Need Help

JS_007 · Tadpole Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 17

I have been drumming for a few years now and I even took a couple years of lessons. My instructor said he taught me everything I needed to play along with songs and be in a band. Anyways, how do you play drums to a song? I still do not understand how to play by ear and I have practiced but never see an improvement. What is wrong with my drumming?

JS_007 · Tadpole Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 17

I guess it was a bad question! lol

scrubs · Little Hamster Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 77

Not a bad question, just a vague one that is hard to answer.

What do you mean when you ask, "how do you play drums to a song?" Are you trying to learn drum parts to specific songs, or compose your own parts? Alot of it is just listening to what other players are doing and trying to figure it out. Can you just pop in a CD and play along? If there are specific techniques that you don't understand, you can ask here, or maybe get more lessons.

Perhaps your drum teacher just wasn't very knowledgeable and taught you everything he/she knew. It may be time to find a better teacher.

Dustin07 · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:31 am Post subject:

this reminds me of that episode of Malcom in the Middle when Lois was taking dance lessons and the instructor told her that he couldn't offer her anymore, that she was above his skill.

here's how I learned to play drums. Put in a CD. I learned with Bruce Springsteen, Journey, Bon Jovi, and the occasional metal album.

prop up a speaker behind your head.

jam. try to get a feel for what the drummer is doing. even if you don't emulate him 100% just try to get a feel for where the snare and the bass drum are, then throw in your own fills and add a hi-hat, ride, etc.

That's how I learned and it brought me to a level where I can play with a band. Am I good? No, not really. But now that I understand the flow of music and songs, I'm building my vocabulary with my teacher. Learning new beats, concepts, fills, music reading, etc.

sounds like you and I are just backwards of each other Cool

JS_007 · Tadpole Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 17

Thanks guys, thats exactly what I was looking for.

Dustin07 · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:48 am Post subject:

you're very welcome.

the reason I ended up learning drums the way I did... was a lot of drummers that I know and respected at the time did exactly the same thing. I asked a few of them about lessons and they all told me to do exactly what I just told you to do... it works. But I think lessons help 'fill in the gaps'.