How often have you tried to play drums, only to realize that you don’t even know where to begin? If you’ve ever felt frustrated or intimidated by the idea of learning to play drums, then you’ll love this article.
In this post, we are going to share five simple steps that will get you started playing drums.
Drums are a fun instrument to play, but they require a lot of practice before you can master them. There are many reasons why you might want to learn to play drums, from having fun at parties to being part of a band.
Learning to play drums isn’t as complicated as you may think. The key is to take things slowly and gradually build up your skills.
Once you’ve mastered these basic techniques, you’ll be able to improvise and create your own unique style.
But what if you do not always have access to a drum kit? Can you still improve your skill?
The answer is yes, there are several methods you can use to improve your drumming skill without actually practicing on drums.
In this article, we are going to explore five of these techniques and why they are beneficial to your learning.
So, let’s get started!
What Is The Point Of Practicing Drumming Without a Drum Kit?
The first thing you need to understand about practicing drumming is that it should never feel like work. It should be something that you enjoy doing.
This means that you should try to find ways to make practicing fun, rather than dreading every moment spent in the studio.
Practice is meant to become second nature for you so that you can perform better when you’re out of the practice room.
When you feel good about what you’re doing, you’ll naturally perform better.
So, instead of thinking “I’m going to spend hours practicing” think: “How can I make my time spent practicing more enjoyable?”
If you’re looking for a way to pass the time while you practice, consider how much you enjoy listening to music.
Playing drums is a great opportunity to listen to some quality tunes. Your favorite songs could inspire you to keep practicing.
If you’re struggling with motivation, try making a playlist of songs that you really like. Then, listen to those tracks over and over again during your practice sessions.
By creating a soundtrack to your practice sessions, you’ll find yourself enjoying the process more and more.
If you’re looking to add some variety to your routine, consider trying different exercises that are specific to drumming.
For instance, you could experiment with different types of drum beats. Or, you can practice using different sticks.
Method 1 – You Can Use A Practicing Pad
A practicing pad is an electronic device that has been specially designed for practicing drum beats on. It allows you to play along with the music while using headphones.
This type of tool is perfect for beginners because it gives you instant feedback on whether you’re hitting the right notes.
This type of practice pad comes in different sizes, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
Some pads come equipped with a microphone which helps to give you feedback on how well you’re doing.
They also have a built-in speaker system that lets you listen to the sound of your practice sessions.
There are two main advantages of using a practicing pad over actual drums:
It is much cheaper than buying a drum set.
The size of the pad is adjustable, so you can adjust the distance between the head of the drumstick and the pad surface.
Why Is Using A Practicing Pad Useful For Learning To Play Drums?
Using a practicing pad is great for helping you develop good techniques.
When you hit the drums, you need to press down hard enough to make a clear tone, but not too hard otherwise you risk damaging the drum head.
With practicing pads, you can strike the drum head softly enough to achieve both goals at once.
Practicing pads also allow you to experiment with different types of sounds such as open and closed hi-hats, snare hits, cymbals, and more. The possibilities are endless!
Using a practicing pad is ideal for people who find it difficult to concentrate for extended periods of time.
Because all you need to do is simply tap away on the pads, you won’t feel like you’re wasting any valuable time.
If you’re just starting out in drumming, practicing with a practicing pad will help you gain confidence quickly. As long as you stick to the basics, you should see improvements within no time.
Method 2 – You Can Use A Pillow
Another way to practice drumming is by using a pillow instead of a drum set. If you don’t have a drum set yet, then you can use a pillow instead.
This method doesn’t involve any other equipment and is therefore very cost-effective.
You can place a pillow under each foot and rest your hands on top of the pillow. Then, hold the pillow firmly in place and start playing the various drum parts.
Why Does Using A Pillow Help Improve Your Technique?
When you practice drums, you need to be able to keep your balance while striking the drum heads. This requires strong legs, ankles, and feet.
Holding a pillow in place can provide support for your body. So, when you use a pillow to practice drums, you’ll be less likely to fall over.
What’s important about using a pillow is that you never get tired from holding the pillow in position.
There’s no need to sit down because this method enables you to stand up while drumming.
Lastly, if you want to try a new drum part without having to buy a whole drum kit, then you might consider experimenting with pillows.
For example, if you’ve always wanted to learn how to play a ride cymbal, then why not use a pillow instead?
Method 3 – Virtual Drumming Like AeroDrums
Aero Drums is a virtual drum set software application that allows users to easily record and playback their own drum tracks. It has been designed to be simple and intuitive to use.
This is an excellent app for those who want to learn to drum without having to purchase or rent a physical drum set. And since it’s available online, there are many free lessons to take advantage of.
Why Do I Need An App Like AeroDrums?
One reason why you may want to use a virtual drum set program is because they offer instant feedback.
When you play the drum set, you can hear what you sound like right away.
This helps you improve your skills faster, which means you can become better than ever before.
Although the virtual drum sets aren’t exactly accurate replicas of real drum kits, they still provide great value for money.
They make learning to drum much easier and more affordable.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about keeping everything organized. All you need to do is download the app onto your computer, and you’re ready to go.
The most important thing is that you know exactly where you went wrong whenever you mess up. With a virtual drum set, you won’t struggle to find out what you did wrong.
Instead, you’ll instantly receive audio feedback via headphones, so you can correct yourself immediately.
Method 4 – Tap Your Feet On The Floor
Another way to practice drumming involves tapping your feet against the ground. While this approach does require some skill to master, it’s also one of the easiest methods to learn.
Why Is Tapping My Foot Easy?
To begin practicing drumming, all you need to do is tap your feet against the floor.
Once you’ve mastered this technique, you should be able to play various drum beats by just tapping your foot along with the beat.
To start off, you’ll need to choose a song that you’d like to learn. Then, you’ll need to pick a tempo (the speed at which the music plays).
Next, you’ll need to find a comfortable spot that isn’t too loud. Start tapping your feet like you are interacting with a drum kit.
Method 5 – You can Try Air Drumming
Air Drumming is a fun and easy way to learn drums. If you already enjoy playing drums, then this is something you should definitely try.
It’s best suited to people who are looking to improve their drumming abilities. Since air-drumming doesn’t involve any equipment, you can practice anywhere, anytime.
There Are Many Benefits Of Using Air Drumming
As mentioned earlier, there are several benefits associated with learning how to play air drums. Some of these include:
Being More Creative
Playing air drums allows you to express yourself creatively.
By combining different techniques such as claps, kicks, snare hits, and cymbals together, you can create unique sounds that would otherwise not be possible.
Improving Your Musical Skills
Learning how to play air drums will increase your musical knowledge.
As you progress in your drumming career, you will constantly be exposed to new ideas and concepts.
These concepts will allow you to develop your creativity even further.
Improves Rhythm And Timing
Learning how to play air drums requires you to focus on rhythm and timing first. In fact, when you first start, you will only focus on timing.
As time goes on, however, you will gradually be introduced to other drum rhythms.
Why Should You Start Practicing Like This Right Now?
If you want to become a better drummer, then using whatever you have at hand and spending more time practicing will greatly benefit you and improve your skill as a drummer.
There are many ways that you can get started.
For instance, if you own an iPhone or iPad, you can use Apple Music to jam along with popular songs. This is one of the easiest ways to learn how to play the drums.
You Can Also Use Apps Such As Drum Buddy Or Drum Machine Pro To Learn How To Play The Instrument. Both apps are available online for free.
You will only truly improve in your drumming if you put more time aside to improve your rhythm and perfecting techniques.
On top of that, practicing more will improve important muscle groups that will help make drumming easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we are going to answer several frequently asked questions about learning how to drum and how practicing with or without your instrument is beneficial to you.
What Does A Beginner Drummer Need?
To start out, it is recommended that you purchase some basic drumsticks and mallets.
These items are essential to making sure that you don’t damage your instruments or hurt yourself while practicing. They are also helpful for improving your technique.
How Much Time Does It Take To Improve?
This depends on what kind of drumming experience you have had before.
However, most beginners will take about 6 months to really master drumming skills. But if you work hard enough, you can get much faster results.
Which Is Best For Learning How To Drum – Air Drumming Or Playing With A Real Drum Kit?
Air drumming is great because you do not need a lot of space to practice.
Plus, it is very affordable compared to having a full-fledged drum kit. All you need is a pair of shoes and a couple of drum sticks.
So if you’re looking for a way to practice drumming without having an expensive setup, then air drumming is a good choice.
However, there are certain things that you should know before trying out air drumming. First off, you cannot use real drums when practicing for a variety of reasons.
One reason is that they can create a dangerous environment for you.
Another reason is that you could accidentally hit someone else who happens to be standing nearby.
If these things happen, you may end up getting sued by the person who was injured. Therefore, it is best to stick to air drums instead.
Another thing that you should consider is that you should always try to keep your volume down when you’re practicing. This is so that you won’t disturb other people around you.
Final Thoughts
If you want to learn how to play drums quickly and effectively, then you should consider learning through online tutorials.
There are tons of tutorial videos that are extremely helpful because they teach you everything you need to know step-by-step.
Not only that, but they also provide instant feedback to help you understand what you are doing wrong.
In addition, there are plenty of free drum lessons available online. This means that you can easily get started without spending much money.
In conclusion, if you’re serious about getting better at drumming, and you don’t have a drum kit, then you should definitely check out one of the above methods for learning more about drumming.
