We play drums because it's fun and we're inspired by great musicians. So what better way to play the drums than by playing our favorite songs? This can be challenging for a beginner, but I think we have a list with something for everyone.
Beginners can play simple drum songs because the tempo isn't too fast, the rhythms aren't too complex, and the changes are easy. But that doesn't mean these songs are less. In fact, many of the songs on the list are favorites of many listeners and still inspire drummers to play drums like their heroes.
Each song is accompanied by basic notation and some commentary on how to play it. You'll also find that each song has a technique or setup tip that can help you improve your drumming.
Most of these songs have a variety of drum fills, so listen to the themes in the fills to help you learn them faster. If you're interested in a more detailed explanation of the battery, read on.this article about the best drum fillers.
The following playlist follows this list of easy drum songs.
1. We will rock you
While the rhythm is simple, it does require you to move the touch surfaces from the toms to the snare quite often. The consistency of this movement can be difficult, and rock anthems like this one by Queen require drummers to play hard.
BRIBE:When moving around the drums, remember to move the arms more than the sticks. Clubs are where they should be when your arms are where they should be. Also, when moving your arms, be prepared for a more ergonomic movement, which can result in more powerful and consistent sounds.
2. Back in black
Your timing is important when it comes to playing rhythms with lots of room in music, especially in simple (but amazing) songs like these. AC/DC's "Back in Black" has so much space that the drums resonate more, which means you have to play in time because it's so exposed.
BRIBE:Since drums resonate so strongly in the musical space, mood is a key issue when it comes to appreciating this music. Follow these steps to tune your drums.
- Hand tighten all tie rods. This will ensure that the bars begin to pull the head evenly down over the edge of the material.
- Rotate the risers opposite each other in the pattern shown below.
- Play the head next to the tension bar to compare tunings and make adjustments until the head next to each bar is the same height.
- Do the same for the bottom head, trying to keep the bottom head close to the same pitch as the head.
- You can use the bottom skin to change the sound of the drums, tuning them higher or lower than the top skin. Make sure this is a conscious control. Otherwise, you'll have trouble knowing what to adjust to get a specific sound.
3. Mary Jane's Last Dance
The subtle touch goes a long way with beats like Stan Lynch's on this Tom Petty hit. The balance between hi-hat work and kick and snare power are crucial qualities. of a great drum sound.
BRIBE:Hi-hat quaffes can get dirty easily. Lesson 4 ofThis article contains exercises.to establish coordination.
4. Have you ever seen rain?
This song is what I call it.Pop-Samba-Groovedue tobass drum pattern🇧🇷 It is one ofhit moneyvariationspresented in this article🇧🇷 The pulsation is pushed and pulled by the samba bass drum in the middle of the beat and the absence of the bass drum at the end. feel. Listen to the guitar and voice. It's crucial if you want to establish a rhythm.
BRIBE:Be careful with the tempo of Creedence's melodies. The pace has to drive without seeming rushed. I've always entered the tempo into my playlists whenever these songs appear in a performance.
5. Avenue of Shattered Dreams
Green Day was one of my favorite bands growing up.DookieIt appeared around the same time I started playing drums. MTV played his videos every day and I loved the energy that Tré Cool brought to each song.
BRIBE:This song is quite slow in terms of tempo, but it is very energetic with dynamics and feeling. It is a simple variation of "boom smack", starting with a boom wack on beats 1 and 2, followed by a boom boom smack on beats 3 and 4.
6th Army of the Seven Nations
Songs like "Seven Nation Army" are a great way to learn phrasing and backing for a rock band. Floor toms and kick drums drive this song with simple beats, and the snare drum and cymbals describe a handful of phrases. These are all important lessons for beginners and professionals alike.
BRIBE:Make sure you line up your tom and bass drum and play with a bit of attitude. If you haven't seen the White Stripes yet, check out the live video for this song.
7. Wellness Inc.
If there's one thing I wish I'd learned sooner rather than later, it would be respecting power, skipping a kick, or stopping the beat at a key point in the phrase. This song does an amazing job of keeping it simple and interesting.
BRIBE:Listen for half-open hi-hat beats at the end of certain phrases. They are supported by the box and do not distract from the text. The beats of drums and cymbals must be carefully placed in relation to the lead lines and vocals. It's about whether your contribution to music helps or hinders the goal of making great music.
8. Give me all your love
ZZ Top is one of the best American rock bands. I can't remember a Top 40 wedding or concert where we didn't play one of their songs. "Gimme All Your Lovin" is one of the easiest songs to play and is great for getting into the Texas blues rock mood this band created.
For more information on blues drum beats, seethis article about shuffles and 5 other rhythmsthis works well with the blues.
BRIBE:Try to stay true to the drum beats and phrasing of this song. With some songs you can deviate from the original beats and fills, but this isn't one of them. Most drummers in a power trio are successful because they write parts that become an integral part of the song, so we need to pay attention to those instances to really appreciate the music.
9. Nothing Else Matters
Powerful playing is key in Metallica's slower songs, as Lars Ulrich doesn't play complex rhythms. It relies on great sound quality and massive drum sounds to support the slow, powerful movement of this heavy ballad.
BRIBE:Where you play is up to you. You can play in the middle or on the edge. Both areas produce different sounds, so make sure the surface area you're hitting has the sound you want. If your hitting range is not predicted, your sound may be inconsistent and unclear.
10. Give me shelter
The intro to this Rolling Stones classic is barely audible on the original recording. It sounds like a ride cymbal, and I confirmed that Charlie Watts plays the ride live in the intro. The rhythm of the verse is very simple and has a few variations here and there with the kick drums.
BRIBE:Charlie Watts omits the hi-hat when playing the backbeat on the snare drum. You don't have to play like that, but that's what he does. Other great drummers like Jim Keltner used this technique, probably because of the isolation in the studio.
11. Heart-shaped box
The guitar and bass parts we hear in Nirvana songs are rhythmically significant because they are often alone. This means that you really need to hear every part of the song to understand the rhythm of the drums.
BRIBE:Concentrate on the bass and other rhythm instruments while listening to the music and playing along. Imagine that you are the drummer of the show and you join the band. Bass and guitar are easier to hear than drums because these instruments are not as drowned out by their own drum sounds.
12. Vertigo (U2)
This is a good song to build chops. The melody keeps you moving and the drum beat isn't too complex to drain too much energy before the end. It is characteristic of Larry Mullen Jr. with simple yet sophisticated rhythms and drum fills that fully support the band, slipping in and out of the beat seamlessly.
BRIBE:The surdo's steering pattern is subtle and dynamically moving. Feel free to play strong accents and the snare a little louder than the surdo. This practice of playing one hand stronger than the other is a great way to develop independence.
13. Paradiesstadt
You have to be a strong drummer to play in a band like Guns N' Roses. With Slash's rocking guitar lines and Duff's basslines, shyness will leave your groove in the dust. Hear Steven Adler accent the bass and guitar lines. It's not often, but the few are the key to the music.
BRIBE:I like to sing the guitar and bass rhythms as much as possible to help keep time in the intro. With all that space in the groove, you're exposed to unwanted tempo changes and vulnerable.
14. Backsteinhaus
I love how the first bar flows into the second. The lack of a bass drum at the beginning of the second measure opens up the rhythm for the listener to feel that final syncopation: the hi-hat sip assisted by a kick.
BRIBE:The bass drum's sixteenth-note syncopation and the hi-hat hits are the main features of this drum beat. If you're not familiar with quaffles, try practicing them every eighth note.
15. Put the pieces together
This is a brass section tune. It's funky and hits hard. Feel the rhythm of the melody and how the rhythm fits the different parts. Like "Brick House," this Average White Band song has hi-hat slurps, so check out the exercises linked above if you need to work on that coordination more.
BRIBE:Feel how the kick and snare fit together relative to the trumpet line. It is important to sing this rhythm so that all the instruments in the rhythm section form a rhythm.
final thoughts
Playing with great drummers was my first drum lesson. I remember my teacher, a speed metal drummer, telling me it was an easy way to get a good sense of time. I hope these examples will inspire drummers to improve their playing through this kind of practice.
On the subject of combining elements
Drum Beats for Beginners: 10 Rhythms That Work With Most Songs