TasodrumsBlog – all about drumming
Drumming is a versatile skill. Learn more about playing drums, studying, practicing and everything a drummer should know and practice.
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Notation
6 posts
Notation 1: Music Notation Basics
Your first steps into notation! Terms, concepts and a bit of music theory.
Notation 2: Drum Notation
Once you know the general theory, it's natural to move on to learning drum notation.
Notation 3: More Drum Notation
Learn new notation markings like accents, open hi-hat and ghost notes.
Notation 4: Rhythm Exercises
In the earlier posts we've practiced recognizing and telling notes apart, drum notation and time signatures. Let's practice!
Drum Sheet Music for Songs
In this post you'll find a few places where you can find drum sheet music for songs.
Notation and Music
Let's get to the most fun part the easy way: playing along with music! Tempo, a basic beat and playing along with songs.
Time Signatures
3 posts
Time Signatures 1: 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8
Time signatures define the rhythm and feel of a piece of music. Let's go through the most common time signatures and songs where you can hear and practice them.
Time Signatures 2: 12/8 and 7/8
Learn the 12/8 and 7/8 time signatures and how they differ from the familiar 6/8.
Time Signatures 3: When the Time Signature Changes
Songs where the time signature changes mid-song, and tips for practicing them.
For Beginners
5 posts
Start Playing Drums
What's the best way to get started with drumming? Learn more about the gear and the important skills at the beginning.
Drum Kit for Beginners
What do you need to know when you're about to buy a new drum kit? What kind of kit suits a beginner?
E-Drum Kit: A Buyer's Guide
What should you look for in an e-drum kit? The parts of the kit, mesh heads and kits that suit beginners.
Drum Kit for Kids
What size drum kit for a child? Junior kit or full-size kit, electronic or acoustic, plus drumsticks and hearing protection.
Drums in an Apartment
What are your options when you want to play drums in an apartment building?
Drum Kit & Gear
8 posts
Buying Drum Gear
Playing drums takes all kinds of gear. There are lots of manufacturers, brands and options in different price ranges. How do you know where to buy your gear and what it usually costs?
Drum Kit Setup
The next step after buying a drum kit is setting it up to fit you, so your playing flows and you avoid injuries.
What Drumheads Should You Get
What options are out there, and when should you change your heads?
Drum Tuning
Now it's time to make your kit sound good! Follow these steps and tune your drums one step at a time.
Cymbals 101: The Basic Cymbals of a Drum Kit
Once your kit and heads are sorted, it's a good time to talk about cymbals. What are the basic cymbals of a drum kit, and how much should you pay for cymbals?
Drum Hardware 101: What Stands Does a Drum Kit Need?
In this post we'll go through the different stand options and what to keep in mind when choosing stands.
Snare Drum - How Do You Know What to Buy?
If you want to quickly improve the sound of your drum kit, a great way to do it is to get a new snare drum. But what should you buy?
Drumsticks 101: Which Sticks Should You Choose?
What do 7A, 5A, 5B and 2B mean? Stick sizes, materials, tips and how to spot a good pair of sticks.
Technique
9 posts
5 Practice Pad Exercises for Beginners
Learn the best technique exercises for beginners that you can play on a practice pad, so you get more out of your drum kit too.
Rudiments
Rudiments are a drummer's alphabet. What are they and how should you practice them?
An Endless Supply of Fills?
Coming up with fills "out of nowhere" isn't easy. How do you crank out new fill ideas as fast as possible?
Get Creative with Sticking Patterns
What are sticking patterns and how do they help a drummer play more interesting fills?
Drum Technique 1: Grips and Basic Strokes
Avoid learning bad technique at the start and you'll improve efficiently from then on.
Drum Technique 2: Dynamics and Snare Strokes
Moving on to dynamics in our technique exercises.
Drum Technique 3: Pedal Technique
Let's continue the Drum Technique blog series. Today we're talking about the bass drum and pedal technique.
Master Time: Time and Metronome Exercises
A drummer's most important skill is showing the rest of the band where the time is and staying in time. But how do you practice time?
Put Your Independence to the Test! Dembow, Samba and Bossa Nova
You can practice independence in lots of ways, but how about a whole new style of music?
Recording Drums
4 posts
Recording Drums 1: Record Drums on a Budget
In this post I go through the options for recording drums on a smaller budget too.
Recording Drums 2: The Recording Process and Mixing
The goal of this post is to guide you to a successful recording.
Recording Drums 3: Drum Video
Let's keep learning how to record a drum kit. This time the topic is an example process for filming a drum video.
Recording Drums 4: Drummers' Favorites
The most popular mics in the Rumpalit Facebook group, based on a survey.
Compact guides on selected topics.
The Drummer's First Year
A clear order for getting started, practice themes and learning goals.
Drum Notation Basics
Learn to read drum notation with visual examples, from your first notes to complete grooves.
Drum Kit Buyer's Guide
Acoustic kit or electronic drums, new or used: what to look for and what to avoid.
Order easily by email: you'll get a payment link and payment instructions. Payment methods are PayPal and MobilePay. The Drummer's First Year and Drum Notation Basics are in English. The Drum Kit Buyer's Guide is in Finnish for now.