Introduction
Embarking on your drumming adventure is thrilling, and the right drum lessons can significantly enhance your experience. This guide, crafted by UpBeat Studio and Mariano Steimberg at Berklee College of Music, aims to empower beginner drumming enthusiasts with essential insights. If you’re eager to learn drums, especially learn drums online, you’ve come to the right place.
The Drumming Skills Spectrum
Mastering drumming techniques requires delving into several core dimensions. Whether you’re engaging with virtual drumming or live sessions, these facets are crucial:
- Coordination: Integral for creating cohesive drum beats, this skill is the essence of multitasking in drumming.
- Technique: A cornerstone of beginner drumming, which ensures that every stick movement and pedal press is precise and effective.
- Styles: Understanding the stylistic elements of various genres is key when you learn drums, allowing you to play with authenticity.
- Reading: Reading drum notation is a valuable skill, especially when following drumming tutorials.
- Improvisation: This skill lets you inject personal flair into drum beats, a testament to your individuality.
Genre Skill Chart: A Comparative Analysis
Our genre skill chart serves as a visual aid for drumming for beginners, outlining the proficiency required across styles. It’s a practical tool when you learn drums online or through drumming apps.
| SKILL | ROCK/POP | METAL/HARD | JAZZ/FUSION | SAMBA | AFRO-CUBAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Technique | 4 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Styles | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Reading | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Improvisation | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
For instance, Afro-Cuban rhythms demand rigorous coordination, while Metal focuses on advanced drumming techniques.
Now, let’s examine the skill scores for three different drumming goals:
| SKILL | Just play with friends | Drum teacher | Pro session player |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| Technique | 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Styles | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Reading | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Improvisation | 8 | 5 | 8 |
Setting Your Drumming Goals
Setting goals is a pivotal step in beginner drumming. Whether you plan to use drumming tutorials or drumming apps, here’s how to chart your progress:
- Decide what you want from your drum lessons—what kind of drummer do you aspire to be?
- Use the skill chart to set a goal for each area.
- Document where you are now compared to where you aim to be:
| SKILL | My Goal: Play drums in a Rock band | Where I am now |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 4 | 1 |
| Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Styles | 6 | 2 |
| Reading | 3 | 0 |
| Improvisation | 4 | 2 |
Progressing in Key Areas
Your drumming tutorials and practice sessions should be tailored to your unique journey. Consider these steps to bolster each skill:
- Coordination: Start with simple Pop patterns and combinations between hands and feet. Check out our Drum Coach app for many exercises on coordination.
- Technique: Engage in regular practice with a metronome and master basic rudiments like the paradiddle and doubles. Try distributing these rudiments across the drum set. The Drum Coach app also offers numerous practical exercises for technique.
- Styles: Immerse yourself in the songs you want to play and pay close attention to the drums. We suggest playing along with the songs, whether through your streaming platform or using a tool to isolate the other instruments.
- Reading: Begin with really basic rhythms. Rock and Pop scores are very straightforward. We recommend opening the Drum Notes app on the Rock page and following the rhythms and exercises there. They are simple and progressive.
- Improvisation: Dedicate time during each practice session to play whatever comes to mind. Let it flow—there is no right or wrong. Try doing this with a metronome or a groove from Drum Notes playing in the background.
Conclusion
This drumming guide is your starting rhythm to learn drums online. Keep practicing with drum lessons, drumming tutorials, and drumming apps. Stay tuned for more advanced topics, and remember, beginner drumming is a journey of personal growth and rhythmic discovery.
Article written by:
Raul Rodrigues: CEO of UpBeat Studio, Drummer, Music School Director
Mariano Steimberg: Drum Professor at Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus.
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