How to Improve Your Drum Skills with Online Lessons

Like a lot of skills, drumming takes a lot of hard work to perfect. The best drummers you know did not get there by hitting a few rudiments. They got there through blood and sweat and non-stop practice.

It may be a long and hard road but it’s not impossible. You can get to their level and even aim higher, as long as you put in the effort of perfecting your craft.

You have already taken the first steps of learning the basics of drumming; it may be a long journey, but your interest and determination will get you right where you need to be.

This journey may have many wins for you, but it can also have a few setbacks, such as the pandemic that we are currently experiencing. But you can still improve your drum skills by signing up for online drum lessons for adults through schools like Music House.

You can now conveniently learn the double stroke and paradiddle in the comforts of your home using your own instrument. There’s no need to adjust to a new environment or be uncomfortable because of other students in the music studio. Plus, you can have your pick of the greatest drum teachers available. 

Here’s how you can improve your drumming skills with online lessons!

1. Find an Excellent Virtual Music School

The first thing you should do is look for the best music school for your online drumming lessons. It does not need to be the most expensive or prestigious one. The perfect school would be one where you feel comfortable, especially with your instructor or teacher.

You can try signing up on online music schools where your friends are enrolled or try other excellent ones like Music House. This particular school offers private online classes and socially distant group sessions, whichever you feel comfortable with.

Make sure to take a look at what the facility offers. See what school can help you improve your drumming skills to be at par with John Bonham.

 2. Practice, Practice, Practice

Online drum lessons for adults can teach you the basics and the advanced skills of drumming. They can help you learn how to do the single stroke, double stroke, and other vital rudiments. 

However, the only way you can master these skills is through practice. You need to play it over and over again until you feel comfortable doing it. The key is repetition. You need to repeat it many times until it becomes a reflex action to you. 

The best music schools have supplementary video classes that students can view anytime they want. They should also have a community forum where students like you can ask a question anytime you need help.

 3. Be Consistent

Aside from repetition, consistency is also the key to improving your drumming skills. This means that you should be consistent in practice. You should try to reserve at least 30 minutes per day to practice your skills. 

Avoid skipping practice sessions for long periods like three to four days and then trying to make up for it by drumming for four hours straight. This can lead to feelings of burnout or being fed up.

It is more healthy to put in little practice times every day. Set a time for your drumming practice, which you should adhere to every day.

 4. Rest If You Must

Online classes and playing consistently without rest can become exhausting over time. So when you feel tired, have some pain in your hands, or feel a little overwhelmed, make sure to take all the rest you need. 

Playing should elicit pleasant feelings and not make you tense nor stressed out. Be sensible and improve your abilities at the right pace that works for you to avoid over-practicing.

 5. Remember the Basics

The basics are your foundation.  Make sure to master it first before moving on to the more advanced skill sets. Polish your single and double strokes and refine key rudiments like paradiddle. Improve your tempo and beat with consistency, then take your playing to the next level once you think you are ready.

 6. Join a Band

A good music school that offers online drum lessons for adults should also provide opportunities for students to accompany other musicians. That's what drums are all about! Schools with band workshops and summer camps can do a much more comprehensive job of teaching drum students what their instrument is all about. They should have large rehearsal rooms and auditoriums with lots of air space and they should adhere to mask and social distancing rules for safety. Every drummer, even beginners, should take part in these activities to enhance their skills in playing the drums. 

There’s no better teacher than an actual performance with fellow student musicians, right? Further, this immersive experience is an opportunity to learn how to collaborate with others during a performance. 

It can be a scary yet exciting experience, but you’d be surprised how enriching it can be to you as an aspiring professional drummer. 

 7. Play with an Audience

Part of the learning process is an actual demonstration of your skills in front of an audience. So, participate as much as you can in your online class and play the drums in front of other aspiring musician classmates. 

Also, another way to play in front of an audience is by asking your family to watch you do an actual drum solo. Even if they are not drum or music experts, they can still give valid opinions on what they think of your performance. 

In the actual setting, not everyone who will watch you play knows something about drums, but an audience can tell and appreciate good music.

Playing in front of an audience, even if they are your family or friends, is also part of the learning experience of becoming an excellent drummer.

 8. Observe and Get Tips from Experts

Besides attending online drum lessons for adults, you can significantly improve your skills by getting tips from drum experts, such as your teacher. You can also ask them for their recommendations on famous drummers that you can watch online.

Or you can just watch a Youtube video of your drummer hero or a solo clip of a local band drummer you like. Some professionals and even famous drummers offer some tips to budding musicians.

Observe how they approach a rudiment or how they play into the groove. Do they use a clip track or not? Are their tricks on how to improve specific skills?

If you are ready to get your drumming career started, sign up for a free music examination with Music House! All music levels are welcome!

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