Alright, so my church has a drummer that is leaving on a missions trip for three to five years. They needed a drummer badly, and no one was stepping up. Me, having a crazy amount of musical background (been in numerous orchestras, with the church, through school, and other,), piano lessons since I was 6 or 7ish until last year (so that makes basically 8 or 9 years), I can play tuba and trombone very well, and I've taught myself guitar (though I'm still learning), decided to step up and I took this as the chance I needed to learn a new instrument and add to the list. Also, a new chance to try something different.

I had been thinking about drums for a very long time, around 3 years, but drumming exploded in my school with popularity, and now we have over a dozen drummers in my grade (its a pretty small school, so thats a fair amount). Only maybe 3 actually are musically motivated (like wanting to be the best they can be in music, learning tons of instruments, etc.) while majority only bought them because of how cool they were, or to have something to bang on.

Just today I bought myself a set. I'm pretty good for a beginner. Actually, my friend who's insane says I'm very good for one who's jsut starting. Things are looking good, but I kind of don't want to go blabbing to evreyone I drum, because people might think I'm a poser, or just lame or bad at it. Help request #1, what should I do about this?

Help request #2:

Any tips or help you can give me with actual drumming? I volunteered to be the drummer for our church for the next few years, so I need to get pretty good fast. I can already play standard beats to any of the songs they give me (I already have done the drumming for church a few times, and I caught on so fast, though nothing was fancy, and I had very few fills). So please, any good sites, or tips from personal experience to help me get better would be good. I really enjoy playing them so far.

Tip 1: Stay on beat, and keep it.
Tip 2: Don't suck.

Carry a metronome with you and practice everywhere, even without drums.

Tip 3: Get some recording equipment and send me breakbeats.

EDIT: This is Thrawn numbarz but uberslug left his account signed in on a computer that wasn't his omg omg

Tip 4: Get a pair of decent headphones and play with music. It'll help you tremendously to learn to stay on beat.

I agree with Spook. If you practice making a beat, even without drums, it will come much more natural.

It's always good to carry a rubber pad and sticks to practise rudiments whenever you can't play on your drums. Also, as previously mentioned, get some headphones, so you can plug in your metronome when practising beats. Books can be helpful too.

Oh and get some protective earphones.

count in 4. and reverse. good left/right hand coordination

H= hat S=Snare B=bdrum T=tom 1 2 3 are hi low and floor C = crash (any)

Code:

h s h s h s h s | SSSS T1T1T1T1 T2T2T2T2 T3T3T3T3 | C H S H S H S H | SSSS T1T1T1T1 T2T2T2T2 T3T3T3T3 |
b   b   b   b   | b    b        b        b        | b   b   b   b   | b    b        b        b        |

this lasts for 4 measures. assuming you drum right hand hat and left hand snare. the first tom roll will be in 16th notes. the main beat is in 8ths,

the first tom roll begins with RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL then you go on the crash with the R and the hat with the right hand also to reverse the timing. , snare is always left hand. except this time since your last 8th note is a hat, you begin the second tom roll with the left hand,. so it goes LRLRLRLR.

it takes extra effort to loop it up since you need to either alternate and reverse it again so you're not in a X stick fashion anymore, or double your R hand, the last floor tom hit being on the right hand and then hitting the hat with your right and and repeating the exact same motion.

it's a simple beat, but it just helps de-****ening your mind in terms of left right independence.