There are a few key ways to become a faster and tighter punk drummer. And no, it’s not by drinking and moshing more.

If you’re into bands like NOFX, Black Flag and Blink-182, this lesson will be right up your alley. Here are five punk drumming tips to help you play along to the songs you love (and get the gig with your favorite local punk band).

1. Master your bass drum double strokes

The best punk drummers have a blazing fast foot. Solve your bass drum problems and you’ll solve your punk drumming problems! Use the slide technique or the heel-toe technique to get two strokes for the price of one.

2. Learn these two classic punk beats

Focus on nailing these two beats:

• Bass, snare, bass bass snare, like in “Linoleum” by NOFX and the chorus of “Anthem” by Blink-182 (the beat from tip 1)
• Bass, snare bass, bass snare, like in “Nothing” by Millencolin where the bass drum lands on the and of 2 and the and of 3).

3. Learn how to use punk beats musically

Yep…you can be musical in punk. Combine the two beats above into a 2-bar phrase and maybe play a polka beat before going into them. If you need a break from double strokes, simplify the bass drum and match the guitar rhythms. If the guitar does a push, have your kick do a push.

You can also mix and match by moving your lead hand to the toms or on the ride or crash – don’t just rely on the hi-hat. You can also go into a half-time version of the beat if you want to drop the energy or change the feel of the song.

4. Master the ‘reverse shank tip‘

Playing a fast hi-hat part at 200+ will burn out your arm if you’re trying to go full throttle with just your wrist. Like how the double stroke is a must for your feet, the shank tip is a must for your hands.

The typical shank tip technique is where you use the shank (shoulder) of the stick for the first hit and the tip of the stick for the second hit. In the reverse shank tip, place the accent (shank) on the upbeat instead of on the downbeat. Think of it like matching it with your backbeat hand. This method preserves your energy so you can play longer and avoid injury.

5. Focus on the backbeat

Punk rock is all about the backbeat – it keeps the energy going and drives the song. The worst thing you can do as a punk drummer is lose the backbeat! If you’re getting tired, you can give your lead hand a break by skipping some notes on the cymbal or using two hands where you’d normally use one.

Your can also play half the amount of notes on your lead hand. Instead of playing 8th notes, have your hands working in unison on the 2 and the 4.

While pretty much anyone can play punk music (it’s accessible, affordable, and pretty straightforward), it’s harder to be a good punk drummer. Master these tips and you’ll be in high demand!

Are you playing AC/DC songs on the drums? Want to know how to sound more like Phil Rudd?

Dave Atkinson plays in an AC/DC tribute band and has analyzed the drum parts to death. He’s noticed a lot of mistakes drummers make when trying to play like Phil Rudd.

Watch the video and learn how to do these songs the justice they deserve!

1. Using the wrong gear

It might seem obvious, but the closer your gear is to Phil Rudd’s, the more you’ll sound like AC/DC. Use big drums (or the right samples on an electronic kit) to get that heavy, beefy sound. Big rock cymbals are key, with lots of sustain, and a washy ride cymbal you can really lay into. If “Thunderstruck” doesn’t sound thunderous, you’ve got work to do!

2. Not playing loud or with confidence

AC/DC embodies that quintessential rock sound, with drums prominent in the mix. Don’t hold back – put some balls into it! This is rock and roll, so rock out, and turn up to 11.

3. Forgetting to master the kick and snare

AC/DC beats are simple – but why do they sound so good when Phil Rudd plays them? Forget what your teacher has told you about your bass drum technique and bury that beater to get a solid punch. You’ll need a loud and consistent backbeat (let someone else worry about ghost notes) and a beefy snare crack. Rimshots will help you sound epic in the chorus, so practice them at different tempos so you nail them every time.

You’ll also be playing lots of shots (bass, snare, crash) on both the downbeat and backbeat, as well as pushes on the and of 4, so make sure these are tight.

4. Ignoring hi-hat details

The groove lives in the kick and snare, but it’s hi-hat nuances that really differentiate one song from the next. A lot of drummers miss this. Phil isn’t just playing consistent 8th notes on the hi-hat in every song. Even “Thunderstruck” has dynamics on the hats. When you’re learning AC/DC songs, listen carefully to how loose or tight they are on the original recording. There are many positions between 100% open and 100% closed! Figure out exactly how much pressure your hand and foot need to apply to perfectly replicate Phil Rudd’s sound.

5. Missing key shots and fills

Because there’s so much space in AC/DC songs, every shot and fill is important. For example, the intro to “Shoot To Thrill” is so iconic that if you don’t play it right, the audience is going to know it. Pay careful attention to detail, just like the hi-hats. If you don’t have the time or patience to map out every shot and fill, there are over 20 AC/DC song transcriptions inside Drumeo.

6. Forgetting the special effects

You may not have the resources to bring a massive bell to your gigs -or permission to use an actual cannon on stage – but you need some of those key effects to give your audience the true AC/DC experience. Dave uses a compact Roland TM-2 and a rim trigger to get his sounds for “Hells Bells” and “For Those About To Rock”.

Click here to download a zip folder of Dave’s sample files to use for your own AC/DC covers!

Most drummers have tried to play System of a Down’s “Chop Suey” at some point. While it has some tricky parts, any drummer can play the song – even a beginner! In this video, Dave will show you five levels of Chop Suey, starting from a simplified version and ending with how John Dolmayan actually plays it.

If you already know how to play the song, you’ll be able to find out which level you’re at!

(Click here to download the sheet music)

1. “Let me get through this song”

If you’re a beginner and can play a basic beat to a metronome, you can still play along to this song! Focus on playing in time, hitting the transitions, and keeping a solid quarter note pulse happening. In the big intro tom section, you’ll simplify the parts and just play quarter notes on the toms. Make sure you don’t flam the notes. In the build just before the main riff, you’ll play 8th notes on the floor tom and end with the snare on the 4. The main riff is a basic rock beat! Play the bass drum on 1 and 3, the snare on the 2 and 4, and keep your hi-hats nice and washy.

2. The weekend warrior

Maybe you jam with your friends every other weekend and you’ve decided to learn this song. You aren’t ready to do the full thing yet, but your buddies really want to do it. Add in 8th notes to approximate the descending tom pattern in the intro. The build is the same as level 1, but you’ll play the snare shot on the ‘and’ of 4. Give the main riff an 8th note hi-hat groove and add in some more bass drum.

3. “I’ve played this on Rock Band”

Let’s say you know the song really well and can follow along pretty closely, but it’s still out of your comfort zone. Add in more 16th notes on the toms, and 8th notes on the bass drum to line up with the build. In the main riff, you can play the pickup after the backbeat on the snare now – not just on the 2 and 4.

4. “My cover band plays this”

You’re in a band and actually play this song at your rehearsal space or shows. You’ve spent time trying to get the parts pretty close, with the only difference being that you’re anchoring yourself on the floor tom and not playing the extra 8th note. The build now has two toms – beefy. The main groove in level 4 is the part on the album.

5. John Dolmayan

Now you’re playing what System of a Down’s drummer was playing, and you should be sounding close to the album. If you’re on a five piece kit, you’ll need one extra tom to play the intro just like Dolmayan. also an extra 8th note on the end of 4 to keep tom feel happening. You’ll play the build just like in level 4, but you’ll put a flam on the snare at the end. In the main riff, the 8th notes on the hi-hat are key, putting accents on the quarter note pulse.

Even if you can’t identify what level you’re at, hopefully this is encouraging if you’re a beginner. You can still have fun and get through the song at any level!

Even a complete beginner drummer can learn how to play one of the biggest songs of the ’90s: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. In this video, Dave Atkinson will take you through the basic skeleton of the song, then level it up until you’re eventually able to play it just like Grohl!

Rather than struggling to make it through the song before you’re ready, you can still do it solidly and confidently by stripping it down to the basics. All you need to know is how to play a simple beat. Whatever skill level you’re at, here are five versions of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”:

1. Beginner

If you can play a simple beat, you can play this song. The hardest part for the beginner is playing in time and remembering the structure and section transitions. The intro fill is the trickiest because it uses flams and lots of movement, so we’re going to simplify it for total beginners. Focus only on the snare and kick to pull off the fill, and then go into a simplified beat with quarter notes on the hi-hat.

Keep it simple – and even though you’re just getting the main skeleton of the song, you’ll still be playing it!

2. Weekend warrior

Ready to level up? Add the hi-hats to the snare and bass drum in the intro fill, and play 8th notes on the hi-hats in the main groove to keep you on track.

3. “I’ve taken lessons”

In the intro fill, add the flams and play the hi-hats on the ‘ands’ (it’s starting to sound more like the song now). You’ll also play a more complex bass drum part.

4. The cover band drummer

Now you’re adding extra 16th notes on the bass drum to the main groove and going back to 8th notes on the hi-hats. It can be more difficult to play a busy snare and bass drum pattern under quarter note hi-hats, which is why we recommended doing it with 8th notes in level 2.

5. Dave Grohl

Now we’re in Grohl territory! Add a double on the bass drum in the main groove (and make sure you’re still rocking the quarter notes on the hi-hats). This level is also different from level 4 because of how the song should sound.

You should be ‘mixing’ yourself behind the kit. Is your bass drum coming through? How’s your backbeat? And are you hitting the crash just after the beat like Dave Grohl to push the song? Create that space, pushing and pulling when you need to, and make sure it’s loud and in your face so it has the power it needs.

What level are you at? Where do you hope to take it?

Have you ever done a soundcheck so long before your set that you aren’t warmed up anymore? Or have you ever gone from 0 to 100 and pushed yourself so hard you pulled a muscle? It’s always a good idea to get your limbs moving and blood flowing before you get on stage or start a long practice session.

Here are 8 simple warmups you can do to prepare your feet for the good times ahead.

If you aren’t behind your kit:

1. Heel down toe taps
Make sure you’re sitting at around the same height as you would on your throne. Plant your heels on the floor and tap your toes Like you’re playing heel down. You can do this with alternating feet or tapping in unison. Try it for a minute straight if you can! You want to feel a bit of a burn.

2. Heel up toe taps
The opposite of the last exercise, plant your toes on the ground and tap your heels, making sure your toes don’t move. You can do this with both feet at the same time or alternating. Can you keep it going for a minute?

3. Feet up toe taps
Lift your foot so it’s hovering, and tap your toe on the ground while keeping your heel up. It’s harder to do with two feet because it requires extra balance, so try doing it with one foot at a time.

4. Toe stretch
With your feet on the ground and legs at a 90 degree angle, pull your toes up as high as you can without lifting your heels off the floor. Hold for about 7 seconds and feel the stretch in your shins. Now move your feet back 1-2 inches and do the same stretch. After that, move your feet back another 1-2 inches. You should now have about a 70 degree angle behind your knees. Do the stretch again – you won’t be able to lift your toes as far, but you’ll feel it.

5. Ankle pivot
Plant your toes on the ground, then use your heel to swivel your foot around (keeping the toes planted). Do it with one foot, then the other.

If you’re behind the kit:

6. 8th note rock groove
Keep 8th notes going on the bass drum while you play a basic rock groove with your hands (8th notes on the hi-hat and snare on two and four). You can also remove the bass drum on the two and four.

7. Triplet gallop
This groove has a half-time feel and is great for working on your heel toe or slide technique. Put 8th note hi-hats over a snare on the four, and have the bass drum fill in the rest of the triplets (check out the video for a demo).

8. 16th note doubles
This exercise has you playing a two-stroke pattern at different points on the grid. Again it has a half-time feel with the snare on the four.

You should spend at least 5-10 minutes warming up before you play. These exercises don’t build strength or speed or control, but they’re great for getting your limbs moving and blood flowing. Remember, don’t push too hard…you’re just here to warm up!

In this episode, we hang out with podcaster extraordinaire Seamus Evely. The man behind Drumeo Gab – Drumeo’s new podcast series – joins us for a fun interview about what he has in store. He talks in detail about how he prepares for interviews with high-profile drummers and discusses bathtubs with Dave, and how to “best” use them on a day-to-day basis.

One of the toughest things about being a beginner rock drummer is coming up with drum fills that are easy enough to play.

On this page, you’ll learn 7 basic rock drum fills and get fluent with the different parts of the drum kit. We’ll cover the most popular fills used in rock music, which will act as the building blocks for advanced patterns you’ll create in the future.

But heads up – if you’d prefer someone show you the ropes, if you’re serious about leveling up your drumming, drop your email below to get 5 free lessons from one of rock’s biggest drummers, Todd Sucherman!

Let’s get started:

What’s a drum fill, anyway?

Some drummers think a fill is the time to play a complex pattern or perform a miniature solo. While this is technically correct, a drum fill is meant to be a transition piece. You use it when you want to move to a different section in the song, such as from a verse to a chorus. Basically, a drum fill should be a deviation from what you’re playing in order to introduce something new to the listener.

You can play a drum fill for as long as you want, but there are three common durations for fills that you’ll hear regularly in rock music: the full bar (the longest), the half bar, and the quarter bar (the shortest). The main goal is to internalize the timing of these fills so you know when to start, and when to stop.

Most drummers will finish the fill with a crash, which marks the end of the transition and starts the next groove with a flourish on beat one.

Practice tip: When going through these fills, try to practice them in phrases. This basically means just play a drum beat, play your fill, then go back to the drum beat. Act as if you were playing it within a song.

7 common rock drum fills

1. Nothing (we’re serious)

“Wait… We’re playing nothing for an entire bar?”

You’d be surprised how effective silence is at building tension. It’s situational, but sometimes this is the perfect tool for the job. Go out on count one, come back in on count one. Boom.

2. The 8th note build

This fill is known as the “8th note build”. Start by playing 8th notes on the snare and floor tom at a low volume and slowly get louder at the fill goes on. This is called a crescendo.

Add in the bass drum on the quarter notes and you’re ready to rip.

3. The ‘dugga dugga’

Arguably one of the most popular drum fills ever in rock music, this pattern consists of 16th notes all around the toms. You might think it’s boring, but it’s highly effective in this genre of music and perfect to start getting beginner drummers to explore the drum kit.

4. Bonham triplets

The famous Bonham triplet. We’re moving from 16th notes to 8th note triplets (twelve notes per bar rather than 16 notes) for this drum fill. You can whip this puppy out in both straight and swung rock, making it a versatile pattern to have in your toolkit.

5. Half bar snare roll

Our first half-bar fill! If you’re looking for a quicker, more compact pattern to play that’s not as intrusive as a full bar fill, start your fills on count three. This pattern consists of eight notes on the snare drum (alternating hands).

6. Flam fill

Another popular “breakdown” style fill that’s great for transitioning into another section in a song. The flam is a fun rudiment to incorporate into your fills, so try adding it into the other patterns on this list.

7. Quarter bar snare roll

Lastly, let’s talk about quarter-bar fills. These are perfect to toss in if you want to add some quick flavor, and they’re subtle enough to duck under any vocal lines.

Conclusion

So there’s a handful of common rock drumming fills to get you started. Keep in mind that your main focus should be on the concept of full, half, and quarter bar durations instead of only concentrating on the pattern itself. The key to a great drum fill is starting and ending on time with confidence.

Remember, space is your friend! Experiment within those spaces and come up with your own ideas.

Not enough rock drum fills on this page? Watch this video for 5 more:

Looking for more beginner drumming ideas? Check out this mega-guide all about learning drums, progressing as a beginner, reading music and much more.

And if you’re new to drumming and want to learn about some of the genre’s most influential players, check out ‘The Top 20 Rock Drummers Of All Time‘!

Improvising is to create and perform spontaneously. It can be one of the biggest pain points for many drummers (beginner OR advanced) whether it’s having to perform a drum solo or even coming up with a drum fill in the middle of a song. If you add a layer of intention and of musicality over it, improvising becomes a totally different beast and an extremely demanding discipline.

Dave King will cover how to get started, perform and break down his own improvisational pieces, and discuss your mental and physical approach to orchestrating on the drum kit.

Lesson Index:
0:00 – Improv. 1
2:20 – Introduction
5:00 – How do you teach someone to improvise?
7:12 – Where should you start?
9:34 – Improv. 2
20:37 – How to get started
23:14 – Improv. 3
36:20 – Is the drum kit fully explored?
48:06 – Closing thoughts
51:13 – Improv. 4

About Dave:
Dave King is a renowned jazz drummer who is best known for his creative playing in The Bad Plus and the Dave King Trucking Company. With over 50 album recordings under his belt, and having performed in 75 countries over six continents, Dave is the quintessential modern, gigging, jazz drummer. Alongside the great level of success he found with The Bad Plus and the Dave King Trucking Company, Dave co-founded the bands Happy Apple, Love-Cars, and Halloween, Alaska. As a sideman, great musicians like Bill Frisell, Joshua Redman, Dewey Redman, Jeff Beck, Tim Berne, Hank Roberts, Chris Speed, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Django Bates, and Chris Morrissey are just some of the few he has played/recorded with over the years.

Go check out Dave King’s YouTube channel for more improvisational goodness and other drum lessons by Dave.

It can be overwhelming choosing a snare drum with all the unique types of materials they come in. The best rule of thumb is if it sounds good to you, use it.

Here’s a demonstration (with the same beat and microphone) of each of the most popular wood and metal snare drum types used in rock music to help give you a little direction:

• Birch is a dense wood that has a sharp, focused sound. A common choice for live settings where you need big projection. The one in this video is a Pearl Masters birch.
• Maple is a common choice for recording. It was a warm tone and covers an even range of frequencies. The one in this video is a Sonor Prolite maple.
• Walnut falls into the lighter category of woods. Responsive feel that sounds great in both low and high tunings. The one in this video is a Woods walnut.
• Oak is one of the most durable woods that boasts a low, round tone. The one in this video is a Yamaha Oak Custom.
• Brass offers poppy and crispy sound characteristics that can easily cut through louder music when needed.
  The one in this video is a Pearl brass.
• Steel has a long sustain, bright tone, and is fairly inexpensive to produce. The one in this video is a Dunnett Steel.
• Aluminum has a short sound and generally doesn’t require any dampening when played. Much drier when compared to other metals. The one in this video is a Yamaha aluminum.
• Titanium possesses a neutral, dry tone that can sit comfortably in all tuning ranges. The one in this video is a Dunnett (Drumeo branded) titanium 13″.

You might have seen the ghost pepper challenge around YouTube. Well, the guys over at Musora (Dave from Drumeo, Nate from Guitareo, and Jordan from Pianote) decided to do exactly what you’d expect… Play some music together after eating a ghost pepper.

Disclaimer: We do not recommend you try this at home. This was for… educational purposes only.

Stay tuned for the Carolina Reaper version!

Download the Sheet Music »

Just about every drummer wants to be a rock drummer at some point in their career. In a world where there are thousands of YouTube and Drumeo lessons on how to play rock music, it can be overwhelming deciding where to dedicate your practice time.

Randy Cooke (Smash Mouth, Kelly Clarkson, Hilary Duff) is going to dive into the basic concepts you should be focusing on that, if you practice them the right way, will get you well on your way. He’ll be discussing everything from gear choices and how to tune your drums, to groove and fills that are suitable for a rock setting.

If you’re serious about leveling up your drumming, drop your email below to get 5 free lessons from another awesome educator and one of rock’s biggest drummers, Todd Sucherman:

Are you ready to learn the bread and butter fundamentals of rock drumming? Of course you are. Learning these beats, fills, and general concepts will provide you with a solid foundation as a drummer – and everything you learn will carry over into all the other genres of music.

How do drummers play rock music?

When you’re playing rock music, you want to play with power, conviction, and intensity. Good dynamics are absolutely key as you need to make sure what you’re playing is cutting through, so don’t be afraid to add some volume behind your kick and snare hits. Most importantly, play with confidence.

The most important aspects of rock drumming are the back beat (snare) and the down beat (kick). If you have these two things going and they’re rock solid, you can basically play to any rock song out there. You don’t even need to play your hi-hats or ride cymbal!

If you’re serious about leveling up your drumming, drop your email below to get 5 free lessons from one of rock’s biggest drummers, Todd Sucherman:

Let’s jump right into the exercises. Practice each of these at a variety of tempos starting at 60 BPM.

1) If you can count to four, you can play this groove. The kick drum lands on counts one and three, and your snare lands on counts two and four. If this seems easy to you, focus on your time and dynamics. This is the most popular drum beat you’ll need to play as a drummer. You can never practice this one too much.

2) Let’s start adding some hi hats into the mix! For every snare and kick drum you play, you’ll also be playing on the hi hat with your right hand. The most important thing you should focus on is making sure the two notes line up perfectly.

3) Now let’s play double the amount of hi hat notes as we just played. We were previously playing quarter notes, but now we’ll be playing eighth notes. We count this out as “one and two and three and four and” – repeat. Even spacing is key!

4) Let’s start adding some spice to our rock drumming. We know how to play a basic groove now, so all that’s missing is a drum fill. Fills are a transitional piece that take the song from one point to another (from the verse to the chorus, for example). This drum fill is simply four notes on the snare drum played in sixteenth notes – also known as a single stroke roll (R L R L).

5) This is a beefier version of the previous fill. We just played a quarter-bar fill, and now we’ll be playing a half-bar fill.

6) Finally, if you double the amount of notes we’re playing again, we land on our first full-bar fill.

Now that we have a general understanding of how to play rock music on the drums and have a few grooves and fills under our belt, all that’s left is to apply what we’ve learned to real music.

That’s easy to do when you’re a Drumeo Edge member, with access to over 200 play-along tracks and thousands of song transcriptions!

And if you want to learn more about some of the most influential drummers in the style, we’ve put together a list of the top 20 rock drummers of all time.

Start Your Free Drumeo Trial
Click here for the sheet music!

Muse’s “Stockholm Syndrome” has a driving opening fill and a groovy tom groove during the verse – both of which will be broken down by myself in today’s lesson. Try applying these two patterns to your other favorite rock tunes as well.

Eager to learn the FULL full? We have the entire transcription and lesson in our Drumeo members area, so click here to get started!

Click here for the sheet music.

In this lesson I want to show you something that I do a lot while I’m practicing, that allows me to double the efficiency of my practice time! It’s called “turn-around exercises”. It works great for stick control, practicing rudiments, and other snare or practice pad exercises.

Essentially, you turn the exercise around at the end of the bar so you can repeat the same pattern using your left-hand lead. Make sure to watch the video and download the sheet music so you can try it out the next time you practice!

Click here for the sheet music.

Today’s lesson is all about applying the slide triplet to some simple beats to spice things up a bit! You don’t need to use the slide technique; you could also use heel-toe. As long as you have a double bass pedal, you’ll be able to use this concept to easily come up with unique beats and fills around the kit.

Have fun!

10) Jim Riley: Creating Grooves That Work
Jim Riley, the drummer for Rascal Flatts, came out to the Drumeo Studios and demonstrated how most times playing the simplest groove is the best thing for the song.

9) Dafnis Prieto: Rhythmic Independence Within Latin Drumming
Dafnis Prieto was an absolute honour to host at our Drumeo studios! The lesson was focused on independence within Latin drumming and there is no better instructor than Dafnis Prieto, a certified musical genius. Watch the lesson but make sure you have someone close by to help pick your jaw up off the floor!

8) Drumeo Course: Rock Drum Fills
This was a sample course the we released to give students a taste of what it’s like to be a Drumeo Edge member. There are many more courses within the Drumeo members area. Click here to see everything you’ll get inside Drumeo Edge!

7) Tony Royster Jr: Creative Concepts
Tony Royster Jr. was back in the Drumeo studios to put on another incredible event. Tony’s lesson featured a few different creative concepts that he likes to use around the kit.

6) 5-Minutes Single Pedal Bass Drum Workout
Only have 5 minutes to practice? No problem! In this video, Jared will show you a quick 5 minute single pedal bass drum workout that will get your foot in shape for all musical situations. Put your headphones on and practice along!

5) Thomas Pridgen: Applying Rudiments To The Drum-Set
A big time favourite lesson of many Drumeo Students. Thomas Pridgen’s unique personality and teaching style making watching this video a treat. You’ll find out how to apply your favourite rudiments to the drum-set.

4) Stanton Moore: Musical Mileage
World famous drummer and instructor Stanton Moore comes to Drumeo to show us how we can get more “mileage” out of the patterns that we already know and play.

3) How To Choose a Snare Drum Head
Jared gives tips on how to select your next snare drum head. Each Evans drumhead is played within a beat, fill, and at all different volume levels so you can find which head best suits you are your musical situation.

2) Developing Paradiddle Speed
Mike’s unique story-telling approach to teaching makes this lesson both interesting and instantly applicable. Developing rudiment speed is a common discussion among the drumming community, and Mike demystifies the path to speeding up your own paradiddles!

1) The Most Important Drum Lesson In The World
There is a single common denominator amongst all professional drummers in the industry, and in this short lesson you’ll learn exactly what it is.