Game Diva

Tips for Rock Band Drummers

CHALLENGING SONGS: When it comes to more challenging songs, you should know that patterns repeat themselves.
One common pattern is: double, bass drum, single, bass drum, double
Suggestion: Practice the above pattern before the song begins. Drumming before the song begins will not affect the score. Also practice during fills, that way when these patterns come up you are ready!

DRUM ROLLS: They are slower than you think! Practice the timing more than you practice your speed. Try switching hands slowly at first, then pick up speed. Be sure you are alternating hands all of the time.

PEDALING: Do not over exert yourself! Don’t raise your foot all of the way up. It is best not to use your heel in a way others suggest since can snap the pedal in half. Start a bit early so you can hit those fast two-pedal hits. Above all, keep in mind that the best sitting position will have your leg forming a right angle when you rest your foot on the pedal. You should be using mostly your calf muscles — your quads shouldn’t be doing much work at all.

Good foot pedal technique, on the other hand, isn’t painful because it’s all about moving your foot as little as possible. The less energy you use on each hit, the more hits you can perform, and the better a drummer you’ll be.

SONG SUGGESTIONS:

Each song has a different pattern, which means that some songs are better for practicing certain techniques than others. Here are some you might want to try.

“Go With The Flow” and “Paranoid” on Expert have simple hand patterns, but some fast pedal work to test your foot stamina.

“Orange Crush” and “The Hand That Feeds” (Hard and Expert) have sections with some fun off beat stuff on the right hand, which will test your limb independence. With “Orange Crush,” on Expert, you can also practice your 16th notes at a less breakneck pace than “Run to the Hills”

Try playing “29 Fingers” while tapping your right foot. (On the floor, not the pedal!) This is an example of forcing different limbs to play different parts of the beat. In this song, the right hand acts as the bass drum. Pretend your foot is a cymbal, and tap along.

If you want to perfect your bounce, try to tackle “Run to the Hills” on Expert. This song requires incredible speed, accuracy, and stamina, so you’ll really need to be using smaller, relaxed strokes.

Good luck drumming, and above all, practice, practice, practice!

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