Drumming is tons of fun – and it looks so straightforward too!. After all, you are simply hitting different drums with sticks, right?

Well, if you’ve ever given it a try, you’ll know that professional drummers make it appear like a piece of cake compared to how difficult it is to play drums well! What they do not show is the hundreds or thousands of hours of practice and hard work that goes into it. There are no shortcuts. What made these drummers great was their dedication, determination, and patience.

In this article, we’ll share a few of the best drum tips for beginner students who are learning the drums and get down to details on what a beginner drummer needs for their practice sessions. Hopefully, this will get you deeper in the process of learning how to play drums for beginners and develop good habits early on!

BEST DRUM TIPS FOR BEGINNER STUDENTS

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Always go into a practice routine with a plan

Before you even sit down at your drums, plan out exactly what you are going to do. If you want to just play around for a bit, then at least plan that (not what you’re going to do, but the fact that you’re just going to experiment for a while).

The point of this isn’t to make your practice routine ultra rigid – and you can still be spontaneous if you’re feeling inspired – but you need to be more intentional with what you want to accomplish with your time behind the kit.

    Get your lesson plan from a professional teacher

    While self-learning from YouTube videos is all the hype today, getting your lesson plan from qualified teachers is still the way to go. You can get a private lesson with a school instructor, take a lesson from a music school or even go for an online drumming lesson.

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    Have a balance of technique and musicality

    Practicing technique won’t make you a better musician. Playing music will make you a better musician. Technique is easy and fun to practice because it’s quantifiable, but it’s not the be-all-end-all with drumming. Try to balance your practice between technique and musicality.

    Practice drums every day

    Whether you’re actively listening to music, tapping on your legs, or just playing on the practice pad, do something every day. Even if it’s just 10 minutes each time, it’s better than nothing!

    There are no excuses for not practicing. Don’t get into the mindset that the ‘stars have to be aligned’ for you to practice on the kit. Just do it!

    DEVELOPING THE BEST DRUM PRACTICE HABITS

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    Set a schedule

    It doesn’t matter whether you’re practicing drums or lifting weights — your ability to show progress depends entirely on building muscle memory. And the surest way to do that is to set a practice schedule and stick to it religiously. Keep in mind that 30 minutes a day will show results more quickly than three hours once a week.

    It’s best if you can practice a little every day, but we know that it can be hard to slavishly stick to a daily schedule for much of anything besides eating and sleeping, so try to put in a minimum of five good practice sessions per week!

    Tip: talk to your neighbours. Tell them that you plan to practice drums a certain number of times per week at a certain time of day, so that there is some degree of predictability. Be open to negotiations in order to accommodate their needs and schedules. The idea is to communicate openly and to avoid angry confrontations at all costs.

    Plan ahead

    Think of your practice sessions as stepping stones that lead to your drumming goals. Each stone represents a small step forward and should in itself accomplish a small goal. So at some point during the week, perhaps on Sunday, you need to set small goals that you want to accomplish during the week.

    You know better than anyone what aspect of your drumming needs the most work, so plan to address it in your practice time. Let’s say your hands are more advanced than your feet. So create a schedule that gives greater emphasis to your feet during the upcoming week. Perhaps you can dedicate two out of five sessions to working exclusively on your feet. Or alternatively, plan to spend more time every day working on foot techniques.

    Metronome

    Practice with a metronome

    Metronomes may sound boring, but they are among the most crucial tools for a beginner drummer.  There are several great metronome apps for drummers online, but you can also opt for a standalone metronome. 

    Timing in music is measured as Beats per Minute (BPM). Learn basic drum beats and rhythms and practice playing your regular drum fills and beats to a metronome. When you feel that you are not in sync with the beat, slow the BPM down.  Always practice playing slowly, and only accelerate when you feel comfy doing so. 

     

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    With CRISTOFORI, you’ll move beyond just the best drum tips for beginner students to launch your drumming skills with great drum lessons and world-class instructors.

    We have prepared a curriculum that combines the instrumentation and technical components that are beneficial for every student that aims to hit that musical skill ceiling they always longed for.

    It’s never too early or too late to learn how to play drums for beginners in Singapore, so click the “register button” and start training yourself to become a drumming genius!