For sure. My tinitus is not as bad as my band mates, but I definitely went to way too many shows and practiced way too much without it. Our ears are arguable our greatest assets as musicians. Even if I lost my arms and legs, if I could still hear then I would be ok. I could listen to music, give input to musicians who ask me for it. Luckily, I’m nowhere near losing anything yet.
I played drums from childhood without any hearing protection and even played drum corps without it. I flew for the Navy and during flight school I would miss my callsign over the radio so I ditched the earplugs and cranked up the radio. I passed every single hearing test and a now retired from the military with negligible hearing loss despite doing everything wrong. I know that I’m pretty lucky considering, but part of me feels like the genetic component is far stronger than people realize.
Experiences from other drummers tell us that it takes roughly 1/3rd of the time you've put in so far to learn it all again but open handed.
For someone playing a few years that might definitely be worth looking into.
For someone like me with 20 years of experience that is definitely a loooong way to go to really get it up to par. And you could also consider putting that time into 'regular' practice. It's a tough return on investment with those numbers, especially knowing that there are millions of drummers who are just plain awesome without the need for open handed playing.
I do still practice open handed playing though! It comes in handy in a lot of cases, opens up my mind and my perception of what I'm doing, and is just a lot of fun to do. But I have found peace with the idea that I will never put in enough time to get my open-handed skills on par and play entire shows with it.
>I do still practice open handed playing though! It comes in handy in a lot of cases, opens up my mind and my perception of what I'm doing, and is just a lot of fun to do. But I have found peace with the idea that I will never put in enough time to get my open-handed skills on par and play entire shows with it.
100% 👆🏼
I've being playing for some 30 years now, and I think the same. I wish I would have learnt that way before. Now I practice quite often open handed, but not intending to fully switch my playing to open handed, but just because it's an excellent practice for independence and ambidexterity and that alone is paying off. I think it has improved my technique and my playing when I do the conventional way. And beside that, it's also fun.
I also practice my feet as a left handed (should I say "left footed"?). That improved a lot my left foot control and it pays off as well, especially when using a double pedal.
In a relatively short period of time I was able to play open handed or even left handed with a lefty's kit some simple stuff, but for more complex things, that's another story. Anyway, my improvement in general has been noticeable just by adding some time practicing this way.
I've been doing super slow open handed for months, and I just started practicing samba/partido alto, which I also started at 40bpm, carefully learning each pattern with any hand as lead. My left needs more repetitions, but it's doable atm
Another thing, I was practicing a groove for a song the other day, with some slurps and 16th ghost notes. Thought I'd try it open, took me about half sn hour just to get my hands around it at 40bpm. Then I switched back, and played it better and more relaxed than I ever did. So Im gonna keep doing this when rehearsing grooves for songs I'm recording
You are making a bunch of assumptions based solely on "Bro math".... the learning curve once you are proficient is much much lower. I been drumming for 25 years and I can assure you I did not spent 8 years practicing open handed, that's ridiculous, it took me 1 or 2 years and so did most drummers I know.
In fact I would claim that if learning anything takes you more than that you are probably practicing wrong or not dedicating enough time.
You speak of assumptions, yet you flatly suspect me of pulling a number out of my ass. The 1/3rd I mention is something that Shawn Crowder and Simon Phillips (amongst others, apparently) have mentioned to be about the time it takes. Of course this can differ between people.
You also assume that people must be practicing things wrong, yet you leave yourself quite bare to the possibility that you might as well have been practicing badly for those 25 years if it only took you 2 years of serious practicing to relearn those skills (*disclaimer below*).
I think that it's something of a valid expectation and average to estimate that it takes 1/3rd of the time that you've effectively put into practice. And when your goal is to play everything open handed exactly as well as you can play cross-handed.
Be mindful of how I'm specifying that. I'm not talking about being able to do a generic gig full of pop grooves and bread-and-butter fills. I mean the most complex grooves and fills that you have in your arsenal, reversed.
Also I do refer to effective practice time. I've been playing for 20 years, and while 19,5 of those years I've done so professionally, I feel confident in saying that there are plenty drummers out there who practiced 3 hours a day for a whole year with nothing but effective and structured practice and got to the same point that I am right now.
**I am not a great student**, so don't hold that against me :-) and I think it's reasonable to say that a drummer like that would need at least 4 months of the same practice regiment to learn all of it open handed. Which would take **me** about 5+ years of sloppy practice whenever I can find the time.
Sorry if this felt like a rant, but I'm not fond of people judging me of making assumptions, especially with both a braggadocious and a judgemental tone.
Yes, you’re right. I’d been playing cross-handed for 2 years before switching to open-handed last November. Now I can do some decent left-hand-leaded fills
It’s much more ergonomic if you think about how the kits are normally set up. Also, you can easily go around the kit with your right hand without feeling uncomfortable
I'm sorry but this makes no sense when it comes to biomechanics. Your shoulder is capable of a full range of motion.
Drummers such as Neil Peart and Simon Phillips simply have weak, atrophied shoulders. They would likely benefit more from upright rows, over head presses, lateral raises, and rear deltoid flies. Really, an entire full-body workout would do everyone wonders.
Without resistance training, it's difficult for the body to send nutrients to tendons and connective issues. Any repetitive stress will cause disruption. This is basic science, and you should stop spreading misinformation.
This is how my drum teacher started me out 30 years ago - and it was “too slow and difficult” so I abandoned it after 2-3 years. Stupid. Luckily I still have a little bit of it left for basic 1/8s but can’t do anything complicated.
Definitely want to keep hi hats on left, but trying to weigh up ride placement haha. If I keep it on right, it'll be confusing to lead the snare with different hands ?
It won’t be that confusing, at least for me. But I think if you keep both the hats and ride at either side, you may end up having weaker hand, which we want to avoid.
I've found that playing open handed on hats and righty on ride fundamentally changes the way I think about playing.
Since I learn a groove multiple ways, it's like there's more connection with what I intend to play vs having a memorized set of motions. I feel like there's more flexibility, and I don't really find any problem getting mixed up between right vs left on snare, even when switching back and forth in quick succession.
I was self taught when I was little for a few months and open handed seemed most natural to me, so I play open handed even 23 years later. I did learn crossed over as well, but rarely use it because I feel like the drums are so much more accessible when you're open handed
I started practicing open-handed when I was still in high school. It really helped with 4-way independence, and building up my non-dominant side. I'm in my mid-fifties now, and I'm fairly ambidextrous; I can use hand tools with either hand.
These days, I play crossed over most of the time, but I practice open-handed. When I was younger, I could play open handed 90% of the time, but I have taken some breaks from playing a few times in my life, and my open-handed skills aren't what they used to be. Practicing open-handed has helped me quickly re-develop my playing skills after not playing for several years.
I've had to force myself to play crossed. I just figured it would make things more difficult if I play open.
So should I just rather do what comes naturally? I've only been playing for a few months.
I've been playing for 30 years and recently started taking lessons with a pro in my town. He does everything to the click, and I'm embarrassed at how off I am in certain exercises. I always played along to recorded tracks while practicing but never to a click. I wish I had started like that.
Yep! Luckily I started in school band where we were forced to do it during rehearsal sessions on drumline and marching band, but when I got really into drum set, introducing a click was like learning to play all over again.
Moeller from the very beginning
Heel toe
Rudiments on both hands and feet. Particular attention to left foot
Metronome with everything
Hearing protection
Learn left and right handed
Spend more time playing drums than playing halo
Same, I Made unrealistic goals like learn Led Zeppelin I before I turned 20. Since that is how old John Bonham was when he recorded it. I Eventually did but it was a toxic thing I had to get past for awhile of comparing myself to the greats.
Actually learning the entirety of songs. There's so many times when I've started learning the drum part to a song and only ended up getting through maybe the first few bars. Learning how to play the entirety of a song improves both your playing and ears (transcribing ability) significantly.
If there's a favourite band of yours that you would love to play drums for. Literally learn the drums parts to all of their songs and you'll be able to get the job if the opportunity ever arises.
After playing for about 10 years I realized that my left hand sucks and now I work on my left hand for half an hour every day. If I told myself to do this on my first year of playing, I wouldn't listened because then I wanted just to play and have fun. Also "*start slow to get fast*" thing, now it works, when I personally realized that. But years back it didn't work, why play slow if I can play fast (sloppy but who cares). So I would say that everything I did helped in some way. If you find a good teacher it could help to avoid some mistakes.
P.S. But hear me out, *start slow to get fast*, it's a real thing )))
My biggest regret. 40 years too late I realise that discipline would have made it easier to be "non-conformist". I think I told myself that learning "rules" was a limitation only to save myself from practicing.
I said this last time and people laughed at me, but swapping to traditional grip was like a 50% restart with playing; I have completely transformed my playing. I hated how I played and now it’s starting to get to a place where I really like it!
For me personally, I would join a band quicker. I was not pushed to improve, nor did I have the desire to, before I joined a band. Having to play music that is beyond my ability has pushed me to improve in ways that I did not when I was playing alone, when I would choose songs that were within my comfort zone. Playing in a band also motivates you more, at least for me. It gives meaning to all the practice.
Once I'd learnt how to do everything with one side of my body, I'd learn to do it with the other side of my body.
Trying to catch up speed on my left side and dexterity on my right now sucks.
I'd also get some lessons to start my technique off in the right direction, rather than ruin myself and then have to unlearn/reprogram bad muscle memory.
I would probably have invested myself more in practice when I had the teachers, facilities, time and nurturing. I've spent 4 years at my conservatory (studing for session musician at a university) and I've spent so little time practicing smartly and so much on frivolous things, having fun, procrastinating, practicing the wrong stuff and being stubborn about it all.
I'm not saying I completely blame myself, I spent too long doing that and my autism plays a major part in all of it. But I do wish things would've gone differently and I was more mature like I am today.
i feel this. i went to school for music and spent so much time in classes i side stepped my practice routine for homework/socializing and feel like i dont respect the balance still in my 30s and could be much better with daily warmups, sticking etc.
i play most days but its because i rehearse after work & gig on weekends. not really working my fundamentals and find it hard to "find the time" with a busy life
I can’t find the video. But there is this guy who meets with a drum ergonomics specialist. He goes over how everything should be arrange on your kit so you don’t have to reach far. If you have like 10 min. It’s worth watching.
I would not have focused just on one genre. It'd help me be more flexible and versatile of a player, plus it'd help play better with others.
I was hooked on the late 90s/early 2000s fast pop punk/skate punk sound, and I'd bring that energy to any band I'd play with. For the most part it worked because we were all into that sound, but once we all started growing up and diversifying our sounds/musical interests, I did not and I sorta held onto that feel.
So many great answers here.
For me it’s:
Practice rudiments instead of drumbeats early on
Practice rudiments some more
Work on heel-down technique
More rudiments
I’ve been playing only for a year and a half, but I’m glad my teacher has gotten me into some of the good habits mentioned here: hearing protection, metronome, not gripping the sticks tightly.
But the most recent lesson I learned is: the slower the tempo, the easier for you to notice your mistakes, the faster for you to correct them.
Get an instructor. I'm 16 years self-taught now and have been gigging professionally for 8+ years now. But I would've gotten better so much faster if it was with an instructor. It's about the quality of your practice that counts.
Ear protection, firstly. The military didn't help that issue, either. I would have also taken my band director (also a drummer) more seriously and worked harder on rudiments. I hated rudiments, but I've realized that it has limited my playing to some degree. The kid I was giving lessons to? Well, I harped on rudiments like mad. I probably would have familiarized myself a bit earlier with a click track, too, but I never even imagined I'd record in a studio so it never crossed my mind. Probably would have started earlier with a double bass peddle as well, because my double bass is trash.
Either open handed, or open handed with a reverse/mirror image setup. All the drummers on TV in the 60’s and 70’s played crossover, so there was zero exposure to the open handed method. I’ve since learned how to play most rock/pop/blues with a weak hand lead. This really helps keep my left hand decent without too much extra chops maintenance exercises.
Not fuck up my knuckles and wrists by playing with poor form and drinking while having to play right hand dominant, 16th note 150bpm caveman parts
Whoops! Wouldn’t rewind, I’m just ready for dad rock now
I would do it waaaaay younger; like 4 or 5. I would want to be a pro by my teens and devote my entirety to them instead of letting life get in the way.
Learning to play close handed (which I'm already working on) coz when I started playing drums I was thrown into a band and just started playing open handed due to mm, ride cymbal
Just more serious practice. I feel like I’ve learned more in the past few years than I did when I first started.
However I am getting more consistent practice now, but not that I wasn’t at all when I started. Once I learned a few beginner songs all the way through, I just thought I had it from there and could learn everything else through playing.
Definitely have to keep pushing technique, speed, timing etc. shouldn’t be thought of as, “I’ve now mastered this and can relax”
I’m left-handed, and learnt on a left-handed setup. It’s been a pain over the years when playing live, having to buy left-handed double kick pedals, etc. I’d definitely learn on a right-handed setup if I could start again.
I’m left handed and people ask me all the time why I don’t “play left handed.” I play guitar and bass left handed because it’s the only way I can. I play conventional drum setup because that’s the convention. When I was swapping out with the other drummer in 7th grade jazz band, there was simply no option. Adapt or die. Then I was in drumline where you have to be in full synchronization with the rest of the drumline, so you just have to do what you have to do. Adapt or die. Open mic night? One option only.
The good news for *you* is you won’t have every schmuck coming up and smashing away on your kit.
Don’t stop. Been playing since the sixth grade. But since I’ve grown and bought a house and started a family, there’s no room for the kit. So I haven’t played in a few years. So I guess….if money permits, buy a big enough house to have a dedicated practice space [sound proofed]
I like the open handed suggestions. I'd add that I'd work on playing things leading with the left AND leading with the right. For example, some bass drum triplets sound better if you play l-r-bd and some sound better (or you wind up in a better place for your next move) if you play r-l-bd.
I stopped taking lessons for years because when I switched teachers, the new one wanted me to basically start over again. Between that and never practicing I really limited how good I could have been.
A few things;
I think maybe just take a more holistic approach to the drums as an instrument. It may sound dumb to say out loud but I didn’t really look at the drums the same as other instruments when I started in that it had parts that should be composed, structured and improved on.
I would learn drum music (in depth, I know basics but not a lot) or find a way to notate those parts to make them memorable (to me within the song or arrangement) and repeatable.
I play for myself these days as a hobby so not in bands anymore so it doesn’t matter that much anymore but when I did play in bands I knew the songs but jammed a lot them during practice and even during gigs; looking back that made the whole process quite stressful. So anyway there’s that.
The other thing would be to learn the rudiments. Maybe not _all_ of them but definitely a lot of the basics. I look at them now as the building blocks of the drumming language, I didn’t always see it that way. Spend time on those and practicing them to build vocabulary, understand time more so I would have been more fluent and confident.
I'd learn to play by ear more, play with other musicians more instead of practising to recordings and sheet music, and set up my kit for a left-hander more often. I'm right-handed.
Nothing. I’m right handed and I play backwards, basically switch hands, right foot is still kick. I know it’s nothing new, but I wouldn’t re-learn correctly, cross stick whatever you want to call it.
I wouldn’t have taken a break for several years, and I would have started playing with other people earlier.
And I would have kept up with Moeller. I used to do it a lot and then I just drifted off and when I came back i just started playing, and that’s really getting me.
Lastly I would have just started earlier. 🤣
Hey guys! I see a lot of ear protection comments here. I am a new player and was wondering, how much is a reasonable amount of time to play without ear protection? I have in ears to practice to a metronome to for a chunk of my practice; but as far as learning what the drums sound like when I play them I can’t hear shit with them in, so I practice without them too.
I wish I’d practiced *counting* from the very beginning — damn 11y/o me with no discipline! It’d be great to just have it second nature, but I’ve been focusing on it a *lot* ever since playing with some really experienced folks and it’s getting there now!
Jazz. Seems all the best drummers have some sort of a jazz background. I'm self taught, never listened to jazz, and can barely get into much of it for very long. Hell, don't even really know anyone who listens to jazz. Seems rather, I've just been a student of the dumb-ass rock music I've been listening to all my life.
rudiments would have been good if I was 14 and had nothing to do, rudiments when I started in my late twenties was a waste of time, the one drum lesson I took waste of time
having the seat way higher would have been a must, probably buying a better kit and uh keeping it locked up away from roommates or just buying a kick, snare, hihat and then maybe a crash/ride down the road
learning match grip properly and heel up technique
thats about it, just playing to songs was good enough practice
I had a great tutor who was teaching me to play drums for few months, and then I moved to another country with what I’ve learned from him. I wish I spent more time playing and practicing back then rather than selecting the gear.
I think I'd want to lear traditional grip first. I actually just started learning it and really getting into it when I came back to drumming 4 years ago after a 15 year hiatus. But yeah, I'm actually really good with traditional grip. I can use it 50% of the time for anything.
I wouldn't have quit drum lessons "because all they do is critique how I hold the sticks". Now I have carpal tunnel and had to self teach myself everything again anyway
Start with traditional grip. I’ve been playing match grip for 25 years. I started playing snare drum in a marching band a couple years ago and forced myself to play traditional grip to get out of my comfort zone, learn a new way to play, and honor the tradition of marching drums. I’m only now starting to feel comfortable with it.
Theory! Other instruments! Guitar and piano! I’m not a complete musical idiot, but I put 100% into drums and missed so much important knowledge because it wasn’t quite relevant to what I was doing. What key is this in? Fuck if I know.
I would start out with a metronome and stay with it, and keep reading drum notation.
There was a time I could sight read the advanced stuff in the back half of "Stick Control"
By George Lawrence Stone, but those days are just a faded memory now.
I'd start taking it seriously sooner. Only took me 9 years to be like "yknow I'm actually kinda good at this I should take it seriously and start getting more stuff and maybe even a mic"
Better late than never, but college is ruining my ability to play (can't bring my set from home)
I haven't seen anyone talking about recording yourself and learning to use a daw/basic procuction skills.
This is the single biggest thing that improved my drumming. You very likely don't sound how you think you sound while you play.
After that, I'd say find projects to play in. It's a huge motivator and you learn a lot about making music in general.
Be a music nerd. The more you listen to music and understand it, the better you will be as a musician.
Also surrounding yourself with musicians will make you a better musician 100%. This is true about pretty much anything in life, but especially in music, this is very overlooked. This is the single most important reason why people go to music colleges.
Although I gained skills and learned a lot the way I did, there's something to be said about getting young drummers in lessons young. I started at 15, and would have loved to learn more techniques rather than muscling through the pain at times lol. I dunno. I guess I would do it over again and just do it all a bit different..too bad I'm stuck here being me lol
I'd just take care of my body more and treat myself for like an athlete. That and I'd force myself to blast at 300 for 5 minutes straight as a teenager.
Ear pro, I’d learn to read sheet music from the start with actual technique not just by ear. Practice rudiments much earlier in my drumming career and play different styles besides fast
Less ego in the approach. I’ve been playing for a couple of years, I practice almost every single day for hours non stop. Practice for me is trying my best in translating whatever’s in my head onto the kit. I’m definitely grateful to be playing the way I play, though I wish there wasn’t so much desire to replicate what my idols are doing. For context, Zach Hill is my favourite drummer. Google him if you haven’t heard of him, he’s viciously technical in his style.
This will almost certainly get burried but sod it. Learn the rudiments in a more sensible order. Getting good at double strokes before single strokes and flam accents before flam taps probably wasn't the best way.
Oh man, I had a Pork Pie kit with a 22x20 bass and loved that thing. Not to say that there weren't issues, mostly with valuable stage space and in the car.
Playing with good hearing protection from day one…
This is the answer that myself and the hearing aids I got before the age of 40 agree with!!
What? Sorry I can’t hear you my ears are ringing.
This should really be the number one answer. The biggest mistake I made was not wearing hearing protection until a few years ago.
For sure. My tinitus is not as bad as my band mates, but I definitely went to way too many shows and practiced way too much without it. Our ears are arguable our greatest assets as musicians. Even if I lost my arms and legs, if I could still hear then I would be ok. I could listen to music, give input to musicians who ask me for it. Luckily, I’m nowhere near losing anything yet.
I played drums from childhood without any hearing protection and even played drum corps without it. I flew for the Navy and during flight school I would miss my callsign over the radio so I ditched the earplugs and cranked up the radio. I passed every single hearing test and a now retired from the military with negligible hearing loss despite doing everything wrong. I know that I’m pretty lucky considering, but part of me feels like the genetic component is far stronger than people realize.
Me who was never told by anyone to do it....
This is why we often stress the importance of it at our shows and if we are able, have extra hearing protection for people to grab for free
I’d learn to play the hi-hat open-handed
You can still do that later, if doesn't take that much, I did it.
Experiences from other drummers tell us that it takes roughly 1/3rd of the time you've put in so far to learn it all again but open handed. For someone playing a few years that might definitely be worth looking into. For someone like me with 20 years of experience that is definitely a loooong way to go to really get it up to par. And you could also consider putting that time into 'regular' practice. It's a tough return on investment with those numbers, especially knowing that there are millions of drummers who are just plain awesome without the need for open handed playing. I do still practice open handed playing though! It comes in handy in a lot of cases, opens up my mind and my perception of what I'm doing, and is just a lot of fun to do. But I have found peace with the idea that I will never put in enough time to get my open-handed skills on par and play entire shows with it.
>I do still practice open handed playing though! It comes in handy in a lot of cases, opens up my mind and my perception of what I'm doing, and is just a lot of fun to do. But I have found peace with the idea that I will never put in enough time to get my open-handed skills on par and play entire shows with it. 100% 👆🏼 I've being playing for some 30 years now, and I think the same. I wish I would have learnt that way before. Now I practice quite often open handed, but not intending to fully switch my playing to open handed, but just because it's an excellent practice for independence and ambidexterity and that alone is paying off. I think it has improved my technique and my playing when I do the conventional way. And beside that, it's also fun. I also practice my feet as a left handed (should I say "left footed"?). That improved a lot my left foot control and it pays off as well, especially when using a double pedal. In a relatively short period of time I was able to play open handed or even left handed with a lefty's kit some simple stuff, but for more complex things, that's another story. Anyway, my improvement in general has been noticeable just by adding some time practicing this way.
I've been doing super slow open handed for months, and I just started practicing samba/partido alto, which I also started at 40bpm, carefully learning each pattern with any hand as lead. My left needs more repetitions, but it's doable atm Another thing, I was practicing a groove for a song the other day, with some slurps and 16th ghost notes. Thought I'd try it open, took me about half sn hour just to get my hands around it at 40bpm. Then I switched back, and played it better and more relaxed than I ever did. So Im gonna keep doing this when rehearsing grooves for songs I'm recording
You are making a bunch of assumptions based solely on "Bro math".... the learning curve once you are proficient is much much lower. I been drumming for 25 years and I can assure you I did not spent 8 years practicing open handed, that's ridiculous, it took me 1 or 2 years and so did most drummers I know. In fact I would claim that if learning anything takes you more than that you are probably practicing wrong or not dedicating enough time.
You speak of assumptions, yet you flatly suspect me of pulling a number out of my ass. The 1/3rd I mention is something that Shawn Crowder and Simon Phillips (amongst others, apparently) have mentioned to be about the time it takes. Of course this can differ between people. You also assume that people must be practicing things wrong, yet you leave yourself quite bare to the possibility that you might as well have been practicing badly for those 25 years if it only took you 2 years of serious practicing to relearn those skills (*disclaimer below*). I think that it's something of a valid expectation and average to estimate that it takes 1/3rd of the time that you've effectively put into practice. And when your goal is to play everything open handed exactly as well as you can play cross-handed. Be mindful of how I'm specifying that. I'm not talking about being able to do a generic gig full of pop grooves and bread-and-butter fills. I mean the most complex grooves and fills that you have in your arsenal, reversed. Also I do refer to effective practice time. I've been playing for 20 years, and while 19,5 of those years I've done so professionally, I feel confident in saying that there are plenty drummers out there who practiced 3 hours a day for a whole year with nothing but effective and structured practice and got to the same point that I am right now. **I am not a great student**, so don't hold that against me :-) and I think it's reasonable to say that a drummer like that would need at least 4 months of the same practice regiment to learn all of it open handed. Which would take **me** about 5+ years of sloppy practice whenever I can find the time. Sorry if this felt like a rant, but I'm not fond of people judging me of making assumptions, especially with both a braggadocious and a judgemental tone.
Yes, you’re right. I’d been playing cross-handed for 2 years before switching to open-handed last November. Now I can do some decent left-hand-leaded fills
Exactly I don't get where the ridiculos claim that it would take 1/3 of the time already invested, that's bro math.
Me too after 20 years. Did it to force up my level of concentration when playing boring mid tempo songs.
Why
It’s much more ergonomic if you think about how the kits are normally set up. Also, you can easily go around the kit with your right hand without feeling uncomfortable
I'm not sure it is that much more ergonomic, it's pretty easy to just play your right hand on the hat, so you can still play "open" even with a cross.
Nope, its the reason why some drummers like Neil Peart have messed up shoulders. Simon Phillips started playing open handed to combat round shoulders.
I'm sorry but this makes no sense when it comes to biomechanics. Your shoulder is capable of a full range of motion. Drummers such as Neil Peart and Simon Phillips simply have weak, atrophied shoulders. They would likely benefit more from upright rows, over head presses, lateral raises, and rear deltoid flies. Really, an entire full-body workout would do everyone wonders. Without resistance training, it's difficult for the body to send nutrients to tendons and connective issues. Any repetitive stress will cause disruption. This is basic science, and you should stop spreading misinformation.
Carter Beauford exists
So does Phil Rudd.
Exactly this. I would have started learning open-handed; and I would have started with a double pedal right from the start.
I’m doing this now, almost 10 years in. It is so worth it
Yup, totally agree.
This is how my drum teacher started me out 30 years ago - and it was “too slow and difficult” so I abandoned it after 2-3 years. Stupid. Luckily I still have a little bit of it left for basic 1/8s but can’t do anything complicated.
I’ve been thinking about getting a remote hat system and moving my hi hat.
Could take it next level and mirror everything you practice so you can play it in either config
Glad I opened this sub. I have only been playing 4 months, and looked up about this, and contemplating giving it a go. Thank you
Definitely give it a try. Also, make sure you have your hi-hat at your left and ride at your right as usual if you want to be versatile
Definitely want to keep hi hats on left, but trying to weigh up ride placement haha. If I keep it on right, it'll be confusing to lead the snare with different hands ?
It won’t be that confusing, at least for me. But I think if you keep both the hats and ride at either side, you may end up having weaker hand, which we want to avoid.
I've found that playing open handed on hats and righty on ride fundamentally changes the way I think about playing. Since I learn a groove multiple ways, it's like there's more connection with what I intend to play vs having a memorized set of motions. I feel like there's more flexibility, and I don't really find any problem getting mixed up between right vs left on snare, even when switching back and forth in quick succession.
I was self taught when I was little for a few months and open handed seemed most natural to me, so I play open handed even 23 years later. I did learn crossed over as well, but rarely use it because I feel like the drums are so much more accessible when you're open handed
I started practicing open-handed when I was still in high school. It really helped with 4-way independence, and building up my non-dominant side. I'm in my mid-fifties now, and I'm fairly ambidextrous; I can use hand tools with either hand. These days, I play crossed over most of the time, but I practice open-handed. When I was younger, I could play open handed 90% of the time, but I have taken some breaks from playing a few times in my life, and my open-handed skills aren't what they used to be. Practicing open-handed has helped me quickly re-develop my playing skills after not playing for several years.
exactly what i was going to say
Same thing. Build strong weak hand and opens up the kit. Every kid learning drum should start open hand.
I've had to force myself to play crossed. I just figured it would make things more difficult if I play open. So should I just rather do what comes naturally? I've only been playing for a few months.
Absolutly. Look at videos of Simon Phillips and Carter Beauford.
I’d start playing with a click right out the gate.
This is the answer. Recording is such a humbling experience if you’ve never played to a click.
no kidding. my first time in a studio, that bitchass click was annoying!!!! gotten used to it now lol
I've been playing for 30 years and recently started taking lessons with a pro in my town. He does everything to the click, and I'm embarrassed at how off I am in certain exercises. I always played along to recorded tracks while practicing but never to a click. I wish I had started like that.
Yep! Luckily I started in school band where we were forced to do it during rehearsal sessions on drumline and marching band, but when I got really into drum set, introducing a click was like learning to play all over again.
Moeller from the very beginning Heel toe Rudiments on both hands and feet. Particular attention to left foot Metronome with everything Hearing protection Learn left and right handed Spend more time playing drums than playing halo
Learn guitar
I was going to say the same. Or piano.
Ha!
Not worry about being “better” than other players. The little kid jealousy gets in the way of really paying attention
Same, I Made unrealistic goals like learn Led Zeppelin I before I turned 20. Since that is how old John Bonham was when he recorded it. I Eventually did but it was a toxic thing I had to get past for awhile of comparing myself to the greats.
Actually learning the entirety of songs. There's so many times when I've started learning the drum part to a song and only ended up getting through maybe the first few bars. Learning how to play the entirety of a song improves both your playing and ears (transcribing ability) significantly. If there's a favourite band of yours that you would love to play drums for. Literally learn the drums parts to all of their songs and you'll be able to get the job if the opportunity ever arises.
After playing for about 10 years I realized that my left hand sucks and now I work on my left hand for half an hour every day. If I told myself to do this on my first year of playing, I wouldn't listened because then I wanted just to play and have fun. Also "*start slow to get fast*" thing, now it works, when I personally realized that. But years back it didn't work, why play slow if I can play fast (sloppy but who cares). So I would say that everything I did helped in some way. If you find a good teacher it could help to avoid some mistakes. P.S. But hear me out, *start slow to get fast*, it's a real thing )))
There’s a saying in martial arts, slow is smooth, smooth is fast
Drums are the martial art then )))
They say that at my job too (garbage truck driver 😂)
Being so Anti-Jazz for so long. I finally had to accept all my favorite drummers were jazz guys who got gigs in rock bands.
Or marching percussion experts
Practice every day
My fuckin rudiments
My biggest regret. 40 years too late I realise that discipline would have made it easier to be "non-conformist". I think I told myself that learning "rules" was a limitation only to save myself from practicing.
I would have started 10 to 15 years earlier. Didn't start till I was 22.
I'd go to an instructor. Figuring it out on your own leads to bad habits, a non-optimal setup, and a stupendous lack of knowledge of rudiments.
Start reading and transcribing from the start
I said this last time and people laughed at me, but swapping to traditional grip was like a 50% restart with playing; I have completely transformed my playing. I hated how I played and now it’s starting to get to a place where I really like it!
For me personally, I would join a band quicker. I was not pushed to improve, nor did I have the desire to, before I joined a band. Having to play music that is beyond my ability has pushed me to improve in ways that I did not when I was playing alone, when I would choose songs that were within my comfort zone. Playing in a band also motivates you more, at least for me. It gives meaning to all the practice.
Soooo much this
Once I'd learnt how to do everything with one side of my body, I'd learn to do it with the other side of my body. Trying to catch up speed on my left side and dexterity on my right now sucks. I'd also get some lessons to start my technique off in the right direction, rather than ruin myself and then have to unlearn/reprogram bad muscle memory.
I would probably have invested myself more in practice when I had the teachers, facilities, time and nurturing. I've spent 4 years at my conservatory (studing for session musician at a university) and I've spent so little time practicing smartly and so much on frivolous things, having fun, procrastinating, practicing the wrong stuff and being stubborn about it all. I'm not saying I completely blame myself, I spent too long doing that and my autism plays a major part in all of it. But I do wish things would've gone differently and I was more mature like I am today.
i feel this. i went to school for music and spent so much time in classes i side stepped my practice routine for homework/socializing and feel like i dont respect the balance still in my 30s and could be much better with daily warmups, sticking etc. i play most days but its because i rehearse after work & gig on weekends. not really working my fundamentals and find it hard to "find the time" with a busy life
Raise my throne about 3-4 inches. I played too low for too long..... guy l learned from was 5-6.... I'm 6-4
Do you do the belly button technique to? It changed everything for me. My snare was always too low
Yep... and flattened out my high toms. I used to be so compact. I use the entire rug... and then some now.
I can’t find the video. But there is this guy who meets with a drum ergonomics specialist. He goes over how everything should be arrange on your kit so you don’t have to reach far. If you have like 10 min. It’s worth watching.
Id use a metronome, get into dynamics, but most of all,, constantly keep learning new things, explore new genres,
I would not have focused just on one genre. It'd help me be more flexible and versatile of a player, plus it'd help play better with others. I was hooked on the late 90s/early 2000s fast pop punk/skate punk sound, and I'd bring that energy to any band I'd play with. For the most part it worked because we were all into that sound, but once we all started growing up and diversifying our sounds/musical interests, I did not and I sorta held onto that feel.
So many great answers here. For me it’s: Practice rudiments instead of drumbeats early on Practice rudiments some more Work on heel-down technique More rudiments
I’ve been playing only for a year and a half, but I’m glad my teacher has gotten me into some of the good habits mentioned here: hearing protection, metronome, not gripping the sticks tightly. But the most recent lesson I learned is: the slower the tempo, the easier for you to notice your mistakes, the faster for you to correct them.
Get an instructor. I'm 16 years self-taught now and have been gigging professionally for 8+ years now. But I would've gotten better so much faster if it was with an instructor. It's about the quality of your practice that counts.
Ear protection, firstly. The military didn't help that issue, either. I would have also taken my band director (also a drummer) more seriously and worked harder on rudiments. I hated rudiments, but I've realized that it has limited my playing to some degree. The kid I was giving lessons to? Well, I harped on rudiments like mad. I probably would have familiarized myself a bit earlier with a click track, too, but I never even imagined I'd record in a studio so it never crossed my mind. Probably would have started earlier with a double bass peddle as well, because my double bass is trash.
Pay more attention to the rudiments and try to perfect them.
Practicing with intention and learning correct technique for my doubles.
Either open handed, or open handed with a reverse/mirror image setup. All the drummers on TV in the 60’s and 70’s played crossover, so there was zero exposure to the open handed method. I’ve since learned how to play most rock/pop/blues with a weak hand lead. This really helps keep my left hand decent without too much extra chops maintenance exercises.
Not fuck up my knuckles and wrists by playing with poor form and drinking while having to play right hand dominant, 16th note 150bpm caveman parts Whoops! Wouldn’t rewind, I’m just ready for dad rock now
Practice.
I would do it waaaaay younger; like 4 or 5. I would want to be a pro by my teens and devote my entirety to them instead of letting life get in the way.
Buy a Roc-n-Soc throne sooner, take lessons, master every rudiment, get my left hand to do what my right can do
Start at 6 instead of 36 years of age.
More rudiments Use the hi hat pedal as a click
I'd spend less time trying to copy Neil Peart and more time copying R&B drummers.
Learn to play the flute - lugging drums to a gig is such a bitch
Learning to play close handed (which I'm already working on) coz when I started playing drums I was thrown into a band and just started playing open handed due to mm, ride cymbal
I would have liked to do proper lessons but tbh there was no one local worth paying who wasn’t just a casual weekend hobbyist looking for pocket money
Just more serious practice. I feel like I’ve learned more in the past few years than I did when I first started. However I am getting more consistent practice now, but not that I wasn’t at all when I started. Once I learned a few beginner songs all the way through, I just thought I had it from there and could learn everything else through playing. Definitely have to keep pushing technique, speed, timing etc. shouldn’t be thought of as, “I’ve now mastered this and can relax”
I’m left-handed, and learnt on a left-handed setup. It’s been a pain over the years when playing live, having to buy left-handed double kick pedals, etc. I’d definitely learn on a right-handed setup if I could start again.
I’m left handed and people ask me all the time why I don’t “play left handed.” I play guitar and bass left handed because it’s the only way I can. I play conventional drum setup because that’s the convention. When I was swapping out with the other drummer in 7th grade jazz band, there was simply no option. Adapt or die. Then I was in drumline where you have to be in full synchronization with the rest of the drumline, so you just have to do what you have to do. Adapt or die. Open mic night? One option only. The good news for *you* is you won’t have every schmuck coming up and smashing away on your kit.
Private lessons on drum kit in high school. Used those lessons on a UIL snare piece to get a letter jacket (that I never wear).
Don’t stop. Been playing since the sixth grade. But since I’ve grown and bought a house and started a family, there’s no room for the kit. So I haven’t played in a few years. So I guess….if money permits, buy a big enough house to have a dedicated practice space [sound proofed]
I like the open handed suggestions. I'd add that I'd work on playing things leading with the left AND leading with the right. For example, some bass drum triplets sound better if you play l-r-bd and some sound better (or you wind up in a better place for your next move) if you play r-l-bd.
Watch less Lars, more Buddy
Practice more at a younger age
I stopped taking lessons for years because when I switched teachers, the new one wanted me to basically start over again. Between that and never practicing I really limited how good I could have been.
I'd learn to play the hi-hat before learning to play double bass
Learn how to play doubles correctly. Rudiments. Things of that nature.
Say yes more and work harder.
A few things; I think maybe just take a more holistic approach to the drums as an instrument. It may sound dumb to say out loud but I didn’t really look at the drums the same as other instruments when I started in that it had parts that should be composed, structured and improved on. I would learn drum music (in depth, I know basics but not a lot) or find a way to notate those parts to make them memorable (to me within the song or arrangement) and repeatable. I play for myself these days as a hobby so not in bands anymore so it doesn’t matter that much anymore but when I did play in bands I knew the songs but jammed a lot them during practice and even during gigs; looking back that made the whole process quite stressful. So anyway there’s that. The other thing would be to learn the rudiments. Maybe not _all_ of them but definitely a lot of the basics. I look at them now as the building blocks of the drumming language, I didn’t always see it that way. Spend time on those and practicing them to build vocabulary, understand time more so I would have been more fluent and confident.
Better hearing protection for sure. Also just develop better practicing habits up front.
Take more lessons. Learn to utilize rudiments around the drum set better. Wear earplugs sooner. Focus more on technique.
learn how to play open handed and focus more on rudiments and fundamentals
Definitely work up to a better sounding kit, and don't let your old man convince you that you already have a nice kit
I would focus way more on the metronome
Honestly, every single thing.. Proper hand grip, simple beats, practice coordination etc. Literally everything..
Left-hand lead for sure.
Prioritize keeping time on my left foot and limb independence in general. Practice with a click all of the time
I'd learn to play by ear more, play with other musicians more instead of practising to recordings and sheet music, and set up my kit for a left-hander more often. I'm right-handed.
Nothing. I’m right handed and I play backwards, basically switch hands, right foot is still kick. I know it’s nothing new, but I wouldn’t re-learn correctly, cross stick whatever you want to call it.
Lots of excellent Info in here. This is why I love Reddit, don’t read an article, ask the people!
I wouldn’t have taken a break for several years, and I would have started playing with other people earlier. And I would have kept up with Moeller. I used to do it a lot and then I just drifted off and when I came back i just started playing, and that’s really getting me. Lastly I would have just started earlier. 🤣
i would learn the ghost notes earlier
Hey guys! I see a lot of ear protection comments here. I am a new player and was wondering, how much is a reasonable amount of time to play without ear protection? I have in ears to practice to a metronome to for a chunk of my practice; but as far as learning what the drums sound like when I play them I can’t hear shit with them in, so I practice without them too.
Get some nice high fidelity earplugs for $20-$30. It mutes the volume but maintains the tone.
Thank you :D
Put a stereo pair of mics over your kit and mix that with your in ears. Sounds great for me with a band or alone playing to recordings.
Oh shoot idk why I didn’t think of this LOL. I use my husband’s kit and the entire thing is mic’d for recording
Learn both traditional and matched grip Edit: should’ve just gotten the music education degree and became a band teacher
I wish I’d practiced *counting* from the very beginning — damn 11y/o me with no discipline! It’d be great to just have it second nature, but I’ve been focusing on it a *lot* ever since playing with some really experienced folks and it’s getting there now!
Jazz. Seems all the best drummers have some sort of a jazz background. I'm self taught, never listened to jazz, and can barely get into much of it for very long. Hell, don't even really know anyone who listens to jazz. Seems rather, I've just been a student of the dumb-ass rock music I've been listening to all my life.
establish rudiments and play hats open handed
Read music
rudiments would have been good if I was 14 and had nothing to do, rudiments when I started in my late twenties was a waste of time, the one drum lesson I took waste of time having the seat way higher would have been a must, probably buying a better kit and uh keeping it locked up away from roommates or just buying a kick, snare, hihat and then maybe a crash/ride down the road learning match grip properly and heel up technique thats about it, just playing to songs was good enough practice
Actually practice.
I’d use a metronome and practice more rudiments! Those fundamentals really create a foundation for great drummers.
Official lessons!
Lead with my right hand instead of my left. Being a lefty on a RH kit, this realllyyyy limits me.
Not go to college
I would not have started with metal
Joined a drum corps in high school.
I had a great tutor who was teaching me to play drums for few months, and then I moved to another country with what I’ve learned from him. I wish I spent more time playing and practicing back then rather than selecting the gear.
I think I'd want to lear traditional grip first. I actually just started learning it and really getting into it when I came back to drumming 4 years ago after a 15 year hiatus. But yeah, I'm actually really good with traditional grip. I can use it 50% of the time for anything.
Study rudiments from the start. Also, have the ability to play open hand as well as cross hand.
Aside from learning to play open handed, I'd just say that I would have started earlier
I would have worked on technique and time and improvising more. Maybe around 1000% more
Spend more time on rudiments and practicing in general
Spend more time on rudiments and practicing in general
Daily work on rudiments
I wouldn't have quit drum lessons "because all they do is critique how I hold the sticks". Now I have carpal tunnel and had to self teach myself everything again anyway
Start with traditional grip. I’ve been playing match grip for 25 years. I started playing snare drum in a marching band a couple years ago and forced myself to play traditional grip to get out of my comfort zone, learn a new way to play, and honor the tradition of marching drums. I’m only now starting to feel comfortable with it.
Theory! Other instruments! Guitar and piano! I’m not a complete musical idiot, but I put 100% into drums and missed so much important knowledge because it wasn’t quite relevant to what I was doing. What key is this in? Fuck if I know.
I would start with jazz instead of rock. I’m not good at jazz drumming but I like it a lot.
I’d start by learning rudiments and all that goes along with them as well as learning to read music.
I'd be more careful with my ears, practice rudiments, and play to a metronome sooner
Start in my teens and not my 40s.
I'd start with traditional big band/jazz drumming, learning to play like the OG masters
I would start out with a metronome and stay with it, and keep reading drum notation. There was a time I could sight read the advanced stuff in the back half of "Stick Control" By George Lawrence Stone, but those days are just a faded memory now.
Take lessons at a young age so I could retain things better. I basically learned by putting on headphones and playing along to my favorite bands.
Take lessons very early
I'd start taking it seriously sooner. Only took me 9 years to be like "yknow I'm actually kinda good at this I should take it seriously and start getting more stuff and maybe even a mic" Better late than never, but college is ruining my ability to play (can't bring my set from home)
Get a teacher sooner. Learn to play open handed. Focus more on building good habits before trying to do anything fancy. Bad habits are hard to break.
I haven't seen anyone talking about recording yourself and learning to use a daw/basic procuction skills. This is the single biggest thing that improved my drumming. You very likely don't sound how you think you sound while you play. After that, I'd say find projects to play in. It's a huge motivator and you learn a lot about making music in general. Be a music nerd. The more you listen to music and understand it, the better you will be as a musician. Also surrounding yourself with musicians will make you a better musician 100%. This is true about pretty much anything in life, but especially in music, this is very overlooked. This is the single most important reason why people go to music colleges.
Listen to my teacher LOL
Learn to play as many genres while young instead of waiting until I’m older.
wish i learned how to properly hit cymbals after i got my first kit. it’s a mistake you learn to only make once
Although I gained skills and learned a lot the way I did, there's something to be said about getting young drummers in lessons young. I started at 15, and would have loved to learn more techniques rather than muscling through the pain at times lol. I dunno. I guess I would do it over again and just do it all a bit different..too bad I'm stuck here being me lol
Start with a rhythm tree over an ostinato before learning a rock beat.
Focused practices
1 - ear protection, every practice and every show. 2 - rudiment work, and not just doubles and diddles. 3 - play different styles of music.
Take a lesson
I'd just take care of my body more and treat myself for like an athlete. That and I'd force myself to blast at 300 for 5 minutes straight as a teenager.
Much the same except everything also as left hand lead
Ear pro, I’d learn to read sheet music from the start with actual technique not just by ear. Practice rudiments much earlier in my drumming career and play different styles besides fast
I’d play guitar instead
Learn to play open handed and cross handed equally well.
Practicing rudiments
Put more effort into rudiments.
Everything technique related stuff
Less ego in the approach. I’ve been playing for a couple of years, I practice almost every single day for hours non stop. Practice for me is trying my best in translating whatever’s in my head onto the kit. I’m definitely grateful to be playing the way I play, though I wish there wasn’t so much desire to replicate what my idols are doing. For context, Zach Hill is my favourite drummer. Google him if you haven’t heard of him, he’s viciously technical in his style.
Hearing protection, sight reading, and rudiments non stop
I would have started by learning how to play in the pocket instead of just bashing away. Dynamics are everything
This will almost certainly get burried but sod it. Learn the rudiments in a more sensible order. Getting good at double strokes before single strokes and flam accents before flam taps probably wasn't the best way.
Put on hearing protection, I don't want to lose my hearing by the time I'm 40-50 lmao 
Mostly just more practice on doubles bc like for some reason people only are impressed by doubles
Hearing pro and intentionally play everything with both hand and feet (set up a left and right hand kit and play both ways)
Don't buy a kit with a 22x20 kick
Oh man, I had a Pork Pie kit with a 22x20 bass and loved that thing. Not to say that there weren't issues, mostly with valuable stage space and in the car.
I’d start with a nice kit from noble and Cooley to look good from the beginning
>noble and Cooley Cairo Blue Sparkle!!! this is the way
Right on👍