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23 March 2005

Drum Essentials

We are now planning for our 2005 Cuba and Brasil programs.
Please email me for more information.

Study Drums in Brazil!
Go here for info!

Cuba Drum Study program
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STUDY DRUMS IN CUBA |STUDY DRUMS IN BRASIL

WEB SPECIALS

LESSONS ARCHIVE

Poncho Sanchez
Conga CookBook

Order Here

AfroCaribbean
Drumset Grooves

Examples Here
Order Here

 

DRUM ESSENTIALS

•    Picking the right stick

For me, this decision is often based on the music I’m playing. Louder music does not have to mean a heavy stick, though. A heavy stick can actually fatigue your hand and arm muscles. I prefer two models of sticks, one my standard model and one a bit beefier. Each has a round tip for good cymbal definition.

•    Picking the right heads

Another personal choice and one in which the music has a lot to say. A coated head seems to allow for more tone from the drum and definitely is the choices for brushes! So many choices. How about listening to your favorite drummers, see what they play and try ‘em out!

•    Picking the Drums/Cymbals/Percussion

Probably the most personal of decisions. What do your favorite players play? You must like their sound. Check out their equipment and see if it works for you. Experiment with different shell thicknesses and construction and those combinations with heads. It can be a long process but the drums are your canvas where you will be creating. Cymbals and percussion can be answered in this way also.

•    Drum Maintenance

Drums need to be maintained: cleaned, oiled, lubed, heads changed for maximum performance. Sounds like your taking care of your car. You depend on your drums, right? Take care of them. Fix those rattles and dead spots. Learn the ins and outs of your instrument. You’ll be proud of them and will learn to play them better!

•    Practice Habits

            Listen to what you practice. Is it balanced? Not too heavy in certain       areas, too light in others?

            Watch your body as you practice. Are you tense or rigid? Learn to relax through the motions. Remember to breathe.

            Feel your body work. Relax and let your body work in its most natural       way, finding the most natural positioning from your body and flow       around the drumset .

            If you do two of the above three things you will be close to doing what is  the most important thing when practicing, concentrating.

            Develop a routine of practice where, at the end of a set period of time,       you can actually see what you have been practice and know what you       have accomplished.

•    Quick Exercise Tips

Warm up before you play. Try and get your arms and legs working, moving blood into the limbs so that they will operate more efficiently. Stretch. Learn a little bit of Yoga to loosen up your legs, lower back, shoulders. Learn how to breathe. Read. Communicate.
Exercise your brain and soul as well as your body.

•      Incorporating New Sounds

With the explosion of Afro-Caribbean music and other music of the world, the opportunity to add new sounds to your drum set has never been greater. A cowbell foot pedal? A conga? How about some new types of cymbals? (Or a used cymbal, buried somewhere in your local drum store?!) Something to give you that little edge that’ll have them calling you back for the next gig!

•    Health, Hearing, etc.

      Drink plenty of water. Always. How about 96 ounces a day. Your body is three quarters water and you’re losing this water all the time. Your body needs to be replenished with fresh, clean water. Eating at home is usually not a problem. Eat lighter before a gig. On the road you really need discipline to stay away from the fast food places. But there are many chains where you can manage to eat right. Search them out. You’ll feel better and your playing may reflect the healthier eating style.

•    Tips for People Just Getting Started

Groove, groove, then groove some more. You’re the drummer and it’s your job to lay down a beat. You’re the foundation of the band. (Of course, there are styles of music where you can play freer.) Beware the temptation to play that new fill you’ve been working on. Do not sacrifice the music for your own experimentation. The musicians with whom you’re playing will appreciate your discipline. Listen to your favorite players and find out what makes them your favorites. With all the new technology available to you (Internet, Web Sites, email, etc.) maybe you can even talk with them. But, above all, play for the music.

•    Tips for Parents Getting Their Kids Started

Find a good teacher or school in your area, preferably one who teaches kids at similar ages as your own. Perhaps talk with the teacher first and see what he expects from your child. Is this something that you can live with? Your child will need time and a place to practice. Let your kids find out for themselves if they enjoy what they are doing. No need to push them. They will find their own level. Most importantly, with the help and direction of a qualified teacher, the study of music will help your child learn about discipline and practice, study and work, and the benefits of a job well done.

Please do write to me at chuck@chucksilverman.com
with any comments!

Much thanks to Sibelius software for assisting me with these lessons! A very easy and intuitive program for music notation and much more.

 

Samba Snare Pattern	Dbl. Handed Samba	Essential Groove	Candombe Groove	Latin Funk.1	LatinFunk.2
Playing Clave Drum Set Grooves	Clave Drum Set Grooves. 2	First Cuban Lesson	Changuito Solo Idea Video	Advanced Coordination Exercise	Matanzas Catá
Cascara Hand Exercise #2	What Should You Learn?	MI Lesson Mozambique	Cascara Application #3	Cascara Application #4	Singles Exercise
Songo Basic2	Songo Basic3	Rumba from Havana	Rumba from Matanzas	Maracas Applications	Cascara Hand Exercise
Hand WarmUps	Double Bass Workout	Three Sixteen Hand Exer.	Five Four Hand Exer.	Columbia from Matanzas	Basic Songo
Samba Reggae	Memphis Soul Stew	Paradiddle Pyramid	Comprehensive History of Congas	Baião Rhythm	Clave Warmups
Ostinato Ex.	More Double Bass	Abakwa for Drum Set	Cuban Drum Grooves	Abakwa Drums	Poncho's Mambo
Partido Alto	Partido Alto + Hand Exercises	Manny Oquendo Legendary Musician	How to Make Transitions	More Transition Information	Basic Samba
Musical Odd Note Groupings using Triplets.	More Musical Odd Note Groupings using Triplets.	Interesting Sticking Ideas	New York Style Mozambique	MI Class	New Ride Pattern
Candombe Hand Exercise	Lombardo Lesson #1	Lombardo Lesson #2	Groovin' Independence	Basic Brasilian Rhythms	Double Bass Cowbell Lessons
Latin Hand Patterns	Latin Rudiments	5 against 2 Hand Patterns	Changuito Melodic Independence	Cascara Funk Lesson	FunkyTwist!
Make It Funky!	More Brasilian Lessons	Why You Drum!	Articles of Independence	Dave Lombardo Power Grooves lesson	Candombe
Killer Timbale Solo	Memphis Soul Stew	Memphis Soul Stew.2	Palo Drum Set Lesson	Palo Drum Set Lesson.2	Get That Funk Outta Here!!
Chachacha for drum set	World Percussion Class	Turning Tamborim	Two Cowbell Pattern	Great Groove from Cuba	Reading Lesson

 

Thanks once again for visiting my lessons page, and for checking out the website. If I can be of any help to you, please drop me an email. And don't forget to check out the books, CDs, and videos available here. Thanks!

 

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