Drumming is a challenging and rewarding hobby, but like any skill, it takes time and effort to master. One of the biggest obstacles for beginner drummers is avoiding common mistakes that can impede their progress.
What are the most common mistakes made by beginner drummers?
In this article, we will explore the top five mistakes made by beginner drummers and provide tips on how to avoid them.
6 Common Mistakes Made by Beginner Drummers
1) Poor posture
One of the most common mistakes made by beginner drummers is poor posture. Sitting too high or too low, slouching, and not keeping your sticks at the proper angle can all lead to strain and injury.
When playing drums, it is important to sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. Make sure your arms and sticks are at the right angle so you don’t get hurt. Practice basic technique exercises to help you gain control over the different parts of your drum kit.
How to avoid poor posture?
I can’t stress this enough because it’ll affect your drumming experience. I gave some tips to finding the ideal height of your drum throne (or chair) previously. If you find that your back tends to ache after drumming practice, check your posture!
2) Poor technique
This is fairly common in self-taught drummers. We tend to imitate YouTubers or Vloggers because we assume that they are doing it right, only to realize later down the road that we’ve been using poor drumming technique.
The impact of this mistake is usually not significant in the beginning. However as you advance in your journey as a drummer, you may find that some of these poor practices are keeping you back or impeding you from drumming faster.
How to avoid poor technique?
Unfortunately, proper technique is often best achieved by taking lessons from a qualified instructor. You do not need to attend in-person classes to pick up proper technique, e-learning platforms with active instructors who can help guide you will work too. However, if you’re learning via the latter, you should actively seek feedback on your technique.
3) Neglecting the basics
Many beginner drummers get caught up in learning fancy fills and solos, but neglect the basics. It’s important to master the fundamental rudiments, such as the single and double stroke roll, before moving on to more advanced techniques.
How to avoid neglecting your basics?
It can be boring to just focus on mastering the basics before moving on to more advanced techniques. Instead, you can set aside a fixed time period (start with 15 – 20 mins) in each of your practice sessions to revisit the basics.
4) Not practicing regularly
Consistency is key when learning to play the drums. I get it, it can get boring when you seem to not be improving. But trust me, stick with your practice, give it time and you’ll feel the benefits real soon.
How to avoid the dread of practicing?
Set aside regular practice time, even if it’s just a few minutes a day and stick to a consistent schedule.
You can add some variation to your practice. For example you could try to learn to drum to your favorite pop song (pop songs tend to have simpler grooves, haha).
5) Not using a metronome
A metronome is a valuable tool for drummers as it helps with timing and rhythm. Many beginner drummers neglect to use one, which can impede your progress.
This is especially important if you intend to play with a band – no one will jam with a drummer who can’t hold their beats!
Incorporate the use of a metronome into your practice routine. Today, you don’t even have to buy a metronome to do this, just look for a free metronome app on the Apple Store or Play Store (android), or just do a web search for one!
6) Not listening to other drummers
Listening to other drummers, whether they be professionals or fellow students, can provide valuable insights into different techniques and styles.
Listen to a wide range of drummers to gain inspiration and insights which can help you improve!
There’re plenty of well-produced cover videos on YouTube, TikTok and more these days. Just hop on those platforms during your non-practice hours.
Keep going!
The common mistakes listed here can be easily avoided, I hope I have provided useful and actionable tips above.
Continue to challenge yourself and strive for improvement. This can be done by taking lessons, studying with a teacher, or attending workshops and drum clinics. There are also many online resources available, such as instructional videos and drumming forums.
All the best and keep practicing!
