When you hear a song like ‘Highway to hell’ by AC/DC, you automatically start to rock your head with the music. Have you noticed that the drum beats are enough to move your body in a dance-like position? Like many others, I too always wanted to play drums. I used to wonder how to play drums. Or what is the best way to learn drums?
Many people want to play drums as a profession or as a hobby. But most of them do not know where to start. But when there is a will, there has to be a way! In this article, we will learn about the options we have as a beginner level drum player.
What is the Best Way to Learn Drums?
While you are talking about musical instruments like drums, one might ask if drums are better than guitar. The answer may vary from person to person, but remember every instrument is vital to make that perfect music. Being said that, drums are easier to learn but a tad it harder to master, unlike guitar. To find out what is the best way to learn drums, we have to dig deeper.
You have to keep in mind that we are talking about someone who doesn’t know the basics of drumming. Before anything else, you should learn about the best drum set, rudiment, holding the drumstick, etc. There are also specific types of drum set for beginners, convenient to practice as a learner. And then there are various ways that you can opt to learn playing drums.
1. Lessons by Instructor:
I believe an experienced teacher is always the best option if you want to train yourself fast and smooth. A mentor who has been playing drums for a certain period will always know where your strength and weakness lie. And he or she will know how to improve your skills without damaging your other strong features.
Everyone has a different capacity when it comes to learning and adapting something new. Your mentor will make a proper teaching strategy exclusively for you. You can set up a fixed schedule for weekly lessons with the coach. Remember these lessons are just lessons, the practice hours are not included in this time chart.
Your instructor can also make your practice schedule based on your preferences. You can go to your teacher’s studio or institute, or he can come up to your home to train you in your comfort zone. In both ways, make sure you are getting the outcome you are aiming for. If you think your playing style hasn’t improved in a few months, then maybe switch to another instructor.
Your teacher might be a very good drummer, but while teaching a beginner there needs to be something extra with the talent. We all have a specific set of mind and style and our creative minds are also the same as our personality. So, don’t think that you are a bad student or your instructor isn’t good enough. You guys might not sync together, and that’s perfectly alright!
2. Digital Lessons:
This is the digital era and we all are inevitably dependent on technology. We have our mobile or laptop to search for all the possible answers to any mere question. So, when you search ‘drums for dummies lessons’ in the search bar of Google, the thousands of results shouldn’t be surprising at all!
You can also use many alternatives to learn playing drums in a digital way. Watching and learning from people all around the world, sounds fascinating! You can take online paid lessons from digital institutes from any place. Not the same as tutored by a mentor I know, but still they are worth your time and money.
But the internet has its equal share of downsides as well. The most important fact, watching a video of playing drums is not the same as watching a live drum-playing. Then there are also the scams and authenticity issues these platforms bring upon. Hence, not everyone can be trusted on the internet. Digital fraud is definitely not a minor offense.
Many of these people are not even qualified to be a mentor, hence can be circulating wrong information about the techniques. A personal mentor can save you from these hassles.
3. Self-Teaching Method:
This might not be as effective as the other two, but your commitment and urge to learn can bring out some great results. This is a bit slower method as you have to learn everything on your own. You have no idea if you are playing the rudiments right or following the techniques properly. But with the time you get better as you get to know more about the playing methods.
The conventional methods like books, music sheets can be a good choice if you want to study drums beforehand. Learning to read music is very important. You will also find various apps available in the google play store like learn to play drums app. These are easy and fun enough to use. There are several other resources available on the internet to help you out.
YouTube, as I mentioned earlier is one of the most promising platforms for a learner. You can practice with a kids drum set for a start You can find numerous video tutorials featuring drum notes for beginners, how to hold a drumstick, drum rudiments, etc. The best part of this platform is that you can watch those brilliant techniques for free!
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Can you teach yourself to play drums?
Yes, you can. When you are talking about learning drums on your own, it is not as hard as it sounds. But it will be a slow process as you don’t have anyone to guide you or correct the mistakes. Still, if you have a sense of rhythm and music, it’s worth a try. Nowadays, you can easily learn the basic techniques from many social media platforms.
YouTube will show you various beginners’ guide videos with the proper demonstration. But one needs to have passion and dedication to do it.
Is it hard to learn the drums?
Learning drums can seem scary to some, especially when we see drummers playing drums with that intimidating expression. But it is not as tough as it appears to be. If you understand the rhythm and music is a natural process to you, you can learn drum real fast. A good teacher will be a better option to teach you about drumming techniques.
And even without any basic music knowledge, one can definitely learn to play good drums if he or she practices a lot.
How can I learn drums fast?
There is no shortcut to learning in my opinion. What you can do is apply some strategies and practice continuously. If you learn how to read the music sheet for drums, take regular lessons, learn about the rudiments, practice playing drums on a daily basis, etc. will help you to understand the basics of drums really fast.
Not to mention, if you do want to learn to play drums as fast as possible, an experienced teacher can improve your learning growth tremendously.
What should I learn first on drums?
The first thing you must learn for playing drums is how to hold the drumstick. Many people might think holding the drumstick is easy. Well, everything has a technique. You just don’t hold a stick and start beating on the drum. You have to learn how to hold the sticks in your hand. And when you know how to do it, you can start working on the rudiments of drums.
How long will it take to learn the drums?
There is no absolute time limitation for learning drums. It may take 6 months for a person to be a professional, or many years to even smoothly play the drums. There are various factors like practice time, music reading ability, dedication, etc. However, in general, a person can take 10-12 months to become a good drummer. And can play much better in the 18 months-2 years period.
Can I learn drums at 30?
Yes, absolutely. Learning has no age limitation. You can start learning at any age. At 30, you are capable enough to learn any instrument. You just need the dedication and passion for this particular subject. Time management is also important as we have various activities to do.
Besides, learning drums can actually improve your physical and emotional condition if you are enjoying it. It really doesn’t matter if you are learning to play drums at 40 or 30.
Final Thoughts:
We have so many options to learn drums, right? You can hire a teacher, or follow the informative videos to start from scratch. Or if you are confident enough, you can also go for the self-teaching method. In any way, all you need is the proper motivation and passion for drums! And you can create those awesome drum beats like a pro!
If you have a clear understanding of what is the best way to learn drums, it’s time to buckle up and pave your way! Start practicing with your drum set! Who knows, you might be the next best drummer in the world we have ever seen!
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