{"id":31593,"date":"2021-11-10T09:59:09","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T17:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=31593"},"modified":"2023-07-25T15:17:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T22:17:57","slug":"why-drummers-should-learn-other-instruments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/why-drummers-should-learn-other-instruments\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Reasons Drummers Should Learn Another Instrument"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Learning another instrument will make you a better drummer, expand your musical horizons and improve your ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listening is the most important element of playing with other people, and knowing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to play piano<\/a>, bass or guitar could open your mind to new musical possibilities you didn\u2019t even know existed!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can also help you avoid \u201cdrum noodling\u201d or playing extra notes that don\u2019t serve the song. Despite years of bad jokes, drummers are musicians too and need to consider elements like melody and harmony when we play, just like everyone else.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h6><strong>Reasons why drummers should learn another instrument:<\/strong><\/h6><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-itll-make-rehearsals-smooth\">It\u2019ll make rehearsals smooth <\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-youll-avoid-getting-lost-in-the-songs-form\">It\u2019ll help you avoid getting lost in the song&#8217;s form<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#3-youll-improve-your-rhythm\">It\u2019ll help your rhythm<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#4-youll-improve-your-solos\">It\u2019ll improve your solos<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#5-youll-better-understand-what-other-band-members-are-doing\">It\u2019ll open your ears to what other band members are doing<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#6-youll-become-more-versatile-and-you-get-more-gigs\">It\u2019ll make you more versatile and help you get gigs<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#7-learning-a-new-instrument-is-fun-and-rewarding\">It can be a fun and rewarding creative outlet<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bzNKQ2FkEJI\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the key reasons why you should learn to play another instrument:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-itll-make-rehearsals-smooth\">1. It\u2019ll make rehearsals smooth <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll be able to understand and communicate better with your bandmates. What if someone says <em>\u201clet\u2019s take it from the A minor chord\u201d?<\/em> If you have a little piano or guitar knowledge, you\u2019ll know exactly where to come in. Just hearing the difference between a major and a minor chord is such a valuable tool (bet you didn\u2019t know those childhood piano lessons were going to be so important to your drumming)! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All musicians, including drummers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/getting-started\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">should know how to play piano<\/a> since it includes the major musical elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also great for drummers to be able to sing (check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/singing-and-drumming\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Josh Dion<\/a> for tips and tricks). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.singeo.com\/shop\/singing-starter-kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learning to communicate melodies by singing<\/a> will make it so much easier to refer to different parts of a song so you aren\u2019t struggling to get on the same page. You don\u2019t have to be Pavarotti &#8211; just good enough to get your point across!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-youll-avoid-getting-lost-in-the-songs-form\"><strong>2. <\/strong>You&#8217;ll avoid getting lost in the song&#8217;s form<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every bit of information you can gather about a tune can be useful when you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-learn-songs-on-drums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">playing it for the first time<\/a>. Chord changes, melodies, vocal cues and bass lines can serve as markers to help you keep your place.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if the chord progression is different when you get to the bridge of a song, identifying that sound can let you know if you\u2019re in the right (or wrong) spot. You don\u2019t have to know exactly which chords they\u2019re playing or what key they\u2019re in, just that the tone color of the music has changed. You can use this knowledge to adjust what you\u2019re playing accordingly, like switching to the ride, changing the dynamics, or altering your part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Start Playing Guitar (The Fun Way)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xj8GgOGCdRo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-youll-improve-your-rhythm\">3. You&#8217;ll improve your rhythm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every instrumentalist feels the beat in different ways, and learning to play bass is especially useful for drummers since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-play-with-a-bass-player\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the groove relationship between those instruments is the foundation of the rhythm section.<\/a> Hearing how bass lines are constructed can make it easier to lock in your bass drum pattern and play tighter grooves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a beginner, learning to play bass is also not as harmonically challenging as picking up another instrument since you\u2019ll be playing mostly single notes rather than chords.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-youll-improve-your-solos\">4. You&#8217;ll improve your solos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll learn to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-practice-drum-chops\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">play melodically around the kit<\/a> instead of shredding a bunch of rudiments that aren\u2019t related to the song. The best soloists on any instrument take a simple idea and expand upon it, which is a classical music concept called \u201cmotivic development.\u201d <br><br>One of the best techniques for playing an interesting solo on drums is to sing the melody of the tune in your head while you\u2019re playing. This will help make your solo a part of the song and give it context. Guitar players, horn players, and even vocalists do this too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-youll-better-understand-what-other-band-members-are-doing\">5. You&#8217;ll better understand what other band members are doing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Each instrument has different frequencies and it\u2019s useful to know how your drums fit in so everyone isn\u2019t making noise in the same tonal space. For example, the bass drum has a low frequency similar to the bass guitar, so it might be good to avoid playing it too much during a bass solo. Your cymbals are higher-pitched and can sit in the same \u201ctone zone\u201d as the vocals and guitars, so you don\u2019t want to overwhelm quiet parts of the song with those frequencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an advanced-level concept, but it\u2019s great for beginners and intermediate players to think about it since it\u2019ll make you a much better drummer (and make your bandmates happy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-youll-become-more-versatile-and-you-get-more-gigs\">6. You&#8217;ll become more versatile and you get more gigs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The more skills you have, the more opportunities you\u2019ll get to work with other people. What if you audition for a band and they\u2019re deciding between two great drummers: one who sings and one who doesn\u2019t? That <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/5-tips-for-drumming-and-singing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">singing ability<\/a> could tip the scales in your favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Artists like Phil Collins and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/dave-grohl-drums\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dave Grohl<\/a> have had amazing careers as drummers who have stepped out front to sing, but just being able to do backup parts and lock in on harmonies is a valuable skill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Your First Singing Lesson (Beginner Vocal Exercise)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JzlAjfrgIfQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many drummers today are also incorporating loops, keyboards, and other electronics into their kits. While you don\u2019t have to become <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4cWur1ghSlM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">a \u2018one-man band<\/a>\u2019, knowing how to play piano can really open up some cool new possibilities for expanding your setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-learning-a-new-instrument-is-fun-and-rewarding\">7. Learning a new instrument is fun and rewarding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes you might feel like playing music but you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/trick-yourself-into-practicing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stuck in a rut<\/a> with your drum practice. Grabbing a bass or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guitareo.com\/shop\/acoustic-guitar-made-easy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guitar<\/a> can help you release that musical energy and even stoke your creative juices the next time you hop behind the kit. You can also use the guitar or piano to write songs and come up with musical ideas to take into your band practices or jam sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line is that it\u2019s important for drummers to be well-rounded musicians with a working knowledge of all aspects of the music they\u2019re playing. Everything you play on the drums is affected by what the other instruments are doing, and the more you know, the better you\u2019ll play. So grab another instrument and start rocking out!<\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Edited by<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/authors\/#sam-landa\"><em> Sam Landa<\/em><\/a><em>, Content Marketing Manager at Drumeo<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drummers who also play piano, guitar, or sing are better at communicating musically, write better parts, and guess what else?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":174,"featured_media":31609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4029,4018],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-practice-tips","category-technique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/174"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31593"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47900,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31593\/revisions\/47900"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}