Introduction

So you’ve decided you want to learn how to play drums. How hard is it to learn the drums? That’s exactly what we’re going to answer in this article today.

Get yourself some nice coffee and a practice pad, and let’s get started!

The Basics Aren’t Difficult

You can learn a basic drum beat very quickly; even if you have no musical background, you can probably learn to play a standard in about an hours time if you focus and have some innate musical ability.

Becoming a high-quality drummer is another story. Most likely that will take you years of practice and active gigging, because it is not easy to become a master at anything!

Below, we will give you some tips on how to progress as a drummer, and other things you need to think about if you want to learn how to be a drummer.

Keep It Simple

The biggest mistake any brand-new drummer will make is attempting to play intricate things method too fast. It’s the #1 thing that will destroy your progress and actually make it harder for you to learn.

Learn from my own failures – you will be far better off improving basic grooves and beats before transferring to more complicated stuff.

Play With A Metronome

Another typical drumming error is inadvertently play too fast or too sluggish in the timing of a tune, so learning how to properly play with a metronome is a terrific way to keep yourself on time and to improve.

Plus, by the time you start playing with other people, you will be locked in to the beat like a true expert. If you don’t start playing with a metronome, bringing in other band members could be a disaster.

Practice Every Day

Learning the drums isn’t that hard as long as you can make time for it each day, or as often as you can. We don’t recommend doing more than 60 minutes each day for the very first couple of weeks so you don’t overdo it.

You will progress naturally if you practice in small portions routinely. A lot of people get discouraged and quit drums because they only play once a week, or once every few weeks, thus making it much harder to learn.

Use A Practice Pad

It’s important to practice even when you don’t have access to a full kit. Fortunately, you can make practice pads at home!

Just using drum sticks on your thigh can make an excellent practice pad for beginners.

You can likewise practice on a pillow (to minimize noise and develop your hand/wrist strength) while listening to music, and tap your feet while watching television.

Play As Much As Possible, With People!

Drums, unlike other instruments like acoustic guitar, really shine when you play with other people. In fact, you’re the “spine” of the band, holding the songs together and driving them forward.

It’s crucial that once you get the basics down, you start playing with other people! Plus, it will obviously be a ton of fun to jam out to some great songs.

Learning the drums will be significantly harder if you don’t have people to play with (once you learned the basics)

Think About The Cost & Space

Drums are not cheap, so if you do not think you’re serious about learning them, it is probably best to not buy them.

Additionally, unlike a guitar, which you can put in a case or display on a wall, drums take up a lot of space. You need to have a proper place to set up your drums, store them, etc.

It’s a real commitment financially and home-wise, so you need to consider these things before buying drums.

If you do not have enough money to purchase drums, the space to keep them, and the drive to learn and get better, it will be significantly harder to progress as a drummer.

Think About The Noise

Another essential element to think about when thinking about drums is where you will practice and play every day.

Do you have roommates? Neighbors? Parents in the home? If so, they will be forced to listen to you every day. They will certainly all hear you practicing your drums, so if you are not dedicated enough to your craft and have a backbone, you may not be able to learn how to play.

It’s possible to play drums in tight quarters like a city, but it is certainly much harder. You need to consider the noise!

How Much Music Experience Do You Have?

If you want to learn how to play the drums, it’s going to take hard work. This is unavoidable, and something you need to accept.

However, it will certainly be easier if you have prior music experience, whether that be guitar, bass, or even a middle school recorder. Timing is difficult to learn, and if you have any sort of experience with song and song structure, it will be easier for you to learn.

If you have previous musical experience it will make it significantly easier to learn drums! If not, that’s okay as well, but it will be harder since in addition to drums, you’re also learning music fundamentals.

Can I Play Drums If I’m A Senior Citizen?

Even if you’re an elderly person you can probably summon up the energy to play the drums, and there are remarkable health benefits for a senior if they’re able to do so.

If you’re a senior there’s no reason you can’t purchase a basic drum set, discover how to play a standard beat and start banging away at your favorite tunes!

Yes, it may be harder, but you can certainly learn the drums even if you are elderly! Again, it will be easier if you have prior musical experience, but it’s not the end of the world if you do not.

Are You In Good Shape?

Drumming is extremely physical, unlike many other instruments. If you’re not in decent shape, it is actually going to be harder for you to learn drums, since you will be slowed down by your lack of fitness.

Conversely, if you are already in good shape, it will be easier for you to progress more quickly, and learning drums will actually be easier.

Conclusion

How hard is it to learn the drums? The answer will depend upon you, your ability to work hard, and your natural talent.

When you understand that you are doing it right, then you can begin to speed it up. Trying to play too fast initially will ultimately decrease your development.

It is important to learn to play things at a series of tempos anyhow, so you might too progress from slower to quicker tempos than that other method around.

Thank you for reading this guide on “how hard is it to learn the drums?”