How to Learn Drums Without a Drumset
Mastering hand technique & coordination with just sticks & pad
The Hands
Practice fine-tuning your grip AND growing your hand-to-hand coordination by
practicing these sticking patterns slowly. Remember that the point isn’t speed just yet.
We want clean, precise coordination.
SINGLES
DOUBLES
PARADIDDLES
Bonus Step:
Practice accenting one hand and ghosting the other when playing paradiddles (i.e. right hand loud left hand soft, and vice versa). This totally splits your brain in two, and
we haven’t even gotten to the feet yet!
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Basic Groove
Put together a basic groove by playing 8th notes with your right hand (maybe on the
upper right hand side of your pad), left hand “backbeats” (2 & 4) on the center of your
pad, and right foot “taps” on the floor on beats 1 & 3.
The “Money Beat” (aka, the “Billie Jean” beat):
…Adding the left foot (hihat, below the staff) on beats 2 & 4:
Working the Feet
You’ve now already put your feet to the test and mastered some basic, four-way
coordination. That’s awesome! But let’s focus specifically on the feet alone to build up
their coordination in relation to each other, as well as technique, strength, and stamina.
Practice the same hand patterns you did already, playing through singles,
doubles, and paradiddles with your feet. Keep things slow, because this isn’t
about speed. This is about building precise coordination between limbs.
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Now let’s work out your foot and leg muscles a little…
Do what I demonstrated in the video, cycling through foot singles using three very
different techniques:
your heels planted on the floor, tap your feet to play singles. Push the
• Keeping
tempo a little more to make sure you’re “feeling the burn” on your shins. Make sure
you can keep the tempo steady, though.
the same singles, now stomping your entire leg to play each note. Be sure
• Play
to sit up straight the whole time, using your core muscles to stay balanced and
stable. This is a great core workout, and it gets easier the more you do it!
play the singles the third way, where you keep your legs up…but only
• Now
move your feet. You’re lifting your heels off the floor and pivoting your feet in the air
to play the notes. Again…a great core workout!
“Linear” Playing (Hand-Foot Patterns)
You’ve learned singles, doubles, and paradiddles between your two hands and two
feet, but it’s now time to mix them up between hands and feet. This is challenging to
do smoothly and steadily, but practicing this is worth it. You build a LOT of
coordination and limb independence doing so.
Singles Between Hand & Foot:
Doubles Between Hand & Foot:
Paradiddles Between Hand & Foot:
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A Few Tips…
didn’t specify which hand or which foot to use in the patterns above for a reason.
• IMix
and match these! Work all three of them between different limb combinations
(i.e. - RH & LF, LH & RF, etc.).
bottom space is supposed to be foot and middle space hand, but you don’t
• The
have to start each pattern with your hand as notated. Flip the pattern upside down
and start with your hand instead. This gives you 8 different ways you can play
each of these, which is very thorough coordination practice.
if you want to get even crazier, try keeping time with whichever extra limbs you
• And
have as you practice these (maybe 8ths with the right hand, quarter with the left
foot…you name it).
Have fun with this stuff!
As predictable as it is for me to say “have fun with this,” it still needs to be said. Don’t
get caught up in the “technical-ness” of all of it and lose sight of your musical dreams.
Remember that the end goal is to get on the kit, learn songs, and make music (and
maybe even play with a band). All of this pad practice is merely a means to an end. This
won’t be forever, and this is just your bridge that will get you to your next step.
I believe that ANYONE can learn the drums, and I believe you’re far more capable of
becoming a great drummer than you think you are. Don’t sell yourself short! Work hard
at these basic technique skills, and you WILL reap the reward.
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