Would you like to learn how to play the drums, but you can’t commit to in-person drum lessons in Cleveland or Aurora, OH? Many aspiring musicians spend a period of time teaching themselves before contacting a teacher, and that might be a great option for you. It takes discipline and a significant amount of research, but you can certainly make progress.
Is It Easy To Learn Drums By Yourself?
No, it’s not easy to teach yourself how to play the drums, but after all, there is no such thing as an “easy” musical pursuit. You can still make progress on your own though, and you can raise your level of basic drum and music fluency by a great deal simply through videos, podcasts, and books.
That said it is harder to learn on your own than working with a teacher. You will need to research the topic, create your own learning roadmap, and then execute your plan through daily practice. Furthermore, you may need to take videos and recordings so you can self-diagnose.
Start Off With The Right Equipment
At a bare minimum you will need drum practice pads to start learning. These are inexpensive, relatively quiet, and allow you to practice technique and rhythm. You can even use a method book along with your pads to learn quarter notes, eight notes, sixteenth notes, triplets, diddles and paradiddles, and more.
If possible, invest in an electronic or acoustic drum set though. You can get a beginner-worthy electronic drum set for under $600, and you won’t have to worry about noise. Many e-drums now have realistic-feeling mesh heads and even an edge for rim shots, and you can also add a bass drum with a pedal and electronic high hat and cymbals.
Create Your Learning Progression
If you are trying to teach yourself, how will you know where to start? You may benefit from a method book, like Alfred’s drum method, so you can simply follow along. If you prefer the video route, read a few articles first so you know which videos to watch. Googling “what should beginning drummers learn” will help, but you can start here:
- Learn the topography of the drum set
- Watch videos about posture, leg position, and technique
- Learn how to read notes on the staff
- Learn time signatures
- Learn note values: Whole notes, quarters, half notes, etc.
- Learn duple and triplet groupings
- Learn how to strike the drum with proper technique
- Learn how to play paradiddles, and research drills
- Learn how to read drum music
- Learn specific grooves
You will also need to learn intermediate concepts like fills, solos, and more challenging grooves, and you may eventually want to add more pieces to your drum set.
Know When To Call a Teacher
You’re much better off calling a teacher after a few months of self-learning than continuing on your own. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, you won’t necessarily know when you are practicing wrong or watching a misguided teacher on YouTube. You may continue building bad habits for months before addressing them, and it will only get harder and harder to correct these issues.
Secondly, unless you religiously follow method books (and even those are simply meant to be used as a supplement by a skilled teacher), you may not know what you are missing – there will likely be gaps in your learning that you are not aware of.
Third, you will learn more slowly on your own. You will have to research your own subject matter, look up videos and methods, then apply it in daily practice. A teacher handles most of the leg work for you, so all you have to do is go home after lessons and work on the drills and music that have been assigned to you.
You will also enjoy a more dynamic learning experience with a teacher. You can ask questions, express your goals and favorite genres, and if a concept is confusing, you can ask for explanations from a different angle. A teacher will also pick level specific music for you to play, so you won’t be stuck with drills and exercises constantly.
Call Us For a Free Trial Lesson Today
If you’d like to take a free drum lesson, or if you’re interested in guitar lessons in Cleveland or voice lessons in Cleveland, please get in touch at your earliest convenience. Our expert teachers would be happy to work with you, and you’ll love being a part of the music community in our beautiful facility.