A drummer is a musician who creates music using drums or other percussion instruments. Drums not only help keep the beat but also can establish the timbre of a piece. You might use the following equipment to play your music: A drum kit (also known as a trap set or drum set), Cymbals, Drum sticks, Pedals, Individual drums like bongos, Vibraphones, Marimbas, Xylophones, Latin drums, etc.
The important tips every drummer should know:
- It would be superb if you chose the right tools, such as Drums, cymbals, and sticks. For beginners, the type of cymbal is more important than the quality. If the drumstick is broken, they lack balance, affecting the drum’s feedback. Different applications of drumsticks can include the differences between playing drum sets or snare drums. Snare drumsticks generally have a round tip to produce precise attacks on the drum and tend to be thicker than drum set sticks.
- Your grip determines how well you control the drumstick. It’s a balance between gripping the stick enough to stop the drumstick from rebounding away from the instrument and being able to stop the bar from motioning after an attack. Regardless of your grip type, they all require drummers to establish a good fulcrum.
- Most drumming consists of two strokes: rebound and controlled strokes. The rebound stroke allows the drumstick to bounce off the drum and return to the preparation stage of the stroke. Controlled strokes stop the drumstick from returning to the preparation stage, controlling the rebound generated by the stroke. You are either letting the stick bounce or eliminating the bounce. Rebound strokes are great for building speed. This is especially true as practicing rebound strokes helps drummers focus on accuracy, relaxation, and the economy of motion.
- Rudiments are like a vocabulary for drummers. To master the drumming basics, developing your proficiency in the rudiments with the help of practice and advance drumming lessons should be a priority. Start with basic rudiments like open and closed rolls and paradiddles and flams. The key to mastering the rudiments is defining your two basic strokes and breaking down everything into combinations of rebound and controlled strokes.
The different Drumming Techniques are:
Hi-Hat Technique: It offers a wide range of emotions that produce various sounds. The process also complements the other methods, such as the definition of accented and unaccented notes. Hi-hat defines accented notes played with the shoulder of the stick on the edge of the cymbals. The unaccepted notes are played with the bar’s tip on the top of the cymbal.
Ride Cymbal Technique: How you play the cymbal will determine how the cymbal sounds. However, there are many ways to play a ride cymbal for drumming basics. The French grip is easily identifiable because the thumb is on top of the stick. American grip is when you move your arm to access the ride cymbal. Pronating your wrist slightly allows for a more ergonomic approach.
Kick Drum Technique: The two basic kick drum techniques are heel down and heel up. Heel down achieves power from the ankle movement and calf muscles. The heel-up technique uses the whole leg to gain strength from the mass. Some drummers go back and forth about which method is better, but developing both is essential, especially if you’re working on the drumming basics. The nice thing about creating the heel-down technique is the added power and control you gain when you raise your heel from the pedal board to add the mass of your leg to the stroke.
Conclusion: Drummers should never stop working on the fundamental basics of drumming. As you improve at the instrument, your attention will shift to specific improvements and exploring new contexts, but you should never stop working on strokes, drum beats, and balancing sounds. While practicing, you must check that you are using proper techniques. Working with a drum instructor is the best way to improve your drum skills.