BENEFITS OF DRUMMING

          Learn The Benefits of Drumming 

 For those of you out there who believe drumming to be just about rhythm and noise, you are wrong! The art of drumming possesses a huge variety of benefits in all aspects of day to day life. Most of the skills and techniques learned with drumming can be applied to other situations. And for all the parents with hyper active kids, drumming just may be the solution to bringing back the focus in your young ones. So before you judge drumming, know that there are pluses beyond being musical.

Drummers are a different breed of people - they are set apart from other musicians. They have a totally different job, and different feel with their instrument. They are required to be able to move, and separate themselves from the rest of the band. Although they are still musicians, and share much of the same qualities, you cannot really compare a drummer to a melodic musician. There are certain things that you get out of drumming that you can't get out of other instruments.
 
Physical Benefits Of Drumming
The first obvious benefit to drumming is the physical aspect to it. Like mentioned above, drumming is a physical activity, one that takes a lot of energy. Sit on a stool, move your hands and feet around the kit at fast speeds, for long periods of time, and see how you feel. Tired? Its not an easy job. The cardio muscles in drummers are much more developed than in non-drummers. For all the parents out there who have trouble getting their young ones to get some exercise, try sitting them on a drum kit. Not only will they get the exercise they need, they will also have fun!
 
Mental Benefits Of Drumming
Drumming takes a lot of work, time, and energy that- when done right- is very rewarding. These kinds of reward can bee seen and heard very easily; so drummers are very self motivated. This determination and focus you learn can be applied to any situation. When playing a beat, drummers use every part of their mind to make sure every part of them is playing on time. For the younger kids out there, this helps to develop fundamental skills in channeling their mind, and focusing on one thing. Any parents out there who have kids suffering with ADD or ADHD? This is a big benefit for you. Getting your young ones to start playing the drums is a great way to help them take out their excess energy on something that is very useful, and physical.
 
Musical Benefits Of Drumming  
Throughout this article you may get the impression that a drummer is not a musician. This is far from the truth. Being a musician is just another benefit of being a drummer. Having the feeling like you are accomplished is a feeling that no one can explain. Being in a band or other music group will give you confidence and meaning that other activities just cannot give you.; If you are a parent of a child who is lacking in self confidence, drumming may be the solution for you.

Weather you are young, old, or middle aged, playing the drums can be the most rewarding experience. It will keep you active, it will keep you thinking, and it will keep you in the know. I would strongly suggest drumming to parents with kids of any type. It helps shape the personality of a person by teaching them some fundamental life skills.

PROPER POSTURE FOR DRUMMERS

Proper Posture For Drummers – How To Sit

A drummer’s posture can make the difference between sounding good and sounding bad. There are four basic things a drummer needs: proper posture, proper kit set up, proper drum tuning, and have correct stick grip - it all matters! Not only will you perform better, you will feel like you have more energy, as well as more freedom to the kit. It will open up new doors you thought you never had, allowing you to move around the kit a lot easier, and with more ease. In addition, you will find after a gig, you will feel a million times better, as opposed to being achy, sore, and extra tired! So what is the proper posture for a drummer then?
Sit Up Straight
It may seem all very basic, but it is important to know! Basically, you have to sit up straight. Slouching on the drum throne is the worst thing a drummer can do. Look at your back when you play, is it straight up? You may notice you have a slouch, or curve in your back. Playing like this for extended periods of time will cause harm and a lot of unwanted stress on your lower back. Try sitting straight up on you drum stool for a show, and you will notice the difference right away. Now it may be hard to get this at first, naturally you will want to slouch, however try to counter that. Force yourself to sit with better posture, eventually it will come as second nature. If you look at any professional drummer, you will notice how they are all sitting up right, and not slouching.
Sit At The Right Height

Correct posture does not only mean sitting up, there is much more. For example, how high do you set your drum stool? This is very important, as it is connected to how much endurance and strength you have on your foot pedals. Every drummer is a different size, so I can’t give you a certain number of inches; however, I can guide you in the right direction. Generally, you are going to want to have enough room to make a powerful kick, keeping in mind comfort and immovability. Adjust your drum stool so that with your feet on the pedals, your knees make and angle of 90-110 degrees. Another way to look at it is this: make sure your thighs are sloped downwards towards the floor a little – not too much though! Having too much a slope will give you a lack of power. If they are angled the other way, you will have to use a lot more energy to kick your bass drum!
Relax Your Arms

Now that we have your upper and lower body correct, let’s figure out your arms and hands. Basically, you want to relax! If you find yourself struggling to keep your arms up, let them down a bit. You want to make sure your arms and hands are as comfortable as possible. So no more struggling with your elbows, trying to get them to stay up. As for your hands, same idea. Make them as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Make sure you maintain the proper stick grip! Never sacrifice stick grip for comfort!

Follow these basic guidelines next time you sit at your drum kit and you will be surprised on how much you improve. Not only will you feel better while you play the drums, but also when you get off the drums as well! These are all very much common sense; however there are still drummers that ignore these simple rules. This is one of the things that separates the professionals from the garage drummers!