Premier Rock Forum

A few weeks ago, I had this idea to put together a small hybrid "kit" for a project I'm working on. Real hi-hats and something to trigger samples. But as I was thinking about it and researching, I found out about electronic drum kits and how they've evolved over the years. So now I have a sort of frankensteined full bore electronic kit and am trying to teach myself how to play it.

I've been playing pretty much everyday and have seen some improvement but I really don't know what the hell I'm doing. There are a ton of drum youtubers, but I honestly don't jive with a lot of them or find it difficult to figure out which of the myriad of things they talk about to prioritize. I've been doing rudiments with a metronome and also playing a long to drumless audio, which is fun. But I feel like I need a more solid practice routine. Some weaknesses are: still having some limb independence struggles (mostly with the hi hat pedal), figuring out the right way to do heel up on the bass drum, and uh, everything else I guess.

Any drummers here have tips for a good beginner routine? I would like to be as good as Jaki Liebezeit by springtime.

i've been stuck on the first 6 pages of stick control for over 20 years so i'm probably not much help.

is todd trainer still teaching?

pater_toma wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 10:23 pmSome weaknesses are: still having some limb independence struggles (mostly with the hi hat pedal)

I told a young dude looking to learn the other week to work on this first. You don’t even need a kit to practice these patterns: start with hands first and maybe work in your kick foot (hi hat foot probably not as important at first).

I wouldn’t get too obsessed with technique like heel up stuff at first. I think the key is to play: be able to hold tempo and not fall off playing along to stuff. That’s the fun part anyway. Drills and exercises are fine but no need to let that stop you from diving in.

I started playing when I was 10. I'm 61 now. FM penningtron is right, you can do foot work anywhere, anytime. I do, still to this day. It's more satisfying doing it behind drums, but one of my teachers advocated spending mindless time pattering your feet when he was getting me more comfortable with samba and other Latin beats. And just play and don't be afraid to do the same thing over and over with little variations to develop consistent patterns. Playing along to music is fine and is what my first teacher did to bring me along when I finally, after 2 years of exclusive snare drum study, got to sit behind a kit and play along with him. But a song is just a series of patterns and if you can't play one successfully, you can't string several together to make a song.

Rudiments are important in your second or third year of playing. Starting a guitar player on scales is a mistake, too, I think. The "Basic Beat" is the barre chord of drumming. Focus on that for 80% of your practice.

The important thing is to get limb independence and the ability to play a beat. With the right band, you could have an entire career and gold records and never touch the floor tom.

Hi-hat, kick, snare. Understanding that relationship is understanding rock and roll. Add ride cymbal if you want to play jazz.

I still remember the sensation of the neural pathway opening when I was first able to disconnect my right foot from my right hand. I was in my bedroom in fourth grade, bashing at my new/old drum kit, and I remember the first time I played a pair of eighth notes on my kick drum and my hand didn't go there too. This is the fundamental process of learning to play drums: prying these neural pathways open so that your hands and feet can do different stuff at the same time.

Practicing rudiments will make you a better drummer. Playing along with AC/DC records will make you a better musician. Do the latter FIRST.

Good advice here.

It sounds like if you can (even basically) play along with songs, you have some independence with ride/snare and kick, is that correct? If so, that's a great milestone, and you should feel like you're beginning to make real music.

I started in a concert band/orchestra world where we did the traditional thing of learning rudiments on a practice pad and that was supposed to be fundamental to everything that came after. I don't want to negate that, but 40 years of playing in rock bands, I'd really have to say limb independence is more relevant. (Again, not that you shouldn't know how to hold sticks, do bounces/flams/paradiddles.) I used the old Ted Reed SYNCOPATION book and if you can get the gist of all those kick/snare patterns under 8th note and swing ride patterns, you will have a very good grip on independence that will fundamental for most contexts of drum kit playing.

You mention hi-hat playing. Good hat technique adds so much subtlety and personality to a song. I'd caution that adding left foot before you feel like you've hit a threshold with kick/snare/ride MIGHT be a little frustrating, so maybe honestly assess where you're at. Disco, funk, soul - all good styles to play along to if you want to develop hi-hat.

My final thought is you could start looking at how to incorporate rudiments into the drum kit. I have a book called "200 Paradiddle Exercises for Drums" that's been helpful. I think historically, rudiments were taught to drummers on a snare and there aren't very clear examples of how those apply to the drum kit. I don't know that I'd recommend going down the rudiment path right now if, as you said, independence is your current focus. You can bring in the Danny Carey stuff later on.

Ok one more final thought: try to find some people to play with. That can only improve upon what you're learning independently, and no book or video can replace interacting in-person with other musicians.

dontfeartheringo wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 7:48 am Rudiments are important in your second or third year of playing. Starting a guitar player on scales is a mistake, too, I think. The "Basic Beat" is the barre chord of drumming. Focus on that for 80% of your practice.

The important thing is to get limb independence and the ability to play a beat. With the right band, you could have an entire career and gold records and never touch the floor tom.

Hi-hat, kick, snare. Understanding that relationship is understanding rock and roll. Add ride cymbal if you want to play jazz.

I still remember the sensation of the neural pathway opening when I was first able to disconnect my right foot from my right hand. I was in my bedroom in fourth grade, bashing at my new/old drum kit, and I remember the first time I played a pair of eighth notes on my kick drum and my hand didn't go there too. This is the fundamental process of learning to play drums: prying these neural pathways open so that your hands and feet can do different stuff at the same time.

Practicing rudiments will make you a better drummer. Playing along with AC/DC records will make you a better musician. Do the latter FIRST.

All of this, 100%. The Cars first record is another great one to play along with.

What do yall think about:

Learning one drum at a time, ie starting on snare, adding a tom, hihat, whatever?

I ask because I have a 4 year old (?!) we are starting music lessons later this year when she turns 5. She’s got dinky instruments to play around with and consistently chooses drums. I just keep a damn snare and marching sticks on the coffee table covered with a tea towel that she plays around with or gives it a satisfying whack while watching tv or passing by.

I don’t want to sound like a stage dad. The music lessons are just a thing for to get involved with and develop a structure for learning outside of home and school, like ballet or whatever. We’ve already been doing toddler singing lessons where the parents have to join in and dance and stuff and she loved it, but that teacher moved away. I just don’t know enough about drums to know if a little kit set would help once she gets going.

I played along to this song (air drums):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buMcFUZVqaA

I think I sat on the toilet.

Dave Grohl used pillows to beat on.

twelvepoint wrote: try to find some people to play with. That can only improve upon what you're learning independently, and no book or video can replace interacting in-person with other musicians.

I'm a big believer in this approach!

dontfeartheringo wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 7:48 am I still remember the sensation of the neural pathway opening when I was first able to disconnect my right foot from my right hand. I was in my bedroom in fourth grade, bashing at my new/old drum kit, and I remember the first time I played a pair of eighth notes on my kick drum and my hand didn't go there too. This is the fundamental process of learning to play drums: prying these neural pathways open so that your hands and feet can do different stuff at the same time.

I remember that moment well too. I was drumming on my mom’s wicker chair For me it was a hands thing: a very typical 90s Brit pop beat with off beat snare hits.

Figuring out how to do a drum roll was a big deal as well. Felt like learning a magic trick.