How to get started with drums

Learn about different styles of drums and drumming.

Watch the Hartiverse video about drums on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UV05lProcA4

Have you ever wanted to just quit your job and become a rock star? Although giving up your job is a bit extreme, why not learn to play a musical instrument? Nothing helps us capture the rebellious nature of our teenage years than the drums!

The beat of the drum has an almost magical effect on people. Nobody can resist tapping their foot along to the beat of a good drummer. Drums can set the tempo and pace of any song. (Classical music fans will argue it is the piano, of course.)

Drums have been with humans since the dawn of time and are still very popular. The reason why drums have survived throughout time is the ease of getting started with them. Anyone can pick up a drum and beat out a rhythm. The difference between a skilled drummer and someone who is just playing is that the skilled drummer can keep a steady beat.

Drums come in many different shapes and sizes and are used to produce various different sounds. Some are played using the foot, others use the hands. Then there is the type that is the most iconic today, the one that uses sticks! However there are other ways to play drums. Some of the most commonly used include bongos, congas, dumbeks, and djembes, which are all played with bare hands. Next comes a snare and cymbal pair, which are minimalist kits for early jazz styles. They are often played with either sticks or brushes. The biggest and most famous is the trap kit, found on stage at every rock star’s performance. Trap kits consist of several large and small drums, including the bass drum played with the foot, along with several various types of cymbals, and sometimes other percussion instruments for fills and creating complexity in a piece of music.

Learning to play well can take many years. As with all musical instruments, learning drums takes practice. It is definitely an instrument that you should have a lot of space to play in if you go for the trap kit. The neighbors probably wouldn’t appreciate hearing you practice again and again, so you may want to have a sound-dampened room, or play digital drums with headphones so there’s no chance of angering your household. For a fast start, get a tutor to help you learn. There are usually lessons available through music stores, or they can refer you to a local teacher. There are also many resources online, such as YouTube videos, that can help you learn without an instructor.

Lessons are not usually expensive and many instructors have drums that you can use, so you don’t have to invest in an expensive kit if you’re not sure if drums are going to be your new thing. Talk to the teacher beforehand to find out if you and your prospective instructor are on the same page in terms of what you want to learn and how much time commitment you can make to the instrument.

The most important thing to remember is that drums are there to help you have fun. You should take your lessons seriously, but remember, you don’t become a rock star overnight. Probably best to keep the day job for now.

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