When I started to learn to play drums way back in the 60’s it was at a time when live music was all the rage with the pop scene. I was fortunate in that my father was the manager of a very popular dance  hall  situated in Tottenham North London with a resident group the “Dave Clark Five” and the “Johnny Howard Dance Band” .

I was introduced to the drummer in the dance band and he offered to give me lessons and boy was he good, a real musician who could not only play but also site read music. So not only did I get to see the “Dave Clark Five” play and rehearse their first big hits “Glad all Over” and “Bits & Pieces” but I got to learn to play drums in the classic traditional style from a great teacher. This helped me tremendously and taught me to understand the rudiments of music and to play in different styles , which enhanced my drumming experience.

How to hold the sticks – Most modern drummers tend to hold the sticks in the matched grip with the palms turned down and the sticks held in the hands by the thumb and first fingers, but the traditional method is for the left hand to be held palm up with the stick laying across the palm underneath the thumb and between the 2nd & 3rd fingers. I believe this promotes far more control and dexterity from the wrist and allows greater versatility as you improve you skill.

Rudimentary Exercises – When you start to play any instrument you need to play exercises that will  increase the dexterity and suppleness of the wrists and fingers. The drums are no exception and I would recommend practising the following exercises.

Playing 4 beats to the bar alternate between left and right hand for 4 bars and then reverse to right and left hand like this //LRLR//LRLR//LRLR//LRLR//  //RLRL//RLRL//RLRL//RLRL//. Each stroke should be of the same weight. Start of very slowly and gradually increase the speed.

The Paradiddle – This a great exercise for strengthening the wrists and improving left and right hand co-ordination and needs a lot of practise to perfect, but is well worth the effort in the long term.

Again play 4 beats to the bar for 4 bars and then reverse as follows:- //RLRR//LRLL//RLRR//LRLL//  //LRLL//RLRR//LRLL//RLRR//. Start very slowly and gradually increase the speed and then when you feel able try and double the speed to 8 beats to the bar.

Don’t forget that the drums drive the rhythm and timing for the rest of the band and it is essential that a good drummer, apart from anything else, can keep perfect timing, just like a metronome.

If you want to see a truly great classical style drummer in action take a look at Buddy Rich at the Hague on YouTube.

(the Article bod)

Drum is the most rocking musical instrument among all. It is something that has the capability to make the listeners tap their feet to every beat of the music. Drums are quite popular with the youngsters and are considered to be the trendiest musical instrument. But the drums are quite costly as compared to other musical instruments. Thus it is necessary to have a clear knowledge about the whole drum kit and the factors relating to it, not only before learning but also before buying. Here are a few drum kit buying tips that can be helpful to the drum buyers.

Before talking about the drum kit buying tips, it is necessary to know what constitutes a drum kit. A drum kit usually includes:

- Snare Drum

- Bass Drum

- Drum Head

- Kick Pedal

- Cymbals

- Toms

- Sticks

- Accessories

Here we go with the tips now:

Drum kit buying tips – I

First task is to set up the budget: Then go for choosing one according to the price set. The advantage of buying a drum kit is that you can avail it in parts. That is you can add components to your kit one by one depending on the availability of money. But of course you should know what is necessary and can’t go without it. In this case, one thing should be remembered that beginner’s kits are different from professional kits. And thus the price is also different. But it is better not to keep the budget too low, as you may not find the right kit then.

Drum kit buying tips – II

Choice between a brand new and a used one: Your next task is to decide whether you would prefer a new drum kit or a second hand. It basically depends on the amount you can spend. While buying a used drum kit it is better if you buy the drum kits from someone who cares for the kits and treats them well or a reliable dealer.

Drum kit buying tips – III

Next comes the sound: Decide what kind of sound you want and then check it out because drums are all about sound. Basically there are two types of drum kits – Acoustic drum kits and Electric drum kits. Acoustic drum kits generally produce best sound but are not compact, whereas Electric drum kits are quite smaller and sound light as compared to Acoustic. But they have adjustable volume and headphone sockets. And moreover, you can create your own drum kit by transferring different sounds to different drums. However, it is on your decision that should be taken after proper research.

Drum kit buying tips – IV

Next is to check out each component of the kit: Before settling down to buy each and every kit must be checked and examined properly to ensure that you are getting the right one. Particularly the beginners have to be more cautious. Checking the kit includes checking for any defects mainly in the parts like Cymbals, Hardware, and Drum Shells.

(the Article bod)

Building a home recording studio has never been more popular with the advance in recording studio equipment. Home Music Recording has found a solid blend of digital recording products and music recording knowledge to help you start your own home recording studio.

Easy Steps to Making Music On Your Home Computer

Any computer purchased in the last couple of years has the basic hardware for recording music. Computers with a hard drive smaller than 2Gb and a CPU slower then 100mhz is going to limit you to a few tracks at best. The faster and bigger your home computer, the more powerful your digital recording capabilities can be. Besides your computer, all you need is a microphone and some software, and you’re ready to create.

Multi-track recording software is fairly easy to use. You do not need a math degree to figure them out. Many programs are geared specifically for regular musicians, and most offer a minimum of 8-track digital home recording. Some programs come equipped with virtual drum features, full MIDI capabilities, and multi-effects.

Actually, home recording is as easy as loading your software into your computer, jacking your mic into the sound card, and playing. Soloists can record one rhythm track, then create another lead track while your previous track plays back into your professional headphones, then add vocals on a third track.You can continue adding as many tracks as your computer and software can handle.

Most software lets you add effects on all tracks. A word to the wise: even the fastest computers start slowing down with too many simultaneous effects in real time. Usually these ‘bogs’ will sound fine when you mix down, when the processor can handle more effects because it isn’t fixed to real time.

Computer noise can be a pain when recording. The best thing to do is to put your computer under your desk. Even better, buy extra long cables for all you peripherals and put your computer in the next room.

Of course you’ll want to pick up a few other cool things. Perhaps a better sound card, maybe a sound mixer desk, certainly a superior mic and preamp, and probably a MIDI keyboard. And then you’ll need to burn your own CDs.

Keeping Your Gear Current

Most people know that good home recording studio maintenance means cleaning and dusting rack modules, de-fragmenting hard drives, calibrating recorders and effects, and other details that help keep your gear in top operating condition.

When you’re performing your regular maintenance, don’t forget the software part of your setup. Thanks to the Internet, updates, drivers for A/D converters, plugins and upgrades for DAWs and soft synths, and the latest operating systems for computers and keyboards are just a click away. These updates generally offer feature enhancements, bug fixes, and/or expanded support for additional gear, plus they are tend to be free!

Whatever you do, have great fun building and operating your home recording studio!

(the Article bod)

Buying new drum equipment, whether it is a new or used drum set, new or used cymbals, or any drum accessories, can be a bit challenging. With so many different brands of drums, cymbals, and other drum equipments available in the market and so many opinions, it makes the decision process even more difficult.

Different drum manufacturers make their shells of drum sets out of different types of wood, resulting as variable sounds. Most of the entry-level drum kits are made of basswood, poplar, or Philippine mahogany, which are cheaper wood that does not produce a high quality sound. Higher-end drums use more expensive wood such as birch or maple, which produce a richer, more resonant tone, and has a higher price tag.

Here are some tips about drum equipments

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and some other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for harmonious playing by a single drummer. Drum kit components consists of these following things

Bass drum

Bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. There are three general classifications of bass drums: the concert bass drum, the ‘kick’ drum, and the pitched bass drum.

China cymbal

These are cymbals, which are manufactured to have a dark, crisp, and explosive tone.

Cowbell

While the cowbell is commonly found in musical contexts, its origin can be traced to freely roaming animals. They are trapezoid, cylindrical or cup-shaped.

Cymbal

Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various cymbal alloys. Cymbals are used in modern orchestras and many military, marching, concert and other bands. They are one of the two instrument types that form the modern drum kit.

Drum stick

A drum stick is an object used to strike drums and other percussion instruments to produce sound. Some specialized drum sticks are called beaters, mallets, or brushes.

Floor tom

A floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum, which usually stands on the floor on three legs. They can also be fixed to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp.

Hi hat

A hi hat is a type of cymbal and stands used as an essential part of a drum kit by percussionists in jazz, rock and roll, and contemporary popular music.

Snare drum

The snare drum or side drum is a tubular drum made of wood or metal with skins, or heads, stretched over the top and bottom openings, and with a set of cords stretched across the bottom head.

Sizzle cymbal

Sizzle cymbal is a cymbal to which rivets, chains or other rattles have been added to modify the sound.

Splash cymbal

The normal function of a splash cymbal is to provide a short, often highly syncopated accent.

Swish cymbal

The swish cymbal has a higher tone. These cymbals are traditionally mounted bell-up, as a regular ride cymbal.

Tambourine

The tambourine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a wooden or plastic frame with pairs of small metal jingles, called “zils”.

Trigger pad

A trigger pad is a sensor on a drum that produces a certain sound assigned from a sound module once the head has been struck.

Since a good number of brands are available in the market, a little homework on the buyers’ part will prove its worthwhile buying a drum kit.

(the Article bod)