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1 - The drum kit

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Lesson 1 - The drum kit

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Details: Written by Henrik

The drum kit

This is a typical modern standard drum kit.

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The instruments:

1. bass drum	A. hihat
2. snare drum	B. crashcymbal
3. tom	C. ridecymbal
4. floor tom

This kit might not look like your kit - perhaps you have more or less of each instrument. That doesn't matter, really.

Lefties:

If you also are left feeted (kick soccer balls with your left foot) turn the kit around (mirrored).

If not - just play left hand for right and vice versa on hihat, when playing the beats.

Sticks

There are a large number of stick models to choose from in different weights, lenghts and widths. Most of the models are named with a number and a letter. However, there is no strictly logical system to it.

Start out with a model 5A. That's a standard model, which all major brand carry.
If you find ths thin or light - try a 5B.

Hand positioning and the basic stroke

Matched grip (right and left hand)

Hold the stick between the thumb and index finger. close your hand to make the other fingers touch the stick lightly and support the grip. Make the stroke with a wrist motion only. Try to be as relaxed as possible. Let the stick bounce from the playing surface.

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Traditional grip (left hand)

Grab the stick from underneath and position it between the third and fourth finger.
Use the wrist to play.

This is a technique which allowed marching drummers to play the snare drum while walking, and was also used on the drum kit.
You don't have to learn to play this grip! Most drummers play matched grip.

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Try to hit in the center of the drum. That make it sound good

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Drum kit positioning

Adjust the height of the throne to make it feel confertable - not too high and not too low. Your thighs should be about parallel to the floor with your feet placed on both pedals.

The snare should be horizontal. Too high placement might strain you, and placed too low you will obstruct the movement, because you will have to place your hand in your lap to play the snare

Adjust the heighth of the hihat so that you're able to play the hihat top cymbal with the tip of the stick and the edge with the shoulder of the stick without straining yourself.

The angle of the toms should make the sticks bounce back towards you. If you tilt the toms in a sharp angle you will hit the heads with the tip of the stick and quickly ruin the heads.

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Reading notes

Each instrument of the drum kit have their own place in the system

Drums are represented by regular notes and cymbals by X-notes. Rim clicks on the snare are also X:s

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This is not a course in reading, but nevertheless I will print out all excersices in notes

Since you can hear all excersices as well, try to match what you see with what you hear, and you will probably be fine.

The beat = quarter notes

All music have a basic beat- a pulse - written as quarter notes (in most time signatures).
These are organized in groups of four in bars (or measures).

Quarter notes on snare (and hihat foot). The bars start and end with repeat signs = repeat what 's in between the signs.