New Guy

[gorillaman5434]

Hey everyone, I'm new to these forums...and new to drumming. I have a Forum set, but haven't done anything to it yet. I don't know much about drumming at all, so I don't know if I should get new heads or what. I'm only 14 so I'm on a pretty tight budget. Next to nothing actually. So if someone could just help me out a little and tell me if there's anything necessary to start with these drums, that would be great.

[HiFiBri]

Welcome! Plenty to learn from many in here, and thanks for the Intro post. I'm still a n00b and should have done one myself.

Don't worry, a Forum set is nicer than what many drummers have, and you don't need a $5,000 set to become a great drummer!

There's all sorts of rudiments to learn and practice that others here can help you more with. I would say pick some of your favorite music/drummers to practice to, even if it seems hard (I started with Kansas way back in the day, which my brother's friends thought was insane). Liking what you are practicing will make learning more enjoyable. Understanding parents (about the volume) helps, too, lol.

[Drumolator]

There are YouTube videos about tuning drums, and there are also drum lessons. Check those out. If you know a drummer, he/she might be able to help. Drum on!

[extrasmall757]

If you still have stock pearl protones, i highly reccomend you change them quick. I use Remo pinstripes on my forums but im about to change to some coated emporers. Also cymbals are a big part of the equation. i would reccomend zildjian zbt's for begginer use. those are what came with my kit, and they sound pretty good. And youtube videos, The PDF, etc. can help you tremendously as well. Good luck!

[livingstone]

Hey everyone, I'm new to these forums...and new to drumming. I have a Forum set, but haven't done anything to it yet. I don't know much about drumming at all, so I don't know if I should get new heads or what. I'm only 14 so I'm on a pretty tight budget. Next to nothing actually. So if someone could just help me out a little and tell me if there's anything necessary to start with these drums, that would be great.

If you have drums with heads on them and basic cymbals that's all you need! Honestly if you are just starting drumming I wouldn't worry about doing anything to your set as long as it is playable as it is. I would focus more on getting a basic foundation in drumming before you worry about upgrading your set. I made that mistake when I was just starting out. I got all excited and bought a bunch of gear that I just ended up getting rid of a couple years later. I would try to get at least a few lessons to give you some basics, then try to play along to music, look at youtube videos etc. Also going to your local music store and asking for their recommendation for a beginning drum book would be a good idea. Good luck with the drumming! It's a great journey!

[gorillaman5434]

Thanks a lot everyone. I'm working on getting some lessons right now, and that will probably happen pretty soon. I wish I knew a drummer or two, but it seems like around here nobody listens to good music, like music with actual drums or guitars.

[ADrummersdad]

Welcome to the forum. The drums you have are great, they'll do anything you want to do with them. Sure down the road everybody likes to experiment with different heads but don't be in a rush. Have fun with what you have. You probably don't know what kind of sound you really like yet. I would suggest a rythem watch by Tama. Timing is the most important thing starting out. Even if your playing the easiest beats, playing them to correct time is important. You can practice your drum roles and parradidles to time. I came up with a parradidle drill for my son around his kit adding some bass drum to it as well. It really made it fun to work on his stick drills this way. All of us are gear junkies on here so don't get bit by the bug!

[corsair]

As the other members said, you must replace the heads with some of the style you like. For example I use Remo Pinstripe on toms/bass and Weatherking for snare. It change the sound a lot

By the way welcome to PDF, and keep drumming!

[barjack]

Welcome to the PDF! Luckily, you don't need a ton of money to get into drumming anymore. Gear is cheaper than it's ever been. I also suggest getting rid of the Protone heads ASAP, I think you'll find that full, warm sounding toms will get you much more excited about learning than the plastic sounding heads that come stock on most kits. Musicians Friend has half a dozen different sets of tom head pre-packs for $35 and free shipping, great models like Remo coated Emperor which I would personally suggest.

As for networking with local drummers, I had the same problem for years growing up. I made up for it by hanging out quite a bit at the local drum and guitar shop with my guitarist friends. Since there was no PDF and not really any internet yet, I got most of my drum knowledge from piles and piles of catalogues I'd pick up every time I stopped into the store. Now, with the PDF and Youtube, you have literally thousands of other drummers to network with and learn from.

[HTownDrummer]

Welcome. Since your starting out i would say the best thing to do would be to buy a metronome (i got mine for 10.99) and work on basic beats and rolls. After you can do simple beats and rolls in time you will start to make your own beats and develop your style. I would hold off on getting new heads untill you know the sound you want. One ruddiment that got me going was a paradiddle. Right-Left-Right-Right-Left-Right-Left-Left. A practice pad will also be useful. They are cheap too. Have fun and good luck!

[Mohadiib1]

Ah yes, the metronome, the paradiddle. I wrote to several drum companies and they all sent me catalogs and stickers. Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, Yamaha, Ddrum, Slingerland, etc.. On my old Forums, I used Evans G2's on the Deccabons, Remo Pinstripe Clear on all the toms, Remo Ambassador coated on the snare, and Evans EQ4's on the bass drums. A cheaper but quality cymbal pack to look into would be the Sabian Xs20's. Musicians friend usually has good deals. Also--check with your local music or drum store. Then you won't have to pay shipping charges. Welcome to the world of percussion, and remember....practice, practice, practice. But have fun while you're doing it.

*See my old set in the Forum thread---Update: 15 Piece Forum with cymbals.

[gorillaman5434]

Okay, I'm probably getting lessons soon, and I think I have already improved a lot (at least speed-wise). Now about the heads, will they change the sound a lot? Or will tuning them be more important? I was listening to The Ramones the other day, just to hear the drums. I realized that I really like the quick sounds of the toms. Sorry, I don't really know how to describe it. So anyway, are there some heads that could make my drums sound a little more like that? I don't really like how my toms kind of...echo. I like the really quick sounds, kind of like a pop, but they're also deep. Pretty much the same for bass and snare. So, what heads could make my drums sound a little more like that? Again, sorry for not being able to describe this very well.

[Drumolator]

Drums sound much different by themselves than they do with a band. Back in the 70s, when much of the Ramones was recorded, we muffled the toms and snares. Now, most professional drummers want sustain and do not muffle the snare or toms at all. I want my drums to sound deep but also ring as long as possible. That way they have good tone when I play with other musicians.

Go to www.evansdrumheads.com/ and check out the videos. Drum on!