The rhythm of the drum is something that seems to be innate to the human species. Whether it's a consistent, unconscious finger tapping or a very deliberate slapping accompaniment to a tune at a young age, we are wired for rhythm. As a child, you are fortunate to have parents who invest in a large, loud instrument, but you are assured of a great time! Some beginner lessons are a great way to dive head first into this instrument.
Any music teacher first has to get you acquainted with the instrument. A drum kit requires familiarizing yourself with all the parts and the modes of playing. Unlike most instruments where the fingers press down on notes, drum kits use a combination of hands and feet, and your fingers never come in to play. Your right foot controls the bass drum, and there are at least a couple techniques for this—some press down with their toes while others use their whole foot, moving their leg up and down instead of just their foot. The left foot controls the hi-hat.
The teacher can guide the student towards playing in at least two different styles, open or closed. Closed is most common, and this occurs when the player's hands cross over. The right will hit the hi-hat and the left will hit the snare, but this comes with time. The first object is just to hit each aspect of the kit and become acquainted with its sound. Any music at all has drums behind it, but the first few lessons should take into account what each part does, and how it works.
Next is starting to put them together. At a slow tempo, you'll start a basic beat. This will usually consist of the bass drum, snare, and a little hi-hat. It can't be emphasized enough how slow this should be at first. Rhythm is a necessary component of playing any instrument, but it is the cornerstone of percussion. The drummer's role is to be the bedrock of beat for the rest of the group, and unlike piano or guitar, you pretty much need to be playing with other musicians. Sure you'll be given a drum solo, but that's an interlude. So practice, practice, practice slowly so that you can do the first few beats in your sleep, and at increasingly faster tempos. You'll slowly add to this repertoire and add ornamental figures to it. After you get the basic beat down you'll likely work on fills, or ways of adding variety in your playing at the end of a measure so your beat doesn't sound monotonous. You can be a very accomplished drummer and go not much further than these two steps, so long as you really have them down pat!
The next real jump is being able to switch beats in stream. This will give you greater control of the pulse and make your playing more sophisticated. But this is a more advanced stage after mastering basic rhythm. The important thing is to keep getting better and to keep having fun!
Author Resource:-
Long & McQuade's Musical Education Center offers piano lessons Vancouver and piano lessons Ottawa. When trying to learn a musical instrument be sure to visit the professionals at Long & McQuade - one of Canada's largest music stores.
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