Ten years ago, I embarked on a journey to Learn To Play The Drums. As someone with no prior musical background, it felt like diving into the unknown. Stepping into a quaint music store in my town to find a beginner drum set was the first daunting, yet exciting step on this creative path. Looking back, it was a life-changing decision. My passion for drumming grew so strong that I pursued it professionally, becoming both a teacher and a session musician.
However, I vividly remember the initial feeling of being overwhelmed. Learning drums felt like scaling a huge mountain. As a complete novice, I was lost about where to even begin practicing. A simple online search for drum lessons throws up countless videos and blogs, which, instead of helping, can feel incredibly confusing. What are rudiments and fills? How do you even begin to decipher drum sheet music? Which drum beats are essential for a beginner? And crucially, how do all these elements connect to playing the songs I love?
I understand that feeling of being completely clueless at the start. Initially, learning drums seemed as complex as rocket science!
Your Simplified Introduction to Learning Drums
This article aims to simplify your entry into the world of drumming by providing a clear, step-by-step action plan for learning drums online. While many online resources cover individual aspects of beginner drumming, few connect these elements in a structured manner, similar to how a personal drum teacher would guide you. Think of this article as your first online drum lesson. It’s designed to be easy to follow, covering all the crucial topics a beginner needs to grasp to learn to play the drums.
By the end of this guide, you will be able to:
- Play the most popular drum beat globally.
- Jam along to 3 well-known songs.
- Notate your beat ideas in sheet music.
- Adopt a professional drumstick grip.
- Practice and maintain solid timing.
- Understand and discuss basic drum terminology.
What If I Don’t Have Drum Sticks?
No worries at all! The initial part of this lesson is designed to be equipment-free. For those wanting to progress further, I’ve included a handy guide on essential gear. You can start experiencing the joy of playing along to music and understanding drumming fundamentals right away, without any equipment.
Ready to begin? This entire lesson is designed to take around 90 minutes, but you’ll be playing your first song within just 5 minutes! You don’t have to complete it all in one go. Feel free to start from the beginning and use the menu to return to where you left off.
Let’s get started!
How to Learn to Play the Drums
(Use the links above to navigate to specific sections.)
1. Understanding Rhythm: The Foundation of Drumming
What truly makes a band exceptional? Here’s a little secret: even the greatest bands can falter without a great drummer. As the drummer, you are the rhythmic heartbeat that breathes life into the music. This role comes with significant responsibility. A top-tier drummer must maintain consistent and even timing, avoiding unintentional speeding up or slowing down. This consistency allows the music to truly resonate with listeners, enabling them to fully immerse themselves in the band’s expression. Your bandmates will rely on your rhythmic foundation, creating cohesive and compelling music together.
Grasping Tempo
So, how do you develop consistent and even drumming? The key lies in understanding tempo. Tempo is the designated speed of a song, adhered to by every band member. Once the tempo is set, it’s your job to maintain it as precisely as possible. The best drummers are as dependable as clocks. Even during an energetic drum solo, maintaining the underlying tempo is crucial for the song’s momentum.
Drummers often count the tempo aloud before a song begins: “1, 2, 3, 4!”
Why count to four? Dividing the tempo into groups of four beats provides structure and clarity. These groups make it easier to follow the tempo and play musically. While not the only method, counting in fours is the most common.
After the initial “1, 2, 3, 4” count-in, the music starts. The band plays as if this count is continuing in the background. However, instead of verbally counting, you’ll mark these beats with your drums. Let’s explore this concept with our first song!
2. Playing Your First Drum Beat and Song
“Do I Wanna Know” by Arctic Monkeys is an excellent song for clearly demonstrating tempo with a drum on every beat. Give it a quick listen before we break down how to play along.
Notice the repetitive sounds? Drummer Matt Helders clearly marks each beat of the tempo. Each drum sound you hear represents one beat of music. Listening closely, you’ll distinguish two distinct drum sounds, alternating with each beat.
3. Introducing the Bass Drum and Snare Drum
The first sound you hear in “Do I Wanna Know” is the bass drum, followed by the snare drum. The bass drum is played on beats 1 and 3, while the snare drum is played on beats 2 and 4.
Try this: Count “1, 2, 3, 4” over the song, aligning the bass drum’s “boom” with 1 and 3, and the snare drum’s “snap” with 2 and 4. Can you hear how the drums and counting synchronize? If unsure, watch the short explainer video provided in the original article.
Once you feel you understand it, it’s drumming time!
- Tap your right foot for the bass drum.
- Tap your left hand on your leg for the snare drum.
Tap your right foot on beats 1 and 3, matching the bass drum. Tap your left hand on beats 2 and 4, matching the snare. Try to tap along with the song, maintaining the beat. Don’t worry if you struggle initially; timing takes practice. If you’re keeping time, fantastic! You’ve nailed it!
Variation: With bass-heavy speakers or headphones, you might hear subtle bass drums under the snare drums in “Do I Wanna Know.” You can choose not to play these, but if you want to include them, play the bass drum (right foot) on every beat (1, 2, 3, 4), not just 1 and 3. The snare drum (left hand) remains on beats 2 and 4. This means on beats 2 and 4, you’ll play both right foot and left hand simultaneously.
Transferring this to a drum kit is straightforward; right foot and left hand movements are exactly what you’d use on a kit. Soon, you’ll be playing along to a famous song. Next time you listen to music, pay attention to the bass drum’s low “thump” and the snare drum’s sharp “crack”.
4. Understanding Eighth Notes and Your Second Song
If you’re comfortable with the concepts so far, let’s explore notes that fall off the beat. Like a gymnast moving between bars, we use beats as anchors but can express ourselves in the spaces between. The simplest note that occurs both on and off the beat is the eighth note (quaver). Counting them aloud sounds like “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.”
Playing eighth notes both on and between beats offers more rhythmic and musical pattern options. “We Will Rock You” features perhaps the most famous example of eighth note drumming. Listen to it before learning more.
Counting the rhythm aloud would sound like: “1 and 2, 3 and 4, 1 and 2, 3 and 4.” Note that the “and” after 2 and 4 are silent; we don’t have to play every eighth note. Choosing which ones to play is part of the musical expression. Silence in music is called a rest.
Ready to play “We Will Rock You”! “We Will Rock You” uses claps for the snare drum. The pattern is: bass, bass, clap; bass, bass, clap, following the count of “1 and 2, 3 and 4.” Play “We Will Rock You” and tap your right foot for the bass drum, clapping on beats 2 and 4. This rhythm is a step up from our first song. As you improve, you’ll play increasingly complex rhythms, using all four limbs together.
5. Playing the World’s Most Popular Drum Beat
Congratulations on reaching this point and grasping basic drumming elements! If you’ve followed along, hopefully learning drums feels less daunting now. Let’s challenge your coordination with the most popular drum beat ever.
Important: A drum beat is a repeated rhythmic pattern played over several beats, not just a single beat of music.
In this beat:
- Right hand: Constant eighth notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and).
- Left hand: Beats 2 and 4.
- Right foot: Beats 1 and 3.
Here’s a visual representation:
The right hand represents the hi-hat cymbal, crucial in most drum beats.
Try this: Start with right-hand eighth notes. Count “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and,” tapping your right hand on every number and “and.” Next, add the bass drum. Keep your right hand going and add a right foot on beats 1 and 3. You’ll play four hi-hats (right hand) for every bass drum (right foot), playing right hand and right foot together on beats 1 and 3. This coordination exercise might be mentally challenging at first.
If you feel comfortable, try hi-hat with just the snare drum. Maintain right-hand eighth notes and play left hand on beats 2 and 4. Both hands will tap together on beats 2 and 4. This will require practice as your brain adapts to these new movements. Like learning to ride a bike, wobbles and missteps are part of the process.
Bringing it all together: Once you’re comfortable with these parts, combine bass drum, hi-hat, and snare drum.
- Right hand: (1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and).
- Left hand: (Beats 2 and 4).
- Right foot: (Beats 1 and 3).
If you’re starting to get it, congratulations! You’ve learned the most popular drum beat globally. This beat is fundamental in our “how to play drums for beginners” guide. Mastering it is a significant step towards playing countless popular songs. This is the first of 11 essential drum beats I recommend all drummers learn, forming a solid foundation for your playing and patterns I use daily. For help applying this beat to famous songs, check out my beginner’s drum course, which covers everything about essential drum beats.
6. Essential Drum Equipment for Online Learning
Hopefully, this lesson has shown you how much you can achieve quickly with focused effort. If you’ve enjoyed this and want to maximize the next part of the lesson, some practice equipment is beneficial. This doesn’t require a full drum kit or electronic drum kit. For starting to learn drums online, a good practice pad and drum sticks are sufficient.
A practice pad allows for quieter practice and technique development before moving to a full kit. It’s also a cost-effective way to explore drumming and is ideal for beginners. I recommend this 2-in-1 pad and Vic Firth 5A Drumsticks. Vic Firth is a reputable brand, ensuring high-quality equipment for a more realistic playing experience, closer to a real drum. High-quality gear like this aids in developing good technique that translates well to a drum kit later. While having a pad and sticks will enhance the following sections, you can still read on to see what’s next!
7. How to Hold Drum Sticks for Beginners
Watch this incredible solo by jazz drummer Joe Morello:
This demonstrates what excellent technique can bring to your drumming. Correct drumstick grip is crucial for becoming a skilled drummer. While Joe Morello’s hands move incredibly fast, he always appears relaxed and in control. His technique is perfectly synchronized with his body, requiring minimal effort for each note.
Learning Proper Drum Stick Grip
While we’ll discuss specific grips shortly, some key concepts will greatly improve your technique.
First and foremost: Relax! Joe Morello exemplifies this. Relaxation enhances speed and conserves energy. Tension leads to fatigue and potential injury over time. Let your body move naturally. Relaxed drumming promotes:
- Fuller, cleaner drum sound.
- Consistent rhythm and timing.
- Stress relief and relaxation.
Try this: While playing, focus on your wrist and forearm muscles. Are they tense or relaxed?
Utilize the Bounce
Use your drums or pad to assist stick movement.
Try this: Hold your stick loosely and strike your practice pad. Notice the stick bouncing back? You don’t need to manually lift it with fingers, wrist, or arm. Using the natural bounce saves energy with each beat. Eventually, your hands will primarily control the stick’s natural bouncing motion off the drum.
Big Movements Are Just for Show
You can play effectively at various volumes without large upper body movements. Consider the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk gorilla advert playing Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.” While entertaining, a teacher might offer pointers to this gorilla. Sticks rarely need to be lifted high. Control allows for ample volume with short, powerful strokes. Large stick movements can be visually impressive, but don’t expect to play faster than the Cadbury’s gorilla using them!
8. Types of Drum Grip
This section details various drum grips used by professionals. Experiment with them to find your preference. Don’t feel overwhelmed; choose one grip to start with. The Moeller grip is a good starting point.
Moeller Grip
This is my primary grip, offering great control and comfort once mastered.
Getting into the Grip:
Imagine swinging a tennis racket.
Now, turn your hand palm-down. Try bouncing the stick on your pad with a relaxed wrist motion, ensuring it doesn’t slip.
Top Tips:
- Ensure a small part of the butt end of the stick protrudes from under your palm.
- Tuck fingers neatly around the stick, with no fingers sticking out.
- Slightly extend your index finger away from the others.
German Grip
A fundamental grip used by most professional drummers, favored by traditional instructors.
Getting into the Grip:
Let your hand relax as shown:
Then, insert the stick and gently tighten your fingers.
The stick should rest between the first joint of your middle finger and thumb.
Position your hands as shown above.
Top Tips:
- Stick tips should nearly touch at the drum or pad center.
- Wrist motion primarily moves the stick. Practice this and stay relaxed.
- Keep sticks at approximately a 90-degree angle, as pictured.
French Grip
Favored by drummers like Steve Jordan and Jojo Mayer. Fingers play a larger role in stick control, potentially increasing speed and control.
Getting into the Grip:
Starting from German grip, bring hands together, thumbs facing up. Your thumb should be above the first joint of your index finger – the fulcrum point for stick control.
Many ways exist to move the stick in French grip. You can apply pressure between thumb (pushing down) and fingers (pulling up) to move the stick. Thumb and index finger are strongest and typically do most work. Arm motions can generate power, or smaller wrist/forearm movements can be used. These smaller movements often involve a slight rotation, similar to turning a key in a lock.
Top Tips:
- Sticks should be parallel, not V-shaped like in German or Moeller grips.
- Experiment with using other fingers (instead of index) to control stick motion, even individually by removing others.
- Wrist position (sideways, pointing up) can make large up-and-down wrist motions difficult or painful. Use a gentle rotating “lock and key” motion instead.
American Grip
A balanced “middle-ground” between German and French grips, combining aspects of both for an all-around style.
Getting into the Grip:
This video effectively demonstrates the American grip, its distinctions from German and French grips, and techniques suited to this style.
Top Tips:
- Use wrists for power and fingers for stick control.
- Fingers should support stick movement without impeding it.
- Practice transitioning between German and French grips to see how American grip blends the two.
Traditional Grip
The only grip we’re covering where hands hold sticks differently. Matched grips involve both hands holding sticks the same way. Joe Morello uses traditional grip in the video at this section’s start, essential for jazz drumming enthusiasts. Only the left hand uses traditional grip, while the right hand uses a grip of your choice. Historically, marching drums hung to the right, necessitating a different grip to reach the drum effectively.
While drums are no longer tilted much, traditional grip persists for historical and stylistic reasons, especially among jazz masters. It adds a touch of professional flair. My understanding of traditional grip is largely thanks to Jojo Mayer. I highly recommend his DVD “Secret Weapons For The Modern Drummer” for advanced technical insights.
Getting into the Grip:
Turn your hand up, thumb pointing upwards.
Place the stick between thumb and index finger, in the soft middle part.
Your index and middle fingers rest atop the stick, index finger pointing inward. Ring finger provides control underneath.
Top Tips:
- Stick should not touch the index finger knuckle; keep it in the soft part between thumb and index finger.
- Rotate forearm to move the stick.
- Keep thumb mostly upright; avoid rotating palm fully upward. Minimal rotation is needed.
That was a lot of information! Don’t feel obligated to absorb it all at once. Choose a grip you like and proceed. But before applying stick technique, let’s learn about the drum kit itself.
9. Drum Set Parts Explained
Even without your own drum kit, knowing drum kit anatomy is essential for a new drummer. Drum kits vary, but similarities outweigh differences. Typically, kits are 5-piece sets.
These include:
Bass Drum: At the kit’s base, played with a foot pedal (Kick Drum).
Snare Drum: Between the drummer’s legs, typically played with the left hand.
Tom-Toms: High and mid toms atop the bass drum; low tom to the drummer’s right.
We’ve covered bass and snare, but what about tom-toms? Bass and snare are fundamental, but just two drums can become monotonous. Tom-toms add excitement and variety, making listeners take notice. High, medium, and low toms offer a wide tonal range, typically used at section ends for ear-catching variations called drum fills. Drum fills are exhilarating to play and often receive enthusiastic responses! We’ll explore drum fills using toms and cymbals shortly.
Cymbals
With a 5-piece kit, quality cymbals are essential. Like fine wine with a meal, good cymbals enhance your drumming, complementing the drums’ low tones with bright cymbal tones for a rich percussion sound. Three main cymbal types are needed.
Hi-hat Cymbals
Hi-hat cymbals synchronize bass and snare, helping maintain band consistency. A foot pedal closes them for a tight “chick” sound, like in “Billie Jean.” Hi-hats can also be opened for dynamic changes and drum fills.
Crash Cymbal
Crash cymbals accent important notes in a section or melody, providing a crisp, shimmering sound, often played with the bass drum for maximum impact.
Ride Cymbal
The largest cymbal, the ride cymbal, offers an alternative to hi-hat for beat variation. Listen for drummers switching from hi-hat to ride cymbal in your favorite songs. The tight “chick” sound changes to a washy sound.
Fun Fact: Drummers often switch from hi-hat to ride cymbal when transitioning from verse to chorus.
10. Understanding Drum Sheet Music and Drum Tabs
Now that you understand drum kit parts, let’s unleash your creativity and explore notation. Learning drum sheet music and tablature is a quick way to learn new beats, notate your ideas, and play others’ creations. Proficient notation reading even allows you to play unheard beats! This is a basic guide, but for deeper understanding, see my full drum sheet music guide.
Reading Drum Sheet Music
Sheet music provides three key elements:
- Which drums and cymbals to play.
- When to play them.
- How to play them.
Let’s examine “Billie Jean”‘s drum beat in sheet music.
Each drum/cymbal is on a different line. Cymbals are marked with crosses, not notes. Now we know what to play, let’s determine when.
The music starts with bass drum and hi-hat. Let’s focus on bass drum first. In this example, the bass drum note lasts one beat, a crotchet. A crotchet is any black note or cross with a single stem. Music sections start on beat 1, so you play bass drum on beat 1. Next is snare drum (ignoring hi-hat for now). If bass drum occupies beat 1, when is snare drum played? Beat 2! Beat 1 is “taken” by the bass drum, so snare starts on beat 2. Counting aloud “1! 2!” would match bass drum on 1 and snare on 2, repeating in beats 3 and 4.
What about hi-hats? Hi-hat notes look different, joined by a bridge. These are quavers (eighth notes), half the duration of crotchets.
Remember counting quavers as “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and”? That’s how you count quavers in sheet music. In the example, continuous quavers are played on and between every beat. So, count hi-hats as “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and,” as with “Billie Jean.”
Think of each section having four beats to “spend.” You decide each note’s duration before the next. Start on beat 1, add notes until you reach four beats, then restart at beat 1, separated by bar lines.
Doesn’t 4 crotchets and 8 quavers equal 8 beats? No, you sum beats horizontally, not vertically. You can play many notes simultaneously without exceeding four beats per bar. Confused? Don’t worry; it’s tricky initially. Ask questions or see my drum sheet music guide for more detail.
Dynamic Symbols
Music often includes symbols indicating how to play, not just what. Here’s a common symbol:
This dynamic symbol indicates volume. “mf” means “moderately loud” in Italian. Symbols aren’t always present; you’ll often rely on musical intuition. This also offers improvisation freedom and personal expression.
Designing Your Own Drum Beats
Using sheet music knowledge, try creating your own beats by rearranging bass and snare patterns. Instead of bass on 1 & 3 and snare on 2 & 4, mix it up! Here are a couple examples:
Try writing a beat on paper, then tap it out like the “Billie Jean” beat. You’ve now written your first drum music!
Drum Tablature
If you read sheet music, you can also read drum tab. Drum tablature is a shorthand for quickly noting beats, often less detailed than sheet music, saving time when writing extensively. Here are examples:
A basic drum tab for hi-hat, snare, and bass drums, with a busier bass and snare pattern than our sheet music example. Here’s a more advanced one. Tabs often lack detail, requiring listening to the song while reading to fully understand. However you notate, you now have tools to create and express great beats!
11. How to Play Rudiments
You’ve learned basic beats, played songs, and created beats. Now, for another drumming fundamental: rudiments. These essential patterns appear across music genres. Mastering them enables diverse playing, impressive solos, and effortless kit navigation.
Become a Speed Demon
For speed, learn single strokes first. Alternating hands increases playing speed. The simplest pattern: right hand, left hand, repeatedly. Initially easy, maintaining evenness and balance at speed is challenging. Aim for consistent volume and sound from each stick. Once comfortable, accent every fourth note (louder), as in the video example. When sticks blur, you’re succeeding! We’ll discuss rudiment practice next.
Keep on Rollin’
Double strokes are another game-changer. Pattern: two notes right hand, two notes left. Easy to start, but speed and smoothness require muscle memory through practice. Useful because even with two notes per hand, only one wrist movement is needed. Stick bounce assists the second note. This dramatically increases speed, essential for fast, complex sections. Multiple notes per hand allows the other hand time to move around the kit for intricate rhythms.
Mix It Up
Drummers expanded beyond single and double strokes, creating a vast world of rudiments. There are 40 standard rudiments and countless variations—you can even invent your own. Let’s explore one more rudiment: the paradiddle.
Paradiddle? Yes, paradiddle! The name originates from how teachers vocalize the pattern: “pa-ra-did-dle.”
Pattern: Right-Left-Right-Right (RLRR), then reversed: Left-Right-Left-Left (LRLL). Paradiddle is two single strokes followed by two double strokes, mirrored in the second half, totaling eight notes. Fantastic for explosive fills, hi-hat/snare interplay, and variations. Next, we’ll practice and apply rudiments musically with drum fills.
12. Practise with a Metronome
For mastering rudiments (or any drumming aspect), a metronome is crucial. Metronome apps for phone or computer help maintain time during practice. It plays beats for you, ensuring consistent timing with clicks, revealing if your drumming is even and stage-ready.
If unsure which metronome to use, start with a free online metronome (search “online metronome”).
Challenge #1
Set metronome to 80 bpm. Play one note per click on your pad or kit. Start with single strokes. Anticipate clicks to synchronize with the metronome, like musicians playing together. This is challenge #1 in the metronome challenge video (see original article). If unsure of the sound, refer to video examples. Practice each exercise using an online metronome. Take your time; no need to rush. The video offers quick demos of all three exercises.
Note: Metronome practice is challenging and requires timing skill development, so be patient!
Challenge #2
Try playing quavers with the metronome (video example). Play two notes per beat; every other note falls between metronome clicks. Practice single strokes, double strokes, and paradiddles as quavers as you get comfortable.
Challenge #3
Classic drum fills often use semiquavers (sixteenth notes), twice as fast as quavers—four notes per beat. Practice rudiments as semiquavers with a metronome. Count: “1 e and a, 2 e and a, 3 e and a, 4 e and a.”
If you understand rudiments, let’s apply them in the final section: drum fills, the culmination of our drum lesson.
13. Playing Drum Fills
Every beginner drummer should learn basic drum fills. Drum fills add magic to beats, often becoming memorable song moments, like the iconic fill in Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.” I’ll show you how to add drum fills to your regular beats—the “icing on the cake” of great drumming.
Drum Fill #1
Remember the “Billie Jean” beat? We’ll play it three times, then add a variation on the fourth. Here’s the sheet music:
And the sound example (see original article). The two quick end notes are an open hi-hat and snare drum, heard at 1:09 in the “Billie Jean” video. On the “and” of beat 4, instead of hi-hat, play an open hi-hat followed by a quick snare on the “a” of 4. Count “4 and a” when practicing on a pad. Here’s the pad demonstration (see original article). This snappy fill is great for beginners and easily transferable to a drum kit. Opening the hi-hat isn’t mandatory for a good fill sound.
Drum Fill #2
Here’s another versatile fill, longer and more attention-grabbing, creating greater contrast. This fill uses the paradiddle rudiment. Sheet music:
And sound example (see original article). Pad demonstration (see original article). In the last bar (fill bar), beats 3 and 4 are filled with the paradiddle. Right hand on hi-hat, left hand on snare. Paradiddle is played as semiquavers, four notes per beat. Excitingly, learning paradiddles unlocks endless fill possibilities. Rudiments learned on a pad can be applied to the kit in numerous combinations, depending on drum choices. We often master patterns on pads, then unleash them on the kit.
Conclusion and Next Steps
I hope you’ve enjoyed this “how to play drums for beginners” guide. Nothing prevents you from becoming a creative, unique, and inspired drummer. You’ve received much information—congratulations on diving in and learning something new! If inspired, you might wonder, “Where do I go from here?” To help new drummers, I’ve created a drumming survival course covering essential beginner knowledge. Find out more here. I hope my drumming passion has inspired you to discover your musical gifts and potential.
