I played a recent outdoor gig where the sound engineer placed the drum riser behind a pop-up shade tent and positioned all the amps and monitors out in front of my kit. I also had the distinct honor of playing without any floor or in-ear monitors.

What resulted from this poor stage sound arrangement was audio quality I can only describe as mush, and an inability for me to relate musically to any other musician.

I usually set-up before any other band mate and leave plenty of room on stage for other amplifiers. Unfortunately, a muffled stage sound is more the norm for me than the exception. Let us assume for a moment that you are like most drummers reading this blog: you are the weekend warrior-type musician playing live gigs at smaller indoor and outdoor venues with low pay and free beer (maybe). These types of gigs are not always conducive to running direct feed or line-in with all instruments going through a PA system. You often neither have the time, money, personnel, nor equipment for that integrated of a stage sound investment.

If I am lucky, the sound engineer will mic my kick drum and perhaps the snare at gigs. Because most venues I play at are space limited, guitar and keyboard amps are rarely sent direct through the portable sound system, and thus do not create a nice balanced on-stage sound by using EQ’d monitors in the overall mix. More often than not, I do not even have a monitor of my own. And even if I did, the most I can hear through it is vocals as I don’t need my own drums in the monitor. I need bass and guitar, which is only possible to achieve with a direct line-in amplifier send through the PA system.

So I have decided to take stage sound control into my own hands and ears. There are some simple strategies you can advocate for as a drummer to ensure you enjoy listening to the music you help produce as much as the fellow musicians in front of you.

What I advise is for drummers to encourage your bandmates to not stack their amps directly in front of your kick drum, snare, or floor toms. Be courteous to them as well. Arrive early and do not arrange your drum set in a way where there is no room beside your kit for amps and guitar stands to be comfortably placed. Talk to the sound person before he or she sets-up.

Moreover, try to have the “gig set-up” discussion at your next rehearsal. Express your inner feelings. In fact, use your next practice session as a true dress rehearsal. Set up exactly how you would live with an audience out front. Know how large your upcoming gig’s stage playing area will be. Garages work fine for this test, minus your car and lawnmower, of course – and a very forgiving spouse or roommate.
Another “back wall” stage set-up involves bassists and guitarists tilting their amps up towards the sky or roof and pivoting amps at a 45-degree angle toward center stage and you. That way, you catch some of their playing volume, but not all of it.

Running all instruments through the PA system and mixed into monitors is obviously the best option. With the overall stage volume down, the sound engineer can give you what you want to hear without killing the audience’s ears.

My own experimental solution at the next “monitor-less” gig will involve separately sending all amps and vocals through my laptop’s 8-channel audio interface device and wearing ear buds. That way, I can record the music and hear everyone at the same time.
The key is to take the necessary time before a gig to strategize stage set-up, run a few tunes as sound check, and be willing to readjust the position of certain speakers.

- Tim Kane, a professional writer, editor and drummer for more than 20 years, writes weekly blogs for Dixon Drums.

Photo by Niels Heidenreich

By simplifying what I own for models, however, I am slowly rediscovering the best types of drum sticks in terms of weight, length, finish, taper, durability, color, and tip in order to match my particular needs.

Like highhats, drum sticks are one of the most important elements of your drum set. Take the time to experiment with various types, though one challenge you’ll encounter is a growing number of local music stores don’t carry a great diversity of brands these days.

What should you look for? In my opinion, the top five drum stick manufacturers in the world include Vic Firth, Zildjian, Pro-Mark, Vater and Regal Tip. If you get the chance to test drive some pairs, roll the sticks on a flat surface before using or purchasing them. Like 2X4s at the lumber store, drum sticks are not all cut perfectly straight. The more warped they are, the less efficient they perform around your drum set.

There are specific wood types and outer coatings to consider as well. The most common drums sticks are made from Maple, Hickory, and Oak – Maple being the most apt to break and Hickory drum sticks being the most popular. I have never liked synthetic sticks such as aluminum. Drums are meant to be played with real wood.
Varnished or lacquered sticks are important considerations as well. If you sweat a lot, you will want to avoid slippery coatings, or sand them down after purchase. There are a growing number of sticks with tacky surfaces embedded over the butt ends now. You can even buy sure grip wraps for them. I stay away from painted sticks, as they tend to taint my heads with that particular color.

As for drum stick tips, I still prefer wood, though nylon is the standard today. The problem I have with nylon is they tend to sound too pinging and brilliant on certain cymbals where wood produces much warmer tones. There are actually four types of tip designs and tonal qualities to consider, including: rounded (focused for cymbals), pointed (triangular shaped for medium tones), teardrop shaped (diverse sounds), and barrel (larger area for bashing). I have found the most success in playing distinct patterns with teardrops.

Size and taper wise, traditionalists will tell you that 5Bs and 2Bs are intended for hard rock drummers while 5As and 7As are best suited for jazz and funk. Though originally designed for such uses, I use 5Bs during practice to build my endurance for live gigs employing 5As. I have even used a 5B in my left hand for more punch on the snare while playing a lighter 5A on the ride and vice versa.

Choose the drum stick best fit for your hands and drum set positions, not just the musical style you are playing. Stick selection is an often-overlooked process to being the complete drummer, and is actually a critical ingredient.

Written by Tim Kane
Tim Kane is a professional writer, editor and drummer of 30-plus years residing in Massachusetts. Read and comment on his blog at www.dixondrums.net.

First, I am not ambidextrous and do not play open stick position all the time versus crossed. If right-hand dominant drummers have ever tried to set up their drums in a left-handed drumming position (right to left like Phil Collins), then they understand how the brain finally works – it’s great practice, but also very humbling.

Tour drummers such as Carter Beauford and Billy Cobham come to mind as musicians who are darn close to the freedom and agility of using both hands without a weaker side. That’s pretty impressive stuff to watch. But their expertise does not mean non-ambidextrous drummers can’t experiment with the new found freedoms open playing position provides.

Check out the audio tab attached here open playing position example to this blog of a spur-of-moment raw drum pattern I recently played to warm-up before a band rehearsal. The majority of my snare strikes were with the right hand while I carried most high-hat, crash and higher tom accents pretty much with the weaker left hand.

What I have found is that by playing open position at times during a song or solo, it provides me with a whole new world of off-beat accents and patterns to explore – some actually in reverse of how one would normally play that phrasing in a traditional crossed stick position. Open playing also gives me more “mobile” right-hand expressions on the right side of the drum kit – usually reserved for floor toms and rides.

Instead of playing snare on the normal 2 and 4 beats, open playing stresses the 1 and 3 a lot more in one measure, simply because your right hand is more attuned to accenting 1 and 3 heavy while playing crossed stick position in a standard 4/4 time signature.

By mixing and reserving stick and hand dominance more during songs, new styles and sequences suddenly begin to appear. If you set up a ride or crash ride on your left side, open playing also works great in situations where you desire a steady ride or bell pattern, but want more control and strength in accenting on the toms.

I also have set-up a tom-tom to the left of my snare and high-hat for years and found it has helped my left-side weakness improve.

Please take a listen to the attached track and share your own open playing experiences.

Tim Kane is a professionally-trained drummer with about 30 years performance experience.

Written by Tim Kane

Today, he feels lucky to have a diverse range of experiences to draw from as a working professional drummer.

Read Tim’s full bio

Drummers from Gene Krupa to Neil Peart have not only used drum rudiments for warm ups and to keep up their chops, but integrate them into their playing, as well.

Drum rudiments, which are basic drum patterns, are the best ways to practice stick control and wrist movement. Invented over 500 years ago by the Swiss for their fife and drum corps, rudiments first came to America with English regiments back in the 16th century. The first fife and drum book in America to list 26 drum rudiments was written in 1812.

Though many drum books and websites still list 26 basic rudiments, there are actually 40, counting all the variations, which are categorized into five rudimental “families,” including single-stroke roll rudiments, double-stroke roll rudiments, diddle rudiments, flam rudiments, and drag rudiments.

The single-stroke rudiments include the single-stroke four and single-stroke seven rolls; the double-stroke rudiments include the five, six, seven, nine, 13, 15 and 17-stroke rolls. Diddle rudiments are also known as paradiddles and include four different variations while the flam rudiments have 11 and the drag rudiments have 10.

Great use of the paradiddle by drummer Tim Pederson of Musician’s Institute.

The rudiments can be played with pretty much any of the three basic drumstick gripping techniques (matched grip, traditional grip or French grip), and are usually practiced mainly on the snare drum or on a practice pad. Some drum websites also suggest practicing rudiments with brushes as well as drumsticks.

Drum instructors also suggest that rudiments be practiced more so than drum sets for the simple fact that it forces you to keep your chops up by playing the basics. That isn’t to say the drum set isn’t important, however. There should be a balance there—going back to the basics and working on your speed and versatility will also help keep you up to par on the drum kit.
Listen to your favorite band, tune your ear to the drummer and you are likely to hear at least a couple of flams, lots of single and double-stroke rolls and maybe even a paradiddle or two. Just as the English language is based on the alphabet, the language of drumming is based on rudiments and you will only be helping yourself by working them into your routine.

Written by Toby Tate

Toby Tate is a performing musician, songwriter and studio engineer from northeastern North Carolina. Currently a freelance writer, Toby was a reporter and graphic designer for The Daily Advance newspaper for five years and has had stories and articles published in regional and national magazines and on the Internet. His first novel, DIABLERO, a supernatural thriller, will be released worldwide in October by Nightbird Publishing.

Besides the incredible speed and technique, notice anything different? Derek swaps his second and third tom, so that from left to right, the rack toms are: Highest, Lowest, Middle.
Whether you’re a beginning or an experienced drummer, there’s little doubt that one of your favorite things to do is hang out with other drummers and talk about drums. Listening famous drummers, playing your favorite fills for each other, talking about the latest gear… sound familiar?
It’s common, too, for drummers to talk about their setups. When other drummers play your kit, they may comment that your cymbals are too far away, or your toms aren’t in the right place, etc. You’ll be tempted, especially if they’re more experienced than you, to change your setup and angles based on their recommendations.
The trouble is, when it comes to setups and angles, everyone’s different. By all means, try out what’s recommended to you, but keep in mind that what works for someone 5’3” won’t work for someone who’s 6’3”, and vice versa. Similarly, there’s a lot of value in having a unique setup, especially if it works for you. Your more experienced colleague may not have the need for an extra hi-hat, or for the floor tom to be angled towards the snare.

Any teacher worth his or her salt will help you find a setup that works well for you and your body type. If you’re playing a 5-piece, the ‘typical’ setup is a good starting point, but when it comes to angles, and specific placement of the drums, the goal is to feel comfortable behind your kit, be able to move around freely, and to play with good technique.
Once you have a good feel for your kit and your setup, start experimenting. Change the order of your toms, add extra drums and cymbals, put your snare drum to your right…get creative! Over time, you’ll naturally come to a setup that allows you to best express yourself musically.

The point is: do what works for you. It’s not important that your setup look like the next guys’. In fact, it probably shouldn’t. After all: you’re you.

Footnote – This setup might be going too far:

How do you set up your kit? Are typical 5-piece setups the most common because they’re the BEST way? Any tips on coming up with the perfect setup for you?

Written by: Scott Honsberger

Scott is a drumming and music junkie, originally from Toronto and now living in Halifax, NS, Canada. He loves funk, jazz, jam bands, drum corps, rock climbing, and his iPhone.

Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick likes to use a pair of gigantic drumsticks, among other things, when playing live.

Professional drummer Lou Mars, who has been compared to The Who’s Keith Moon, says “I’m a show drummer, but more specifically I think my style is like a controlled crash.” Mars, the grand prize winner of the Dixon Drums’ “Drum your way to Hollywood” Contest, also set the second longest Marathon Drumming World Record at 108.5 hours in January 2010. But showmanship doesn’t have to be all about tricks with flaming beaters or huge drumsticks.

A friend of mine, a drummer by the name of Martin Parker, has played with artists like Ricky Scaggs, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Patti Loveless and Allison Krause and never so much as twirls a drumstick. Yet, he continues to get calls to go on tour because he does one thing very, very well—he drums.
As an entertainer, it’s up to you to make sure the audience gets what it came to see—a show. But performing is also a balancing act that requires you to maintain artistic integrity and play to the best of your ability.

Written by Toby Tate

Toby Tate is a performing musician, songwriter and studio engineer from northeastern North Carolina. Currently a freelance writer, Toby was a reporter and graphic designer for The Daily Advance newspaper for five years and has had stories and articles published in regional and national magazines and on the Internet. His first novel, DIABLERO, a supernatural thriller, will be released worldwide in October by Nightbird Publishing.

For creative inspiration, both beginners and seasoned pros watch performances at conferences and online, like the one below by one of my favorites, Dave Weckl:

We watch a performance like that and think ‘Wow, now THAT is drumming!’ and we work towards it as the pinnacle. We hit the rehearsal room (or the basement) and funnel the inspiration into creating something new and magical on our own. It’s how we grow our musical minds, and I personally love this process.
There’s no question that the performance like the one above is incredibly motivating, and it’s so much FUN to see great drummers doing their thing. However, it’s really important to keep in mind that solos like that are meant to stand as a piece of music unto its’ own. Creating great parts for songs as part of a band is a much different process.

As drummers, I think we can often feel a bit slighted by the lack of attention and/or appreciation that we get. There are probably more drummer jokes out there than any other instrument (except maybe the bagpipes), and at a gig, we sit at the back of the stage while singers get the crowd going and guitarists rip into a solo with their foot up on the monitor. We want OUR parts to be noticed!

To this end, I’ve seen far too many drummers try to add complicated parts to songs to try and prove their worth and get that attention. I, too, have been guilty of this. I’ve created a part that I thought was really great: alternating between the bell and the ride, using ruffs and ghost notes in between beats on the snare, maybe throw in a little syncopation… and what happens? On playback (in the studio), it just…doesn’t…work.

It’s important, then, to give ourselves a reminder about our roles when playing with a band. To this end, I’m reminded of one of my favorite drummers by the name of Johnny Fay, who plays with Canadian band The Tragically Hip. If you don’t know the name, don’t feel out of the loop: he doesn’t get much industry attention, he’s never been on the cover of MD, and he’s probably never done a workshop. Why do I love his drumming? Because his parts are always rock solid, they hold the songs together, and most importantly, they suit the songs perfectly. For a great example of this, check out the song “Fully Completely” off of the album of the same name. The kick drum pattern is bang on with the bass guitar, it drives the track forward, and it’s simple. THAT’S drumming… in a band.

When you’re working on your own bands’ songs, then, keep in mind what the real pinnacle should be about for your parts when playing in a group: a balance between creativity, originality, and playing what suits the song. To me, that’s what being a great drummer is all about.
What are your thoughts? Any tips on finding the perfect part for a song?

Written by: Scott Honsberger

Scott is a drumming and music junkie, originally from Toronto and now living in Halifax, NS, Canada. He loves funk, jazz, jam bands, drum corps, rock climbing, and his iPhone.

Bellson pioneered the use of the double kick drum which is so prevalent in rock music today, especially with the heavy metal crowd.

Go to any heavy metal or hard rock concert and you’ll see drummers from Alex Van Halen to Jason Bittner with elaborate double-kick drum sets and the chops to play them. Early Van Halen music is rife with great double- and even triple-kick drum technique.

But many great drummers still prefer the single kick, if for no other reason than convenience. Or maybe just to show off their drumming prowess.

One of the techniques that made Led Zeppelin drummer, the late John Bonham, so influential was his ability to play quads (a four-note linear hand/foot combination), using only a single kick drum pedal. Check out the song “Moby Dick” sometime from the film “The Song Remains the Same” to see Bonham in action. It’s inspirational.

The type of wood used for kick drums varies almost as much as the drummers themselves. Birch, maple and mahogany are probably the most popular, but there is also poplar, ash, basswood, and rosewood, along with fiberglass. While maple provides a warmer sound, it also sounds good across a wide spectrum of frequencies and is probably the most popular wood.

Kick drums come in many sizes, ranging mostly in the 20- to 26-inch by 18-to 20-inch range. The bigger drums have a bigger, boomier sound and are mainly used for rock while the smaller drums tend to be used for jazz.

Whether or not to use two kick drums or a double kick drum pedal (two single pedals connected by an extension rod) with a single kick drum is a matter of personal preference. Many drummers like the convenience of only having to pack, carry and set up one drum instead of two.

The types of drum heads to use are also a matter of personal preference. I don’t like having huge pillows or blankets stuffed inside my drum (like I did in high school) because it tends to interfere with the natural sound of the drum. Instead, I use drum heads with built-in muffling. If you’re using two kick drums, most drum experts advise using the same heads on both kick drums and tuning them the same to get an even sound.

One method of tuning is to have the batter side of the head tuned one or two notes higher than the resonant side, which will be tuned as low as possible in order to get a punchier sound.

I prefer a hole in my resonant or front head, no bigger than seven inches, to create a punchier sound and also allow a close-up microphone technique. For jazz, many drummers prefer not to have a hole and mic the head from either the front or the back near the kick drum pedal.

As far as beaters go (the part of the drum pedal that hits the drum head) many come with a combination of wood, felt and rubber that can be switched to fit your sound preference. Wood is going to be heavy on the slap while the felt side will be punchier.

There really is no right or wrong set-up. Whether you go with the double or single kick drum, or even four kick drums, the only limit is your own imagination.

Written by Toby Tate

Toby Tate is a performing musician, songwriter and studio engineer from northeastern North Carolina. Currently a freelance writer, Toby was a reporter and graphic designer for The Daily Advance newspaper for five years and has had stories and articles published in regional and national magazines and on the Internet. His first novel, DIABLERO, a supernatural thriller, will be released worldwide in October by Nightbird Publishing.

Without a doubt active listening should always be a part of your drumming regimen. Developing your ear for music is a vital skill all musicians, especially drummers, need to have in their training arsenal.

Though it’s important, actively listening to your favorite drummers isn’t the only skill you should rely on to improve your craft. Using your eyes to drum is one way to start performing like a pro.

What Is Drumming With Your Eyes?

Most drummers would agree that it would be impossible to drum without your hands. But if you think about it, it would be equally impossible to drum without your eyes.

Put simply, drumming with your eyes means going to a live show with the specific purpose to watch the drummer and truly studying how he works from start to finish.

Like active listening with your ears, drumming with your eyes involves paying close attention to how another drummer sets up his kit, how he plays, how he interacts with his band mates before during and after a set.

In their own way, the best drummers use their eyes to study everything around them, especially the habits and behaviors of other drummers. And by doing so, they pick up little things and work those insights into their own style to hone their craft.

So whether you’re at a show watching as a fan in the audience or checking out a video at home, whenever you don’t have your drum sticks in your hands you should always be using your eyes to study, soak up and evaluate the habits and nuances other drummers.

One of the benefits of drumming with your eyes is that you don’t always have to watch the best drummers in the world to learn something or pick up an inside tip.

And once you get used to actively watching drummers of all skill levels, you’ll naturally become more aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. And when your drumming skills plateau, drumming with your eyes can also help to get you out of a creative rut.

And when you have that complete awareness as a drummer you’ll be able to improve your playing, make adjustments and perfect your own style. Like practicing your rudiments, taking time to drum with your eyes is one way you can elevate your playing.  It’s a visual drumming tool that, when combined with active listening, can send you on your way to laying down beats, rhythms and grooves just like the pros do.

How have you been drumming with your eyes?

What nuances have you notice by watching other drummers?

By Chris Catania
Based in Chicago, Chris Catania is the author of Live Fix, a blog that celebrates, explores and examines the live music experience. Chris also interviews artists and fans, reviews concerts, festivals, events and albums for Blogcritics, PopMatters, Ink19 and other online and print publications.

As drummers, we all take the snare drum for granted. It’s just another drum, right? Nothing special. But the snare is usually the first drum any drummer learns to play on. In fact, it could be argued that the snare drum is the key piece in your kit, providing the backbeat or the locomotion of the rhythm.

The snare drum began life rather inconspicuously—as a marching instrument for military bands, strapped on to its player and sporting an animal skin for a drum head. Eventually the snare became the core of the “trap” set or drum kit.

Snare drums can be made of birch, mahogany, maple, plywood, fiberglass, or even stainless steel and usually employ plastic or Mylar drum heads. Usually about 14 inches in diameter and six to eight inches deep, the snare drum is sometimes called “the steering wheel” because, well, it kind of looks like a steering wheel and because it “drives” the kit. Sitting on a stand, it is the central focus, directly in front of the player (in most cases) and surrounded by the other drums and cymbals. The kick drum, hi-hat and ride cymbal are also part of what propels musical rhythm, but the snare drum is usually the focal point of any drum kit.

Snare drums are used in everything from classical music to big band, jazz, country and rock. Think about some of the great drummers of the past—Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, John Bonham—and consider the role the snare drum played in their music. From amazing drum rolls to loud rim shots, the snare always seems to cut through the mix.

There are even bands like the rockabilly trio Stray Cats, whose drummer Slim Jim Phantom uses only two drums—a snare and a kick drum.

The snare drum is typically the most played drum in the kit. Its versatility allows the player to create many different sounds. Loosen the chain (snare) on the bottom (resonant) head, and you instantly have a completely different sound, like that of a timbale. The head can be loosened for a deeper sound or tightened for a higher pitched sound.

Triplets played with brushes a la Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” can create the effect of a train running down the tracks, while a single stroke hammering every fourth note accentuates the driving rhythms of drummer Charlie Watts that brought The Rolling Stones from London clubs to worldwide fame.

Watch an instructional video and most any drum teacher will begin by explaining the purpose of the snare drum and its place in the drum kit. But after a few hundred years of change and evolution, the snare drum has definitely earned its place in the history of drum playing.

References:

Drum Solo.cc: Buying a Snare Drum: The Center of our Universe by Greg Gaylord

Percussion Clinic.com: Snare Drum

Written by Toby Tate

Toby Tate is a performing musician, songwriter and studio engineer from northeastern North Carolina. Currently a freelance writer, Toby was a reporter and graphic designer for The Daily Advance newspaper for five years and has had stories and articles published in regional and national magazines and on the Internet. His first novel, DIABLERO, a supernatural thriller, will be released worldwide in October by Nightbird Publishing.