Beginner drummers are not always ready to invest heavily in the purchase of a drum kit. However, the lack of a set at full disposal should not interfere with your progress. Main use creativity! In this material, we have collected 5 ways to rehearse almost anywhere.
Perhaps you will have The question is: will such training be effective? Is not it contradicts common sense?
Doesn't contradict . The fact is that learning to play the drums consists of two main elements:
- Development coordination and muscle memory. This means you have to learn move four limbs different times, with different speed and intensity.
- Development sense of rhythm, that is, the ability to make the right movement at the right time.
Neither your brain nor your muscles don't really care if you're hitting real drums and cymbals or, say, pads. They will remember this move anyway.
There are many different ways replacement drum kit, and each one is aimed at development a certain skill. We have collected for you only the most effective.
- Pillows
Take a pillow and a couple of drums sticks and start working out the rudiments also, How you do it on a pad in a music school. The presence of real sticks is important here, as you must keep them strictly so the same grip that you will use when playing the drum kit.
In addition to being 100 percent portable, this method gives you an advantage over drummers who are engaged only on the drum kit. The point is that the pillow much softer surface drum and hence it gives much less rebound. That is, after each hit, your muscles will also have to raise the wand. At firstdo this exercise
it will be difficult, but that's it and is called practice. But then, returning to the drum set with much more rebound force, you will easier to develop the speed of the game.
To learn how to do more pillow exercises, watch this video from Hiorka Niebla.
- imaginary drums
Every drummer starting out or experienced, there are times when he starts drumming through the air to the beat of the song you like. In fact, this activity is not just a stupid game. How has already been said higher, your muscles don't know which one object sent movement . The main thing is the movement . So just take whatever part you're practicing, visualize where the parts are. your set and ... play !
The key point in training on imaginary reels is that you should try to clearly repeat the movements, as in game on a real setup. That eat if you want to hit , for example, on a hi-hat, then your hand at this moment should be at the same point in the air as the real cymbal.
If you still doubt the effectiveness this method, check out the musician in the video below. He reached in game on imaginary drums of amazing craftsmanship.
In the previous paragraph, we talked about game by air, and this method is associated with game on the ground (or rather on the floor or any other hard surface under your feet). However, with regard to the direction of action, it is more similar to the pillow method described above. A game by sex develops muscle memory, and Also gives an advantage when switching to shock installation . The floor doesn't have as much rebound as the pedals on the kit. so you start to feel the muscles his shins after a few minutes of training. Such rehearsals will help you significantly increase your speed. performance.
Here are simple exercises for the development of muscle memory of the lower extremities.
- Clapping hands
Unlike previous methods, this one aims to developing not muscle memory, but accuracy and a sense of rhythm. Clap - an easy task which allows complete focus on hitting the duration. IN some music schools children practice in this way for up to six months before they first sit down to play at least on a small drum, not to mention about the whole installation.
- Practice pad
If you are determined to continue learning how to play the drums makes sense to buy practice pad . As a rule, this the device simulates a small, working drum, therefore its most comfortable work out main drawings. Pad can be purchased at any music store, there are hundreds of models and configurations: with a built-in metronome, with a stand or a special mount. Speak to your drum teacher at Jam's cool and they'll help you find the right drum set for you.
Playing the drum set binds the whole musical composition together. She fills the work with rhythm, drive and dynamics. Therefore, no musical team can do without a skilled drummer.
If you feel the vein of a real drummer in yourself, then you need to take advantage of the fact that the Krasny Khimik School of Rock Music invites you to drum lessons. In this direction, we have several teachers, and each adheres to its own teaching methodology. Lessons on percussion instruments conducted individually with each student, taking into account his abilities, previous knowledge and skills. At the School you will get to know different musical styles: jazz, jazz-rock, rock, hard rock, metal, speed metal, thrash metal, death metal, reggae, ska, hip-hop, hardcore, etc. If you want to learn how to play drums from scratch, then you will certainly need to take an additional course in elementary music theory.
How to master the art of drumming?
The key to any successful learning is constant practice. But, unfortunately, it is almost impossible to practice playing percussion instruments at home. Loud sound brings discomfort to households, and the installation itself costs a lot of money. School of rock music "Red Khimik" is ready to provide all the conditions for the development of your musical talent, and individual approach to every student. Here's what the teachers of the legendary rock school will teach you:
- Correctly hold sticks and sit at percussion instruments;
- Playing on the snare drum, and then on all subsequent elements of the installation;
- Basic drumming techniques and a sense of rhythm;
- It is correct to use the feet when working with the pedals;
- Build accompaniment to songs different styles;
- Improvise and be able to play in an ensemble.
In your free time, it is advisable to exercise regularly on your own. You need to start small, gradually increasing the speed of hand movement. It is better to do it slowly, but correctly. The main thing in the lessons of playing percussion instruments is to instill in the student the ability to cope with any tasks on his own, without the help of a teacher. This principle is followed by the specialists of our school.
Methods of the drama school "Red Chemist" for beginners
The method of teaching how to play the drum kit has been developed on the basis of many years of experience in pedagogy and concert activity. Let's take Mikhail Tyuflin's School of Drumming "Real Rock on a Drum Kit" as an example (this manual is recommended for study in music schools and conservatories. In training, we also use the schools and manuals of the world's leading drummers: D.Agostini, R.Pratt, G.Chaffee, G.L.Stone "Stick Control for the Snare Drummer".
When learning to play the drums, coordination develops in various styles according to the manuals of such authors as A.Makurov, G.Chester, M.Martinez, J. Riley, G.Chaffee, P.Kapazolli, G.Chapin, L.Bellson. Our drumming school and its teachers will teach beginners to play fragments and solos of such famous performers, as S.Gadd, Tito Puente, Omar Hakim, John Bonham, S. Philips, T.Williams, D. Chambers, L. Bellson, J.Morello, I. Paice, V.Kolayuta, Changito, S. Smith, Chad Smit, D.Castronovo and others. When teaching percussion instruments, the lessons also use videos of the school of outstanding drummers, notes and recordings.
The cost of learning to play the drum kit is 6500 rubles. per month for 4 lessons for those who have an initial musical education. If you do not have it, the cost of training will be 9,000 rubles. per month (you will pass in parallel an intensive four-month course “ elementary theory music" in the volume of music school and more).
First lesson price?
The first lesson is free.
Do I need to bring an instrument with me?
You can bring your own instrument to class or play ours.
What time do lessons start?
Lessons start at 11 am and end at 11 pm. We will select convenient days and hours for your classes.
Is a flexible learning schedule possible?
Yes, it is possible: the schedule adjusts to your capabilities. The time of visits is discussed at the first meeting.
How long is 1 lesson
Classes in the specialty (guitar, vocals, keyboards, drums) last 45 minutes. Theory and solfeggio classes - 1 hour.
How many people are in the group for practical training?
Practical lessons INDIVIDUAL! Theoretical - group (10 -12 people).
What is the age of the students?
The school is designed for young people aged 10-12 and older. There is no upper age limit. We train everyone.
If I get sick?
Missed classes are not lost. You will receive them on other days and hours. It is advisable to warn the teacher about missing classes in advance.
What to take with you
Notebook and pen. If we don't take it, we'll give it. All other props are available in the classes.
There are moments in life when one obsession firmly crashes into the head, not letting go for a minute. Sometimes this is a consequence of a conscious and systematic movement towards the goal, sometimes it is an impulsive desire to fulfill a childhood dream.
Our today's material is for those whose goal (or dream) is to learn how to play the drums. We at Audiomania have collected interesting and helpful tips beginner drummers and learned from Dmitry Poltinin, international logistics Audiomania and drummer and backing vocalist of the band †B†C†B† about his experience playing drums.
Define the goal
Everything is ambiguous here. First, a beginner drummer needs to decide why he wants to learn how to play the drums. There are many options: some want to hone their playing skills to perfection / quit everything and start their own band, others just want to learn a few favorite songs. It is also worth highlighting the genre you want to play in, because the techniques used by musicians are very different. To understand what in question watch two videos.On one of them jazz drummer Buddy Rich performs his stunning solo…
And on the other - rock drummer Terry Bozzio:
Choosing a lesson format
There is an opinion that those who want to take drums seriously should first of all find a good teacher who will teach the basics. On the other hand, in music world there are many talented self-taught people - and with the advent of a huge number of worthwhile courses on the Internet, it is becoming easier to develop talents on your own.Benefits of working with a mentor: under strict control, of course, you will feel more confident, in addition, the pros will begin to correct your mistakes from the very first days. The teacher will be able to clearly demonstrate those things that are difficult to understand in terms of self-study. Another significant plus of working with a mentor is the opportunity to train on educational tool and at least the first time not to spend money on your own installation.
At first I studied with a teacher at Krasny Khimik, then on my own, then for a short time at the Moscow College of Improvised Music. I think that for the first year or two you definitely need to study with a teacher, because it is at this time that the foundation is laid, the basics.Improper positioning of the hands leads to a slowdown in the pace of learning, and simply to injuries. In the future, when you have some skills and understanding in which direction to move, you can start studying on your own, visiting the teacher less often.
– Dmitry Poltinin, musician, drums, band †B†C†B†
Advantages of self-study: in addition to the obvious savings on money for a teacher, self-study implies the ability to study at any convenient time and not waste time choosing a suitable (in terms of musical direction, learning style, and simply by character) mentor. However, in this case, you will have to carefully study the materials available on the Web and music stores, and choose the right one.
The fact is that not all tutorials will be useful for you - some are designed for high level skills or "customized" for a particular style, and therefore may not meet your needs. To get started, you can study the following materials: this and this, perhaps you will find something suitable for yourself.
From resources for self-study, I can advise first of all Stick Control, from online resources - Vkontakte groups [, ,] and Drumeo [this company has channel on YouTube and its own training program - however, paid].Printed literature is very useful, as it allows you to thoughtfully analyze various fragments and hone the skill of reading music from a sheet. The ability to read and play music will open up the possibility of self-learning in various educational materials, as well as a chance to subsequently play in various teams and become a professional.
Developing a sense of rhythm
Before spending a decent amount on drum set, a good solution would be to master the basics of rhythm control. You don't need a huge kit like Rush's Neil Peart to be a drummer.Generally speaking, you can start learning how to play drums... without drums. All you need is a chair to sit on and beat the rhythm with your hands on your knees. It is worth noting that at this stage it is important to practice with a metronome - this will teach you accuracy. Muscle memory plays an important role here.
You can also purchase and study literature on rhythms. An example is the Ultimate Realistic Rock book. American drummer Carmine Appice.
You need three things to practice: drum sticks, a practice pad, and a metronome. If there is no pad, then you can knock on anything: a pillow, a sofa, an armchair, or at least on your own legs.I think the best advice I can give you is rudiments, paradidles, and metronome exercises. Listening different music helps to think more "musically", to create interesting drawings. The most important thing is to listen to the musicians and play along with them, and not soullessly beat out as many notes as possible.
A few words about pads. In fact, a training pad (as a rule) is a round wooden base, on one side of which a special rubber coating is applied that imitates the surface of a drum. Pads can be mounted on special stands, or they can be placed on any surface (they usually have threads or silicone stickers on the underside to prevent the pad from slipping - and in some models there are also special straps that allow you to attach the pad to the leg).
The great advantage of the pads is not only their compactness, but also the reduced (many times) noise level compared to real drums. In addition, now on sale there are completely “minimalistic” pads, which are a plastic gel mass. To start playing on such a pad, it is enough to take it out of the jar and roll it into a “pancake”: with a soft, long press, the pad becomes pliable, and with a sharp blow with a stick, it gives a realistic rebound.
Improving self-control
Next, you need to “make friends” with your arms and legs. To play a good groove, you have to learn to control all four limbs. In the process of learning, you will notice how one hand “wants” to repeat the same action that the other did, and it is extremely difficult to “persuade” them. We'll have to show who's in charge here.
To develop self-control, start learning the basic rudiments by practicing on one drum (or any other surface). Rudiments are special techniques that form the basis of playing any drum and are used by drummers to develop coordination.
Here is one of the main rudiments, which is called the Single Stroke Roll, or fraction with single blows:
When you start learning something new, it's always a good idea to choose a slow, measured pace first. It's the same story here - no need to rush to play the rudiment quickly, you should always focus on quality at the very beginning. This is done so that the arms and legs "remember" the movements. After some time, you can begin to gradually increase the speed, while maintaining the clarity of movements.
To check the correctness of your game, as well as just diversify your activities, you can use the Vic Firth website. There is a section on Vic Firth where famous drummers talk and show how to play rudiments correctly.
As for my experience of using exercises to develop coordination, everything is standard here, these are rudiments. You can “lay out” them on the installation and play with your hands and feet at the same time. For example, play sixteenth notes with your hands and triplets with your feet and vice versa, or play a paradiddle with your hands and sixteenth notes with your feet.
Choosing a drum set
If you are determined to master the drums, then it is time to get yourself drum kit. Drums differ from each other in their basic characteristics and there are a great many of them on the market. The drum kit includes the following components: snare drum, bass drum, floor tom, alto tom, cymbals, as well as other auxiliary components, such as a special chair that allows you to quickly adjust the height, is compact, and can be easily disassembled for transportation. Reddit users do not recommend using a non-dedicated "seat" for drumming.But back to the drums. For a beginner or an amateur who just wants to play with friends in a band, a four-piece drum kit (snare, bass drum, floor tom, alto tom) is suitable, which will allow you to play all the basic sounds. This configuration is known Ringo Starr, drummer The Beatles, - this installation does not take up much space, it is easy to move, and its sound is well suited for such musical directions like jazz, blues and rock.
Later, as you gain experience, you can expand your kit according to your desires, for example, add more alto toms, another floor tom, a second bass drum, and so on - there are a lot of variations.
When you have decided on the configuration of your kit, you need to choose the material from which the drums will be made. Used to make drums different kinds tree. They all sound different and have different characteristics. Here are a few of them:
- Maple is the most popular material due to its versatility. It has a soft and balanced sound.
- Mahogany (mahogany) - characterized by more pronounced low and mid frequencies and understated top. It sounds a bit softer than maple and is mostly used for making vintage drums.
- Birch - has a bright and clear sound due to its density and rigidity. Ideal for studio recordings. It transmits high and low frequencies well.
- Poplar is a cheap alternative to birch and maple.
- Oak - very similar to maple, but the sound is brighter.
I don’t think that the material will be very important for a beginner, anyway, most likely it will be either maple or birch. The tool must be chosen student, but enough good level, which will allow you to enjoy learning and playing, and which can be sold in case of an upgrade, or if you abandon this business altogether.But in fact, I do not advise you to rush to buy a drum set if there is no special place to play. Drums are very loud instrument, and it's just not possible to play in an apartment. At the very beginning, I advise you to buy a training drum set and learn from it.
Dishes
Another important component in the life of every drummer is cymbals. There are several types of cymbals, such as hi-hats, rides and crashes, and splash and china effect cymbals. The choice of a set of "dishes" depends on the style performed music. jazz musicians are looking for more complex and deeper sounds, while rock drummers are looking for a louder and brighter sound.According to the manufacturing method, the plates are divided into two types: cast and stamped. The tides are made by hand, and each such record has an individual sound. The stamped ones sound the same (depending on the type of cymbal) and are much cheaper.
snare drum
Let's move on to the snare drum. "Small" plays, perhaps, a unique role. It is with the help of it that they maintain the rhythm, emphasize important points, and also organically fill all the pauses throughout the song. Traditionally, the snare drum is made of wood or metal. Metal drums are made from an alloy of aluminum, copper and steel, resulting in a bright and punchy sound. Wooden drums sound much softer.Plastics
Perhaps one of the main components of the drum are resonant plastics - this is the part of the drums on which the main blows of the sticks fall. It also opens big choice: plastics are single- and two-layer, with various combinations of thicknesses, transparent and coated, with a reinforced center (with a “dot”) or damper rings, and so on. Depending on the type of plastic, its sound also changes, in addition, plastics different types differ in terms of wear resistance.Electronic drums
It is worth noting that there are situations when space is limited in a house or apartment and you simply have nowhere to put so many tools. And I want to play! This is where electronic drums come in handy. They are much more compact and practical than their "analog" counterparts. You can load libraries of sounds on them and perform what you like. Another plus is the ability to play through headphones. Among the most popular manufacturers of electronic drums are Roland , Yamaha and Alesis .When choosing tools, even at the training stage, I would not advise you to seriously save on anything at all. Although for starters, it may be worth buying equipment - for example, a pedal and racks - simpler, but from trusted manufacturers. You can also buy student series of cymbals (these are produced by world leaders - Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste and Meinl), because if they break - and this will most likely happen until the blow is "delivered", at least they will not have to be hard regret.Instead of the student series of popular brands, you can buy quite sounding Turkish or Turkish cymbals. Chinese origin: Istanbul, TRX, Bosphorus, Turkish, Alchemy, Soultone, Stagg, Wuhan. However, I do not advise saving on plastics, since plastics Bad quality will sound bad and fail quickly. Here you can look at the brands Evans, Remo and Aquarian.
Learn to play best acoustic installation or training - on the electronic, a completely different rebound, and everything is played much easier. Therefore, to learn good sound extraction on it simply will not work.
Choosing sticks
Having decided on the drum kit, you should pay attention to Consumables- Drumsticks. Sticks are chosen depending on the style of play. However, the choice of material, size, shape and tip depends on the personal preferences of the musician (some of the most popular manufacturers are Vic Firth, Pro Mark, Vater, Regal Tip).When you go to a music store, you will see that sticks are usually marked with two characters: one letter and one number, for example, 3S, 2B, 5B, 5A and 7A. These designations have been preserved since the early days of drumstick production, when the number denoted the size of the stick, and the letter denoted its purpose depending on the playing style.
To date, everything has remained the same - the number indicates the diameter of the stick. The smaller the number, the larger the diameter will be. For example, 7A will be much thinner than 5A. As for the letters, they indicate the recommended use:
- S - long sticks, designed for performances of marching drummers
- A - orchestral sticks. Thinner than Grade B sticks. Very popular with jazz and rock drummers.
- B - for symphony orchestras. Heavier than class A sticks
It is worth noting that in Lately steel sticks for training are gaining popularity. They are several times the weight of sticks and should not be used for drumming, but are well suited for practice and technique. Renowned drummer Jojo Mayer recommends these sticks in his video school.
Play along with your favorite songs
Having got hold of the instruments and having developed the initial skills, you can begin to play along with your favorite songs. This exercise will develop your ear. If the song is familiar to you, you know how it should sound, and you can find the right rhythm. When listening to music, try to understand how the drummer plays.Quora resident Geoffrey Martin advises starting with AC/DC as drummer Phil Rudd plays simple and straightforward grooves that are easy for a beginner to repeat. Our expert, Dmitry Poltinin, also advises to choose simple, popular and (not least) not fast songs - they are ideal for a beginner drummer.
Another piece of advice that might be helpful was given by musician Sim Messa: "If you can't figure out how a drummer plays by ear, then look at live recordings, maybe the visuals will tell you what to do."
Finally
Every drummer should have some kind of "work on himself" - draw knowledge from any available sources. Don't be "afraid" of other drummers, they can always tell you something interesting or useful. For example, check out a Reddit thread or the DrummerWorld project forum.Over time, every keen drummer begins to understand all the subtleties of the game. He learns to recognize his strengths and weak sides understand what needs to be worked on.
Finally, I would like to add that you should not neglect ear protection: earplugs or headphones. Drums led armies into battle, so their loud sound could cut through the noise of gunshots. And here it is a few centimeters from your auditory organ.
Oh yeah, and don't forget to warm up before starting the game! Drumming requires a lot of physical effort. It is necessary to pay attention to the hands, knees, fingers. After spending 10-15 minutes warming up, you will play much more evenly and avoid strains.
You can watch this video with exercises for stretching and warming up the muscles:
Let's make a small summary of the above. If you decide to learn how to play the drums, then:
1. First determine the purpose for which you want to start practicing, whether it's just to learn a couple of songs or start playing in a band. Also decide on the genre, as the techniques used by the drummers are very different.
2. Choose the type of training: with a mentor or on your own. The positive aspect of working with a teacher is that from the first days he will begin to correct your mistakes, and you will immediately feel more confident. However, self-study is also an option, you save money and can study at any time convenient for you. Fortunately, there are a huge number of guides on the Web.
3. Start developing your sense of rhythm. To do this, it is not necessary to have a drum kit - beat it with your palms on any surface. Rhythm is the foundation of drumming.
4. Learn to control your arms and legs. To do this, study the rudiments, perform coordination exercises.
5. Choose a drum set based on your desires. For starters, it might be worth buying a starter kit.
6. The choice of the size, shape and tip of the sticks depends on the personal preferences of the musician. Therefore, hold the sticks in your hands, try to play. For starters, you can use 5A chopsticks - they are best for beginners.
7. Play along with your favorite songs to develop your ear.
8. Use earplugs to protect your hearing.
9. Always warm up before playing to avoid sprains and injuries. Drumming is a serious physical activity. Add tags
