Drums are one of the most complicated instruments to play, not because it’s difficult, but for the fact of being constant. The drummer is responsible for carrying all the instruments in a band, he is the one in charge of making sure that no one accelerates or falls behind the song. If you are an indie artist and want to learn how to play the drums, stay and read this article to learn about what it takes to become a great one.

This time I will tell you about the different levels of experience that exist and what tips can help you to get better at the instrument. I have been playing drums since my childhood, so I have played all kinds of genres. I've played in jazz, grunge, metal, rock, and country bands. And they all have something in common, they are musically enriching.

Learning How To Play Drums

But, let's start from the basics. A drum kit has a snare drum, a bass drum, toms, and cymbals. Also, there are drumsticks (percussion mallets) or brushes that are used to hit the cymbals or any tom. For this reason, you need a pair of good quality drumsticks, generally the most famous are "Vic Firth" and "Promark".

Music has become, over the years, something indispensable for human beings. We all need music to live, celebrate, cry, think, and reflect. Every day there are new songs and new rhythms that you can learn if you are a drummer, so it’s a constant learning process.

One of the funniest things about percussion in general is that it's easy to learn. Children tend to be interested in learning drums from a very young age. And of course, beating a drum is fun!

But that's not the best part. When playing drums you can add and subtract as many parts as you want! All guitars have six strings, basses usually have four or five strings and trumpets have three valves. But in the case of drums, you can modify them as many times as you want. You can decide how many toms and cymbals you want, and even add accessories.

Putting the time into improving no matter your results can result into long term success.

If you spend enough time practicing, in a couple of weeks you can learn how to play a basic rock rhythm. This rhythm is the most common of all because most people manage to learn it easily.

Although the drums are probably the loudest instrument, you can learn to play them without the need to make a lot of noise. There are electronic drums that are specially made for this, but you can also practice many exercises on pillows or even with your hands.

Over the years there have been drummers who never took lessons with any teacher because they learned on their own. But my recommendation is that if you want to get into this amazing instrument, get lessons with a teacher who can help you and guide you. This way you can advance faster.

If you have come this far and you are eager to learn more about drums, I will tell you a little bit about the levels of experience:

Beginner Drummer

When you start playing drums, the best advice I can give you is to have fun! You will spend many hours practicing, so you should enjoy the process so it doesn't become tedious. If you decide to start lessons with a teacher, they will teach you “stick techniques”, how to keep tempo, how to read sheet music, and the importance of posture. In the first lessons, you use a phone to record yourself and then review what things you can improve. Listening to yourself is the easiest way to detect any type of error. You can even do this when practicing.

Remember, a good teacher can teach you how to play music, and how to understand it. It's not just about randomly hitting the drums. Everything has its purpose.

When you start learning drums it’s not very common to start playing difficult songs. First, you learn the basics whether they are agility exercises for hands or feet.

But, in case you want to learn some easy songs, here’s a list:

• We Will Rock You - Queen
• Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
• Come Together - The Beatles
• Hold On - Alabama Shakes
• Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

Intermediate Drummer

An intermediate drummer is capable of playing both easy and complex rhythms. You are supposed to be able to play songs with minimal mistakes and always keep the tempo. From this point on, you can start joining bands, and this will allow you to learn how to play with other musicians.

However, despite having greater mastery and confidence, at the intermediate level, you still don't have enough experience. So the most important thing at this stage is to keep practicing.

Advance Drummer

Advanced drummers have at least half of their life playing the instrument, so they have the necessary experience. At this point, the drummer can invent complex rhythms on his own. He can play any kind of genre and improvise constantly. Many drummers end up becoming professionals after this stage and start participating in big projects. Some others decide to go for teaching the instrument, so as you can see, it depends on the preferences of each musician.

Make sure you stay up to date on the equipment you use as a drummer. You should be in tune with the drums you play.

Many people constantly ask me how much time they should practice, the truth is that there is no right answer. Some people practice for 1-2 hours a day, while others practice for 3-4 hours a day. Even professionals can spend up to 8 hours a day practicing! There is no exact answer that can assure you a concrete result, it all depends on your dedication and the effort you put in.

Practice Make Better Preparation

But, without practice... even the most professional drummer can forget everything he knows. It’s important to be constantly doing exercises and learning new rhythms. Everything depends on muscle memory!

With the tips in this article and the different levels of experience, you can have a clearer idea of what it means to start playing drums. All instruments are magical, but without a doubt the drums allow you to express yourself uniquely. If you found this helpful, please share it with your friends or any drummer you know!