There’s no doubt about it: drummers make people dance.

So guess what the foundation of dance music is?

EDM – Electronic Dance Music – has become so popular the last few decades, real drummers are now imitating beats that were once the domain of drum machines.

Here are five different types of EDM beats you should learn, taught in only 11 minutes by the lord of EDM drumming, Michael Schack.

1. House

In this house beat, keep the bass drum going (four on the floor), and match the bass line with your hi-hats. Don’t forget the clap on the 2 and 4.

Download the house loop playalong (105 BPM)

Download the house loop playalong (120 BPM)

2. Hip-hop

Keep a straight hi-hat pattern and fill in with ghost notes on the snare drum. The bass drum? Funky. Keep in mind that sometimes leaving space can make your beat more danceable.

Download the hip-hop loop playalong (80 BPM)

Download the hip-hop loop playalong (90 BPM)

3. Trance

Trance is upbeat, high energy, and features repetition and no snare drum sounds (it’s a clap instead)! If you don’t have a sample pad, you can create a clap sound with a cymbal (check it out here).

Download the trance loop playalong (100 BPM)

Download the trance loop playalong (120 BPM)

Download the trance loop playalong (128 BPM)

Download the trance loop playalong (138 BPM)

4. Hard dance riser

Build tension with a ‘rise’, where you change your kick drum from quarter notes to 8th notes while the fill overtop stays consistent.

Download the hard dance loop playalong (140 BPM)

Download the hard dance loop playalong (155 BPM)

Download the hard dance loop playalong (165 BPM)

5. Breakbeat

In this beat, you’ll keep a rock crash vibe on cymbals, alternating between the crash and ride. The ghost notes on the snare are key!

If Michael Schack isn’t one of your favorite drummers yet, especially when it comes to electronic music and hybrid drumming, it isn’t too late.

Here’s how he’d play “Black Betty” on both an acoustic and an electric drum set, starting with a drum part that reflects the original 1977 Ram Jam tune before breaking into a modern remix.

And then he does it all over again on a Roland TD-50.

Check it out! Dare you to not tap your feet the entire time.

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When you have hundreds or thousands of drummers sharing video clips on Instagram, how are you supposed to stand out? Think about these 6 tips before you make your next post:

1. Start playing immediately

People have an extremely short attention span. If nothing is happening within the first 5 seconds of your video, they’re less likely to watch. Take immediate action!

2. Keep the performance short

Instead of posting a long video that gets cut off after 60 seconds, create something that fits in that minute-long time frame. Give it a start, middle and end (or an intro, first verse, chorus, and finale). Keep building to a climax so viewers are with you until the very end. Your video can also be much shorter than 60 seconds.

3. Be yourself

You’re one drummer in the middle of all these other players, so be yourself. Play what you think might interest your followers. Even if you just have two family members who follow you, they might be proud of what you’re doing and share your videos with their friends. Sometimes that’s how it all starts!

4. Don’t overpromote products

Many of your followers don’t play the same brand as you. Just play. Keep it neutral in your videos and let branded images do the talking. Save the excessive promotion for long-form content on YouTube.

5. Keep your audio in mind

Some people connect good headphones to their smartphones and tablets. If your video doesn’t sound great, they may not keep watching. Even if you’re just using the built-in microphone, try to position your phone a little further from the drum set (in a corner, for example) to avoid overwhelming the mic.

6. Dress nicely

Details matter! It’s nice to see a drummer dressed up for the occasion sometimes. People want to see you shine, not look at your old, torn-up T-shirt. Inspire viewers to have a positive experience. Really think about what you’re wearing: will it offend someone you know, or someone in another country?

Get out there and make some killer Instagram videos. Be proud of what you do!

Are you drumming to electronic music and don’t have a budget for pads and clap sounds? You might already have everything you need to make any acoustic drum set work for EDM and more.

Try stacking a few broken cymbals on your ride and hit it whenever you hit the snare. It’s no longer a cymbal – you’ve transformed it into a clap! If you’re getting too much resonance, use gaffer tape to hold the cymbals together more tightly. In the words of Michael Schack, doing this will give you “the most nasty clap sound you’ve ever heard.”

If you still need to use your ride as a ride, put a small broken cymbal or splash on your floor tom. Use more of that trusty gaffer tape to hold it in place.

This is all you need to get a trashy, industrial sound without samples or new gear. Give it a shot!

About Michael:
Michael Schack is one of the world’s most well known and energetic E-drummers as he continuously performs on famous festival stages, in clubs and concert venues, both solo and with Netsky Live. He’s also been making his name as a unique and in demand solo #djdrummer, taking his live triggered multi-tempo and entertaining mashup mixes to a whole different performance level with all things drumming 100% live. Michael has won several awards over the years, including the “E-Drummer Of The Year” award in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Michael Plays:
Roland V-Drums
Tama Drums
Meinl Cymbals
Evans Drumheads
Vic Firth Drumsticks

Follow Michael:
Facebook
Instagram
Website

Do you need to fix your soundcheck?

Drummers are notorious for taking the longest to get ready on stage. If you want to throw that stereotype out the window and surprise your fellow musicians and sound engineers, here’s how to optimize your soundcheck so it’s quick, efficient, helpful, and stress-free:

Step 1: Introduce yourself to the engineer

Before you do anything else, introduce yourself to the sound engineer. Think of them as your partner in crime. Learn what mics they’re using and make sure you’re on the same page.

Once the drums are set up, remember to bring a drum key, sticks, and gaffer tape to your soundcheck. The sound engineer will be at the mixing desk or control room arranging the patching and checking microphone levels, so you should make sure that you have everything in hand when you get onstage. The engineer will appreciate it if you’re well-organized; it makes everyone’s job much easier!
 

Step 2: Check your tuning

Make sure you’re happy with how the drums sound. Check the toms, adjusting the tuning if necessary. Keep moon gels or drum tacs on hand, just in case.
 

Step 3: Check each microphone

Take care of your own monitoring if possible. Before you start playing, lightly tap on each microphone with your fingers to make sure it’s on. Everything should work and be connected before you go into the actual soundcheck. Communicate with the engineer if something seems off – you’ll save time and you might even surprise them by being proactive.
 

Step 4: Listen to the engineer

Bass drum

It’s time to soundcheck. If the engineer says “kick drum”, only play the kick drum. Don’t go into any fast playing or into a double bass run. Aim for a medium tempo so the engineer can check on resonance and make sure the mic isn’t distorting. This also gives you time to get accustomed to the acoustics: how the kick drum reacts to its surroundings, and how it sounds in your monitors.

Snare drum

Bass drums are peculiar. In a live situation, they can be the most difficult to soundcheck. Low end drum sounds consume the most energy in a concert setting. This is why you should keep that kick drum going when you check the snare. Suggest this to the engineer. If they’re into the session, they’ll appreciate that you care about how the kick sound behaves with the snare on top. If the engineer says “stop”, stop immediately. If they say nothing, keep playing.

Hi-hats

Next, add the hi-hat over the kick and snare. This is the ultimate test of the sound system because you have the low end (kick), lower mid range (kick and lower frequencies of snare), mid range (snare), and high range (hi-hat). Keep going with a very simple beat, and open the hi-hat every once in a while.

Cymbals

Next, to score major points with the sound engineer, bring in the cymbals. Be sure not to hit two crashes simultaneously – the engineer can check the panning if you play one at a time.

If you aren’t happy with something the engineer is doing, make polite suggestions. Don’t yell out that something is wrong or make frustrated demands; they might be busy doing something else you can’t see, like changing compressor settings or checking distortion on one of the cables. Let them do their thing, and just make friendly suggestions when you think something should be different.

Toms

Next, check the toms. Many drummers make the mistake of shredding with fast fills during soundcheck. How will the engineer be able to figure out which sound is coming from where? Slowly hit each tom on its own, and make sure you aim right in the middle to get the full sound. If you’ve been asked to only play the rack tom first, do it. When they say “next”, go to the next tom, and so on.

If you think soundcheck is taking too long, you can ask politely if you should switch to another tom, or you can eventually start adding in the next drum, going back and forth between the two. Stay friendly. Work together with the engineer. “Hey – are you okay with this? Ready for the floor tom?”

Full kit

Next, play the full drum set. But again, don’t just shred around the drums. Go back to a simple mid-tempo beat, incorporating all pieces of the kit including cymbals and toms. This will also give your body a little warm-up.
 

Step 5: Stay focused and relaxed

If other musicians are starting to make noise before your soundcheck is done, let the engineer take the initiative to ask them to stop. If you start getting angry, it can add tension onstage when you need to play together later. Of course, you can help the engineer ask the other musicians if they can please wait two minutes for you to wrap up.
 

Own your soundcheck

The drummer can make a big difference in how smooth soundcheck goes. Introduce yourself to the engineer, come prepared, and communicate. Listen and follow the engineer’s routine so they have time to adapt your drum sound to the PA system. You’re working together. There should be no yelling and no competition – only synergy. Do this and you’ll be fine for the rest of the day!