any drummers over here?

[konaboy]

been dabbling with playing drums on and off my entire life, but never put any effort into it and still a complete noob.

just checking in to see if we have any keyboard players that also play drums.

how did you get on with it, easy to pick up the basics?

Thought it might be fun to play and record my own drum backing tracks, instead of hunting around for something suitable on yt or biab...

is it beneficial for playing keyboard do you think, to have some drumming skills?

what's the most stripped-down drumkit you can get away with to get started with?

many ideas circulating in my head, thanks for any input!

[nursers]

I feel a Woody's Drum Den coming on

[mcgoo]

I don't consider myself a drummer per se, but I'm a pretty good drum programmer. I can think like a drummer, I know the moves, but I may or may not have the technique to execute things the way I'd like.... So, between my Trapkat and my mad editing skills on my DAW (and of course, Superior Drummer 3), I can make pretty believable drum parts. Beyond that, Superior Drummer's MIDI library of grooves, fills, sections & whatnots make it pretty darned easy.

[Dave Bryce]

I can play drums, but I always seem to be able to find a drummer who can do it better.

 

For entering drum parts when I'm recording, I have a Roland HP20 HandSonic with a HiHat and Kick pedal.

 

dB

[drawback]

I feel a Woody's Drum Den coming on

 

'Drum Shack, Woody Drum Shack' and get the B-52"s to do the theme. I got me a Ludwig that"s as big as a whale.

 

On topic, I thought I was a competent drummer but my brother, who is a dummer, says I play drums like a keyboard player. I don"t even know what that means! But I know he bangs away on a piano like a drummer.

[KeyboardEric]

Drummer here. Been playing for 25 years or so, teaching for around 9.

 

I think drumming can help improve your keyboard playing and vice versa. I'm a big fan of practicing not only kit but rudiments and hand technique.

 

On at least one or two tours I went out with only a bass drum, floor tom, snare, HH, and ride cymbal. It's really all you need for a bare bones operation.

 

When composing music, being a drummer has been a real asset in so many ways. It's really helpful in creating beats that actually compliment the mood of the piece, or starting from scratch and writing around a groove.

[konaboy]

love the humour in this thread, and the experiences shared. many thanks.

i'm thinking it can't be that hard to lay down a basic beat , and what an excellent and fun way to work on your groove, which should translate to keys, especially organ which I'm into at the moment.

[Docbop]

When younger I played a little. Then when I got into doing roadie work I was around drums and drummers so I played more so I could learn a drummers setup so I could setup the drums and (most the time) could just sit down and play. One night singer was sick and club was kind of in a bind so band went on as instrumental group. There was a drum set from other group so our drummer talked me into double drumming in our sets. That was my one and only drum gig. But hanging with drummers so much learning a lot.

 

Coming from the Jazz world its said everyone should learn some drums or like Dave Liebman says get a ride cymbal play the ride patterns to understand what's going on. So don't need to get to point a being able to do a gig, but playing some drums add a necessary different point of view for playing music.

[The Real MC]

Drums/percussion are my 2nd instrument. Never did own a real kit, just MIDI drums. Half the time I'll play the drums into the sequencer using a MIDI keyboard, the other is when I really need sticks to get the part I want. I am by no means an accomplished drummer and am not shy about asking a real drummer to play the part. I don't have the endurance to play drums for a four hour gig either.

[Song80s]

been dabbling with playing drums on and off my entire life, but never put any effort into it and still a complete noob.

just checking in to see if we have any keyboard players that also play drums.

how did you get on with it, easy to pick up the basics?

Thought it might be fun to play and record my own drum backing tracks, instead of hunting around for something suitable on yt or biab...

is it beneficial for playing keyboard do you think, to have some drumming skills?

what's the most stripped-down drumkit you can get away with to get started with?

many ideas circulating in my head, thanks for any input!

 

drums/bass is the foundation of all my originals. Plus I am serious about recording the percussion and bass guitar.

 

I find the drum patterns and kits in Kronos to be persuasive for recording.

I also review my approach, for each song, with a drummer friend . He likes the result

in my recording.

 

Your Nautilus , while I don't know it, should give you a start.

 

There are drum software options, all kinds, many sound authentic and are not overly

' electronic '.

 

I get it, real drums will sound better. Eventually.

 

But to have access to various kits, access to good variety and to use them with your own approach

will provide a good result. From my experience.

[Nathanael_I]

love the humour in this thread, and the experiences shared. many thanks.

i'm thinking it can't be that hard to lay down a basic beat , and what an excellent and fun way to work on your groove, which should translate to keys, especially organ which I'm into at the moment.

 

Yeah, probably not hard. I mean, piano is easy too - all you have to do is push keys and it plays the note right every single time... ;-)

 

Acoustic drums are incredibly sensitive - what one can do with a high hat or a snare drum boggles the mind. I worked on drums for about 2 years. It very much improved my timing. I can play basic beats. I am zero threat to any skilled drummer. Like any instrument, its a rabbit hole... How far do you want to go? How far do you need to go?

 

There's a decent amount of technique to learn to do it right. It's a big hill - keyboard skills don't matter. I've spent hours and hours tuning drums and really studying the process. My pro drummer friends still tune better, in seconds... like anything, there is real skill.

 

But acoustic drums have to be one of the most rewarding instruments to play. So visceral. I never understood why it was called "playing a feel" until playing drums, one feels the rhythm all over one's body, and there's a feeling when everything is right that is much, much more subtle on a piano.

[Tom Williams]

Adequate drummer since high school. Started left-footed, like Mickey Dolenz, because in marching band we always led off on the left foot. Eventually I moved the right foot to the bass drum.

 

I started by learning to do straight boom-chick, then added high hat, then added "boom, chick-boom boom, chick" and disco high hat to my arsenal. Eventually I branched out....

 

Having adopted in-home recording as my Covid Hobby, I bought a Simmons-by-GC digital kit both to play for enjoyment and to trigger MIDI drum tracks. Since the 1980s I have always done my drum tracks in real time (although I may edit them extensively afterwards), whether through a keyboard, Octaplus, or (now) digital drum kit.

 

Playing drums has helped me greatly with my keyboard playing, particularly when solo comping. I even use some rudiments for rhythmic stuff on piano and organ.

 

I still play some (acoustic) drums at church when they ask.

[HSS]

I started out playing piano as a kid and migrated to drums to meet girls when I was 13 - 14 years old in Missouri in the early 70's. I continued playing drums through college in Missouri as an undergrad geology student during the late 70's, playing gigs on weekends, mainly with country and R&R bands. The gig money helped cover my tuiton and room & board.

 

I finished grad school in 1982 and accepted a job as a petroleum geologist in New Orleans. Living in New Orleans and being inspired by Fess and Booker, I started playing keys again along with drums, but only for my own enjoyment as a weekend warrior. I gave up playing drums seriously in the mid 80's because I struggled with those funky Caribbean-influenced New Orleans grooves. For a back beat drummer from Missouri, those New Orleans grooves, like Reggae, are inside-out. Realizing my limitatitons as drummer, at that point, in the mid 80's,I started focusing on keys which is where I'm still at today.

 

I finally sold my old 1971 Ludwig Probeat drum kit with original Paiste cymbals for some serious coin a couple of years ago. I still have an Alesis Nitro Mesh electronic drum kit that I play at home and record a little with.

 

I find that being a drummer helps me on keys with meter and dynamics as well as playing in the pocket with the rhythm section.

 

I would add that, IMHO, becoming a mediocre drummer who can slime by in most bar gigs is easy. Becoming a high-level versatile drummer is possiby one of the most difficult things to accomplish in music. As such, I have the utmost respect for excellent drummers.

[RABid]

Two very different paths for keyboards and drums.

 

Keyboards - Took formal piano lessons from a really good teacher. Focused on classical music and went through music theory workbooks. Though piano came naturally I hated playing in front of people.

 

Drums - Joined high school band as a freshman and chose drums as my instrument. Got stuck playing the bass drum but talked my parents into a cheap drum set. Never had a lesson. Totally learned to play by ear, playing along with records. I did have the advantage of reading piano music and so that translated pretty well to reading drum music. By my sophomore year I was easily the best drummer in high school band. Loved to play in front of people. No crowd was too big including 25,000 in Rupp Arena during state tournaments. When I envisioned myself playing in a band it was always as a drummer, never on piano.

 

Despite the different routs of learning I tried out as a music major on both piano and drums, and was accepted for both, my choice. When I started playing in club bands I quickly moved from drums to keyboards. Not because I wanted to, but because good drummers were so common and a keyboardist with equipment could always find work in good bands. So, I did not choose my path, my path chose me. But, I still love the drums and at 61 I have decided that maybe I should get serious about it again, and do it right this time. Starting with rudiments. There are plenty of good YouTube and online lesson options. My favorite free YouTube channel is Rob "Beatdown" Brown.

 

As for smallest starter kit. I started with a Roland SPD-10 octapad with bass drum pedal and HI hat pedal, then started expanding from there. That kit now has 15 V-Drums with 2 double bass pedals, several electronic cymbals, the SPD-10 from oh so many years ago, and an SPD-30. Used V-drums are all over Ebay and even the older used TD brains are good. It is a great way to play drums and not disturb the neighbors.

[Nathanael_I]

I would add that, IMHO, becoming a mediocre drummer who can slime by in most bar gigs is easy. Becoming a high-level versatile drummer is possiby one of the most difficult things to accomplish in music. As such, I have the utmost respect for excellent drummers.

 

This. +1000

[KuruPrionz]

I play AT drums. I can get usable beats for recording but more one drum at a time style. I can "think" in drums, at least the basics for pop, rock, blues, country, reggae and weirdo-butt musics.

 

I am friends with a great drummer, he is versatile, listens, leads the song and can play in that magical way that lifts the music to another place. Not style-phobic at all.

 

Compared to drummers of his caliber, I suck.

 

I don't own a drum kit. I have one small snare drum and today I thought about buying a thrift store hi-hat stand, a pretty good chain drive one. It made too much noise so I left it there. I miss the vintage Sonor stand I used to have, great hardware. Most drums sound find as electronic but cymbals have a range of tones well beyond any electronic attempts i've encountered. For all that, I don't own any cymbals. Hi hats would be my first choice, super versatile.

[Mark Schmieder]

Do percussionists count? I'm a bassist first (in terms of the amount of work), then clarinetist, and it's debatable whether keyboards or percussion (including world drums) come next. Still haven't taken time to learn traditional western trap kit, but bought a nice Gretsch Jazz Club Catalina Kit a couple of years ago.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Sort of. I've played some hand percussion (shakers, djembe, cajon, tambourine) since the age of 12. I actually had an African talking drum (still do actually) but I found the cord technique quite difficult. Anyways, back to age 12. I had shattered my left wrist a week before what was supposed to be my first time playing accordion (Klezmer song) with my church's band. Obviously that wasn't going to happen. Our music director asked me if I would like to help out at rehearsals by adding some percussion, as the drummer usually couldn't come on Wednesday nights and just came Sunday morning to the final rehearsal (he was super skilled, so it was no problem for anyone). So for a few months I took that up. Since then I've messed around with it here and there, sometimes playing djembe or cajon for acoustic sets at my church. I've played bass cajon (with a foot pedal) and keys at the same time as well, which is actually quite fun. Far from a pro level at percussion, however.

 

Otherwise, I've played around on drum sets a few times. I had a good former bandmate who bought a nice new Roland TD-25KV some years ago, and he let me use it periodically. I enjoyed that a lot. A few years ago I had to make a decision between buying a cheapish electric drum set or an electric guitar (and likewise which to work on learning), and the guitar won out for space reasons. Someday I'd like to get into drums more though. For now I have to settle with messing around with an e-kit or two on the rare occasion I visit a music store. I can play basics sort of decently for some things, at least enough that some years back when I was playing on a cheap Roland kit at a store a lady came up to me with her kid and thought I was a store demonstrator and asked me to demo it for her and then asked me what band I played in (LOL).

 

I *have* found that even my limited experience has helped my sense of rhythm on keys/accordion/etc.

 

I've toyed with the idea of getting a Yamaha DTX Multi-12 with a kick pedal, hihat, and snare pad and having a compact mini kit that could double for hand percussion. It's such an old product now though...

 

I don't mess with acoustic kits - my ears are way too sensitive for that sound level, even with headphones. Clearly I'm not meant to be a drummer.

 

ALTHOUGH...

 

...I am recovering from some crash injuries still, and bizarrely enough, playing on a drum set (occasionally my brother lets me borrow his lol) has helped significantly with some brachial plexus injuries I have on my right side.

[xp50player]

Drums/percussion primary, keyboard secondary.

 

Started out on snare-only lessons for about five months, then moved to full kit. That was a relatively easy transition.

 

Where e-drums get expensive is if you want to reproduce the acoustic nuances and playing techniques. Currently rocking a TD30-KV here, but I could make do with a TD-17 series or a TrapKAT as a minimum.

 

If you"re kicking organ bass, I can see how that limb independence from drums might carry over.

[RABid]

I always thought that piano and trap kit was the best two instruments for a multi-instrumentalist to start on. Hand independence and fingering from piano, along with learning to play multiple parts at once. Limb independence from the trap kit and really nailing rhythm and feel. I'm really glad I started that way. It made transition to other instruments much easier.

 

Other than a trap kit, I would recommend a pair of congas to anyone interested in percussion. Instruction videos are plentiful and you learn a lot about various strikes and mutes when playing congas. Many people think you just smack a conga, but a talented player can get a multitude of sounds from a single drum. I would love to take lessons from a master. Not much hope in that living in SE Kentucky.

[konaboy]

thanks for the feedback, I love it!

 

so, after watching some hours of yt drum videos (which I noticed are generally much lower production quailty and presentation than the keyboard and music tech videos I normally consume), I realised you don't need a drum kit to get started with some basic rudiments.

 

i have now a practise pad made from a mouse mat glued onto a cork mat, I already had some sticks, I have a drumeo subscription so I'm ready to start my new adventure.

 

after an hour of working on rebounding sticks up and down playing quarter notes, LRLRLR, whilst listening to the annoying clickety-click noise, I'm wondering what I'm getting into here. i suppose it will be marginally more fun (and much noisier) to do this on a kit, but I'm wondering if I'm quickly going to get bored without the challenge, satisfaction and reward of learning harmony and melody. My enjoyment has come from playing a tasty chord voicing with good timing and groove, or a nice phrase during a solo.

 

it's amusing, and quite refreshing, after so many years of highly technical music tech and synth topics, then you check out drum videos on yt, and it's like, best way to stuff towels in the kick, the difference between two sticks, how to put a t-shirt on snare drum and taping a quarter to the cymbal. no disrespect, just a fun observation!

 

oh well, back to the practice pad for a new drill, lets try LLRRLLRR for a half hour....

[Docbop]

A practice pad of some sort, pair of sticks, and this book ....

 

Stick Control: For the Snare Drummer by George Lawrence Stone

 

Can get you the basics you need to do anything else on drums.

[jazzpiano88]

I've been practicing drums but I always get thrown off by the master Charlie Watts.

I try to imitate his snare and high hat beat but I always end up being either cursed out by the band or off balance and into the drink.

[RABid]

My favorite practice pad is the ProLogix Red Storm, 12". They make smaller pads and you might think smaller is better, but 12" sits nicely on the lap without tilting or moving around. The red side has a rim like real drums. The black side is softer rubber that does not feel the same but is quieter.

[ProfD]

I'm quickly going to get bored without the challenge, satisfaction and reward of learning harmony and melody. My enjoyment has come from playing a tasty chord voicing with good timing and groove, or a nice phrase during a solo.

Enjoy the new adventure and ride for as long as it lasts.

 

I have access to a drumkit set up my basement rehearsal space. I can play left-hand bass too.

 

All of that goes out of the window when the real drummer and bass player show up. I have a deeper respect and appreciation for their skill level in that regard.

 

However, I've always found the most enjoyment in what I do which is being able to sit down and play keys. Those tasty chords are my wheelhouse.

[RABid]

Just remember, learning rudiments on a practice pad is equivalent to learning scales on piano. It helps your technique, but it is not "playing". To really enjoy drumming you need to at least play along with songs.

[Shamanczarek]

I started on drums about five years ago when a friend gave me a set that was left at her house by her deceased ex-husband. It was mostly Cosmic Percussion with a 1964 Slingerland snare. After practicing for a couple of years I felt I was making enough progress to get a better kit so I bought a new Ludwig Classic Maple Mod Orange Downbeat set. Even though I started late in life I've gotten good enough to hold down some fairly complex grooves for home recording. It's also great to have a decent drum set in the house for the occasional band rehearsal. I only wish I had started playing many years earlier.

[LX88]

I was a professional drummer most of my career.

 

I also played vibes which led me to Hammond organ which led me here.

 

The most popular book that many name drummers such as Steve Gadd etc. Is STICK CONTROL by George Lawrence Stone. I have a strong hunch that this book established the foundation of funk rhythm as we know it .

 

Should keyboard players be drummers? Absolutely but many do not have a complete awareness of the drummers .language. It can really help with rhythm section awareness.

 

More to say on this topic later?

[Throbert]

the Kick is always buried in drum apps and the kicks always sound like SH!T.

[RABid]

[video:youtube]