the American matched grip. Also, forearm rotation acts like a door knob twisting.
With practice and skills, you can choose the most comfortable style and that work great for you. Establishing a drum stick technique covers many challenges of drum playing and avoid the chances of injury.
Rudiments-Drum Set Lessons for Beginners
After purchasing drum sticks, learning how to hold the drum sticks and a sense of proper technique, you’re ready the next level of learning drum set playing. Always take a start from the simple drum rudiments.
Drum rudiments are the initial and important blocks to learn how to play the drum set. Here are 40 important rudiments. All of them contain a sticking pattern.
After becoming an expert of the all 40 rudiments, anyone may have full control and rhythmic knowledge to apply the entire drum set.
How to Read Drum Sheet Music
To read a drum sheet music is the basic requirement of the following
- School concert bands
- Marching bands
- Jazz bands
After learning and fully understanding the drum sheet music, it becomes a secret weapon of a drummer.
The notation of a drum is simple coded. To become an expert, one should fully learn the reading patterns of drum rhythms before jumping into the advanced drum beats.
Get the Rhythms Down
Apart from your rhythms playing expertise, exercise playing with your hands on surface. It will enhance your timing and coordination for further stages.
Later on shift to advanced patterns by different playing surfaces, however, beginners should focus on the snare and cymbal.
After becoming master of making rhythms with hands, now add your feet. Initially, go with the kick drum foot.
Coordinate the Limbs
Coordination of the Drum Set Limbs is some time tricky. In case of facing trouble with three limbs, break it down and only focus on two limbs.
Before going for all the three limbs together, be comfortable with each limb. Gradually, you will like to with your 4th limb generally called the hi-hat pedal foot.
Practice fully of the basic coordination exercises of all four limbs and then move to the next levels to produce advanced drum beats.
Keep in mind that the drum notation of full drum set may be challenging to read as compare to the snare drum notation. It is because of more drums/cymbals.
How to Read 11 Important Drum Set Tabs?
Drum tabs and Sheet music are different from each other. Actually, these are purely written for the instrument.
These drum tabs revolve around the parts of drum set talked earlier. Also, these are abbreviations of the drum parts including
- CC – Crash Cymbal
- HH – Hi-Hat
- Rd – Ride Cymbal
- SN – Snare
- T1 – Hi Tom
- T2 – Low tom
- FT – Floor Tom
- B – Bass Drum
- HF – Hi-Hat (with foot)
- – Bass Drum hits
- X – Snare and Hi-Hat hits
An extra ordinary example of “two and four” beat practice is available for the beginners drum beats as following
- HH: X X X X
- SN: X X
- B: O O
Summary
After buying a pair of a drum sticks, practicing on a surface, or playing materials including sheet music exercises or rudiments, hit the woodshed.
Continuous handful practice habits is the key to becoming master at your skills. Practice the essential drum beats for beginners.
Also, practicing the drum beats on your favorite songs is another method to learn the drum set playing easily. With the passage of time, also, audit you’re practicing skills that if you are using the right techniques.
Moreover, you can consult your seniors or watch numerous videos on YouTube. In short, working with a drum instructor may be a great idea to learn fully in professional manners.
These are the teachers and the instructors of the Drum Sets that will brush up your playing skills and correct your mistakes.
Write down your favorite songs in the comments section that you want to practice with and share your experience!
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