How to Play the Drums: A Beginner’s Guide
aaamusic | On 03, Sep 2020
Do you dream of jamming on the drums, just like Dave Grohl or Ringo Starr?
Learning how to play the drums is something many people dream of, but never get around to. Drumming is a fun way to relieve stress, learn a new skill, and make beautiful music, so don’t give up on your dream!
If you’ve always wondered how to learn the drums, keep reading for our beginner’s guide. Before you know it, you’ll be rocking out and having fun as you become a great drummer.
Understand the Equipment
When first learning to play the drums, you want to familiarize yourself with all of the equipment and moving parts. Surprisingly, there’s much more to it than just drums and drumsticks!
Take the time to learn all about various instruments used by drummers, including aluminum snare drums, snares, bass drum pedals, and cymbals. It can seem overwhelming at first, but will soon make sense when you learn how it all works together.
Start to Practice Rhythm and Learn to Count Notes
Many people find it best to learn the drums from an instructor, who can help you learn to read sheet music and find the rhythm.
Keeping the beat is one of the most important jobs for a drummer in a band, so spend a lot of time working on this. It can help to start by using your hand to beat on the drum—once you develop a feel for timing, then you can move onto using the sticks.
Find a Quiet Place to Practice
Practice makes perfect, and you’ll ideally want time each day where you can rehearse. However, drumming is loud, so you don’t want to bother anyone!
Try to find a quiet space, like a basement or school music room. If you need to practice at home, you may want to purchase drum pads, which work to reduce the noise made by the instruments.
Work Up to More Complex Patterns
After regular practice, you’ll start to develop a feel for rhythm and timing, which means you’re progressing! You can then start to move on to more complex patterns and songs as you build up your skills.
Listening to music frequently helps to fine-tune your drumming skills as well. When hearing a song, try to pick out the drums and work out their patterns—then, see if you can recreate it yourself!
Learn How to Play the Drums Today
Is there anything more fun than joining a band and rocking out on the drums? Find out for yourself, now that you know how to play the drums!
Like any new skill, it takes time and effort, so don’t feel frustrated if it takes a while to get the hang of it. With lessons and practice, you’ll soon be on track to become a fantastic drummer!
Did you find this article useful? If so, please browse some of our additional content to learn more.