Teaching yourself drums...Possible?

Ok, where I live there are only a couple drum teachers, and they are booked solid. However, I still want to play drums. Would it be possible to teach myself how to play?

Is there a recommended book that I could get? Or maybe some DVD's or something?

Well, I am completely self taught and I think it's definitely possible.

But, when I say I'm self taught, I mean I've been on drumline, I've watched many videos online and asked other drummers about grip and technique.

I'd say it's possible as long as you start simple. Too many drummers today wanna play crazy fast stuff and never learn to just groove with a band. Grip is also CRUCIAL. YOU MUST MUST MUST get excellent technique and grip somehow. there are great videos online like a vicfirth.com. Dom's videos on vic firth are pretty sweet. Also, as far as books, Stick Control is the #1 I've always heard and been recommended.

I'd say it's a great way to get started, but you should recieve personal instruction sometime as far as concerning grip and technique definitely. And again, start off doin simple stuff and just groovin. Pop in some simple stuff in the headphones and groove along.

I'm sure i missed somethin tho so thats my 2 cents.

well damn, i feel like a slacker because im self-taught and never read a book on technique or how to hold my sticks. i just did what felt comfortable and natural for me... all that i think i was taught was how to do paradiddles; and that was my friend who said it as an aside.

anywho, it definitely is possible. hell, i did it and look at me now...ok, ive gone nowhere, but that's besides the point.

yea, you can do it:thu:

I want to just play for fun. Ironically, one of my favorite drumming styles is the White Stripes, even though I know that it's very, very simple drumming.

I'm just looking to have fun with it. I'm thinking I'll get a set and start playing!

Are there DVD's I could get to show stick control? I'm on really crappy dial-up, so videos online are out for me.

Get the book Stick Control for the Snare Drummer, by George Lawrence STONE. It's an awesome book, guaranteed to help you if you "stick" with it

Drumming's pretty simple. Using sticks correctly; that's another matter. Stick control IS ROCKET SCIENCE. Even tried and true traditional methods don't always cut it. Fortunately at the 'have a good time' level all you need is good time. Learn to love that feeling of oneness with the groove. Don't be afraid to get your arms involved. Make SMOOTH motions. Don't be afraid to get your arms involved. They're natural time keepers.

You'll have to do some slow, dedicated work on grip(s) and actually striking a drum; no avoiding it. I'd stay away from traditional and start right away with matched grip but no biggie at this point.

One thing I'd caution against, and especially in a rock context, is stay away from the easy fulcrum, bouncy bouncy BS. You need to develop muscles. Hold the sticks long; at the end if you can. Learn to use your arms. Rock grooves are about where the halves and quarters lay.

Repeat wit duh feet.

Dennis Chambers is self taught.

I'm self taught... and it shows!

I know I'll have to put practice in with the sticks. I'm not worried by that at all. I want to learn to play, and if I have to teach myself, I will.

I'll get the books recommended once I get a kit and some sticks and I'll be sure to practice controlling the sticks.

Thanks for the advice everyone and keep it coming!

All I can say is that your salvation lies in DVD's. One drum dvd can be worth 100 lessons from a top pro.

Im also self taught. Got some DVD's a rudiments book. And lots of great friends that are players. (side benifit of being a sound guy) I take a lesson every now and then to just get pointers for improvement.

It can be done and done very nicely. It takes time. And here it comes....

Practice, Practice and Yep More Practice. There is more to this gig then just the sticks. Starts from setting up the kit, Tuning the kit. Yea more practice.

Oh yea, Did I mention Practice With a metronome..... But once you get it and can hold the pocket and do some nice grooves.. Yea. Its fun!

Keep us posted on your progress... And heck You got a good start. You found a great place for information, and tips... So leave a buck in the tip jar LOL

Mike

no, not possible, there's no way to learn anything by yourself without someone holding your hand through the entire process. what i would do is go find an instructor who will sit right behind you and spoon you while he moves your arms where they need to go, like when i taught my wife how to swing a baseball bat.

also, if your kit doesn't look like this, you're doing something wrong

(all kidding aside, of course you can teach yourself! go to vicfirth.com and work on rudiments and watch their instructional stuff, and buy some books/DVDs if you like. most of all, play play play and have fun!)

Even though the teachers are booked solid, don't give up trying to find one.

DVDs, Books, websites....they can all be very helpful, but actually interacting with another REAL LIVE DRUMMER can help even more. Even if the "official" teachers aren't available, find some other drummers to hang with and get some tips from them.

One of the biggest problems with any "self taught" enterprise is that often the student THINKS they're doing something correctly, when in fact they aren't. Having somebody who knows what they're doing take a look at what's up can correct a lot of problems very quickly.

Semi-related: I play a lot of golf, and have heard every golf tip in the book, and can identify and correct errors in other people's swings pretty easily. I took a series of lessons a couple years ago and it was VERY helpful. Some of the stuff I though I was doing fine turned out to be way off, and without a trained teacher identifying this stuff, I'd still be making these mistakes without knowing any better.

Especially early on, when you're establishing fundimentals that you'll be building on for the rest of your "drumming career", it can be real helpful to have somebody neutral take a look at what's going on.

Anyway, other than that, there are a million books and dvds out there, and many can be very helpful.

also, if your kit doesn't look like this, you're doing something wrong

Yes...definitely...build your own "siamese monster" first...then teach yourself how to slay it!

I am also self taught other than asking a good friend of mine (who is a great drummer) a few questions when I got started. I got a few DvD's/books along the way and they helped me overcome some things but the thing that helps me the most is just playing with my band and pushing myself to do thing I though I would never be able to do. Am I a hack? more than likely but I pull it off and get the job done.

I'm completely self taught. For the first five years I never even cracked a book or watched a video. Actually I didn't even have any drumming friends for the first couple years... when I got my kit, now that I think about it, it was kind of like I was from an alien planet... I just listened to the sounds of the drums on records and tried to figure it out. I used to play a lot of stuff that was actually the bass drum on the low tom because I was confused. I'm a leftie but it never occured to me to set up left-handed, so for almost a year I played open-handed before someone suggested to try switching everything around.

It's all pretty funny when I think about it now.

But things have worked out fine, I've recorded and gigged a lot in the last decade or so and never felt like not having had lessons has hurt me, although when I have the time and money I would like to take some. Actually a while back I got Stick Control and every now and then I work at some excercizes.

Often I'm just to busy playing in bands to practice, much less have lessons!

Anyhow, I'd certainly reccomend you get lessons, but if you can't right now, don't let that stop you! And you have us to help, too...

I think you can do it. Instructional dvd's will give you access to a variety of teaching styles and you should check out different genres. I learned while "on the slab" the night i was abducted by aliens but, I think if you practice and challenge yourself, you can teach yourself. Work on rudiments with your hands and feet. Pace yourself. NEVER GIVE UP!

Possible? I think a better question would be: any drummers who can play all the rudiments and sight read? Self taught is the norm in drums. I would support what others have said in here.

I am self taught, I too would listen to songs and hear what was being played. I also air drummed for years as a teenager! Many a night the light in my room was being turned on as I was swinging my arms and playing air bass with my foot while wearing headphones listening to "King Biscit" or "Rockline" "GO TO BED! and quit stomping your feet!" my parents would scream.

Get some sticks and a pratice pad NOW, don't wait until you get a set. Don't wait to learn how to drive until you get a car. Learning how to hold the sticks, how to hit the head (or pad) with the least effort and how to KEEP TIME without rushing or dragging is still important even when self taught. Learn the basics now on a pad, it will make it easier and faster when you get your set.

Yes all the books mentioned, any music store or on line store might have some instructional DVDs. Look for beginner drums, Drumset basics, new to drums, drumset for dummies as keywords.

It really does take pratice, practice! You might be really disappointed if you wait until you get a set and then exspect to learn everything drums in a week.

Self teaching can be done, but it's like riding a bike and learning to drive....You ARE going to fall on your ass and make mistakes MANY, MANY, MANY times.

You keep practicing, read up as much as you can, watch concert, instructional, etc videos. go see a live drummer, read on here, practice more....there is no simple answer...practice and what works for me may not work for you. But if you really want to drum, get a pad and start now and take money out of each check you get for a drumset fund, good luck man....

Of course it's possible. I read stories in Modern Drummer about guys who learned this way. I think it would take you a lot longer to learn that way. I started out taking lessons. I NEVER would have been able to figure it out on my own. Not that it's complicated, you just gotta know how to get started.

As far as books or DVDs, I'd recommend something like http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Beginner-Drum-Basics/dp/B00005YWK2. I've seen others out there. This way you can see how to hold the sticks etc.

Many have recommended "Stone Stick Control". While this is a great method book, you're not ready for that yet. If all you want to do is play rock and have fun, the DVD I mentioned would help alot. It'd be $20 well spent. I'm afraid that if you bought "Stone Stick Control" without a teacher, you'd be lost and pretty soon put it down never to be picked up again.

I think Meg White is an awesome drummer by the way. Definitley simple, but it's perfect for the tunes she does. However, she is by no means any simpler that Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, Phil Rudd, and many other rock drummers.

Be aware that it will take a lot of practice to be even a half assed drummer. You should practice 30 minutes or more each day. It will be frustating at first, but once you get it, it'll be like riding a bicycle.

Good luck and most of all, have fun.