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Thread: Playing along with music

  1. #1

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    Default Playing along with music

    This week is my first attempt at playing along with music.
    My instructor gave me a cd with some music without the drum tracks.(he tells me I have come along way and its time for this..lol.).I think it has a cowbell though..Anyways its allot different that I thought.
    I find myself speeding up and slowing down and im wondering if its because im not listening to the cd loud enough that I cant hear its tempo or am I paying to much attention to the cd and losing my train of thought..I have the beat down great but its the tempo that Im struggling with
    any suggestions on this..

    Thanks
    Last edited by aunkster; 11-21-2007 at 12:54 AM. Reason: mixed up a phrase

  2. #2

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    playing along to music is so good, its like playing to a metrinome, but its music instead of a "tick" and its also just great fun. so one thing iv found, you NEED to be able to hear the drums and music equailly or else its just no fun and I find you slow and speed up, like you said. look into buying some Vic firth sterio head phones, there worth the price for sure, and can be used in many siuations. or just use earplugs and get a pair of normal head phones and clunk em on over the ear plug and ajust the volume higher or lower. theres different ways.

  3. #3

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    Honestly, just practice. And turn it up so you can hear it very well even if playing hard. Realy listen hard and be in the music rather than being on top of it.
    Hope That helps.

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    The best suggestion I have is to go get yourself some Sure E2c's and plug them into your ipod or any other player. The E3c's are noise cancelling and comfortable and failry cheap, you can get a pair of ebay for around $75. And plus later on you will most likely want them for in ear monitors on stage.

    I used to play with music on my two Mackie SRM450s but I had to turn up the music so loud that after practicing for a few hours I had a horrible head ace and my ears rang for hours. I would definately get your self either noise canelling in ear's or some over the ear stereo head phones. IMO
    http://www.drumchat.com/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=3817&dateline=1195493  851

  5. #5

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    1st: Make sure you can hear everything, while your playing, if you canm't hear it correctly, you will not play it correctly.

    2nd: Keep in time, if you find your self slowing down or speeding up, stop and start over, and listen to the song and temp vary carefully.

    3rd: Dude just keep practicing, you need to hear, your tempo will come along much better if you can hear what you are playing along to, and you will get better with practice and time.

    Keep at it man.

  6. #6

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    What's the cd/song your instructor gave you?

  7. #7

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    hey kevin. Iv noticed that your videos are really on time when you play to music. did this just come with jamming to musicc? or do you use a metrniome ALOT?

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lafirin View Post
    hey kevin. Iv noticed that your videos are really on time when you play to music. did this just come with jamming to musicc? or do you use a metrniome ALOT?
    Thanks,

    I have never one used a met, I just practice a lot, see ya.

  9. #9

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    Cool Playing along with music

    Don't know what disc your teacher gave you, aunkster, but you might want to take a look at my review of the "Turn it Up and Lay it Down" discs in the Reviews Thread. Most all of them start and end with either a count or a click-track (actually a cowbell), so you can listen for it and get the beat startin' and...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  10. #10

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    thanks kev

  11. #11

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    aunkster,

    I started my learning by playing along with my favorite songs (with the drum tracks included). It was a good way to learn tempo, but I didn't really learn tempo until I played with other musicians.

    The method your teacher prescribed - playing to recorded music with no drums and a cowbell - seems to serve an educational issue (how to fit into a band), but it doesn't compare to playing with other musicians.

    Get this under your belt and remember that any electronic tools are secondary to real-world experience and hands-on education.

    No, I still won't play Wipe Out.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by bongobro View Post
    Don't know what disc your teacher gave you, aunkster, but you might want to take a look at my review of the "Turn it Up and Lay it Down" discs in the Reviews Thread. Most all of them start and end with either a count or a click-track (actually a cowbell), so you can listen for it and get the beat startin' and...
    My instructor gave me a book and cd set called

    Rick Mattingly and rod morgansein ,,The Drumset Musician..

  13. #13

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    I just purchased a set of vic Firth stereo isolation headphones and wow what a difference it makes when playing along to music..

  14. #14

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    One thing that you might want to consider, I have a practise kit that I have bought mesh practise heads for. They feel just like real heads and they make very little sound. They work beautifully for practise because they play silently and you can hear the music clearly to learn it. Now the problem with this is you can't hear what you are playing, but you can feel it.. If you hit the snare drum and the snare hit in your ear phones is not in the same place then you know you are off. I find the advantage to it though is when I need to learn something exactly the way it was recorded they work wonderful for that. And you can practise for hours and you don't blow everyone out of the house.

  15. #15

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    I forgot to mention that you can also buy practise cymbals that are plastic. Mine are made by Pintech and were designed for triggers for electronic drums. But they feel and look like real cymbals other than the color. But they work well because you can't hear them either. I like to practise after my family has gone to bed. That way my passion for drums and music doesn't enter fear with my family time. I play for an hour or so most nights and it is a great way to relief stress and it is easy to fall asleep after I play awhile.

  16. #16

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    I started my learning by playing along with my favorite songs (with the drum tracks included).
    One thing that you might want to consider, I have a practise kit that I have bought mesh practise heads for. They feel just like real heads and they make very little sound. They work beautifully for practise because they play silently and you can hear the music clearly to learn it.
    Yeah, I did both of these. When I just began, I had a pair of sticks but no set, and I started banging on bed,couch,etc. which doesn't have good reaction, but helped in my very early stages. Once I got some practice pads, it really helped tune me into the reaction of actual drums. I played along to songs and learned to play them without a set even. First time I hopped on a set at my friend's house, I got compliments about how good I sounded. Practicing to music is pretty effective. It's how I learned

  17. #17

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    Warno, I guess as I read your reply to my post I realized i wasn't real clear what I was trying to convey in my post. The practise kit I was refering too was I bought mesh heads for a regular drum kit. They come so you can turn an acoustic set into an electronic kit with triggers. they feel like regular drum heads and tune like regular drum heads but they make very little sound on the kit. I think you were thinking on of those flimsey practise pad drum sets you can buy. I meant mesh heads for you regular drum kit. Sorry to mislead you!

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