What Does It Really Take to Be A Drummer in A Band?
I know it’s not just playing the drums you have to understand music and so on.
Want to become a truly great drummer? It’s not just about playing fast or flashy—it’s about mastering the fundamentals. In this video, I’ll reveal the key foundations every drummer needs, plus the mindset that will set you up for long-term success. Stick around because by the end of this video, you’ll know exactly what it takes to build a strong drumming foundation and make your band sound amazing!
Hey, developing drummers! Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up your skills, there’s something we all need to understand: drumming isn’t just about hitting the drums—it’s about timing, space, sound quality, and serving the music. Whether that requires a purely rhythmical approach, or a more musical one.
Today, I’m going to break down the core foundations every drummer needs to master, from rock and jazz basics to technical skills that will help you enhance the music, not overpower it. Let’s dive in!
First off, let’s talk about the most important concepts in music and drumming: Time, and Space. Drumming is all about what you play, where you play it, and when you play it. Having control over these elements is what separates a good drummer from a great one.
Now, to build that degree of control, you need a solid foundation. I always recommend that beginners and even intermediate players focus on mastering two key drumming styles: rock drumming and jazz drumming. These two styles form the cornerstones of all drumming and music. They teach you how to keep solid time, how to groove, and how to work efficiently within a band to enhance the music. Once you’ve got those down, you’ll find that every other style and technique builds from there.
The journey then becomes a journey toward improving what you already know and have learned.
In addition to rock and jazz, I suggest developing a more technical foundation in areas like drum fills, phrasing, and dynamics. The ability to control how you transition between beats and use dynamics to shape the sound is what will make you stand out as a player. But remember—it’s always about serving the song, not just showing off what you know. Or what you can do on the drums.
I started drumming when I was 9 years old, and by the time I was 11, I was gigging 5 nights a week while still in school. What got me through wasn’t fancy tricks—it was solid rock, jazz, and the basic rudiments. From that point on, it’s been a journey of never-ending improvement. The same goes for you. The more you focus on these basics, the more you’ll see your drumming improve over time.
However, its important to know from the start, that although I practiced more complex stuff. I was always focused on the very basics. The foundation if you will. I a more of a, “it’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it,” kind of a guy. I was never really into complexity. Maybe that’s because I found it too difficult. I don’t know. What I do know is that you don’t have to be a master technician to succeed in drumming and music.
Work on the basics, get them right. Then improve them. Practicing more complex exercises will always help to improve the basics. Just a like a body builder goes to the gym to build his body and strength etc. When he then plays the drums for instance, the drumming becomes less of an effort due to his exertion through bodybuilding.
One last thing to remember: when you’re playing with a band, what your bandmates want—whether they’re guitarists, bassists, keyboard players, or vocalists—is a solid timekeeper. You’re the metronome that keeps everything tight. And as you get better, you’ll also want to develop the self-discipline to know when not to play that fancy fill you learned in practice. It’s all about playing what’s needed for the music.
So, what is considered a great starting point?
Try learning some of the beats Ringo Starr played with The Beatles. His drumming might seem simple, but it was essential for the music. He knew exactly what the song needed, and that’s the level of intuition and control you want to develop.
To put things into perspective. Ringo Starr couldn’t, and I don’t believe he can to this day, play a double-stroke roll. But that didn’t stop him succeeding as a drummer. I myself had massive problems playing a single stroke roll. And yet that didn’t stop me succeeding in the areas I preferred.
So, to sum it up: master the basics—rock, jazz, rudiments—and focus on making the music sound better with every note you play.
Now that you’ve got a clear path to building a solid drumming foundation, what’s next? If you’re dreaming of playing drums professionally, especially if you’re young and ambitious, check out my next video where I’ll answer the question: How can a 16-year-old girl become a professional drummer for a famous artist? Is that even possible? We’ll find out in the next video!
