Let's face it; if your drums don't sound good, you are not going to sound good. You can have all the chops in the world but we as drummers are hired by, not just our licks, but by other factors such as how we get along with others, how musical we are, how we groove, and yes... how good our drums sound (determined by how well they are tuned).
This article won't serve to instruct the exact method of tuning drums as much as it will to address a few key issues with regard to tuning your drums or drumset.
For tuning most drums, it involves a simple process that can be honed as a skill the more we work with it. Tuning drums is an inexact science but like anything, the more you do it, the better you'll get at it.
The most important thing to know is that you'll tune the drums so that the pitches near each lug are as close to the adjacent lug as you can possibly get it. The end goal is to get the drum in tune to itself, which means we will try to have the pitch near all of the lugs sound the same on the head your working on. They can differ from top to bottom and in fact, that's how you'll obtain your pitch.
For snare drums, aim to tune with respect to what kind of snare sound you wish to achieve. If you want a marching band type of snare, you'll want to really crank the heads good and tight. If you want a deep sound, you'll need to tune the heads looser, and so on. If you want the snare to have a washy snare effect or a "wet" sound, you'll need to leave the snares on the bottom of the drum a bit looser so they can buzz more. Similarly, if you want a tight crisp sound, you'll want to have the snares tensioned tighter. Just be sure that you don't tighten too much or the snare drum will sound choked.
With toms, or tom toms, whether or not you start with tuning the top head or the bottom head matters not so much as being sure that you again, tune the drum to be in tune with itself. Some drummers try to pull the pitch of the tom drum out of the bottom head and others will try to pull it from the top. You'll need to experiment to determine your own preference. There is really no right or wrong way.
With regard to the bass drum, some drummers like a deep, low, thud sound and others like more of an opening resonating sound. If you want the traditional punchy, thud sound, you'll need a pillow or some substantial muffling on the inside of the drum. If you lay the pillow so that it slightly touches the front head, you'll acheive even better results. For more of a resonating bass drum sound, go with less muffling and maybe even do without any kind of air hole in the front head.
Tuning Tips:
Head selection is an extremely part of the drum tuning process. There are drumheads of all shapes and sizes. Experiment with different types of heads to see how they will affect each drum's tone and response.
Don't worry if you can't get a slight wrinkle out of the drum. If the drum sounds good, that's all that matters.
Don't overtighten drum heads. Although they can withstand quite a bit of stretching, they do have a breaking point.
Drumheads get brittle in cold weather and are more likely to crack. If the drum is extremely cold, let it warm up a bit before cranking on those heads.
The higher quality the drum, the better the drum will sound when it is tuned properly.
Experiment around with different types of hole sizes in your bass drum and where you postion the hole.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
How to play a Buzz Roll
First things first
Drummers will often confuse a buzz roll with a double stroke roll. Although a double stroke roll sounds like it's "buzzing" on the drum, it is not generally called a buzz roll. It is called a double stroke roll because it is played with "double strokes" (two strokes for each hand).
Learning
The buzz roll is also called a multiple stroke bounce roll and that helps understand the distinction. When approaching a buzz roll, teachers often have a drum student drop the stick on the snare drum and let it bounce multiple times (as opposed to just twice). They then drop the other stick and let it bounce multiple times. From there, they will gradually speed up the process and slowly blend the two together until it starts to create a consistent and smooth buzz sound.
R R R R R R ... L L L L L L ...
As the student is attempting to learn the buzz roll and speed it up, two main approaches apply:
1. The basic grip of the stick is between the thumb and the index finger with the other fingers
mostly out of the way.
2. Slight pressure is applied downward into the drumhead and the speed is increased.
Practicing
The most common mistake students make is taking things too fast. It is a gradual process building to a smooth buzz on the drum and patience is a requirement. If it is executed poorly, it will sound choppy and inconsistent. Practice hard and strive for perfection!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Learn How To Hold Drumsticks
Learning the right way to hold your drumsticks is one of the most often neglected aspects of drumming. When you play the drums, the stick should become a part of you, and not an accessory. To achieve this, you must start with the way you hold your sticks. It is important to determine the correct grip style early on, so you do not end up hurting yourself, or you’re training in the long run. Now don’t worry, if you have not been following the “correct” technique at all, it’s not the end of the world. Any way you practice will improve your skill; however, holding your stick different ways will increase your drumming productivity by offering more bounce, movement, and control.
This article is designed to show the three main types of stick grips used today. Each has their own advantages and tricks, so it is important for drummers to explore all styles, and become comfortable with them. Before you start, make suer you read up on the Fulcrum Point. This is where you want to pinch your sticks for each grip. So, once you have found this point on your stick, you may use the lessons below to properly set up the right grip for you!
Matched Grip
The most popular style is the Matched Grip. With this, both hands hold the stick the same way. Matched grip is very popular with all styles of drumming, and can be applied in more than just the drum kit. Timpani, mallets, and other percussion instruments use the matched grip as well. It allows for fast movement around the kit, and offers maximum control.
This grip is played with your palms facing downward. Notice how every finger tip is lightly rested on the drumstick. Make sure you do not grip the stick too tightly, or you will limit its’ rebound. It is debated which finger is used to grip the stick. Some will use their thumb and index finger; others will use their thumb and middle finger. Both are fine, as long as you chose one early and stick to it!
Traditional Grip
The next grip we will look at is called the traditional grip. You may see a lot of jazz drummers using this style, for it is extremely popular with that style. With this, you hold the stick with your palms facing up, gripping the stick from underneath. This gives you a whole new feel of the stick. It allows for quick strokes, and better dynamic control; Perfect for brushes and brooms. One problem with this grip is moving it around the drum kit. With a bigger drum kit, you may find it hard to move quickly around the toms, and with the angle of the stick in your hands, hitting cymbals can be tricky.
To achieve this grip, simply start by sticking your first two fingers out, with your thumb sticking straight up. Then simply place your stick between your thumb, and your other fingers like this:
After the stick is in place, simply close your top two fingers gently on the top of the stick. The stick should be loose in your hand, like this:
French grip
Finally, there is the French grip. This technique is not as popular, but is still used a lot. It offers speed and endurance, with a totally different feel than any other grip. The French grip uses your fingers to control your stick. Because you do not use your wrists as much, you will save a lot of energy. Using your fingers can be a great plus; however, it does have its minuses. You may find it hard to get enough power in some of your strokes.
Notice how the stick is very lose in the hand. It’s a good idea to use your index finger and thumb to pinch the stick. You want to be able to use your other fingers to act as a spring on the stick.
How To Hold Your Drumsticks
Be sure to try out every one of these techniques. Each grip is different and have their own benefits. If you are educated in all styles, you will be much more attractive as a drummer. Remember, these are not the only ways to grip your stick! There are many varieties of these basic techniques. These are just examples of the three most common ways to hold your drum sticks!
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Related content you may also be interested in...
Selecting the Right Drumstick - With all the different varieties and brands of drum sticks on the market today, you really need to make sure you are selecting the most appropriate stick for your style. This article will tell you everything you need to know about drum sticks!
Selecting the Right Drum Tip - Thats right, you have to make sure you get the right tip for your stick as well. With so many differnt shapes and sizes, you need to know which one works best for your style! To choose the stick, you must choose the tip!
Learn to Properly Tune your Drums - Tuning your drums is vital in getting the maximum sound and life out of your drum heads. With drums not tuned, your drum kit will sound out of pitch, and your heads will be more susceptible to damage.
Learn To Play Drums The Easy Way - Do you want to learn how to play the drums? Think it may be too difficult or require a lot of coordination? I've got great news for you! The truth of the matter is - if you can count to four, you can play the drums!
Learn To Build a Basic Solo -Soloing is the number one way for drummers to express themselves. Every drummer wants to be able to wow the audience with a fat drum solo. But do you really now how to build a proper solo?
Saturday, March 1, 2008
How To Learn Drum Beats
As drummers, we strive day to day to find new and unique drum beats to challenge ourselves and carry us to a new level of drumming. With the variety of new music coming out these days, there is no stop to the amount of new drum beats that we can learn. But how do we go about learning these unique drum beats? And what about some very common drum beats, like rock drum beats, jazz drum beats or Latin drum beats? As drummers, we need to not only know how to play these, but also how to teach ourselves new drum patterns to keep our list of beats growing. Here are a few ways to learn new drum beats.
Be Sure You Can Read Drum Notation
Invest in Drumming Instructional Videos
Now I know there may be a few drummers who do not like instructional videos and drumming books; however there couldn’t be a more easy way to learn new drum beats. There are books and videos out there for any style of drumming. If you are interested in rock drumming, Latin drumming, jazz drumming, or double bass drumming, there is a product for you. These are great techniques for training yourself because it not only teaches you how to read drum notation, but it provides you with the most common drumming beats of that style all the way to the most unique and advanced drum beats of that style. These products are a lot cheaper then personal lessons, and can teach you much more in the long run. Check out these products if you are interested in different styles:
Surround Yourself with Music
The last trick in learning new and unique drum beats is to surround yourself in all different varieties of music. When you listen to different types of music, you are challenged to start playing like them. This is very important! If you are a drummer who is looking for new beats, you will not find it from your favorite rock band. Instead, look for different bands in different styles; you will be surprised what you will learn. When you hear a new groove, you not only will be inspired to play it, but you will have the resource to learn and imitate this groove. So make sure you are experimenting with different music types and genres.
Good luck with these ideas and concepts! Feel free to look around on this website to find a bunch of different drum beats to check out!
By: Dave Atkinson
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