Carson Gant – Drumeo Beat

How To Buy A Drum Kit For Your Child

Carson Gant — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:00:22 +0000

When is the right time to buy your kid their first drum set?

You’ll probably just know. There’s no right or wrong age or ability level that comes with having drums. If you see the sustained passion and drive in wanting a kit, that’s a good point to think of a window of time that’s comfortable for you: if your kid is still interested in, say, 6 months, it’s the right time to invest.

Once you’ve decided to buy a drum set, do you choose an electronic or acoustic kit?

Why you should get an electronic kit

Most parents go for electronic drums because they sound awesome just by tapping them (and triggering preset sounds)
They come with many creative sounds (like lasers and crickets) that are fun for kids
They’re virtually silent and run through headphones
You can fold them up and put them in the closet
They don’t have that big of a footprint
They come with built-in practice tools like metronomes and the ability to play along to a song and hear both the music and the drums at the same time

You should go with one of the three major brands: Roland, Yamaha, or Alesis. They all have great beginner kits that you can buy for around $500.

Why you should get an acoustic kit

They may be bigger, louder, and less easy to put away, but this is the instrument most of us want to play. When you sit down at an acoustic kit with real cymbals and vibrations and learn how to play with touch and feel, it’s a dream come true. The feeling of a real drum kit unfortunately just can’t be replicated on an electronic kit.

The big six brand names in acoustic drums are Yamaha, Pearl, Tama, Ludwig, Mapex, and Sonor. These hold great resale value, so if your kid ever decides drums aren’t for them after all, you shouldn’t have a problem selling them on your local classifieds.

Tips for buying drums for kids

It’s important to try and get smaller shell sizes, especially if your child is still very young. Avoid a bass drum bigger than 18″ and look for shallower toms that you can raise up as your child grows.

Many kits come with cymbals, but if they don’t, it’s important to at least get hi-hats, a crash cymbal, and a ride cymbal. Here are four entry-level cymbal packs that will have this combination, and they will sound great and work for many years:

Drums and cymbals tend to hold their resale value, so you should search your local classifieds to see what’s available before you head to your nearest music store.

Check out our guide all about the best drum sets for kids!

Once you have a drum set, check out the courses and lessons on Drumeo. We also have a show called The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson, which exposes kids to rhythms and drums in a fun and colorful way.

Download the Drumeo Kids app or check out all of the episodes in the Drumeo members area!

This video is part of a ‘quick tips’ series for parents to inspire kids to play drums:

1. How To Get Your Kid Interested In The Drums
2. How To Teach Kids Simple Rhythms
3. How To Make A Homemade Drum Set
4. How To Support Your Kid’s Passion For Drums
5. How To Encourage Your Child To Not Quit Drums

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This Show Will Get Your Kids To Love Drumming

Carson Gant — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 19:00:46 +0000

It’s a bass…it’s a snare…it’s Captain Carson!

This is the first episode of “The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson”, where Carson Gant (who you might recognize from OneUpDrumVids), Gary the alien, and Ricky the robot show preschoolers why rhythm is awesome.

Like many children’s shows, this one is interactive, where kids are encouraged to clap rhythms back and sing boots (bass drum), chicks (hi-hat), and cats(snare) along with the characters.

Watch out for the Groove Troll who threatens to steal the groove and ruin the biggest dance party in space!

You can watch The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson from anywhere with the Drumeo Kids app or in the Drumeo members area.

5 Ways To Inspire Kids To Play Music

Carson Gant — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 16:30:04 +0000

How do you encourage a kid’s interest in music? Pressuring someone to take lessons doesn’t spark the passion; they need to discover it for themselves. While you can’t ‘force’ someone to like music, you can expose them to it so they can decide if it’s for them.

As a parent, how can you support your kids in their musical adventures?

1. Show them the magic of concerts

By watching a concert, kids can make the connection that drums are able to get people moving! If you’re able to bring them to free shows in public spaces, treat them to concerts with your favorite bands, or stream a live show, you’ll show them how amazing it is when musicians and the crowd interact.

2. Play music at home

Whether they’re preschoolers or babies, introduce your kids to music from all over the world. There’s an amazing app called radiooooo which lets you select any country and a decade of music from that country to explore.

If you’re a musician, jam with your kids! It’s super rewarding. Many of the world’s most respected musicians grew up playing music with the family.

3. Take them to your local music store

Show them the local music store and all the different drums and cymbals. If the employees are okay with it, let your kids tap on things with sticks. Being surrounded by drums can be a magical experience!

4. Make it a game

Many people (including Drumeo Edge members) started drumming because of the rubber drums that come with Guitar Hero or Rock Band. Whether it’s one of these or a virtual reality option like Beat Saber, games can inspire kids to pick up an instrument and try it for themselves.

5. The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson

Led by Carson Gant, The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson is a new Drumeo show created to inspire kids with music, rhythm, and the drums.

In this interactive and colorful show, kids are exposed to different types of music (including reggae, R&B, world, blues, hiphop, salsa, rock, disco, and country). They’ll stomp and clap to test their coordination, and sing rhythms using ‘boots’, ‘chicks’, and ‘cats’. Find the DrumeoKids app on the app store or on Drumeo Edge.

You can’t be interested in something when you haven’t been exposed to it. These are all positive ways to introduce your kids to music and maybe even inspire an interest in the drums. Give it a shot!

How To Teach Kids Simple Rhythms

Carson Gant — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 19:51:39 +0000

Looking for a fun way to teach kids rhythms? Whether it’s on or off the drum kit, here are two tricks you can try:

“Strawberry watermelon”

Cool rhythms can come from the most ridiculous conversations. Come up with patterns that match a word’s rhythms and syllables (think ‘salt peanuts’)! Ask them for their favorite fruit or food.

Watermelon? That’s four even syllables, so you might play ‘right left right left’ on the snare.
Chocolate cake? You might play with your hands together on the snare and floor tom.

Next, try it with two foods. You never know what kind of crazy combination of rhythms you’ll get:

Watermelon watermelon chocolate cake: RLRLRLRL R R R
Strawberry shortcake rhubarb pie: R LR L L R R R

(R = right hand, L = left hand)

Since the patterns are connected to things your kid knows and loves, they can start playing tricky stuff right from the start. It doesn’t need to be their favorite food; you can ask for their favorite animal or dinosaur. The more ridiculous the answer, the more wild the rhythm becomes.

Read: The Most Common Drumming Questions (Solved)

Stomps and claps

Another way to get the kids learning rhythms is to stomp and clap together to their favorite songs. In The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson, we stomp and clap to match the rhythms we hear in the song. You can do it with your favorite tracks, too – why not make it fun for both of you?

Download the Drumeo Kids app or check out all of the episodes in the Drumeo members area!

This video is part of a ‘quick tips’ series for parents to inspire kids to play drums:

How To Make A Homemade Drum Set

Carson Gant — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 21:26:09 +0000

Nothing beats playing a real drum set, but it isn’t always possible to have one at home. Here are three makeshift drum sets to get the kids jamming without spending a dime:

1. Couch drums

Why a couch? Because they can take a beating and you probably have one at home. Set up a few things in whacking distance, like a pillow (for the kick drum sound) and a notebook (for the snare drum sound).

2. Pots and pans

You can always build the classic pots and pans kit. Use wooden spoons as drumsticks, and let your kid go wild on whatever configuration of metal pots and pans and plastic bowls give them the sounds they like.

3. Body drums

You don’t need anything to turn your body into a drum kit. Show them stomping, clapping, snapping, or tapping their chest and legs. You can get a nice kick drum thump on the chest, and a solid snare on the leg. Let them experiment and find unique sounds from high to low.

Check out the new show The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson in the Drumeo members area or download the Drumeo Kids app!

This video is part of a ‘quick tips’ series for parents to inspire kids to play drums:

How To Support Your Kid’s Passion For Drums

Carson Gant — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 21:25:57 +0000

For a drum-happy kid, having supportive parents can make a world of a difference to their growth and music education. While you may not have the space or budget to do all of these things, you can still be supportive in many ways:

Allocate space to play

Drums take up a lot of room (electronic kits less so), so this means sacrificing some space. But it’s one of the best things you can do to support your little drummer. Give them a space to call their own, to put up rudiment posters, and to create a drum practice environment that will encourage practice.

Let them have friends over to jam

Playing with other musicians is an important part of inspiring musical conversation. The ability to have friends over to jam can help shape their identity as a young person. There’s something really special about making music with your friends.

Tell them they’re doing well

Try to offer verbal encouragement when you notice improvement. It can be hard to listen when they’re practicing, especially if the house isn’t very well soundproofed. But for them, it feels great to hear a parent say they’re sounding better, or that they’re sounding great with your friends.

Show up to your kid’s shows

Having parents come watch you play live is huge. Whether it’s a talent show, a recital, or a church performance, it’s important to show up and support them through the process.

Make your gear accessible

If you’re a drummer yourself, make your gear accessible to the kids. Lower your toms and cymbals and throne so they can reach everything. It can be scary to let them bang around on your gear when you’ve invested a lot of money in it, but letting them try your drums can make a huge impact.

Get them a practice pad and a pair of sticks

Kids can build skills on a pad (around $30) even without a drum set. When they get to the point where they have access to a kit, they won’t be starting from scratch.

Take advantage of educational opportunities

If it’s within your means, take your young drummer to clinics, local masterclasses, festivals, and music camps so they can interact with other musicians and be inspired.

Check out the new show The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson in the Drumeo members area or download the Drumeo Kids app!

This video is part of a ‘quick tips’ series for parents to inspire kids to play drums:

How To Encourage Your Child To Not Quit Drums

Carson Gant — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 21:25:45 +0000

One huge concern for parents is investing a lot of time and money into a child’s passion. Are they going to lose interest? Is it worth it?

Here are five ways to encourage your child to keep playing drums and discourage them from quitting:

1. Have fun

It might be cliche, but keeping the fun factor alive and well is at the core of any musical pursuit. Once a hobby or interest is stripped of joy, the usual response is to quit. Most people can sit down and play a rhythm, so the drums have a lower barrier to entry than pretty much any other instrument. When putting together a practice schedule, let them have a chunk of time to play along to their fave songs and have fun. The random bashing will become more bearable with time – we promise!

2. Start out simple

Parents are encouraged to talk to their kids just above their cognitive level so they’re constantly forming new connections and learning. The same goes for drums: don’t overestimate the ability of your kid. You need to find the sweet spot of challenging but achievable so they don’t get frustrated. Your little drummer probably shows favoritism toward certain songs because they can understand them. Let them play along to these to start, then add in a ‘wildcard song’ that’s slightly more difficult.

3. Play with others

Learning drums can be pretty isolating. Everyone else might be outside playing while you’re practicing rolls in your basement. Try to get them playing with other people as soon as possible, especially if they can jam with kids who are at a similar stage in their musical journey. Friendships and camaraderie add more excitement into the equation. And if you’re a musician, you should jam with your kids, too!

4. Find a great teacher

A competent, energetic, encouraging teacher can make all the difference in keeping your kid engaged and interested. They’ll ideally include the kid’s favorite songs, plus material they need to progress. Don’t just settle for the closest drum teacher. Take the time to try out a few different instructors in your area; your child’s excitement following the lesson will help you make your decision. If you don’t have a great local teacher or money for private instruction, get them involved in a supportive community like Drumeo – they’ll find more than enough videos to keep them busy!

5. Commit to a performance

Once they have the basics down, this can be a game changer. Whether it’s a living room show for family, a talent show, or a recital, these performances ignite a responsibility to rise to the occasion. There’s nothing more empowering than facing a challenging experience and coming out the other side.

Check out the new show The Rhythmic Adventures of Captain Carson in the Drumeo members area or download the Drumeo Kids app!

This video is part of a ‘quick tips’ series for parents to inspire kids to play drums:

Carson Gant: Exploring Hip-Hop Grooves

Carson Gant — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:20:41 +0000

Did you know that hip-hop is the #1 music genre in the world right now? It’s dethroned rock to take the top spot. Even if you’re not a fan of this style of music, it can undoubtedly teach drummers extremely valuable skills when it comes to groove and creating a good feel on the drums.

In this lesson, Carson Gant is going to teach five grooves taken from five hip-hop songs. At first glance, these might seem like “beginner” drum beats. Don’t be fooled… Manipulating the timing and getting the groove to sit right inside the track requires much more than simply playing the notes as they’re written.

Download the sheet music so you can tackle these yourself. Looking to dive even deeper into the hip-hop genre? Drumeo Edge members can now enjoy our new Drumeo Show called “Exploring Beats”. Join Carson and his extraterrestrial roommate Gary as they travel through time and space exploring some of earth’s greatest hip-hop beats and delicious snacks. Click here to join today!

Lesson Index:
1:57 – SONG: “Runaway” by Kanye West
4:13 – Introduction
9:08 – Groove #1
14:14 – Groove #2
21:01 – Groove #3
25:13 – Groove #4
28:52 – Groove #5
33:23 – Outro

About Carson:
Carson Gant is the mind behind One-up Drum Vids, a website dedicated to helping you take the most out of whatever drumming ideas you’re working on. Carson’s concept is simple: one-up what you already know how to play by exploring new, creative ways to change it up, and expand your knowledge and creativity in the process. A trailblazer when it comes to the very fun and relaxed way he teaches creativity concepts, Carson was born to make people smile as they become better musicians with his help.