Electronic drumming for Beginners

Source: www.guitarguitar.co.uk

So you want to be a rockstar? What’s that? You didn’t think you said it out loud? You didn’t, but we know. Oh yes, we know. And nothing is cooler than being the drummer of any band. Just ask the likes of Ringo Starr (The Beatles), Phil Collins (Genesis), Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac); they were the very heartbeat, the pulse that pulls you forward, the Pied Piper leading the rest of the musicians in a joyful expression of musical awesomeness.

Are you inspired yet? You should be. But you’ve got to start somewhere, and the Roland Electronic Drum Kit from GuitarGuitar is a very good place to start. 

Roland TD-1DMK All Mesh V-Drums Electronic Drum Kit

The first thing you need to know about this drum kit is that it’s budget-friendly. This is especially helpful when you’re a start-up muso and you don’t want to spend all the cash you have on something that might never amount to more than a hobby.

But if you’re committed, and you’re in it to win it, then this is the way to go, because even though it’s a good beginner kit, you can use it right up into when you’re an intermediate drummer. 

What makes it great for beginners

Several features of this drum kit are dual-purpose in that they are cool and useful. 

1. Dual-layer mesh heads – which offer a realistic and responsive playing experience. Like you’re playing on the real deal. And just like the real deal, you can adjust the tension as you would on an acoustic drum kit.
2. High-quality drum sounds – on this specific set you’ll find 15 different kits with fantastic sound. You’re literally going to be “rockin’ ready”. Whoop!
3. On-board coaching function – a feature that allows you to practice your timing around your kit and to balance the strokes between your left and right hands. This is a great way for you, the beginner, to learn the basics and eventually refine your skills when you’re halfway to being a pro!

Why you should buy an electronic drum kit

So, let’s be honest – when it comes to announcing to your family and friends that you’ve decided to learn to play the drums; you can expect wide-eyed hesitation and reluctantly encouraging smiles while everyone envisions perpetual, monotonous crashing of the same drumbeat for the next 5 years.

Doesn’t do much for your confidence. Then imagine that you could (before they’ve even voiced their concerns) provide them with a solution to the “noise” problem. Right? Everybody wins! 

And aside from the noise, there’s a whole bunch of other really good reasons you need an electronic drum kit!

1. Low volume – which means that you can play your kit anytime, night, or day. At most, the family is going to be hearing the “ambient” sound of the sticks and the kick beater striking the pads. 
2. Small size – we love that electronic kits are mostly compact which means they can fit into smaller spaces or even a corner of your room. No need to convert an unsuspecting living room into a music studio!
3. Portability – with smallness comes the ease of transport. Gone are the days when you and the mates need a whole van to cart your kit around! And some electronic drum kits even come with their own set of bags.
4. Learning and practice – most kits come with metronomes and play-along tracks and some even include training tools like exercises and drills. This will go down a treat with the folks when they realise they don’t have to fork out for music lessons, just yet!

DID YOU KNOW? Most e-kits come with an inbuilt recording option so that when you’re finally at that level you can (gasp) create your very own professional soundtracks without the hassle of microphones and preamps!!

But wait! There’s more! When you’re at the point of playing gigs, because otherwise what’s the point – with your e-kit you hand the sound engineers a pair of cables and BOOM! They do the rest. 

What do I need to get started?

This is a good question, and surprisingly you don’t need a lot to get started at all. You need but 5 things (of which skill is not even one of them).

• An electronic drum kit
• A pair of sticks (drum sticks)
• A pair of headphones (so only you can hear the sweet sound of your beats, for now)
• A computer (for set-up, the program, the manual, etc)

DID YOU KNOW? There are some top professional drummers who never went to music school or got any music lessons in their life? Be encouraged, if they could teach monkeys to go into space; you can learn how to play the drums, even if you learn on your own.

How do I learn to play drums without music lessons?

Another good question. You’re catching on quickly! Thankfully the internet is a smorgasbord of options, all of which are available to you in the very comfort of your own home. Learning to play the drums is a numbers game, like with any instrument. 

The more time you spend, the better you get at it. You’ll need to practice various coordination and timing-based exercises amongst a whole bunch of other things. Don’t despair, help is on the way!

• Ultimately, a few private lessons with an experienced instructor is first prize for learning, especially at the beginning, even if just for a little while. 
• But, you can definitely get quality lessons online through various platforms such as YouTube and other instructional channels. If you don’t believe me, check out this cool video:

A Beginner’s Guide To Electronic Drums

• Video lessons – with all sorts of restrictions many music teachers are offering their services through video calls, such as Skype and Zoom.
• Paid and free online courses through really cool platforms like Open University and Udemy.

There are also really cool websites with guys out there wanting you to learn and grow in your drumming. I mean, can there ever really be too many drummers? Have you ever watched Drumline?

Check out Your Music Insider website for beginner drummers, it includes videos and useful links to more details on everything you need to know as you get started on your drumming journey.

Another great website is from Roland themselves on A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Electronic Drums. 

Let’s get started! What are you waiting for?

Now that you have pretty much all the information you’re going to need to decide whether you want to commit to this drumming gig or not; we’ll leave you with this tasty little video of 5 fun and easy songs for drums that you can learn in just 10 days!

5 Fun/Easy Songs For Drums In 10 Days

Stephen Taylor (the drumming teacher dude) even provides the sheet music for you to download! Uh, yes please already!