Like most things in drumming, this is an issue swamped in debate. Let's have a look at both sides:
Groove
Groove is based on the feeling of the music. Regardless of technical ability, a drummer who plays a groove fits perfectly with the music and provides a solid beat. Listen to any song, and work out the beat, regardless of time signature. This tempo, like the click of a metronome, is the basis for your groove. Funk music relies heavily on groove, and drummers like Chad Smith (I know I feature him a lot, but there's a good reason why), who plays a mixture of rock and funk, is someone I respect for his brilliant ear for the groove. Have a listen to him playing the most basic of rock beats and see how he fits with the bass:
Chops
Put simply, this is just technical ability. There are some incredible drummers out there who can play amazing things. This sort of drumming is incredible to listen to with or without a backing track. Just look at Martin Škaroupka here, for instance:
Both
You might have seen this coming, as both of the above drummers have incredible chops and a feel for the groove (in different genres - let's not get into a 'who's better?' argument), but I'm saying that a mixture of both groove and chops is important to be a versatile, exciting drummer. One drummer who is world famous for his amazing ability is Tony Royster, Jr. Watch this if you don't believe me:
But, amazing skill put aside, he also plays for Jay-Z, and plays some solid, simple beats in this gig:
Here we can see that no matter how amazing and talented you are, there are some situations where you should only play a basic groove. Don't try and over-play to prove you're a good drummer. If you're good, people will notice; there's no need to play your most complicated fills and patterns when all the song needs is a sturdy 4/4 beat.
6 Jun 2011
26 May 2011
Rudiments
Whilst we have discussed the basics when it comes to setting up your kit and how to hold your sticks, we've still not mentioned the basics of actually playing. Well that's what this entry is for, as we take a look at rudiments.
(Before we start, it should be noted that whilst rudiments are useful and important, it's not vital to master each and every one before you consider yourself a "good" drummer, so don't worry about it too much if you take a while getting to grips with them, or if some of them escape you completely.)
Rudiments are the patterns which you play on the drums. They're the building blocks that beats and fills are made up of, to put it simply. Think of the most common drum fill, for example: four beats on the snare, four on the high tom, four on the second tom, and four on the floor tom. This is a pattern of singles. If you're ever having difficulty with a fill or a beat, breaking it down into its rudiment pattern often makes it easier.
It's widely contested as to how many rudiments there actually are, but for now we'll say 40 (you'll see why soon). Some are individual, whilst some are variations of similar patterns. We'll start by having a look at some of the most simple/important ones in this video with Deep Purple's Ian Paice.
(Although watch his hands on the singles: you should try to avoid holding your fifth finger out like this as it's important for added control and speed - not that Paice needs more of that, mind you.)
Not only are rudiments good for helping you warm up, or think up new beats and fills, but like Paice says in the video; they're great for working out your hand and wrist muscles.
Most beginner books will include rudiments for you to practice, but it's often to difficult to know if you're keeping a steady speed, or if your beats are sounding even, so Vic Firth had the clever idea of an online rudiment bank (which contains - you guessed it - 40 rudiments for you to practice). This is an excellent tool, and something you might want to work into your practice routine at an early stage. Just click on whatever rudiment you want to learn, and it'll give you the basic pattern, an exercise, examples and a helpful video too.
Trust me, learning rudiments won't happen over night, but as time goes by you will notice the difference in your playing. If you're just starting out, try not to worry on how fast you can play them; the important thing is playing them well. You just need to be patient.
It's widely contested as to how many rudiments there actually are, but for now we'll say 40 (you'll see why soon). Some are individual, whilst some are variations of similar patterns. We'll start by having a look at some of the most simple/important ones in this video with Deep Purple's Ian Paice.
(Although watch his hands on the singles: you should try to avoid holding your fifth finger out like this as it's important for added control and speed - not that Paice needs more of that, mind you.)
Not only are rudiments good for helping you warm up, or think up new beats and fills, but like Paice says in the video; they're great for working out your hand and wrist muscles.
Most beginner books will include rudiments for you to practice, but it's often to difficult to know if you're keeping a steady speed, or if your beats are sounding even, so Vic Firth had the clever idea of an online rudiment bank (which contains - you guessed it - 40 rudiments for you to practice). This is an excellent tool, and something you might want to work into your practice routine at an early stage. Just click on whatever rudiment you want to learn, and it'll give you the basic pattern, an exercise, examples and a helpful video too.
Trust me, learning rudiments won't happen over night, but as time goes by you will notice the difference in your playing. If you're just starting out, try not to worry on how fast you can play them; the important thing is playing them well. You just need to be patient.
17 May 2011
Practice
What do you think?
Air drumming doesn't exactly look like the coolest thing in the world, but it can actually be really useful. I was once told to practice in front of a mirror to check my technique and generally watch my movements. Not only did this help me neaten up how I play, it taught me a lot about looking interest-ed/ing when you're playing: how many times have you seen someone behind a kit looking like they wish to God they weren't? Here's a tip to those people - if you're not interested, neither is your crowd.
Some people firmly believe in 'mind over matter': if you can visualize it, you can play it. I'm one of those people. Of course this isn't the case with everything: I don't expect to think of the new Dream Theatre song and instantly be able to play it, for instance - of course practicing over and over comes into it - but I do believe it helps.
For example, years ago, I would listen to music like most other drummers: I would just sit there and listen, trying to figure out the drum parts. Then, when I was told to utilise my mirror, I found that instead of struggling to work out the drum parts, I was nailing them quickly. Transfer this to the kit, and I could learn a song off by heart in half an hour, rather than a few. I practiced like this for at least an hour, every night, for years, and can honestly say it improved my playing immeasurably. I can now play almost every album I own, start to finish, off by heart.
Another plus of this technique is that if you're in a band playing covers, you can sit up late at night, headphones in, and play the song over and over and over without disturbing anyone.
Or if you don't have anywhere comfortable to practice over the winter (my garage used to get so cold my fingers would go numb - this is both bad for your hands and bad for your drums. Avoid it like the plague.) it will keep your chops up until it's warm again.
Yes, you'll feel like an idiot at first, and yes, if someone walks into your room and you're sitting on your drum stool, sticks in the air, waiting for the breakdown of 'In the Air Tonight' you'll blush like never before, but trust me, this pays off.
Who's stupid now?
Air drumming doesn't exactly look like the coolest thing in the world, but it can actually be really useful. I was once told to practice in front of a mirror to check my technique and generally watch my movements. Not only did this help me neaten up how I play, it taught me a lot about looking interest-ed/ing when you're playing: how many times have you seen someone behind a kit looking like they wish to God they weren't? Here's a tip to those people - if you're not interested, neither is your crowd.
Some people firmly believe in 'mind over matter': if you can visualize it, you can play it. I'm one of those people. Of course this isn't the case with everything: I don't expect to think of the new Dream Theatre song and instantly be able to play it, for instance - of course practicing over and over comes into it - but I do believe it helps.
For example, years ago, I would listen to music like most other drummers: I would just sit there and listen, trying to figure out the drum parts. Then, when I was told to utilise my mirror, I found that instead of struggling to work out the drum parts, I was nailing them quickly. Transfer this to the kit, and I could learn a song off by heart in half an hour, rather than a few. I practiced like this for at least an hour, every night, for years, and can honestly say it improved my playing immeasurably. I can now play almost every album I own, start to finish, off by heart.
Another plus of this technique is that if you're in a band playing covers, you can sit up late at night, headphones in, and play the song over and over and over without disturbing anyone.
Or if you don't have anywhere comfortable to practice over the winter (my garage used to get so cold my fingers would go numb - this is both bad for your hands and bad for your drums. Avoid it like the plague.) it will keep your chops up until it's warm again.
Yes, you'll feel like an idiot at first, and yes, if someone walks into your room and you're sitting on your drum stool, sticks in the air, waiting for the breakdown of 'In the Air Tonight' you'll blush like never before, but trust me, this pays off.
Who's stupid now?
24 Apr 2011
Warm Up
Ever tried running a long distance without warming up? Lifting weights without stretching? It's a fast way to hurt yourself and perform far below what you're actually capable of. The same rule applies to drumming.
Drumming relies on your tendons, muscles and joints to provide the movement of a drumstick. I, for one, get scared when I hear about nerve damage and the like. I don't want to end up like Phil Collins, who can't even hold a stick any more. There's two really simple ways to avoid long term damage: correct technique, and warming up.
Because there are many theories about the correct technique to do pretty much anything in drumming (for example, the way to hold you sticks), I'm going to focus on warming up. It's easy to do, it'll save you a ton of hassle in the future, and it's a good way of getting prepared for a gig.
1. This one is simple: stretch. Do some light stretches of your entire body. You don't just use your arms and legs to play drums - you use every finger, your wrist, your elbow, your shoulder, your back and so on. Everything should be warmed up before you play.
2. Do some light practice. Something like rudiments, just to get your fingers working properly. I've lost track of the number of times I've heard someone play and thought they were being clumsy, only to hear them tighten up after playing for a while. If you can't warm up on your drum or drum kit (for example, if it's waiting for you on stage) then you can use a practice pad or something with a similar rebound. If it comes down to it, play on your knees.
3. I once heard Terry Bozzio advocate soaking your arms in warm water before you play. This will loosen up your muscles, and generally have the same long-term effects as stretching. You could even combine the two.
4. Don't sit down and instantly try to play at 280 beats per minute. Even after you've stretched, played a few rudiments etc, just sit down and play a simple groove. Not only will this help you get into the swing of things, it'll also help you notice if anything on your kit needs moved, adjusted or tuned.
5. Enjoy it. Warming up shouldn't be a chore or a challenge. It's an essential part of playing, and playing the drums is meant to be fun.
This video is a simple example. Don't try to get too fancy when you warm up - remember, you're exercising your body, not showing off your new fills.
Update: I should add that Matty G. on the Drummerworld forum put me on to this Youtube channel, which is definitely worth a look.
Drumming relies on your tendons, muscles and joints to provide the movement of a drumstick. I, for one, get scared when I hear about nerve damage and the like. I don't want to end up like Phil Collins, who can't even hold a stick any more. There's two really simple ways to avoid long term damage: correct technique, and warming up.
Because there are many theories about the correct technique to do pretty much anything in drumming (for example, the way to hold you sticks), I'm going to focus on warming up. It's easy to do, it'll save you a ton of hassle in the future, and it's a good way of getting prepared for a gig.
1. This one is simple: stretch. Do some light stretches of your entire body. You don't just use your arms and legs to play drums - you use every finger, your wrist, your elbow, your shoulder, your back and so on. Everything should be warmed up before you play.
2. Do some light practice. Something like rudiments, just to get your fingers working properly. I've lost track of the number of times I've heard someone play and thought they were being clumsy, only to hear them tighten up after playing for a while. If you can't warm up on your drum or drum kit (for example, if it's waiting for you on stage) then you can use a practice pad or something with a similar rebound. If it comes down to it, play on your knees.
3. I once heard Terry Bozzio advocate soaking your arms in warm water before you play. This will loosen up your muscles, and generally have the same long-term effects as stretching. You could even combine the two.
4. Don't sit down and instantly try to play at 280 beats per minute. Even after you've stretched, played a few rudiments etc, just sit down and play a simple groove. Not only will this help you get into the swing of things, it'll also help you notice if anything on your kit needs moved, adjusted or tuned.
5. Enjoy it. Warming up shouldn't be a chore or a challenge. It's an essential part of playing, and playing the drums is meant to be fun.
This video is a simple example. Don't try to get too fancy when you warm up - remember, you're exercising your body, not showing off your new fills.
Update: I should add that Matty G. on the Drummerworld forum put me on to this Youtube channel, which is definitely worth a look.
11 Apr 2011
Sticking Technique
So you've picked your sticks, set up and tuned your drums and now you're ready to play. The thing is though, there's a lot more to holding drum sticks than just grabbing one.
There are two primary ways to hold a stick - traditional and matched grip.
Matched grip
Most contemporary rock and pop drummers use matched grip, and it's the one most people are familiar with. Chances are, if you give anyone a drum stick they'll hold it matched.
Matched grip basically means that both hands hold the sticks in the same way:
Lay a drum stick in the palm of your hand, with the tip pointing out between your thumb and index finger.
Now close your fingers around the stick. Your index finger and thumb should be where the grip is, with your other fingers closing more gently around the stick.
View from underneath.
This is where things get a little more complex. There are three main types of matching grip:
German, French and American.
The German grip
Your palm should be parallel with the floor.
To strike the drum, use the natural up and down motion of your wrist.
This grip gives you a lot of power whilst using minimal energy.
The French grip
Your palms should face each other, so your thumbs are directly on top of the drum stick.
To strike the drum, you still use the motion of your wrist, but with much more emphasis on your fingers to control the stick.
This grip gives you more control and typically faster strokes.
The American grip
This is basically a mix of the French and German styles, with your palms at a 45 degree angle to the floor.
To strike the drum, you should evenly use your wrist and fingers to control the stick.
This grip gives you an even mix of power and control.
Because of the way the human body is built, I think the German grip is the best matched grip type - it uses the strengths of your wrist joint and is less likely to cause any ligament damage further on down the line. To gain better control of the stick, you'll just need to practice endlessly, until your fingers (specifically your third and fourth) are playing more of a role in the movement.
Incidentally, a good exercise for this is to hold the stick vertically between your thumb and index finger, and try to move the stick back and forth with only your little finger. Then, try with only your ring finger. Repeat this often and you'll soon see the benefit.
Traditional grip
The traditional grip is commonly associated with jazz drummers (although rock drummers like Cozy Powell have also used it to great effect). It comes from military snare drummers who had to play their snare at an angle, and so couldn't use the matched grip comfortably.
The traditional grip means that your dominant hand holds the stick in the matched position, but your other hand is different:
Lay a drum stick in the palm of your hand, with the butt pointing out between your thumb and index finger.
Now move the stick at a slight angle so that it rests in-between your second and third fingers. Close your fingers around the stick so it moves in a sharp but fluid motion when you flick your wrist.
View from the side.
Although I've heard people say that the traditional grip means you lose a lot of power in your non-dominant hand, just looking at the Cozy Powell (a drummer famous for his hard hitting) video above, and the likes of Jojo Mayer and the drumming God that is Buddy Rich, I can't really see their proof. Like everything, you just need to practice.
5 Apr 2011
Project 2
This morning I received a parcel in the post - inside was a new drum head for the project snare/tom. Because I'm turning a tom into a snare I needed to change the bottom head from a regular resonant head (clear) to a snare hazy head. This means the snare wires will resonate properly on the new, thin head and create that loud 'crack' sound. I ordered a Remo Ambassador hazy and here it is.
Now I'm just waiting on a new bottom hoop and snare wires. The hoop is a 12" 5 lug snare hoop, which means it will have two slits in the metal to allow the snares to pass through. (You can see an example of what I mean here.) As for the snares, they're 12" 16 strand wires. Basically, the more wires you have the more 'snarey' your drum sounds. Bigger drums, like a standard 14" snare, tend to have either 20, 24, or even 42 wires, but because this is a 12" I went for something smaller to fit the drum. Hopefully everything should arrive in the next few days and I can really start making some progress.
4 Apr 2011
Project
A little aside from tips and guides here, but I thought I would share my new project.
I figured it'd be interesting to try and convert an old tom into a snare drum. Not only does this give me a shiny new snare, but it also means I get to learn (and, therefore, you also do) more about how wooden snare drums work.
Snare drums are more commonly made of metal. This tends to give them more of a steel-y crack. However, wooden snare drums are just as good, and offer a slightly warmer tone. I own two metal snares (a cheap budget one and a vintage Premier) and one wooden snare (an old Remo - they don't just do drum heads). I love how the Remo sounds, and wanted a bit more of this sort of thing.
So, with the help of the internet, I tracked down an old Gretsch tom and decided this would be my project.
It arrived today, so here are the 'before' photos.
The tom has a bit of damage - the usual scratches and bumps you'd expect with a drum that's been used for a while - but I aim to replace some of the hardware (the lugs are my main target, and the hoops will have to be changed to allow for snares). I'll also be drilling in holes to mount the snare strainer and butt plate and, if needs be, filing in snare beds. Right now I'm waiting on a Remo Ambassador hazy head, and looking for suitable snare wires and hardware. In between the other posts here about drum kits in general, I'll be updating on the progress of this tom/snare. I hope you enjoy it.
I figured it'd be interesting to try and convert an old tom into a snare drum. Not only does this give me a shiny new snare, but it also means I get to learn (and, therefore, you also do) more about how wooden snare drums work.
Snare drums are more commonly made of metal. This tends to give them more of a steel-y crack. However, wooden snare drums are just as good, and offer a slightly warmer tone. I own two metal snares (a cheap budget one and a vintage Premier) and one wooden snare (an old Remo - they don't just do drum heads). I love how the Remo sounds, and wanted a bit more of this sort of thing.
So, with the help of the internet, I tracked down an old Gretsch tom and decided this would be my project.
It arrived today, so here are the 'before' photos.
Gretsch Catalina Club Tom, 12 x 7 inches, in Silver Sparkle with Black Stripe.
The tom features the Gretsch Mini GTS suspension system, which suspends the drum by the rims, not by the shell or in a snare stand.
Close up of the badge and sparkly finish.
It came fitted with a well used Evans EC2 SST head.
The tom has a bit of damage - the usual scratches and bumps you'd expect with a drum that's been used for a while - but I aim to replace some of the hardware (the lugs are my main target, and the hoops will have to be changed to allow for snares). I'll also be drilling in holes to mount the snare strainer and butt plate and, if needs be, filing in snare beds. Right now I'm waiting on a Remo Ambassador hazy head, and looking for suitable snare wires and hardware. In between the other posts here about drum kits in general, I'll be updating on the progress of this tom/snare. I hope you enjoy it.
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