Call to all drummers!

[Beeskers503]

Ok so I don't know how many tifers there are that are drummers but i know that I am one of them!

I wanted to get this general discussion going on anything about drums.

Talk about anything you want to, drumset, drumline, what drums you play, sticks, music, anything!

 

I'll start!

 

I play a maroon premier 5 piece drumset which i love. Paiste Cymbals which i like but not the best. I mostly use vic firth extreme 5a drumsticks. My favorite rudiment is the swiss army triplet. I am the best drummer in my school. Section leader/center snare of my drumline as a sophmore. I just love drums in general and I wanna hear what everyone else thinks! So post please!

 

Also i have a question: Anyone know a good challenging snare duet. My friend and I are looking for a good one to do over the summer.

 

 

Ok so i hope there are more drummers in the tif world!

[Sam]

I've got a Session Pro kit with some ShawX 7A sticks and also some timpani mallets. I haven't played in around 4-5 months, I really should start again.

[mcneilp]

I've been playing for a few years (5 or 6 at the last count i think) and still play fairly regularly when i'm home from Uni. At the minute i'm using the first kit i ever had, it was a beat up brandless 5-piece but i picked up a Mapex Black Panther snare drum pretty cheap and replaced the skins. It sounds like [cabbage] to be honest, but i'm not gigging or anything at the minute so i'm not all too fussed. The cymbals are a mix of Sabian B8 crashes and a Zildijan ZBT Pro 4 hi-hat and ride. I had a Tama superstar kit for a while but had to get rid of it, hence why i'm using my old kit.

I prefer Vic Firth 5A wooden tip sticks.

 

Been thinking about buying another kit as i would like something better to play on than what i've got but i've not really got the money at the minute. An electronic kit also crossed my mind, as it would mean i could take the drums through to Uni and keep them in the flat without bothering anyone but again, they're pretty expensive.

[Grogthurk]

I don't own a set, and only drum out of necessity (no other drummers where I live can just quite get the sound I want!). I play open handed. Meaning, I never cross my arms. Just a more comfortable way for me to play. It probably made learning harder, but now that I got where I am, I feel good!

[Sam]

Are electronic drum kits any good?

[Beeskers503]

Are electronic drum kits any good?

They are excellent if you have to keep the noise down if you live in an apartment or dorm room and stuff. Plus you can get tons of different sounds. But if you live in your own house and stuff then regular drumsets are better because it's the real thing and you don't have a fake "feel" i guees is the word. But it wouldn't hurt to have both if you have the money tbh.

[mcneilp]

Are electronic drum kits any good?

I've played on a couple of different Yamaha electronic kits (the model name escapes me completely) which were alright. It's pretty cool being able to program different sounds to the different pads, i spent ages playing the same beat but flicking through all the different pre-set sounds to see what it sounded like on each. I've heard Roland make good, but very pricey electronic drumkits but i've never had a shot playing on one.

 

There's the plus of being able to plug in your headphones which means you can play without pissing the neighbours off as well. I prefer the feel of playing on an acoustic kit to an electronic one but, depending on where i'm living later this year (and if i have the cash), an electronic one might be better.

[Saru Inc]

Are electronic drum kits any good?

They are excellent if you have to keep the noise down if you live in an apartment or dorm room and stuff. Plus you can get tons of different sounds. But if you live in your own house and stuff then regular drumsets are better because it's the real thing and you don't have a fake "feel" i guees is the word. But it wouldn't hurt to have both if you have the money tbh.

 

 

How much cheaper are electric? Or are they more expensive?

 

 

 

Drums are the kind of thing which I've played (used to play snare in lil' kid school) but too be frank are too expensive, and too loud to play, at this time of my life. I saw one at the music store for $500, which my uncle said was cheap (he was picking up a bass) And it's like... Sure I mean I *could* go buy one right now, but they are so dang loud...

[mcneilp]

How much cheaper are electric? Or are they more expensive?

Just like acoustic kits, you can pick up a really basic one kinda cheap but the high end ones could set you back several thousand. I'd say in general, they're more expensive than acoustic kits.

[Sam]

From what I've seen they are more expensive. The cheapest Roland electronic kit costs around £600.

[Range_This11]

Well I don't know where to start since drumming is pretty much my life haha. I marched all 4 yrs of high school at center snare, took first in field show competitions in the fall and first for drumlines too. I march on a top 10 PIA WGI line right now out of the Twin Cities. I have a 7 piece Pearl export series (which was originally a 9 piece but I took two ride-toms off it). I always drum Vic Firth and Zildjian cymbals. I play in a locally successful progressive band and I teach a high school line from my hometown. I'm gonna put some links here that I've found useful in improving my drumming.

 

Books:

4-Way Coordination--This book is essential if you ever want to be successful on the kit. It works your brain more than your chops. All drumming is is muscle memory; teaching your muscles to play a certain speed. The trick is to teach your brain to be able to play something independently on each limb.

Double Bass Drumming Encyclopedia --I guess if you don't want to play double bass, ignore this, but I don't think a kit should be played without it. Now that's not to say that you should be playing constant sixtuplets under every beat you play. That's what this book will do, improve your ability to place double bass both musically and tastefully in your drumming. After you've mastered the 4-Way Coordination, move on to this. The hand-to-feet exercises will revolutionize the way you play.

Jazz Drum Cookbook--Any drummer worth their salt needs to learn to play jazz. That isn't to say you should play jazz beats in a rock song, but jazz drumming is so vital in its influence to the greatest drummers of all time that it MUST be learned.

14 Modern Contest Solos--Another aspect every drummer needs is to be rudimental. Now you might think that learning rudiments is pointless because how many times do you hear a marching snare solo in modern music...never. BUT, take a listen to "Under the Bridge" by the Chili Peppers. Listen to the snare and hi-hat beat he plays in the chorus. It sounds like a normal beat, but he's really playing a flam pattern (a simple one, though). That's just an easy example and there are thousands of others. If you listen hard, the best drummers are using rudiments in their playing.

 

Sites

40 Essential Rudiments--This site should be used immediately. If you cannot play the rudiments on this site, you need to sit down with your practice pad and slowly work through them. Take a week off from playing your kit and work these. You'll come back 10x better. They even have a handy Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum rating system that allows you to play along with a midi file and a click track.

Obsessive Compulsive Percussion Disorder--If you are into DCI or WGI at all, this site is great for finding a few licks you saw in shows or to find challenging exercises. I only recommend this site to drummers that are serious about drumline, it won't be very beneficial for a casual drummer.

Snarescience--This is a great website to develop your technique. I have drummed with the guy that runs it and know a bunch of the contributors as well. Each exercise comes with a detailed description of what to work on, almost like you have a tech right on your monitor! There are also a lot of great video examples too.

 

I've got a lot of experience in a lot of different types of drumming so if anyone needs any help with anything there's a good chance I can help. I drum with guys from the Madison Scouts (including their center), Cavaliers, Colts, and a bunch of DCA guys as well. I have a lot of resources at hand so if you guys need anything from exercises to advice feel free to PM me :smile:

 

Oh and Beeskers503: Try this duet...I played it my junior year with a friend and it was pretty fun! Ctrl+F "Risky" when you get to the site

[Range_This11]

I don't own a set, and only drum out of necessity (no other drummers where I live can just quite get the sound I want!). I play open handed. Meaning, I never cross my arms. Just a more comfortable way for me to play. It probably made learning harder, but now that I got where I am, I feel good!

Interesting. A lot of the great jazz-fusion drummers play like this. Now the trick is leading your fills with your left hand. If you can do that you've got a leg up on everyone. Ambidextrous drummers are pretty rare.

[mcneilp]

Good links man :thumbup:

I stumbled across that 40 essential rudiments site a month or two back and have started working my way through the ones i don't know.

[Beeskers503]

Hey nice post range! Very helpful and that was what i was hoping some peopel would post then everyone could discuss about it or ask questions. I listen to the duet and it sounds pretty sweet i'm gonna have to show it to my friend, Awesome stuff everyone keep posting!

[Kalphite]

I've been drumming for nearly six years now, though I've only really been taking it seriously for the last 2. I have a five piece Ludwig set. I've only had my set for the last 2 and a half years, but I think I've gotten pretty decent now, though my double bass ability is still not the greatest. I've recently joined a metal band though, so I finally have an excuse to get better at it. xD. I'm also on my school's snare line, and I'm the third best player on our drumline.I probably don't have anything on some of you guys, but I can play Crash Landing by Marty Hurley if any of you are familiar with that solo.

[JacobCampbell]

Are electronic drum kits any good?

My brother got Yamaha DTXtreme III Special. I could tell you for sure - this electronic drum kits are very? ve-e-e-e-r-r-r-y good :thumbup: But the price also not bad :)

[Range_This11]

I've been drumming for nearly six years now, though I've only really been taking it seriously for the last 2. I have a five piece Ludwig set. I've only had my set for the last 2 and a half years, but I think I've gotten pretty decent now, though my double bass ability is still not the greatest. I've recently joined a metal band though, so I finally have an excuse to get better at it. xD. I'm also on my school's snare line, and I'm the third best player on our drumline.I probably don't have anything on some of you guys, but I can play Crash Landing by Marty Hurley if any of you are familiar with that solo.

I played Crash Landing in high school. Great solo! Do you have that whole book of solos or just the individual one?

 

Oh and electronic kits are so lame in my opinion. I can almost positively say that I will never buy an electric kit or pad for my kit.

[Kalphite]

I've been drumming for nearly six years now, though I've only really been taking it seriously for the last 2. I have a five piece Ludwig set. I've only had my set for the last 2 and a half years, but I think I've gotten pretty decent now, though my double bass ability is still not the greatest. I've recently joined a metal band though, so I finally have an excuse to get better at it. xD. I'm also on my school's snare line, and I'm the third best player on our drumline.I probably don't have anything on some of you guys, but I can play Crash Landing by Marty Hurley if any of you are familiar with that solo.

I played Crash Landing in high school. Great solo! Do you have that whole book of solos or just the individual one?

 

Oh and electronic kits are so lame in my opinion. I can almost positively say that I will never buy an electric kit or pad for my kit.

 

I don't have the whole book, but I have that, Lava Flow (which I can play as well), Sonny's Solo (which i can play except for the sextuplets at the end), and Tower of Terror (which I can almost play, but the triple stroke part and ending at that tempo give me issues). My drum teacher really likes his solos so he teaches a lot of them and just photocopies them out of the book. I haven't been able to find the book myself and just bought 4-way Coordination and the Double Bass encyclopedia as per your recommendation, plus I should be learning our show music for next year right now anyways, so I'm not too concerned about owning it yet xD.

[Sam]

Oh and electronic kits are so lame in my opinion. I can almost positively say that I will never buy an electric kit or pad for my kit.

 

Why so?

[i_love_burritos]

Aw, I played for about 5 or 6 years when I was younger and when I first started off I really loved it, well I still like it now. I dont play at all now, I haven't played for the last 2/3 years. Mostly because I didn't own a set of my own and I moved from school to school in between. But as for the other stuff, I have and love my Zildjian sticks. I mostly used 7A nylo and wax, and VicFirth 5A ones I have somewhere aswell. But yeah, great list of resources Range_This, I've decided to somehow get back into playing.

[Range_This11]

Oh and electronic kits are so lame in my opinion. I can almost positively say that I will never buy an electric kit or pad for my kit.

 

Why so?

I'm a massive traditionalist. Pretty much the best answer I can give. I don't like any of the sounds that electronic kits make.

 

And the great thing about the 4-Way Coordination book (to Kalphite and Adrenal) is that you don't really need a kit to practice it. Everything is written out RH LH RF LF so you can pretty much practice on any surface, sticks or no sticks.