So You Wanna Play the Drum? The Basics

The drum is for me a great and very easy to play instrument. Also it is my favourite one and in this guide I will teach you how to play and read it on a pentagram.

Parts of the Drums:

1. Snare
2. Low Tom
3. High Tom
4. Floor Tom
5. Hi-Hat
6. Crash
7. Ride
8. Bass
   

Drum Notation

The space right above the first line represents the hi-hat. Hi-hats and cymbals are usually marked with an “X” instead of a dot like regular notes.

For the toms, we will use the blanks spaces in the middle to represent each tom. The first space will be the floor tom. The second space will be your high tom, and the third space will be your low tom.

The snare is usually the most important one to see. We will use the line right in the middle to represent the snare.

Cymbals are usually placed above the hi-hat. They are marked as an “X” as well. You may come across a diamond shape, this indicates a bell stroke on your ride or other cymbal.

As for your feet, they are usually placed towards the bottom. The bass drum will be the last line on the music. Your left foot, (or hi-hat foot) will be right below the bass drum line. Again, since this is a cymbal, it will be marked as an “X”

Now that you know the parts of the drum and the drum notation lets start playing the drum with the easiest:

The basic rock beat

• Play eighth notes on the hi-hat with your right hand
• Keep your left foot pressed on the pedal to keep it closed

When you start losing your place, slow it down a little. After a bit of time practicing you will be able to do it faster.

• Then you will have to add the snare on beats 2 and 4 with your left hand.

Make sure your arms are well positioned so the sticks doesn’t hit each other. And try to don’t flail them too high because it wastes too much energy.

• Then you will have to add the bass drum. Add it on bets 1 and 3.

You can create new rock rhythms too adding more basses wherever you want.

Closing

Now that you finished reading this short guide you may fell that you have not learned enough… well, you haven’t. But anyways that is the first and most important things that u need to know when u want to start playing the drum.

Being better playing the drum depends mostly on the time you spend practicing. I suggest you to practice a lot, create rhythms, search for more information, try to play the tablatures you downloaded for internet and such things and you will become a great drummer without paying a teacher.

Here are some links to tablatures websites:

• 911tabs
• Ttabs.com
• Drumtabs
• Mxtabs

Here are some links to drum cool videos:

• Tony Royster Jr. Drum Solo
• Some funny man playing an invisible drum kit
• Link to Vadrum s video channel (he plays great drum solos with the songs of The Simpsons, Mario Bross, and more)