My noodle

An invigorating pastime of  American youth is easily lost and forgotten with all the hype of bats, balls, cleets, and nets.  That pastime is the art of drumming.  Many hours can be spent beating on the skins in the peace of  your own room, even though everyone in the same house is far from “peace.”  Drumming is the best way to relax, while at the same time  providing a great workout, relieving stress, but create intense emotions, and giving huge adrenaline rushes.

 Where to start?  Well, no one can just pick up a pair of sticks and be Neil Pert, but it’s a start.  First find “your pair” of sticks.  Personally, I feel the most in power with the Vic Firth 55-As (sold at Guitar Center), but that is just me, and everyone is different, so there is a pair for everyone.  There are different sizes, weights, and styles, each looking to find a perfect match.  Once you are matched it is smart to stretch.  Stretch, you say?  This is no track meet where, without proper stretching, you will tear a muscle, but by stretching out your forearms, fingers, and thumbs, you not only increase speed, but accuracy as well.

It’s almost time.  You are matched with your sticks, your arms and hands are loose, and you ready to play.  Now it is time to adjust your set.  Once upon the drum throne, you, as a drummer, must decide how you like your setup.  I personally like to be closer to the ground with a snare, tom, floor tom, and double pedal kick, as well as 5 or 6 cymbals.  Now that is a basic setup, but as a drummer, you have the ability to customize however you want, depending on personal preference, as well as style of playing.  A jazz drummer isn’t going to want a 14 piece drum set with china cymbals and 22 inch rides, just as a metal drummer couldn’t function with a single pedal, snare, and three cymbals.  It’s all about how you like it.

Drum rudiments are important in helping you becoming the best you can be.  Without fast hands, you are no drummer.  And just like any sport, practice makes perfect.  Run through the rudiments, twice daily, for at least 2 hours in order to gain speed and endurance.  Once the rudiments are second nature, all that is left is picking your style.  From pop, to jazz, to deathmedal, to hip hop, the driving force behind it all is the beat (the drums).  Once you find your style, the best way to learn is by listening.  Listen closely and play along on the dashboard of your car.  Anywhere you go have a rhythm in your mind, and walk to the beat.  Once you are ready, sit on the throne, put on your headphones, and work out the song.  Obviously it won’t be perfect, but the beauty behind drumming is you can make it your own, it will sound great, and it’s an original creation.

 Now those are a lot of steps to be covered, going through countless years of practice and work.  But to be good at anything you must practice and spend time on it.  So get your sticks, attack the rudiments, and go to town.  Who knows, maybe you will give Neil Pert a run for his money eventually…..