If you are a beginner drummer or new to drums and you’re wondering how to drum or how to play drums….this article is here for you!

It can be difficult to know where to start learning drums. There is so much available on the internet that it can actually overwhelm us and slow us down.

So below we will discuss the main attributes you need to start learning drums.

Let’s go!

Patience

Yes sorry but the first attribute you need in spades is patience. It takes time to get good at drumming and the progress can seem very slow at times. You need to be prepared for the long game here. The great news is that the rewards are so high and have much more meaning because they require the hard work.

Dedication

And that brings me on to the second point. You need serious dedication to get good at the drums. If you don’t really want to make the progress you will find yourself easily distracted and practice time will become less and less. Then the progress decreases which feeds into your lack of desire to practice. You need to want it, be hungry for it and put the hours in at the drum kit.

Perseverance

You will want to quit. You will think you haven’t got what it takes to be good. You will wonder what the point of carrying on is.

Don’t give up!

Even the best drummers in the world experience this. You have to learn to persevere. Keep pushing forward and the results will come. Even if it doesn’t always feel like they are coming, the results will come.

Correct equipment

At the beginning you probably won’t buy a full drum kit. They are big, noisy and expensive so most people wait to see if this is a long term hobby before committing.

Of course, the sooner you buy a kit the quicker you will progress but at the beginning you might just buy a practice pad and some drum sticks.

When it’s time to buy a full kit there are so many options today. This article will help you understand How to choose a drum kit.

Structure

As mentioned, the shear volume of learning materials freely available online is amazing, but it is also overwhelming and confusing for a beginner. Where should you start, what should be your second lesson, then what? You’ll just be guessing and the progress will be slow.

To stay on the right path and stay motivated it is crucial that you have structure to your learning. Plan where you want to go and the route you need to take to get there. 

Set goals and carefully plan which skills you need to develop to reach those goals.

Proper lessons

As a lifelong student of the drums and a drum teacher of over 20 years I can’t state the importance of proper lessons enough. Some untrained musicians mistakingly think that being taught properly will somehow crush their creativity. The truth is the opposite. With the correct knowledge, techniques and drumming vocabulary you are much freer to express yourself on the drum kit.

It opens doors creatively and without being shown the correct methods you will waste so much time, take longer to get results, develop bad habits and loose focus.

So my number one tip to you is get lessons. Find a great local teacher or choose someone that you trust online to help you learn the right way.

Online Beginner Drum Lessons

I started Total Drummer because I saw a need online. The beginner drum course takes a student right from the beginning through a step by step syllabus that has been tried and tested on hundreds of students. It is drip fed so you never get overwhelmed. This helps you stay motivated and making progress each week.

It is actually all you need to get started and will teach every fundamental aspect of drumming from technique to playing beats, fills, sight reading, learning songs, playing with backing tracks, review test lessons and more.

Click here to find out more about the beginner drum course.