Guitars, Piano, Drum – Beat Down

First used by pre-historic tribes to send messages to each other and now beaten by Travis Barker A he lights up a stage for Blink 182, drums are one of the most important pillars of music. So if you find yourself itching to make a beat, there is no time to begin like the present.

The most important piece of advice a new drummer could use would be to start early and to patient; accomplished drummers can move all four limbs at the same time and independently of one another, something the uninitiated might have difficulty with and which takes a lot of practise.

Another good suggestion is to trying playing on a drum kit first. Check to see if the sounds the drums make are clear, have depth and resonate. Play with the tuning by adjusting the tension rods. For instance, the Kick, which is the pedal to play the bass drum, can be adjusted to be tighter (which requires more energy to push it) or softer. The bass, the snare above it, the metallic hi-hats and the toms (which look like snare drums but make a sound that is similar to their name) are the most important parts of a kit, so make sure to play around the feel comfortable using them.

Also, make sure to keep each piece of the kit easily accessible as it helps immensely in timing and the way you play your beats. If you think being loud is what makes you a better drummer, bear in mind that at most concerts, the drums are almost always connected to mikes.

There are many places you can buy drums from in Karachi (including electronic kits which hardly make a sound when plugged in to headphones). Beatles Centre, V-Sell, and the Yamaha outlet at Dolmen Mall in Clifton carry a variety of kits. If you are looking for a beginner’s kit, a budget of Rs 30,000-50,000 should be more than enough.

By Kurt Menezes

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