What are the first things I should be learning as a new drummer? Where do you start?
The world of music and drums is so big it can sometimes be a little overwhelming to look at all the possibilities and know where the best place to start is. In this blog, we will break down a couple of key areas we recommend all beginners should be learning in order to have a great start to their journey as a drummer.
One way of thinking about thinking about music education is to think of it like our diet. Health experts are always referring to having a “balanced diet”. This essentially means eating the right amount of all of the necessary food groups. We need to do this in order to develop and maintain a healthy functioning body.
Our approach to learning a musical instrument should be viewed in the same way. We need to be drawing from a variety of key areas of study, in order to grow and develop as a rounded and balanced musician. What this looks like is different for every musician (just as it is with diet). It can also take a little time to work out where you as an individual need to spend more time or focus based on your approach to learning and musical experience.
Going back to the food analogy, what are the key areas of study, or food groups, in our opinion? Let's have a look:
Technique. This is fundamental. Technique for drummers focuses on the way we move and use our body and drumstick/pedals, in order to create music. Spending time working on the most efficient and effective ways of moving is absolutely critical for developing musical freedom and creative expression, particularly on an instrument as physical as the drums. We can work on such techniques by playing basic sticking patterns and rudiments. All of which are designed to train us to play with the correct motions.
Improvisation and creativity. So much music education today focuses on learning things from other people and playing other peoples music. We wholeheartedly agree with this (as we’ll discuss below), but so many music students miss out on the creative part of music. At The Drum Hub, we believe that every student has a voice musically, an expression that is unique to them, and that part of our jobs as music teachers is to help them to find that voice and learn how to use it and share it with others. One key method we have found in helping our students find that voice is teaching and encouraging improvisation and creativity. To improvise means to play or perform something without preparation or forewarn planning. So how do we practice improvisation? We practice by just playing and jamming. Improvisation acts as a melting pot for all of our musical vocabulary. It mixes ideas together and produces new combinations and variations. From these variances, new sounds are birthed.
Grooves. The drummer’s primary job in a band is to play the groove. This pulse or beat that acts as the foundation for all of the other musical elements in a song. Groove is the central musical role of a drummer. As a beginner drummer, learning and practicing playing different patterns of grooves is key.
Playing to music. Another important part of learning to play an instrument is playing with others. This may take the form of playing with a band or playing along to music. Both are really powerful tools to help you learn and apply the knowledge previously learned. Playing a groove on you own is one thing, playing it with others (or to music) grows your playing in a musical context. It is also great fun! Who doesn’t want to have some fun when playing or practicing?
Reading Skills. Learning to read music is another invaluable skill that a beginner drummer can (and should) learn. This written music is a part of the language of all musical instruments and adds great value to a musicians skill set when they can read - even if only basic things. Do you need to read to the highest standard in order to become a great musician and have fun? No. There are many top level performers who don’t read music at all. However, reading music does add a perspective and level of detail that listening alone can miss. Additionally, reading music helps us to remember what to play, or work out new ideas without the help of a teacher - thus accelerating learning.
Listening Skills. This skill compliments points 4 and 5 in our list above. Listening skills include playing grooves, songs and fills by ear alone, recognising the different voices/sounds of the drum kit and groove transcription (copying the rhythm, sound and style) from songs and videos. Developing your ear as a musician is critical. Learning to play by ear is a skill that can be learned and developed through practice. Having good listening skills is another invaluable tool all drummers should develop from the beginning of their musical journey.
So that’s our list. This obviously doesn’t cover all the components of learning to play the drums. Our goal with this article was to briefly outline several key components beginners should start with when learning to play the drums.
Studying the instrument in a broad way initially will help to identify your own personal learning strengths, as well as enable you to see music from multiple angles and viewpoints. It makes the learning experience richer and more enjoyable.
Here at The Drum Hub we believe in offering a fully rounded music education experience, teaching all of the above skills in a bespoke and proven syllabus. Our goal is to bring the gift of music to everyone for their whole lives.
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