Neuroscience experts contend that when you look at a band, drummers are likely to possess higher levels of intelligence than their less rhythmically-focused bandmates.

That advantage and a number of others are why millions of people learn and move towards mastering being a drummer every year.

While drums can be an easy instrument to pick up, becoming an outstanding drummer can be a struggle.

How can you improve your fills? How can you become faster with your bass pedal? How can you improve your ability to keep in time while playing difficult rhythmic patterns?

To answer those questions and more, below, our team shares 5 drummer foundational tips that can help you reach mastery.

1. Work on Rudiments

It’s a shame that so few drummers know what rudiments are.

Triplets, paradiddles, paradiddle-diddles, etc.

The reason why it’s a shame is that rudiments are the building blocks that will allow you to create incredible fills and beats. If you’re interested at becoming a master of rudiments (and you should be) pick up the book “Stick Control” and use it as your practice bible.

2. Practice Consistently

Practice makes perfect.

We’re sure you’re tired of hearing that but it’s the truth. There’s no shortcut to becoming an awesome drummer. The only way you can do it is through consistent practice.

Set a practice schedule and stick to it at all costs. Open each practice session with your rudiments and then move on to learning specific songs you’re working on.

Also, always work with a metronome. Doing so will help you improve your sense of timing which is invaluable to drummers.

3. Watch People Drum

Watching and listening to the world’s best drummers will help inspire you and can turn you onto new techniques that can ultimately lead to mastering your craft.

Our recommendation is to watch a lot of Buddy Rich videos and attempt to emulate what he’s doing. If Buddy isn’t your style, watch the drummer from your favorite band play and try to emulate him/her.

4. Work With Ankle Weights

One of the hardest aspects of drumming is working with the bass pedal. The resistance of the pedal can tire your angle out and can send you drumming out of time, fast.

To build up your ankle strength, practice with ankle weights. Doing so will make it so working with your bass and high-hat pedals feel a lot easier.

5. Take Professional Lessons

If you can afford professional drum lessons, take them. Even if you’re already a good drummer, there’s always something new to learn.

If you’re a rocker, take jazz lessons. If you’re a jazz drummer, take heavy metal lessons.

The more varied your education is as a drum-set player, the more celebrated you’ll be for your diverse set of skills!

Wrapping Up Tips and Techniques to Be a Better Drummer

From taking lessons to working on your rudiments, there is no shortage of things you can do to boost your drum mastery.

Once you’re sounding good on the drums, the next thing to do is to look good. To that end, our team at Custom Bass Drum Head can help.

We’ve been hooking drummers up with incredible bass drum heads that showcase their logo for years.

Start taking your image as a drummer to the next level by designing your bass head for free using our online creator tools!