Why Do Drummers Get Blisters

Posted by Mike Schumacher

This article will discuss why drummers get blisters when they play drums. What causes drummers to get blisters?

Drummers get blisters from doing things that we don’t expect. When you feel something is pinching or you have pain in your heel, you should know that you are producing an EMF from the hammer in the cymbal press.

The EMF comes from the quick press of the hammer which is where all the wear and tear is.

If you go into practice without taking care of your feet and you get blisters, you are doing it wrong. We have all been there, but there are steps to get your feet back to their beautiful state.

Steps to get your feet back

Step 1: Drums

You can feel blisters coming on when you are in the same position for too long. It can also happen when your feet are wet or dry.

We all know the feeling of dry skin when you get sweaty and need to put some lotion on your feet. There is no such thing as too much lotion.

However, when you get too dry you will get very sore feet.

Before you start your practice, give your feet a quick rinse. Letting your feet get damp will help the water on your feet evaporate faster.

The last thing you want to do is get a dry blister.

If you wear footwear like ballet flats, flip flops, or hiking boots that do not cover your feet, you can see more wear on your feet.

These types of shoes will not get your feet moist, thus more exposure to the dry air.

You will also see more sweat coming out of your feet, which in turn leads to blisters.

You need to wear different types of shoes to avoid blisters.

Step 2: Footwear

What you wear on your feet is important to keep your feet from getting blisters. For one, you need to pay attention to the time of the day you are wearing your shoes.

If you are doing a lot of work on the floor, then you need to wear more cushioned shoes that you can wear throughout the day.

The reason for that is because your feet are wet for a large portion of your day, thus the cushioning from cushioned shoes make it much easier for your feet to breathe.

But if you are running around all day with your feet soaked in sweat, you need to be more cautious.

Tight rubber-soled shoes with no support or cushioning are the most common culprits of blisters.

When the rubber from these shoes rubs against the floor, it irritates the soft tissue around your feet and causes them to swell.

However, the most common problem is when the rubber on your shoes rubs against your instep. This leads to your foot spreading apart and your foot rolling up.

The way to avoid blisters is to wear shoes that will not rub against your instep. The Adidas classic is a great shoe for this.

On the other hand, if you are a hard surface person, then you need to put some sort of cushion on your instep so that your feet do not spread apart.

Step 3: Drums

Photo was taken during CO17(a Christian youth conference) at BEM Hosanna, Sibu. I was the drummer! Such a fun kit to play!

Drums are notorious for blisters because we tend to carry a lot of weight on them.

As we do this, we tend to put a lot of weight on the side of the floor that we are pressing, which is usually the middle of our foot.

The pressure from that can pull and damage the soft tissue of the side of our foot. The skin on that side will stretch out and cause blisters to form.

So, when you are putting down the rhythm you need to pay attention to what side you press the drum. It is good to also give a quick adjustment to the middle, which can also be caused by blisters.

Step 4: Music

When you do not get a lot of practice with your drums, you tend to make mistakes. Mistakes have the potential to make your feet hurt more and that is something that no one wants to deal with.

You need to turn up your music so that you are not tempted to do any weird stuff on the drums.

When you make any mistakes, it is best to stop and do it over. The best way to do this is to count how many beats you want to play.

Then, play a few practice strokes. Do this until you are finished with the whole stroke, and then rest. Repeat this a few times.

If you want to stop the accidental drummer part of your practice, you can use the bar to give yourself space.

Once you are done with the stroke, you can use the bar to give yourself distance from the drum.

This will allow you to have more space in between the notes, and the least you can do is take some time to get used to that space.

How to properly practice standing drum

drum drills for beginners

Playing the drums is a lot more than just hitting the drums.

You have to play them with rhythm as well, and that involves playing with your feet, hands, and hands moving together in rhythm.

It is a lot more than just slamming the drums, but that is what makes it exciting.

The good news is that it does not take long to master this game and make it into something you can rely on in your everyday life.

The bad news is that it does take a lot of practice to get there. It is a game of subtle timing that you need to master.

Once you are able have a good sense of rhythm, you will be able to play with ease.

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