Learn Drums your way with a TakeLessons expert

Jon Feingersh Photography Inc / DigitalVision / Getty Images Ready to learn how to be a better drummer fast? Look no further than this post. So you're taking drum lessons and learning some new skills, but now you're wondering how you can progress and take your drumming to the next level. Here, music teacher James W. shares his tips to help you sharpen your technique and improve your skills... As a drummer, you have the most important job in the band, besides songwriting. You show

  If you want to be a solid all-around drummer, you have to work on the individual drumming components. This means developing your snare and bass drum technique. Here, drum instructor Tracy D. offers her tips and exercises to help you improve your bass drum technique... The bass drum is an important part of the drum set. It provides the beat that holds the rhythm together. If you are a beginner drummer, you may be wondering how to get the most out of your bass drum technique.  In

When you're learning to play drums you will find many artists you want to emulate. This is a great way to get started, but eventually you will want to develop your own drumming style. Here, San Diego, CA drum teacher Maegan W. shares her tips to help you develop your own unique style... When it comes to learning drums, what is style, and how do we develop our own drum style? Read on for the answers to these important questions. When you think about any drummer who has made a name for h

When you're learning drums, you may not always feel motivated to practice. Here are 10 quotes from some of the world's most famous drummers to inspire you to follow your dreams. Photo by Martin Le Roy One of the most famous jazz drummers and dubbed the world's greatest, Buddy Rich lived up to his words by skillfully playing until his death in 1987. He even kept drumming after bypass surgery.   Photo by Martin Wood Tony Williams was one of the most important, influential, famou

Have you ever worried that not having access to a drum set would prevent you from learning to play? Think again - there are actually plenty of drum exercises that you can do without a drum set or a pair of drum sticks! And even if you do have a drum set, these exercises can be very helpful in learning basic rhythm patterns and paradiddles - especially if you need to practice quietly. Continue reading and check out some of these exercises, if you want to perfect your drumming techniques (and mayb

So you or your child has started taking drum lessons and now you need to buy some gear. Not sure which set is the best one for you? Don't worry, you're not alone. Here, drum teacher Maegan W. shares her tips for buying your first drum set... Are you a beginner drummer looking to buy your first drum set? If so, you've come to the right place! In this blog post, we'll give you a rundown of everything you need to know in order to find the perfect set of drums for your needs.  Keep readin

Beginning drummers often have questions about how to hold drum sticks. Traditional grip or matched grip, which one is better? Here, Edmond, OK drum instructor Tracy D. explains the mechanics of each drum grip so you can decide which one is right for you... There are essentially two different ways to hold drum sticks: traditional grip and matched grip. Both techniques are expressive and fun to use. If you're wondering how to hold drum sticks, first you should get a better understanding

If you want to improve as a drummer, you have to practice! But how can you make your practice time more productive? By working on specific drum exercises, you can strengthen your weaknesses and work on important aspects of drumming that will improve your technique. You’ll find below a collection of rhythmic patterns that develop your drumming coordination and independence. In this article, we’re going to take a look at a wide range of exercises that are fantastic for beginner drummers

As a drummer, you might be faced with sight reading as you practice and audition. Here, San Diego, CA teacher Maegan W. shares her tips for sight reading practice...   There are two types of drummers: those who read music, and ones who don’t. I have met so many talented drummers who have decided they can’t or won’t read music, and never even give themselves a chance to try. Charts and sight reading can be overwhelming, but is a useful skill, and one that is easy if you do it ri

When you're taking drum lessons it's important to develop your time-keeping skills in addition to your technique. Here, Saint Paul, MN drum instructor John S. shares his practice techniques to help you improve your time keeping on drums... Time keeping is an essential element of modern music, for both live and recorded songs. It's very important to develop a strong sense of time. The drummer is often looked to, more than any other musician, to provide a solid, consistent pulse in a musica