I've got a problem, maybe one of you can help

[Snug]

Hi everyone my name's Keith, and I would like to start playing the drumset. I played snare drum in high school, and I won a couple of medals doing it. I even play bass drum, tenor drums, and tom toms in high school also but not all at once. My biggest problem is playing the bass with the footpedal while playing the cymbal and the snare at the same time. I can play the cymbal and the snare together all day, but when I try to add the footpedal into the mix I end up getting all off beat. Are there any suggestions for me?

Thanks in Advance,
Keith

[CalKel2]

I assume that you can probaby read if you played snare in high school. My advice would be to try and play a simple beat just to get used to using all of your limbs at the same time.

Play 8ths on the hi-hat. Put the snare in at 2 & 4. And put your foot down on 1 & 3. That's about as easy as it gets but its about the same beat that everyone has to tackle to move on. Let me know how you make out.

[vMac]

What you're talking about is arm/leg independence, and it's really tough to develop, so don't worry about it.  Here's a site that may be of some help.  http://www.drummingweb.com/ambidexterity.htm

One thing to practice is something where the kick is on the and of a beat.  For example, (in 4/4) you play quarter notes on the hat or snare.  And the kick is on 1 and the "and"of 2.  It's kind of hard to explain, so sorry if you don't understand it.  Anyway, what I'm talking about is, you want to kick on the same time as what your hands are doing, which is typically on the beat.  The challenge is to unlock your foot from your hands.  So when you pick up some exercies like that, take them really slow and don't move on to something harder until you've mastered the basic level stuff, which I know is also hard to do.  Good luck.

[drummercat777]

HEY, I AM A SNARE TOO!!!! ANYWAYS, BECAUSE YOU ARE USE TO USING YOUR HANDS WITHOUT YOUR FEET YOU ARE ALREADY USED TO MARCHING RIGHT? JUST START TO TRY TO ENCORPERATE YOUR FOOT INTO YOUR PLAYING. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, JUST GET THE BASS IN ON TWO AND FOUR.  :lol: THATS WHAT I DID FOR A WHILE BEFORE I GOT THE HANG OF THANGS............GOOD LUCK AND KEEP PRACTICIN'

              -ITS ALL GOOD AND ITS ALL GOD

[Accentric]

Hey Keith all the advice above is spot on and ur problem isn't unusual so don't worry. One of the things I'll say is there was somthing I learn't from a Dave Weckl (great drummer) well he saud just get on ur kit n play, jam let loose free urself up, cos somtimes u want to get it right u end up getting frustrated.
Secondly when I started to learn how to play drums I dind't have the privellege of a kit so all I did was get 2 pen or sticks or wateva that fit the bil, assumed the positin on a stool or a chair had a table in front of me and just went for it trying to get the basics right

I hope that helps, ENJOY oh and watch a lot of videos, u get inspired that way and finally Pray, prayer moves mountains and ur feet.