[Tommatt]

Ok, so I've been playing for less than 2 months, had about 4 lessons, and am coming along nicely. Have been doing snare/bass drum independence, and can run through them all with 8th note high hat beats and 16th note bass drum in between /snares in between. If its 8th note on the high hat, I'm looking good. 16th notes, well, I'm still learning and lose my technique (Learning moeller ) when I get to a certain speed. I'm starting to learn the drums. Lookng at tab, and just playing along on my ipod.

If you put me in a room with a bassist or guitarist, I"m sure I'd be lost behind the kit though. What are the steps YOU go through to come up with the beat to the song? I keep hearing follow the bass drum, but honestly, I couldn't tell you why the drummer decided to play the bass on counts 1, 2e, and 3.

Heres my limited understanding of things, and correct my where I"m wrong.

Hi-hat. This is what you use to basically keep time. I know there are various grooves (broken 16th note patterns, triplets, etc) but from what I've seen the beat is mainly there to keep the time. My instructor said something tat threw me off, 16th note beats are usually used when the song is slow?

Snare. From what I've noticed, it seems that the snare is there to add accents and punch to your beat. I get that in a standard rock beat, 2 and 4 and your good to go. Whata makes you want to throw the snare, say 2, 3e, 3uh, and 4? I understand feel I think(I'll talk about that in a minute) but whats making you want to throw t there?

bass drum - From what I've seen this is what really drives the beat and defines it. You can play the snare on 2, 4, 8th note hi - hats, but by moving the bass drum around, I've noticed it changes the whole feel of the beat. I know from playing around to songs, when you hit the bass drum in the wrong spot, alot of times it just dosn't feel right while playing along, but when you hit it right, it just grooves.

I know I'm being very basic, but is my understanding pretty correct of these indivdual drums and their role to your beat? Also, what makes the beat come to miind?

I'm really looking forward to playing with a few guitarist/bassists in the future, and think it'll get me even more hooked, but I want to be able to sit there and understand what I"m doing. I can play some basic rock beats all day, but I want to try and understand why I'm doing certain things.

thanks everyone. Sorry my posts are always so long

[pantera]

I've also only been playing a few months, mostly to keep my son company while he's learning and for myself for the challenge.

I jam with a guitarist and I can tell you I had a lot of the same questions going in. But I stopped worrying and just did it. The first session was ok, but I struggled to understand how to play and when to do what. He gave me a few songs to learn for our next session and I listened and tried my hand at them, wrote out the notes (to my playing) and after a time got decent enough to play them all (in my own way).

I also asked to have the sessions ecorded and it was the best thing I could have done. I have 2 jam cd's now and I listen to them regularly. I quickly learned what I could have done better, where I was messing up, what bass or hi-hat pattern suited a song more than what I was using, etc.

You can rationalize a lot of stuff, and it doesn't hurt to think that way, but you will learn much quicker by jamming with one or more people. You will quickly learn how much you really know and what you need to learn to get better.

[Church Drummer]

If you want to learn how to fit beats in while playing along with other player, the best thing to do is listen to a lot of music concentrating on what the drummer is doing, and what beats fit with what style of songs. When you've listened put the CD in and try to play along to some of your favorite records. Keep practicing the stuff your teacher has you doing, and listen, Listen, LISTEN!!!!!

[jhilldrums]

You mentioned the thing I learned by is feel. I started doing exactly what you are and listening to something, figuring it out then doing it. I still learn this way. It's certainly not the only way to do things, but you sound like your on your way. The only thing I do with my son is try to stress the importance of walking before he runs, and he is always trying to run.........Keep walking then jog, then run like h e double toothpick! Have fun.

[CJDG]

Pay attention to who is teaching you. He/she might be running you through a planned course of info. Just remember that you are scratching the surface here... getting basics out of the way.

Now for some of your questions.

Time can be kept anywhere... hi-hat, ride, bass, snare, or just in your head. The challenge is first to learn how to KEEP time... then work on moving it around.

Why do some drummers hit where the do? Many reasons... could be they are filling in a dead air space. Could be a pattern that is heard with the guitar, bass, or vocal. It also could just be a brand new element brought into the song by the drummer.

What steps do I go through. Well, I listen to the song for about a week, if possible, and then plan what I will play. If the piece is too complicated to memorize I then write it down. Songs are usually broke down into sections.... once you have the sections down it opens up what you are going to play.

What it all means is that your observations are just as much right as the next guy who uses a different method. The big deal is that you stay in TIME and that others listening to you can feel that "grove" you are talking about.

[LMAY500]

Hi Tommatt--

As a drum instructor, I can tell you that one of BEST ways to get answers to your questions is to learn MANY songs and then you will begin to understand the different ways that drummers play.

Accurate drum tabs are a MUST if you want to find out what others are doing. If you need some help, I would be glad to provide you with tabs.

Absolutely Free Drum Lessons

Best Wishes!

Lynne

[Harry]

Hi Tommat,

I think really; keep it simple (for now)!!!
The moment you over--analyse, the feel is gone, try to do simple things well.

One of the best examples of simple and very, very effective drumming is done by Don Henley (from The Eagles) on their "Hell Freezes Over" release. There is a wonderful DVD of that which shows all of that effectiveness with beautiful simplicity.

Also have a listen to Steve Gadd on Paul Simon's "There Must Be 50 Ways To Leave A Lover" track!!

Cheers and Happy Drumming

Harry

[Drumsticks1]

I've drummed years ago and just picked it up again about 7 months ago. I always played by ear. Then with some advice, mainly in a private conversation with Skinslapper I started taking lessons, learning the basics (rudiments) again, learning different drum tabs and more importantly to me.......timing. When YOU know that YOU have the timing down and that you can do a song, whether it be original or something that you are both jamming to, stick with the timing that YOU know. Stick to the timing of the song and the tabs. Remember, reading drum music is a far different and totally 'greek' language to someone that plays the guitar, piano, etc... You said that you've only been drumming for a few months. Remember that. All of the greats, Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, Lars Ulrich, Joey Jordison, Steve Gadd, Steve Smith, Gene Krupa, etc... all started somewhere. Most of us got a late start. Remember, you have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. Soon enough YOUR sound with mesh with the guitar sound and it will all be even ground.
Heck, I can drum 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica with Q-tips. I know it by heart. BUT there will be that time where I'll forget a cymbal or tom. Damn! I should've known better. Yeah, maybe I should've. But we're not perfect!! And never get frustrated at the sound. When you're drumming to a song you will never sound 'just like him'. All songs that we hear on our CD's, iPods, etc... all came from studios that make the songs digitally mastered. Hang in there. You'll get it.

Peace out!

[juan (the ping-pong ref.)]

When you want to jam, you'll get better with the more experience you have. Now it will sound better if you have a good guitarist and you both know each others body language. What will happen when you start out (when you're a beginning drummer) is just have him play a little and come in when you ready, and play whet your used to. Once you have a year under your belt, and if you jam every so often, it'll sound soo much better than when you first started. and yea, thats basically what each drum does.

[hitman311]

This is a very good question and I have been thinking about how to answer for a few days.
Here's my take on when you go from playing drums to being a drummer.

You have to experiment and try different things to know what you like and what works for your needs. What you want to get out of playing an instrument.

When you first start out you want to emulate those drummers that you like. As you learn more and more you start to want to find out the how and why of exactly what they are playing. During this process you get comfortable with the foundation of music. Keeping solid time, making sure the other musicians can count on you to keep the foundation solid.

As time goes on you weed out the things you don't want and keep the things you do want.

The moment you can take something you've learned and put your personality to it is the moment you become a drummer/musician. Everything before that was just spitting out what has been done a thousand times before.
Does this make sense to you?

There are thousands of players out there and many outstanding "parrots", people who can listen to and emulate a particular drummer. That only makes them a mimic.
What makes you a drummer is your own voice, your own unique take on what has come before you.
I think this goes for any type of creative endeavor. Be it drumming, guitar playing, writing or painting.
It's where you go beyond what you've learned that makes you a musician.