Matt's Drumming Philosophy
The key to becoming a good drummer is learning how to keep time. A drummer with "good time" will make the music feel good by providing a solid foundation upon which the rest of the band will be able to build their musical parts. Some key elements of good time-keeping are:
- Tempo
- playing at a consistant speed or rate, not slowing down or speeding up unintentionally.
- Feel
- playing a "beat", or a rhythm that complements the music.
- Space
- leaving room for the other instuments and vocals, less is more.
- Rhythm
- Understanding rhythm is perhaps the most important element of time-keeping. Drum "beats" are really just combinations of different rhythms. By combining notes that have different values of duration (short notes and long notes), we can create different rhythms.
Drumming is fun! Playing the drums is both musical and physical, and what better way to let out stress than by hitting things! As with any musical instrument, learning the drums does require discipline. If you really want to learn how to play, you will have to practice. And I promise to keep the lessons fun.