Quick drum lesson: how to improve timing and note spacing

It's time to fix those drumming weaknesses!
In the April 2015 edition of Rhythm Magazine we look at common areas where all drummers fall down at some point in their playing lives. Whether it's suffering from a weaker hand, a lack of dynamics and creativity or difficulty developing independence between the limbs. In our Troubleshoot Your Drumming issue our tutors and guest drummers provide quick and easy fixes for 17 key playing areas to help transform your playing.
In this lesson Drumeo instructor Dave Atkinson presents a lesson on improving your timing and note spacing behind the kit.
For the full lesson and for more like this you can pick up the new issue from bit.ly/rhythmla... or take advantage of our print, digital and print/digital bundle subscription offers at bit.ly/rhythmsu...

[@ddrummer1821]

I think it's funny that this is supposed to be for BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE drummers, but this STUFF RIGHT HERE! is what the PROS are CONSTANTLY working on and perfecting

[@iansullivan9738]

If you don't have the confidence born of practice, burying the click can be very off putting.

[@connorrobinson1909]

The amount of skill it takes to be that good and demonstrate playing the drums wrong 😊

[@Benjamin_Lees_]

I'm 14 and I started recently and its such a relief to hear that I can bury the metronome☺

[@calvinsbrennholzverleih3588]

That's nice. Which genres are you playing?

[@Benjamin_Lees_]

@@calvinsbrennholzverleih3588 Rock, heavy metal, alternative,all the greats, but most recently ive been really into glam metal/rock such as Motley Crue ect. Today i found the band Airbourne and im in love XD. Airbourne is exactly what i love. Energy, sweat, noise.

[@sm_4859]

@@Benjamin_Lees_ wow you share the same music as me 🔥 So glad to hear you are not stuck with bts

[@shashankmongrel]

Lolololol

[@rayboreham2648]

It might be a relief, but the question is, can you do it consistently? Anybody can get lucky from time to time, but consistency is the key.

[@davidleethebroccoli]

Dat j dilla beat tho

[@miikaroysko9591]

i actually really liked the part where he tried to flam all the notes :D 3:27

[@jaredsmith3236]

I do as well. It is very hip hop oriented hahah. I think he is saying what I tell my students: It is cool to do of the horn stuff, as long as you do it on purpose and with control. :)

[@philippweisang]

Put some beat with that vinyl crackle over that haha

[@CoredusK]

itS jAzZ bRo

[@cliffsavage2]

Man, what excellent drum tuning

[@JeffRandallDrumming]

Nice lesson Dave!

[@trueapostle117]

Jeff Randall bro it's you :o

[@CoredusK]

Dave with the quintuplet swing before it was cool

[@shanegregg1057]

Although it is important to have a very good sense of timing and to always practice to a metronome it is equally important to develop your pocket. There’s always a pocket and sometimes we lope to give the song a different feel.

[@DanielS10291]

My snare is ALWAYS late. Consistently so maybe its on purpose.. 😏

[@brianmcguire5175]

Just being a picky drummer but I would switch out the description of drummers as "time keepers" to time conveyors. Technically this , and simply great, drum instructor, on this channel of other great drum instructors and content, is correct in describing drummers as quoted above but only in the context of very unfortunate real world gigging work where the paying band leader has a very simplistic and basic function for the aspiring gigging drummer for that band. Really though, drummers ought be understood more fully as time conveyors meaning the time reference or pulse reference while also being understood as the musical accentuations of the rhythmic aspects of that particular song. Here, to explain, I mean that drumming is a sounding of unique sound colours that have more rhythmic pronunciation than any of the other instruments. I do accept many gigs where the hiring band reduce my musical function to just time keeping but in my experience the best bands and musicians I was lucky to ever gig with had great timing too allowing my role to be , still time referencing, more profound in terms of the overall soundscape the ensemble produced together for the song and audience. I'm being picky I know, just wanted to express my gripe about my experiences, not really about the guys description here. Watching this video to ensure my timing is on point so here for the lesson first, saw opportunity to spout this second

[@dwdrumz1]

What a great sounding kit !

[@bobchief3414]

great video! i play all instruments on my new record and wanted to work on m overall preformance ability . great video!

[@williewhite1161]

Thank you.

[@bluenotgreen63]

When you said, “This is not what you want to sound like…”… That’s what I sound like! I suck!!! Oh well, keep trying. It sounds good when I’m recording tracks with my rythm guitar and lead playing together but when I play them all back… sounds like a car with a flat tire driving by. How did I not hear me being off that much. Wow. Thanks for the input my friend. I’ll practice the click on my digital alesis mesh kit.

[@whotfknws1427]

Same here man. Any time i assume improvement, i record myself playing to a song or click and i want to jump off the sears tower

[@udosmidt4133]

Thanks for these tipps!

[@YuvalAlonithe]

When I play eights on the hi-hat, whenever a "stray" thought gets-in to my mind, either related to thinking about the next steps for the groove, or thinking about something totally unrelated -- I suddenly lose consistency and change the intervals between the notes - when I record myself practicing - it's very noticeable (to my ears) - any practical tips for avoiding this (other than "just practice a lot")...

[@Alex-mf3jj]

I'm having the same problem

[@LameBushido]

have you tried meditation

[@tangolim7898]

thank nice lesson. It was useful :D

[@DanielS10291]

I flam so many of my hits, ie ill hit the snare and hat and they wont be lined up. Same with the bass drum. Ive been playing years and i realise i suck when i listen back to my drumming isolated

[@DrGray_Drummer]

Great lesson!!!! I've really been studying just about anytime I get a chance. Especially with the click. Listen to your bass drum when you demonstrated. Hear anything?

[@velascojhon3841]

Thank you i realy love it

[@MathisFamily6]

great lesson

[@Rocket1.5121]

I'm heartbroken that sounds like me most of the time I'm trying hard but I can't get my left hand to cooperate I been playing now for two weeks and I haven't even attempted to play anything because I suck so bad. 😭😭😭😭

[@albanyavenueband8109]

Just keep practising man! You’ve gotta start somewhere!

[@oliverspackman6766]

Perseverance is key, every sucks at the start. If you enjoy it you'll be great in no time.

[@markhynes5160]

I know your comment is old now, but I'm interested to hear, how much progress have you made in the 8 months or so since you've commented? Even if it feels like you have made little to no progress I promise you you've made it farther than you think if you've been keeping it up. I've been practicing for a few years now, I have noticed improvement but I still have lots of issues with my timing, so don't feel too bad. It takes a really long time to really perfect timing, and not only to perfect timing but to be able to stay in time in different tempos, especially if you're self taught like me. It's important to practice time regularly and prioritize it, but I personally think it's also important to practice other things at the same time, such as fills and rudiments, and just moving around the kit in general, so that when you do get better at timing you have some of the fluidity and movements needed to apply it to the rest of the kit already.

[@markhynes5160]

And remember, as Rutherford B. Hayes famously said "Every expert was once a beginner" in order to become a master, you need to be willing to first be a fool.

[@bluenotgreen63]

We should start a club.

[@ercussio]

When playing the HH and snare, it looks like he chooses to angle his right hand out of the way rather than the traditional technique of crossing the sticks near hands. Interesting--I've never seen that style before!

[@SeanoBongo]

Thanks man x

[@datguitarman2056]

How do you find a click track?

[@deadfox03]

Try the Soundbrenner app for your phone!

[@datguitarman2056]

@@deadfox03 thanks

[@marfguy1987]

nice dave but that flam playing comes in handy in broken beat genres

[@MAGNETO-i1i]

Its broken for a reason

[@Benjamin_Lees_]

What if I have an android?

[@nathanielramos4621]

yamaha drum kit

[@nkemjikalinus3370]

I have a problem in my kicking how do i improve it

[@giromasa1149]

@@nkemjikalinus3370 kick it

[@StevenMcknightGuitar]

Escape from Flamland.

[@lifesoldier]

is this everyone's favourite gary brannan?

[@ScienceofLogicTV]

You know you are great at playing an instrument when you can play it false on purpose.

[@vinayakupadhyay4194]

6:14 you are playing just like 5 year old kid

[@cartwright420able]

This guy sounds Canadian. Not good.