A Beginners Guide
Part 1
Learn to Play 6 Basic Beats
HOW TO PLAY THE DRUMS & THEN HOW TO PLAY THE Barney Arathoon
HOW TO PLAY THE DRUMS
TO PLAY THE DRUMS LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO PLAY DRUMS
& THEN HOW TO PLAY THE DRUMS LIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO PLAY DRUMS Written by Barney Arathoon
Concept and Design by Alan Trott Published by Blck_Mrkt Publishing Copyright Š 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy or any storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Printed in the UK
Contents
4
HOW TO PLAY THE DRUMS & THEN HOW
©
Blck_Mrkt
I can play the drums. I haven’t been alive for very long, so I’m afraid I don’t have a huge number of references to push at you, but I can say that I’ve played in several bands, one for several years. I started drumming when I was fourteen. I had just been to a music concert (in which my sister and her school choir were singing) and one of the acts was a gigantic swing band. I watched and listened to a single drummer surrounded by thirty or so other musicians, and heard his supportive, distinctive, and loud performance clearly from halfway down the enormous hall. From that day I decided that I wanted to be that person, one who can drive, and be heard, and evolve, and interact with both his band members and his audience. But, more importantly than all that the incredible energy and wide grin that I had seen up on stage. Drums are all about having fun. There is no instrument that you will have more fun playing. I hope this book helps you enjoy yourself, and maybe you’ll learn a bit along the way, too. This book is for Mike Tweed, for, without his inspiration, I never would have started. Barney Arathoon.
Contents
1 1
PICK UP THE STICKS
2-21
YOUR DRUM KIT
26-37 FOUR ON THE FLOOR
60-73 SIXTEENTH NOTE BEAT
38-45 DOUBLE BASS BEAT
74-87 FILLS
46-51 DOUBLE SNARE BEAT 52-59 QUARTER NOTE BEAT
PICK
UP
THE STICKS 1
2
YO DRU KI
OUR UM IT -
Hi-Hat
3
hi-hat
snare drum
4 bass drum
B
A
S
S
N
A
S
R
E
5
H
I
-
H
A
T
T
O
M
S
F L O O R - T O M -
6
C R A S H - C Y M B A L -
-
R I D E - C Y M B A L
ride cymbal
crash cymbal
7
toms
8
a
c
d
9
e
BASS DRUM
Turning Key Rod and Claw
10
a
c
d
e
11
SNARE DRUM
Tuning Rod
Lug Casting
12
a
c
13
d e
HIHAT
Clutch Felt
Hi-Hat Seat
14
a
c
d 15
e
g
TOMS
Isolation Mount
Lug Casting Tuning Key Rod
h
16
a
c
d
e 17
g
h
FLOOR TOM
Tuning Key Rod
Lug Casting
18
a
c
19
d
RIDE CYMBAL
Bell Bow Clutch
20
a
c 21
d
CRASH CYMBAL
Bell Bow Clutch
22
SIX BASIC BEATS
23
24
=
=
HI HAT SNARE BASS COUNT
T
1
2
+
3
+
4
ESTABLISHED BEAT
+
KEY
+
25
BEAT O N FOUR
26
27
ON THE FLOOR
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
there’s no-one around/you don’t
1
28
1
+
2
+
3
+
4
+
a right-angle as you can get in 29
you hit it too close to the edge
30
31
where it gets
F
O
U
1
R
+
2
-
+
O
3
+
N
4
-
+
T
32
1
+
H
2
E
+
3
-
+
F
4
L
+
O
O
R
4
3
2
1
33
until you’re doing it
THE MIDDLE
F
O
U
+
+
1
1
R
2
2
-
+
+
O
3
3
+
+
N
4
4
-
+
+
T
34
1
1
+
+
H
2
2
E
+
+
3
3
-
+
+
F
4
4
L
+
+
O
O
R
7
6
5
35
4 you hit the hi-hat AND the snare
First
36
37
38
39
DOUBLE BASS BEAT
to show you how easy it is to
once you’re there then you can
40
the count in your head and start
41
D
O
U
1
+
B
2
L
+
3
E
+
-
4
+
B
42
1
A
+
2
S
+
3
S
+
-
4
B
+
E
A
T
4
3
2
1
43
44
45
BEAT O N
46
47
SNARE B AT
D
O
U
1
+
B
2
L
+
E
3
+
-
4
S
+
1
N
48
+
A
2
+
R
3
E
+
-
4
+
B
E
A
T
4
3
2
1
49
So get going with the Four on
50
51
that right hand hitting the hi-
N
O
BEAT
52
53
This is the beat in which you hit the hi-hat hi-hat hits per bar. From an ordinary Four on as little as possible. So far we’ve been playthe Floor rhythm we can remove half the hiing what’re called Eighth Note beats. This hat hits per bar. basically means that you hit the hi-hat eight times per bar. This next rhythm is called a quarter note pattern because it only has four
NOTE BEAT
QUARTER
Q
U
A
1
R
+
2
T
+
E
3
+
R
4
-
+
N
54
1
+
O
2
T
+
3
E
+
-
4
+
B
E
A
T
3
2
1
55
56
57
58
59
B E A O N S I X 60
61
TEENT N O T B E A
62
than eighth and quarter notes
I want you to actually sound out
63
slow down the count in your head as you
S
I
X
E
E
N
T
H
-
N
O
T
E
-
B
E
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
T
64
A
T
5
4
65
Now start hitting the hi-hat on
2
3
Get your eighth note count going
1
S
I
X
E
E
N
T
H
-
N
O
T
E
-
B
E
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
T
66
A
T
8
7
6
67
Change the count in your
68
69
S
I
X
E
E
N
T
H
-
N
O
T
E
-
B
E
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
T
70
A
T
4
3
2
1
71
-
72
73
BEAT O N
74
75
FILLS
your other
76
changed so actually you’ll learn
77
F
L
L
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
I
78
S
3
2
1
79
80
81
F
snare
L
L
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
I
82
S
3
2
1
83
-
F
snare
crash
L
L
1 . e . + . a . 2 . e . + . a . 3 . e . + . a . 4 . e . + . a .
I
84
S
3
2
1
85
86
87
88
89