Recipe for Success (Footwork)

[Visual3volution]

Okay, so I recently got a drum set and I have just about everything down except the footwork. When I try to add the bass drum it interferes with my drum sticks and makes me lose beat as a whole. I just can't seem to add the bass drum without screwing up my drumming on the snare and high hat. Tips or advice?

[jordison515]

Keep on practicing! You said you just got your kit. There is no recipe for success, don't let people tell you that. It takes time to keep time.

[Drumbledore]

Get a copy of Ted Reed's Syncopation book, and work through that to gain control of your hands over a simple quarter note kick first and foremost. Then take it from there, whether with books, videos or the advice of a drum teacher. In fact any competent drum teacher should have a copy of the Syncopation book. You need to have that basic control first before you worry about fancier footwork.

[Russ]

Reduce your tempo, practice hitting bass/snare or bass/hat 20 times each. Since you're still working through getting the strokes down, the best way to come at this is to take it slow and develop a feel for it. It's good to know what the problem is, now you can isolate it and in no time have it down. Try these drills 5x each:

(B=bass, H=hihats, S=snare)

B B B B
H H H H

B B B B
S S S S

[kyle102565]

it has taken me a year, playing every day to hit what i want when i want. even now i still miss the hats on "and" between 2 and 3. drives me nuts but thats how i play. over 600 hrs of seat time!! my first few weeks i could lay down a mean polka beat.
learning to play drums takes dedication and lots of time. keep at it and you will get it. once you do, drumming is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[MR. G]

Hi...I had mentioned something similar earlier to the forum and most feedback was practice. I found myself hitting the bass when I was supposed to be hitting the snare....almost a complete 180. Keeping good time, just hitting the wrong drum. Still having that same problem. It causes me to wonder and prompted me to ask the forum if , because I was having that problem as a beginner, I would have to work x tra hard to recover. I really just wanted to know if that is a common problem when first starting out and a difficult one to overcome. Still don't know the answer and certainly didn't want to hear " more practice " which would occur regardless. Along the same thread I asked if it was detremental to pick up bad habits from the beginning....didn't really get an answer there either. My guess is everyone is going to struggle with something along the way and those struggles will change as performance improves. For example, it would be hard for someone to say " You'll never be a good drummer if you can't even hold the sticks right " To each is own and the skill of drummer is as personal and individual as their drumset itself. I hope you don't feel discouraged, but if you do, chime in and take some pressure off. Enjoy. By the way...care to share your set-up ? P.S. there is a thread for that !

[slinglander]

Visual3volution,
This is not uncommon, lots of us lead with the right hand or right foot. During fills many drummers don't even use their right foot until the they come in on the beat.
But to get used to the hand/foot combo, try sitting at the practice pad and "bounce" or tap both feet alternately to the rudiments' (you'll be keeping time unconsciously). It's actually hard not to. (Think nervous foot tap.) Eventually you'll develop simple foot independence without really working at it. Eventually your feet will actually coordinate with your hands. This is really tough to do while standing at a drum and practicing since both feet and legs can't be moving without causing you to fall over! Marching isn't fast enough to keep up with speedier rudiments at their outset.
Again, tho, it's still comes down to repetition.

[Visual3volution]

Thanks for the feedback. I honestly don't want to spend my money on DVD's or books considering that I spent my own money on this drum set. On top of that, I'm having legal problems. All I have to say is practicing does wonders, and I managed to get my footwork down.

[Larrysperf]

1 word OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER

[DamageDrummer]

1 word OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER

multitasking has to become part of your everyday life also.

with time, you wont even notice that you ever had that problem in the first place. you will be onto bigger and better things.


just wait until you try the double pedal!