learning how to drum: what video lessons? what forums? Advice?

[everdrone]

I want to learn drums on a low budget, what do you recommend? 
I recently bought an electronic drumset and acoustic drumset.   
Here is a video of my current drumming abilities if that helps you give me a suggestion for youtube videos/drum forums/etc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmdYOy6zIIQ 

[Corey Y]

If you type in "drum lessons" into search on youtube you will get A LOT of really great results, seriously. I like this channel, when I still had a drum kit and my teacher had just quit because of health reasons I followed a long with a lot of the beginner and intermediate lessons and got a lot out of them. There's also a lot of other entertaining material, buying guides, tuning tutorials and lots of other stuff on there that's good.

https://www.youtube.com/user/freedrumlessons/

[Bro. Righteous]

Play along to Phil Rudd, on any AC/DC Bon Scott era album and esp...later w/Back in Black. There, you will find groove, solid timing and good hi-hat work. Done.
Fuck lessons!

[Discö Rice]

EDIT: In addition to everything else said:

Rudiments! Learn them, love them!

That said, sitting down and drilling rudiments can be really boring. My favorite way to drill is to keep a pair of sticks in hand while watching tv and work out those rudiments on my leg. Paradiddle the hours away binge watching your favorite shows.

See also: Flams, Swiss Triplets, Flam-a-diddles, double stroke rolls.

[black]

^^there you go^

Long, long ago I saw Billy Cobham at a drum clinic at a local drum shop. During the Q&A a cat asked Billy if he had any practice tips/advice.

"There's 40 rudiments. Practice them all. Always."

[everdrone]

Cool bruthas much thanks

I did not know this stuff, its very helpful!  Im glad to get going in the right direction, cheers

[neighbor664]

I am bumping this thread back into existence in hopes of getting some pointers on playing fills.
I been practicing for a while and can generally hold it down, but decent fills elude me.
Tips and some basic fills to work on needed.

[bbottom]

When I owned a home I had a drum kit there for me to beat around on. I can play some beats but I am far and I mean far from being an actual drummer. Although I will say that the thing that helped me work on coordination was actually that game Rockband. The ex and I played it a lot and I always played the drums because I sucked on the guitar.

Other than that....the ACDC suggestion is pretty good. That will get you to work on timing and keeping a beat. Which is the most important aspect of drumming.

[everdrone]

5 month update:

still have not done rudiments or ACDC but great suggestions, Ill get to em in good time

I like working on my double bass footwork and stuff.  I still dont watch youtube how to videos or anything.  I just play whatever fills sound good to me.  Here is my progress update footage from a week ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHSpSsGYAuA

[neighbor664]

^^there you go^

Long, long ago I saw Billy Cobham at a drum clinic at a local drum shop. During the Q&A a cat asked Billy if he had any practice tips/advice.

"There's 40 rudiments. Practice them all. Always."

Playing along with lots of AC/DC and Parliament. Since Billy Cobham is my be-all-end-all, favorite drummer I presume his is the advice to take too.
I need to buy some proper drum/cymbal mutes. Since I live in an apartment, towels and t-shirts have been what I've been using so far. I get more practice in if I have my kit at home, but I do have a warehouse I can bang on them at too.

[bbottom]

[nyarlathotep]

Well, if people aren't calling the cops on you, those mutes are probably fine. Unless you want to wear one of those t-shirts.

[neighbor664]

Update: I recently asked my neighbor if the drums bothered him, to which he responded "what drums?" So, yes, the mutes are working.
I'm starting to feel like I could actually pursue playing drums in a project or band. Feeling less like a guitarist who can keep a beat and more like a fledgling drummer. I'm getting better at fills and even messing with`soloing' that doesn't sound like a Bobby Brady spaz out. I've mostly been looking to funk and jazz drummers for inspiration and stuff to practice with.

Does anyone have any tips for better hi-hat work? Limb independence?

[nyarlathotep]

Hi-Hat work: Play all the rudiments you normally do on a snare, but on the hi-hat. You may also want to try and play them between the snare and the hi-hat - paradiddles are a fun one to do this with. I definitely recommend practicing playing different beats on the hi-hat -- the standard 4/4:

H-|x-x-x-x
S-|--o---o-
B-|o---o---

4/4 with 8th note hi-hats:

H-|XxXxXxXx
S-|--o---o-
B-|o---o---

16th note hi-hat:
H-|XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxx
S-|----o-------o---
B-|o-------o-------

And don't forgot about shuffles:
H-|X-xX-xX-xX-x
S-|---o-----o--
B-|o-o--oo-o--o

Try alternating between open and closed hi-hat, too. Hard with the mutes on but you can sort of get the idea. Try and burn out your arm/hand muscles playing this stuff - the more uptempo beats will really challenge your grip over time.

As for limb independence, check out this book: https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Syncopation-Modern-Drummer-Publications/dp/0882847953 Very helpful and a well-established classic.

[chlorpromazine]

Leave those towels on for mutes when you practice on the kit. They dull the rebound as well, and when you're able to practice on your kit unmuted, it'll feel effortless. Keep playing along with the solid stuff to build your meter and coordination.

Get a gum rubber practice pad and work the 40 rudiments with a pair of drum corps sticks. The big sticks will help build your forearms and make your bounce rudiments more intentional. Use a metronome. Work them slow until you can play them perfectly in time, then increase your speed a few bpm. This is something that you should refer back to always. The pros warm up and write their fills around rudiments. The rudiments help you master your sticking patterns so you can do that crazy Cobham-esque rolling around the kit without getting your arms all tangled up or wearing yourself out on one fill.

One thing that I like to do is put on a song that I like, and just play a rudiment in time with the song. Just forget what the drummer is doing and incorporate your rudiments with the time. It makes it more enjoyable to practice that way and build the muscle memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rGsGZTlso&list=PL3FDF3905F094FB74&index=1
http://www.pas.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/pasdrumrudiments2015.pdf

Work your grips: French, German, American, Traditional. Don't focus too much on Traditional. You'll end up using the American grip most of the time. It helps with coordination between your fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxh5T2NMNYY

Take care of your tendons and ligaments. Learn some stretches. If you start feeling pain up your forearms from wrist to elbow, stop practicing for a while and rest. Tendonitis is a bitch. The same goes for feeling numbness in your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Carpal tunnel is also a bitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAswAxPbN6M

When I'm about to go on at a show, I'll do my stretching exercises, and then play something like a double paradiddle or flamacue on the top of my drum throne (where it can't be heard) in time with the band that is on stage playing their last few numbers. That way, when I go up to play, I'm already warm and stretched. It gets important as you get older. At 21 this was optional, but at 41 I have to do it.

Most of all, just figure out any kind of way that you can to make it fun. If practice is a chore, you won't do it.

[Pissy]

Wow. That was a life lesson.


Welcome back dude.

[neighbor664]

Wow. That was a life lesson.


Welcome back dude.

That's for sure!
Thank you Nyarlathotep and Chlorpromazine! Great stuff! that should probably keep me busy well into my 50's.

[SpaceTrucker]

About the numbness in your fingers starting from your finger tips. It feels worse than it is. so don't freak out and go to the hospital. just don't use it if it bothers you. but don't miss work over it. I used to get it sometimes and you can work through it. just don't unless you have to.