5 Mistakes Most Finger Drummers Make (And How To Fix Them)
Summary
TLDRIn this instructional video, finger drumming instructor Dragon outlines common mistakes made by finger drummers and offers solutions to enhance their skills. He emphasizes the importance of a proper pad layout for realistic drumming, maintaining a consistent layout to develop muscle memory, and avoiding fixed velocity sensitivity to control dynamics. Additionally, he advises on the significance of consistent fingering positions and the pitfalls of trying to learn too many techniques at once. Dragon invites viewers to his free starter course for a comprehensive guide to finger drumming, aiming to build a solid foundation for aspiring drummers.
Takeaways
- đ¶ Dragon, a finger drumming instructor with over 10 years of experience, emphasizes that finger drumming is a legitimate musical instrument that should be treated with the same respect as traditional drums.
- đ” The importance of having a proper pad layout for finger drumming is highlighted, as it can greatly affect the efficiency and realism of drumming on pads.
- đ Avoiding the 'mirror layout' is suggested for those aiming for realistic drumming, as it does not accurately reflect the hand isolation techniques used in traditional drumming.
- đ Dragon offers a free finger drumming starter course that includes a full pad layout breakdown and setup, which is crucial for beginners to establish a solid foundation.
- đ« Changing pad layouts too often is discouraged as it can hinder the development of muscle memory and the consistency needed for proficient finger drumming.
- đš The pitfalls of using fixed velocity sensitivity are discussed, noting that it can lead to a lack of dynamic control in one's playing.
- đ Inconsistency in fingering, or the positioning of fingers on the pads, is identified as a common mistake that can impede the development of muscle memory and efficient drumming.
- đ Learning finger drumming should start with mastering the basics and gradually building up, rather than trying to learn too many complex techniques at once.
- đ ïž Dragon's Foundation course is recommended for those looking to develop a comprehensive set of finger drumming skills in a structured and progressive manner.
- đĄ The script encourages viewers to focus on learning good habits early on to facilitate faster progress and avoid the need for correcting bad habits later.
- â Lastly, the video script invites viewers to share any other common mistakes they've observed among finger drummers, fostering a community of learning and improvement.
Q & A
What is the name of the finger drumming instructor mentioned in the script?
-The name of the finger drumming instructor is Dragon.
How long has Dragon been playing finger drums according to the script?
-Dragon has been playing finger drums for over 10 years.
What is Dragon's mission in teaching finger drumming?
-Dragon's mission is to help teach people how to play finger drums like a real drummer.
What does Dragon consider finger drumming to be in terms of musical legitimacy?
-Dragon considers finger drumming to be a legitimate way to play drums, treating it as a real musical instrument.
What is the first major mistake Dragon discusses that finger drummers often make?
-The first major mistake Dragon discusses is having the wrong pad layout for finger drumming.
Why is having a standardized pad layout important for finger drumming, according to Dragon?
-Having a standardized pad layout is important for finger drumming because it optimizes the setup of the drums, making them easier to play and allowing for more styles of drumming in one setup.
What is the mirror layout mentioned by Dragon, and why is it not the best for realistic drumming?
-The mirror layout is a popular pad setup where the pads are split in half and the hands alternate to hit all drum hits. It is not the best for realistic drumming because it does not effectively mimic the way drummers isolate their hands on an acoustic drum kit.
What is the issue with changing the pad layout too often when learning finger drumming?
-Changing the pad layout too often inhibits the development of muscle memory, as it is crucial to have a basic standard in place to develop consistent muscle memory when learning a new instrument.
What is fixed velocity sensitivity, and why is it a mistake to use it when learning finger drumming?
-Fixed velocity sensitivity is a setting where the pad controller gives the same level of output regardless of how hard the pad is hit. It is a mistake to use it when learning because it trains the muscles to ignore the power of the hits, leading to a lack of control over dynamics.
What is the significance of consistent fingering in finger drumming, as explained in the script?
-Consistent fingering is significant in finger drumming because it provides a standardized central position from which to play the drums more effectively, aiding in the development of muscle memory and skill in each finger.
What is the final mistake Dragon identifies that finger drummers often make, and how can it be addressed?
-The final mistake Dragon identifies is trying to learn too many things at once. It can be addressed by starting with the basics and gradually building up skills one step at a time, following a structured learning path.
What does Dragon recommend for those who want to learn realistic finger drumming?
-Dragon recommends checking out his free finger drumming starter course for setup and basics, and then his Foundation course for a complete set of finger drumming skills.
Outlines
đ„ Finger Drumming Fundamentals and Common Mistakes
Dragon, a finger drumming instructor with over 10 years of experience, introduces the concept of finger drumming as a legitimate form of musical expression. He emphasizes the importance of treating finger drums as a real instrument and avoiding common mistakes that hinder progress. He offers a free finger drumming starter course to help learners master realistic finger drumming techniques. The first mistake discussed is having the wrong pad layout, which can impede effective drumming. Dragon explains the significance of a standardized layout for hand and finger isolation, crucial for playing complex rhythms. He contrasts the ineffective 'mirror layout' with the recommended setup that mirrors an acoustic drum kit for realistic drumming.
đ¶ The Importance of Consistent Pad Layout and Velocity Sensitivity
This paragraph delves into the pitfalls of frequently changing pad layouts and the importance of establishing a consistent setup to build muscle memory. Just as a guitar has a standard tuning, finger drummers should maintain a standardized pad layout to optimize learning and performance. Dragon also addresses the issue of fixed velocity sensitivity, which can lead to a lack of dynamic control in playing. He advises against setting the sensitivity to maximum, as it trains the muscles to ignore the force of the hit, thus hindering the development of nuanced dynamics in drumming.
đ Developing Consistent Fingering for Effective Finger Drumming
In this section, Dragon discusses the concept of 'fingering' in finger drumming, which refers to the resting position of the fingers on the pads. He compares it to typing on a keyboard, where fingers rest in a home position for efficient typing. Consistent fingering positions are essential for developing muscle memory and playing efficiency. Dragon points out that changing pad layouts can disrupt the development of these positions, as it forces the player to adapt their finger placement. He offers a more comprehensive exploration of fingering positions in his 'Finger Drumming Foundation' course, which is designed to build a complete skill set for finger drummers.
đ Sequential Learning and Avoiding Information Overload in Finger Drumming
The final paragraph addresses the common mistake of trying to learn too many techniques at once, which can lead to confusion and discouragement. Dragon suggests a step-by-step approach, starting with the basics and gradually adding complexity. He likens learning to building with blocks, where a solid foundation allows for easier acquisition of advanced skills. He promotes his 'Foundation course' as a structured learning path that provides a clear order of learning, ensuring that students are not overwhelmed and can build a strong base of finger drumming skills.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄFinger Drumming
đĄPad Layout
đĄHand Isolation
đĄMirror Layout
đĄVelocity Sensitivity
đĄFixed Velocity
đĄFingering
đĄMuscle Memory
đĄDynamics
đĄFoundation Course
đĄOverwhelm
Highlights
Dragon, a finger drumming instructor with over 10 years of experience, emphasizes the legitimacy of finger drumming as a real musical instrument.
Finger drumming should be treated with the same skill and complexity as traditional drumming.
The importance of having standards for learning finger drumming to ensure efficient and effective playing.
Common mistake #1: Having the wrong pad layout, which can hinder the development of realistic drumming skills.
The significance of a standardized pad layout that facilitates hand and finger isolation for advanced drumming techniques.
The mirror layout's ineffectiveness for realistic drumming due to its alternating hand method, contrasting with traditional drumming techniques.
Dragon offers a free finger drumming starter course with a link in the video description for those interested in learning realistic finger drumming.
Common mistake #2: Changing pad layout too often, which disrupts the development of muscle memory.
The necessity of maintaining a consistent pad layout during the initial learning phase to build muscle memory effectively.
Common mistake #3: Using fixed velocity sensitivity, which can lead to a lack of control over dynamics in playing.
The importance of dynamic control in finger drumming and how fixed velocity sensitivity can hinder its development.
Common mistake #4: Inconsistent fingering, which can impede the development of efficient drumming techniques.
The concept of fingering positions as a foundational aspect of finger drumming, similar to home positions on a keyboard.
Common mistake #5: Trying to learn too many things at once, which can lead to confusion and discouragement.
The recommendation to start with the basics and build up gradually to avoid overwhelming oneself with complex techniques.
Dragon's Foundation course, which provides a step-by-step learning path for finger drumming to prevent confusion and ensure a solid foundation.
The benefits of following a proven learning path for finger drumming to facilitate easier learning and skill development.
Dragon invites viewers to share any other mistakes they've noticed among finger drummers in the comments section.
Transcripts
if you're a finger drummer you might be
making one of these crucial mistakes
it's okay they're super common and
they're super easy to fix but they're
also very important to talk about so you
don't mess up your progress so let's
dive
in so first of all my name is Dragon I'm
a finger drumming instructor I've been
playing finger drums for over 10 years
now and my mission is to help teach you
how to play finger drums like a real
drummer if you want to learn the secrets
of realistic finger drumming on the pads
make sure you check out my free finger
drumming starter course there's a link
to that in the video description or in
the pinned comment down below so first
of all in my eyes finger drumming is a
legit way to play drums to be a drummer
it's a real musical instrument and it
needs to be treated as such so a lot of
people look at finger drumming and they
see it as like a toy or like just
pushing buttons but it's actually a real
musical instrument you can play it with
the same degree of skill and complexity
that you could play any other musical
instrument
[Music]
and so it's important to have standards
for learning finger drumming for
understanding the best and the most
efficient ways to actually play the
instrument so the first major mistake
that finger drummers make is having the
wrong pad layout now there are obviously
tons of different ways to set up your
pads for finger drumming so it's not
like only one of them is the correct way
but there are definitely some layouts
that are not optimal and it all depends
really on what your goals are what your
intention is a lot of people lay out
that their pads for sample chopping
style of finger drumming and that works
fine for in most cases but when it comes
to playing the drums on the pads like I
teach there's a lot of pad layouts that
don't work very well you know you want a
pad layout that actually optimizes the
setup of the drums and makes them easier
to play so you can do more things play
more drums and and more styles of
drumming in one setup so for example
like a drum kit if you imagine an
acoustic drum kit they're always kind of
set up in the same way right drummers
are not moving around their drums or
reorganizing them like if you want to
play metal you don't set up your drums
in a different position than if you want
to play jazz or something right and so
for finger drumming it's also really
important to have a standardized layout
that really works for the principles of
drumming which basically are hand and in
our case finger isolation you want to be
able to to play drums on the pads you
want to be able to isolate your hands
and your fingers to do different things
at the same time that's kind of like the
core principle of drumming and so you
want a pad layout that works very well
for that to isolate your hands that's
the essential principle so for example
one really popular layout is the mirror
layout you might have seen this if
you've seen other uh popular finger
drummers not everyone uses it but a lot
of people do where they'll kind of set
up the pads in a half and half split and
uh their hands will be alternating in
order to hit all of the drum hits in
their drum group that is not as
effective for realistic drumming because
a drummer doesn't do that on a drum kit
they're not alternating their hands for
everything they're isolating their hands
so one hand is playing one Rhythm and
the other hand is playing a different
Rhythm but they're coming together and
playing at the same time to create
what's called a compound Rhythm a drum
beat you know and so they're not trying
to hit all the different parts just by
alternating their hands so if you watch
people play the mirror layout you'll
kind of understand you'll see what
they're doing and you might think that
it makes sense but then if you go watch
a drummer play a drum kit you'll see oh
they're not actually doing that at all
they're isolating their limbs to play
different parts together and that's key
so the mirror layout is not the best
option for realistic drum kit style
finger drumming like I teach so if
you're wondering what is the best Pad
layout for realistic hand isolation drum
kit style finger drumming I have a full
pad layout breakdown and setup in my
free starter course which I mentioned at
the beginning of this video I'd highly
recommend if you want to learn realistic
finger drumming going and just getting
that it's free you just put in your
email and you'll get free access to the
course it has a bunch of different
lesson videos I think it's like an hour
and a half of lessons total But it
includes yeah like a full pad layout
setup walkthr free drum emulator
walkthrough so you get like the best
most realistic drum kit samples and
there's also introductory lessons on
actually starting to play drum grooves
with your hands and your fingers in this
style so the second most common finger
drumming mistake is changing your pad
layout too often so this kind of Builds
on the previous point which is you know
having the wrong pad layout to begin
with but in addition to having a pad
layout even if a finger drummer does
have a layout that works pretty well a
lot of times they'll switch it up a lot
or they'll they'll just try a little too
much experimentation in the beginning
when they're still learning and this is
a crucial mistake because when you're
learning a new instrument no matter what
it is you want to have a basic standard
in place so that you can develop muscle
memory so think of it like if you're
learning guitar now a guitar has
standard tuning right the six strings on
a guitar are standardized normally to
one preset tuning and of course you
could tune those strings to anything you
want there are all sorts of different
tunings that you can have on a guitar
but if you're just starting out to learn
it's a really good idea to keep it in
standard tuning and finger drumming is
no exception you want to have that nice
standardized pad layout that gives you
the most options possible which is the
hand isolation layout that I teach and
then from there you don't want to worry
about switching it up too much super
important to just get a solid pad layout
that works at the beginning and then
stick to it at least for a good while
before you experiment and explore other
layouts the third Super common mistake
that I see is using fixed velocity
sensitivity fixed velocity is basically
where you know these pad controllers
that we have when we hit them you know
we're hitting with a certain amount of
force and these pads are designed almost
all of them are are designed to register
how hard we're hitting the pad how much
pressure we're putting and so if you're
on like a drum kit and if I hit the drum
really hard it's going to make a loud
sound and if I hit the drum very soft
it's going to make a quiet sound right
now they've emulated this with these
electronic pad controllers so if you hit
a pad really hard the computer will give
you a loud output and if you hit the pad
really soft the computer will give you a
quiet output this is really good because
it's mimicking what actually happens in
an acoustic sense when you hit something
and the electronic term for this is
called velocity the amount of power that
you're putting into your hit so fixed
velocity sensitivity is when you put in
a setting in the computer or on the pad
controller that tells it no matter how
hard I hit just give me the same level
output every time so normally people
just crank this to a high setting so
even if I'm hitting softly um it's going
to give me a loud full output full
volume if you start playing and learning
how to play finger drums and you have
your velocity sensitivity fixed at
maximum then you're basically training
your muscles to ignore their power
because your ears are going to be
hearing a full volume output no matter
how hard you hit so you'll be sort of
subconsciously training your muscles to
not pay attention to how hard they're
hitting right so your your range of hits
your power is going to be all over the
place you will have no control over
what's called your Dynamics your your
hardness or your softness of your hits
and again at the beginning it's not
super important to worry about Dynamics
but if you're training your ear and your
muscles connected to not have any
awareness of them at all then in the
future when you do want to learn
Dynamics you're already you will have
trained yourself into a bad place into a
place of like oh I didn't realize my
muscles are this off if you turn off
that velocity sensitivity later because
you want to start playing ghost notes
for example then you might find like oh
oh man my my Dynamics are all over the
place and I have no control because I
trained myself to just not have any
control because I just had it on max
volume the whole time so that's a really
big one by the way I see a lot of people
doing that um having just maximum
velocity fixed and it's just a I think
it's a really bad habit because it again
it trains your fingers to just not even
pay attention to what they're
doing so the fourth biggest mistake that
I see a lot of finger drummers make is
inconsistent fingering so what is
fingering well fingering is basically
the placement or positioning of your
finger fers on your pads at when they're
resting so sort of if you imagine like a
a typing at a computer keyboard you your
fingers rest on that like home position
right your fingers are always rested on
those certain keys in the middle row and
from that home position you can easily
reach all the other Keys you know your
thumbs can tap the space bar Etc it's
pretty easy to type all the words that
you can type with your fingers resting
in that home position so that is a
fingering position and on finger drums
it's the same way so you have your pad
layout which is set up to easily play
drums and then on that pad layout you
rest your fingers in a certain home
position in my system of teaching there
are three home positions these home
positions are really important because
again same with having a standard pad
layout they give you this sort of
standardized Central position from where
you can play drums much more effectively
so just like the computer keyboard if
your fingers are resting on that natural
home position it's really easy it's a
lot easier to just type all your words
and so fingering positions on the pads
are the same way so this also kind of
goes hand in hand with finger drummers
who change their pad layout when you
change your pad layout you also end up
kind of changing your home fingering
position you know some finger drummers
will have you know certain fingers
resting on certain pads at one point and
then when they add a different sound or
they change a sound around they'll
they'll kind of switch which fingers
they're using and again this inhibits
the development of your muscle memory
because you want your muscles to be
resting in the same place hitting the
same pads for a long time as you're
learning so that you can really develop
your skills in each of your fingers so
this is a super important one and
fingering positions are not something
that I've seen any other finger drummer
cover or talk about really so if you
want to learn all three of my primary
fingering positions and how to use them
on the finger drums that's taught in my
finger drumming Foundation course so I'd
recommend starting with the free starter
course cuz that's like covers all your
setup and everything that you'll need to
start playing finger drums and you don't
need to worry about fingering positions
at the very beginning but then if you
want to keep building your skills and
get like a complete finger drumming
skill set all of that stuff is covered
in my Foundation course so that's
basically like a deep dive into
realistic finger drumming for anyone who
H is brand new or has a little bit of
finger drumming experience it's like
basically my ultimate all-in-one course
so again start with the free starter
course but then if you want to continue
and really develop a full set of finger
drumming skills I would highly recommend
checking out the foundation course and
I'll link that down in the description
as well so you can check that
out okay so the Fifth and final mistake
that I see a lot of finger drummers
making is trying to learn too many
things at once and this happens to
almost everybody who learns a musical
instrument actually they they get really
excited because usually we get inspired
by musicians that we see online or in
concert or whatever and we're like I
want to do that you know and and that's
awesome that's a great reason to learn
an instrument but then we kind of try to
jump in and learn too many things at
once so at the beginning you just want
to learn simple straightforward
foundational stuff and you want to keep
the whole process fun also you don't
want to like overwhelm yourself with a
bunch of complex techniques or like
music theory and all that stuff all of
that is makes it very easy to get
discouraged or sidetracked or just to
give up on music entirely start with the
basics and just do them one at a time
learning drumming is like playing with
building blocks you start with one
simple building block and then you get
another one and you stack it on top and
the more you can do like that you'll
build a really strong uh Foundation a
base for yourself to where then learning
advanced techniques is a lot easier
because you already have a stable
foundation and going back to the course
I mentioned earlier my Foundation course
that's literally what it does that's the
whole purpose of that course is it gives
you all of the essential principles and
building blocks of finger drumming in
the right order so that you don't have
anything to worry about basically you're
not overwhelmed or confused about what
to learn next it just lays it all out
for you step by step you know you start
with hand isolation playing the basic
principles of all drum grooves and then
you extend that a little bit with finger
isolation you know you start with just
your index fingers and then you add your
middle fingers you know just taking it
one little step at a time and then once
you have your middle fingers you know
playing basic drum grooves um making
them a little bit more complex just one
little piece at a time and then adding
drum fills you know it's like it's a
very stepbystep process and that
actually just makes it faster and easier
when you do it that way instead of just
learning something here or something
there or watching a bunch of random
tutorials from different people who
teach differently it's important to just
pick one thing one path like a proven
path that people have used to learn and
just go with it for a little while and
then once you have that Foundation no
matter who you learn it from then it's a
lot easier to Branch out and learn more
stuff so those are the five mistakes
that I see a lot of finger drummers
making obviously they're all super easy
to correct it's not a big deal if you're
making these mistakes but if you correct
them now then your progress will be
faster and you won't have to come back
and undo do anything in the future you
know learning good habits now and
understanding why to do each of these
things will just help you so much more
in the future so I hope this video
helped leave a comment if you think of
any other mistakes that finger drummers
make that you see I I could probably
think of a couple more Beyond just these
five but these are the ones that really
stand out to me but if you think of
anything else definitely leave it in the
comment so that other people can see
thank you so much for watching and I'll
see you in the next one
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