Let’s face it, heavy metal drumming is not for the faint of heart. It requires intense focus, skillful technique, and a whole lot of stamina. If you’re looking to take your drumming to the next level and become a master of heavy metal drumming, then these tips are for you!
Does Heavy Metal Have Drums?
Heavy metal music is famed for its thunderous, distorted sounds and intense energy, but does it always include drums? Here’s what you should know:
- While many do contain heavily featured drum lines, there are several sub-genres of heavy metal that don’t have percussion at all.
- One of the most popular and influential heavy metal subgenres, black metal, often has little to no drum set heard within their dynamic soundscapes.
- Other sub-genres, such as deathcore, utilize both loud and fast drumming alongside screeching guitars to create truly powerful and robust music that melds together a variety of sounds.
Ultimately, whether heavy metal has drums in it or not depends a great deal on what part of the genre you’re talking about.
Any kind of drumming can be challenging, but when it comes to how to play heavy metal drums, you may want to enlist the help of a professional. Sign up for drum lessons and you’ll learn this – plus fun skills like the ones you see in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6R2QeM3fBA
How to Play Heavy Metal Drums
Last week, we discussed the options for drumstick sizes and types, based on your preferred genre and playing style. But it’s not just the drumsticks that will make a difference depending on the genre – with each style, there are certain techniques for playing that will come in handy.
For heavy metal fans, in particular, drums are an integral piece of a band’s sound. To help you get started, here are some great tips for heavy metal drumming:
Syncopation
One of the few musical differences between metal and hard rock music is the greater tendency of metal drummers to use more syncopation. Adding off-beat drum hits can create a wider variety of more interesting drum lines. This helps to give a different feel from one song to the next. Syncopation can be overdone, so do not use syncopation for its own sake. Too much syncopation can lead to a drum line that sounds like it is stuttering. It can also cause the down beat to shift to the notes that are supposed to be syncopated, which removes the syncopated feel to the drum line.
Simple Works
There are many complex, virtuoso drum lines in metal drumming. Metal drumming does not have to always include complicated, syncopated lines to be good. Sometimes the drummer needs to back off and create a place for other instruments. Some metal songs use the simple, generic rock drum beat. “Enter Sandman” by Metallica uses that beat for most of the song. Knowing how to play both simple and complex drum lines is important for a metal drummer. A good metal drummer also needs to know which to use for a particular song.
Learn Other Styles of Drumming
Metal drummers have more flexibility than other styles of music. It is far more difficult for a pop or blues drummer to borrow heavily from metal drumming than the other way around. Learning to play other styles will open up a wider range of techniques and patterns for a drummer to use. Some metal drummers borrow from funk, rock and jazz drumming. A drummer with a wider range can have more variety when writing their own drum lines.
What is the Proper Heavy Metal Drum Tuning?
As a drummer, you know the importance of having your drums tuned properly. But if you’re playing heavy metal, then that’s an even bigger challenge.
After all, you need to make sure your drums sound powerful and punchy without sacrificing the clarity you need to cut through the mix. Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true techniques for getting your drums just right.
Before we dive into specific techniques for tuning heavy metal drums, let’s cover the basics. First off, it’s important to remember that every drum is different and will require its own unique tuning approach.
Don’t forget about muffling! If you don’t use any kind of muffling on your drums—even just a dampening ring for the batter side—you’ll end up with a sound that’s too boomy and undefined. Thirdly, make sure to tune each head (the top and bottom) separately; this ensures that both heads are producing their own unique sounds instead of competing with one another.
When it comes to tuning heavy metal drums specifically, it’s all about finding the right blend of power and definition. That means aiming for a higher pitch on the batter side (top) head and slightly lower pitch on the resonant (bottom) head so that they don’t overlap too much in frequency range.
You want to stay away from tight-sounding drums because they can come across as harsh and piercing in the mix; instead, aim for something in between tightness and looseness. The key is experimentation; try different tensions on each head until you find that sweet spot where everything fits together nicely in the mix without losing any power or clarity.
What Are the Best Drums for Heavy Metal?
Are you ready to rock out? No heavy metal band is complete without a banging set of drums. But what kind should you get?
First off, let’s talk about what makes a heavy metal drum set so special. Generally, they are quite large with plenty of depth and size to give that thunderous thud when hit. Of course, the larger the drums, the more sound they create.
They usually have two tom-toms on either side of the snare drum, with a bass drum at the front and a floor tom at the bottom. Most also come with double bass pedals for doing those infamous double kicks during breakdowns.
When it comes to materials, there are three main categories used in modern drum sets: wood, steel, and acrylic. Wooden drums are known for their warm tone but can be quite expensive; steel drums offer more volume but can be too loud in some live settings; and acrylic drums produce a bright sound that cuts through other instruments well—not to mention they look amazing too!
Each material has its own pros and cons so think carefully about what kind of sound you want before making your purchase.
What is the Best Heavy Metal Drum Kit?
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s take a look at some of the best drum kits available today. If you’re looking for an all-round great kit with plenty of power behind it then check out Ludwig’s Classic Maple kit or Pearl Export Series kit—both will provide great sound quality at an affordable price point.
For something more high end then Tama Starclassic Bubinga or Mapex Saturn V should do the trick—these kits have been used by some of metal’s biggest names like Slipknot and Metallica!
And if you’re after something more unique then Gretsch Renown series offers beautiful designs as well as classic sounds perfect for any style of music from jazz to punk rock! Whatever type of kit you decide on, make sure it fits your playing style—that way you can really show off your skills!
What Are the Best Heavy Metal Drum Solos and the Best Heavy Metal Drum Songs?
Looking for inspiration as you learn how to play some heavy metal drum tracks? If so, you might find it helpful to look at some of the best heavy metal drum songs.
When it comes to heavy metal drum solos, one man stands out above the rest – Neil Peart. He’s widely considered to be the greatest rock drummer of all time and his work with Rush is often cited as being among the best ever recorded. His solo in “YYZ” is particularly impressive, as he manages to combine technical proficiency with a wild energy that makes it both exciting and mesmerizing to listen to.
Another great example of an epic heavy metal drum solo is Dave Lombardo from Slayer’s performance in “War Ensemble”. His furious blast beats show off his incredible skill as a drummer while still keeping things exciting throughout the entire song. It’s no wonder why this solo has become so iconic in the world of metal music!
When it comes to heavy metal drum songs, few have managed to achieve classic status quite like Metallica’s “Battery”. This song features some truly blistering double bass work from Lars Ulrich that perfectly fits with James Hetfield’s aggressive vocals. The interplay between Ulrich’s drums and Kirk Hammett’s guitar playing during the verses is especially impressive, creating an intensity that few other bands can match.
Another great example of a classic heavy metal drum song is Pantera’s “Walk”. Vinnie Paul really shines on this track, providing a hard-hitting backbeat that drives the song forward while Dimebag Darrell shreds away on guitar. The two instruments work together perfectly here, making for an incredibly intense listening experience. There’s no doubt why this one has become such an iconic song in the world of heavy metal!
How Hard is Metal Drumming?
Metal drumming can be extremely intimidating for novice players, and it’s completely understandable why it can seem so difficult.
But, with a little bit of practice and the help of an experienced instructor, anyone can become skilled at metal drumming. This might sound too good to be true, but you don’t have to take our word for it – take the plunge and sign up for lessons with a qualified instructor today! Your journey to becoming a metal drummer has just begun.
Plus, what’s better than the feeling of self-improvement that comes with rocking out on drums? With commitment and enthusiasm, you’ll be able to accomplish your metal drumming dreams!
Want to learn even more techniques? Nothing beats the individual attention in private lessons. Search for a drum teacher near you and book your lessons today!
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Suzy S.