"easy" drum songs

[Konodmb41]

I've been taking drum lessons for about 2 months now and my teacher told me to bring in some songs I wanna learn. I need 3 songs that are easy to play and 3 that may be more for an intermediate player. I understand that I won't be able to play exactly what carter plays but I want songs where I can break them down to simpler beats and still have it sound good. thanks

[ajgnydc722]

Carter's playing is very intricate, even on "simple" songs. But even if you're not very advanced, there are a bunch of songs that you can have fun just playing along to, without note-for-note replicating Carter.

Going chronologically through DMB's albums..

The Best of What's Around
What Would You Say
Jimi Thing
#41
Don't Drink the Water
The Space Between
Angel
Captain

Are all songs that you could probably get away with playing a standard 2&4 rock groove. If you're looking for a few tougher, but not "advanced" tunes, I'd consider...

Ants Marching
Too Much
Crush

...and qutie a few others. It's hard for me to judge exactly how far along you are, so I'd listen to these tunes and try to see if you can play-along with them.

Carter probably isn't the best guy to dive into after just 2 months of playing, unless you're just doing it to have some fun. Most of his parts are pretty complex to focus on "nailing" after just 2 months on the instrument.

But good luck to you. :thumbsup

[MDrums54]

i would say crush is more of an easy song to play

everyday, two step, hunger for the great light...and basically all of stand up actually

[bennettr]

cornbread??

[jamjumpin]

Don't drink the water is a piece of piss.
What about some songs off Some Devil, Gravedigger is quite easy.

[symbian]

If you ve only been playing for 2 months, id say switch your kit to left handed, learn that way for 2 months, then switch back, and do this every couple months. Will teach you to play open handed.

[gregory311]

This should get you started - try some of this:

Not a Rick Roll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNZ6PIjWGrc)

J.

[RushianSyrinx]

If you ve only been playing for 2 months, id say switch your kit to left handed, learn that way for 2 months, then switch back, and do this every couple months. Will teach you to play open handed.

Or he could just play open handed. If you're just starting out and switching back and forth, that could cause some problems of confusion. However, I do recommend that you begin to play open handed (left hand on hats), as it will enable more opportunities.

I also recommend practicing rudiments/licks with both hands leading. That is, playing single stroke rolls right hand lead and then left hand lead. Whichever hand is not your dominant hand, do a little bit more with.

Also, as I indicated in other threads, when you get jamming along with other music... reduce your set. Go to snare/bass/hats and jam with music for a week or two. Then add a ride cymbal. Then a floor tom. Do that, slowly reconstructing your set, and it will be a great help to your ability to play a kit of any size. If you can't play well on a 5 piece, what makes you think you can play in a kit the size of the SS Bozzio?

[pig494]

Playing open handed will allow you to be more versitile in the future, but as a begginning drummer I would say its tough to do that..begin with how your comfortable and then start doing some grooves on the hi- hat later open handed and build off of that. As much as everyone wants to be like Carter you need to become youself and an individual drummer.

Angel and So Much to Say are 2 pretty basic songs. I think So Much to Say is the first one I learned.

Good Luck

[ajgnydc722]

There is no advantage to playing open-handed over cross-handed. It's just like matched vs. trad. It's a matter of feel. You can play whatever you want using either, so don't get hung up on what is better. Neither is better than the other.

That said, ambidexterity is definitely something to be strived for.

I was going to mention So Much to Say, but the chorus has a samba-type feel that might not come too easily to a beginner.

[jamjumpin]

Of course there's an advantage to playing open handed, whilst your left hand is keeping the beat your right is free to do single handed fills around toms, splashes etc. playing cross handed stops your left hand coming over to do that.

However, open handed is really not the way to start out, if you're right handed, play right handed, you have plenty of time to strengthen your left side in the future.

[RushianSyrinx]

I beg to differ. While you should focus on your dominant hand for now, as you become acclimated to drumming, you should also do more things with your left hand. If you play drums for 15 years and decide to pick up open handed, it can be very difficult. You don't have to switch to open now, but I do recommend spending a small portion of your practice time messing around with it. I also highly recommend spending equal time doing rhythms/rudiments with left lead and right lead.

[jamjumpin]

Last Stop is easy too.

[ajgnydc722]

Of course there's an advantage to playing open handed, whilst your left hand is keeping the beat your right is free to do single handed fills around toms, splashes etc. playing cross handed stops your left hand coming over to do that.

Disagree. While open-handed is a perfectly reasonable approach to playing the drums, it is not any "better" than cross-handed. Ultimately, your goal should be to be comfortable enough leading with both hands, so that there are no restrictions when you play.

Last time I checked, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Stewart Copeland, Tony Williams, Jojo Mayer, Dennis Chambers, etc. etc. etc. never had any problems playing immaculate drum tracks, and they all play cross-handed.

It's a matter of preference. If you feel comfortable pulling off fills with an open-handed technique, more power to you. Maybe it's the best way to play for you. Doesn't necessarily mean it's the best way to play for everyone, though. :thumbsup

[jamjumpin]

I just bought some drum heads and now feel very very poor...

[dwdrums36]

I agree with alot of these posts and they all pose some great points.

But one thing I must say is that open-hand is HARD. I started to pick it up about a year after I started playing and I had alot of trouble with it and I am pretty coordinated. I would def. mess around with it in your practice time, but don't commit. Just get a feel for it.

I also can't stress enough the advice above about "playing small" I do this every couple of months. Strip my set down to the Bass, Snare, Hats, and One tom, and try to play the same songs. It improves speed and allows you to get a feel for what each piece really gives you as well.

Finally, if you want a nifty Carter trick that I picked up do the following. Play your regular Rock beat with Bass, Snare, Bass Snare. 8th notes on the hat. Then, at your discretion, hit your leg with your hat hand instead of the hat. Then return to the hat for the next beat.

Alot of Carter's beats sound so unique because he skips beats on his Hat/Ride hand. He also tends to add a little flourish on the hat when he comes back to it. BUt either way, he does it alot, so see if you can do that.

Also, another poster mentioned how you need to become your own drummer. Can't stress this enough. Don't try to immitate a beat verbatim. Bring your own feeling into it. Try to play So Much to Say on a different part of the drumset. Maybe add a snare beat here or there. Just don't try to emulate the songs you play, or thats all youll ever be able to do.

So Much to Say was the first song I learned by DMB, and the chorus is interesting and challenging but I think def. playable for someone who seems to be as interested in you.

Rage On.

[ajgnydc722]

I just bought some drum heads and now feel very very poor...

Hah, tell me about it. :lol

[jamjumpin]

How can you charge £35 for a bass drum head! The first one I bought was only £15 like 6 year ago.

[dwdrums36]

Jeez...those prices seem awful high. Where are you guys going? I assume your local drum shop. In the States I can buy a new bass drum head for around $20 which is about 10 pounds or so. Remo too.

[RushianSyrinx]

Evans Emad are pretty pricey, no matter where you go.

[jamjumpin]

Yeah it was an Emad, sounds killer though. Although I could have just bought a G1 and taped some foam to it.

[RushianSyrinx]

Evans Emad and the Aquarian Super Kick are two of the best bass heads out there.

And they're worth the $$$