Drums for beginner - what songs to learn??

[Amberience]

Basically when I started learning guitar, I started off learning Tool. The more basic songs like Cold and Ugly, and the rest on Opiate and Undertow.

Now, I can't really do the same thing with drums, because I lack a double bass drum pedal. I need some songs that I can play along to, so I can get better. But I don't want to get into standard "song book" type stuff, because I get bored very easily.

I'm thinking Grungey stuff, early 90's alt-rock and alt-metal. Stuff with generally good rhythms, that are easy enough to pick up quite quickly, so that I can keep playing it over and over and get tighter and more proficient.

[timmyo]

Advice I received : "AC/DC : rock solid timing and tasteful fills very well executed"

[Danny1969]

I'm only a beginner but yep, for straight ahead solid beat AC DC is a great workout. Working through Back in Black would be a good exercise. Another drum riff that helped me a lot was the beat used on Radioheads Creep and Aro \ Run DMC Walk this way. It's straight 4 on the hat and normal snare but the extra accent kick was throwing me for ages. Learning that taught me how to think in 16 on an 8 beat or 8 on a four etc. It's a good exercise for single kick.

Another thing that's helped a lot is I always play with a click and have done from day 1. So when it comes to recording it's easy to stay with the click which makes editing really easy.

[haga]

Hi all, have to say that I agree with the click, it keeps you on track, also agree with AC/DC, keeps you in good stead, also Satus Quo are good to play along to and another favorite of mine to practice to is Bad Company
hope this helps
haga

[LeroyBrown]

Most Nirvana stuff is fairly easy to pick up.

Also Rhythm magazine always print a few good tracks to play along to.

They also have a section on the free CD which actually shows you how to play the drum parts rather than leaving you to read the music and play along with a backing track.

[DrTeeth]

When I started i didnt play along to any songs i just messed around on my kit thinking up different rhythms and working out fills etc. I play along with the songs in rhythm but i would have thought that when your just beginning some of the stuff in its would be pretty hard especially if you have trouble with drum notation

[peter.l.jones]

Getting your head around drum notation early on will pay dividends, of course. The tracks with Rhythm are great... although I end up spending all my time jamming on NINJAM these days. I did manage to learn All Right Now -- felt great actually playing along to a neat track like that .

[legendarysticksman]

I agree, AC/DC songs are good lessons for rock drumming - rock solid timekeeping by Phill Rudd, and try to restrain yourself from putting in fills that aren't there.

keep on drumming - be your own person

[wildhorses]

I'd agree with Nirvana. Maybe early Oasis, something like Supersonic. Or Pink Floyd - fairly straightforward drumming.

[ZenOvertone]

I learnt playing along to Al Jackson Jr on the Stax stuff, funky timing and very solid. Moved onto guys like Mitch Mitchell (RIP) next and some of the jazzier drummers like Billy Cobham later on. Chad Smith from RHCP is great too, super tight funky feel and hits the drums HARD, the only way to make them sound good.

Actually a guitar player but PT drummer too (Vintage Premier kit these days).

Spent a month off once trying to play like Keith Moon (with Live at Leeds on 'phones), gave up as it was so knackering (probably as I didn't have 200 uppers and brandy washing around inside me keeping all the muscles working overtime). I do use Moon style rapid fire tom rolls all the time but once you learn funk it's real hard to play without a hi hat, just "washing" on crash cymbals as he did. A superb natural drummer who I love listening to because it's so mad and unconventional but it would have been hard to see him now as he would not be able to play like that.