anyone play the drums? how can i learn without taking lessons?

[Lifer]

if i get my own set, will i be able to learn on my own, help from a friend, instructional video, lots of practice?

 

[axelfox]

I'm trying to teach myself also. A friend of mine told me that you could get by with practicing once a week. I try to practice at least once a week by playing with a band, which is good.

 

[Lifer]

do you have your own drum set to practice on?
or you're using/learning from someone elses?

 

[Pepsi90919]

i never took lessons and i got along fine.

 

[drum]

Yes you can learn without taking lessons. if you get your own set, don't get something elaborate or custom ordered. get a 400 dollar set max and put some remo pinstripe heads on it. it will sound just fine. I didn't really have "lessons" per se although i did get some advice from a friend. there are volumes of books and such that will teach you how to play simple beats.

 

[drum]

oh, if you have questions, refer to my sig below. do some searching in the forums or post a question. the guys over there are a great help. my handle over there is drumstud. i wish you luck if you decide to try it out!

 

[Lifer]

heh, thanks drum.
nice user name btw 😛

 

[Amorphus]

I don't take lessons. never have. don't have my own drumset. play maybe once or twice a week, 30 minutes max. been that way for about a year and a half (felt like much less). the best part? I'm pretty good. =D

of course, you still have to have some semblance of musicianship - know what to work on. I may have only gotten maybe one or two 30-minute sessions a week, but while I was playing, I knew what to do. listen to myself playing, figure out what I'm not good at, and correct it. you can play hours a day, every day, for weeks on end, and you'll still suck, if you're just practicing the stuff you already know how to do.

now I'm gonna do that same routine with bass. 🙂

(oh, on a side note, I did buy a book, but it really didn't help.)

(another interesting note about meh drumplaying - I'm a righty. I play lefty drums. what the heck. yeah.)
(I can still play righty drumset just as well, though, it just leads to some awkward situations if I have to use the ride.)

 

[Zedtom]

I played drums in middle and high school. I lost interest after I graduated.

If anyone has an interest in teaching themselves how to play a drum kit, consider these things first before you spend any money.

Do you have "natural rythym"? By that I mean- can you sustain a steady beat for an extended period? A good way to check this is to listen to one of your favorite songs while seated at a table. Try to imitate the drummer by tapping on the table with your fingers, while at the same try to tap your right foot to imitate the bass drum. If you can hear the hi-hat cymbals on the song, try to imitate that with your left foot.

The integation of each hand and foot doing different things is essential to playing a drum kit.
If you can't master that, you will never be able to play with other musicians.

 

[Amorphus]

hee. good point. I like watching people who have no rhythm playing drums. they start to play, then everything gets all funky. 😀

 

[Eli]

Just... do it.