Brian F. Wright For Kick It: A Social History Of The Drum Kit

Drumkit Teachings

The drum kit has played a vital part in musical acts for centuries. A book review written by Brian F. Wright for Kick It: A Social History of the Drum Kit by Matt Brennan says “[he] traces the history of the drum kit across multiple musical styles from the eighteenth century to the present” (Wright). Over the years, many different styles of playing the drum kit have been utilized and taught over several music genres such as pop, metal, rock, jazz, and country in studio recordings and live performances. Drumming has united people in many ways through what it has taught musicians. Playing the drum kit teaches valuable lessons, such as coordination, innovation, and fortitude. Playing the drum kit teaches coordination. Many

As a musical instrument, a drummer has many ways to play depending on the drummer’s experience and setup. The many sounds of the drums and cymbals can create different patterns. Creating patterns and ways to play takes creativity. Switching the tempo or playing drum patterns with different fills, the solo parts, can make the drumkit more interesting and innovative. Experimenting with the drumkit improves a drummer’s sense of innovation by hearing what sounds complimentary to the music they are playing. Others may assume it is easy to experiment with sounds because there are many parts of the drums to play; however, it is not easy creating different drumbeats or solo parts because of the creativity block between how the drummer wants the drums to sound and if the drum parts are physically playable. Jazz drumming has odd times of hitting the drums and ghost notes, where there are slight snare drum hits, which makes jazz songs flow better. Using a double pedal for the bass drum to get more hits by using speed with both feet is common within metal music. Neil Peart, the drummer of the band Rush, incorporates chimes, which are not traditionally used for a drumkit, in the intro to the song “Xanadu” off the album A Farewell to Kings. Using chimes can give a song a somber mood to a song. Performing with instruments not commonly used by the drummer is an innovative way to elevate a song into a more creative sound. In an article written by The

Julian Mainprize, drummer and audio engineer, states, “There are no short cuts when it comes to practice” (Mainprize). Playing the drumkit takes a large amount of practice if he or she wants to stick with playing the instrument. Drum rudiments are drum patterns used for practicing alternating the hands and it takes time to get the hits down at the right times with the right hands. Learning to play with a click track, that keeps in time with the tempo, helps the drummer mindfully know that they are keeping up with what song they are playing. These practices take a lot of time out of playing for fun but are very helpful and important for becoming a better drummer. Not practicing can hurt the drummer physically when they are not playing correctly and could affect the arms and legs through muscle strain. It is important to relax and not overplay. Some early drummers believe the more they play in a sitting, the faster they will progress in drumming, which is not true. Drummers need to know when they should stop and use their time wisely, so the drummer does not overwork themselves affecting their mental fortitude, physical fortitude, and passion to play. Drummers should not jump into playing songs that are outside their skill level. A drummer needs to have discipline and mental fortitude to become better at drumming. The drumkit can hurt the drummer if they do not have the right mindset in practicing correctly. Through time and keeping a