Free Video Beginner Drum Lessons...
...Learn How To Play The Drums!
Learn how to play the drums whether you're a total beginner or just wanting to brush up on the basics. My free beginner video drum lessons are going to help guide you, one drum beat/fill at a time from complete novice to competent musician.
Be sure to Bookmark This Page and visit regularly as I'm always updating my beginner video drum lesson series.
Disclaimer: Well, more of an excuse really...I recorded these drum videos way back when I first started offering free video drum lessons to the online drumming community. These were some of my first video drum lessons and so, as a consequence, the lighting and sound isn't very good and my on screen teaching style had not really been developed at this stage. Anyway, with my excuses out of the way I hope you can still enjoy the quality content of these videos, as I like to think that hasn't changed at all!
I wish you the best of luck on learning to play the drums. Remember to be patient when learning something new on the kit, practice regularly and above all else...enjoy the journey! Please email me at at rob@drumstheword.com if you have any questions at all!
If you like these free videos then you might like to check out my High Quality and Multi Camera Beginner Video Drum Lessons which are available for purchase and download HERE.
Contents
Getting Started On Drums
Before we get to the main beginner video drum lessons, here are a series of articles (and videos) that help to explain some of the drummer beginner basics. These videos and articles will help build a sturdy foundation that will serve you well in the long run! Although some of these pieces aren't essential to every beginning drummer, they are useful as a resource and can be visited at a later date.
Feel free to skip over this section and get straight to the video drum lessons. You can always re-visit these articles and videos later...I would 
How To Hold Your Drum Sticks (Matched Grip)
This video drum lesson shows you how to hold your drum sticks using the "Matched" grip. This is by far the most common grip used amongst drummers and certainly the easiest to learn. It's the grip I use all the time and it allows me to play more advanced techniques that a poor grip would not.
Learning to hold your drum sticks correctly has so many benefits down the line that you will want to seriously considering learning a correct grip as early as possible. It is after all, the tool with which you make music on the drums.
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How To Set Up A Drum Kit
This article entitled "How To Set Up A Drum Kit" briefly explains the essentials when first setting up a drum set. This article will help you understand the relationships between the heights and angles of your drums and cymbals. A correct and efficient drum set up has many benefits including more speed around the drums and less broken cymbals! You can view this article here.
Buying an Electric Drum Kit or an Acoustic Drum Kit
In this piece entitled "The Differences Between An Electric Or Acoustic Drum Kit? Which Should You Purchase?", I give my thoughts on the major differences between both electric and acoustic drum kits. I list both the benefits and downsides of each type of drum kit giving you the ability to decide which is best for you. You can view this article here.
How To Tune Drums & Change Drum Heads
In this piece entitled "How To Tune Drums & Change Drum Heads", I very briefly explain the essentials to changing and then tuning your drum heads. This article will at least give you the basics in this mysterious and sometimes misunderstood skill. It's really not as scary as some drummers think! You can view this article here.
How To Practice The Drums: A Drum Practice Routine
In this piece entitled "How To Practice The Drums: A Drum Practice Routine", I give you some ideas (and hopefully some inspiration) on practicing the drums. I list a whole host of topics and subjects that drummers might eventually get around to looking at. Although a lot of the topics discussed aren't essential for a beginner drummer, you can at least be thinking about the next stage in your development...if you like of course. You can view this article here.
How To Play & Practice Drums To A Metronome Or Click Track
In this piece entitled "How To Play & Practice Drums To A Metronome Or Click Track", I look at the best methods for practicing with a metronome as well as the many benefits. The metronome (or sometimes called a "Click Track") can really benefit your drumming and is well worth thinking about. You can view this article here.
Should You Learn To Read and Write Drum Music/Notation?
In this piece entitled "Should You Learn To Read and Write Drum Music/Notation?", I discuss the benefits of learning to read and write drum notation. Again, this isn't essential to every new drummer but it's certainly food for thought. Learning to read and write music has helped me in so many ways it's unreal! Anyway, see what you think. You can view this article here.
Beginner Video Drum Lessons
Here is the start of my free beginner drum lessons with the music notation examples included with each. These lessons will take a complete beginner and teach them some of the most common and poplar drum beats they're ever going to need or want to play. With these video drum lessons, a bit of practice and some patience, you'll be flying on the drums in no time at all. Enjoy and have fun!
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1a - Common Beginner Drum Beats
In this video, I teach you your very first drum beat. This drum beat is by far the most common beat played in the world and can be heard on countless recordings. With this under your "drumming belt" you will be well on your way to drumming greatness.
Tip: If you're finding this too hard then skip to Lesson 1b as this drum beat is a little simpler. by the way, these drum lessons aren't all in order of difficulty but rather in order of commonality. Anyway, the next video should be an easier place to start if you require it.
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1a
Mini Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1a
This mini video simply demonstrates the drum beat on it's own without me explaining it, both slowly and fast. You can watch this video if you already know how to play the drum beat but just need a reminder of how it sounds.
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1b - Common Beginner Drum Beats
In this video, I teach you an even simpler drum beat. This means that it can also be played faster as there are less notes being played on the hi-hat than in the previous drum beat.
I refer to this drum beat as a "Quarter Note" drum beat because the right hand is playing Quarter Notes...pretty obvious really 
Tip: If you find this too hard then feel free to not count out loud, at least until you've got the beat down. Once learnt, try adding the counting back on top. The counting is going to help you to play more complicated Quarter Note drum beats later and so is well worth learning how to do.
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1b
Mini Beginner Video Drum Lesson 1b
This mini video simply demonstrates the drum beat on it's own without me explaining it, both slowly and fast. You can watch this video if you already know how to play the drum beat but just need a reminder of how it sounds.
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 2a - Common Beginner Drum Beats
This is where the drum beats we're learning start to develop a bit more of a personality and unique sound. The first half of this drum beat is not the same as the second half and so gives it more character. Yep, a drum beat with a character!
The way I "feel" this drum beat is that the two bass drums seem to "push" into the snare drum on beat 4. This is the feeling I get when playing this drum groove.
Tip: Be careful that you still only play one bass drum on beat 1. Of course, you can also try playing two bass drums on beat 1 as well and so create a brand new drum beat from the old one. Always have fun experimenting with your own ideas as you never know what might pop out!
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 2a
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 2b - Common Beginner Drum Beats
You've probably realised at this point that what we're doing here is learning two versions of the same drum beat, both with Eighth Notes on the Hi-Hat and Quarter Notes. This allows us as drummers to make a musical choice when playing as to which type of drum beat we might like to play. It also gives us more options when playing songs of faster tempos.
Tip: Note the bass drum that falls on it's own on the + of beat 3. This bass drum note is not played at the same time as the right hand.
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 2b
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 3a - Common Beginner Drum Beats
The drum beat from drum lesson 2a was described as feeling like the bass drum were "pushing" into the snare drum back beat on beat 4. This drum beat could be described, and certainly felt, as "pulling" the drum beat back. It doesn't have as much forward momentum if you like. This is just a "feel" thing at the end of the day but it's certainly one I get when playing this groove.
Tip: Most beginner drummers when first trying this beat find it hard to play the hi-hat note on the + of beat 3 on its own, without the snare drum, so watch out for this.
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 3a
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 3b - Common Beginner Drum Beats
Here's the Quarter Note version of the drum beat from lesson 3a. At this stage it's well worth being able to count out loud whilst playing. I highly recommend, to ensure accuracy, that you count all of the eighth notes even though nothing might not be being played on them. The timing for this drum beat can easily go wrong and so the counting will definitely help to ensure accuracy.
Tip: Listen to your right hand on the hi-hat. Ensure that the quarter notes are being played steadily and the rest should flow for you.
Beginner Video Drum Lesson 3b
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 4 - Practice Suggestion (1a & 1b)
OK, so far we've learnt six of the most common and popular drum beats EVER played! Well done, you're certainly on your way now. The next step before we learn some more cool drum grooves is to be able to mix things up a bit. This drum lesson takes the drum beat 1a (eighth notes on the hi-hat) and mixes it with drum beat 1b (quarter notes on the hi-hat).
The idea is that if you can change between one drum beat and the other then you must really have both down. You wouldn't hear a drummer change between eighth notes and quarter notes every two bars during your average song normally but it's certainly useful to be able too if required. Besides, like I said, this exercise is really just to ensure that you can play both beats confidently.
Practice Suggestion 1a & 1b
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 5 - Practice Suggestion (2a & 2b)
Here we go with drum beats 2a and 2b. Again, it's very useful to be bale to switch between the two different right hand patterns - eighth notes to quarter notes and vice versa.
Tip: Look out for those bass drums on the + of beat 3 during the second two bars. Those bass drums are played on their own in between the hi-hat's.
Practice Suggestion 2a & 2b
Mini Beginner Video Drum Lesson 2a & 2b
This mini video simply demonstrates the drum beats from Beginner Drum Lessons 2a AND 2b on their own without me explaining, both slowly and fast. You can watch this video if you already know how to play the drum beats but just need a reminder of how they sound.
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 6 - Practice Suggestion (3a & 3b)
Finally, I wanted to combine the two drum beats 3a and 3b. This combination should really get the old coordination working, especially when you go over to the quarter notes.
Tip: Just like anything new, take it slow and build up the tempo over time. I know it's a cliche but you really need to learn how to walk before you can run.
Practice Suggestion 3a & 3b
Mini Beginner Video Drum Lesson 3a & 3b
This mini video simply demonstrates the drum beats from Beginner Drum Lessons 3a AND 3b on their own without me explaining, both slowly and fast. You can watch this video if you already know how to play the drum beats but just need a reminder of how they sound.
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Beginner Video Drum Lesson 7 - Mix It Up! (1a & 2a)
In this final video tutorial (for now) I talk about mixing things up. It will greatly help your drumming if you're able to take different drum beats and play them together. As I explain, a lot of songs contain multiple drum beats and so it's important to be able to play multiple bar patterns.
This drum beat combination is a more common example of the type found in music. We have two drum beats with different bass drum patterns but the same hi-hat pattern over the top (eighth notes). It demonstrates drum beats 1a and 2a played together.
Tip: Try taking two or more of the drum beats you've learn so far (and the ones in the future) and combine them into multiple bar combinations. This is a far more musical way of drumming!
Mixing It Up! Practice Suggestion 1a & 2a
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Continue To The Next Page (More Common Beginner Drum Beats)...
For a more detailed beginner drum lesson package, be sure to check out the following Beginner Drum Lesson Video Pack. It contains many more drum beats and drum fills, explanations, multiple camera angles and help sheets. Ideal for the beginner drummer just starting out! Click one of the links right a the bottom...
Beginner Drum Lesson Video Pack - (8 Videos!)
Teaches 33 Unique Beginner Beats & Fills in Total...
This Beginner Drum Lesson Package is ideal for the beginner or drummer just starting out. These very common and easy beginner drum beats and fills are perfect for new drummers!
This package contains EIGHT Video Drum Lessons teaching...
- FIFTEEN Beginner Drum Beats
- EIGHTEEN Beginner Drum Fills.
- THIRTY THREE Unique Drum Patterns in total!!
Purchase Options
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View the "Downloadable Package" HERE.
-
View the "DVD Package" available for delivery ANYWHERE in the world HERE.
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