(Part 3) Top products from r/drums

First lesson for me is names of drums, kick-hh-snare-hh linear beat with counting 1234, and maybe a paradiddle if they're really quick on the uptake. Play the follow the leader rhythm game!

I have a sign that says "It's okay to make mistakes" Best policy ever. Works for you and them. They mess something up, you can remind them of it and move immediately to fixing it!

You want them to be making those mistakes. 80% success to 20% failure is best. If they fail too much, slow it down or break it down.
If they breeze right through it have them count, sing parts, or add an ostinato on a different limb.

Look into Active Listening. Best skill for interacting with students!

I've found that being positive works better in the long run. Say "I'd do this.." instead of "don't do this"

Criticism Sandwich: "this was awesome! I'd do this differently. This was also awesome!

Tell kids they worked hard. I avoid telling them they're talented or smart. There's good research on this. It also gives them control and ownership of their success.

Share your passion, and make it fun. Don't stress yourself out too much either. You can only show them the way, they have to do the work.


Resources:


Chart Reading Workbook for drummers by Bobby Gabriele This one taught me everything I wished I known before about chart reading.

Three Dimensions. This is my favorite book for intro to reading rhythms. I like it cause it's a very clear reading progression, and he breaks it up into short etudes, so the kids can feel successful even just getting a few lines. Also has some basic drumset beats, and some neat technique/rudimental exercises!

Gary Chaffee's Patterns
Buy all four. Work through them with your students. Profit.

Obligatory mention: Stick Control, Syncopation, John Ramsay's Alan Dawson book(systems for syncopation are my favorite part), Bop Drumming(and Beyond bop) by John Riley, Master Studies by Joe Morello, and New Breed 1 & 2.

Second week on Reddit. God I hope all those links work...

I build a similar room a number of years ago for playing and recording drums. If your clearance allows for it, you will get the most isolation using a 'room within a room' design like /u/Bolockablama said. If you can build a box that everything will fit inside comfortably that does not attach to the surrounding structure it will be easier to contain.

It will also help to add as much mass to your walls and ceiling. Using two layers of drywall instead of one will help, adding rigid insulation like Roxul will help a lot. There are products like resilient channels and Green Glue that work to help decouple drywall from other layers of drywall and the studs behind it as well which will all help keep sound contained.

I had a lot of help perusing the 'Studio Building' threads on Gearslutz as well. I've also heard great things about Rod Gervais's book.

Once your room is built, your on to room treatment!

The best thing I have used is an isolating in ear headphone and a microphone. With this setup you can play all-out while still being at a comfortable ear volume. Not only is there no muffling/distortion like regular earplugs but you can have super sensitive, low volume, hearing depending on your mic placement.

I use a single SM57 on a mic stand over my head. Plug it into a mixer, one like this would allow you to mix in a track to play with. Then I out to a pair of Shure SE215s that have decent sound response but best feature are they isolate well and are less the $100. If you were going for this setup from scratch it would cost about $250. But isolation with input is by far the best sounding ear protection I have ever used.

Rehashing what others said, incorporate their musical interests into what you're trying to teach them. Ask them to bring in some music that they enjoy and then help them work through the songs. If they have that down, play rudiments over them, let them improvise over the tracks, etc. I've found that the more I tried to "instruct" younger students, the less interested they are, so instead I think of myself as more of a guide through their natural creative process.

Edit: If I had to recommend a book, I'd probably use this guy. It's very accessible and immersive, as well as being a great foundation for a budding musician.

Etymotic Research MC5 have been a life saver for me. They cancel out a good amount of background noise, so I can just hear my set but then also hear my guitarists feed through loud and clear. These also work great with just plugging them into a laptop or a mp3 player and playing along. I can't even begin to tell you how long I have been looking for the perfect in ear monitor for me, but these are about as good as they get for my personal taste.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003S3RFIQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

Shure SM57s for snare and toms.
Shure Beta 52a for the kick.
Shure sells a pack of 3 SM57s and a Beta 52a with case and mounts at a great price: Shure DMK57-52 Drum Microphone Kit

If you are on a tighter budget, GSL makes a great 57 clone at a much better price: [ES-57]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001W99HE8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2V28EB8MDJ41G&coliid=I2JVKE3SMLZA6O)

For overheads you are going to want the best condenser mics you can afford. I use and recommend Shure KSM32s. If those are outside of your budget, there are a lot of good suggestions in this thread on gearslutz.

The sound you get is going to depend much more on how you tune your drums and place your mics, and the room you record in, and less on the mics you use (although it will affect it somewhat).

Any reason why your teacher is telling you that you have no chance??

For my audition I just played a few drum set grooves (swing, bossa nova, samba, 3/4 swing, and a ballad), sight read a snare drum solo, and sight read a marimba piece. I had already spent a semester in the percussion ensemble (because I originally wanted to be an English major, but after meeting the faculty of both departments I settled on music) so my teacher already knew me and had a good idea of my skill level.

My first semester was mainly rudiments and solos from Cirone's portraits in rhythm. Pretty much snare drum only focusing on building my technique. My next semester I got started on Frank Malabe's Afro-Cuban book and John Riley's Art of Bop Drumming. Beyond that I worked through Riley's Beyond Bop Drumming, Ed Uribe's book on Afro-Cuban drumming, and his book on Brazilian drumming. After that I spent a lot of time working on solo transcriptions, playing pieces that my instructor and I picked out for drums and vibes, jamming with my instructor on vibes or on drum set, and working on pieces that I was writing. By the end at lot of what I was doing was driven by my interests and what I wanted to work on to improve.

As far as the music department as a whole I took your standard history, theory, aural skills, and piano classes, along with tons and tons of ensembles.

Thank you.

What beginner books would you recommend for full set application? The snare books I'll definitely pick up and practice to make sure I get these kids on a correct path with rudiments and such.

I have Tommy Igoe's book that I really love. It has patterns that are fun and the whole routine is entertaining and pain inducing.

And Greb's Language of Drumming, which is....something I don't think should be taught to beginners, right? It's an awesome system, and it really makes you think in different ways, but it's more important to get rhythm and control applied before we bring in more artistic stuff like that. Plus Greb is a wizard.

I really like these as they cut out a ton of noise and provide good sound and I think they are comfortable.


https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Noise-Isolating-Earphones/dp/B003S3RFIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1466540585&sr=1-1&keywords=MC5


Two of my other band members where them and say they are alright and another tried them and said they weren't comfortable. But all agree that they do great and cutting out ambient noise and providing good sound.

The Art of Bop Dumming by Jon Riley

Progressive Steps to Syncopation by Ted Reed

Jazz Drum Studio by John Pickering

Buy any or all three of these. Perfect place to start. And start listening to a lot of jazz. Good luck, dude. Jazz is great.

Your drums' sizes are most likely 12/13/16/22bd/14snare. The simple answer would be: Remo Ambassador coated on the snare, Pinstripes everywhere else. Remo will sell you these as a package deal, the cheapest way to go. See the FAQ for tuning advice.

Remember this well: for drums, tuning is everything. You already have the best kind of drums on earth: the free kind. Put on new heads, figure out how to tune them, and save your cash for decent cymbals. A cheap drum with a decent head and some tuning will sound great, but a crap cymbal is a crap cymbal, period. Don't be in a hurry to ditch the drums themselves - surround them with good cymbals and hardware, and you can gig with em anywhere. Later, keep the good hardware and cymbals, and put them on better drums.

You're going to hear a bunch of mentions about Stick Control, which is fair. That book is awesome and will totally get you where you want to be.

If you really want to dig a bit further into rudiments though, I'd highly recommend spending a bit of time with the Savage Rudimental Workshop. There are a lot of exercises that expose the basic skeletons of the rudiments as well as a lot of rudimental solos that show how rudiments work in context. Solos are broken up into section by difficulty, so if you're new to that side of things you can work on the easy/intermediate sections and leave the advanced corps style stuff for later. I never hear anyone else talk about it, but I can't recommend this book enough.

Good luck! Conditioning your hands will unlock seemingly unrelated things on the kit and elevate your playing.

"Chart Reading Workbook for Drummers" by Bobby Gabriele. This is a really good book for setting up big band ensemble figures and understanding how big band charts are written. It's got a good play-along CD and stuff. Highly recommend.

On a side note, I was playing with a big band a couple of weeks ago, and I had a long-haired stoner kid shout out, "Hey, drummer, dude, are you, like, READING all that stuff you're playing?" I said, "Yeah, dude. I'm reading it..."

EDIT: Linky: http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Workbook-Drummers-Leonard-Corporation/dp/079357126X

Taking your price range into consideration, this is my quick guide for quality per $.

For kick drum, the Shure Beta 52 is rock solid. It's an industry standard for a reason. For snare drum and toms, you really can't go wrong with Shure SM57s. Buy this awesome deal right here

For good overhead cymbal/room mics at a serious bargain, try some MXL 603s

As you progress with your production and engineering skills, you'll learn about/use different/higher quality boutique mics. Just remember, the end result of your relies more on how the drums sound before being recorded and how you place the mics around the drums. Use your ears and have fun!

Well, I guess thats up to you. I wouldn't spend the full 3 hours working on just double bass though, thats just crazy. If its really important to you, 40mins to an hour per day is a healthy amount of time to focus on one aspect of your drumming. Heres the pad I have myself, http://www.amazon.com/RealFeel-Evans-Folding-Pedal-Practice/dp/B003URZWLW would definitely recommend it.

Just read one of the reviews for it there where some guy thought the pedal was going to come with it, lol!

Right person! You can buy a midi brain for your selected system from amazon.

Here is for Xbox 360: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00409SOD2/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Just need a midi cable going from your "midi out" on your actual drum brain going into the rockband brain. The rockband brain then works VIA USB. Works like a charm.

Source: Avid RB3 player.

Need anymore help? Just let me know!

THIS! (Evans Hybrid Coated)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BEGWSS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put this head on last weekend and was shocked at the sound, the dampening, but overall the preservation of my snare's natural voice and ring. I have always used the Genera HD Dry, but tried this on a whim and was blown away. A little pricey, but sounds great.

Sounds like you only want to play sound from both places into one pair of headphones. One way like someone else suggested is to use an audio recording software to do that. Another would be to get a cheap mixer and input the output of the computer and the drums into it and mix it into your headphones. Something like this should suffice BEHRINGER XENYX 502 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tJiZBb4ZEABBE
You might need a couple of these to go from 3.5 cables to stereo 1/4” for the board Hosa YMP-434 3.5 mm TRSF to Dual 1/4 inch TS Stereo Breakout Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010D0HO0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bXiZBb8B904E4

David Garibaldi's Future Sounds is a great groove book. I also like Tommy Igoe's Groove Essentials, it's a good introduction to different styles of music, haven't tried Groove Essentials 2.0 so I'm not sure about that one.

Instead of using a marching snare on your drumset, I would suggest trying a drumhead like this:

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https://www.amazon.com/Evans-Hybrid-Coated-Snare-Batter/dp/B001BEGWSS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2KN8Y0QPSM00Z&keywords=evans+hybrid+snare+head+14&qid=1568125663&s=gateway&sprefix=evans+hybrid%2Caps%2C432&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNE5YOVFaRjlaMDNQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTkyOTU1MzNTNzNURTdVSjRHNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDIxNzg1MUJYVVozV1lWSE9PSyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

​

I have one on a Black Panther snare and it sounds AWESOME!

I've been using this for years: http://www.amazon.com/Remo-Practice-8-inch-Diameter-Coated/dp/B0002E56H6

It's a little louder than most but I love the feel.

I've never heard of that site but it immediately blew my mind, thank you for sharing.
As for myself I've been working out of Benny Greb's Language of Drumming and also Afro-Cuban Coordination for Drumset by Maria Martinez. Both books are designed for increasing four-way independence but in very contrasting styles.

This?
I'll give it a more in depth look at when I get home from work today! Thanks for the suggestion, I really appreciate it.

Two great Afro-cuban books are Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe and Afro-Cuban Coordination for Drumset by Maria Martinez.

Malabe's book is a great place to start as it has lots of explanation and history of what you're doing.

Martinez's book has a lot of ways to expand on the stuff you'll learn in Malabe's book. It has much less commentary but many more exercises and ways to pratice the material.

Here is the advice that I will give you: I suggest going out getting a practice pad, any piece of rubber like this and whenever you are watching TV, your playing a game of fortnite or whatever kids play these days, even just during lunch, Just tap on it. It is all about muscle memory. Muscle memory is extremely helped by daily practice so make sure to tap a little bit every day.

Cool. I have this one saved in my Amazon cart. I'm interested to give it a go more so for sentimental sake; I was involved in marching percussion for many years.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BEGWSS/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_9?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2WO4ZFQC8EROU

I own some Hearos High Fidelity plugs, they are legit. You can clean them, they come with a case & they're relatively cheap considering they will last you nearly forever.
The design is great because it allows clearer sounds than normal foam plugs. I highly recommend them
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000V9PKZA?pc_redir=1414493698&robot_redir=1
Here's an Amazon link but you can find em at GC & such.

You could get yourself a small mixer with a headphone output. http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ for example. Then you send the monitor signal from your front of house mixer to a channel on that instead of to an amp and speaker, and then connect your click to another channel on the mixer. Plug your earbuds into the headphone out and enjoy playing to a click!

another great book, kind of an encylopedia reference http://www.amazon.com/The-Essence-Afro-Cuban-Percussion-Drum/dp/1576236196

If you're looking for a cheap alternative I have this package and they have yet to let me down. They sound great

http://www.amazon.com/CAD-Audio-Stage-Premium-7-Piece/dp/B004QP2RGU

These are great.

Hearos are $10 and work great. They're rebadged Etymotic ER20s.

I have a Tama Ergo Rider throne on my rock kit and a Roc-N-Soc on my jazz kit and I prefer the Tama. Some prefer the Roc-N-Soc, so I guess it depends on how you're built.

This is a great starter kit for mic'ing your drums. seven piece

I have this CAD drum mic package (which is cheaper) and I've been very happy with it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004QP2RGU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493210835&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cad+drum+mic&dpPl=1&dpID=41K7LDXQfqL&ref=plSrch

This is a fantastic book, but I don't think it's necessarily a good starting place for Afro-Cuban rhythms. Work through the Malabe book and at least get started in the Uribe book first.

The was one of the first books my teacher gave me: Jazz Drum Cookbook

I spent hours and hours working through it. You can start off with rock to get the interdependence, then swing/jazz, then use it for Latin if you want. Highly versatile and effective book, I can't recommend it enough!

This is pretty much the idea behind Groove Essentials. You should check it out!

Remo makes several kit packs. I'd recommend one with Emperors or Pinstripes for the toms. Can't go wrong.

Example

To get that to work, you need this and this so it only works on the Xbox One version. You can also use a second bass pedal with the stock kit if you want, though none of the current supported songs have fully charted double bass.

Have a go at some Latin beats such as samba. Plenty of ride and Tom work and a real step away from what you've been doing.
If you are into sheet music, I've found some of Maria martinez's books such as below a good intro( includes cd) http://www.amazon.com/Afro-Cuban-Coordination-Drumset-Essential-Workbook/dp/0793597498/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407509881&sr=1-8

I'm not trying to be funny or mean here. This. Ten minutes every time before you hit the set^(more would be better but you get the idea)

I recommend this book to learn chart reading. Talks all about setting up shots and has play-alongs to practice with

When I was on drumline many of us used these and they worked quite well.

Honestly the basic remo practice pads we used in middle school are about as close to the real thing as I've seen.. they're just not super quiet.

https://www.amazon.com/Remo-RT-0008-00-Practice-Ambassador-Drumhead/dp/B0002E56H6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536346254&sr=8-2&keywords=remo+practice+pad

Marching snare player here!
I would recommend learning the 40 P.A.S. Rudiments
By Matt Savages Book (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0757902251?pc_redir=1412330082&robot_redir=1)
I know Matt Savage personally and he's a great guy with a lot of experience in marching percussion.
Also buy the book stick control (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1892764040?pc_redir=1413605838&robot_redir=1)
Those two books should get you started with marching percussion because they lay down the basics for everything that you will end up doing.

search google for mass loaded vinyl.

Also read a lot before wasting money on sound treatment. This book will save you a lot of $.

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Recording-Studio-Build-Like/dp/143545717X

You might not be building a home studio but the concepts are all the same.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GGV2DM/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

RealFeel by Evans Folding Bass Pedal Practice Pad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003URZWLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ps93AbX2AQGEW but for the same money, just get Yamaha KP65 Electronic Drum Kick Tower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001R2RA4E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.s93AbVXPQXMB

http://www.amazon.com/Aquarian-Drumheads-PF22-Performance-2-22-inch/dp/B0007YLXJQ

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002E3L4G?pc_redir=1414055360&robot_redir=1

$64 brand new batters.

PDP also has one that's even cheaper.

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Drums-DW-Timbale-Chrome/dp/B000GGV2DM

If you're talking about Xbox 360, https://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Rock-Band-Midi-PRO-Adapter/dp/B00409SOD2 is all you need.

Kick, snare, rack, floor - on sale for $349 right now:

https://www.amazon.com/Shure-DMK57-52-Drum-Microphone-Kit/dp/B0002E51C6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541417425&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=shure+dmk57-52&dpPl=1&dpID=512v16lrIjL&ref=plSrch

Left and right overheads - $99 each:

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK

You’ll be $50 over $500 budget but have everything you need.

Buy this book - http://www.amazon.com/Home-Recording-Studio-Build-Like/dp/143545717X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425908164&sr=1-1&keywords=build+it+like+the+pros

Basically, lots of drywall, and as few physical connections to existing structure as possible. Get a dB meter if you can, and measure the existing situation (use a PA or something) to see what kind of reduction your existing structure gives you.

Tommy Igoe's Great Hands For A Lifetime is another one you should consider adding to that collection!!

Have a look at this.

Timbale

Use this book https://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Studio-Jazz-Cookbook/dp/0871666820/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1469548861&sr=8-8&keywords=jazz+drumming

I got it from amazon and it was 68 bucks I’d say it could could be heard in an open office setting but if you don’t have it up against a wall it may be quite enough. I’d worry more about the creaking of your kick honestly.

Just go ahead and get a pad. This one is an old standard, will perform well, and is only $16 - http://www.amazon.com/Remo-RT0008-00-8-Inch-Practice-Pad/dp/B0002E56H6

If that is too much to spend, you have probably picked the wrong instrument considering sticks are $8-10 a pair.