3 Drumming Tips from the Pro’s..

Tip 1: Set up your drumset correctly !

To set the drums up for the viewer so it looks cool from the front rather than for yourself. Set the drums up so that the bass drum is facing the audience straight on, rather than being off to the right if you are a right-handed drummer, because the bass drum is not the centre of the drumset.

Trying to make the drumset perfectly symmetrical or sitting too low or too high, or to set up the cymbals too far away from the player so you have to play with your arm completely stretched is a mistake

Try this exercise:Take your stool, adjust it so there is more than a 90° angle between your legs and your spine and between your upper legs and lower legs.

Then you set up the snare drum so it is comfortable, then a bass drum where the foot really sits, then a hi-hat where the foot really sits, and so on

Tip 2: Get a grip on your sticks

Hold your matched grip correctly with balanced fulcrum between you thumb and index finger steady and the remaining 3 fingers loose and ready to bounce the stroke. Next, do your warm up’s, be relaxed and breadth easy

Try this exercise: Make sure that your left hand and your right hand are equally strong by playing fast unison strokes in different patterns, in different cycles; groups of three, groups of five, seven, two 16ths and one eighth note, but with both hands at the same time. 

That way you make sure your hands are equally strong and you can concentrate on either the right or the left for timing and precision while you are playing

Tip 3: Sing your way to keeping better time 

Make an effort to learn some songs and just clock to your favourite tunes ! Get a metronome out and clock it to the song BPM. If you can remember tempo then you are less likely to speed up or slow down. That is achieved by association and muscle memory. The best way to do it is to combine the two

Try this exercise: Start a song, be aware of the quarter-note pulse and ‘sing’ it first. Then start playing the beat comfortably while keep the quarter note pulse

Once you have ace’d the beat on time now add in your roll’s during the ‘fill zone’ never stopping to sing the song or quarter note pulse even during the transitions from groove (paragraph) to fills (chorus) and back to groove

To read more tips from 2 of the hottest pro drummers in the world today Benny Greb & Thomas Lang click here 

Developing your hand speed..Slow down to Speed Up..

We all drummers like to play fast when starting out learning new beats and rolls BUT its very important that you learn to 'slow down to speed up' . So what does this mean ? Well it really means that,

a. You start with a Metronome and keep it simple by playing QUARTER notes counting loudly

b. Gradually move to EIGHTH note count when comfortable and able to play for a full minute in sync with the metronome

c. Finally move to SIXTEENTH note count and play it consistently for a full minute keep comfortably

Once you have done the above, the next step is to play these in patterns while counting loudly with the metronome. Here is how it should look like,

TEMPO = Quarter Notes + Eighth Notes + Sixteenth Notes + Quarter Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  1 2 3 4 + 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & +  1E&A 2E&A 3E&A 4E&A + 1 2 3 4

PLAY = 1 2 3 4 + 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & +  1E&A 2E&A 3E&A 4E&A + 1 2 3 4

Start at 60 BPM  and gradually increase by 10 BPM when fully comfortable. Keep going till you have reached about 150 BPM and very comfortable keep timing and rhythm !

Finally when you have reached this level introduce the 32nd NOTE count into your playing as follows,

Example 1 : Sixteenth Notes + Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes + Thirty Second Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  1E&A + (2E&A + 2E&A) + 3E&A + (4E&A + 4E&A)

PLAY = 1E&A + (2E&A + 2E&A) + 3E&A + (4E&A + 4E&A)

Example 2 :  Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes +Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  (1E&A + 1E&A) + 2E&A + (3E&A + 3E&A) + 4E&A

PLAY = (1E&A + 1E&A) + 2E&A + (3E&A + 3E&A) + 4E&A

Once you have mastered these insert other combinations of Eighth notes and Quarter notes along with your Thirty Second notes. NOTE - at all time start SLOW and gradually build up your speed without sacrificing your accuracy and sense of rhythm !

Fundamentals of proper Bass Drum FOOT technique

The bass drum is the foundational piece of a drum set. When the bass drum is played on time, correctly, and in its right place, the whole band sounds better and well knit. 

There are 2 main techniques to play the bass drum,

    

HEEL DOWN : Heel down playing is where you have the ball of your heel pressed down onto the bass drum pedal with your heel acting as a pivot point 

This is used to play lighter beats on the bass drum (also called feathering). It offers more control & used normally for jazz, softer styles of music

          

          

     

  

  HEEL UP: Here you use your whole leg to power the bass pedal. Instead of resting heel on the pedal, lift it up and rest your toe on the tip of the bass drum pedal

     This method is great for power bass drumming like in Rock music. Once you build enough control, you can also play faster with heel up since you can use your toes only to kick the drum 

     

      OK LETS GO ROCK IT NOW !!

The Essential Drum Notations

n a previous lesson we had learned about the Essential Music Terms that were fundamental to any musical instrument. In this lesson we are going to focus on key Drum notations and ways to read them for very commonly used 4/4 time signature pattern

Breaking down the above notes into a hierarchical view we have,

Reading Notes ( Notation TABLES):

1) Quarter Notes are read as – 1,2,3,4 and for a 4/4 time signature you will count the bar as below. Note that the underlined number denotes the measure we are on,

1   2  3  4

2   2  3  4

3   2  3  4

4   2  3  4

2) Eight Notes are read as 1&2&3&4& and for a 4/4 time signature you will count the bar as follows,

1& 2& 3& 4&

2& 2& 3& 4&

3& 2& 3& 4&

4& 2& 3& 4&

3) Sixteenth Notes are read as 1E&A 2E&A 3E&A 4E&A and for a 4/4 time signature you will count the bar as follows,

1E&A  2E&A  3E&A  4E&A

2E&A  2E&A  3E&A  4E&A

3E&A  2E&A  3E&A  4E&A

4E&A  2E&A  3E&A  4E&A

4) Similarly for Triplets in a 4 / 4 time signature the bar line would be read as follows,

1&A  2&A  3&A  4&A

2&A  2&A  3&A  4&A

3&A  2&A  3&A  4&A

                                                4&A  2&A  3&A  4&A

Next set your metronome to 60 BPM and play above 4 patterns one after another in alternate single strokes counting loudly. keep going till you have perfected the rhythmic flow so that your M&Ms develop quickly !

Increasing Attention Spans in Kids using drumming techniques & practices

One of the observations & learning’s I have had working with kids is how to get them to develop better attention skills. The ability to focus and pay attention is a foundational need to a host of other cognitive skills. 

Here is how we can use drums to impact & improve the 4 basic types of attention,

1. Creating a set of Start-Stop experiences while drumming to improve Sustained Attention – This task involves getting kids to focus on a single task for a sustained period of time. This can be developed by playing along a set of drum beat patterns in a start-stop manner while constantly changing the speed and flow. You can also incorporate a movement based intervention by having kids be the ‘leader’ as you move through each pattern while having the rest of class follow along                                         
2. Ignoring distractions & developing Selective Attention – playing in a band where-in the musicians have to listen to each other is a nice example of developing your selective attention skills. So have your child start playing drums to a song while specifically listening to the drum patterns and learning to play them effectively. While in class I like to have the class try and create some crowd buzz while one of them is drumming in order to develop an ability to isolate the noise around you and focus on the beat at hand                                                                                                                                    
3. Alternating Attention by using time signature variations or independent limb co-ordination – Drumming by definition involves training your various limbs to do different things. You could thus develop this skill by playing your basic rudiments in different time signatures while keeping the metronome to a steady pulse. Alternatively you can have the same pattern played by different limbs to an alternating pattern. Example: A 4/4 single stroke roll could be played as RLRL or LRLR or LLRR or RRLL or we can incorporate the foot and have RLFF or RLRF etc                                                             
4. Finally developing you Divided Attention – This is the highest level of attention and is usually achieved while developing excellence in any musical or performing act . In drumming this means paying attention to the foundational learning techniques, mind and body preparation, ability to parallel process like reading the musical notes while playing with a band etc. Reaching this level also means that you are in the moment where you are not thinking about the details anymore, you are essentially in the ‘feel’ and flowing seamlessly with the task at hand. Example: Play 4/4 pattern with your feet while playing 3/4 with your hands !

Working your weaker hand

Whether it’s playing a game or eating food or doing a physical activity, we tend to lead with our stronger hand. Focusing on this aspect and learning to use both hands equally can be a great starting point in being able to play the drums effortlessly with both hands

For most of us though this is a challenge, so here are 3 simple ways to practice on improving your weaker hand,

• Try the 8 on a hand exercise with the Unison (both hands play together) beat. Start slow at 60 bpm and go all the way to 120 bpm. Keep playing at each level  for 2 minutes continuously till you are comfortable then go to the higher speed (in 10 bpm increments) . Watch for flams and avoid them at all costs !

• Start playing the hi-hat with the opposite hand + starting your drum rolls with the weaker hand. Finding it difficult right? Good, keep working on it till you are comfortable playing them. Keep a metronome going so you can correct yourself as needed

• Play rudiments that stress the weaker hand more. Rudiments like triplets where you play twice with the weaker hand ( RLL/LRR or LLR/RRL) are good example of these. Play with a metronome starting as Quarter notes then Eighth notes then 16^th notes. Ensure that you are fully in time with the metronome and comfortable at a speed before increasing your speed

Finally, keep the metal focus on the weaker hand going as your progress your drumming. You will notice that just by realizing the fact of the weaker hand (M&Ms anyone?) and paying extra effort on using them more often may soon make it the stronger hand :-)

‘Sound’ Tips for Drummers

Sound is an essential output one gets or hears from the action of sticks repeatedly hitting on a drum-set. Long exposure to loud and unregulated sound can lead to loss of hearing or irritated neighbors. With the advent of technology and new materials it’s very easy to guard against these. Here are few tips,

For Drummer Hearing Protection,

1. Use a simple Foam earplug for basic practice. These are comfortable, reusable and widely available. The cons here are noise reduction ratios (NRR) is high so sound may be muffled, as if "under water"
2. A better option is to get Stereo Isolation Headphones. These may cost a little more ($25-$50) but have excellent isolation and great for recording or practicing
3. A few more advanced/professional options are as follows,

• Custom Musicians Earplugs - These cost between $150-$200 and are perfect fit with clear sound. Must have for professional musicians.
• In-Ear Monitor - These are expensive ($100 +++) and excellent for live monitoring and eliminates need for stage monitors

For Drum Set Muffling – Actions here may include modifying the kit or using additional components to reduce the sound impact

• The simplest idea is inserting an old pillow into your bass drum and covering rest of drum’s playing surface with circular pieces of shelf liner material to dampen sound dramatically
• More professional methods may include buying E-Rings or a Drum Mute set. These are more expensive and require matching to kit sizes and your budgets

For Drum Room Sound Proofing – Because of the way our ears perceive sound, a “sound proof drum room” may not need to be soundproof at all. If we only reduce the volume by as little as 10dB it will  make the music half as loud outside the room. Here are simple options with little incremental costs,

1. Carpeting is popular for soundproofing. So set-up your drum kit on a carpeted surface. Usually the rougher the surface the more sound waves it will absorb
2. Egg crate mattress pads offer a wavy sine wave looking surface and can be purchased at any discount store or store that sells bedding. It may be best to cut it into manageable pieces before you apply in sections to the wall.
3. Fabric furniture pads are also a common soundproofing product. Use dual sided and sewn mattress pads that appear quilted
4. Heavy fabric, drapes and blanket can also be used but will not provide as much sound dampening as the above items. Considering adding a drape on a curtain rod over doors to add extra soundproofing to doors and closet areas
5. Sound absorption sheets often referred to as ‘soundproofing blankets’ may indeed reduce volume levels if the space is properly treated. When hung throughout the room, these sheets absorb echoes, reverberation and noise reflection

M&Ms - How to get kids to love practice using the STAR process

Developing Muscle Memories (M&Ms) is a critical learning requirement for drummers. M&Ms can be defined as the ability to repeat a drum beat/rudiment instantly without using much of your brain memory during the drumming process

This is critical as trying to remember the various permutation & combinations of drum strokes can take you away from focusing on the task at hand like listening to the music, other band members playing or developing a groove feel within the time signature

Here is a good way to develop M&Ms using the STAR process,

1.      Start Slow – Focus on developing Control vs Speed. It is very important to start ALL lessons SLOW. The idea it to play real slow with repetition getting your muscles to memorize the particular movement/s

Start slow then gradually increase to a medium and fast tempo. You will know your limits when you start faltering your beat or lose control. Once you find that high threshold, practice going down to your medium and slow speeds. Then repeat steps

2.      Time bound – Next step is to break groove/beat down into small parts and practice in smaller chunks. Then start putting it together into required time signature. Practice these in various time patterns to become comfortable enough to apply to/with any song or groove

3.      Adapt – When we are learning new things there is a tendency to tense up. Thus it’s critical to first learn the right hand/foot technique and then relax while playing. It’s important to pay attention to your posture, distance to the various drum parts and breadth normally while practicing

4.      Repeat using a metronome – Finally it’s very important to develop your internal clock to play consistently at various tempos. So start using a metronome for your practice gradually increasing from Slow- Medium-Fast tempos until you feel very comfortable in being able to play the groove or beat without actually using the metronome

So go ahead and enjoy those M&Ms !

THE DOWN STROKE & UP STROKE

Once you have got the Rebound stroke going, the next aspect is to understand dynamics of the Down Stroke and Up-Stroke. Understanding these will help you develop a nice consistent rhythm as you start playing multiple strokes and accents (soft notes) moving forward

So what is a Down-Stroke? The common aspects of this stroke are, 

1. Everytime you strike the drum we start with stick up, hit the drum once ending in the ‘down’ position (about 3 inches from the head) hence the name..
2. The Down stoke sounds LOUD & CLEAR
3. There are NO bounces involved. Squeeze your back fingers to prevent multiple bounces

See a demonstration of this here. Practice this on alternate hands for 1 minute each multiple times till you are comfortable playing this stroke

The Up-Stroke is the opposite of the Down stroke,

1. It starts down and end’s up. So start with stick 3 inches above ahead and play the stroke
2. Naturally you will notice the sound is soft and low for this stroke. This stroke imitates action of our hand/palm when it touches a hot plate – a downward action with a quick snap back up as the stick touches the pad/drum!
3. Finally combine this with a Down-stroke motion to get a full smooth stroke

See a demonstration of this here. Practice this on alternate hands for 1 minute each multiple times till you are comfortable playing this stroke

Tips: Practice these strokes in front of the mirror while observing your motion. This will help you correct yourself and learn them quickly!

The Essential Music Terms

1. The STAFF - Has 5 lines & 4 spaces

2. BAR LINE – Divides the musical staff  into measures

3. MEASURE – Is the space between 2 bar lines

4. DOUBLE BAR LINE – Denotes you have reached end of a piece of music

5. QUARTER NOTE  - Notes we play & typically counted as 1,2,3,4 

6. REST – A place where we ‘rest’ ie: do not play a note in the measure

7. TIME SIGNATURE – Denotes how to count the music

a) So 3/4 means there are 3 beats per measure

b) 2/ 4 means that there are 2 beats per measure

This lesson is excerpted from Mark Wessels' book, A Fresh Approach to the Snare Drum

L1 - Eight on a Hand

So you have now perfected the rebound stoke and ready to start your first technique exercise '8 on a hand' Like i will be emphasizing on ALL exercise's moving forward - START SLOW !

For this exercise let's perform the following routine,

Day 1 & Day 2 :
a. Set the metronome to 90 bpm (beats per minute)
b. Play 8 rebound strokes with the left hand - LLLLLLLL
b. Then alternate & play 8 rebound strokes with the right hand - RRRRRRRR
c. Keep repeating these steps until you can play consistently for 2 mins non stop on each hand

Remember to take it slow, play each beat clearly and with equal sound/impact

Day 3 & Day 4:
a. Set the metronome to 120 bpm
b. Play 8 rebound strokes with the left hand - LLLLLLLL
b. Then alternate & play 8 rebound strokes with the right hand - RRRRRRRR
c. Keep repeating these steps until you can play consistently for 2 mins non stop on each hand

Day 5 & Day 6:
a. Set the metronome to 150 bpm
b. Play 8 rebound strokes with the left hand - LLLLLLLL
b. Then alternate & play 8 rebound strokes with the right hand - RRRRRRRR
c. Keep repeating these steps until you can play consistently for 2 mins non stop on each hand

At the end of the week you should be proficient on playing these rebound strokes with each hand consistently ! If not repeat the process till proficient. See a video demonstration of this technique here

Day 7 : Game time with a FUN Exercise!

1. Set the metronome to 90 bpm and play the following pattern
2. Eight rebound strokes with each hand -  LLLLLLLL , RRRRRRRR
3. Seven rebound strokes with each hand - LLLLLLL , RRRRRRR
4. Six rebound strokes with each hand - LLLLLL , RRRRRR
5. Five rebound strokes with each hand LLLLL , RRRRR
6. Four rebound strokes with each hand LLLL , RRRR
7. Three rebound strokes with each hand LLL , RRR
8. Two rebound strokes with each hand LL , RR
9. Single rebound strokes with each hand L, R
10. Back to step 9 then step 8, step 7, step 6, step 5 , step 4 , step 3, step 2
11. Repeat steps 2-11

It will take you a few weeks of practice to complete this game correctly & consistently at 90 bpm, so have patience and keep at it ! Here's a video demonstration of the great Peter Erskine using this as a warm up routine

Tip - to get more proficient post above stage increase metronome speed to 120 bpm & then 150 bpm !