The Woodshed

The rhythmic pulse of the drums can be a thrilling way to express yourself musically. But for beginners, the array of equipment can seem daunting. Here's a quick rundown of the essentials you'll need to kick off your drumming journey: The Bare Minimum: Practice Pad: This is a lifesaver for beginners. It's a quiet, compact surface that allows you to develop basic rudiments and technique without disturbing the neighbors. Drum Sticks: Choose a pair of lightweight wooden sticks (7A or 5A) to get comfortable with. Metronome: This electronic device helps you practice with a steady tempo, a crucial skill for…

In the day and age of modern city dwelling, it's oftentimes a challenge to be able to get a set of drums and bang away til your heart's content. Usually that "expression session" can be interrupted by a different sort of banging; that of an angry neighbor or even the local police department! We don't want that in our lives and so the debacle rages as to "how to play drums and not anger the locals". Hopefully I can shed some light on the situation. Drums, by nature are LOUD. That's what they're meant to be. There's an allure that…

The oft-asked question "Do I need to buy a new drum set, or is used a good option?" The short answer: Used is certainly acceptable, as it's the drums' shells and accompanying hardware/cymbals that are the important things. Drumheads can be replaced rather inexpensively. Purchasing "new" should be for the "second" kit; meaning, it's good to start on a used kit, until the player's ear is developed to be able to discern the difference between various wood. To be totally honest, any player who begins their "walk with the drums" on "kick/snare/hats" (bass drum, snare drum, hihat stand + cymbals) will…