Drum Tips

• ** Three Ways to Hit Your Cymbals **-

  Typical cymbals, usually designated as crash or ride cymbals, can produce three primary types of sounds. The sound they make depends on how you hit them. It is important to know how to hit a cymbal properly, because if you do, a single cymbal is instantly transformed into three different instruments.

• ** How to Use a Metronome to Practice Drums **-

  A Metronome is a vital tools in music education. Guitarists, pianists, violinists, and bass players, all use metronomes during their practice, therefore it's not surprising that drummers, the "time keepers" of music, do too. In order to be a good drummer, you'll need to keep good time, and practice with a metronome can help you do that.

• ** Drum Thrones Must Not Be Overlooked **-

  The drum throne is the stool the drummer sits on while playing the drums. For many beginner drummers the drum throne is an afterthought, but it is actually a very important part of the set. The importance of a good drum throne is often marginalized because many starter and advanced drum kits already include a throne. But the truth is that most drum thrones that come with the kits are of low quality. They are flimsy, unstable, and uncomfortable.

• ** Drum Lessons - New York City, NY **-

  Many people have emailed me asking where they can find drum lessons in their home town. Given the global nature of the Internet, I'm not likely to be familiar with anyone's local area, but I can give some pointers for drum lessons in New York City, which is my local area. Some of this is also applicable if you live elsewhere.

• ** Ear Plugs - An Important Accessory for Drummers and Other Musicians **-

  I always wear ear plugs when I play drums. I was never a big fan of loud noise, and here I am, playing rock drums. Ironic isn't it? Well, that's what ear plugs are for.

• ** A Guide to a More Comfortable Drumstick Grip **-

  Most of your interaction with the drum set is done through your drumstick grip, and therefore feeling comfortable with your grip is very important. The information contained on this page really originates from a quest to make the drumsticks stop flying out of my hands.

• ** Bass Drum Setup Tips **-

  The bass drum is the center piece of the drum set, upon which much of the hardware rests, and is also essential to driving the beat. Therefore, having a bad bass drum setup can severely harm your ability to play. Assembly instructions should be included with any new drum kit, so this page assumes you already know how to assemble your bass drum, and describes a few important things that are usually omitted.

• ** Used Drum Sets and Kits - Important Buying Tips **-

  Buying used drum sets can be a great way to save some money, but if you're not careful, you also run the risk of getting a drum set that is faulty or broken. The risk is even greater when buying a used starter drum kit, as starter kits include cheaper hardware that is more likely to break. This does not mean that you should avoid cheap used drum sets altogether because starter kits can last for years if not abused. A cheap starter kit that's been used at home and is sold by someone who simply outgrew it, can often be be an excellent opportunity for a bargain.

• ** Beginner and Cheap Drum Sets Buying Tips **-

  This page will help you choose a kit from among some quality cheap drum sets that will help you go from drum pad practice to the real thing, but without having to break the bank. A complete professional drum set can cost several thousands of dollars, but is not really necessary for a beginner. Brand-name starter drum sets can be found for under $500, and some non-brand drum sets for half that.

• ** Drum Tuning Made Simple **-

  Drum tuning (commonly misspelled as drum tunning) is the art of modifying a drum's sound into your liking. Unlike guitar tuning, in which you tune to a particular pitch, drum tuning involves varying a drum's tonal quality as well as pitch. While there are many things you can do to change a drum's sound, such as using different types of drum-heads or adding dampeners on the inside, this discussion of tuning drums will just concentrate on adjusting the drum head tension. This is the

• ** Metronomes and Metronome Features for Drum Practice **-

  A metronome is a vital practice instrument for any musician, and especially for a drummer, whose main function is to keep a steady rhythm. What you'll learn next is what to look for a metronome that's specifically good for drummers.

  Metronomes can range from about $10 to $200. I don't recommend buying the $10 ones, tough. You should also avoid those mechanical, pendulum based metronomes, even if they look sophisticated. They are not that common anymore. A digital metronome is the way to go.