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New Practice Tips

   Too much to list! I've been playing since 1973, and since 1985 on mainly electronics, and the concepts remain the same.

    I'll start by saying that I think that practicing can be a lot like exercising. You push past where you would normally find yourself so that the "normal" things become easier. Do different things throughout the week/month, concentrating, of course, on the ones you want the most or the ones that continue to be trouble. Learn/try new techniques early in each session, then forget them, and see if they come back to you easily later, or even next practice.

    Don't over-practice. Practice endurance toward the end, but not when your mind is weary or your body is too tired, or you might just be practicing sloppiness.

    Exercise extremes in dynamics, a common complaint about what drummers lack ("Dynamics?!? I'm playing as loud as I can!!!").

    Record and/or film yourself, alone & with a group, and balance what you see, hear, and remember feeling with what others (or you) may say about your playing. I've found that many times a performance that I felt was terribly sloppy sounded just fine, and some others on which I felt I was fabulous were actually just trash! Most were somewhere in the middle, and the recordings usually only confirmed what I believed to be true.

    Since I've been playing the Roland V-Drums, I've realized that my other, inferior electronics were in one way holding me back (techniques were not translated to sound) and in another way were helping me (I had to try harder to make these techniques heard). So, I guess a lot of the other drummers' tips about playing on anything, anywhere, with and without sticks, came true for me. Thanks to Roland (NO, I am NOT a Roland PR dude!) for finally making electronics that act acceptably like real (analog!) drums, I can hear everything I'm playing, without trying so hard.

    Remembering those tough times with other kits makes me practice as if I still can't quite get the drums to play "with" me.

    Overaccentuating everything during practice has helped make everything so much easier during a band practice, recording session, or live performance.

    The one thing that keeps me "in there", plugging away at what sometimes seems to take forever to improve, is the goal that I've seen realized many times in my drumming career. The bar keeps being raised, and I've had a lot of personal satisfaction from knowing that the practice paid off when I made it over a few of those points.

    I hope this helps, or at least causes someone to think. I would like to write more, about other aspects of drumming, such as showmanship and personal attitude, but I already feel I have been wordy enough! Anyone may contact me. I love to talk drums! [write more, Dave! Great stuff! - ed.]

    Dave Gibbs
    yknotdave!@juno.com
    http://www.witsendband.info


   Try not to play what you know. Play something you find hard. As a young drummer I found practice was hard.
Hope this helps drummers.

    Matt Maunders
    dangerous1@rock.com


   Well, I've been playing for about 2 years- completely self taught. My tip is learn how to spin your drumsticks! Not the easy way where you're only using your index and middle finger, but the actual hard way where you have the sticks actually spinning through your fingers! You'll find that it makes your gigs so much more fun and it's always cool to show people this neat trick :D

    Secondly, drums are your life! Practice all the time! Air drums work well, especially when you're in a boring history/english lesson, or anywhere else that may have you yawning. Keep a mental drumkit in your head!

    Cindy


   I have been playing now for almost 30 years, since age 5. This is a tip for building up your weaker hand and legs. This is what I started doing about 10 years ago when I realized I had a serious problem using my left hand, and not near as bad with my left leg from playing double bass for several years. The other nice thing about this tip is that it also helps to build independence. I tried to see if this tip had already been submitted, but didn't see it as I quickly went through page after page.

   Finally, the tip - I got this idea from asking to set in on a song, on a stage, with a band I had never played with. When I approached the kit, I failed to realize their drummer was left handed... and I am right handed. I struggled through the song, but still pulled it off. What I realized though was my left arm and leg was over sore the next day. So, I set my drumkit up as a left handed drummer would do... and began running through my normal practice routines. It probably took me a couple of good solid months of practicing, but finally my left side was just as quick as my right. I still revert to this tip whenever I feel my left side is lacking, and sometimes when I learn something new right handed, I switch the kit up and learn it left handed too.

    Ed Wiget / tSp
    ewiget@maysvillebands.com
    http://www.maysvillebands.com


   many times drummers can't continue higher speed because of ther left hand (if your a righty). practice on a pillow or something hard to drum on to gain more speed.

    April Lara
    marysernas@yahoo.com


   elo there,

   just be your self, and enjoy... relax while playing.. and most of Practice daily

    michael jerard honrado
    monksph@yahoo.com


   I've heard of a lot instances where people are trying to decide which grip they should use....traditional or matched. I think it's a good idea to learn both ways. Traditional grip is cool because you can create cool buzz rolls with it, and it's a gentler grip. Matched is cool for power if you want to play fills around the set. There is one particular song that I do with my band in which I use both grips. It's instances like these where I am glad that I use both....I have more tools to work with.

    Also, learn how to play your bass pedal heel down and heel up. By practicing heel down you strengthen certain muscles in your feet. This makes it easier when you switch to playing heel up. Heel down is also nice for playing quieter beats on the bass drum, when the music is toned down a little. Heel up provides power when the music gets louder. So the point to all of this is, learn multiple ways of playing. You will become a more dynamic drummer because you have a bigger set of tools to choose from.

    Sachin


   I have found strengthening my weak hand easier by playing drum set with my weak hand leading. So instead of playing a groove with my right hand on ride I use my left. This gets the wrist and fingers working well, and slowly the weak hand is catching up. This helps me a lot with my open rolls and most any other rudiment when I practice them.

    Bobby H.
    zilpaiste458@yahoo.com


   I find that booming your own personal favourites in your ears while you practise is an excellent way of getting to know your idol's techniques and your own abilities. This also increase your love for drums because you get that same great feeling about the drums as you do about the music your listen to.

    Jake Hines
    hineysauce_69@hotmail.com


   One of my biggest challenges over the years has been strengthening my weak hand. It's still my biggest challenge (along with strengthening my feet). Some drummers use pillows and practice rudiments on those. And it works for them quite well I've heard. I've tried it, but never had the patience for it. The alternative I found is to get a proper practice pad and the big marching band sticks. Using bigger sticks forces your hand to work more, and it does improve strength over time in the hands and fingers. Once you get the bigger sticks and practice pad start practicing these patterns to a metronome, each for a minute or two:

LLL RRR

LLL LLL RRR RRR

LLL LLL LLL RRR RRR RRR

   ...and so on. Take it as far as you want but maintain a steady tempo. It is a good idea to start off as slow as possible and go through the full range of motion with your hands. This will stretch out the muscles in your fingers and wrists and strengthen them. Then gradually speed up as your hand strength increases. You don't have to pound the pad hard, just hit solid so that you get a good rebound. Remember, you want to establish control and strength. Speed is a natural outgrowth of control and strength. A second thing that I have found helpful in increasing hand strength is riding your ride cymbal with your weak hand. If you do this for a few months it will greatly increase the strength in your thumb, and in turn this will increase the overall control in your hand. After doing this you will find that it is easier to control and hold the stick without having to grip super tight. Hope this helps!

    Sachin


   You should keep your back straight when you play. It's hard at first but you'll get used to it, because drumming can be pretty hard on your back. and also, when you practice, use like, steel drumsticks, or at least heavy ones, Because then, when it comes to playing in front of people, everything will be a lot easier to play.

    amy


   Learn another instrument! By learning another instrument it is easier to understand where the drums fit while jamming.

    jaYson
    jrlautta@learn.senecac.on.ca


   When you are practicing, always play what you are trying to play one bar at a time, twenty-one times in a row. And if you mess up on one of them, do it over. You will learn what you are trying to learn if you do it this way.

    Justin Bowe
    snare_drummer2@yahoo.com
    http://justinbowe.blogspot.com


   Tap on anything, at any moment, you can. I can practice anywhere. Diving, on my stearing wheel, at work (quietly) on my desk, on the table, on my legs, Any where I can. Make up quick rhythms in your head, or listen to a CD that inpsires you. Just keep counting in your head, some beat. At some point it just becomes self-concious, and you naturaly have this rhythm to your step. I belive any one can become a good drummer, with two main ingredients. Practice, and rhythm. Any one can practice, you have to practice to have good, steady rhythm. Keep marching to your own drummer.

    carrie
    carebare221@yahoo.com


   When I'm playing along with a cd, usually I can't figure out everything that is being played at once when I play by hear, so I pick one thing I notice right away and play that. After I got that down, and I'm sure it's correct, I add another piece I hear being played. Sometimes that means I have to stop the other piece I was doing to get it down right, but when you add them all together, slowly, instead of trying to do it all at once, it really helps you in the long run. It's pretty easy anyhow, so you have no excuse (unless you don't have a cd player or radio).

    Kendra


   I've only been playing for 3 years, and my method of practicing has been satisfactory for me. Let me share:

   First off, I try not to practice too many different things in one day. I used to go from one exercise to the next in about 15 minutes, and just repeat the same thing each day, getting better gradually over time. But I find it works better if you spend one whole day of practice on one thing so that you can master it faster. THEN move on to the next exercise or song...

   Also don't bore yourself with the technical rudimentary stuff all the time! Do it for about half your practice session, then slap on some headphones and play along to some of your CDs. And every once in a while play along to bands you're not familiar with!

    J. Paul
    jpaul@eminem.com


  1. Buy or find a cheap guitar and figure out random songs from the radio by ear. You will discover heaps about musicality that way.
  2. Be aware when studying your fave drummers that you wanna be yourself at the end. I had to stop learning Tool songs, cos my band was starting to sound like Tool!
  3. Put in the hard yards for a few years on the tech stuff, so you can play all those cool things that are in your head without thinking about the easiest way to stick them!
  4. The crowd is watching the first song, so don't take three songs to warm up! Strech and warm up b4 the gig!

   Great site by the way,

    Dan Slater
    slaterslater@hotmail.com


   If you have read my earlier tips then you know I mostly talk and talk about coordination. To me, it seems to be one of the key factors to being succesful. You might have also noticed I can't spell exersize right. Anyways, if you have a metronome, turn it on (doesn't matter much to what tempo) and play something in 7/8, 5/8, 13/16 etc. as long as its not 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, or 12/8 (for you drummers that don't know what on earth I'm talking about.... well you're out of luck because it's pretty confusing, especially if someone isn't there to show you). Again, this will help with coordination AND your sense of time. After you have done that a while, turn the metronome off and play what you were playing again. Then immediatly turn on the metronome and see how close the the beat you were. If you don't have that good of a sence of time then you probably rushed it because any odd meter like that tends to rush. Do that about 15 minutes a day and your sence of time will be awesome.    Sometimes you'll be playing a fast run down the toms and all you hear is the CLICK CLICK CLICK from the rims. It probably even happens to pros (I don't know, I'm not one). But what I do to fix that is try to get my toms low and as parallel to the floor as possible. Sometimes that looks stupid, so just slant it a little bit if you can't stand how it looks. Also sit up a little higher. I know one of the golden rules (there are a million) of drumming is to have the top part above your leg (above your knee....whatever that is, I'm out of it right now) parallel with the floor. Well I don't believe that so much. Just as close to parallel as possible with your seat high and your toms flat.    Double Bass Exersizes- REFER TO THE ONES ON THE SITE!!! And here's a few of my own, start the first one at 55 bpm and go faster after every 3 times:

5/16 - 32nd 32nd 16th 32nd 32nd 16th 16th (REPEAT a lot). (Go straight from right foot lead to left foot lead when you Repeat).

R L R L R L R 
L R L R L R L             

   This next one is just chicken and a roll (if you know what that is) 80 bpm.

4/4 - 8th 8th 8th 8th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th 16th

R L R L R R L L R R L L
L R L R L L R R L L R R

   And the best practice tip of all: If you don't practice, you are crap and you will always be crap until you practice so practice. And if you don't know how to practice, then practice practicing.

    Brooks
    drummerboy4@aol.com


   Hey everyone.. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the tips on this site.. I think they are going to help me. I've been drumming for a year and 1 month now. I feel good about what I have done in that amount of time. The strongest tip for me is to just sit down and hit the drums not caring about any sense at all. I've found that to be most helpful to me by picking up beats (like a few of you have said), and also sometimes I just sit there and hit my bass and high hats only. Try that for about 10 minutes a day and that will help you with your feet. Thanks to everyone (and the person resonsible for this site) for all the helpful hints...

    Andrew
    thereitgoestoday@yahoo.com


   Try practicing dividing beats evenly, play straight quarters (or eighths or whatever) , evenly on the kick and switch fom eighths to triplets to sixteenths to sixteenth triplets in various order (like one beat of triplets one of sixteenths, back and forth however you want) always keeping the steady kick, this will make fills much more fluid and improve your tempo consistency during, and coming out of fills....

    drew
    drewmedicaz@hotmail.com


   BASS FOOT : Play quarter notes starting with your metronome set at 40. Play that tempo for 15 seconds then move the metronome up 1 click (In most cases this will be 42)Keep moving up every 15 seconds till you reach 208 beats per min. Work on all volume levels.   If you can master this, everything else you try will be MUCH easier. You must have command of simple basic things.   [Excellent advice! - Ed.]

    John Herzog
    jjherzog@verizon.net
    http://www.jjherzog.com/


   Try to put in rudiments into your beats as much as you can. It sounds pretty cool. Try to play a simple funk beat, and then put in 2 sets 32 paradidles or something like that, then end in a snare drum hit.

    Anon


   My # 1 tip is to play all the time. I don't just mean on your set. Play on your desk, steering wheel, table, ect. Drum on everything! It becomes a habit and helps to learn new things.

    JaYson
    jrlautta@learn.senecac.on.ca


   Young drummers out their, don't overuse double bass drumming; I know it's exciting, but don't carried away.

    Sam Ellithorp
    vinnie_or_paul@yahoo.com


    I've played drums since I was 8 years old, took lessons the first 10 years. It's refreshing to read about so many young folks that are excited about playing, I think that's great ! I have a few tips to share that I've discovered to be rewarding during my 49 years on this planet. . . . Play an hour or two each day, nothing good comes from using drugs, take a multivitamin each day and keep on smiling!   Still Drummin',

    Lee Warren
    rounder44@aol.com


   Try playing sextuplets. That is 6 notes that you move around the drum set. Try playing 4 notes on the snare or toms and play the last two with your feet (double bass).

    Anon


   Master Tomas Howie's warm up exercise number 5, now using either left or right foot, play the beat (quarter notes) not forgetting accents, it's really tricky and feels strange to play. I used a metronome with the beat and sixteenth notes set and started at a tempo of 60bpm. I'm a beginner so this maybe easy for more experienced drummers but it's great for beginners.   All the best.

    Matthew Plumley
    matthew.plumley@db.com


   First off, you don't want to crack your knuckles before playing because it makes you more tense. So if you do that, stop now and break the habit. One thing I always start out with is 8's. It's a very basic exersize used in marching percussion but it can also work in drum set. Very simply, all it is is 8th notes in a 3/4 bar. First bar right hand 2nd bar left hand and repeat. Most people do this in a 4/4 bar but 3/4 works best because you can evenly put duple and triple bucks through out the exersize. Mix it up by putting the right hand on the ride bell and left hand on the snare. Right hand does triple bucks while, at the same time, left does duple. If you do that, your cordination between hands would be great. Be creative and add feet and your 4-way coordination will be awesome. Then, after all that is perfect, sing happy birthday to yourself while playing and you will have good 5-way coordination. That's about all I've got. Oh ya...to exicute a perfect rimshot every time, make your snare level with your knee so when you want to do a rim shot, all you do instead of thinking about hitting the drum, you hit your leg with your hand. This is most effective with match grip instead of traditional.   One good way to good coordination is (if your right handed) mix up your set to where it is left handed and play that way. Most right handed drummers never expose their left hand to anything at all so when it comes to playing something fast...well you know where thats going.

    Brooks
    Drummerboy4@aol.com


   The one thing I suggest to any drummer is to pay as much attention to their feet as they do their hands. Whatever you do with your hands; do with your feet also. This includes rudiments. My phylosophy is, what you can do with your hands you can and should do with your feet. Of course a double bass setup is preferred for this type of practice, but not absolutely essential.

    Elliott


   When you are practicing double bass, watch your bass pedles; it really helps. And count in your head. I've been playing for 3 and a half years.

    Brian


   Ok, I have no clue what a Rudiment or Parab..thing is and whatnot. I am a self taught drummer and have been drumming off and on for 13 years (when not deployed). I used to be in a Rock band and can hold my own. I learned by listening to the great Rock bands of old and some Metal bands. The bands that have the most influence in my style of play are AC/DC, Bad Company, Rush, Metallica, Led Zepplin, and Motley Crue. I pop the cd in (or tape years ago), and play along over and over, till I got it right. Now that I play the music on my computer with the equalizer program, I turn the drums off (or very low) and play my set instead. It's amazing how different a song sounds without drums, and how much fun it is to put your sound into some of your favorite songs. You don't need expensive lessions or have to know all the technical things. You just have to play from the soul. Remember the drummers that have inspired you and you will do nothing but get better, the sky is the limit.

    Chadd
    celticwitch1974@yahoo.com


   I've been drummin for four years now but when I was still practicing I found it easier to start practicing different techiniques on the drums with lighter sticks before moving onto the heavier sticks. This means that by the time your using the heavier sticks you're still just as good as you were with the lighter sticks, but you will find that you'll hit the drums a lot harder and produce more noise as a result.    Also when practicing on your own do bout 30 minutes of just hitting everything in site; it will sound like crap at first but you will find that it increases awareness of the positioning of your different drums/cymbals, as well as accidently finding new techniques/fills/beats.    When you've done this, stick in a few favorite c.d.s and play along. If you're a beginner don't be put off if you can't do every fill or complex beat; in time they will come to you -every drummer started off bad. Also, vary the sort of music you try to drum to. At the start try everything from the chillis to cream to led zeppilin to metallica.    After a while, when you are confident you can do some beats and fills, try to jam along with a few mates playing the guitar/bass/even piano, work on various songs and things. This will teach you a more independent sort of timing and will be harder at first than playing with a c.d. because when playing to a c.d. there is already a drummer there to keep the time; if you miss a beat or lose your time. When you're playing with other people it is just you keeping the time. Don't try to show off too much but stick to what you are confident doing.    Also remember two important things, if you don't remember any of this: PATIENCE and PRACTICE; without these you will miss out on the foundations of your drumming and will find everyone thinks you suck and you will have to start over again, or you will get frustrated and give up.    Have fun!

    Andy B
    chubbyfubby@hotmail.com


   Hi. I've been playin for 5 years and taught myself everything I know. First thing I can suggest is that when you start to play a beat, start at the slowest possible speed. Gradually increase until you can play it at regular speed. This will help you understand more complex beats. Also, grab a cd you love and play to it, there's nothing like drumming with your favorite band (Metallica). Have fun.

    Dan Rosen
    dalammar166@hotmail.com


   If you're just staring out playing the drums, then believe me you dont want to stick out like a sore thumb. So what you need to do is not be so anxious to show off how good you are; it's not a compitition - its an art, treat it as an unfinished painting you cant reveal yet. Makes you nuts to see wannabes playing worse than you on your own set; don't fear because when they are through showing off you still have the element of suprise in your corner and still they wont be able to rate you against the other guy. It's best you spend time getting comfortable with your talents behind closed doors untill the perfect time to make it; not such a biggie your good, and wham,, theyll be blown away that you are more of a drummer by playing for your self and not making a big thing out of your amazing abilities to win points or being a show off when you play. It'll be a matter of time before they say you've went far and beyond there expectations ,the day you finally are exposed and was able to maintain respect for your self as a drummer. and 2 be taken seriously as a musician/drummer. (*fight the urge) ( speak softly carry a big stick) or two lol make it happen youll be an influence for other drummers to follow

    Gary West
    prizimskys@aol.com


   its good to have a mirror next to your practice pad tilt it so you can see the hiegth of your sticks , the same goes for the drums , alot of practice can be done for posture as well as positioning of equiptment and level of personal showmanship . explore what makes you look as good as you feel behind the drums.

    Gary West
    prizimskys@aol.com


   heres a fast technic for that to happen , ready ,ok when working the practice pad make adjustment to conventional grip back to matched grip from left to right during your excersizes ex.. start both matched grip,now start your roll untill comfortable ...then if you can dont miss a beat switch to conventional on the left .......ok work that untill cozy then.....switch back to matched without missing a beat then choose when to make your move without missing a note then switch to right hand conventional grip keep tips as close to each other as possible keep sticks even by useing metronome as a guide fast or slow this is a challenge that could develope great finger control and ajoin that with wrist building and stick control play at your own comfortable speed. just keep it even as you can . stay as dangerous a drummer as you are keep tappin that!

    Gary West
    prizimskys@aol.com


    This is for begginers, I've only been playing for a while but I have found things helpful. At first my shin would burn but if you sit a your house and keep a beat with your foot it makes keeping a beat while your playing easier. For me keeping a steady beat with my foot was the hardest but I practiced and it payed off. So dont give up and P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    just drummer


   If your right handed, play the hi hat with your left hand, and vie versa if your left handed. This will help your weak arm which will result in your playing GREATLY improving. It will be hard at first, but if you stick to it, it will really help. Also what this does is leaves your right hand open to hit anything you want enstead of being trapped under the hi hat hand. Also, for working on double bass for begginers, throw in a cd and just use the double bass to keep the time. Do thngs like parradiddles too. With the cd, it wont be so boring like it would doing it to a mtronome, and doing this will strengthen your legs.

    Matthew Brenner
    thebrandnewbob@yahoo.com


   Hi, practice all rudiments that have a 3stroke ruff in them by playing the two grace notes on the bassdrum. This is quite easy to do with a double-pedal: both feet hit the pedals almost at the same time, just a little apart (like a flam). I play it this way: I start the grace notes of a righthand stroke with the left foot, and the grace notes of a left hand stroke with the right foot. (lrR rlL). You can also use any flam rudiment, but play the flam as 2 gracenotes on the bassdrum.   Here is an example:??a href="http://members.aol.com/shakersfive/db-ruff.mp3" target="_top">http://members.aol.com/shakersfive/db-ruff.mp3   I played the first 12 lines of Alan Dawson´s Rudimental Ritual (3stroke Ruff, Single Drag, Double Drag, Ratamacues and so on) using this technique. 1. slow, 2. fast, 3. fast with right hand on floortom, left hand on hightom (notice that this sounds as if the left hand was comping over some dramatic gingeresque bassdrum-rolls. The bassdrum seems to play a lot more than it actually does). Who said that rudiments are boring?    Other than practice not overdo it though. Using this technique rarely within grooves can really spice up a snare-accent or a fill, very good for slow songs.

   Have fun.

    Ruthard
    rootheart@aol.com


    I have been playing drums for over twenty years, and for most of it I have warmed up the following way: stretch out, sit down, and begin playing. Try to forget all about notes, and rhythm, and time (especially time!!) and what "goes together". Do not play a beat. Throw your hands out there. Try to feel really physically uncomfortable. If you begin to recognize a time signature, change immediately. If your instict says to crash, play softly on the floor tom, if your instinct is to speed up, lay back. Most importantly, listen. I try to do this for twenty or thirty minutes, and from the "chaos", I almost always develop a new beat or fill. Then I begin structured practice.

    pj


   Hi i'm a 20 yrs exp drummer i just whant to say if you love the music as much that i do dont let anybody discourage you if you love your instrument play it #1 listen to your heart.

    Daniel Lemieux
    lem-daniel2hotmail.com


   Hi everybody!
   Im playing drums since 9 years and drumming is my life... I want to be the best I can be, at least for me!
   I'll show you what im practicing for warm up.

1- Single Stroke (slow to fast to slow)
2- Double Stroke (same)
3- Paradiddles (at least 3 differents tempo)
4- Double Paradiddles
5- Paradiddles/Double Paradiddles (16th to 16th triplets)
6- Flam and finaly buzz roll

   Ok, after the wrist is warms, what i like to do is to play all the kit with triplets, 16th ... and maybe later, add 32th.

Triplets
1- R L F on all the kit (slow to fast to slow)
2- L R F
3- R F F (plz god, don't use double bass for this)
4- L F F

16th
3- R L F F (use double bass ONLY AT 240 and more :P)
4- L R F F
5- R F R F
6- L F L F

   This will take 30-45 mins and you will be fine. After this, generaly, I do reverse subdivision, like this:

Triplets
R L F F R L / F F R L F F (LOOP)
(Amazing chops)

16th
R L F R / L F R L / F R L F ( IN 3/4 )

   Finaly, im making a solid grooves with ghost, dynamic and add fills-in.   You can be an HARD HITER like me and a lot of drummers, but dont forget DYNAMIC, playing soft is VERY important!   Cya and Practice everyday!!!

    Stephane Marcoux
    Ufip@69hotmail.com


   OK, I have been playing for like almost a year now and things have gone great. Supposidly I'm a real good drummer, I can play some of the classics pretty good. Let me just get this out now, I think Neil Peart Is the greatest drummer in my opinion he has great technique and everything. I learn everything from Watching and listening i took no lessons but I really want to cause my parradidles are not as good as they can be. Anyway i think the best way to warm up is just to go off for 20 min, Just go all-out drum solo,(Be careful not to tire urself out,u need the energy for practicing other things!) Just groove it go with the flow give it ur all see what you got then practice it works for me, (just not paradiddles).

    Cody


   Here is something in 9 that will make you think.    RRLL R LLRR/LLRR L RRLL    Try on your hi-hat as the single hit R+L should be on the snare. When you start with the RRLL the next hit R should be on the snare. Then when you start LLRR the next L should be on the snare. You can put the bass drum on the 1. Start with just getting the sticking down on a pad. Good luck, fast it sounds funny..

    Ronnie Shrek
    SLAMMINBEATS@AOL.COM


   my tip is to start playing a slow, quite drum roll on the snare building up to get faster and louder. After about 2-3 minuites of this i carry on with the drum roll but slow it down again, then start moveing slowly from drum to drum doing the same number of beats on each drum and getting faster so that you circle your drum kit faster. i find this helps because then i am nicely warmed up for a good session on my drums plus it speeds up your arms and wrists so that you can play faster.

    Matty B


   Start by doing single rolls then doubles and triplets. Then go to Parradiddles then to the around the tom rolls then you should do some simple rock beats to get your timing and feet going then go do your practice.

    Anon.


   Here's one for you... with a constant moderate beat on the bass drum try play around the kit with combinations of paradiddles and double strokes and just go crazy with it. I find this is a great warm up excercise.

    Al
    albeatwizard@hotmail.com


   I've been playing for 12 years. I started myself and then took lessons later on.   Do this : try to wind up the spring on your bass pedal to its maximum tightness. This is good if you want to play double beats every now and then. A good time to use double beats is right before doing a fill or cymbal crash.    When playing just a normal riff, try to do a few rudiments with you left hand (or whichever hand you use to play on the snare drum). This method is used in musical styles as old school rock, metal, grunge etc. so if you fit in one of those styles this is for you. It sounds great and adds to your skill. Drags sound nice doing it this way.   This is just the way I play, many people have come up to me and said it sounds great. And adds to the music the band plays. Remember when playing in a band, it is important that the drums follow the rhythm of the lead guitar. It makes it sound more like one.

    Fred
    Mylittleinferno@hotmail.com


   I'm a self-taught drummer and have been playing for about 8 yrs.The biggest and most important tip I could ever give is watch and examine every drummer you come into contact with. No drummer is good or bad: they all have diffrent styles and grooves. Also one question: sometimes I find myself rehearsing with my band and I'm able to do some pretty cool things. But when it comes to practicing my rudiments and technique I'm slow and uncoordinated; any answers?   Thank You.

    Eddie
    eddiedrummer2003@yahoo.com
    http://dazeofmourning.com


   After 12+ years of playing, my left side has always had the hardest time catching up to my right. What I tried to help (still haven't solved this) is just switch my kit around and playing lefty every so often. It took a long time to get anything remotely resembling a beat. Then I had to get it to a metronome. But, over time, it gradually came together. Bring the new skills to a jam and throw your bandmates off by switching your kit around. Better yet, play you natural way and notice how much more you can get out of your kit!

    Neil
    tateneil@hotmail.com


   Whenever you play a marching snare drum or quad, make sure you march in time so that when the time comes to march on the field you are ready.

    garrett


   Hi guys and girls i have been drumming for 2 years and havn't gotten a single lesson. How i got "incredibly good" (thats what alot of people say) was i listened to the fathers of drumming such as guys like Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Alan White, Ian Paice, Ringo Starr, Nick Mason and Micky Hart. From awesome bands and i listened to their different styles and practiced on devoloping my skills to standards where i can play their stuff no problem. No matter what style you play its best to know alot of different one so you can spice up your music and love for drumming. Good luck to all.

    Jake


   Try rolling on the hi-hat while making a beat on the bass drum. First do a bass pop every measure, then every two beats, then every beat. Make patterns, be creative! After you master this, roll on the hi-hat while blending the bass and snare with your right hand. It really helped me.

    Yama
    Rico300@sbcglobal.net


   If your a new drummer starting out dont give up give it all you got and practice practice practice like they said practice makes perfect, and dont forget who gave you that gift Jesus christ. Just have fun with it and dont give up!!!!

    Conner
    connerjosh@hotmail.com


   This tip will help you get around your drum set quicker and less clumsy. Try with a single stroke roll on the snare drum, RLRL. Move to 1st tom RLRL, second tom RLRL, floor tom RLRL. Now start over without loosing the beat but start on your first tom ending on the snare. The third time around you will be starting on the second tom and ending on the first. Move one drum forward each time. After you get good with this try adding cymbals or other beating mediums.   Hope this helps.

    Cozem


   don't be a drummer, be a percussionist.The reason why I say "percussionist" is because it has to end with -ist or its not a musical occupation (take guitarist,bassist,violinist,pianist, for example)

   In other words don't limit yourself to a standard kit (snare,tom,kick,cymbals). Expand your horizons. Pick up the djembe, the timbales, hand percussion, and other forms of tap percussion.

   The point is this: Be a percussionist. Be rhythmically omniscient

    Javi
    onesickhorre0909@cs.com


   HEY!

    this is a wonderfull tip-TRY IT!

    ok, first i found a website that gave a tip on wearing ankle weights, then i see a web site that totally bashes web sites...

    if your into double-bass or you just play really hard rock single-try this.get a pair of 3 pound ankle weights at a fitness store or somewhere. wear them ALL THE TIME!
even at home or at school or walking around the house. that was the first step. step two is to "train" at home by running in place for about 20-25 minutes every night, this greatly builds up leg muscles. wearing them all the time makes your legs used to them and slowly over time you wont even notice them anymore. wearing them all the time will strengthen leg muscles, create a more powerfull punch when you kick the bass drum, and sometimes give you more control. it even made me faster. *remember to wear the weights at practices to-slowly get acustomed to wearing them everytime you play...i still to this day wear ankle weights ALL THE TIME. TRY IT!

    cory
    ewhc@aemail4u.com


   to avoid boredom practice in short bursts log onto steve gadd web site or listen to music that inspires you keep things interesting

    david barker
    bigfootnev@aol.com


   All i have to say is... when i first started drumming, only a couple years ago.. i sucked.. and i sucked bad... I had no confidence had no clue what i was doing, and i thought that i would always, no matter what i did, i would continue to suck. When i hit high school... i didn't make drumline... well.. obviously... its because i sucked, but i then started talkin to some of the people on the drumline and they started working with me, they told me what i was doing wrong... and then at the end of my ninth grade year... i had improved so much.. i had landed a spot on our high school drumline, playing the snare ... i never thought it would happen.. and it did because:

   1. No matter what you do, if you suck, if you are the best drummer ever... keep a good attitude... when you have a good attitude... and you are willing to learn and consume advise... you are automaticaly 10x better.

   2. every chance you get practice.. i suggest practicing double beat... eight on a hand... some accent to tap patterns... I would suggest going to the vic firth web site and do all the exercises provided on that site.

   3. When ever your down.. and are tired practicing.. all ways think of what you will be in the future if you keep practicing.

    Anon


   like many, others after playing for 21/2 years now, i had a weak side which was the lack of speed on my left hand. to improve this i came up with my own exersice which was to hit the toms starting with the right tom going towards my left, always starting with my left hand. i was surprised to to find out how slow i was. but after goin over and over this exersice for over two weeks i started seeing results and now i have almost as much speed in my left hand than in my right.

    israel trevino
    istrev@aol.com


   Play along with your favorite cd songs and listen to what the drummer is playin. You can always learn something new from them. After you know how to play what they are doing, listen to the other instruments in the band and come up with your own rythms for it. The drummer may not be playing a rythm that goes well with the other music, he could just be playing a rythm (I've done it when I can't come up with something else). It helps you to make up your own rythms, fills, ect. Try listening to a double bass song even if you don't play double bass. I can't tell you how many times I've figured out how to play a song with double bass without using a double bass. Cd's are a great way to learn no matter how long you've been playing. I was playing for less than a year before I started playing with cd's, and in compettitions I get compliments for how I can keep a steady rythm on the hi-hat. I couldn't do that before I used cd's to practice. It works trust me.

    Anon


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