Whether you enjoy the pounding beats of your favorite rock band’s drummer or getting out your stress through music, it’s possible to learn the musical styles of drumming at any age or experience level. Even if you’ve never picked up a stick or tapped a drum, there are a variety of ways to learn drumming, both through self-paced teaching and lessons from people well-versed in the field.
View beginner drum lesson videos on the Internet. Some websites, such as Drum Lessons, offer short web clips along with an offer to purchase a CD-ROM collection of drumming instructional videos, but no purchase is necessary to watch the lessons, which offer topics such as “Drum Lessons for Complete Beginners,” “How to Read Drum Lesson Sheet Music,” “Understanding Time and Basic Counting” and advanced options for students who wish to take their drumming farther.
Purchase an introductory drumming book; look for one with step-by-step stick placement and illustration of proper positioning. Books such as “Drumming the Easy Way! The Beginner’s Guide to Playing Drums for Students and Teachers” by Tom Hapke, “Rock Drumming System: Beginner Workbook” by Jared Falk and “Rock Drumming from Beginner to Advanced Student” by Andy Griffiths are available from online retailers such as Book Closeouts, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Search for an inexpensive, used drum set so you can begin to get the feel for the instrument before buying a new set. Check your local Freecycle, Craigslist or the classifieds section of your newspaper.
Enroll in drumming lessons at a local school or community college. For example, drumming enthusiasts in Raleigh, North Carolina will find instruction at the 2112 Rock School, where students receive individual lessons for 30 to 60 minutes; all ages are welcome. Specialized programs include “Let’s Rock for Guys,” “Rhythm for Kids” and drum lesson camps.
Download a free trial of (or purchase) the Guitar and Drum Trainer from Renegade Minds, which allows you to see the actual drum beats as they’re played in the music, strip out drumming from songs so you can play along and see how you keep up, and test yourself with built-in training plans.